A New Year Of Hope, Faith and Peace

By: Elias Bejjani*

I wish that all those who read or follow my work in both Arabic and English will share with me a Biblical new year resolution that is derived from context of below Biblical Verse. A resolution and a vow to fight all through this new year the evil inside our minds and to tame all our instincts' of destructive lust and desires.

"What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. If the Spirit leads you, then you are not subject to the Law. What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another. (Galatians 05/16-26)

Definitely it is very difficult to abide by this Godly resolution, BUT if we belief in ourselves and trust in Almighty God, Our loving Father, we shall make the resolution a reality and an achievement.
With a spirit of faith and self-trust, let us all welcome the new year, with an open hearts and extended hands to all others, especially to those family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances with whom we were not in good terms during the last year.

Let us on day one of this new year close the last year's messy page and open a new and totally blank one with full readiness for forgiveness, and a genuine willingness for recognizing our wrongdoings in a bid to come with a practical plan for repentance.

Let us all put our burdens, pain, sickness, deprivation, persecution, separation, broken hearts, disappointments, frustrations, bereavements, injustice, abandonment, and anger in the hands of Almighty God and follow the teachings of His Gospel. God, with his gracious wisdom and abundant generosity, shall definitely see in every way possible that we all safely overcome with faith and hope all kinds of failure temptations, hardships and difficulties. Let us all trust in Him and recognize that we are all His beloved children and that He has created us in his image.

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 08:16-19)

We should never ever doubt God's deep love for each and every one of us. How could He not love us when we are His children. How could He abandon us when He has sent his only son, Jesus Christ to defeat death, give us the eternal life, suffer and be crucified so we, His children, can become purified and absolved from the original sin and be helped to walk safely the path of eternal salvation.

Let us ask Almighty God to help us live in peace and harmony with ourselves and others. Lead our steps into the righteous paths and grant us the strength of endurance and hold us back from the sin of hurting or hating others.

In this new year, Our Father, Almighty God, Grant us the graces of love, meekness, humbleness, transparency, honesty and forgiveness. Maintain our hearts and minds pure, and free from grudges and selfishness. Help us to remember that vengeance is evil and forgiveness is a Godly grace. We ask you not to allow vengeance take control of our lives.

Being faithful to God's holy teachings, is being loving and forgiving. For when we trust God and believe in His justice, we ought to leave Him punish those who are evil.

"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear". (Matthew 13:43)

God's teachings in regards to vengeance is very clear: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." ( Romans 12:19-21)
This verse frees us from the burden of taking justice into our own hands. It tells us "Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ God will repay those who are righteous"..

Since God is going to take up our cause and see to it that justice is done, we should lay it down, work hard not to succumb to our human destructive and evil instincts.

Let us pray that during this new year, we don’t have to carry anger, bitterness, resentment or revenge no matter what is our burden because refusal to forgive will make it impossible for us to understand and experience the forgiveness of God for us. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Then commenting on that prayer, Jesus said, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15).
Saint Paul says leave it to the wrath of God. ”Then the wrath of God is defined further as God’s vengeance, “Vengeance is mine.” So wrath is connected with God’s response to something that deserves vengeance. And then it says, “I will repay.” So God’s wrath is treated as a repayment to man for something man has done. This simply means that the wrath of God is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner. God will and shall see that justice is done on the Day of Judgment. So let us be forgiving and avoid any sort of vengeance.
With the 2013 new year, let us pray from the depth of our hearts for all those who hate and hold grudges against us. Let us ask almighty God to cure them from these evil ailments and grant us the grace of forgiveness and the strength of faith to keep loving them.

No one should forget that our live on this earth is too short, and that we must be righteous to deserve the eternal one in Heaven where there will be no pain or fights, but happiness and peace.

With the beginning of the new year, let us all ask almighty God to shower on every one the graces of health, prosperity, peace, faith, and hope. Let us pray for peace and tranquility in all countries, especially where devastating wars, conflicts, and discrimination are going on.
Happy New Year
*Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.

I Asked God For Christmas Gifts, He Said: No !!

By: Elias Bejjani*
What does Christmas mean to believers? Simply it means love, because Almighty God, Our Beloved Father wanted to save us, we, His children, from the slavery of the original sin. For this fundamental fatherhood reason: "He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." (The Creed)
Yes, He wanted for us to be free and back to His heavenly mansions that He built specially for us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him". (John 03/16-17).
God become a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ because He loves us, we, His children, and decided to save us. One might wonder why God would do all this? The answer, simply is because He is love

itself. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 05/08).
This year I decided to speak directly to God, as I do each day through my prayers, yet somehow in a very different way. I set down and after saying my regular prayers I started asking Him for certain and very specific gifts and favors for myself and others and at the same vividly contemplate His answers based on all that I have learned all through my 67 years of age and grasped from the Holy Bible.

I asked Almighty God to kill my pride, He said: No, I do not have to do so, you should tame it yourself because I do not have mercy on the wicked and proud. “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 04/1-2).

I asked Almighty God for a cure for a beloved person who is very sick and cannot control what he does. He said: No, his spirit is what matters and his spirit is perfect. Meanwhile, his body is inevitably mortal. "For dust you are and to dust you will return". (Genesis 3:19)
I asked Almighty God to grant me patience in a bid to maintain my faith and solidify my hope in the face of the hardships that I am encountering, He said: No, patience comes from tribulations. Patience is not granted but earned. You have to challenge your instincts and defeat them, especially those of hatred, grudges, envy and selfishness.
I asked Almighty God if the greater love is loving ourselves as the psychologists and therapists teach these days? . He said No, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15/13)

I asked Almighty God to grant me happiness, He said: No, I shall shower you with blessings and graces if you ask and long for them, while happiness is to be made by you and not by any body else.

I asked Almighty God to spare me pain, He said: No, pain keeps you away from earthly concerns and brings you closer to me.
I asked Almighty God to make my soul grow and thrive. He said: No, your soul's growth and prosperity is your own responsibility, but I will pull you towards Me so you might abundantly bear fruits.
I asked Almighty God to make me rich and powerful and at the same time solidify my faith. He said: No, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money". (Matthew 6:24).
I asked Almighty God to help me lay earthly treasures. He said No, “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 06/19-22)
I asked Almighty God to help me take acts of revenge against those who harmed me badly and inflicted pain, misery and ineradicable hardships on me. He said: No, "Do not take revenge, but leave room for My wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," (Romans 12:19)
I asked Almighty God to allow me hate those who hate me. He said: No," Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28).
I asked Almighty God to spare me from temptation. He said: No, "Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. (James 01/13-15)
I asked Almighty God if He forgives those who are evil and cause others to stumble. He said: No, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18/06)

I asked Almighty God to love me, He said: Yes I do, I have sacrificed My only begotten son so you can live forever, if you believe in Me.

By the end, I found that all these above answers came from within me, from my conscience, which is in fact the sound of God Himself.

Thanks to God for keeping my conscience alive, sensitive, and full with fear of You all the time. Thank You for loving me and enlightening my life modesty, love, faith and hope. Thank you for all the generous graces that You shower continuously on me, on my family, on my country and on all the people and countries. Thank You for the gift of life.

Merry Christmas.
Elias Bejjani
*Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
*Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
*Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
*Mailing phoenicia group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
*Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_128479277182033&ap=1

Killing Innocent Children in Connecticute is savagity itself

By: Elias Bejjani

John 11/25.26
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die.

The crazy and criminal shooting that targeted today an elementary school in Connecticute, USA, and caused the killing of 27 people, including 20 students is an act of mere savagity. God bless the souls of the victims and His endless and unlimited mercy be with all those injured to help them recover soon. Our warmest condolences to the families of all the victims and the injured. In hard, sad and difficult times one can not but keel, raise his hand up and pray asking almighty God for mercy, patience and hope.

Elias Bejjani*
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/home.php

قتل الأطفال الأبرياء هو الوحشية بعينها
الياس بجاني/14 كانون الأول/12/لا يمكن وصف الحادث الدموي والإجرامي الذي وقع اليوم في مدرسة للأطفال، في ولاية كونيتيكت الأمريكية بغير الوحشي، حيث قتل مسلح شاب داخل المدرسة ما يزيد عن 27 شخصاً من بينهم 20 طفلاً. نطلب من الله العلي أن يرحم نفوس الذين قتلوا وأن يمد يد العون والرحمة للجرحى وأن يلهم أهاليهم وأقرباءهم الصبر والسلوان. في الأوقات الصعبة والشديدة القساوة ليس للإنسان من يلجأ إليه سوى الله. فلنركع ونرفع أيدينا نحو السماء ونصلي طالبين منه الرأفة والرحمة والصبر.

Conscience Is The Lord's Voice In Us

By: Elias Bejjani*

Back home, in Lebanon, the land of the holy cedars, our people have this religious saying that recognizes the importance of the conscience for the righteous: "If you do not have shame, do whatever you want." Shame is a feeling that human beings experience when their conscience makes them aware that what they are doing or saying is not righteous.
If you have ever done someone wrong and then found yourself blushing and unable to look that person in the eye, you have experienced the power of the conscience. Conscience has a tremendous power over the spirit to either bring it great strength or to sap it of its power.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines conscience as our moral sense of right and wrong, while Biblically, it is to many, believers the God's voice in their mind.
The Bible teaches that God has placed basic principles of His Law in every person's conscience. "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them". (Romans 02/14-15).
The conscience operates whether or not the person ever reads the Bible or even has been told anything about God. However, by the constant ignoring of that conscience, the internal voice can be dulled to the point that when evil is done the conscience responds very little or not at all. A conscience in this condition is referred to as a seared conscience. "Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (01 Timothy 04/02 )
To be prepared and always ready for facing Almighty God happily on the Day Of Judgment with the needed credits that qualifies us to return to His heavenly mansions, we are ought to keep our conscience alive and functional. Conscience is God's voice that lives in and with us and keeps safeguarding and protecting us from sins via cautioning.
"Beware that your hearts (Conscience) do not become drowsy from carousing (festivities and partying) and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21/34-36)
What does it mean when we say that a person has no conscience?
It simply indicates that this person does not fear God, abides by no criteria for what is righteous and evil, has no shame, has no feelings, does not count for the consequences and most importantly he lives in the sin slavery. A man who has numbed, dulled or totally killed his conscience does know the truth which is God. '"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (.John 08:32)
In this context, if we allow without any resistance our sickening arrogance, inflated ego, and self-centered thinking to fool and deceive us that we are strong, infallible, mighty, wiser than every body else, above all accountability, and that The Lord can do nothing about our conduct, be good or bad, than we lose ourselves and become an easy prey to the devil's temptations. Such pompous person does not listen to his conscience and intentionally ignores it completely. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Lord's Prayer)
Yes the Lord entirely knows not only our secrets, the depth of our faith, the aims and sorts of our acts, the honesty or dishonesty of our intentions, but also knows very well all our thoughts. He is our loving Father, and like each and every caring and responsible father He wants us to be righteous. He wants us to be the best and to ultimately after our earthly transient journey to back to His own heavenly mansion that He himself has built for us and not any human being.
“Do not let your hearts (conscience) be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am". (John 14/01-03)
He, The Lord, is our conscience, yes, He is. He never abandons us under any given circumstances no matter what, unless we want Him to do so and ask Him to leave when we numb our conscience and stop listening . When we do so, we defy Him and fall into temptations. He, The Lord, the conscience advices and cautions, but it is up to us to either listen and obey or not.

Why The Lord does not force us to do and say what only is righteous? Why He does not entirely control, dominate and run our lives so we do not do any thing that is wrong or sinful?Why He does not interfere and stop us when committing sins?Why He does not prevent us from falling into temptation or defying Him?
The straightforward answer for all these questions is simply because He granted us the full freedom when He "for for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the Heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; And arose again on the third day" (The Creed).
Jesus was crucified to free us from the original sin and to render us free from the yoke of slavery. Therefore we run our life, and our fate and accordingly we are accountable and responsible for the consequences. We face the accountability on the Judgment Day and as long as we are alive and can breath we have the full freedom to follow any track that we freely chose for our life.

Our Father, The Lord, has granted us the freedom to do and say what ever we want, but with a very clear caution of the consequences. His voice in us, the conscience cautions us all the time and all what we have to do is to listen and obey. And because we are free and accountable He does not interfere in more than cautioning and cautioning only.
We, not only MUST always listen to our conscience and obey, but also we have an obligation not be a stumbling block for those whose conscience is weak, as Saint Paul teaches us. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall. (01 Corinthians 8/09-13)
In conclusion, for us to be saved from sin, wrongdoings, stumbling, evil temptations and the lust of instincts, we are ought to continuously listen to the conscience that is God's voice and obey.
Elias Bejjani*
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/home.php