Church Leaders Close the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Tax Protest - Associated Press

Church Leaders Close the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Tax Protest

02-25-2018

Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — The leaders of the major Christian sects in Jerusalem closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, for several hours on Sunday to protest an Israeli plan to tax their properties.

The Christian leaders responsible for the site issued a joint statement bemoaning what they called a “systematic campaign of abuse” against them, comparing it to anti-Jewish laws issued in Nazi Germany.

The Christians are angry about the Jerusalem municipality plans to tax their various assets around the city and a potential parliament bill to expropriate land sold by the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. The churches, which are major landowners in the holy city, say it violates a long-standing status quo.

The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and the Armenian Apostolic leaders said the moves seemed like an attempt to “weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem.”

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a major place of worship in Jerusalem’s Old City. Christians revere it as the site where Jesus was crucified and where his tomb is located, and its closing is highly unusual.

The Jerusalem municipality said it would continue to care for the needs of Jerusalem’s Christians and maintain their full freedom of worship. It said the church, just like other sacred sites in the city, is exempt from municipal property taxes and that will not change.

“However, hotels, halls, and businesses cannot be exempt from municipal taxes simply because they are owned by the churches. These are not houses of worship,” it said in a statement. “We will no longer require Jerusalem’s residents to bear the burden of these huge sums.”

Jerusalem is one of the country’s poorest cities, and the tax revenue from the properties is estimated to be tens of millions of dollars.

Separately, parliament is pursuing a bill that will appropriate lands in Israel sold by churches to anonymous buyers since 2010. The bill’s sponsor, lawmaker Rachel Azaria, said these questionable sales have plunged thousands of Jerusalem residents into uncertainty over their living conditions.

She said the bill was aimed to protect apartment owners against property speculators and had “nothing whatsoever” to do with the churches. “We have no intention ... to make them feel unwelcome,” she said.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

Amber Picota: "God is Raising Up Uncommon Leaders in Uncommon Places" - THE ELIJAH LIST

Amber Picota: "God is Raising Up Uncommon Leaders in Uncommon Places"

THE ELIJAH LIST Oct 7, 2017

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

I know this word by Amber Picota will minister to many of you and you'll be moved, literally, to, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation," as Jesus commanded us to do.

I have high respect for people who are called to minister into the highways and byways and don't fit the mold of what we think much ministry should look like. I know ministers who go to uncommon places like New Age fairs, porn events, and minister right on the streets...and God is multiplying this in great numbers!

As Amber shares here:

We are seeing unlikely ministers who don't look, talk or act like professional preachers, who are literally just doing the work and sharing the Gospel in places that typical church-folk might be too scared to go. They are moving in power without a big flashy show, without any dramatic flair. They just do the stuff.

As you read through this article...be encouraged to just "do the stuff" right where you're at! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe here.

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 
http://www.elijahlist.com

P.S. – Oh, and a Quick Note to our readers: To EXPLORE our more than 2,500 Christian Prophetic books, CDs, and gifts go to: elijahshopper.com.

"God is Raising Up Uncommon Leaders in Uncommon Places"

Amber Picota, Winchester, VA

All throughout the world in the Body of Christ, I am seeing something very interesting take place. I heard it in my spirit before I even began to see it transpire, but only now have I really been able to put it into words. 

In this season, God is promoting people into leadership in the Body of Christ that just do not fit the "churchy" ideals that we have attributed to church leaders in the past. 

Once upon a time, in the not so distant past, it would have been hard to picture anything other than a preacher in a nice suit, preaching behind a pulpit (or in some outdoor tent) with a mic, when picturing a church leader.

Things are shifting and changing very rapidly right now. The Body of Christ has been in a season of great shift and transition. God has been pushing unlikely and uncommon leaders to the forefront of influencing the Church.

"The truth is that grace will meet you anywhere, in any pit of the most vile sin. "

These are people who God Himself has promoted to a place of great influence that the religious system is often even offended by. They could be easily written off by someone with a closed mind and labeled heretics, lunatics, and zealots by the religious and legalistic. They will often challenge the status quo and they do ministry in a nontraditional way. Some are social media ministers and street ministers. Some are extremely young and some are extremely old. Some are inked and pierced up. Some are business professionals. Some are forerunners and trailblazers, doing things that have never been done before.

One thing is certain: God is promoting unlikely people into leadership positions and positions of influence within the Body of Christ.

An Indicator of What is to Come

I believe this is a strategic move by God that indicates the season that is to come. We are on the cusp of some very amazing things that are about to happen in the world. I believe there are two major "moves of God" that these "unlikely leaders" will be the forerunners of. I will share with you what God has shown me.

• Number 1:

Firstly, I believe there is a move of God that is happening far outside of the "church world". It isn't happening on Sunday mornings, nor is it even happening in a church. It's happening in bars, on the streets, in homes over dinner, and in extremely unlikely places. This is a move of God that is and will continue to bring in the Hell's angels type of people, the gang members, the drug cartels, satanists, prostitutes, junkies, and the other types of people who have been pushed away from institutionalized religion. God is using uncommon leaders to go places that many would be afraid to go to.

• Number 2:

Secondly, another move of God that I see happening is EXTREMELY INTERESTING to me and quite frankly, it was surprising to me. It was something that when God showed me what He was doing, left me shaking my head in awe for several days because quite honestly, it blew my mind.

God revealed to me that just as there is a movement happening with people who have been pushed away from the religious establishment, there is also a movement where God is sending missionaries INTO the religious and legalistic places with the Gospel of grace. 

They won't go in spouting doctrine (although there's nothing wrong with good doctrine). They will go in with signs, wonders, and unfathomable love, grace, forgiveness, kindness and joy.

In these religious churches, the Gospel and the love of Christ isn't being preached well. Instead of telling people that anyone can "call upon the name of the Lord," that Jesus will receive them where they're at, no matter how big of a mess they've made, they are passing off a a gospel that says a person needs to do certain things, jump through certain hoops, stop sinning, and get their life cleaned up, etc., before God will receive them. This keeps people away and from turning to God because they don't even know that God would receive them no matter what...right where they're at!

The truth is that grace will meet you anywhere, in any pit of the most vile sin. But thank You Jesus, grace will not leave you where it finds you. Grace will transform people's lives, if we'll stop packaging it with caution tape.

Are You Ready For This?!!

Are you ready though? Because the Church as you know it is changing so rapidly! I believe the Church will look drastically different in a matter of 5 years! Both of these moves of God have already begun!

We are seeing unlikely ministers who don't look, talk or act like professional preachers, who are literally just doing the work and sharing the Gospel in places that typical church-folk might be too scared to go. They are moving in power without a big flashy show, without any dramatic flair. They just do the stuff. 

"God has been pushing unlikely and uncommon leaders to the forefront of influencing the Church.""

Already, we're seeing this type of movement where God is sending missionaries of the Gospel INTO the Church. These unlikely leaders that God is moving onto the scene are experiencing something very similar to this parable here in Matthew 20:1-16:

"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'

"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 

And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. 

I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

God is moving them into the harvest field as influential harvesters, and He has favored them just as highly as seasoned ministers. This is not due to anything they've done, and no amount of prayer and fasting buys you favor. This is just the divine choice of God in this season.

These leaders will need to be aware of the seasons that the Body of Christ is going through as a whole, so that they are clothed in humility, despite the levels of rapid promotion and acceleration that they have experienced.

I know this because my husband and me have been some of those leaders who God has quickly moved into positions of influence, unexpectedly. It can be startling and abrupt, it is a huge responsibility, but it is a joyful task that I am honored to participate with. It is also something we needed to be aware of because the enemy would do anything possible to take these people out.

If you are one of these leaders, simply know the season we are in as the Body of Christ; remain humble and identify an attack of the enemy quickly so that you can agree with God instead of some demonic lie that the enemy might try to sidetrack you with.

It is my hope that this word would be a blessing to your life, but also that it would inspire you to align with what God is doing right now in the Earth. This is an exciting time to be alive! Heaven is invading the earth! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Amber Picota
Co-Pastor Streams of Life Church
Email: amazingamberpicota@gmail.com
Website: www.amberpicota.com

To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link http://elijahlist.com/subscribe.

Longing For Israel With the Ongoing Spiritual Crisis - a personal letter from a European friend

Dear Love For His People readers,

In January we received an email in reply from a friend in Europe that we pray for often. They shared the following, which we post after receiving their approval to do so.

We share these words with you in order to let others know what some are experiencing, as the spiritual climate continues to change. We do not disclose their name or country for obvious reasons.

I hope you pray for European believers in those countries. They need us now.

In Jesus' Name,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People

"Your greeting means much! It has been very difficult here and it is very difficult to live in (this city) in spiritual crisis. I  have not found a church and my friends do not live close.

I have agony and sorry have not have strength to read your book (Arms of Love and End of Days which we sent in two mailings after publications, at no charge. Two copies each.) Will see if I can read any today.

I am painting paintings and am doing poems for a book. I went outside and God gave me comfort because I met some youth as I could share about Yeshua/Jesus with. They were open.

I gave them like a very little book with Bible Scriptures and where you can ask for more on a New Testament at an (website) address. I told them Jesus loves you. It was sweet when I went because then one of the youth was whispering after me, "God bless you!" 

It was nice.

There are some Christian leaders who do not say it exactly here of the serious spiritual crisis. There are few mature Christian leaders in (this country) but it can be changed. Your  website is important! You write many interesting things!

There was a Nazistic demonstration here in (city). It was not nice. I think I am Jewish but have no papers and am longing to Israel as you know. I trust the Lord to open doors.

I pray for you and family!

Shalom and blessings!

P.S. I send you these thoughts as I wrote on stars. I like to think deep and about symbolic things in the Bible.

THOUGHTS ABOUT STARS

Abraham looked at the stars in Gen 15:5.

People are like stars, symbolic Ps 147:4 as I see as with a double meaning also symbolic about people." He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by name.

Jesus is the Morningstar Rev 22: 16.

Morningstar maybe can mean also sunrise, a star in the morning.

Jesus is like a a sunrise.

God is wonderful like all stars.

God is like the sun in the day and  the moon in the night.

Isaiah 9:2  "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light."

This Scripture talk about hope and light. Jesus is light and hope.

A star gives light in the darkness, a special Star, Jesus, giving light.

He is the Hope.

Jesus is the Word, John 1. Every Bible Scripture is like a star giving light.

I think about all Scriptures and all the stars Abraham looked at at heaven, like the Scriptures are like the stars at heaven. The Bible I also think can be seen like a special Star, giving light.

Jesus is also then the Word and a Star.

I look at the U.S flag and think about Abraham looking at heaven when I see the stars on it.

A symbol on the flag for each state is a star. I think stars can be a symbol, for instance, for this too.

I am also thinking of Israel like a precious star in Gods hand.

Blessings!

The Group Forgotten by the Church by Ellen Stumbo

The Group Forgotten by the Church 

by Ellen Stumbo 

- Identity Network

 

I consider it an honor to be a pastor's wife. It is a privilege to be allowed into people's lives: their hurt, pain, devastation, joy, celebration, transformation. This church, this body of Christ - with all of its broken pieces along with its many gifts and talents - is beautiful. But it can also be so ignorant that it pushes away the most vulnerable.

 

Recently, I was talking to a friend who attends a large and thriving church. She wanted to ask me about a comment her pastor said from the pulpit, because she felt uneasy as soon as it was said.

 

"It saddens me to see people with disabilities in our church," he said. "It is a reminder that we do not have enough faith."

 

Now let that sit with you for a minute.

 

All Life has Value and Purpose

 

I wish this was the only time when well-intentioned church leaders show their ignorance on disability or their lack of understanding that all life has value and purpose. I wish this was an isolated incident in which someone failed to recognize that we are all flawed - all of us. 

Because what about the man that carries lust in his heart? Or the woman who is full of bitterness and jealousy? Are those not more damaging to our souls than a physical or intellectual disability? Do we not all need healing from the addictions, selfishness and pride that we carry?

 

Perhaps we have forgotten that life is a journey and the ultimate healing will come as we stand before the Lord, our bodies restored, our brokenness gone. All of us, every single one of us, healed!

 

My heart breaks as a member of this beautiful church when I see us failing the most vulnerable. When I see our ignorance crush a people group that needs us to come along their side and offer support, rather than judgment, of what we perceive to be a lack of faith.

 

So what do we say when someone prays and prays and prays for healing? That they don't have enough faith? That there must be hidden sin in their lives? Isn't that ultimately what we communicate? And what does that say about God? Doesn't this attitude foster a perception of an uncaring, detached, judgmental God?

 

When my daughter was born with Down syndrome, one of my friends confessed she thought I deserved it. She said that I must have done something wrong for God to give me a child with a disability. Sadly, this is the message she had heard from her church, the same church I had attended growing up, the same message I'd heard. Thankfully, at that point in life I had personal experience with children with disabilities. I also had a real, deep relationship with God, the same God that whispered to me, I don't make mistakes.

 

So I clung to this verse:

 

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration-what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day (Ps. 139:13-16, MSG).

 

The Church's Response

 

So how does the church receive us families living with disability?

 

Here is a sad reality: 80 percent of families that have a member with a disability do not attend church. Yes, 80 percent!

 

Why?

 

There are several reasons, and I will let you hear from other families:

• My child is not welcomed in any of the children's activities; they said he is too disruptive.

• I took my child to Sunday school class, but they wheeled him to the corner, and he sat there until I came to pick him up.

• They said I had to keep my child with me because they had nobody that could help care for her during children's church. I tried, but she can be noisy, so an usher asked us to please leave the sanctuary because she was disrupting the service.

• I asked the pastor if we could possibly have someone help my child during Sunday school; they told me they were not responsible to find me babysitters.

• It's not worth it. My child cannot handle the sensory overload.

• When my child is loud, people stare at us and shake their heads. I even had people tell me that my child needs discipline. My child has autism, and they know it! I'm not going back.

• My child is welcomed, but almost every Sunday they call me and I have to go get her from her class. Why bother?

• I tried starting a special needs class for kids, but the church leadership did not support me; they said there was no need.

• For 20 years, my wife and I took turns going to church. One Sunday she would go and I stayed home with our son; the next one we switched.
• 
  

Sadly, there are many more stories like these, and I often wonder, "Why is it that nobody offered to babysit their child during the service? Or in their home? Nobody thought it would be good for the parents to go to church?"

 

I am especially astounded when I hear people say, "There is no need for a special needs focus in the church."

 

I'm going to switch gears just for a second here.

 

There is a strong home-schooling Christian movement where parents are concerned about the negative influence their children receive attending public school. Yes, it is a scary world out there, and I have considered home schooling myself. What our children get exposed to is devastating. Thankfully, there are so many Christian churches that fully support the home-schooling movement, investing time and resources to help this little community.

 

So isn't it sad, isn't it puzzling, that the only classroom where our kids with special needs are fully included is the public school classroom rather than the Sunday school class? Isn't there something wrong when the public school setting is more accepting, loving and supportive to kids with disabilities rather than the church?

 

Take a moment. Think about it.

 

Reaching Out

 

Did you know that 80 percent of marriages end up in divorce when there is a child with a disability in the family? So shouldn't the church support these families?

 

Did you know that special needs families feel isolated? So shouldn't the church be the place where they feel included?

 

Did you know that special needs families feel constantly judged? So shouldn't the church be a place where there is no judgment?

 

Did you know that people with disabilities are the largest minority in the world? Yes - the largest minority!

 

Disability ministry is a huge need! Let's wake up. We are the church!

 

Disability is a part of life. It has nothing to do with faith. It has nothing to do with healing. It has everything to do with being human. It has everything to do with being the body of Christ. People with disabilities are part of the body, and we need them. We need them just as much as they need us. We are all connected in this journey - all of us. All of us!

 

We have an unreached people group in our own backyard. A people group that has been marginalized by society for too long. It is time that as a church, we embrace them, we accept them and we celebrate them!

 

Instead of praying for healing, let's pray for God to open our hearts and our eyes to the needs of people and children living with disability. Let's figure out how to do life together. And let's embrace, forgive, celebrate, accept and love unconditionally.

 

And let's never forget that people/children with disabilities are people first, fearfully and wonderfully made.

 

This beautiful church has much to learn about disability. We need to create awareness and educate our leaders, and in doing so, it is important that we extend grace and forgiveness. You and I can be a part of the solution. Grace and forgiveness - we all need it.

 

Ellen Stumbo

www.ellenstumbo.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Power of Mindsets

E-book PDF Download

By Jeremy Lopez
Price: $15.99
Sale! $7.99

Click HERE to order.

 

 

 

Sign up to receive our daily articles and receive 

2 FREE MP3 Teaching Downloads

from Identity Network

by Jeremy Lopez automatically.

 

(New Subscribers Only Please) 

 

*The Seeing Process of a Seer

*What Next God? Discouraged After Your Prophetic Word.

 A $20.00 Value

 

Print Friendly