Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Slowly, Jews Becoming More Accepting of Christians Who Pray for Israel - by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Evangelical Christians from around the world sing and recite prayers for Israel's safety. (Photo: Flash 90)

Slowly, Jews Becoming More Accepting of Christians Who Pray for Israel

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3 (The Israel Bible™)
Evangelical Christians are among the most significant supporters of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide, but there’s an unexpected catch: they often feel their efforts are greeted by begrudging acceptance, criticism, and sometimes even open contempt by the Jews whom they are trying to help. Many Christians have begun to question whether this new vision of Jewish-Christian relations will succeed or whether the two religions are destined to slide back into the hatred and distrust that has separated them for a millennium.
The Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma sponsors “A Night to Honor Israel” every year which raises significant amounts of money for Israel. The Center also partners with a local synagogue to help the local Jewish community. One member, Carol Butler, leads a prayer group every week that focuses exclusively on praying for Jews and Israel. She is motivated by a simple but powerful idea.
“We pray for you because we love Israel and the Jewish people,” she told Breaking Israel News over email.
Despite their good intentions, Butler feels that her prayers and actions are not welcomed by the Jews. She even devotes some of her prayer to resolving this conflict.
“I pray that the Jewish people will one day appreciate our love and concern rather than mistake it for hate and anti-Semitism, which was how Christians and Jews used to relate,” Butler said.  
Kellen Davison, the founder of Reconciliation with Israel and co-founder of the Commonwealth of Yisrael project, is working towards reconnecting with Israel through action and prayer. As an extension of his personal practice of several decades, the Commonwealth project organizes a list of hundreds of people from over 20 nations that pray for Israel and Jews. Davison told Breaking Israel News that the most common request from the members is that they pray for “safety for Jews and for the land not to be divided”, as well as “hearts of flesh between Jewish and non-Jewish followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob leading to greater spiritual unity and reconciliation”.  
The Bridge Builder: The Life and Continuing Legacy of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein - Read Now!
For the most part, Davison’s efforts and prayer have been well received by the Jews he connects with, but he has also encountered reticence from the Jewish side. He understands why the Jews have put up this wall between the two faiths, explaining that many of them are afraid Christians will try to “convince them to embrace a non-Jewish belief.”
Kim, a Christian who prefers to remain anonymous, told Breaking Israel News over email that she has been praying for Israel and the Jewish people since she was in college. “I pray for God to protect and bless Israel, especially the people in Judea and Samaria,  usually when international powers are pressuring them to give up land and things like that.” She added, “I’m not sure why I pray for Israel, I just want God to love them, be good to them and give them peace.”
Kim took these values from her Evangelical community, which adhered strongly to the Biblical verse which is the basis for much Christian support of the people of Israel: “I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse” (Genesis 12:3). Deeply influenced by religious leaders Pastor John Hagee and Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, who both work to advocate greater interfaith relationships, she was unaware of any rift between Christians and Jews.  She was shocked when, in her personal contacts with Jews, they criticized her prayers on their behalf.
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews)
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews)
She said that to her, Jews rejecting her prayers feels equivalent to being cursed by Israel, as described in Genesis – and the consequences of such a curse are serious indeed. “Wouldn’t you be scared if Jews and Israelis were always attributing bad things to you or your faith group, since cursing Israel is a very scary offense in Evangelical beliefs?” she asked. “It seems like they just don’t receive it and would be happier if we supported them quietly, like some unseen force, to the point where they can think they did it by themselves.”
To understand the root of the issues preventing the two Abrahamic religions from allying, Breaking Israel News spoke to Yael Eckstein, Senior Vice President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), and daughter of its founder, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. The organization, founded in 1983, was initially criticized for partnering Christians supporters with Jewish causes. IFCJ  is the world’s largest organization of Christians actively working with Jews to support Israel, but Yael explained that philanthropy was not the only motivation that inspired her father to establish the movement.
“He didn’t start the Fellowship as a fundraising organization, but as vehicle to foster and deliver Christian love, care, and support for Israel,” she said.
Breaking Israel News asked Eckstein how her father’s efforts towards this end were received by the Jewish recipients of Evangelical support.
“We’ve definitely seen resistance from the Jewish community. My father was ostracized for the once-radical thought that Christians could become Israel’s greatest friend.” She added optimistically, “It’s amazing to see how far both sides have come towards normalizing that concept. The Jewish world is learning that a Christian can love Israel without wanting to missionize or convert Jews.
“We are finally at the point where Jewish organizations say they are willing to accept donations from the Fellowship, but we really need to do more. We need to reach out in return to the Christian Zionists who stand with us. We need to accept that Christian Zionists are a strategic partner in Israel’s future, if we are to have a future in the Mideast,” she asserted.

"When the Lord Gives Us the Land" ✡ Fabulous Restoration of Tel Aviv Synagogue - ISRAEL365

And it shall be, when the Lord gives us the land, that we will deal with you with kindness and truth.

וְהָיָה בְּתֵת יְ-הוָה לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְעָשִׂינוּ עִמָּךְ חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת

יהושע ב:יד

v'-ha-ya b'-tayt a-do-nai la-nu et ha-a-retz v'-a-see-nu i-makh khe-sed v'-e-met

Today's Israel Inspiration

The Hebrew word for truth, 'emet' (אמת), contains a deep lesson. The word is comprised of three letters. The first letter "Alef" is the initial letter of the alphabet and represents the One Almighty. Remove the letter Alef and all that remains is מת (mayt), meaning death. Without God there can be no truth. In its place only death and destruction remain. (from Rabbi Benjamin Blech’s “The Secrets of Hebrew Words”). Keep learning on the path of truth with the incredible Israel Bible.
 

Interactive Tour Video: YOU Choose Your Israel Destination

Jump into this amazing interactive video for the journey of a lifetime that puts you in the driver's seat around Israel.
 

Anti-Semitism Has a Divine Message for Jews at the End of Days

Rising worldwide anti-Semitism has spiritual significance, says Rabbi Pinchas Winston, who describes God's mystical process of separating and refining the Jewish people.
 

Matching Earring and Necklace Set: Sapphire Blue Crystals and Star Of David Charm

The deep sapphire blue crystal Star of David was designed by Judaic artist Diane Fuller. In addition to a beautiful Star of David charm, the necklace includes an eye catching lapis lazuli stone. The stone is surrounded by glass crystals, giving it a pretty sparkle. In addition to the necklace, there is also a matching set of earrings. This wonderful set will make an excellent gift for nearly every occasion. The necklace is 18″ long.

Today's Israel Photo

Noam Chen's photo of the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv. Built in 1926, it has recently been restored after decades of being inactive, and is now open to the public.
 

Yesterday's Photo Trivia

Thanks to everyone who responded to yesterday's photo trivia! Noam Chen's photo featured the holy Western Wall
(the "Kotel"), where God's Presence has never departed.
 

Thank You

Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!
 

“Very Informative & Keeps Me Current with Israel”

It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!
 
Greetings Rabbi, I really enjoy your Israel365. It's very informative and keeps me current with Israel and its people... John Thomas

I really love the land of Israel. Everything about Israel. God has given me the privilege to visit Israel last Feb 2015...I'd really love to come back and explore more.  Indeed Israel is the land of milk and honey is flowing from the Bible. Shalom, GLORIA V. ABAD
Shalom,
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Franklin Graham: Is the Handwriting on the Wall for America? - BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

When we began our Decision America Tour on a bitterly cold January day in Des Moines, Iowa, I didn't know exactly what to expect as we kicked off a nine-month tour of all 50 state capitals.

Franklin Graham: Is the Handwriting on the Wall for America?

When we began our Decision America Tour on a bitterly cold January day in Des Moines, Iowa, I didn't know exactly what to expect as we kicked off a nine-month tour of all 50 state capitals. (Courtesy/BGEA)
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

When we began our Decision America Tour on a bitterly cold January day in Des Moines, Iowa, I didn't know exactly what to expect as we kicked off a nine-month tour of all 50 state capitals.
I wasn't sure how many people would be able to come to an outdoor prayer rally in the middle of the workday. I wondered how the call to pray, vote and engage in the political process would be received across the nation.
Four months and 19 states later, I've been amazed at how the Holy Spirit is working and moving.
At every stop, thousands upon thousands have turned out at midday to stand for an hour and call on God to heal our nation. In spitting snow, shivering cold and intense heat, people have stood shoulder to shoulder on Capitol grounds and steps to worship God, confess their sins and intercede for America.
In Nevada, we had the largest crowd ever assembled at the Capitol grounds in Carson City. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the crowd began spontaneously singing hymns a half-hour before the event. In Sacramento, a group of LGBT protesters had called for a meeting at the Capitol, only a short distance away from where our rally was to be held.
When I heard about their plans, I thought about how God shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. I prayed that the Lord would quiet the mouths of the protesters as we came together to pray.
Their event was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., and our rally did not start until noon. However, thousands of people assembled hours beforehand for Decision America, so we didn't hear a thing from the protesters. Despite their very public call for people to join them, only about 100 gay activists came. Our rally drew nearly 8,000 people.
One extraordinary result of our tour across the nation has been the large number of people who have come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through March, 2,021 people had indicated their decisions to follow Christ via text message. They come to Decision America because they are angry or dissatisfied with the way things are going in our country. Then they hear the gospel preached, they fall under conviction, repent of their sins and turn to Christ. Praise God!
There is no doubt that the tens of thousands who have attended know that America is in deep trouble and on the verge of total moral and spiritual collapse—unless God intervenes.
Like me, they have no hope in either the Democratic or Republican party. They know our only hope is in Almighty God. Unless we repent and turn quickly to Him for forgiveness and restoration, our nation will no longer be the city on the hill that has helped bring the illuminating light of biblical truth to the world.
Never before have I seen such a sharp rift in the moral and spiritual fabric of our country. The cross of Christ has become the deep divide between a growing segment of our population that no longer fears God and those who follow Christ as Lord and Savior.
In this secular age, the influence of biblical principles and values has diminishing impact on education, government and politics. More young people than ever before claim no religious affiliation at all. We Christians are not just simply tolerated—we are under constant, unrelenting assault for our beliefs and practices.
The cross of Christ is the dividing line between the righteous and the unrighteous, between the deceitfully dark powers of evil and the liberating light of the gospel, between the virtues of godly living and the unfettered lusts of corrupt, debased passions. The wisdom and power of the cross appears as more and more foolishness to those who suppress the truth and rebel against its claims.
Not long before Daniel was cast into the lion's den by the Persian King Darius, he was called into the presence of the last Babylonian king, Belshazzar, after the king witnessed the fingers of a human hand writing on the wall in his palace. This sudden, divine event occurred as the king and his court were reveling in debauchery and idolatry, drinking wine from the golden vessels that had been carried away by the Babylonians from the Jerusalem temple.
As the king saw a hand writing on the wall of plaster, he instantly was alarmed and frightened. Daniel interpreted the meaning of the strange inscription Belshazzar had seen, telling him that his kingdom was about to come to an end, that he had been weighed in God's divine balance and found wanting, and that his vast kingdom would be handed over to a new world power, the Medes and Persians.
That very night, Belshazzar was killed, and the Medes and Persians entered Babylon.
I wonder if the handwriting is now on the wall for America. Has God decided that our idolatry, immorality and godlessness have become such a stench in His nostrils that we as a people will experience a harsh form of divine judgment? Have our iniquities grown so foul and vast that we will reap the bitter harvest of our wickedness and rebellion against Almighty God?
I don't know the answer to that, but I do believe that God is able to restore and heal us if we repent of our sins—personal and corporate—and turn to Him in humility and reverence. The Bible tells us that the Lord is patient toward us, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" 
(2 Pet. 3:9).
We are a people and nation in imminent danger. We mock God, ridicule His Word and 
His ways, and flaunt gross 
immorality.
Only Almighty God can deliver us, and it is our fervent prayer as we go across America in the months to come, that He will hear our prayers and heal our land.
He is our only hope. 
This article originally appeared on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Website. ©2016 BGEA. 
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Wars and Rumors of Wars - Tsvi Sadan ISRAEL TODAY

Wars and Rumors of Wars

Wednesday, May 04, 2016 |  Tsvi Sadan  ISRAEL TODAY
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. (Matthew 24:6)
Rumors regarding the imminent coming of Messiah are bountiful today. The latest among them is that of the Riminov Rebbe (pictured), a Hassidic rabbi living in New York. 
Visiting his followers in Florida, the rabbi urged them to leave the United States as soon as possible. According to the Orthodox website Behadrei Haredim, on the seventh day of Passover the rabbi pressed his listeners to leave the Diaspora to Israel.
"Listen to me carefully dear Jews," said the rabbi, "whoever has in his hand to get up and go and go to the Holy Land Israel as soon as possible while it is still is possible, this includes leaving large parts of South America and most of Europe … also the United States will be a place of danger in the war and it is still too early to say which states within the United States will survive, but many parts will be destroyed and poisoned, even civil war will break out in the United States and states will cut themselves off from the federal government … the Land of Israel will be the safest place to survive the war, although there will also be terrible difficulties there."
To add credibility to this prediction the rabbi reminded his listeners that "I am one of the few men in our time who can say this since it has been published all over the world that my eyes see very far away, like [the] three boys in Halhul and dozens more who were missing, where others do not have permission to see … and this was planted in me by God and Divine Providence and when I had to talk to many and give instructions, I do it and the Divine Presence speaks from my throat, and wherever my name goes out to, it is known that those who listen to me shall be safe."
Interestingly enough, exactly a year ago a similar End Times prediction was made by the 106-year-old mystic, Rabbi Sasson Tabashi.
 On last year's Passover, Rabbi Tabashi said that "it was revealed to me from Heaven that a week after Shavuot (May 29, 2015), a giant war will break out in the Middle East, and it will be a difficult situation until Sukkot (September 2015), and afterwards, Messiah will come."
There is more than one way in which to relate to such "prophecies." If the prophecy of Jesus given in Matthew 24 is to be taken seriously, then the current abundance of such predictions may be a sign of the End Times.      
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From Holocaust to Resurrection - Israel Today Staff

From Holocaust to Resurrection

Wednesday, May 04, 2016 | Israel Today Staff





Six million brothers
- by Yair Engel of blessed memory.

They look down on us from above,
Six million brothers.
They look down on us from above crying or laughing,
and we're down here, not understanding at all
sitting on another planet, crying and embarrassed.
How can a person get up in the morning
A seemingly normal person
And cut down the living plucking away dreams
Erasing yesterday's world
How can a simple man created from the earth
Bring desolation and ruin to the world,
That I will never understand.
And to think that everything was done so quickly
And systematically, it just drives me crazy.
And here's another group of people
So good, so innocent dying inhumanely
Their world erased between four walls.
And now it's late, people,
Very late only memories remain,
Only memories remain.
And even if we try and think a very long time,
We will never understand how they allowed themselves
To turn six million people into six million names.
That I will never understand.
And to think that everything was done so quickly
And systematically, it just drives me crazy.
And despite it all we need to continue
Living and be strong because
They look down on us from above, crying or laughing,
And his sons are so confident, his sons are so confident -
Six million brothers.
That I will never understand.
And to think that everything was done so quickly
And systematically, it just drives me crazy.
Yair Engel's grandfather was an Holocaust survivor. An high school visit to Poland's death camps touched and completely changed Yair's life. There, on Poland's bloody earth, he composed this poem. There he chose to serve as a IDF Navy Seal.
Yair passed away in 1996 in a tragic diving accident. After his death his mother found the above poem while cleaning his room.
Tomorrow, on May 5, 2016 - Holocaust Remembrance Day - this poem, written 20 years ago, will be performed in Poland during the "March of the Living".
Yair's father says that two circles will be closed for him, that of Yair and that of his father, an Holocaust survivor.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Something Big Coming In 2016: 5 Prominent Watchmen Issue Exceedingly Ominous Warnings - MICHAEL SNYDER CHARISMA NEWS

The watchmen are warning America.

Something Big Coming In 2016: 5 Prominent Watchmen Issue Exceedingly Ominous Warnings

The watchmen are warning America. (Simone A. Bertinotti/Flickr/Creative Commons)

Is a great shaking about to hit America? Is 2016 going to turn out to be one of the major turning points in our history? On The Economic Collapse Blog and End Of The American Dream, I am constantly warning my readers about what is coming, but today I want to shift the focus to what other watchmen are telling us. And as you will see below, when I use the term "watchmen" I am also including women. All five of the individuals that I am featuring in this article are people that I highly respect, and all five of them have issued extremely ominous warnings about our future. So hopefully you are ready to receive what you are about to hear, because their messages are not to be taken lightly.
First, I want to share with you a recent interview with a wonderful lady named Glenda Jackson. She is the founder of Glenda Jackson Ministries, and she has been sounding the alarm since 1974. She doesn't know this, but she has impacted my life in a powerful way, and I would love to meet her in person someday.
Even though many people didn't want to listen, Glenda warned that Barack Obama would be elected in 2008 and she warned that he would be re-elected in 2012. But according to her, this coming election will be even more ominous. In this interview that was posted on YouTube, she expresses her belief that this will be "one of the worst elections we have ever had." In fact, she says that "it would not shock me at all if someone got killed in this election." She is convinced that the events of the next six months will eventually result in martial law being imposed in America, and that "things are going to turn upside down" in this nation.
Another watchman that has just issued a very ominous warning is Chuck Pierce. I once saw him speak at a conference down in Arizona, and the very specific things that he is saying about the next six months are more than a little bit chilling:
On Saturday morning (April 23) I shared what the Lord is saying to us for this season. We have now crossed over into a time that will determine our future. Starting April 25, through October 20, it will be the most tumultuous, confusing time this nation has known in over 160 or 170 years. I want you to know how you are connected in the Body of Christ, and that the Body of Christ will not be the same. This is a time that America determines its future. But also understand that this is a time that the Kingdom of God and those leading it move into their next identity.
To say that it will be "the most tumultuous, confusing time that this nation has known in over 160 or 170 years" is quite a bold statement.
So why would our nation be shaken so dramatically?
Well, many watchmen are pointing to the great sin in our land. On April 27th, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn had another opportunity to deliver a message to national leaders on Capitol Hill. What he had to say about sin, revival and the parallels between ancient Israel and modern America was quite stirring. You can view the entire address on YouTube right here.
Another Christian leader that is being very bold in speaking out about sin and the coming judgment of America is Anne Graham Lotz. She is probably best known for being Billy Graham's daughter, but the truth is that she has become a very powerful evangelist in her own right. And her message for this hour is that "God is backing away" from America because of our sin ...
Commenting on the moral state of America and God's judgment on sinful nations, evangelist Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of pastor Billy Graham, said America is imploding "morally and spiritually," that God is removing His "blessing and protection" from us, leaving us to our sins, and that this encroaching judgment is evident in the chaos of the political scene, the economy, and even the weather.
"Romans 1 describes the type of judgment where we sin, and we refuse to repent of our sin, then He backs away from us," said Anne Graham Lotz in a recent interview on CBN News with host Mark Martin. "He removes Himself from us and He turns us over to ourselves. That's what I think I see in America. I believe we're entering into that phase of judgment, where God is backing away."
Sadly, most people don't understand what this means. We aren't just going to experience a couple of weeks of bad news. When judgment fully comes to America, our nation is going to be brought to its knees, and life as we know it is going to be totally transformed.
Just consider what another very prominent watchman is saying. Heidi Baker is one of the founders of Iris Ministries, and she is deeply respected all over the world. Her work with the poorest of the poor in Africa is already legendary, and she is a woman that absolutely exudes the love of Jesus Christ. If I had to select just a handful of people in the world that I wished that I could be more like, she would be one of them. Through deeply sacrificial love, her ministry is transforming entire regions of Africa, and that is why the ominous message that she has for America is especially alarming. According to her, she was shown that a horrible famine is coming to this country:
I saw bread lines, soup kitchens, and I saw people wearing beautiful clothing. Their clothing was not worn out. Now in my nation when people are hungry you can tell. I mean they are in shredded rags. They don't have shoes or they have flip flops. Most of them [have] no shoes. They are hungry and they know they are hungry. They come for food, not because they are beggars, but because they are hungry.
Because of her long experience in Africa, she understands what starvation is very well, and she is warning that it won't be too long before the same kind of starvation that she has seen in Mozambique shows up here in the United States...
I have held starving children in my arms. I know what starvation is. I know what pain is. I know what suffering is. But in this vision that I had that was in your nation, my nation, which the Lord is helping me to say, I will identify with America as well as Mozambique.
You can watch her remarks in their entirety on YouTube right here.
All of us that are watchmen only have a few pieces of the puzzle. Personally, my wife and I are doing our very best to sound the alarm about what is coming through our websites, our books, our DVDs, and our new television show. Time is short, and most of the country is still dead asleep.
If what these watchmen are saying is true, America is headed directly for the greatest shaking that any of us have ever experienced.
That means that "normal life" in the United States is about to come to an abrupt end, and the way that virtually everyone has been envisioning the future is dead wrong.
So are these watchmen right?
Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of End Of The American Dream. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled "The Rapture Verdict"is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.
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