This Train is Bound for Glory! - Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY

This Train is Bound for Glory!

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 |  Charles Gardner  ISRAEL TODAY

Want more news from Israel?I was thinking about the Feast of Tabernacles when I booked my train ticket to London and was rather tickled by the Virgin Trains slogan ‘Be bound for glory’, obviously based on the traditional gospel hit This Train. If it means Virgin boss Richard Branson is spreading the good news, who’s complaining?

I was making a pilgrimage to see my mum, but I was also mindful of Sukkot, one of three festivals for which the ancient Israelites were required to visit Jerusalem (Leviticus 23) and which, in the millennial reign of Messiah, every nation will be required to make (Zechariah 14.16). I was particularly thinking about pilgrimage at the time because of reports of a downturn in Israel tour bookings from the UK due to the pound’s drop in value against the dollar.

Many Christians I have known over the years have taken the view: “God can meet me here, where I am. Why should I go over there where God is apparently pouring out his Spirit in a special way?” Yet there is a great emphasis in the Bible on places that are made special by God’s extraordinary presence. Jerusalem is obviously the best earthly example. Even atheist TV documentary maker Simon Reeve, on arriving in the city, said it took his breath away. It did that for this journalist too and I can well understand the exiled psalmist’s feelings as he considered Jerusalem his “highest joy” (Psalm 137.6).

By the way, UNESCO’s denial of Jewish ties to what another psalm referred to as “the joy of the whole earth” (Psalm 48.2) would be laughable were it not so tragic. But my ‘train of thought’ is getting off track.

Even the Wise Men of the nativity travelled some 1,000 miles to worship the Christ-child. The pioneers of the modern-day Pentecostal movement travelled halfway round the world back in 1906 to catch something of what God was doing at Azusa Street, Los Angeles. And I regularly took a 210-mile round trip for evening services in Sunderland when fresh stirrings of the Holy Spirit broke out there in 1994.

There is no doubt that tours of the Holy Land bring the Bible to life and, though of course I understand that economic, security and other considerations will adversely affect bookings, there is clearly a need for a sharper focus on the important nature of such pilgrimage, which should be seen as a further expression of our Christian journey, of reaching deeper into God’s wells of salvation and unearthing the treasures of His precious land.

In celebrating God’s bountiful harvest and, in building temporary shelters, we are reminded how He provided for his people in the desert and of how we are only temporary sojourners here on earth, and that our real destiny is “the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13.14). And we remember how Yeshua came to ‘tabernacle’ with us (John 1.14).

As with all discipleship, there is sacrifice – in terms of cost and effort – in pilgrimage. And we should surely take heed of Solomon’s wisdom, that “whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11.4) In other words, don’t wait until all the conditions are in perfect alignment. If pilgrimage is a passport to meet with God in a deeper way, it will surely be well worth it. Be bound for glory! 

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Charles Gardner is author of Israel the Chosen, available from Amazon, and Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com

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Kirk Cameron's Call to American Christians: 'This Could Be Our Red Sea Moment' - CBN News Mark Martin

Kirk Cameron's Call to American Christians: 'This Could Be Our Red Sea Moment'

10-18-2016

CBN News Mark Martin

 +9

Soon movie theaters around the country will host a time of worship and prayer as part of the live event, "Revive Us 2016."Actor and producer Kirk Cameron is behind the interactive gathering Tuesday, Oct. 18.

"Hear me loud and clear: There has never been a more exciting time to be a Christian in America. This could be our finest hour!" Cameron exclaimed in a trailer for the event.

On Faithwire: Kirk Cameron’s Revive US is the #1 Trending Movie in America

"Like David running toward Goliath, or Moses and the Israelites backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaoh and the army bearing down," he continued. "Then God splits the waters! The giant is defeated!"

"This could be our 'Red Sea' moment in our story, where it's darkest just before the dawn, and God splits the waters, and we walk right through! If we have eyes to see," he emphasized.

In addition to worship and prayer, "Revive Us" will also feature a live question and answer time when participants will learn how to "transform this nation from the inside out, and the bottom all the way up to the top," Cameron explained.

In addition to Cameron, speakers during the two-hour event include former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas, pastor and author Francis Chan, and author and speaker Jennifer Rothschild, among others.

The sponsor of "Revive Us" is MyFaithVotes, a non-partisan organization that seeks to motivate Christians to vote. Organizers encourage interested participants to check theater listings for start times in your area.

Kirk Cameron has a special invitation for the CBN family. Watch here.

Prophetic Word: Watch for the Exit Signs to Light Up This Season - BILL YOUNT CHARISMA MAGAZINE

'As sure as there's a time to start, there's a time to exit.' (Flickr )

Prophetic Word: Watch for the Exit Signs to Light Up This Season

 10/18/2016 BILL YOUNT  CHARISMA MAGAZINE

I sense the Lord saying to many of us in transition: "Watch for the exit signs this season along major highways." This could mean a significant change of direction or a minor adjustment in our lives and ministry.

Major highways speed up our traveling, but exits take us to our destination. Could it be that the Lord is calling many of us off of the highways to the byways, to take our hands off the steering wheels of our ministry to get our hands on the harvest?

The Next Great Move of God Will Be Off the Beaten Path of Ministry

Why are so many people hearing a Lion roar at this time? When the Lion of Judah roars, His call is not tame. I believe He is roaring many of His people off the beaten path of ministry to forge their own trail to reach a chaotic world.

These so called "crazy" ones will be accused of going too far to reach the lost, too far into darkness to be the light, having too many friends that are sinners, all because of God's compelling love. Aren't you thankful that He went too far for you?

There's a Time to Exit

I saw many of God's people driving down a major highway as their lives and ministries were seemingly going wonderful. All of a sudden, I heard the Lord say to them, "Take the next exit!" They appeared shocked for they were certain they were well on their way to fulfill their God-given calling. Doubts and questions flooded their minds until the Lord spoke straight into their unaware fainting lives: "There's power off the next exit." Hearts began turning steering wheels as a strong witness surged through their weary souls, confirming that it was God's voice. They hadn't noticed their gas gauge was resting on empty.

I will never forget what a young adventurous entrepreneur said to me three weeks into his God-given passion: "We already know the day will come when we will exit this ministry. It will become so successful and in demand that it will be real easy to pass it on to someone else so we can create and grow something new unlike the world has ever seen to touch millions." I was astounded at this young man's faith. I have never heard such faith spoken in ministry. To date their ministry is like a wildfire blazing the earth, without my divine wisdom.

To exit means success to this young man—not failure. He plans on that day and looks forward to it. He told me, "As sure as there's a time to start, there's a time to exit."

We have a tendency thinking the word exit represents something less when getting off a major road or ministry. But it's actually God's way of promoting us into something more important on His calendar. It's not the end of the road; it's the bend in the road. Study the routes taken by God's chosen vessels and you will find exits in their callings.

I saw one exit sign flashing, "There's been a change in plans."

The byways tend to be places where we are not familiar with like barnyards. Recently I heard the Lord say, "I'm releasing a 'barnyard anointing' to bring in the harvest. A barn and the harvest go together."

You have to love a barn if you want to see a harvest. You have to love people who act like animals if you want a harvest. You have to love horses because we as His bride are going to ride some wild horses. And it's time to get back on the broncos and bulls that threw us off. We better love donkeys (people we thought the Lord would never use) because the Lord is untying them again to ride them into cities and the nations of the earth.

Get used to the smell of barnyard manure if you want reap a harvest. The No. 1 spiritual fertilizer that helps us and everything else grow is manure. It's the perfume of harvest. Turn to someone near you and tell them, "I got a whole lot of fertilizer around me and something good is about to happen!"

All Hands on Deck

Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty in the harvest fields. The "barnyard anointing" will get your hands dirty. Recently I had a word for the body of Christ: "All Hands On Deck." Now it's time to get our hands dirty.

I saw the hand of the Lord reaching down and scraping the bottom of an old barrel. The bottom was filthy and slimy. That's where He focused on reaching. I don't know about you, but He got his hands dirty when He reached way down for me. I was lost and undone without God and His Son when He reached way down for me. Remember where He found us and where He is now finding others.

The Lord is coming to set our harvest fields on fire. The fire of God will be seen in your own back yard and afar off. We will discover the true fire is in the Harvest. We will catch on fire as souls are born again. It's the fire in the harvest fields that will ignite our churches again.

It's in the harvest fields where we will get our power back, for we will find nourishment and sustenance there. Jesus told His disciples when they brought food back to Him when He was ministering to the woman at the well, "I have meat that you don't know about."

I believe He wants to take many of us off of some main roads into the byways. Watch for those exit signs that will take us there. 

Bill Yount has been a member of Bridge of Life in Hagerstown, Maryland, for the past 36 years where he is now an elder and a home missionary. He is currently an adviser at large for Aglow International. Bill faithfully served in prison ministry at Mount Hope for 23 years and now travels full-time, both in the U.S. and internationally, ministering in churches and Aglow circles. "Humility and humor" characterize his ministry as he brings forth a fresh word that is "in season," proclaiming the word of the Lord! The shofar (or ram's horn) is often used in his meetings, breaking the powers of darkness over regions, churches and households. The shofar represents God's breath blowing into the nostrils of His people, reviving them and awakening the lost. Many of God's messages, which Bill ministers prophetically, come out of his everyday life with his family and friends.

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Dinesh D'Souza Dropped the Mic on 'Never Trump' Christians - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

Dinesh D'Souza spoke to students at Liberty University about their responsibility to vote. (Video Screenshot Image)

Dinesh D'Souza Dropped the Mic on 'Never Trump' Christians

10/18/2016 BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS

Bestselling author, documentary filmmaker, and accomplished debater Dinesh D'Souza spoke at Liberty University's Convocation, and he had an important message for the students—many of whom have been critical of their university president of late.

While much of the discussion focused on the subject matter of his newest book, What's So Great About Christianity, he also took the time to address the matter of Christians' responsibility to vote. It was, for lack of a better term, what the students themselves would've called a "mic drop."

There is a distinct difference between intentions and consequences, he said. And while a Christian might act out of the purest of intentions, it can still result in terrible consequences. He used the struggle of the abolitionist movement in the mid-1800s as his example, saying abolitionists—until they aligned with the Republican Party—spent much of their time burning copies of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution and criticizing the Founding Fathers for allowing slavery to begin with.

And even when they achieved their greatest victory, they did so with a president—Abraham Lincoln—who himself was not an abolitionist.

D'Souza then turned his speech to the topic of the 2016 presidential race. Those who vote choose not to vote in the 2016 election, are still—in essence—voting for Hillary Clinton, he said.

"You need to know that a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to swing the balance of the Supreme Court, virtually irrevocably, against us," he said. "A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to not only permit, but bring in federal subsidies for abortion. A vote for Hillary is a vote to put religious freedom, already precarious, into a much more endangered position, because the checks and balances of what would normally block the government are themselves being eroded. And, you are voting for a regime in which justice becomes increasingly discretionary, as I saw terrifyingly in my own case.

"In Hillary's America, I think it is an illusion to think that we as conservatives, as Christians, can retreat into our private spaces, drive our pickup truck to school or work, pray in church, and they will leave us unmolested. They will not do that. They have no intention of doing that.

"In a democratic society, as Christians—think about it, how did we lose the media? Not enough of us got involved. How did we lose academia? Not enough of us went to those schools. How did we lose Hollywood? Not enough of us make movies. We gave up that territory, and then we pretend to be shocked when they use their power to beat the heck out of us."

D'Souza said that in the nearly 40 years since Ronald Reagan was elected president, American politics has, more or less, been balanced. But, if Clinton is elected, "this ship is likely to go one side up," creating a very different America for everyone, especially evangelical Christians.

"We've seen the latest WikiLeaks emails," he said. "In them you see the kind of bigotry that the Democrats will indulge in privately against evangelicals, against Catholics. When you listen to it, you ask yourself this question: 'Will they ever say that about a Muslim?' Never.

"So, there is a selective prejudice in our society. It's already there. It's already in the culture. But to import to the highest level of politics—it's one thing if it happens anyway and we fought it and we lost, but for us to collaborate with them? To make it easy, to make it happen? This is why the English phrase was invented, 'Askin' for it.' For us to do that, in my opinion, is to ask for it."

D'Souza closed out his speech by telling the students he didn't want to tell them what to do. And, by nature of his imprisonment for campaign finance violations, he also can't tell them to follow his example. So, instead, he turned to their critical thinking skills:

"I urge you to think critically," he said. "I urge you to weigh the options. I ask you think about the American Dream, handed down to us from generation to generation, and ask what can you do preserve, protect, and defend that dream.

"In the immortal words of the '60s—I'll close with that saying from the 1960s, 'If not now, when? If not us, who?'"

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Happy Sukkot From Israel! ✡ "Rejoice Before Hashem" - ISRAEL365

Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Hashem your God for seven days. Leviticus 23:40 (The Israel Bible™)   וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים ויקרא כג:מ ul-kakh-TEM la-KHEM ba-YOM ha-ri-SHON p’-REE aytz ha-DAR ka-POT t’-ma-REEM va-a-NAF aytz a-VOT v’-ar-VAY NA-khal us-makh-TEM lif-NAY ah-do-NAI e-lo-hay-KHEM shiv-AT ya-MEEM

Today's Israel Inspiration One of the unique commandments of the holiday of Sukkot is the taking of the four species, all of whose source is a beautiful tree. They are the fruit of a citron tree (called 'Etrog'), a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree (called 'Lulav'), boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree (called 'Hadass'), and branches with leaves from the willow tree (called 'Aravah'). The Sages tell us that the four species symbolize four different personality types. By taking the different species and holding them together, we emphasize the importance of coming together and uniting in the service of God, teaching us that working as a whole is the way which God intended. What better way to show our love and unity with our fellow than making the holiday truly joyous for those in need?    Give a festive Sukkot to Israel's less fortunate » Sukkot: A Celebration for Every Nation! There's a party in Jerusalem and EVERYONE is invited! Watch » Sukkot: Approaching Tragedy With Joy by: Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo Instead of becoming depressed and losing faith in life after the great tragedies which befall us, we should continue to approach life with the optimistic note which is conveyed to us by the beautiful interior of the Sukkah.   Read more » The Footsteps of God: Finding Gilgal   Watch as Aaron Lipkin and Zac Waller uncover the secrets of six footprint formations—all dated from the early Israelite period and all found in central Israel. What were they used for? Why are they all located in the Jordan Valley and eastern foothills of Samaria? Why did the ancient Hebrews go to so much trouble to build these round monuments in the shape of a footprint?   Save 7% In Honor of the 7 Days of Sukkot »   Israel Photo Trivia Every year on Sukkot, there is a wonderful event that occurs whereby thousands of people gather at the Western Wall. Do you know the name of this event? Send us an email or post your answer on Facebook! Guess » If you enjoy your Israel365 daily email newsletter, please consider planting a tree or buying products from our store to bless the Land and the People of Israel.   “Todah Rabbah” to our Latest Tree Donors Helen L. from Papua New Guinea for planting 4 trees! Johannita M. from Johannesburg, South Africa for planting 4 trees! Bernard H. from Sydney, Australia for planting 30 trees!                                                                                                                                  Plant a Tree in Israel »    Thank You Today's Scenes and Inspiration is sponsored by Debra Lloyd from North Carolina.   Sponsor a day in honor of a loved one » “The Good Force Be With You!” It’s great to hear from you and make new friends from all over the world. Please send me an email and let me know how you are enjoying Israel365 (don’t forget to say where you are from!).   Stay in Touch » Hi, Rabbi Tuly Weisz, I'm enjoying Israel 365 because of the good messages you write. Many thanks for creating this excellent website. I want My name Melvyn M. Lusterio to be inscribed in your God's Book of Life. In return, I'm going to add your name in The Lamb's Book of Life. Yes, truly , we live forever & prosper! Alleluia! Amen! ♥ Thank you, Melvyn Shalom, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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Hungary’s chilling plight could foreshadow Europe’s future - Owen Jones THE GUARDIAN

Illustration: Eva Bee

Hungary’s chilling plight could foreshadow Europe’s future - THE GUARDIAN  Oct. 13, 2016
Owen Jones

Rightwing populism is on the march – but the EU can’t even win enough support to impose sanctions


Thursday 13 October 2016 01.00 EDTLast modified on Thursday 13 October


Hungary’s democracy is in mortal danger – and whether it survives will help determine the future of our embattled continent. This weekend the main opposition newspaper – think of it as a Hungarian Guardian – was closed down by its owners after six decades of existence. Its digital archive vanished from the internet; its workers were shut out of their offices and left unable to access emails.

Publicly, it is presented as a commercial decision: in Hungary’s increasingly repressive society, there is widespread private cynicism about such a claim. Here was a newspaper that dared to challenge the government – whether on policy, corruption, or its onslaught against democracy.

Authoritarian rightwing populism is sweeping the western world: Hungary is an acute example. We all know history turned a corner after the 2008 financial crisis: we are beginning to see how sharp that turn was. From the Scottish independence movement to Podemos in Spain, from Donald Trump to France’s National Front and Hungary’s far right, from the rise of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn to Greece’s Syriza: a painful struggle for the west’s future has only just begun. Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán – whose rightwing party swept to victory in 2010 – recognises this. His chief lesson from 2008 is that “liberal democratic states can’t remain globally competitive”. He has committed his government to building an “illiberal democracy” – and he is remaining true to his word.


Rather than being repelled, a new generation is being attracted to rightwing extremism

Others have harsher descriptions. Hungarian dissident Gáspar Miklós Tamás accuses the government of “pissing on the liberal status quo” in favour of “post-fascism”.

Hungarian-British poet George Szirtes knows all about repression. His mother was a photographer, his father a senior ministry official, and they fled after the Soviet Union crushed Hungary’s revolution in 1956. “Hungarian democracy is imperilled,” he told me. “We’re moving towards a Putinesque situation.” As Human Right Watch’s Lydia Gall puts it: “What we’ve seen in the last six years is essentially a continued undermining or deterioration of the rule of law and human rights protection.”

In 2010 and 2011, Hungary adopted a series of laws which were damned by Amnesty International as “a threat to the right to freedom of expression”. Hungary’s media outlets had to register with a national authority. The Klubrádió station – a persistent critic of the government – became one of its victims. At the end of 2011, the authority decided not to grant Klubrádió a licence to broadcast, forcing it into a protracted battle – though the station did eventually win.

This authoritarian government has repeatedly amended the constitution: one change embedded discrimination against LGBT people by defining the family as a unit “based on the marriage of a man and a woman, or a linear blood relationship, or guardianship. Indeed, earlier this year Hungary blocked an EU-wide agreement to prevent discrimination against LGBT people.

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Youngsters at a concert by nationalist band Romantic Violence, which followed a rally by far-right sympathisers. Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP

Other amendments have attacked judicial independence and religious freedoms. Key public institutions, such as the office of the prosecutor general and the constitutional court, have been de facto taken over by the ruling party. “These are institutions that should be independent checks and balances on the government,” says Gall. There is a growing atmosphere of intolerance in the country, with those who dissent being denounced as traitors and accomplices of terrorism. Worse still, one of the main opposition parties is Jobbik, an antisemitic neo-fascist party with a paramilitary wing.

Hungary’s role in Europe’s refugee crisis has been appalling, prompting

Luxembourg’s foreign minister to propose the country’s expulsion for treating refugees “worse than wild animals”. Last year, the country declared a state of crisis and built a fence with the intention of driving refugees back into Serbia. People who have already fled violence are reportedly being chased by dogs and beaten.

And what has the EU done? Hungary is, after all, dependent on economic assistance from the union. Article 7 of the EU constitution exists to sanction member states in violation of its norms, including the suspension of voting rights. The European commission has made it progressively harder to invoke, and last year the European parliament threw out a proposal to invoke Article 7 – or even to activate a warning mechanism.

When Hungary’s government imposed the mass early retirement of veteran judges in favour of more pliant replacements, the EU did take action – but only on the grounds of age discrimination. Hungary was fined and forced to pay financial compensation to those sacked – but it still achieved its goal. A recent government-initiated referendum to oppose EU plans to settle refugees failed because of insufficient turnout, but it stirred up inflammatory xenophobic and racist rhetoric.

Analysis Hungarian right does not want to leave the EU. It wants to subvert it
Referendum was born from similar feeling to UK’s Brexit vote, but what Viktor Orbán wants is more of a threat to EU’s future

Read more

Hungary’s plight has disturbing echoes of Europe’s past: but, horrifyingly, it could foreshadow our future too. Rather than being repelled, a new generation – including the university-educated – are increasingly attracted to rightwing extremism. Poland too is in the grip of an authoritarian right which chips away at the country’s hard-won democracy. With no meaningful consequences, such governments feel increasingly emboldened. In Austria, the far right moves ever closer to power; in France, it grows stronger; in Sweden and other countries too.

The cure to such movements is a left that offers an inspiring alternative relevant to the insecurities and ambitions of the post-2008 world. We don’t have that yet. But that’s no excuse for inaction. And we in Britain cannot smugly condemn Hungary, of course: since the Brexit vote, xenophobic nationalism has marched defiantly. Our prime minister condemns her political opponents as having disdain for patriotism; this week, both the Daily Mail and the Daily Express printed chilling front pages calling for “unpatriotic Bremoaners” to be damned for a “plot to subvert the will of the British people”, and demanding “EU exit whingers” be silenced.

It is increasingly common in modern Europe for political opponents to be portrayed as unpatriotic fifth columnists. The history of our continent tells us where this can lead. Hungary is perhaps the most extreme, undiluted form of what Europe is becoming. It is a warning we should heed.