Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Ted Cruz: History Will Record 'Bitter Clingers' Obama and Kerry as 'Relentless Enemies of Israel' - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) unloaded his anger with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry over their attacks on Israel in a statement Wednesday. (Reuters photo)

Ted Cruz: History Will Record 'Bitter Clingers' Obama and Kerry as 'Relentless Enemies of Israel'

BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), since last week's adoption of United Nations Resolution 2334, has become a man on a mission.
After Secretary of State John Kerry's hour-long rant about Israel, settlements in the West Bank and the future of the so-called "two-state solution," the Texas senator unleashed just a bit of his anger with a statement. In it, he spared little venom for either the secretary or his boss, President Barack Obama.
Cruz said:
Like bitter clingers, President Obama and Secretary Kerry are spending every last minute of this administration wreaking havoc domestically and abroad. With their last breath in office, they have struck at Israel through the United Nations and through today's disgraceful speech.
These acts are shameful. They are designed to secure a legacy, and indeed they have: history will record and the world will fully understand Obama and Kerry as relentless enemies of Israel. Their actions were designed to weaken and marginalize Israel and to embolden its enemies. 
Today's speech—like Kerry's 2014 remarks likening Israel to an apartheid state—will inflame rising anti-Semitism in Europe. It will encourage the mullahs who hate Israel and hate America. And it will facilitate "law-fare," growing legal assaults on Israel through transnational legal fora. 
Kerry's speech drew a stunning moral equivalence between our great ally Israel and the Palestinian Authority, currently formed in a "unity" government with the vicious terrorists of Hamas. Secretary Kerry declared the Hamas regime in Gaza "radical" in the same way he declared the duly-elected government of Israel "extreme." He declared vicious terrorism sponsored by Hamas equal to Israeli settlements in West Bank. And he equated Israel's celebration of its birth with the Palestinian description of this event as the "disaster." His speech attempted to lay out an historic and seismic shift towards the de-legitimization of our ally, Israel, and the further empowerment of the Palestinian Authority. 
Kerry's central conclusion, that "Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both" is an inanity that passes as profound only in Ivory Tower faculty lounges. There are roughly 50 majority-Muslim countries in the world. There is one—only one—Jewish state. And yet, for Kerry and Obama, that is too much. The Israeli Knesset has 17 elected Arab members. It has Muslim members and Christian members. In contrast, one searches in vain for Muslim countries that have elected Jewish representatives.
It is a sign of their radicalism and refusal to defend American interests that Obama and Kerry choose to attack the only inclusive democracy in the Middle East—a strong, steadfast ally of America—while turning a blind eye to the Islamic terrorism that grows daily. 
America is an unshakable friend of Israel, and we are horrified at what has transpired this week.
I believe Obama's and Kerry's shameful conduct will backfire, that it will be short-lived and will inspire a bipartisan repudiation of their radical anti-Israel agenda.
All Americans who understand the value of the U.S.-Israel alliance must immediately and unequivocally reject their false and dangerous narrative and reassert our fundamental commitment to Israel's security. Thankfully, Congress and the incoming administration can and I hope will take decisive action to intercept the administration's final and desperate Hail Mary, and that should begin with eliminating U.S. funding to the U.N. unless and until this disgraceful resolution is reversed. 
I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as well as the incoming administration to chart a new path forward based on America's national security interests and clear-eyed reality, not on the Obama administration's globalist agenda and wishful thinking. 
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Saturday, July 30, 2016

Barack Obama Is On Track To Be The Only President In History To Never Have A Year Of 3% GDP Growth - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Barack Obama Giving A Speech - Public Domain

Posted: 29 Jul 2016   Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

We just got another extremely disappointing GDP number.  It was being projected that U.S. GDP would grow by 2.5 percent during the second quarter of 2016, but instead it only grew by just 1.2 percent.  In addition, the Census Bureau announced that GDP growth for the first quarter of 2016 had been revised down from 1.1 percent to 0.8 percent.  What this means is that the U.S. economy is just barely hanging on by its fingernails from falling into a recession.   As Zero Hedge has pointed out, the “average annual growth rate during the current business cycle remains the weakest of any expansion since at least 1949″.  This is not what a recovery looks like.

In addition, Barack Obama remains solidly on track to be the only president in all of U.S. history to never have a single year when the economy grew by at least 3 percent.  Every other president in American history, even the really bad ones, had at least one year when U.S. GDP grew by at least 3 percent.  But this has not happened under Obama even though he has had two terms in the White House.

The following are the yearly GDP growth numbers under Obama.  They come directly from the official website of the World Bank

2009: -2.8 percent
2010: 2.5 percent
2011: 1.6 percent
2012: 2.2 percent
2013: 1.5 percent
2014: 2.4 percent
2015: 2.4 percent

Does that look like a “recovery” to you?

Of course not.

And many are anticipating that this latest extremely disappointing GDP number will discourage the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates any time in the near future
The disappointing report could keep the Federal Reserve on hold longer as it considers another interest rate hike. The Fed lifted its key rate in December for the first time in nine years but has held it steady since.
According to the pundits in the mainstream media, this was supposed to be the year when the U.S. economy finally returned to “normal”, but that has not happened at all.  In fact, in recent days we have gotten a spate of bad news about the economy.  We just learned that the homeownership rate in the United States has hit the lowest level ever, and Gallup’s U.S. economic confidence index has fallen to the lowest level so far this year.

With the election coming up rapidly, this is the kind of news that Hillary Clinton definitely does not need.  She needs to be able to sell the American people on the idea that the Obama years have been very good for the U.S. economy.  If things take a sharp turn down in the coming months, that may be enough to cost her the election.

So far, Hillary Clinton’s economic agenda has not received that much scrutiny, but the truth is that she hopes to increase taxes in a whole bunch of ways which would be very harmful for the economy.  The following comes from an excellent piece by John Kartch and Alexander Hendrie
Hillary has endorsed several tax increases on middle income Americans, despite her pledge not to raise taxes on any American making less than $250,000. She has said she would be fine with a payroll tax hike on all Americans, she has endorsed a steep soda tax, endorsed a 25% national gun tax, and most recently, her campaign manager John Podesta said she would be open to a carbon tax. It’s no wonder that when asked by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos if her pledge was a “rock-solid” promise, she slipped and said the pledge was merely a “goal.” In other words, she’s going to raise taxes on middle income Americans.
Hillary’s formally proposed $1 trillion net tax increase consists of the following:
Income Tax Increase – $350 Billion: Clinton has proposed a $350 billion income tax hike in the form of a 28 percent cap on itemized deductions.
Business Tax Increase — $275 Billion: Clinton has called for a tax hike of at least $275 billion through undefined business tax reform, as described in a Clinton campaign document.
“Fairness” Tax Increase — $400 Billion: According to her published plan, Clinton has called for a tax increase of “between $400 and $500 billion” by “restoring basic fairness to our tax code.” These proposals include a “fair share surcharge,” the taxing of carried interest capital gains as ordinary income, and a hike in the Death Tax.
Taxes tend to be a pet peeve of mine, so looking at that list of proposed taxes definitely makes me cringe.

If Donald Trump wants to hit the Democrats really hard on the economy, all he has to do is point out the fact that Barack Obama is going to be the only president in American history to never see 3 percent economic growth for an entire year, and he had two entire terms in which to try to turn things in a positive direction.

Sadly, things are very likely going to be worse for the economy no matter who wins the election.  Under Obama, our national debt, our trade deficit, and most of our other long-term economic problems have gotten much, much worse, and so the table is set for a major economic disaster during the next presidential administration.

And if what I have to share about the future of America in my new book is correct, we are definitely moving into a “perfect storm” that will not just be economic in nature.  The things that are coming are going to shake this nation to the very core, and I believe that we will soon face the consequences for decades of exceedingly foolish decisions.

So in the end, we may look back and long for the days of 1.2 percent economic growth, because what is on the horizon is going to make that look like a Sunday picnic.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Messianic Jews and Their History - Ludwig Schneider ISRAEL TODAY

Messianic Jews and Their History

Thursday, May 19, 2016 |  Ludwig Schneider  ISRAEL TODAY
Israel’s Messianic congregations today hold official government status, and have been allowed to develop freely.
The full article appears in the May 2016 issue of Israel Today Magazine.
CLICK HERE to read it all
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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Compelling Historical Evidence for the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ - EDDIE HYATT CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Here is some compelling evidence of Christ's birth.
Here is some compelling evidence of Christ's birth. (iStock photo )


Compelling Historical Evidence for the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ



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Here are some historical evidences for the virgin birth of Jesus Christ:
  •     A physician and world-class historian documented it
  •     Modern archaeology affirms it
  •     An agnostic professor of mythology is convinced
  •     Old Testament prophets predicted it centuries in advance
  •     The earliest Christians believed it universally
1. Documented by a physician & world-class historian.
The virgin birth of Jesus Christ was documented by a physician and world-class historian who interviewed eyewitnesses, probably including Mary herself, for his account of this world-changing event. Luke gives the most detailed account of the Nativity and mentions Mary 12 times, more than any other biblical writer. In addition to the birth of Christ, he also gives special, detailed attention to the birth of John the Baptist and many see his gynecological interests to be a result of his training as a physician.
At the beginning of his Gospel, Luke indicates that he has made a thorough investigation of the things about which he is writing, which included his utilization of eyewitness accounts. He spent extended periods of time with Paul in Jerusalem and Judea and would have had the opportunity to interview those who were closest to the event, including Mary herself.
There is no reliable information on how long Mary lived, but some traditions say she lived as much as 24 years or longer after the resurrection. The detail Luke presents does indicate that he has derived his information from a primary source, either Mary herself or someone to whom Mary had relayed the intimate details of the event.
The well-known Greek scholar, Kenneth S. Wuest, noted Luke's attention to detail. In his book Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, he said, "If Mary was still alive, he, a doctor of medicine, investigated the story of the virgin birth by hearing it from Mary's own lips."
The accuracy of Luke as a historian was confirmed by the famous historian, A.N. Sherwin-White, who carefully examined his references in Luke/Acts to 32 countries, 54 cities, and nine islands, finding not a single mistake. Sir William Ramsay, who spent years in Asia Minor following and examining Luke's account of Paul's travels, wrote in The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament, "You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian's and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment."
Challenging the claims of critics that the story of the virgin birth was based on a hoax, the noted Greek scholar, Professor John A. Scott, reminded the naysayers of Luke's reputation as a historian and that he had based his account on primary sources. Wuest says Scott then declared, "You could not fool Doctor Luke."
2. Affirmed by modern archaeology.
Luke's status as a world-class historian, accurate in even the smallest details, has been brought to light by modern archaeology. For example, Sir William Ramsay, considered one of the greatest archaeologists of all time, originally thought he would scientifically discredit Luke's accounts by visiting and examining the places mentioned in his Gospel and Acts.
Ramsay was a student of the skeptical, German higher criticism of the 19th century and was taught that the New Testament was an unreliable religious treatise written in the mid-second century by individuals far removed from the events described. But after years of retracing Luke's account of Paul's travels and doing archaeological digs along the way, Ramsay completely reversed his view of the Bible and first-century history.
Ramsay became convinced that Acts was written in the first century by the traditional author, and he acquired a very high regard for Luke as a historian. He wrote, "Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense; in short, this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians."
In 1896, Ramsay began publishing his discoveries in a book entitled St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen. The book caused a furor of dismay among the skeptics of the world, for its affirmation of the biblical record was totally unexpected. Over the next 20 years, he published other volumes showing how he discovered Luke to be accurate in the tiniest details of his account. The evidence was so overwhelming that many atheists gave up their atheism and embraced Christianity.
William F. Albright, archaeologist and late professor of Semitic languages at John Hopkins University, is considered by many to be the greatest of archaeologists. Like Ramsay, he began as an agnostic, skeptical of the Bible as a reliable book of history. But, like Ramsay, his views were also completely changed by doing the hard work of an archaeologist in the field.
Albright discovered that not only was Luke reliable, but that the entire Bible was a reliable source of history. According to The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Albright wrote, "Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and brought increased recognition to the Bible as a source of history."
At one time, it was thought that Luke had completely missed the boat concerning the events he portrayed surrounding the birth of Christ (Luke 2:1-5). Critics argued that there was no census and that everyone did not have to return to their ancestral home. They also pointed out that Josephus had dated the governorship of Quirinius of Syria, whom Luke mentions, as beginning in A.D. 6, too late for the birth of Christ.
In every case, however, archaeological discoveries proved the critics to be wrong. In the case of Quirinius, it was found that he had actually served two separate terms as governor, the first beginning around 7 B.C., which fits perfectly with the time of Christ's birth. F. F. Bruce, one of the most respected of New Testament scholars, noted that where Luke has been suspected of inaccuracy by modern critics, archaeology has again and again proved Luke to be right and the critics wrong.
The evidence begs the question that if Luke was this careful to get his facts right about names, places, events and dates, can we not be confident that he was just as careful to get his facts right concerning the more important things about which he reported, such as the virgin birth of Jesus Christ?
3. An agnostic professor of mythology is convinced.
C. S. Lewis was the agnostic professor of Renaissance literature at Oxford University, a prolific author and a recognized expert of mythological texts. He too had bought into the idea that the Bible was not a book of reliable history and that the New Testament was filled with all sorts of mythical stories, created by individuals far removed from the events described.
But through the influence of his childhood and friends who challenged his atheism, Lewis began to read the Bible. He was astounded at what he encountered in the Gospels, for it was obviously a different genre from the ancient mythologies with which he was so familiar. His surprised response was, "This is not myth!" Lewis went on to become a dedicated follower of Christ and perhaps the most significant Christian apologist of the 20th century.
At the time, higher criticism was being popularized in German seminaries. Certain theologians, such as Rudolph Bultman, were claiming that the New Testament accounts of the virgin birth of Jesus, His miracles and His resurrection were myths created by His followers.
Lewis challenged these theologians, saying, "I would like to know how many myths these people have read!" He went on to explain that he had been a long-time professor and critic of mythological literature and knew how a myth sounded and felt. "And the gospel story," he said, "is not myth!"
4. Predicted centuries in advance by OT prophets.
Genesis 3:15 said, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel."
These words were spoken by God to the serpent after the fall of our first parents. The "seed of the woman" in this passage is an allusion to a future descendant of Eve who will defeat the serpent and reverse the curse brought on by his deception.
The Bible normally speaks of the seed of men, but in this case it is the "seed of the woman." This is a prophecy that clearly anticipates the future virgin birth of Christ—a birth in which the seed of a man is not involved. The beloved Methodist theologian, Adam Clarke, wrote in The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes, "The seed of the woman is to come by the woman, and her alone without the concurrence of man."
According to this prophecy, the "seed of the woman" will receive a temporary wound from Satan—"you will bruise His heel"—but the "seed of woman" shall inflict on Satan a final and mortal wound—"He will bruise your head." This Messianic promise was fulfilled through the virgin birth of Jesus and through His death and resurrection.
Isaiah 7:14 said, "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
The Hebrew word translated "virgin" in this passage is almah and refers to a young woman of marriageable age, but would usually include the idea of virginity, since that was expected of a young Jewish woman being married for the first time.
That "virgin" is an accurate English translation is confirmed by the Septuagint, which uses the Greek word parthinos to translate almahParthinos specifically means a young woman who has never had sex with a man. Parthinos is the word used by both Matthew and Luke in their description of Mary, affirming that she was a young woman who had never had sex with a man when Jesus was born.
Further evidence that this Son born of a virgin is a Messianic prophecy referring to Jesus is indicated by Isaiah's statement that he shall be called Immanuel, which means "God with us." This is a clear statement concerning the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, and reminds us of the words of Gabriel to Mary that the Son she will bear "will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest" (Luke 1:32).
5. Believed universally by the earliest Christians.
That the virgin birth was universally believed by the earliest Christians is verified by "The Apostle's Creed," an early confession of faith that dates from the second century and was used throughout the church. By including the virgin birth in their creedal statement, these early believers made clear that they considered it an essential doctrine of the Faith. The Creed reads in part:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary" (emphasis added).
This belief in the virgin birth was confirmed by the Nicene Creed of A.D. 325 and has continued to be the belief of Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
Note the words of the 18th century hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," written by Charles Wesley, an Oxford graduate and Anglican minister, and with his brother John, the leader of the great Methodist revival. Because of the references to the virgin birth, this hymn became a popular carol sung at Christmas:
"Christ by highest heav'n adored/Christ the everlasting Lord!/Late in time behold Him come/Offspring of a Virgin's womb!/Veiled in flesh the Godhead see/Hail the incarnate Deity!/Pleased as man with man to dwell/Jesus, our Emanuel/Hark the herald angels sing/Glory to the newborn king!"
Conclusion
With such overwhelming evidence for the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, it raises the question as to why there remains so much skepticism about this event and other miracles recorded in the New Testament. This question was answered in The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Yale archaeologist and professor Millard Burrows, who said, "The excessive skepticism of many liberal theologians stems not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from an enormous predisposition against the supernatural."
In other words, the barrier to faith is not an intellectual one, but a heart that is committed to unbelief. Believing in Christ does not require a so-called "blind leap of faith." Any honest seeker who will lay aside their biased presuppositions and consider the historical evidence will also experience the affirming witness of the Holy Spirit in their heart and will know that Jesus was truly born of a virgin. And if that part of the story is true, then we can have confidence that the rest of the story is true as well.
Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is an author, historian and biblical scholar. His books are available from Amazon and from his website where you can also read of his vision for another Great Awakening in America and around the world. Visit eddiehyatt.com.
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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Uncovering Proof of the Bible - Dr. Avshalom Kapach

Uncovering Proof of the Bible

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 |  Dr. Avshalom Kapach
Such finds authenticate the history of the nation of Israel as described in the Bible and undermine those who seek to rewrite history.

The full article appears in the December 2015 issue of Israel Today Magazine.
CLICK HERE to read it all
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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

First in 67 Years: Egypt Supports Israeli UN Bid - CBNNews.com

First in 67 Years: Egypt Supports Israeli UN Bid


JERUSALEM, Israel -- Egypt made history this week, supporting Israel's bid for membership in the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Affairs at the United Nations.
It was the first time Egypt voted in support of Israel since it backed the 1948 U.N. vote establishing the Jewish nation.

The vote passed by a wide margin, with 117 member states in favor; 21 abstentions, among them Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Qatar, and Kuwait; and Namibia the only country opposing the Israeli bid.

"The vote today proves there are some countries who find it more important to bash Israel than to contribute to the international community, like Qatar who abstained on the vote even though it was a vote on its own acceptance to the committee," the Israeli Mission to the United Nations said in a statement.

In September, Egyptian President Fattah Abdel el-Sisi called on more Arab countries to make peace with Israel, saying the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel has held for nearly four decades despite doubters.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Why So Many Christians Are Deceived - Charisma News

Carnality destroys our relationship with Christ and genuine fellowship with other believers. It destroys our prayer life as well.

Carnality destroys our relationship with Christ and genuine fellowship with other believers. It destroys our prayer life as well. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Why So Many Christians Are Deceived




"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (influence), how shall its saltiness be restored?" (Matthew 5:13-16).

Throughout history, Christians have vacillated between two extremes: compromising with the culture or removing themselves from it (isolation). Neither extreme is healthy. But the focus of this article is on carnality—being so ingrained in the culture that we no longer preserve those things that are noble and good.

Although we definitely want to relate to others, our lifestyle should reflect God's heart rather than the world's influence. The world will know that we are Christians by our love for one another and by our obedience, not by how well we imitate the world around us. Oswald Chambers once noted that a sinner, who is now saved by grace, "proves he is forgiven by being the opposite of who he was." He no longer resembles the sinful world that use to govern his heart.

Carnal Christians give God "His due" (a few hours on Sunday), but they forget His call to "come out from among them (the world) and be separate." Is the world influencing you? What does your mental media diet consist of? Who do you hang out with? What, and who, do you listen to? Is your heart set toward the things of God or the world's influence? A quick peruse of your LIKEs and posts on Facebook will reveal a great deal.

Compromise also deceives. James 1:22 reminds us that if we listen to God's Word without doing it that we are fooling ourselves ... we are deceived. The power of God's Word lies in the application. In addition to non-Christians, it is Christians who are moving sexually explicit and violent movies to the Top 10 by not applying purity to their lives. It is Christians who are addicted to porn and supplying the revenue to fuel the industry.

I often remind our congregation that we can make our homes be either a holy sanctuary that honors Christ or a breeding ground for Satan. That's a hard statement but it's true: we cannot love both Christ and this world. Carnality has a cost. As stated a few weeks ago: In times past, the hero was the father, not Edward (from Twilight). The greatest influence was the mother, not Bella. Kids once quoted Scriptures; now they are casting spells.

Don't get me wrong: We are to examine our own lives and motives first, and then we are to be moved primarily by love for God and others before critiquing. Jesus said in Matthew 7:5 that we must first remove the plank from our own eye, and then we will see clearly to remove the speck from our brother's eye. Avoiding compromise is a struggle for all of us. We are constantly swimming upstream against the cultural tide. The fact that there is a struggle demonstrates the importance of victory.

Are you being infected by the world? Being infected is the ultimate cost of carnality! Like any infection, it can destroy the body, and, in this case, the soul. When we are infected, we infect others. Parents, what influences are you allowing in to your home ... into the minds of your children? Things that are pure, noble, and true, or dark, demonic, and false?

Carnality destroys our relationship with Christ and genuine fellowship with other believers. It destroys our prayer life as well. A carnal Christian does not pray, really pray and seek the heart of God. A deep prayer life exposes facades and crushes hypocrisy. Carnality also destroys spiritual power and hinders the infilling of the Spirit. In short, everything that God calls us to be is compromised.

When Jesus said that we are "the salt and light of the earth," He was saying that we should have a preserving and cleansing effect on the culture ... we should bring a purifying aspect to all areas of life. Light dispels darkness; it does not cater to it. The person who lives a compromised life is not drawn to holiness and purity ... these terms are repulsive to them. Does this article anger and upset? The old adage rings true, "When a rock is thrown into a pile of dogs, the one who yelps was struck." If this upsets, it applies. But the purpose isn't to upset; ultimately, it's to foster repentance and a deeper walk with God. There's nothing more important than a life set ablaze for God.

On a closing note, carnality not only affects the pew, but the pulpit as well. A carnal pastor still offers motivating sermons, but he will lose unction, boldness, and spiritual insight. The world, and carnal Christians, will love him, but Spirit-filled believers will leave the service starving for more of God. Pastors, if we would make it our goal to know Christ more personally we would preach Christ more powerfully. Are we calling people out of the cultural mindset or are we encouraging it by our silence?

At this point you may think, "Why try? This is hopeless! I've drifted too far." Let me reassure you: God doesn't let our relationship with Him hinge on "measuring up," or on "following rules." He wants us to come as we are, recognize our need for a Savior, and commit our life completely to Him. Simply repent of this destructive lifestyle, and begin making choices that promote holiness and purity. Change is God's job, but obedience is ours.


Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, just North of Los Angeles. He recently released his seventh book, Desperate for More of God at shaneidleman.com. Shane's sermons, articles, books, and radio program can all be found at wcfav.org. Follow him on Facebook at:facebook.com/confusedchurch.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

This is the Very Reason Christians Should Stand With Israel

This is the Very Reason Christians Should Stand With Israel


The Jews' isolation from the Temple Mount is not biblical.
The Jews' isolation from the Temple Mount is not biblical. (Wikimedia Commons)
Standing With Israel
Israel is a deep well of history. The Land has been dwelt in, conquered and invaded, ruled by many kingdoms and empires and the dust and rocks give up secrets daily.
Bible doubters have their work cut out for them. Every time a self-publicizing critic declares the Bible to be fraudulent, a name a place or artifact calls foul.
Perhaps one of the most noted discoveries involves a people known as the Hittites. The Hittite script was first discovered in 1884 by an Irish missionary, William Wright. Later in 1906 German archaeologist Hugo Winckler uncovered more evidence. By 1912, the Royal Archives at Hattusa, the Hittite capital, had been discovered and excavated.
Over 10,000 tablets disclosed the day-to-day workings of an empire referred to in the Bible which deniers had used as an excuse to criticize the Book. Today, Uriah the Hittite is known and understood, the large number of references to this empire and its people in Biblical times are verified en masse by other discoveries and records. Evidence for Israel and the Bible outside Israel are found in monumental amounts.
Israel itself holds the solid evidence of its past, despite denials by Muslims. The Temple Mount is the most visible, historic and conflicted holy place in the world today. Mount Zion is considered to be where Abraham was told to sacrifice his son, born of Sarah. It is considered to be the place where David was told the Temple was to be placed, the Temple he was not permitted to build. Solomon built the Temple and its size made it a landmark in a region full of huge temples. What made it stand apart was the absence of idols: it was the place where One God came upon the Mercy Seat.
Conquests by Babylonians and Romans, reconstruction and repair by Zerubbabel and Herod made their mark on the mountain. The final Roman destruction of the rebellious city and its Temple to the One God in 135 CE left only a wide platform and a monumental retaining wall, the Kotel. Herod had expanded the territory of the Temple that it overflowed the mountaintop.
Other smaller structures occupied the site later until the Muslim conquest and the building of two Mosques. The narrative of Muhammad's night journey to heaven from this place is the only real connection made by Muslims to Jerusalem. The site is off limits to Jews, although within the boundaries of the reunited Jerusalem.
Israel permits the Waqf, a Muslim non-profit that maintains the site to govern its maintenance. Photographs from early days show what a noted archaeologist  has determined is the place where the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies. The Waqf also excavated the site to construct walkways for Muslim worshippers.
In doing so, they removed tons of earth and dumped it outside the boundaries. Buried in the dirt is a treasure trove of the Temple's history. Israeli archaeologists secretly began sifting the earth and wonders appeared.
Items thought to date from Solomon's time, sections of the wall including a piece marking "the place of trumpeting," a relic of an ivory pomegranate decoration with ancient Hebrew script engraved, all have come to light.
The very soil of Israel is a witness to the Bible's truth. Christians absolutely have to stand with Israel. The very stones cry out.
Tom Brennan has worked in quite a few professions. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he's worked as a museum curator, archivist and graphics curator, library administrator, small business owner, animal care worker, sheriff's deputy, rancher and farmer and author and researcher and NewsBlogger. He plans to volunteer for Sar-El next year and see Israel from the ground up. When he's not digging into news, he works with Arabian horses and other breeds in Boise, Idaho.
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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Israel - New Museum Traces History of Christian Zionists

New Museum Traces History of Christian Zionists in Israel

Courtesy Friends of Zion Museum
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Relatively few people realize the major role Christians played in the formation of the modern State of Israel. The new Friends of Israel Museum in the heart of Jerusalem reveals this hidden history.

A dramatic introduction starts the tour: stunning aerials of Israel as a map traces the land given by God to the 12 tribes, all set to originally scored music.

The museum uses state-of-the-art technology, such as oversized touch panels, that allow visitors to learn more about the history of Christian Zionism.

Features like video mapping enhance some of the most compelling and often unknown stories of Christian Zionists' contribution to the development of the modern nation-state.

Take a virtual online tour at the Friends of Israel Museum.

History of Christian Zionism

In a 2012 speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of Christian Zionists' essential role in the nation's history.

"I don't believe that the Jewish state and modern Zionism would have been possible without Christian Zionism," Netanyahu said. "I think that the many Christian supporters of the rebirth of the Jewish state and the ingathering of the Jewish people in the 19th century made possible the rise of Jewish Zionism."

American Mike Evans built the museum to help spread the word of Christian Zionism's place in Israel's history. He wanted "a home for Christians to celebrate their heroes and their history."

"I found no place in Israel where Bible believing Christians can go to. And they have heroes and they have history," Evans told CBN News.

The museum was founded on years of research and the information in a two-volume set called The History of Christian Zionism, authored by Evans.

"There are so many of them," Evans explained. "If you just take George Bush, 1844, this guy was a Hebrew professor and he wrote a book that sold a million copies on the restoration of Israel. And yes, his two relatives were U.S. presidents."

Fulfilling Promises

There are many others.

Orde Wingate formed the first Jewish fighting unit in nearly 2,000 years, the beginning of the modern Israeli army we see today.

Corrie Ten Boom's father and sister were killed by the Nazis and she suffered in a concentration camp because her family hid Dutch Jews during the Holocaust.

Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg faced death to save Jews.

One museum display explained, "In the dead of winter, Wallenberg joined thousands of Jewish prisoners on their death marches to Auschwitz, trying to save anyone he could."

Evans wondered, what fortified these Christian men and women to face death?

"I realized, number one, it was their Bible. They had an intimate relationship with the living Lord and they loved the Word of God," he said. "And they were willing to live for it. And with the Word of God came promises to the Jewish people."

Those scriptural promises, from Ezekiel to Isaiah to Abraham, are woven through the museum's exhibits.

Another display revealed, "According to the ancient writings, one day God appeared to Abram and spoke words that would give birth to the nation of Israel."

An Incredible Experience

For museum visitors, the experience is incredible.

"It's an experience like no other. It's interactive. You learn a lot of things that you probably never even learned," one visitor told CBN News.

"I think this was one of the most impressive things I've seen in Israel since in the time that I've been here," another said.

Many said the museum taught them so much they'd never known before and now they want to spread the word.

"I'm going to tell everyone I can think of, the people in my synagogue, to come here to see how this beautiful land of Israel was not [built] just by the Jews, but by the Christians and the wonderful people who risked their lives to make us a homeland," one American visitor said.

For Evans, the museum lets the Jewish people know that though surrounded by enemies, they are not alone.

"They see Auschwitz and what they went through. And they see the alienation in the world today, and they come through it [the museum] and they say, we're not alone," he said. "There are Christians who really love us. And it's just amazing to see that. It gives me hope, I'm not alone. That's enough."