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.
On the day after CIA Director John Brennan told the CBS News program "60 Minutes" that the Islamic State is using chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq, a novel about ISIS using chemical weapons against its enemies in the Middle East has hit #1 on a national best-seller list.
In January, The First Hostage spent four weeks on the Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best-sellers list. It also hit the USA Today list, though it did not hit the New York Times list.
This is the second in a series of thrillers about J.B. Collins, a fictional foreign correspondent tracking the threat posed by ISIS to the U.S., Israel, Jordan, and a group of other Mideast countries. The previous novel, The Third Target, was released in January 2015.
They are both the first -- and, thus far, the only -- novels in the world about the threat of the Islamic State.
On behalf of my wife and me -- and the entire Tyndale House Publishing team -- please let me say thank you so much for your enthusiastic support of this thriller, and The Third Targetbefore it, which hit all the general market lists when it released last year and was also a #1 best-sellerin the Christian market. We deeply appreciate how so many of you are blogging and Tweeting and writing on Facebook about both novels, and writing so many positive reviews on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, and other book sites.
Since many of you keep asking, please rest assured that I am hard at work right now on the third novel in this J.B. Collins series. We expect this next one to release in January 2017 and I'll certainly keep you posted on my progress along the way.
Isaiah envisions the spirited returnees to Zion, those who "will run and not grow tired" in their love of the Land. Get ready, because this year, Israel365 is bringing Isaiah's words to life! Our staff has decided to participate in the excitement of the upcoming Jerusalem Marathon by running, jogging, and walking our way to the finish line. We are running for a cause that is close to our hearts. As a group, we decided to raise funds to bring joy to sick children in Jerusalem. You are invited to join us on the starting line or sponsor one of our runners. Some donors will qualify for a free t-shirt! Sponsorships must be submitted by this Friday, February 19th, so "run don't walk!"
Here's what inspires us to run to sponsor a party for sick kids in Jerusalem. A woman in southern Israel devotes her time to help sick people and their families at a local hospital. You will be amazed by her good works.
This year, Israel365 staff is participating in the excitement of the Jerusalem Marathon, held every year in March. Enthusiasts from all over the world compete, running anywhere from 5 km to a full marathon distance of 42.2 km.
In "The Mystical Meanings of Dreams" by Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman, the reader is taken into the concealed realms of the mind and the subconscious, as well as into the hidden dimensions of the Torah, in order to understand the origin and significance of dreams. By comprehending the psychological and prophetic nature of our dreams, as well as analyzing the many dreams revealed in the Bible, we learn how to understand dreams and use them to nurture our own spiritual and emotional growth. Paperback, 160 pages
At the annual Jerusalem Marathon, more than 20,000 people run through 3,000 years of history. Can you name the towering landmark seen here? Send mean email or post your answer onFacebook.
Thank you for daily news and updates, encouraging words and education, all rolled into one!- Terry L.
I do enjoy both Israel365 and Jerusalem365 so very much! The pictures, the Hebrew, the little commentaries all make reading them worthwhile , enjoyable and uplifting! I love Israel, the land, the people! I pray daily for the peace of Jerusalem and ALL Israel, praying many times a day in these troubled times! -Rebecca S.
Stories of healing, restoration and forgiveness, along with a remarkable outflowing of love and reconciliation, sounds rather like the gospel accounts of when Jesus walked the land of Israel.
Actually, it’s also the story of what is happening there today, according to a spell-binding new book by British author-journalist Julia Fisher.
What is God doing in Israel? (Monarch Books, $14.99) is a gripping account of the lives of individual Jews and Arabs who have had a supernatural encounter with Yeshua (Jesus).
In each case it has led to a dramatic transformation in their lives. And the cost of their discipleship – whether coming from a Jewish or Muslim background – has been no less demanding than that experienced by St Paul and the original apostles. For there is nothing half-hearted about their faith, with passion undimmed despite painful suffering, especially through rejection by family or community.
Appropriately, therefore, the book is divided into twelve chapters, each dedicated to what I would call a true modern ‘apostle’. Most of the Jewish believers included have been disowned by their families at some point – in the case of Sandy Shoshani it was 14 years before she was reconciled with her father, who subsequently gave his life to Jesus on his deathbed!
As Jesus said: “No-one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10.29)
Also featured is the more widely-known story of David and Leah Ortiz, whose teenage son Ami was virtually blown apart by a bomb (though he has since miraculously recovered). Perversely disguised as a Purim parcel, the device was sent to the family home during the Feast of Purim, when Jews exchange gifts to celebrate their rescue, by Queen Esther, from a plot to exterminate them in ancient times. The perpetrator of the atrocity, a Jewish extremist, believed the Ortiz family were betraying his people by encouraging them to follow Jesus.
As far as some of the Muslim-background believers are concerned, they have become like hunted animals after deciding to follow Christ, with Julia having to carry out interviews with a great degree of stealth and care so as not to attract attention to these brave men and women risking their lives for the sake of their Lord. Many have been tortured, imprisoned or forced to flee the land.
The shocking irony of it all is that these persecuted believers actually hold the key to peace in this troubled region. Palestinian and Jewish believers are clearly united by their love for Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah; they pray and fellowship with one another and are a powerful demonstration of the reconciling effect of what Jesus did for them on the cross, breaking down the dividing wall of hostility and creating “one new man” out of the two (Ephesians 2.14).
“This is something the politicians cannot do,” said Mazen Naswari, a Palestinian pastor in Jerusalem’s Old City. “This love that we as believers in Jesus share, no matter what background we come from, shows that we can love one another.”
Patrick Radecker was a seemingly hopeless drug addict who lived on the streets for seven years but, with the help of a rehabilitation centre in Haifa called House of Victory, he has been totally cleaned up and renewed, almost unrecognisable to those with whom he used to hang out in downtown Tel Aviv. A Jew whose family immigrated to Israel from Holland, Patrick too has developed a special love for Arabs since he started following Yeshua.
Here is the answer to conflict in the Middle East – all these people, Jews and Arabs, have found peace through the Messiah whom the prophet Isaiah foretold would be the ‘Prince of Peace’. (Isaiah 9.6)
How a Native American Prophecy Over George Washington Affected the Country
A statue of George Washington, center. (Flickr/Creative Commons)
George Washington (1732-1799) was providentially prepared for his role as the pre-eminent Founding Father of the United States of America. Numerous remarkable incidents occurred in his life and career that even he could only attribute to the providential hand of God.
One of the most amazing incidents occurred when an old Native American chief declared of a young Washington, "He will become chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him the founder of a mighty nation."
Providentially Protected in Battle
This prophecy came forth in 1770 as Washington and the chief were discussing the Battle of Fort Duquesne in which both had participated but on opposite sides. The Battle of Fort Duquesne had occurred in July 1755 when 1,459 British soldiers were ambushed by a large contingent of Native American warriors who had joined the French in their fight with the British for control of the North American continent. It proved to be one of the bloodiest days in Anglo-American history with 977 British soldiers killed or wounded. It was a day also, however, when Washington's legendary fame for bravery began to spread throughout the land.
Washington, in his early 20s at the time, had been recruited by the British because of his knowledge of the ways of the wilderness and the American Indians. He had acquired this knowledge in his work as a surveyor of wilderness territory.
Assigned to travel with the British General Braddock to take Fort Duquesne (present day Pittsburgh), Washington found his advice for traveling through the wilderness and dealing with the Natives ignored by Braddock, who considered him a young upstart colonialist.
But when the ambush occurred and Braddock himself was wounded, Washington took charge and organized an orderly retreat while at the same time putting his own life at risk, rescuing the wounded and placing them in wagons. During this time of chaos, two horses were shot out from under him and his clothes were shredded with bullets.
He emerged unscathed and gave glory to God, saying, "I was saved by the miraculous care of providence that saved me beyond human expectation." His reputation for bravery immediately spread among both the English and the Native Americans
The Prophecy Comes Forth
It was now 15 years later in 1770 and Washington and a friend had been exploring an area along the Ohio River when they encountered a group of Native Americans. Recognizing Washington, the Natives invited the men back to their camp to meet with their chief, whom it turned out had fought on the side of the French in the Battle of Duquesne.
According to historian George Bancroft, they were having a cordial visit and then the old chief, pointing to Washington, spoke the amazing prophecy. He said;
"I am chief and ruler over all my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the Great Lakes, and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on the day when the white man's blood mixed with the streams of our forest that I first beheld this chief. I called to my young men and said, 'Mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of the redcoat tribe—he hath an Indian's wisdom, and his warriors fight as we do—himself alone is exposed. Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies.' Our rifles were leveled—rifles which, but for him, knew not how to miss. Twas all in vain; a power far mightier than we shielded him from harm. He cannot die in battle. The Great Spirit protects that man, and guides his destinies. He will become chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him the founder of a mighty nation" (Benjamin Hart, Faith & Freedom, 234).
The Prophecy Fulfilled
Five years later, war broke out with Great Britain, and Washington was appointed commander in chief of the colonial army. He led his outnumbered, outgunned troops to an amazing victory over the British through numerous unusual incidents that he attributed to the providential intervention of God. He then presided over the Constitutional Convention and was later unanimously elected the first president of the United States of America. He is the only president to have received 100 percent of the electoral votes, not once but twice.
Washington's sacrificial service, in which he put the good of the country ahead of his own personal aspirations, endeared him to the hearts of all Americans. "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen," was a common adage ascribed to Washington by his generation, which also considered him the "father of his country." When he died on Dec. 14, 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte ordered 10 days of mourning throughout France. In America, thousands wore mourning clothes for months.
The old chief was right!
Our Responsibility
As we are remember George Washington on his birthday, let us not forget that we, as a nation, owe our very existence to the providential mercies of Almighty God. And let us not suppose that we can continue as a nation without His providential care. Let us therefore beseech Him to have mercy upon us as a nation and visit us again with His mercy and power.
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Muslim Family Says Jesus Appeared to Them With a Specific Message
Above: A formerly Muslim family says they converted after Jesus told them about a coming missionary. (Courtesy/God Reports)
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Tyler Connell with the Ekballo Project has been touring college campuses around the U.S., sharing stories and video from his most recent trip to Middle East, where he documented a dramatic move of God among Muslims, particularly with refugees.
In the last few months, he and his team visited Harvard, MIT, Iowa State, Clemson, and the University of Georgia, among other campuses. "In every stop we saw the presence of Jesus break in to these college campuses and touch students, with bodies healed, people saved, and people giving their lives to serve in the mission field," Connell exclaims.
College students are amazed to learn what God is doing in Iraq and the surrounding region. "Jesus is moving in these Middle East nations," he says. "Many there are disillusioned and broken and just want to know the truth. Now more than ever there is a harvest among Muslims that has not been seen in history."
His first film chronicles a young missionary named Daniel (whose name has been changed for security reasons), 24, originally from Vermont. Two years ago Daniel moved to the Middle East to work with Syrian refugees.
"They go house to house and visit these Muslim families and sit with them and talk with them and find out their names, their stories, and love them. As trust is built, they begin to open up about the Gospel."
One afternoon Daniel walked into a white tent with a family of eight people inside. "Hi I'm Daniel and I'm here to tell you about Jesus," he announced.
He wasn't quite prepared for their reaction. "The family freaked out, they looked at each other, almost turned white. The father was excited, yelling."
What's going on? Daniel wondered.
The interpreter explained that the night before Daniel's visit the whole family was sitting in their tent having tea together and a man in white opened the door to their tent and stood at the entrance. The man was glowing.
"Hello, My name is Jesus and I am sending a man tomorrow named Daniel to tell you more about me." Then he disappeared.
So when Daniel arrived at their doorway and told them his name, they were completely undone. "They asked him to tell them more about Jesus and he gave then the Gospel and the whole family gave their lives to Jesus," Connell reports.
The father had been a part of the Free Syrian Army. "He had known bloodshed. He was a devout Muslim. This man and his family are now planting underground churches and are seeing a harvest among Muslims."
Recently the father was dismayed by a large cell phone bill and he asked his 15-year-old daughter about it.
"It's because I'm telling all our relatives in Saudi Arabia about Jesus," she said.
"We felt God told us to go to these places, the dark places, and capture what He is doing thru the lives of missionaries that have given their lives, left everything they had here to live overseas. We follow them with our camera and capture what God does and show it on college campuses to ignite students to live for something bigger than themselves."
In May 2015 his team spent eight days in the Middle East, going house to house among the refugees. "They were all Muslims but they all said they were disillusioned with Islam and they didn't know what they believed anymore," he observes.
"They asked, 'What is the truth?' There was a perfect cocktail of circumstances that caused them to be open to the preaching of the Gospel."
Going to the Middle East his team had to confront their fears. "We realized that intimidation and fear was only a smokescreen. On the other side of that fear was our greatest breakthrough of joy and laying down our lives and seeing Jesus move like we never imagined."
In another Syrian refugee family, Connell felt God's presence break through in a powerful way. "The joy that broke out among these people was incredible," he notes. "Jesus' presence was stronger than I have ever felt, in that little dirty room, with cat pee everywhere."
"There was about 25 people in there and Jesus' presence was stronger than any conference, any prayer room, any camp-high moment. Jesus was there in the middle of the desert, in the dirt, with Muslims. He is attracted to the broken hearted, the contrite, the desperate. The King of Heaven was right there with the poor in spirit."
Over the last three years, Connell and his team have responded to an assignment from God to capture what He is doing in the most unreached parts of the world, the 10-40 window. "This window has the three giants of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Currently there are 2.9 billion unreached, who have yet to hear that Jesus is the way to the Father."
NEW from CHARISMA:Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here
