Al Thomas: Many Are On a Strange Road To a Blessing - The Elijah List

Al Thomas:

Many Are On a Strange Road To a Blessing

The Elijah List

A Blessing In Disguise

Have you ever had an important appointment and then came upon an unexpected road block? Suddenly you find yourself on an unknown road and lost? The traffic is heavy and you are barely moving. You know if you don't get off this road you will be late. Then you fall into an agitated state and get stressed out. This is when the Holy Spirit says, "Child, be at peace." And so it is in the spirit: Some think they are in an unknown place (stuck in spiritual traffic), but God is actually preparing them for a blessing. 

The Holy Spirit is saying: "The unexpected road block is a blessing in disguise."

Often, when everything seems to be going well for you, then problems come; but, actually, God is up to something good. Sometimes battles are easily won, and temptations (although constant) don't usually trip you up (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). Other times it seems like life is falling apart and everything breaks loose. Those things that you used to handle with ease now overwhelm you. You wonder, Where did my strength go? (see Psalm 6:2).

So there you are, called by God, following His plans the best you know how, when things start to go downhill. Your spirit was soaring with enthusiasm, but now victory seems illusive.

Fear not, God is preparing something: a blessing for you. 

Yes, the road looks unfamiliar, but you are not on the wrong path. Psalm 37:23 declares "The steps of a man are established by the Lord..."

You didn't ask for this, but now you must fight a small battle (see Ephesians 6:11-12). You must keep moving forward. Tremendous rewards await you if you do not quit (see Philippians 1:6). You decide to keep moving (see Philippians 4:13) and not quit. The formally congested road is about to clear up (see Romans 8:28). The fog will soon lift, because God is preparing an unexpected blessing for you. God is saying to you, "Behold, I will bless, and nothing can reverse it..." (see Number 23:20). (Photo via Pixabay)

Don't Think Because You Are Not Moving God Is Not On the Move

Sometimes, if God would have allowed you to keep on the same old path you were on (see Proverbs 14:12) you would have missed the opportunity (and blessing). Often, God forcefully detours us so we will head into the blessings He has for us (see John 4:38). Often more is accomplished in the spiritual realm when He makes us wait (see Isaiah 40:31) and wonder.

Wait doesn't mean inactivity. It means "resting in Him." Don't panic because nothing seems to be happening. He has pushed the "divine pause button" to bring you to rest in Him. (Something He has been trying to get you to do for some time now.) Yes, you are moving, only this time He is carrying you. Yes, progress is being made; but this time He is directing it. 

You prayed for this long ago, so don't fight it. You can now relax...as He takes over. 

Realizing this, your faith allows His joy to manifest. Expectation replaces stress.

Because of the Road Block, Don't Think His Promises Are Postponed

Actually, the opposite is true (see Psalm 138:8). God is taking you on a different road. The promise will not only come to pass but will be fulfilled on a grander scale. 

You allow God to do it His way (see Psalm 18:30). Oh yes, you meant well and your heart was in the right place; but God wanted to show you "a better way." And, because you didn't take your road (and avoid His detour), God can now speak with you about His plans, not yours (see Jeremiah 29:11). 

Now you realize that you should have taken His detour long ago. You start to thank Him for the "strange road." 

Deeper communion with the King results (see Luke 24:15). You smile knowing He's in charge, and His peace arrives. (Photo via Freeimages)

You're In Good Company And About To Make History

God's in the business of "divine road blocks." He gave Paul a heavenly detour (see Acts 9) and changed history, turning the world upside down (see Acts 17:6). Jesus gave a few fisherman a divine detour and it also turned their life (and the world) upside down (see Matthew 4:18-19). God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary for the grandest detour of all, and because she accepted it (see Luke 1:30-31), you and millions of others are now in the Kingdom of God. They and many others could have taken the "normal, beaten path," but they would not have changed history.

God's highway appears before you (see Isaiah 35:8). You need to start thanking Him for the interruption. Rejoice for the road block God has placed in front of you. Do not run from it. Many will be blessed because you said, "God, I don't recognize this path. I have never been here before, but because You say so, I will follow Your detour for me."

Remember, no one said you have to always understand this divine road block. That will come later. As for now, take a deep breath, slow down and enjoy the view. 

Don't worry. Be anxious for nothing (see Philippians 4:6). Simply keep your eyes on Jesus and He'll let you know which exit to get off (see 1 Samuel3:10). Road block? Detour? I think not. You're on the road to blessings. (Photo via Pixabay)

CONSIDER THIS: God has never had a day when He said: "Gee, I didn't see that coming..."

Al Thomas
Celebrating His Life

Email: a.thomas@myactv.net
Website: celebratinghislife.com

Al Thomas is a noted Bible teacher who travels mostly east of the Mississippi with a ministry of encouragement to the Body of Christ. He teaches heavenly truths with down-to-earth practicality and humor. Al and his wife Sherry publish a free teaching newsletter that reaches many homes each month. Al has pastored in California and Wisconsin and was mentored by evangelist Jim Spillman. 

Al and Sherry minister in churches of all denominations, and are known for the gift of faith to be in operation in their meetings. Al and Sherry move prophetically and see many healed in their meetings. They have four children and six grandchildren. They reside in central Maryland.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

France: Anti-Semitism Fuels Violent Criticism of Israel

Monday, July 21, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff

RELATED STORIES

• The return of Nazi-style anti-Semitism?
• Romanian Christmas Carolers Delight in Burning of Jews
• Donald Duck calls for Israel's destruction

TOPICS:

Anti-Semitism

Senior French government officials this week were pulling no punches as they stated with perfect clarity that the violent anti-Israel demonstrations on the streets of Paris and elsewhere around the world are fueled by a racist hatred of all Jews.

Last weekend in Germany, demonstrators in Berlin hurled stones and rioters in Frankfurt vandalized a local synagogue as they protested Israel’s military operations in Gaza; in Los Angeles and Boston, pro-Palestinian protestors assaulted rival pro-Israel demonstrators; and while direct violence was more subdued in London rallies, anti-Semitism slogans were used as an estimated tens of thousands took to the streets in support of Hamas-ruled Gaza.

But nowhere was the situation worse than in Paris, which some noted had come to look a bit like Gaza as Muslim and other pro-Palestinian rioters rampaged through the streets.

After anti-Israel protestors wounded 15 French police officers, Prime Minister Manuel Valls forcefully addressed the issue:

“Traditional anti-Semitism, this old disease of Europe is joined by a new anti-Semitism that cannot be denied or concealed, that we must face. It happens on the social networks and in workers’ neighborhoods, among ignorant young men who hide their hatred of Jews behind a façade of anti-Zionism or hatred of the State of Israel.”

Those riots quickly turned into an anti-Semitic affair, as businesses in the largely Jewish neighborhood of Sarcelles were attacked and burned.

Standing outside a Sarcelles synagogue that was violently besieged by demonstrators, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve decried the anti-Semitism sweeping his and other nations.

“When you head for the synagogue, when you burn a corner shop because it is Jewish-owned, you are committing an anti-Semitic act,” Cazeneuve told reporters.

Anti-Israel activists like to claim that they have nothing against the Jews personally, and are only protesting “Zionism.” The same assertions are often made by Hamas officials when addressing an international audience.

But in the cases of both the anti-Israel activists and Hamas itself, the constant references to Jews in the context of “protesting Zionism” belie their true intent and the spirit behind their movement.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Why Israel Attacked a Densely-Populated Gaza Neighborhood

Monday, July 21, 2014 |  Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY

RELATED STORIES

• Hamas blocks humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza
• Israel Trains for Invasion of Gaza
• Nobel Laureate Barred From Entering Gaza

TOPICS:

Gaza

More than two weeks into the current Gaza war, Israel on Sunday suffered its first bout of serious international condemnation after a day of bloody fighting that left dead 13 Israeli soldiers and at least 70 Palestinians.

If Palestinian estimates are to be believed, the bulk of their dead were civilians, residents of the battered Gaza City suburb of Shejaiya.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon labeled the Israeli operation “an atrocious action,” and US Secretary of State John Kerry sarcastically quipped, “It’s a hell of a pinpoint operation.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, explained that the assault on Shejaiya was absolutely necessary, given that the neighborhood had been used to launch some 150 missile attacks on the Jewish state over the past week, and that it continued to house a sizable arsenal of projectiles.

Situated less than a mile from Gaza’s border with southern Israel, Shejaiya was described by Israeli troops operating there as a vast Hamas stronghold, with a huge network of terror tunnels used to store missiles and infiltrate southern Israel.

Netanyahu said this was a strategic threat that simply had to be dealt with. Addressing a press conference in which he confirmed the deaths of 13 Israeli soldiers during the fighting in Shejaiya, the prime minister stated:

“Last night ’s action revealed more tunnels, in addition to others that we already uncovered, some of which reached Israel. We found handcuffs, sedating drugs. There is no question this is a strategic component for Hamas. …If these tunnels were not found, then the results would have been a lot worse.”

As for the high number of Palestinian deaths, Netanyahu stressed that Israel had very clearly warned the residents of Shejaiya to evacuate days before the assault.

“We urged the civilian population to evacuate for days, through leaflets, broadcasts, telephone calls. We urged them to evacuate, because we didn’t want to see innocent civilians caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas,” the Israeli leader insisted. “But it is Hamas that ordered the civilians to stay put. It is Hamas that wanted those civilians to stay, so it would have a human shield for its terrorist machine.”

As former US President Bill Clinton explained last week, the high civilian death toll was likely part of Hamas’ barbaric plan.

Hamas has “a strategy designed to force Israel to kill their own civilians so that the rest of the world will condemn them (Israel),” Clinton told India’s NDTV.

Some argue that if Clinton’s assertion is indeed true, then Israel should refrain from obliging the terror group.

But the situation is like that of a petulant child, incessantly kicking, biting and otherwise assaulting an older and stronger sibling until the inevitable retaliation comes, and then crying foul. Being a father of five, I am well acquainted with this scenario.

At some point, barring parental interference, the older sibling has to take some kind of action to halt the assaults and, if possible, deter future aggression. If not, the younger, belligerent sibling will simply continue escalating his or her attacks until a response of some sort materializes.

The very same is the case with Hamas. It has been steadily escalating its attacks against Israel, drawing out that inevitable response. And the international community, like a bad parent, all but ignored the long initial provocation, and only interfered in any meaningful capacity after Israel had become fed up and taken action.

If the world truly cared about the 70 or more Palestinians killed on Sunday, it would have nipped this problem in the bud months or even years ago by preventing Hamas’ military build-up, because for any reasonable observer, the ultimate outcome was obvious.

The same is true of our parent in the above scenario. If I, as a father, really care about preventing violence between my children, then I stop the unruly younger sibling in his or her tracks before the older child has need of responding.

Likewise, if politicians and pundits are genuine in their position that Israel has a right to defend itself, then why in their criticism of actions like yesterday’s do they not offer viable alternatives? If Israel shouldn’t have assaulted Shejaiya in such force in order to destroy the vast number of terror tunnels and rockets found there, then what should it have done?

Israel needed to do something, because its parent, the international community, clearly wasn’t going to. No one is happy about the deaths in Shejaiya. But no one is providing alternative solutions to a situation that couldn’t be permitted to continue.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

80 percent of British Jews report feeling blamed for Israeli actions

JERUSALEM POST

By SAM SOKOL

07/20/2014 

British Jews feel perceived rise in anti-Semitism but aren’t unduly worried; anti-Semitic incidents “spike” when Israel engages in military action.

Demonstrators march in central London July 19 Photo: REUTERS

Despite relatively low levels of anti-Semitism within a European context, British Jews see a rise in inimical sentiments directed towards their community, according to a study on communal perceptions released this weekend.

According to the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, whose report was based on data it collected in 2012 as part of a larger continent wide study commissioned by the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights, British Jews are evenly split in their assessment of the severity of anti-Semitism, with around half of respondents saying that they feel that such sentiments are either a “fairly big problem.”

An almost identical segment of British Jewry, however, indicated that it believed that anti-Semitism is “not a very big problem,” leading researchers to assert that it is “rather a conundrum.”

Anti-Semitism “continues to be one of the top one of the top issues on the Jewish communal agenda, and efforts to combat it generate substantial funding. At the same time, British Jews have arguably never before been so confident about their Jewishness, and so open about displaying it in public.”

British Jews, the researchers added, at eighty three percent, overwhelmingly believe that their feelings of belonging in their country are either “very strong” or “fairly strong.”

Despite this increasing confidence in their place in British society, however, seventy percent of Jews believe that anti-Semitism has “become more acute.”

According to the JPR, anti-Semitic incidents “spike” when Israel engages in military action in the Middle East.

The report cited data from the Community Security Trust, a Jewish organization that provides “physical security, training and advice,” showing an increase of 234 percent over the monthly average in anti-Semitic incidents during Israel’s 2009 Cast Lead operation in Gaza.

At the beginning of the month, the CST issued a warning to communal institutions expressing concerns that “an escalation in the current overseas situation may heighten the risk of antisemitic incidents occurring here in the UK” and calling for strict compliance with recommended security procedures at all Jewish venues.

“The Arab-Israel conflict clearly affects how safe Jews feel in the UK, albeit to varying degrees,” the JPR asserted, with only a tenth of British Jews saying that it affected their feelings of personal safety.

Almost eighty percent of respondents, however, indicated that “they have felt blamed by non-Jews, at least occasionally, for the actions of the Israeli government, purely on the basis of their Jewishness.”

Moreover, around one third of respondents reported being worried about themselves of those close to them “becoming a victim of antisemitic harassment or verbal attack.”

One fifth reported concerns over becoming the victim of a physical assault.

Despite such sentiments, however, the report concluded that Jews in the UK are generally less worried over anti-Semitism than their coreligionists in other European nations and that “there is evidence to indicate that most British Jews feel fully integrated into British society.”

3 Reasons Why Satan Hates You and How to Respond

 

Want to receive PowerUP! by email each week? Sign up here

• 

3 Reasons Why Satan Hates You and How to Respond

7/20/2014 JIM RALEY  CHARISMA MAGAZINE

((© just4you/rgbstock.com))

Whatever you want to call him—Satan, Lucifer, the big red fellow, or just the plain old devil—understand this fact: He is real. He's not a little red cartoon character with pointed ears, a pointed tale, and a pitchfork. He is far more sinister and diabolical than that. Satan is alive and well, and he seeks to destroy you. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible says, "Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

Even within Christian circles many today are choosing to ignore him and act as if he doesn't exist, and you know what? That's exactly what he desires! This is perhaps one of the most effective and deceptive spells hell has cast on humanity today. He knows the more covert he is, the more potent he can be.

The late Keith Green had incredible insight when he penned some sobering words concerning Satan. The song "No One Believes in Me Anymore" is a narrative from the viewpoint of Satan concerning his own existence. He describes how easily he is gaining power by the hour because no one believes in him anymore. Satan is most effective when he is not acknowledged or believed in, and he knows it. Never forget: It's impossible to defeat an enemy that you refuse to admit exists.

On of the greatest tragedies of the day is that much of the church is filled with unbelieving believers—people who want only to believe the portions of the Bible that make them comfortable. Those who scoff at the existence of a literal devil surmise that to believe in such a being is illogical and unrealistic. But the questions must be asked: Who's really unrealistic? How else can we explain the moral and spiritual abyss that our society has plunged into? How can we justify the millions of lives that have been wrecked, robbed, and ruined by war and famine? What about the Holocaust or the bombing of the World Trade Center? Every time a child is abused, a child is raped or someone is persecuted because of the color of his skin, it further reinforces the reality of an existing devil.

The ones who take exception to the belief in a real devil and his influence in the world would certainly then deny that he has any influence at all over their lives. The truth, however, is quite the contrary. Satan and his demons are consumed with influencing and affecting the individual lives of everyday people.

The longer I've lived the more I've come to realize: The devil has a scheme but God has a plan. Satan will do—and is doing—everything he can do to thwart the plan of God for your life. Satan doesn't just hate the world. He hates you. The hatred the devil operates in is so volcanic and intense that it really defies logic. It's hard to imagine that there is such a being that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Satan is pure evil. He exists, and he is supremely dedicated to his unholy cause.

I want to say this with great conviction and clarity: Satan is your adversary. He is more than just an enemy of God, the church or the pastor. Satan is your personal adversary, and you will never have a greater foe than the devil.

Satan hates you because every time he sees you, he sees God. Now I am certainly not saying that we are God, but we are a reflection of Him. We are made in the image of our Creator.

Satan hates you because you have stolen his job, and you're better at it than he was! Remember now, Satan was the worship leader in heaven. The worship he brought to God was the most beautiful thing in all the cosmos, but he lost his way and when he lost his way he lost his job. There is now a new reflection of God's light today. The new reflection of God's light and glory is you and me. It's His children who have been redeemed by the power of the cross of Jesus Christ. Our song is the loveliest song in the entire universe because it's the song of the redeemed!

Satan hates you so much because God loves you so much. God loves you so much. Stop for just one moment and let that peace-bringing, hope-giving statement sink into every fiber in your being. God. Loves. You. So. Much. In fact, why not make that statement personal? Declare this very moment, "God loves me so much!" (See Romans 8:31-39).

Wow! With that kind of promise from the Word of God it would be an incredible tragedy to sit around and worry about a hater named Satan! Don't waste your days focused on Satan's hate, but spend your days feasting on God's love! God loves you personally, and there's not one thing the devil can do about it—and by the way, you can't either!

Adapted from Hell's Spells by Jim Raley, copyright 2012, published by Charisma House. Cutting through the sensationalism and spookiness of spiritual warfare, Jim Raley enables you to identify, understand, and break every bewitching spell the devil wants to launch against your life, your family, and your purpose. To order your copy, click here.

PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 08/26/2013

This week focus on the fact that God loves you unconditionally and take time to sit in His presence and meditate on that. Thank Him that no power from hell can everseparate you from His great love, and ask Him to increase your discernment and make you more sensitive to His leading. Ask Him to help you recognize any scheme, diversion or distraction the enemy may bring to steer you away from His plan and purpose for you. Continue to pray for revival and unity in our churches, for racial reconciliation and a return to God's ways in our nation, and for the expansion of God's kingdom around the world. Ask the Lord to show you're how you can share His love with those in desperate need. Rom. 8:31-39; 1 John 4:10-21; 1 Thes. 5:17

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive CHARISMA MAGAZINE by email.

Jerusalem Old City night walk to the Western Wall - Hurva Square singer

On our night walk to the Kotel (Western Wall) through the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, we walked past the Hurva Synagogue and came across this man playing guitar and singing. Nov. 4, 2013

Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.

Battle Draws Israel to God's Promises

By Tzippe Barrow

CBN News Internet Producer - Jerusalem

Saturday, July 19, 2014

JERUSALEM, Israel -- On Friday morning, a family in Herzliya learned their son had been killed hours after Israel's ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. It's news every family hopes never to hear. Yet in this country, many have.

Every Israeli mother and father knows the dangers soldiers face in such an operation. And they also know the government did not make the decision to send troops into the area lightly.

Staff Sgt. Eitan Barak, 20, a platoon commander in the IDF's Nahal Brigade, is the first soldier to be killed in this phase of Operation Protective Edge, launched late Thursday night.

Israel is at war with an enemy intent on its destruction and its sons and daughters know they're tasked with defending their homes, families, friends and neighbors from deadly rocket attacks.

It's an awesome responsibility for young men and women, who begin their compulsory military service following high school graduation. Yet despite the inherent danger, it's one they embrace with courage and conviction, with many new recruits requesting to serve in combat units.

In the tiny Jewish state, there's a tangible feeling that every soldier is like your own child. When troops do well, the whole nation rejoices. When a soldier is killed, the nation mourns together, many asking God to comfort family and friends.

When Israel is at war, God's promises bear upon the nation in a deeper way. The battlefield has a way of drawing people to prayer, often from the Book of Psalms, where there's no lack of solace and encouragement for the nation of Israel. Many soldiers carry a pocket Book of Psalms with them into battle and most pray themselves.

While it's important to speak out against the lopsided reporting equating Israel's defense of its civilian population with the terror group's goals and purposes, it's at least as important to pray.

Psalm 124 says without God, Israel's enemies would "have swallowed us alive" and ends with declaring Israel's help "is in the name of the Lord."

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive when their wrath was kindled against us…Blessed be the Lord who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:1-3; 6-8)

And Psalm 27 admonishes the soldiers and their families not to fear.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident."
(Psalm 27:1-3)

Since taking control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody military coup in June 2007, Hamas has devoted itself to building the terror infrastructure with its maze of underground tunnels, weapons manufacturing and storage facilities and explosives laboratories. The jihadists have no qualms about using the civilian population as human shields while they stow away underground.

But God's Word stands forever so we can believe His promises even during war.

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue that rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17)

Rocket Fire Not Stopping Biblical Promise to Israel

Rocket Fire Not Stopping 

Biblical Promise to Israel

By Tzippe Barrow

CBN News Internet Producer - Jerusalem

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Ad Feedback

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Hamas rockets could not deter two planeloads of French Jews from immigrating to their historical homeland Wednesday, which many see as the fulfillment of biblical promises.

Aliyah, immigrating to Israel under the Law of Return, literally means "to go up," a reference to the ascent to Jerusalem's Old City, nearly 3,800 feet above sea level, where the First and Second Jewish Temples stood atop the Temple Mount.

Israeli officials were on hand to welcome 430 French Jews when they touched down at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.

Israeli Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa Lander and Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky were among those greeting the nation's newest citizens.

"Despite the rocket onslaught against the people of Israel, not one immigrant from France has canceled his or her arrival," Sharansky said. "More and more people are asking whether Jews have a future in France, but no one doubts that French Jews have a future in Israel."

The new immigrants, who include 195 youngsters and 18 babies, will make their homes in Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Netanya and Jerusalem.

"Two weeks ago, when we met in Paris at the moving ceremony during which you parted with the country of your birth, I met entire families whose veins flow with Zionism, who are willing to leave their entire lives behind in order to realize their dream of immigrating to Israel," Lander said. "Every immigrant who arrives in Israel strengthens us as a people, and this is all the more so when it comes to the growing aliyah from France. I congratulate you on taking this meaningful step and promise that we will be at your side throughout your journey. Welcome home!"

The struggles and difficulties facing modern Israel have not deterred immigration. In fact, in fulfillment of biblical promises, aliyah has increased over the past several years.

Ezekiel 36:24-28 is just one of many places in Scripture foretelling God's plan for the Jewish people.

"For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God."

Rising anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda have undoubtedly contributed to many families' decisions to leave the countries where some have lived for generations. Many have realized that the modern nation-state of Israel is the best place to raise and educate their children -- a place the whole family can call home.

But aliyah is far more. It's the fulfillment of God's promise to bring the Jews back to their ancient homeland where "…you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

It doesn't get much better than that, at least not in this world.

Bonnie and Bob Jones: Peace that Abounds - From the Peacemakers The Elijah List

Bonnie and Bob Jones:

Peace that Abounds - From the Peacemakers

The Elijah List

Prophetic word of the Lord given to Bonnie Jones:

Recently I heard the Lord say, "There is peace abounding in your heart of love for people, and this is the message of the house – peace that abounds! There's a peace no man has yet discovered. It's a peace beyond recognition. 

It's beyond words or understanding. It's a peace that can only come when you rest in Me. The knowledge of peace is learning how to rest in Me. You can only rest in Me when you learn to trust Me, and you can only trust Me by loving Me without restraint.

"There has come a season in time when man is going to rest in Me. You will know those who mature to this degree. They will walk in the eternal realm with Me and be unabated by the natural world. The victory is Mine," says the Lord, "as ones begin to enter in this realm. There will be no discrepancy, no wondering who is Mine. You will know them by their fruit of love and peace.

"Bob's last word was about the peacemakers and this is what I'm bringing forth this day. Peace was My gift to the world in the form of My Son. His peace was truth and love and there is no discrepancy between truth and love."

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." Matthew 10:34-35

Below is the last prophecy Bob brought in January this year, and I feel it's significant and needs repeated. I believe the Father is confirming Bob's word in the message He gave me June 18th.

Bob Jones: The Coming Promise - Vision of the Apple Tree

While in a time of praise, Bob saw an apple tree in full bloom. As he prayed for understanding the Lord revealed to him that many people have been in the bud. They have been waiting on promises that go back many, many years.

Now the Lord is saying that before the apple tree blooms this spring, their buds shall bloom. Although some of them are ancient promises they will bloom in the spring before the apple tree does and they will begin producing the fruit of righteousness.

Peacemakers Bloom

In the fruit of the spirit of prophecy, the apple representspeace. Therefore, this means that a lot of peacemakers shall bloom or come into their divine calling by this spring and they will bring forth the fruit that God has called them to bear. So get ready for the peacemakers to come forth with the fruit of God and reveal the Son of Peace to the world. (Photo via pixabay.com)

The peacemakers that are coming forth in this next season are those who can make peace between the human soul and the Father. As they reveal the Father's love to the human soul, it will bring stability to the Body in every way. 

Through the administration of these peacemakers, first and foremost, they will bring man's soul into the place where it can enter into the peace of God. 

And this peace is beyond all human understanding. They will also enter into the love of God, which will create the fruit that He wants produced in the Body now. This is literally the beginning of the fruit that's needed for harvest.

And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Peace beyond understanding is what God is offering us. Unfortunately much of the Body has seen the Father from a wrong perspective. They see Him as the cruel master and judge instead of being the God of love and justice. Ninety-five percent of the Body of Christ thinks the Father is the judge that is squashing them all the time. They accuse the Father of bringing calamity and traumatic situations where in fact it is satan.

The Father simply removes His hand where He is no longer welcome. But now we will begin to see Him as He really is; LOVE and love beyond any expectation of love. When we have peace with the Father then the bloom will begin to turn into fruit. And this fruit will begin to come forth this year yielding more next year and even more the following year.

Armory of God's LOVE

The Lord has opened His armory, and has brought out the weapons of His indignation; For this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah 50:25

God is arming the Body of Christ with weapons of His divine love that the enemy has no defense against. We'll begin to see the army of God come together in unity, a common union, to where the enemy will have to leave entire cities. This army is getting ready to take entire cities and eventually entire states. In certain places in the world, they'll take entire nations. (Photo via commons.wikimedia.org)

This is the year the army of God comes together with angels beyond number and weapons that cannot be defeated by the enemy. Angels are here now preparing the Body for the harvest and there will be a mighty victory. This year, even the blooming of the trees is something that satan can't stop from happening.

Vision of God's Armory

In a vision Bob was shown the armory of God that is now open and the Father is releasing weapons of warfare that has never been available to man before. In this vision there were weapons put into my hands that terrorized me to even touch them. There's nothing in the entire world that can withstand what the Father is bringing out of His armory. Some of the first things He will deal with are in Jeremiah 51. In fact the first thing He'll deal with is the Church that's been withstanding Him.

Jeremiah 51:20-25:

You [Cyrus of Persia, soon to conquer Babylon] are My battle-ax or maul and weapon of war--for with you I break nations in pieces, with you I destroy kingdoms, with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider, with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer, with you I break in pieces man and woman, with you I break in pieces old man and youth, with you I break in pieces young man and maiden, with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock, with you I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen, and with you I break in pieces governors and commanders.

And I will [completely] repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil that they have done in Zion--before your very eyes [I will do it], says the Lord. Behold, I am against you, says the Lord, O destroying mountain [which is burning out, you who will be as barren and desolate as an extinct volcano], you who [would] destroy the whole earth. I will stretch out My hand over and against you and roll you down from the [burnt] crags and will make you a burnt-out mountain [of combustive fires].

Ministry of the Peacemakers

What He's doing right now in the Church is uniting whosoever will with one another. Because these weapons that are being released cannot be handled by one person. It will take teams to handle them and usually teams consist of about twelve people. 

These teams will be united with one purpose in mind and when they go to war they will make decrees and declarations according to the heart of the Father. These decrees will be established according to the will of the Father (Job 22:28).(Photo via pixabay.com)

You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways.

This is what I see; the blooming of the apple tree will be our blooming in the spirit and worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth. It's our human soul making peace by the knowledge of the Truth. It's bringing the soul in submission to the spirit and allowing the spirit man to be in control of our conscience (actions, deeds and thoughts). Then the Body will understand the Father's divine nature – love. He loves you! Scripture plainly shows that God loves us; it's His nature because He is LOVE (1 John 4:8). The peacemakers' entire nature will be characterized by His love and love will be the fruit they bear.

Now come the peacemakers and they make peace with God and with man. They show the Father's nature, LOVE! The love of the Father is all authority to His sons and daughters. I don't know how fast the fruit is going to mature after they bloom. 

But I do know that by the middle of May the blooms will be over and the fruit will begin. And from what I see, this fall will be awesome. (End of Bob's prophecy)

In Summary

God is a just God and I believe He will deal with those who withstand what He is doing through His peacemakers.

Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered. Luke 11:52

There will always be those who are motivated by a religious spirit. Their main goals are to entice, distract and lead Believers back under the law of man.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1-2

The peacemakers' journey begins by first loving the Father. From this love relationship they enter into a place of rest where the knowledge of peace is developed. They can only rest in Him when they've learned to trust Him. This kind of trust is earned by loving God without restraint. The peacemakers will bear the same fruit as our Lord Jesus Christ bore: Love and Peace. God is Love and Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Bob and Bonnie Jones
The Prophetic Ministry of Bob and Bonnie Jones

Website: bobjones.org

To contact Bonnie Jones send your inquiry to:

Bob and Bonnie Jones Ministries
White Horses Publishings
P.O. Box 838
Pineville, NC 28134-0838

Bonnie Jones has a great love for the Lord, the Word, and the Cross of Jesus. She loves children and enjoys blessing them with a gift of joy, truth, love, and encouragement. Bonnie moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2001 to attend Morning Star School of Ministry; in 2005 she met Bob Jones and they were married the following year (Bob Jones went home to be with the Lord earlier this year). Bonnie moves in a seer prophetic gifting as well as healing and miracles. Her passion is to see women set free from the fear of man and step into their gifts and calling.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe