Bible Verse Melted In Steel

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here's a story I found on the internet that I thought you would find interesting. The story was originally written by Kelsey Straeter, but heavily edited by the author of this blog.

Bible Verse Melted to Steel

We’ve all heard it said that the Word of God is mighty, all-powerful and everlasting. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul asserts that the Bible is “God-breathed,” meaning God had a hand in everything that was written in it, and God still speaks actively to people as they read the Bible today. But when horrific tragedy hits in instances like what happened to the World Trade Center on 9/11, many find it difficult to hold firm to that Truth. Even as Christians, we often question how is it that a loving God would allow such evil and mass chaos?

Though we may lack the understanding of God’s ways in extracting beauty from this broken world, it is quite awe-inspiring when He sends us an undeniable message of hope amidst the devastation. Times like these remind us that the Bible is a living Word.

Such was the case when one firefighter was sifting through the rubble on Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers. In March of 2002, he was with a crew sorting through the rubble and remnants of the south tower, when he made an unthinkable discovery: a Bible fused to a chunk of steel. Strangely, pages from this 9/11 Bible remained, and the page the Bible was open to was particularly interesting.

In shock, the firefighter immediately brought the treasure to Joel Meyerowitz, who was the photographer assigned to work on Ground Zero for nine months. He, too, was there in the South Tower, looking through the rubble, seeking artifacts to archive that might tell the story of the people and their experience during the 9/11 attack.

“This shredded, burned and rubble-covered Bible came to me from the loving hands of a fireman who knew that I was the record keeper of ground zero,” said the photographer, according to a report by The New York Times.

Meyerowitz, the author of “Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive“, was totally speechless when his eyes fell upon the Bible verse exposed on the surface of what he called “heart-shaped” Bible fused to steel.

Of all the books, chapters, and verses in the Bible, the Bible was open to the book of Matthew, revealing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and specifically a section titled “Retaliation” was Matthew 5:38-39:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:38-39.

“My astonishment at seeing the page that the Bible was open to made me realize that the Bible’s message survives throughout time,” said Joel. “And in every era we interpret its teachings freshly, as the occasion demands.”

It totally mesmerizes me that amidst the burning destruction of 9/11 and the remaining rubble, this fragile yet powerful piece of parchment was able to endure and send a lasting message to us all:

Our fleshly nature urges us to repay evil for evil, but God calls us to press on in forgiveness and love, while leaving vengeance to Him.

Today, the National 9/11 Memorial Museum holds this 9/11 Bible, which Meyerowitz gave to the museum along with other findings from the rubble at Ground Zero, and it has been viewed by religious leaders, such as Pope Francis.

What an amazing God-breathed message for us all to remember in regard to the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers, and all of life’s tragedies that we may face… May the words from this 9/11 Bible be seared on our hearts as securely as this page was fused to steel. May the message make us consider our actions when we face hardships so that we respond lovingly, as Jesus would. It's a shame we did not take this message to heart. We could have avoided the long war in Afghanistan, and the expenditure of a lot of treasure over the last twenty years!

William James Roop

 Roop-Crappell Ministries 

 Hospice Volunteer Stories 

 The Trucking Tango 

 Apostolic Theological Seminary 

God Shut Him In

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

This is a portion of an article that I have come across, the author is unknown.

I have always thought that Noah was safe inside the Ark because he built it according to God's specifications. I thought that perhaps it was the strength of the gopher wood and the soundness of the architecture that ensured that the waters of the flood would not come into the Ark.

But today I encountered a verse that shifted this whole paradigm.
Let's read what Gen 7:16 says .." The animals going in were male and female of every living thing as God had commanded Noah..
THEN GOD SHUT HIM IN....

Don't miss this.... even after Noah had built the Ark, it was God Himself who shut him in, in order to shut out the waters of the flood... In other translations this verse says "The Lord sealed them inside."

It is not the fact that you have locked your house that keeps you safe at night, it is not your good driving skills that keeps you safe on the road, neither it's your healthy eating habits that keeps you healthy - only God can shut you in and shut out the devil that is seeking to devour you.

May GOD SHUT US IN AS WE OBEY HIM AND TRUST IN HIS WORD. Amen!!

William James Roop, M.A.B.S

 Roop-Crappell Ministries 

 Hospice Volunteer Stories 

 The Trucking Tango 

 Apostolic Theological Seminary 

Tithings

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

I found this article on the web and wanted to share it. It's not my writing, the author is unknown, but I agree with it. If you have any comments, write them in the comments section.

I love Malachi. 

The thing is, Malachi 3:7 proves to us that churches that teach a monetary tithe requirement are wrong to do so.

Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

Notice in verse 7 God is calling for a return to His ordinances?  Since God is calling for a return to His ordinances in Malachi 3:7, it is imperative that ministers of God consider what God's ordinances say concerning tithes when teaching the subsequent Malachi 3:8-12.

Here are all the verses concerning tithes that are found in God's ordinances:

Leviticus 27:30-34
Numbers 18:21-31 (cross reference Nehemiah 10:29,37-38)
Deuteronomy 12:10-11,17
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Deuteronomy 26:12-17

The tithes Malachi is speaking of are tithes governed by the ordinances.  We know this, because God would not call for a return to His ordinances in verse seven and then turn around and tell people to transgress the ordinances in verse 10.

So what do the ordinances say concerning tithes that are to be brought to the House of God?

1.  Tithes are to be agriculture and agricultural food by-products (Lev. 27:30,32; Deut. 12:17)

2.  The congregation is not to go near the House of God with their tithes.  This is because the tithe of the congregation is the inheritance of the Levite, not the property of the House of God.  (Num. 18:21-23; Neh. 10:29, 37-38)

3.  Only a tithe of the tithes is to go to the House of God, not the full tithe. (Neh. 10:37-38)

4.  Only Levites are to tithe to the House of God. (Neh. 10:37-38)  

Given the fact that Malachi is calling for a return to God's ordinances, Malachi can only be speaking of agricultural tithes and can only be speaking to Levites.

Again, God would not be calling for a return to His ordinances in verse seven and then tell people to transgress the ordinances in verse ten.

Conclusion:  It is wrong to use Malachi 3:7-12 to teach the Christian congregation that God requires them to tithe money to the House of God.  Malachi is neither speaking of money in that passage, nor is it instructing Christians.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

The Trouble Tree

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a story that I have come across. It is by an unknown author.

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farm house, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation.. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children.. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again.' 'Funny thing is,' he smiled,' when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance. We all need a Tree!

William James Roop, M.A.B.S,

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Volunteer Stories

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Low On Salt

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

I was up at my aunt and uncle's house in Wisconsin here recently. They own the old family dairy farm. While we were there he told me a lot of interesting stories.  Here is one of those stories.

My uncle, Jerry Mankowski, told me a story about a medical emergency that happened to him a few years ago. He woke up one morning with his hands shaking! He could not stop them from shaking. Also he had little feeling in his body.

His long time wife, Nancy, said that she would take him to the clinic. Jerry told her no, he really needed an ambulance! She called an ambulance immediately! When the ambulance arrived, off they went to the local hospital!

Upon arrival at the hospital, a battery of tests were performed. As my aunt and uncle sat there, the doctor's convened and discussed. They knew what the problem was almost immediately, but they just wanted to make sure.

The doctor eventually came out and revealed what was the diagnosis. Jerry had very low sodium levels in his blood!  He was just low on salt! The doctor turned to my aunt Nancy, and said to her, " put the salt shaker back on the table!"

Now both of them put plenty of salt on their food. The salt shaker is always on the table. It's popular today to have a no salt diet. But that is not healthy for us. Our blood needs to have a good salt content for a healthy body.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

 Roop-Crappell Ministries 

 Hospice Volunteer Stories 

 The Trucking Tango 

 Apostolic Theological Seminary 

The Pistol

 Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

My wife and I were just up in Wisconsin visiting with my mother's family that still lives in the area.  We also escorted my elderly mother up there with us.  While we were living with my mothers older brother, my uncle Jerry Mankowski, and his wife Nancy. 

 Jerry and Nancy still live on the old dairy farm of my Grandfather Ed Mankowski, the old booze runner for the Al Capone gang! Jerry still had one of the old pistols that belonged to Al Capones men!  The other three blog posts that tell of my family's involvement with the Capones are, "The Escape From The Mob,"  "The Booze Runners,"  "FBI Crackdown."

When the famous St. Valentines Day Massacre occurred, Charlie, an Chicago policeman, was first on the scene. He took the opportunity to relieve one of the dead mobsters of one of his sidearms. He took a pistol. Charlie was married to a lady named Stella, the sister of Frank and Ed Mankowski. 

Frank and Ed worked for the Al Capone gang! Ed was a booze runner, and Frank was a gang enforcer! Ed was my grandfather. In the nineteen-thirties, crime scene investigations was not the science that it is today. Cops taking souvenirs from a crime scene was pretty common back then, especially if it was not directly involved in the crime.

Many years later, when Charlie died, his wife Stella had the pistol. Stella gave it to her brother-in-law ED, my grandfather, and father to my uncle Jerry.  When my grandfather died, Hellen, my grandmother, gave it to her son Jerry.  That's how my uncle Jerry came to own a pistol carried by a Chicago gangster that died in the St. Valentines Day massacre!

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

The Escape From The Mob!

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

I was up in Wisconsin visiting my mother's side of the family. My aunt and uncle currently live on the old family dairy farm. They are Nancy and Jerry Mankowski. Both are in their early eighties, but both doing well.  You can read related posts called, "The booze runners" and "FBI crackdown," "The Pistol."

While I was there, my uncle Jerry started telling stories about the Al Capone days in Chicago. One of the stories was about Frank Mankowski, and him changing his name. He did this to hide from the mob!  This is what happened.

Frank Mankowski was a booze runner with his brother Ed. But Frank was more than a booze runner, he also was an enforcer for the Capone crime family!  Their sister Ann was a waitress for a very expensive Supper Club.  One of Al Capones men wanted to date Ann, but Ann didn't like him, so she to refuse his advances. 

Just after the famous St. Valentine's massacre, and the mayor calling in the FBI, Ann was beaten up very badly by the Al Capone man that she rejected! She was beaten up so much that Ann was a the hospital for a month! When Ann woke up, she was terrified of the man who attacked her!

But Frank apparently knew the man, and why he had attacked her. Frank calmly informed Ann not to worry about them. Frank said that he had "taken care of him!". Now remember, Frank was an enforcer for the Al Capone crime family, so that only meant one thing!

When Frank finally got Ann out of the hospital, just as the Feds were cracking down, they fled to California!  When Ann got settled down there, Frank took a slow boat around through the Panama Canal and up to New York City. That is when Frank Mankowski changed his name to Langowski. That was his mother's maiden name.

His mother was pregnant with Frank by another man before her marriage, so Frank was never really a Mankowski anyway. So, Frank changed his name and laid low in New York City for about five years! Frank would never reveal what he did in New York City during those years, that went with him to the grave!

After the five years, Frank bought a farm in central Wisconsin near his brother Ed. There they both lived as farmers, and a much quieter life!  He kept the name Langowski for the rest of his life.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

 Roop-Crappell Ministries 

 Hospice Care and Life 

 The Trucking Tango 

 Apostolic Theological Seminary