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.
“For Tzion’s sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her triumph go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch that burneth. Isaiah 62:1 (The Israel Bible™)
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The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) adopted a resolution reaffirming the church’s support and prayers for Israel as well as condemning the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The resolution declared that the BDS movement “seeks to isolate the nation of Israel economically and socially,” while also expressing concern about the “ongoing anti-Israel activities in this country within certain university campuses, academic and professional associations, and popular culture.”
“We support the right of Israel to exist as a sovereign state and reject any activities that attack that right by promoting economic, cultural, and academic boycotts against Israel,” the SBC resolution said, adding that “at this critical time when dangerous forces are mounting up against the nation of Israel, we recommit ourselves to pray for God’s peace to rule in Jerusalem and for the salvation of Israel.”
Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit that promotes religious freedom and family issues, stressed the importance of the resolution’s timing.
“There has never been a more important time for Christians to support Israel and its right to exist as a sovereign nation,” he said.
Staver, a member of the SBC Resolutions Committee, added that he is “pleased that this year’s Southern Baptist Convention took a stand in support of Israel and in opposition to the BDS movement. Frankly, with Israel as a world leader in technological and medical inventions, it is foolish to boycott Israel.”
SBC’s move comes amid a debate among its Christian counterparts in mainline Protestant churches over whether to adopt resolutions supporting the BDS movement.
During the past several years, a number of leading mainline Protestant churches—including the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, and most recently the United Methodist Church—have considered or voted on pro-BDS resolutions.
SBC, which is the country’s largest Protestant denomination with an estimated 15.3 million members, recently held its an annual meeting of church delegates in St. Louis.
Ex-Witch Reveals: Is It a Spiritual Attack or Demonic Oppression?
Ephesians 6:12 reveals the reality for all believers: that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and the rulers of darkness within the world.
Often, their war plans remain invisible to the naked eye, and believers are left to deduce they are under spiritual warfare.
But the types of warfare vary: Is it demonic oppression or a spiritual attack? Ex-witch Beth explains more on her blog:
Attack: 1) to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with; 2) to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against; 3) to blame or abuse violently or bitterly; 4) to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly; 5) to try to destroy, especially with verbal abuse. Does that sound familiar to you? The devil is our enemy, and he is the accuser and the father of lies. He tries to destroy us in an aggressive way, and uses blame, criticism and verbal abuse as part of his attacks.
Then:
Oppression: 1) the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner; 2) an act or instance of oppressing or subjecting to cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; 3) the state of being oppressed; 4) the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.
What do you do if you're being held hostage? Watch the video to see.
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The various different groups fighting in Syria’s bloody civil war were all pointing accusatory fingers at one another last week over photo evidence of Israeli food aid reaching some of the rebel factions.
Bags of Israeli rice and flour were shown near road signs in the Qunietra region on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.
The pictures sparked a war of words on social media.
“It is a disgrace to be receiving food from the Zionist Entity which has stolen the Golan,” wrote one jihadist group.
Pages linked to the Syrian regime insisted the photos were evidence that rebel groups are cooperating with the hated Israeli enemy.
According to the pan-Arab newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi, the food is provided to some of the more moderate rebel groups that make up the Free Syrian Army, which regularly brings its wounded and other victims to the Golan border to receive medical aid from the Israelis.
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Christian rap artist Lecrae is speaking out on why many do not trust the Church today and what can be done to restore Americans' moral foundation.
In a recent conversation with talk show host Eric Metaxas, Lecrae said church values are fading in America because Christians have become just a shell of "morality and religion and rules."
He also said the Church has been silent on critical issues facing the nation for far too long.
"The Church has been absent as far as race and justice for three decades. We're like: 'We haven't seen you since MLK!'" Lecrae said.
Once a drug dealer, the Christian rap artist's message reaches across racial divides and is especially attracting the youth.
"What I bring is unique; no one else brings to the table what I am," Lecrae said in a profile published by The Washington Postlast week. "That's how I look at myself - a clear voice in the middle of it all."
Lecrae is attracting certain evangelicals because of his "middle-of-the-road" position on hot button issues. After the Ferguson riots, Lecrae helped create a truce between a cop and protesters near his Atlanta home, the Postreported.
Some have compared Lecrae to a new kind of Billy Graham, an evangelist whose message could impact an entire generation.
"This generation doesn't have a Billy Graham," said LaDawn Johnson, a sociologist at Biola University, an evangelical school outside Los Angeles.
Johnson says that there is no longer a significant evangelical leader people look to.
"Lecrae is in a position where he could definitely for many people be that voice and be that model," she said.
According to the Barna Group and other Christian expert groups, Millennials from 18 to 30 years old are leaving the Church in huge numbers and are not returning.
A separate study also reveals the younger generation is primarily attracted to what is authenitic and relevant.
Get ready for an amazing Hebrew lesson from today's verse! The Hebrew word "ahava" - אהבה- which means 'love,' has at its root the word 'hav' - 'to give.' From the holy language we glean that the more we give, the more we grow to love the recipient of our giving. Colel Chabad, Israel's oldest continuous charity, has been giving much needed love and support to Israel's poorest citizens since 1788. Partner with Colel Chabad to feed needy orphans, widows and Holocaust survivors throughout the Land of Israel.
Colel Market looks like any other supermarket. The aisles are lined with products and there are cashiers where customers pay for their purchases. The differences are much more subtle.
Wheat soap is filled with nutrients and antioxidants which prevent scarring as well as moisturize. A product made with the wheat of the land of Israel, it's guaranteed to give your skin a healthier feel. Buy Seven Species Soaps and find out for yourself.
God has put this love for Israel on my heart, knowing all along I had so much to learn about you. Thank you for teaching me :) As I am learning, it's your hearts I see. So so beautiful to me. It's remind me of when God said, the nations would be blessed through you. Indeed they are! God is with you. Keep Shining His Light, I Love you, Kathryn from Minnesota
Thank you very much Rabbi for these wonderful daily messages and information about our lovely Israel. You and Israel are in my prayer List. Blessings,- Nigatu Chaffo
Orlando Pastor Offers Prophetic Word After Pulse Massacre: It's Happening
A woman mourns as she sits on the ground and takes part in a vigil for the Pulse night club victims following last week's shooting in Orlando, Florida. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
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After multiple tragedies in the greater Orlando area, pastor and musician William McDowell issued a prophetic word via Instagram.
I know most of you will not understand what in the world I'm talking about. As a resident of Orlando and a pastor in Orlando with a prophetic edge I feel like standing on top of the biggest thing I can with the loudest megaphone and shouting this as loud as I can!!! IT'S HAPPENING!!!!!!Those with a spiritual awareness will know exactly what I am talking about! If you do you'll know exactly what and how to pray! That's all I can say for now. I'm encouraged to see that intercessors, prophetic voices and those who are sensitive are beginning to sense out there what we have been seeing here in our city since the beginning of 2016! It's happening! Everything is connected! I'll stop now but I'm full and it's hard to stay completely silent! There is a word from the Lord about all of this!
Many followers agreed with McDowell, who leads worship at Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando.
One follower posted: "I spoke about this in choir rehearsal tonight... Recognize the spirit in the land... Then PRAY!"
Another wrote: "Yes pastor!!! The Time and season now to pray and fast. We as the church must wake up now and understand what's happening in the Spiritual realm. What happened in Orlando this past week with 3 major tragic (sic) was a sign. People in the world wouldn't understand. We must spread the gospel more than ever now..."
Late last week, prophetic voice Barbara Yoder said Orlando was under attack because the enemy was granted a "legal entry point."
Make no mistake, I am not suggesting that the events in Orlando are God's judgment. That's an ignorant and unfortunate assumption some people who call themselves Christians are making. I am only suggesting this: When we tolerate Jezebel—when we tolerate immorality and idolatry and the occult—we open a door for the enemy that God is not obliged to shut. Orlando is not the only city in America tolerating Jezebel. The church in America needs to repent and close the door on any agreement with this spirit right now. Was an antichrist spirit attacking Orlando? I believe so. Was witchcraft involved? Likely, given the Bible's revelation on Jezebel and her witchcrafts (2 Kings 9:22). Discerning spirits is ultimately not a difficult task. Raising up governmental intercessors who understand how to legislate in the Spirit and use the keys of the kingdom to bind and loose (Matt. 18:18) is the greater challenge. But we can commit to doing it.
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The first glimpse of the Promised Land that the Israelites had from the east side of the Jordan River must have elicited a range of emotions. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, eating some unknown substance called manna, they must have been extremely relieved to be entering the land of milk and honey they had been told about.
In addition, they felt fearful knowing that there were still giants living in the land they were entering. But, the children of Israel could have also been a little disappointed. Their view from the east side of the Jordan may have encompassed the occasional oasis in the Jordan valley, but they were dwarfed by the barren cliffs of the foreboding Judean Wilderness.
The Israelites were entering a land that looked just as stark, dry and barren as the desert they thought they had left behind. It is understandable that the two tribes of Reuben and Gad asked to remain on the east side of the Jordan where their cattle could graze!
Crossing Over
It is interesting to note that the place where Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land is also the place where Jesus was baptized and entered His ministry, and from where Elijah ascended into Heaven. It is a special and popular place for pilgrims to be baptized today.
At first glimpse, visitors are usually disappointed in the Jordan River. They are expecting a mighty rushing river, but it is more like a small stream, and the waters are murky. In 2 Kings 5, the leprous Syrian commander, Naaman, was also shocked when the prophet Elisha told him to bathe in the cloudy, unimpressive waters of the lower Jordan. He replied that there were much better and cleaner rivers back in his country!
This part of the Jordan valley and neighboring Judean Wilderness is the part of the land of Israel that I love the most, probably because it is so different from the lush farmland where I grew up. It is stark, majestic and overwhelming in its contrasts.
Proving God's Word
The air is so dry there that it preserved ancient sacred scrolls for thousands of years. The famous Dead Sea Scrolls, some dating back as far as 300 BC, were discovered in caves above Qumran where they had been stored in clay jars. It is possible some of these scrolls were from the Temple and had been hidden there from the Romans in 70 AD. When found over 1,900 years later, they matched the modern biblical text and proved that the Bible had not been corrupted or altered in any way.
It is no coincidence that the first Dead Sea Scroll was acquired by a Hebrew University professor within weeks, if not days, of the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, which paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel. God was beginning to both prove the authenticity of the Bible and fulfill prophecy at the same time.
Extremes and Contrasts
From the Qumran caves one can see the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, and the rocky cliffs of the Judean Wilderness (also called the Judean Desert) reaching up some 1,500 feet above. The Dead Sea, known as the Salt Sea in the Bible, is evaporating at such a rate that it is ten times saltier than ocean water. This salinity makes it too harsh for fish to live. It is also too dense for visitors to swim—they float on the surface of the water instead. The lowest point on earth is so far away from the sun that bathers do not have to worry much about burning.
A Land of Testing
While these contrasts and extremes make visiting Israel a fascinating experience, it also made the land a harsh place to live in. When Abraham first entered the Land of Canaan it was during such a severe famine that he went to Egypt for refuge. Isaac also encountered a drought but God instructed him to seek refuge among the Philistines near Gaza instead of Egypt. Similarly, Jacob encountered a famine and sent his sons to buy grain from Egypt, then ended up living there under the providential care and provision of his beloved son, Joseph.
Why would God give a land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that had such a tendency towards drought and famine, not to mention giants? He would use it as His testing ground. It was a land in which nothing came easy, and required faith and obedience to attain the fullness of what God had promised.
Israel is no different today. God has brought His people back to their ancient homeland where they cleared malaria infested swamps, made the desert bloom, and used technology and innovation to solve their water shortage. But they also encountered hostile resistance from the Arabs who refused to live in peace with them, and who have fed successive generations with hatred and animosity so that Israel is faced with a seemingly unsolvable situation.
I once heard someone ask an Orthodox Rabbi why God would have regathered His people back to their homeland only to be faced with decades of war, waves of terrorism, and a situation that has no solution in sight. His answer was this: "It is part of the redemptive process."
God uses difficult places and situations to test and refine His people. If we will obey His Word and step out in faith we can overcome the obstacles life puts in front of us. This is the kind of faith that pleases God, and without which, we will fail the test.
Susan Michael is U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.www.icejusa.org.
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