Thursday, February 18, 2016

Best Hatikva We've Ever Heard ✡ "For a Tree has Hope" - ISRAEL365

For a tree has hope; if it is cut it will again renew itself, and its bough will not cease.

JOB (14:7)
 

כִּי יֵשׁ לָעֵץ תִּקְוָה אִם יִכָּרֵת וְעוֹד יַחֲלִיף וְיֹנַקְתּוֹ לֹא תֶחְדָּל

אִיּוֹב יד:ז


kee yaysh la-aytz tik-va im yi-ka-rayt v'-od ya-kha-leef v'-yi-nak-to lo tekh-dal

Today's Israel Inspiration

Job poetically describes a tree of hope: if cut down, it will sprout anew, and “at the scent of water it will bud” (Job 14:9). Jewish tradition compares man to a tree, also full of hope and potential, where no matter how difficult a situation, there are unending opportunities to renew. Bring hope to the nation of Israel by planting your very own tree of hope. Our roots are strong when we stand together.

Best Hatikva We've Ever Heard

This may just be the best version of Israel's national anthem that you've ever heard. In Hebrew, "Hatikva" means "The Hope" - a fitting title for a nation that has survived thousands of years with undying hope to return to the Land of Israel!

Israel365 Readers Plant a
New Forest in Israel

Since the conclusion of the Shemittah year, Israel365 readers planted nearly 1,000 trees in the Land of Israel.

Learn a Beautiful Nighttime Prayer in "Open My Heart"
Music CD

"Open My Heart" music CD by Rebecca Schwartz presents refreshing modern music and songs for uplifting the soul in preparation for Sabbath, or throughout the week. The vocal range of the soloist and blends of music that contain a hint of folk, Latin and hints of rock. It provides a unique experience for the listener that will not easily be forgotten.

Today's Israel Photo

The magestic Mount Hermon by
Safi Allman.

Thank You

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

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Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, Prophesies Downfall of Europe Over Persecuted Christians - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, Prophesies Downfall of Europe Over Persecuted Christians


Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Fresh off his meeting with Pope Francis, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill prophesied the downfall of Europe if Christian persecution persists. 
"Europe should not lose its Christian roots: de-Christianization of Europe is dangerous not only from the point of view of discrimination against Christians, it is also dangerous from the spiritual and cultural points of view," Kirill said, according to TASS 
Kirill and Pope Francis met for the first time last week, bridging a millennium-long divide between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, to highlight the atrocities of Christian persecution.  
The leaders of two of the largest churches in the world issued a joint declaration to draw attention to the victims of anti-Christian violence.  
"Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa, whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated," the two said in a joint statement. 
"Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed. It is with pain that we call to mind the situation in Syria, Iraq and other countries of the Middle East, and the massive exodus of Christians from the land in which our faith was first disseminated and in which they have lived since the time of the apostles, together with other religious communities," the statement continues.  
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ruled earlier this year the Islamic State persecution of Christians is, indeed, genocide, which is considered the "crime of crimes." 
But as the persecution spreads from the Middle East to portions of Europe, Kirill and Francis agree the hope for the future of the church rests in today's Christian youth.  
"Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (Matt 25:25), but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ's truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one's neighbor," according to the joint resolution.  
"Do not be afraid of going against the current, defending God's truth, to which contemporary secular norms are often far from conforming," Francis and Kirill said. 
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Do Your Natural Actions Line Up With Your Faith? - KATHY DEGRAW CHARISMA MAGAZINE

If something stands in the way of your victory over trials and tribulations, declare your faith in the name of Jesus!

If something stands in the way of your victory over trials and tribulations, declare your faith in the name of Jesus! (iStock photo )
Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Jesus said when healing the blind man, "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Mark 10:36).
I believe Jesus is modeling the power of our words. All through the Bible it talks about the spoken word. The Bible tells us to speak to our mountain (Mark 11:23), that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21) and to call things that are not as if they are (Rom. 4:17).
We need to align our words and actions with our faith. When Jesus went to heal a man, He said, "Stretch out your hand" (Mark 3:5). That man did a prophetic action. He aligned his faith with a natural action by stretching out his hand. Jesus was putting this man's faith to action, a prophetic action.
Another time Jesus went to heal, he made the man speak out what He wanted. The blind man said, "That I may receive my sight." The words "that I may receive my sight" were a declaration. He was declaring and speaking into the spiritual atmosphere what He wanted to see manifest in the natural realm. There is power in our words!
The Word says, "You will also declare a matter, and it will be established unto you" (Job 22:28). I believe that will happen when it is in alignment with God's will, and we can see what His will is by reading the Scriptures. The blind man didn't say, "Please pray for my eyes. I want to see." He declared out what he wanted: "that I may receive my sight!"
This reminds me of a time I was diagnosed with needing a root canal and a crown. I thought, "Really, God, I know of a better way to spend $2,000 of Your money." I stood in faith for a few months to receive my healing. In fact, when the dentist diagnosed it, I said, "How long do I have?" He said, "What?" I said, "How long do I have, because I am going to pray and my God is going to heal me." I declared and spoke to my mountain, which was my tooth and commanded it to be healed in Jesus' name.  
I did go up to receive healing prayer one day, but instead of asking for prayer, I spoke out as a declaration what I wanted. I said, I have been diagnosed as needing a root canal and I am expecting God to heal me so that I don't need the procedure. I claimed what I expected to see manifest. I laid hands on my mouth and said, "Root be recreated, and inflammation, go in Jesus' name." I spoke to every element associated with my diagnosis and believed by faith I would see the manifestation of my healing.
I did receive my healing, verified by three tests and one x-ray that said I didn't need a root canal! Glory to God! I had to take the prophetic action and speak it out, like Jesus made the blind man.
Speak out! What do you want Jesus to do for you? Where do you need a miracle? What do you need to believe God for? Where do you need to take an action in the natural to have it line up with what God wants to do for you?
Put your natural circumstance into a prophetic proclamation and believe for your situation to change.
Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries, a prophetic ministry releasing the love and power of God, igniting people in the prophetic and releasing people from emotional bondage. She's passionate about teaching people the power of prayer through declaring. She speaks at conferences and travels hosting evangelistic love tours. She has written her own prophetic and deliverance training manuals in order to assist other ministries. She is the founder of Change into Colorless, an anti-racism corporation and co-pastors a church. Kathy is the author of Spiritual Warfare Declarations, A Worship Woven Life, Time to Set the Captives Free, and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at degrawministries.org.
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Archaeologists Discover 7,000-Year-Old Jerusalem Settlement - CBN NEWS CHARISMA NEWS

During a pre-construction survey prior to building a new road, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists excavated a 7,000-year-old settlement in a northern Jerusalem neighborhood.

Archaeologists Discover 7,000-Year-Old Jerusalem Settlement

Photo above: During a pre-construction survey prior to building a new road, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists excavated a 7,000-year-old settlement in a northern Jerusalem neighborhood. (Courtesy/CBN News)
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

During a pre-construction survey prior to building a new road, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists excavated a 7,000-year-old settlement in a northern Jerusalem neighborhood.
IAA archaeologists say the rare find dates to the Chalcolithic period, or the fifth-century B.C., when people began using copper (chalcos in Greek), not just stones, to make tools (lithos in Greek).
The team uncovered two houses and a treasure trove of relics, including well-preserved floors, pottery, beads and tools.
"The Chalcolithic period is known in the Negev, the coastal plain, the Galilee and the Golan, but (it) is almost completely absent in the Judean Hills and Jerusalem," said Dr. Omri Barzilai, head of the IAA's prehistory branch. That makes the find in the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Shuafat even more unusual.
The few traces of settlements during this period have been extremely sparse, Barzilai said, so evidence of a thriving 7,000-year-old settlement in Jerusalem is indeed unique.
Excavation director Ronit Lupo explained the significance of some of the discoveries.
"Apart from the pottery, the fascinating flint finds attest to the livelihood of the local population in prehistoric times: small sickle blades for harvesting cereal crops, chisels and polished axes for building, borers and awls, and even a bead made of carnelian, indicating that jewelry was either made or imported," Lupo said.
"The grinding tools, mortars and pestles, like the basalt bowl, attest to technological skills as well as to the kinds of crafts practiced in the local community," she continued. "We also recovered a few bones of sheep (and) goat(s) and possibly cattle. These will be analyzed further in the Israel Antiquities Authority laboratories, permitting us to recreate the dietary habits of the people who lived here 7,000 years ago and enhancing our understanding of the settlement's economy."
Meanwhile, archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are excavating the remains of a 12,000-year-old village in the Jordan Valley.
The site, named NEG II and located near the middle of a stream flowing west to the Sea of Galilee, has yielded finds from the Old Stone Age (Paleolithic period) and the New Stone Age (Neolithic period), including flint and bone tools and human burial remains.
"It is not surprising that at the very end of the Natufian culture, at a suite of sites in the Jordan Valley, that we find a cultural entity that bridges the crossroads between late Paleolithic foragers and Neolithic farmers," said Hebrew University archaeologist Dr. Leore Grosman, who led the excavation.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
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For the sweet moments in life! - Israel Today

For the sweet moments in life!

Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | Israel Today Staff


Whether at work, at home, with the family, and, not least, busy with social networks, we barely have time to take a break. Let's put aside the hustle and bustle of everyday life at least for a moment and allow some pleasure to dissolve on the tongue.
"Elite" chocolates, that are never missed by chocolate connoisseurs, now come in 4 enjoyable four flavors: Banana Split, Tiramisu, Toffee caramel and Alfajor Cookies.
Or

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Endure Hardship As a Good Soldier by Elaine Tavolacci - Identity Network

Endure Hardship As a Good Soldier 

by Elaine Tavolacci

Identity Network
The Holy Spirit brought back a word that I had received a couple of years ago. Many of you have been proven faithful through very difficult times and have learned how to triumph over every obstacle in your path. You have allowed the Lord to strengthen you and you have persevered through horrendous storms, but now it seems as if the enemy has returned with a vengeance.

The Lord showed me an analogy of a luxury car.  A luxury car must go through greater testing than an economy car before it is released to the car dealership.  To test a luxury car such as a Ferrari they may have to hit a wall to test its strength.  They will perform crash tests to test the amount of pressure that it could stand.  They will run it through all seasons to check its performance and tolerance to adverse weather patterns.  It will be tested through the snow, the rain, the heat and extreme weather conditions.  


They will also test it on the mountains to see if it could pass the test of perseverance, stability and excellence.  They will test it on sharp turns and U turns to make sure it is agile enough for the winding roads and they will test it on rocky roads to test its endurance.  The reason why a luxury car needs more testing than an economy car is because it has to be proven for what it is worth.  We are also tested and tried for our value and worth in the kingdom of God.

Trying Times of Your Past

The Lord says; "It was the trying times of your past that has strengthened you to become the person whom I have created you to be.  Things may not have gone according to the way that you have planned, but know that I am preparing you for greater works in the days ahead. As the enemy tries to return with a vengeance, remember where I have brought you from. Don't lose your focus.

As you look back at the difficult times, you will see that there was a purpose and a plan.  Everything that you have endured will be used for My glory.  As you have stayed strong in times of adversity, I will now entrust you with greater responsibilities.  As you have allowed Me to restructure your life and make the proper adjustments, you will now become more effective in that which I have called you to do.

Every step has been necessary for the preparation of your spiritual growth.  Although you have wrestled and contended in this last season, it has made you durable and able to trust Me in this season.  Through difficult times you have learned not to allow frustration to overwhelm you but you have recognized the opportunities for the days ahead.

A Vessel Unto Honor

The adversities have not caused you to be hardened with bitterness but have made you pliable to be used as a vessel unto honor. 

As you stand steadfast, you will see the victory.  You will understand the preparation and the process is crucial for the days ahead, and there will be a positive outcome for every unfortunate situation.  As you allow Me to build you for endurance, your character and integrity will be strengthened.  There are lessons to be learned that are necessary for your advancement so that you could fulfill all that I have called you to do; says the Lord.

2 Samuel 22:35 He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Psalm 18:32 It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

Psalm 144:1 Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.

2 Timothy 2:3-4 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Elaine Tavolacci



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Time for Action: A Warning to Christians about the Cost of Silence - CBN News

Rafael Cruz & Pat Robertson

Time for Action: A Warning to Christians about the Cost of Silence
CBN News 02-17-2016

Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, says his dad, Rafael, is his hero and is the one who taught him early in life that the concept of limited government comes straight from the Bible.
Now, his father, a Cuban immigrant, has a message for America.
Rafael Cruz was born in Cuba in 1939. As a teenager, Cruz faced prison and torture fighting against the brutal Batista dictatorship. After his release from prison, he convinced the government to allow him to leave Cuba for America on a college scholarship. He left with only $100 sewn into his underwear by his mother.
*Rafael Cruz shared more about his new book on The 700 Club, Tuesday, February 16. Click play to watch.
Once in America, Cruz worked hard, started a family, and most importantly, gave his life to Christ. As a church pastor, Cruz became involved with the Religious Roundtable organization, mobilizing Christians to elect Ronald Reagan.
Young Ted took it all in, and like his father before him, chose a career path that would fuse faith and politics.
Rafael Cruz
Nearly 60 years after coming to America, the elder Cruz has a message for his adopted homeland. He writes about it in a new book entitled, A Time for Action.
America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, by moral leaders, Cruz says, many of whom were strong Christians themselves. The first settlers were committed Christians seeking refuge from religious persecution abroad.
Cruz says that in the last 100 years, America has been on a slippery slope, moving away from its founding principles and, in large part with little resistance from the Church.
In A Time for Action, Rafael Cruz presents a simple underlying message: For Christians, Jesus Christ should be the foundation of the lives they build and they should be active in making a difference in the world around them.
In practical terms, that means we should strive for a free society that respects each of God's children; we should embrace the Judeo-Christian values of love, joy, and peace; and we should seek a relationship with the living God.
It means people of faith should actively participate in the political process to combat the debilitating and deceptive progressive mantra that there should be a separation of church and state.
Time for Action is the story of one man's quest for refuge from Cuban persecution to realizing the American dream. It is a story about one man finding true freedom that comes from faith in Jesus Christ. It is the story of this great nation that was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and why it has fallen from grace.
It is also a wake-up call to the faithful across the land to step up to the challenge of entering the public arena and taking on the forces at work to destroy the guiding principles that made this country great. Religious people must saddle up. They must vote and volunteer and campaign. They must get in the political game.
The followers of Christ are, in His words, "the light of the world." But for a light to have its effect, it has to shine in the darkness.
That's why our mission is "to declare," as St. Paul said, "the whole counsel of God." If we continue to remain silent, we will answer to God for our silence.

Obama Reluctantly Signs BDS Bill Recognizing Territories as Part of Israel by Ahuva Balofsky - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS


Obama Reluctantly Signs BDS Bill Recognizing Territories as Part of Israel


“And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said: ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ And the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings 18:21)
A trade bill which passed a senate vote Thursday is set to be signed into law by US President Barack Obama, despite his objections to its pro-Israel portions. The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 came before Congress last summer as part of a package designed to strengthen rule enforcement and address currency manipulation.
The bill, however, contains a provision which would extend agreements with Israel into “Israeli-controlled territories”, a move lauded by pro-Israel lobby AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) but criticised by the White House, which said it “contravenes longstanding U.S. policy towards Israel and the occupied territories, including with regard to Israeli settlement activity.”
statement by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest acknowledged that the president would sign the bill despite his objections. “As with any bipartisan compromise legislation, there are provisions in this bill that we do not support,” he explained. “However, the legislation would strengthen trade enforcement at our ports and borders and improve our ability to stop evasion of our trade laws; improve transparency, accountability, and coordination in enforcement efforts; and give us unprecedented new tools to address unfair currency practices. Its passage is an important milestone in our overall trade agenda.”
The bill includes a clause intended to curb politically-motivated trade moves, such as limiting or prohibiting economic relations with Israel. The clause, which discourages corporate or state-affiliated entities from participating in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, received particular accolades from AIPAC.
NO to BDS and YES to Israel!
“The provision puts the US firmly on record opposing BDS and supporting enhanced commercial ties between the United States and Israel,” AIPAC said in a statement Thursday. “This measure builds on the important work of Congress … passing into law firm anti-BDS negotiating objectives for American trade negotiators.”
In accordance with the bill, 180 days following its passage, the US administration will be required to report to the Congress on global BDS activities, including the participation of foreign companies in political boycotts of Israel. A number of legal protections for American businesses operating in Israel are also included.
While Obama opposes BDS, the White House expressed concern about extending such a clause to East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria, regions considered “occupied”. Long-standing US policy has held that Israeli settlement activity in these regions undermine peace efforts and the establishment of a two-state solution.
As one administration official told The Times of Israel, successive US governments have walked a fine line between enhancing economic ties with Israel and preserving the possibility of a two-state solution with the Palestinians. He said this has been a priority for both Democrats and Republicans since the US-Israel Free Trade agreement was signed in 1985.
The bill passed Thursday’s Senate vote 75-20.

"He Saddled His Donkey" ✡ Donations Matched for a New Ambulance to Save Lives - ISRAEL365

And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey … and went to the place of which God had told him.

GENESIS (22:3)

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ... וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱ-לֹהִים

בראשית כב:ג


va-yash-kaym av-ra-ham ba-bo-ker va-ya-kha-vosh et kha-mo-ro ... va-yay-lekh el ha-ma-kom a-sher a-mar lo ha-e-lo-heem

Today's Israel Inspiration

We learn an invaluable life lesson from just one Hebrew word in today's verse - awoke earlyוַיַּשְׁכֵּם. Abraham was zealous to do God’s will at the first sign of daybreak, teaching that we too should grab opportunities to do good without hesitation. Fast forward 3,000 years and meet  ZAKA volunteers who follow in Abraham's footsteps. ZAKA is Israel's incredible volunteer terrorism and disaster emergency response organization. Volunteers remain on call every hour of the day ready to rush to any tragic scene to save lives. With the increase in terror, ZAKA is in dire need of 5 new ambulances to carry out their sacred mission throughout Israel. No matter where you live in the world, you can partner with ZAKA for the benefit of mankind. Help save lives, strengthen faith, and strengthen Israel.

Israeli Traffic Behind an Ambulance Gets Interesting

What happens when Israelis are stuck in traffic behind an ambulance at the scene of a tragedy? You must watch their reactions!

As Deaths in Israel Rise from Wave of Terror, Search & Rescue Ambulances Needed

Typically, ZAKA volunteers deal with an average of 30 incidents of unnatural deaths every week. But with the current wave of terror, ZAKA is being swamped with a dramatic increase of incidences throughout Israel.

Elijah Kiddush Cup

This Elijah Cup is a wooden Kiddush Cup filled with wine for the Prophet Elijah during the Passover Seder. Yair Emanuel is a well known Israeli artist famous for his depictions of the Jerusalem's Old City. This cup features an impressive Jerusalem skyline image.

Today's Israel Photo

Yosef Symonds' beautiful photo of a donkey enjoying the early spring wildflowers in Givat HaTumerasin
(Lupin Hill), central Israel.

Yesterday's Photo Trivia

Yesterday's photo featured the Tower of David (in Hebrew, מגדל דוד, Migdal David), an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. Despite its name, the tower has no connection to King David, but rather dates back to the Ottoman empire.

Thank You

Today's Scenes and Inspiration is sponsored by Motshoanedi Lesejane of South Africa. Todah rabah!

“Every Morning I Look Forward to Reading Your Email”

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!

I really enjoy the e-mails. The pictures are also beautiful. It's a blessing.

Every morning I look forward to reading your email. The beautiful pictures and scriptures inspire my day. I particularly enjoy the explanation of Hebrew words. I have visited Israel and am hoping for a return visit.  I feel like it is home.
Shalom,
Rabbi Tuly Weisz
RabbiTuly@Israel365.com
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