Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Pastor Jim and Lori Bakker continue to share a special message from the Lord for 2018.
Quotes
We need to pray for the blessing of God to stay upon America. -Pastor Jim Bakker
I worked my whole life to bring God’s people together of all races and I feel today it has been set back further than ever that I’ve been alive on earth. -Pastor Jim Bakker
Scriptures
Matthew 24:8 MEV All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:37 MEV As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 25:35 MEV For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 MEV When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
Luke 21:25 MEV There will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring.
Proverbs 6:33 MEV A wound and dishonor will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.
Joel 3:2 MEV I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them thereregarding My people and My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.
Matthew 24:29 MEV Immediately after the tribulation of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened,the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven,and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
1 Peter 5:6 MEV Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
Revelation 12:10 KJV And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
John 3:16 MEV For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 10:10 MEV The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Hebrews 12:6 MEV For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 MEV Do not let anyone deceive you in any way. For that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.
At the beginning of every New Year I always reassess my goals, sharpen my objectives and pray for God's blessing. I ask myself: What do I want God to accomplish in my life this year? How do I want to grow personally, in my relationships and in my career? Then I seek the Lord to hear what He is saying to me about the next 12 months.
I call this exercise "resetting my GPS." I encourage you to try it. Here's how it works:
G stands for "Goals." People with goals have a sense of purpose, and they aren't easily distracted. On the other hand, those with no ambitions wander aimlessly. If you aim at nothing, you will surely hit it. Setting a goal is the first step toward success.
I see the power of goal setting in the life of the apostle Paul. He was motivated by a fiery passion to take the gospel to the Gentiles. In his lifetime he traveled on foot or by ship, chariot or horseback to what is now Turkey, Syria, Greece, Crete, Malta and Italy. His goal drove him forward.
He also set a goal to preach in Spain (see Rom. 15:24, 28). We don't know if he reached Spain or not, but that goal certainly stoked his zeal and motivated him to wake up every morning. When he wrote these words--"I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14)—he was in chains in a Roman prison. Paul didn't let obstacles deter him.
There's a difference between a dream and a goal. Dreams can be elusive—always "somewhere out there"—if the person dreaming never takes a first step. Your most vital step is to write down your goal. State it clearly and aim at it. The prophet said in Habakkuk 2:2: "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who reads it may run." You can't run toward your vision unless it is clearly articulated.
P stands for "Prophetic Word." For many years I've developed the habit of seeking the Lord for a word for the coming year. Sometimes God gives me a verse from the Bible. Other times I get a phrase or simply one word. As I was praying for 2018, for example, the Lord said, "Advance" and "Take possession," and He gave me Joshua 1. He also encouraged me to study the book of Joshua during 2018.
You don't have to be a prophet to receive a personalized directive like this. God knows you, and He knows your future. He also knows the challenges you face and the storms that may come this year. Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." God loves you. If you seek Him, He will speak a word to your heart.
Once you receive that prophetic word, hold onto it no matter what happens. God gave Abraham and Sarah a promise about an heir, but it took 25 years before Isaac was born. God does not work according to your timetable; you must submit to His schedule. The prophetic word is certain; you can bank on it. It will fill your heart with the hope and encouragement you need to move forward, in spite of delays, setbacks, personal failures, relationship breakups, illness, job loss, miscarriages, deaths or disasters.
S stands for "Special Prayer." The most important part of resetting my spiritual GPS is setting aside time to pray. I call it "special" prayer because it's beyond the norm of my daily routine. I feel most prepared for a New Year if I can unplug and devote a block of time to commit my plans and goals to the Lord.
Setting goals is a great step toward success, but goals are nothing if God did not inspire them. Proverbs 16:9 says: "A man's heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps." When we take our goals to God in prayer, we allow Him to override them if they are misguided; we also give Him permission to expand our goals if they are limited. We bow before God's throne and tell Him that we only want His plans, not ours.
Proverbs 16:3 says: "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." You can facilitate special prayer in several ways. You may want to fast for a few days; you might go away for a weekend prayer retreat; or you could stay up a few nights and have a prayer vigil. Some churches also organize special days of corporate prayer at the beginning of the year.
You don't have to adopt the same prayer routine every year. The important thing is to take your plans to God and ask for His grace, power and strength to overshadow you during the next season. Ask for big things. Seek God's wisdom and strategy. Knock on heaven's door for His miracles.
Expect God to speak to your heart. He will reveal His plans, rekindle your dreams, calm your fears and stir your faith so you can experience your best year ever.
J. Lee Gradywas editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website, themordecaiproject.org.
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Wednesday, October 05, 2016 | Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY
As Israel mourns the passing of Shimon Peres, the last of their founding fathers, I pray for the dawning of an even brighter era that will bring light to their path and sweetness to their souls.
And as Jews everywhere rejoice in their New Year festival of Rosh Hashanah, I feel there is something of an apocalyptic, end-time significance about this particular anniversary.
It ushers in the year 5777, which has a resonance of its own with three sevens – the latter being the ‘perfect’ number in biblical terms. And in the Gregorian calendar which most of us follow, we will soon be welcoming 2017, a date of huge relevance to Israel on three counts.
First, it will mark the jubilee, or golden anniversary (50 years), since the Six-Day War of 1967 when the Old City of Jerusalem – the holiest property in all Judaism – was restored to Jewish hands for the first time in more than 2,000 years. Some scholars have suggested that this awesome event represented the fulfilment of “the times of the Gentiles” referred to by Yeshua when he said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21.24, New Testament)
The new year will also mark 70 years since the historic United Nations vote to recognize Israel when, although Arab states opposed the resolution, the required two-thirds majority was achieved which set the scene for the re-birth of Israel the following year.
Bear in mind what Jesus said about the lesson learned from the fig tree, which is symbolic of Israel. He said that when it buds and blossoms at a time when the world is in great upheaval with wars, famines and earthquakes, we would know that his coming is near. Then he said: “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Matthew 24.34)
In other words, the generation (possibly lasting 70 years, man’s allotted lifespan according to Psalm 90.10) witnessing these extraordinary events would live to see “all these things” happening. Could that include his actual return? We cannot be certain, but it’s a distinct possibility. And as one born the year after the state of Israel, I find that both hugely exciting as well as rather scary.
But neither of these hugely historic anniversaries would have been possible without Britain’s Balfour Declaration of 1917, which effectively cleared the path for Israel’s restoration. The centenary of this crucial milestone in the Jews’ long journey home is in danger of being lost in the mists of political correctness, but it needs to be celebrated with gusto. It may not be as topical as our current Brexit endeavours, but it is also something for which Britain can be justly proud.
It amounted to a British government promise, from Foreign Secretary Lord Arthur James Balfour, to do all in its power to facilitate the creation of a homeland in Palestine (as the region was then known) for the Jewish people. And it came about largely through the efforts of 19
th century evangelical Christians, allied to the rise of Zionism under Theodor Herzl. When all is said and done, it was the preachers and politicians who knew their Bible – and the God of the Bible – who undoubtedly most influenced the government of the day. They clearly saw that it was our duty as a Christian nation to love and support the Jews, and to facilitate their return to their ancient homeland.
They also knew – and this was crucial to their support – that it wasn’t just about land, but about the Lord; that though the Bible clearly speaks of a restoration of Israel from every corner of the globe, such restoration would precede their national return to the God of Israel, the Father of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, which would in turn usher in our Lord’s Second Coming. Ezekiel prophesied: “I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land…And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” (Ezek 36.24-27)
It was this truth, above all, that drove our British forefathers to pray, proclaim and work towards fulfilment of the Zionist dream.
God is seeking a bride with whom he wishes to rendezvous back in their ancient land where he first ‘courted’ her as they learnt to walk in his ways and when the prophets tried, often in vain, to encourage faithfulness to the one true God.
When the Balfour promise was made back in November 1917, the Holy Land still belonged to the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which had ruled the region for 400 years, but within weeks it was in British hands, which handed on a plate the opportunity for us to make good our pledge.
But because we reneged on many of our promises and dealt treacherously with the Jews as we made repeated concessions in a bid to appease Arab demands, it took another three decades – and the death of millions at the hands of the Nazis – before the founding fathers were finally in a position to re-create the state of Israel.
Please forgive us, and meantime rejoice that even without our help in more recent times – though certainly with God’s help – you have come this far.
May God’s love surround you at this special time and cause you to know the fear of the Lord and his decrees, which are “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 19.10).
In this beautiful psalm of King David, we see how much he loves the law, the statutes, the precepts and the commands of the Lord. “They are more precious than gold…and sweeter than honey.” And all of this is perfectly fulfilled in Yeshua, who told the crowds on the Mount of Beautitudes at Capernaum: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5.17)
Charles Gardner is author of Israel the Chosen, available from Amazon, and Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com
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"Tell the Israelites: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration, and joyful shouting - a sacred assembly."Leviticus 23:24
We wish all our readers and friends a blessed Jewish new year 5777 and would like to say thank you! Thank you for a year of loyalty, trust and support!
While we are celebrating the Rosh Hashana holidays with our loved ones over the next few days, our Israel Today Shop will be offering you up to 20% New Year's discount - 24/7 online!
Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
The new year is such a wonderful time, offering us the opportunity to look back on the road we've walked, and then dream with God to set bigger goals and tread higher ground. With the closing of 2015, troubles abound in our nation and abroad; even so, some still find themselves joyfully celebrating great victories in the Lord.
God has blessed us with His goodness and hope for what lies ahead. While reflecting upon these things, the Lord reminds me of a paramount principle He long ago seared upon my heart. It is a fundamental truth that can help us stay in God's will and fulfill His intended purpose for our life.
Horses and Chariots
When an alliance of enemy armies threatened Joshua and the people of Israel in their quest to possess the land promised to them, God encouraged them not to be afraid, promising to deliver the enemy into their hands. But the assurance of victory was accompanied by a set of critical instructions for maintaining their success. The Lord told them to hamstring the horses and burn the chariots they had acquired as spoils of war (Josh. 11:6).
To hamstring a horse is to cut a particular tendon so as not to kill or completely maim the horse, but certainly render it useless for engaging in battle or pulling chariots of war. Disabling the horses and destroying the chariots was God's way of ensuring Israel would not become self-sufficient and dependent on their own military strength and ability for winning future battles. Instead, they would be reminded to trust Him.
The Lord set this safeguard in place because there was a tendency among the people of Israel, as there is within all of us, to lean on Him in times of great need, yet fall back on our own abilities and strengths when our struggles wane. Psalm 106 illustrates this unfortunate truth. After God so powerfully delivered Israel from slavery, they quickly forgot His miraculous works and did not seek His counsel (verse 13).
History repeated itself after Israel's conquest of Jericho when they set out to take Ai, a small and seemingly weak city. Having become overconfident and self-sufficient after miraculously winning the battle at Jericho, they did not seek the Lord's counsel for taking Ai. Attempting to go against the enemy in their own strength and ability, they suffered a most humiliating defeat.
Friends, especially after we've experienced times of great success, breakthrough, or promotion, we cannot forget our source of strength! We must rely on the Lord even more, with all the "more" He entrusts to us.
Lean on the Lord
In this season, God is attempting to give us a greater understanding of His authority and strength for breakthrough in our personal lives and family, for all of our labors, and for this nation as a whole. But we won't grasp the concept of operating successfully in God's delegated authority if, even unconsciously, there is any form of self-sufficiency in us. We must recognize that each day we need God's wisdom for our decisions and His strength for everything we undertake.
There are times in life when we are traveling upon what seems to be familiar ground. In those instances, it is important that one not give place to presumptuous self-sufficiency with a "been there, done that" mentality. Even in the seemingly easy times, we must be careful to heed the words of Proverbs 3:5-8:
"Trust in theLordwith all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him,and He will direct your paths.Do not be wise in your own eyes;fear theLordand depart from evil.It will be health to your body,and strength to your bones" (MEV).
Boast in the Lord
There are other times when the Lord will take us into situations where we feel a degree of intimidation, facing challenges that seem beyond our natural abilities. Following the example of the apostle Paul, we go to the Lord and say, "Lord, I want to glory in my weakness, because You then can be strong in me" (2 Cor. 10:17, 12:10; Ps. 20:7; Joel 3:10b).
Our greatest asset can be our area of weakness if we allow it to drive us to God, His vast wisdom, His limitless ability and His magnificent strength, rather than trust in our own.
"Thus says the LORD, 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, says the Lord.'" (Jer. 9:23-24, MEV).
"But the people who know their God will be strong and take action. The wise among the people shall instruct many"(Dan. 11:32-33).
The Lord desires to accomplish great exploits through those who take time to know Him intimately and hear what's on His heart. He will cause them to rise up in great strength and take bold, strategic action that leads from victory to victory, bringing glory to His name.
New Strength for the New Year
Let's make this simple yet vital principle our plumb line for moving into the New Year: Trust God, not ourselves. In doing so, we won't forget the Lord after witnessing great miracles. We won't let our guard down or act in presumption after experiencing victory. And we won't become like a weakened Samson who awakened from sleep thinking, "I will shake myself free and overthrow my enemies as I've always done," not realizing that the Lord had departed from him (Judg. 16:20).
In this new year, God is releasing grace to trust Him more. Lean into it, take hold of it. As you strengthen yourself in the Lord, He will add strength to your abilities and release creative thoughts, wise solutions, divine appointments, great favor, good contracts and timely sales. Struggling ministries will soar in God's strength and families in need of help will experience breakthrough. The Lord will even bring good from your past defeats.
In this coming year, let's work hard and be diligent, being mindful of His faithfulness, and look to Him for all we need. My friend, put your trust in Him!
Dutch Sheetsis an internationally recognized author, teacher and conference speaker. He travels extensively, empowering believers for passionate prayer and societal transformation. Dutch has pastored, taught in several colleges and seminaries, and served on the board of directors of numerous organizations. Dutch's greatest passion is to see America experience a sweeping revival and return to its godly heritage. He is a messenger of hope for America, encouraging believers to contend for awakening in our day and reformation in our lifetime. Dutch has written over 20 books, many of which have been translated into over 30 languages. Please visit dutchsheets.org.
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The opening of Genesis outlines God’s intimate involvement with the natural world and describes the Almighty proudly looking upon His handiwork and declaring, “v’hine tov meod” - “and behold, it was very good.” Man is created and is immediately charged with caring for creation, as an “oved,” a worker who builds and crafts, as well as a “shomer,” a watchman who is obligated to keep the world whole for its true Owner. Tonight is the wonderful festival of Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for the Trees, when we renew our biblical commitment to guard and protect His beautiful world. Celebrate this environmental holiday by planting a tree in the Land of Israel!
Over the centuries, many have sought to explain the special significance of the ‘Seven Species,’ known as the שבעת המינים in Hebrew (shee-VAT ha-mee-NEEM). Each one contains healthful nutrients that benefit the body and promote wellness. Shivat Natural Cosmetics combine all-natural ingredients and extracts of the Seven Species to bring you skin-supportive cleansing soaps and beauty products that bring you closer not only to nature, but also to the Holy Land. The fig is a symbol of longevity and vitality. Legendary for its medicinal effects, the fig is rich in vitamins that can alleviate skin dryness and acne. It is also rich in antioxidants that fight the damaging effects of environmental pollutants.
