Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
A group of Christian women has put together a short video (see below) pleading with all able and willing to speak out and act on behalf of the thousands of Muslim, Christian and Yazidi women and girls being sexually abused, tortured and killed by ISIS.
Castro said it was reports like this that had prompted her group to take action.
“We felt that more attention needed to be drawn to the plight of these women, many of whom are very young,” she wrote. “Our hope is that the eyes of many around the world will be opened to this particular atrocity, and that with this realization, people will speak up for these women.”
JERUSALEM, Israel -- In yet another intriguing discovery, archaeologists excavating on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered an unusual stepped structure on a road between the Pool of Siloam and the Temple Mount.
The 2,000-year-old structure is close to where the Second Jewish Temple built by King Herod was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
The team uncovered the structure while excavating the ancient road leading to the Pool of Siloam (Shiloah in Hebrew).
Co-directors Nahshon Szanton and Joe Uziel believe they've unearthed a "unique" structure.
"To date such a structure has yet to be found along the stepped street in the numerous excavations that have taken place in Jerusalem and, to the best of our knowledge, outside of it," they said in a statement.
The directors believe the stepped structure may have served as a podium for announcements to people traveling to and from the Temple.
Szanton and Uziel will talk about their discovery at the 16th annual conference hosted by the City of David Studies of ancient Jerusalem on Thursday.
7 Reasons So Many Mighty Christian Leaders Have Fallen
If Christian leaders don't stand for righteousness, God will remove their candles. (Flickr/Creative Commons)
A few weeks ago as I was praying with my dear friend Lenny Weston (a powerful apostolic prophet residing in Ohio), he was caught up into heaven and heard the voice of the Lord saying something like this:
"How the mighty have fallen; I am going to remove many candlesticks from their places, so that the church will trust in me and not in men. I am going to remove many prominent leaders and rise up many unknown leaders to prominence that will speak for me. As a result of this, many in the church will be shaken and some will fall away."
His reflection on his prophetic word was "while most in the church are focusing their prayers for the nation because of same-sex marriage and abortion, more believers are needed to pray for the church at this time."
There was more to this word, but those were the main points based on my recollection. Since Lenny has a very solid walk with God and is very accurate and walks in integrity before God, I am taking this word seriously! This word may start to be fulfilled very shortly or it could start in several years. Of course, every year we hear about several prominent Christian leaders falling into sin or being removed from their ministry. The gist of this word seems to indicate what is coming will be a tsunami compared to what has transpired in the past.
This article was triggered by the word Lenny shared with me. I do not presume to understand the timing of this word and/or the methods God may use to fulfill it. However, using biblical principles and having an understanding of the past, I have responded to this word with seven possible reasons the mighty will fall.
The following seven reasons the mighty have fallen and will fall in the future:
1. The authority of scripture is undermined
The Roman Catholic system was judged by God because they placed church tradition and their canon law on a higher level than Scripture. As a result, their ecclesial structure became corrupted as they adopted unbiblical doctrines such as: Mary worship, justification by works, idol worship in the church, praying for the dead, praying to the saints, indulgences, purgatory, the office of the pope as the vice regent of God's kingdom on earth, and transubstantiation (they believe that during communion the wafer and the wine literally become the body and blood of Jesus, which violates Hebrews 10:10-14 which teaches that Jesus only had to make one sacrifice for all time).
Of course, God has already judged this colossal ecclesial system with the Protestant Reformation. This divine judgment was not just about justification by faith in my opinion, but must involve the Roman Catholic Church repenting from all of the above.
Also, many mainline Protestant denominations have fallen away from the truth because they have embraced the higher critical view that came into seminaries in the mid-19th century, which questioned the validity of biblical authorship as well as the plenary inspiration of Scripture. The result is that many of their clergy don't believe in the literal resurrection of Christ and do not preach the true gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone.
Furthermore, even many evangelical pastors believe that the message of the Bible can change based upon the shifting sands of culture, which is why many have embraced unbiblical views regarding gender, human sexuality and family.
When pastors or leaders stop trusting the word of God as their highest authority, they will experience serious decline and/or be removed from their ministries.
2. A leader is not motivated by God's glory
Any leader, whose primary (subconscious) motivation for ministry is not ultimately the glory of God, is doing ministry for their own glory. This God will not tolerate long and will result in a severe correction that can result in the leader being removed from the scene. God says in Isaiah 42:8 that He will not share His glory with another.
3. A leader's value system is worldly
When Christian leaders need to continually lavish themselves with opulent gifts replete with a celebrity lifestyle, they have bought into the world system and need to come back to the simplicity of Christ. Even unbelievers can see through the superficiality of these worldly leaders, and it becomes a stumbling block for the gospel. I believe God wants to prosper His people, but I also believe people can go too far and become more fascinated by temporal things than things eternal. God is not going to tolerate this much longer.
4. Leaders who stop earnestly seeking God
In Acts 6, we see the apostles of the church confronted with a serious issue that could have consumed all their time. Peter's answer was that they were not going to neglect the ministry of the Word and prayer to wait upon tables. Their desire to keep first things first was one reason why the early church was so powerful! When leaders stop seeking God, they are no longer infused by His grace to function, and they operate in their own strength setting themselves up for burnout and moral failure.
5. Leaders stop taking a biblical stand regarding morality
When leaders are afraid to take a public stand regarding ethics and biblical morality, they do not understand the nature of conversion and the gospel. Jesus said we would know a tree by its fruit (Matthew 12:33; Galatians 5:19-21).
The gospel produces root changes in the human heart that is manifest in lifestyle changes. Thus, the Word of God gives us biblical examples of actions that either correspond or do not correspond with biblical behavior. Hence, human behavior, lifestyle and actions are a major indicator, which demonstrates authentic conversion. When pastors and leaders just preach grace and never mention sinful behavior, then they will not see many true conversions. After all, the word "conversion" connotes a change from one particular state to a radically different state of being and living.
Consequently, God will eventually remove the candlestick of a compromising church.
6. Leaders neglect their interior lives
When leaders are too busy to reflect, pray, write, meditate and assess their emotional and spiritual state, they are a potential train wreck!
A leader who neglects their soul is a leader who will not last long in this intense climate of spiritual warfare.
7. A leader searches for significance
Many leaders are driven by ambition and not led by the Holy Spirit. Hence, they get their ministries involved in costly endeavors that God never told them to do! For example if the economy suffers another huge drop in the future, many church leaders are in so much debt from huge building projects that they may have to sell their properties to survive. This search for significance leads to the sin of presumption. The more I grow in Christ the more I discover that my longing to feel significant can only be satisfied in the only significant one, Jesus Christ.
Living with contentment is not a popular message today among the motivational speaking Christian circuit, but it is one of the most important and basic commands of Scripture. Passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Timothy 2:2; Philippians 4:12 teach us to live a godly and quiet life as believers, what some motivational speakers may interpret as a dull ordinary life. Christ-centered contentment (not fleshly complacency) in a believer is a sure sign that their sense of significance comes from above and not from the earth. God will eventually humble leaders whose search for personal significance dominates their lives.
Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, futurist, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He leads several organizations, including The United States Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog onCharisma magazine called "The Pulse." To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.
Where is Israel on Evangelical Christian Voters' List of Priorities?
Mike Huckabee (l) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister's office)
Seventeen Republican presidential candidates are vying for the support of evangelical Christian voters from the swing states of Ohio and Florida, to the cornfields of Iowa, to the small towns of the Deep South.
Within the varied spectrum of 2016 election issues such as the economy, immigration, and health care, do evangelicals highly prioritize candidates' positions on Israel and the Middle East?
Major evangelical leaders in America are saying, "Yes."
"Studies show us there are approximately 90 million Christians in America who consider their beliefs to be evangelical," Tony Perkins—president of the Family Research Council (FRC), a Christian education and lobbying group—told JNS.org. "Of that number around 9-10 percent have what we call a 'biblical worldview,' in that they believe what the Scriptures say pertaining to Israel. That's a large number of voters who can definitely make a difference in a primary or general election."
Perkins said, "Among core evangelical voters, Israel is easily one of the top 10, maybe even the top five issues when considering who to support in a presidential primary. The Old Testament tells us that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed and it's certainly important to be on the right side of God's Word."
The reference by Perkins is to Genesis 12:3, which states, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (NIV).
In August, former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders in Jerusalem. It was part of a decades-old ritual for Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister who has visited Israel about 40 times since the 1970s—far more than any other current presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican.
"Israel should be top-of-mind when evaluating GOP presidential candidates," Huckabee told JNS.org.
"I have known Prime Minister Netanyahu for 20 years," he said. "I went to Israel not to seek his endorsement, but to endorse him because his voice is so important. Netanyahu leads a people who are realists. They know what it's like to have people threaten to kill them. They take it seriously when a government (Iran) for 36 years promises to wipe them off the face of the Earth."
While Huckabee's Israel trip was the latest to make headlines, the FRC is organizing a Holy Land visit in October for supporters who will be joined by two GOP candidates, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took his first trip to Israel in May.
Two-Pronged Strategy
Political operatives say that candidates' trips to Israel are focused on securing campaign donations from influential Israeli government and business leaders who can infuse much-needed cash and hopefully help deliver the support of pro-Israel voters back in the U.S.
But ultimately, are these visits to the Jewish state more educational or political in nature?
"Both," said Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for America, a Christian women's activist group.
Nance, along with political strategist Ralph Reed and author Joel Rosenberg, penned an op-ed in The Christian Post about presidential contenders visiting Israel in the immediate aftermath of the November 2014 U.S. midterm elections. They posed seven questions that they argued candidates must answer to win the White House. The fifth question reads in part, "Does the candidate have a clear and coherent view of the U.S. vital interest in the Middle East, including a demonstrated, consistent, long-standing support for Israel and a solid understanding of why Israel matters to the U.S.?"
According to Nance, there are "a number of reasons those aspiring to win the GOP nomination need to understand and embrace Israel."
"First, visiting Israel is an educational experience in understanding their economy, security challenges, and what's important to their citizens," she told JNS.org. "At the same time, you are telegraphing to evangelical voters why Israel is important and that you sincerely care about its future. Finally, you want to raise money and appeal to pro-Israel voters."
Tremendous Pool of Potential Pro-Israel Advocates
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) asserts that the evangelical Christian community plays a vital role in U.S.-Israel relations, the influential pro-Israel lobby's core priority. As such, AIPAC enlists Christian clergy to garner nationwide support for Israel, stating on its "Your Church and AIPAC" webpage that polls consistently show how support for the Jewish state "is highly related to adherence to evangelical beliefs and frequency of church attendance."
"As Christians, we should be Israel's strongest supporters and friends and we need to translate that into political activism," Rev. Philip C. Morris, Jr. argues in an AIPAC video.
AIPAC also notes the significance of evangelical support to the entire pro-Israel community by stating, "20-25 million Americans define themselves as evangelical Christians, representing a tremendous pool of potential pro-Israel advocates."
Evangelical Perspectives on Israel and the Middle East
According to February 2014 Pew Research Center findings, a plurality of Christians (29 percent) and Jews (31 percent) say the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel. Nearly half of white evangelical Protestants (46 percent) claim America does not provide enough support for Israel.
Notably, when Pew polled Americans in 2012 about U.S. foreign policy—specifically, what actions America should take if Israel attacks Iran to stop Iran's nuclear program—64 percent of white evangelicals answered, "support Israel," compared to 39 percent of the general public.
In March 2013,LifeWay Research reported that 72 percent of white evangelicals support Israel in its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians, compared to 49 percent of Americans overall. Fifty percent of white evangelicals claim Israel cannot peacefully coexist with an independent Palestinian state, compared to 33 percent of American Jews and 41 percent of the general public.
With the Iran nuclear deal garnering much public attention, most of the GOP contenders are quick to remind prospective voters of the ramifications of a country whose hostile intentions toward the U.S. and Israel are seen all too often.
"Radical Islam poses an imminent threat to national security, both in the United States and Israel," Huckabee told JNS.org. "With Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, combined with 'Death to America' chants, and with a steady stream of global terrorist attacks, GOP voters understand that this toxic ideology must be defeated if we are to survive. While Russia, China, and North Korea have more firepower, they are considerably less likely to attack us than Iran, Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and other hardline Islamists."
Besides Huckabee, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is the presidential candidate who perhaps best personifies evangelical voters' support of Israel. In Cruz's candidacy announcement speech in March at Liberty University, the only remark to inspire a 30-second standing ovation was about Israel. Cruz declared, "Instead of a president who boycotts Prime Minister Netanyahu, imagine a president who stands unapologetically with the nation of Israel."
Presidential candidates and evangelical voters not only care about Israel, but recognize its significance to their faith. A July poll by LifeWay reveals that 70 percent of evangelicals believe that the God of the Bible has a special relationship with the modern nation of Israel.
"No country is more intertwined with the ancient biblical narrative than Israel," said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay, "and evangelical Americans see a contemporary connection with the nation."
Bethany Blankley contributed to this article. For the original article, visit jns.org.
“Guard yourself and watch your soul very well.” (Deuteronomy 4:9)
A young girl plays with a gas mask as Israeli postal workers distribute gas masks to residents of Jerusalem, August 12, 2012. (Photo: Noam Moskowitz/Flash90)
With the recent stock market slump, the dangerous Iran deal, the end of the shmittah year and the final blood moon coinciding, preppers, also known as survivalists, can look to the Bible just in case things get worse before they get better.
Preppers are people who actively prepare for local, national and international emergencies. They were once thought of as conspiracy theorist crazies stocking up hundreds of cans of beans and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Today, preppers are gaining credibility in the increasingly chaotic world in which we live.
Preparation is nothing new to the Jewish people. The Israelite slaves prepared for the exodus from Egypt by taking a year-old lamb into their homes on the 10th of the Hebrew month of Nisan and slaughtering it on the 14th day (Exodus 12:3-6). The Jews prepared for three days at the foot of Mount Sinai in advance of receiving the Torah (Exodus 19:15). And today, Sabbath observant Jews prepare in advance each week for the Sabbath.
If it’s prudent to be prepared, what are some reasonable acts average people can take to ready themselves for what might be coming, as the possible End of Days approaches?
Most people think of food and water first. Water is critical and should be the first thing you store. Calculate a gallon (4 liters) of water per person per day. For most people, that’s going to take a lot of space. As an example, you would need 18 six-packs of 2-liter bottles of water for a family of four for two weeks.
Although recommendations vary from three days to six months, typical advice is to have two weeks worth of canned or other non-perishable food, such as peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts and seeds set aside for emergency use. Honey doesn’t spoil and some people suggest having salt as part of your emergency food kit.
What about cash? Depending on your cash flow, it’s good to keep cash in small bills in a safe place, because banks and ATMs may shut down. Food and fuel shortages could also cause sharp increases in prices.
Fuel could turn out to be life-saving. Keep your car’s fuel tank full and consider storing extra gasoline if you have a way to do so safely. Consider purchasing a generator and definitely keep candles with matches and lighters in your prep kit.
Other things to consider including with your household preparation kit – essential medications, basic first aid supplies and toilet paper. If you live in Israel, it’s important to make sure your gas masks are up to date and are the right size for children.
None of these suggestions are intended to cause alarm and are prudent steps most anyone can take. If you research prepping, it’s easy to get overwhelmed at the number of things that are possible to do to prepare. Don’t get caught up in apocalyptic scenarios.
Bottom line, take reasonable precautions and have faith, along with having a Bible, a prayer book and other religious articles at the ready.
Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/48003/preppers-redemption-ready-your-family-days-ahead-jewish-world/#B2itr3FEhtESwaJL.99
Over the weekend a photo of an armed IDF soldier holding a young Palestinian boy in a headlock went viral on the Internet and was the lead story on major media websites like CNN.
The problem, as is often the case, is that the likes of CNN left a LOT out of the story, and in so doing used the photo to paint a picture of the situation and of Israeli soldiers in general that bore very little resemblance to reality.
One of the few facts CNN and others go right is that the incident occurred in a place called Nabi Saleh. What you weren’t told is that the residents of Nabi Saleh hold a weekly violent demonstration against the nearby Jewish community of Halamish.
Every week for the past several years at least, IDF soldiers show up to make sure the Nabi Saleh rioters don’t get too close to to Halamish.
That’s right, this has been happening every Friday for years, but you never hear about it, because typically nothing of note happens.
But that doesn’t stop photographers from the international media pitching up week after week in hopes of catching the next juicy shot of perceived Israeli abuses. And the residents of Nabi Saleh are only too happy to do their best in helping achieve that goal.
In fact, some of the residents of Nabi Saleh are already well known, and have adoring fans abroad. They are proper actors on the “Pallywood” stage.
Take for instance Ahed Tamimi, seen in the most recent photos taking a bite out of the IDF soldier in question. Tamimi and her parents, Bassem and Nariman, are habitual rioters.
For years, the Tamimi family and their co-rioters were experiencing something of a dry spell. But they struck gold on Friday when an IDF soldier sent to play peacekeeper at the weekly demonstration got separated from his unit.
Immediately, the young boy in the photos began incessantly stoning the soldier, who responded by grabbing him. The Tamimis and others pounced and delivered a severe and humiliating beating to the soldier, all as the media photographers eagerly snapped as many shots as they could.
Another important fact left out of the stories at CNN and elsewhere is that not once during the entire ordeal did the soldier in question threaten to use his weapon against the assailants.
Ironically, it was Arab readers who had seen the article and photos on the website of Al Jazeera that first and most notably picked up on this.
“Note how although he had a weapon, and although he is a soldier of the Zionist entity, he did not shoot him in the head. Imagine the same thing [happening] in Arab countries, how our people would have acted,” wrote a commenter named Osama, as translated into Hebrew by Israeli Facebook user Shay Ket.
Another named Tita pointed out that “if it had happened in Egypt, they would have shot that boy with live ammunition instead of being so considerate.”
In short, these photos that our august media gatekeepers thought so important as to make international headline news were ultimately “much ado about nothing.”
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And in your new moons ye shall present a burnt-offering unto the LORD: two young bullocks, and one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year without blemish
Judaism follows both a lunar and solar calendar. While the months are determined by the cycle of the moon, and the new month begins when the first sliver of moon reappears in the sky, the Jewish calendar also has a solar component. Each of the holidays must to coincide with a specific season in Israel to reflect in the agricultural aspects of the holiday. Passover is the holiday of the spring, Shavuot celebrates the wheat harvest and the beginning of the fruit harvest, and Sukkot is celebrated at the end of the harvest of the crops and fruits. There is, however, an 11-day discrepancy between the two calendars. In order to follow the cycle of the moon and to ensure that the holidays are celebrated in the appropriate season in the Land of Israel, a 13th month is added to the year 7 times over every 19 years. A year that has an extra month is referred to as a 'shanah meuberet,' literally "a pregnant year." Get your very own Jewish calendar, filled with breathtaking photos of the Holy Land and beautiful verses from the Bible, just in time for the Jewish New Year on September 14th!
Christians and Jews have had a rocky 2,000-year history. But that’s changed as evangelicals and religious Jews have worked to find common ground. One of the pioneers in that effort is Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. Meet Rabbi Eckstein and hear what he has to say about Jewish-Christian relations!
US lawmakers have only a few weeks left to decide the fate of the Iran nuclear deal. While it remains unclear whether Iran will be officially allowed to keep its nuclear program, the Bible offers some prophetic perspectives on the ultimate outcome of the accord and its implications for Israel and the Jewish nation.
Mentioned throughout Jewish sources, the sound of the shofar was used at various times, including at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Today, the shofar is used on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, when that same sound has the unique power to awaken our souls to the presence of its Infinite source, and to renew a vision of the spiritual connection we are meant to build in this world. Many have the tradition to blow the shofar every morning in the month before Rosh Hashana to awaken our souls to come closer to God. Get this beautiful shofar in time for the Jewish New Year!
It’s great to hear from you and make new friends from all over the world. Please send mean email and let me know how you are enjoying Jerusalem365 (don’t forget to say where you are from!).
Thank you for the video clips, I have been to Israel twice (three months in all) and have traveled your stunning country extensively. I love the land and the people. There is no other place in the world that can compare, I pray continually that your enemies will never gain a foothold in your land, You are God's people and if you turn to Him and trust in Him all will be as it should be. Please continue the good work and the sending of the videos. Have courage! Lay-la tov. Clive Holland. Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu Natal, Republic of South Africa
