Friday, December 2, 2016

Passing Through Fire - Tsvi Sadan ISRAEL TODAY

Passing Through Fire

Thursday, December 01, 2016 |  Tsvi Sadan  ISRAEL TODAY
While Israel is still trying to assess the damage caused by hundreds of fires across the country, testimonies of people whose lives were spared begin to surface. 
Yated Ne'eman, the daily newspaper of the Israeli-Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox school, has published in its November 29 issue a special article highlighting what it sees as God's providence in protecting people in miraculous ways. Not surprisingly, Yated Ne'emanbrings the stories of members of the religious community who went through the fire.
Rabbi Moshe Adler, CEO of United Hatzalah of Haifa (an Orthodox Jewish "Red Cross" equivalent), who worked alongside the firefighters, said that nothing of what happened should be taken for granted. "There were obvious miracles here," he said. "People were experiencing miracles amid great tribulation. We should recognize it and give thanks to God. We have seen God's providence with our own eyes." 
Jews, by the way, are commanded to proclaim God's miracles, as it is said, "give praise to the Lord … tell of all his wonderful acts." This is why during the coming feast of Hanukkah people walking through religious neighborhoods will be able to note the burning candles of the Menorah placed by the windows to proclaim the miracle of the Temple's rededication at the time of the Maccabees.
Rabbi Rosenberg recalls his mother-in-law's miracle. "The whole apartment was completely burnt," he said, "except one thing –  the Menorah." A paramedic of United Hatzalah told Yated Ne'eman how he had to use a garden hose to contain the fire. "This was an obvious miracle," he said, "that our building didn't burn … it was divine providence. There is no other way to explain it. It wasn't in the natural power of the garden hose to contain the fire."
These and other similar stories brought the newspaper to conclude that "these tribulations did not happen by chance, rather it was a warning from heaven for the people on earth, that they may repent."      
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Thursday, December 1, 2016

US Lawmakers Plan to Challenge President Obama on Israel Limits - RAFAEL MEDOFF/JNS.ORG CHARISMA NEWS


A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is working to revoke President Obama's $38 billion cap on defense aid to Israel. (Reuters photo)

US Lawmakers Plan to Challenge President Obama on Israel Limits

RAFAEL MEDOFF/JNS.ORG  CHARISMA NEWS
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are vowing to challenge a limit on U.S. defense aid for Israel that President Barack Obama included in the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations.
The agreement—reached in September—guarantees Israel $38 billion in aid over 10 years, but it also states that if Congress increases the aid, Israel is obliged to return the extra funds. U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Ariz.), and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday at Agudath Israel of America's annual legislative luncheon in New York City that the restriction is "unconstitutional" because it would interfere with the ability of Congress to fulfill its mandate as a co-equal branch of the federal government. Engel vowed to "fight every step of the way" to bring about the revocation of the aid limit.
U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), speaking at the same event, said that the aid restriction "conflicts with the Constitution in spirit if not in letter" because Congress "has a right to respond to emergency situations, and we will not give up that right." As an example, Jeffries said that if Israel is attacked, it might require extra aid to defend itself. Congress, he said, should be able to take action in such circumstances.
More Jewish Democrats oppose Ellison
Another topic addressed by several of the speakers at the luncheon was the bid by Minnesota's U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). A number of Jewish leaders have expressed concern that Ellison would turn the Democratic Party away from Israel. Speaking with jns.org at the Agudath Israel event, two more Jewish Democratic officeholders stated their opposition to Ellison's candidacy.
The Minnesota lawmaker has come under fire for his past association with Nation of Islam movement leader Louis Farrakhan, publicly claiming in 1995 that Farrakhan "is not an anti-Semite." Additionally, Ellison has urged increased U.S. pressure on Israel and has voted against funding Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.
New York's Rep. Engel, the ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told jns.org that he opposes Ellison's candidacy because "we need a full-time chairman for the DNC, not a member of Congress who would only be able to devote part of his time to the job." Asked whether his opposition to Ellison is also based on Ellison's record concerning Israel, Engel replied, "My positions on Israel are well-known; my focus is on having a full-time chair for the party."
New York State Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens) said that he too opposes Ellison's bid "because of the importance of having someone who can devote himself full-time to rebuilding the Democratic Party." Weprin said he is "aware of the statements about Israel that have been attributed to Ellison, and if they are accurate, that would be a cause for concern." 
Weprin added that he is "troubled by the positions that [2016 presidential candidate] Sen. Bernie Sanders took on Israel, and I know that Sanders nominated Congressman Ellison to the Democratic convention resolutions committee in order to try to get those positions in the platform."
The statements by Engel and Weprin against Ellison's possible party chairmanship echo the sentiments of New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), who toldjns.org earlier this month that "if Israel has to depend on support from the Ellisons of the world, it would be in serious trouble."
FBI Official: Palestinian Terror Tactics Adopted in U.S. Attacks
William Sweeney Jr., assistant director of the FBI's New York Division, said at the luncheon that the Palestinian terrorist tactic of "grabbing whatever you can to carry out an attack, whether a bulldozer or a kitchen knife" is being adopted by terrorists within the U.S.
Citing the attack at the Ohio State University campus this week by a Somali Muslim, Sweeney said that attacks by "homegrown violent extremists" are "simpler, aimed at more diverse targets, and carried out by younger attackers."
Sweeney said that the threat of terrorism on American soil "has become more serious in the past year, with some of the attacks being carried out by teenagers, who often are not in contact with terrorists overseas, unlike during previous periods." 
This article was originally published at jns.org. Used with permission.
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The Holy Land's Tastiest Ingredients ✡ "They Did Eat and Drink" - ISRAEL365

And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ

בראשית כו:ל

va-ya-as la-hem mish-teh va-yokh'-lu vayeesh'-tu

Today's Israel Inspiration

Throughout the entire Hebrew Bible, we read of numerous instances where Biblical figures "make a feast" for guests as a sign of both hospitality and/or gratitude to God, such as Abraham, Laban, Pharaoh, Moses, Elkanah and King Saul. Even the festivals are closely associated with food, as it says "Feast of Unleavened Bread" (Deuteronomy 16:16), "Feast of Weeks" (Exodus 34:22) and "Feast of Tabernacles" (II Chronicles 8:13). All this eating truly begs the question: How can the physical act of eating become something spiritual? Explains Rabbi Shmuel Veffer, owner of Galilee Green, an Israeli company which produces premium extra virgin olive oil for worldwide distribution, that food is a means to connect to God. "People are souls connected to a body": God placed us into a physical world in order to uplift what we have been given and recognize the endless gifts that the Creator has bestowed upon us. As Rabbi Veffer says, “Taking care of our bodies through nutrient-rich foods and taking care of our soul through God awareness while eating is a perfect recipe to live in paradise.” Elevate each and every meal with sweet olive oil from the Land of Israel.

Searching for Wild Iris on Mount Gilboa - With Galilee Green

After most of the winter rains have fallen, the Galilee and Golan burst alive with wild flowers. It's a national pastime in Israel to hike through the hills and valleys to enjoy the awesome display of color. One of the most rare and difficult to find are the Wild Iris. They appear in blue, purple and black. Chana and Shmuel went searching for the rare blooms... you won't believe what they found!!!

Israel365 Enlists Christians Worldwide, Raises $40,000
for Fire Victims

When brush fires swept Israel last week, Donna Jollay knew she had to act. As a religious Christian with a long history of supporting Israel and Israeli charities, she says the sight of Israelis losing their homes and possessions meant she had to move, and move quickly.

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Today's Israel Photo

Today's photo is from the flourishing olive tree garden located at the Baha'i Temple in Haifa. The picturesque scene is so inviting and makes us feel truly awestruck by the beauty of God's creations! Photo by Mihai-Bogdan Lazar/Shutterstock
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Prophetic Word: 'I Saw Angels at Almost the Speed of Light' - STEVE SHULTZ CHARISMA NEWS

Warring angels
God has more than enough angels to send thousands in your direction, so always keep praying for this (Getty Images )

Prophetic Word: 'I Saw Angels at Almost the Speed of Light'

STEVE SHULTZ  CHARISMA NEWS
Early yesterday morning, while it was still dark outside, I began to see in the spirit angels up against a blue sky, traveling at almost light-speed all over the United States of America on huge, important assignments. The air was blurry with the rush of angels. It was an amazing thing to see.
Though the skies were filled with angels traveling throughout the U.S., not even one veered from its course. Each knew what the task was to which they were assigned and paid no attention to other problem areas in the nation.
Angels Assigned to War Zones
There were pockets of dark activity below, and these angels and angelic army forces, who were assigned to these war zones in the U.S., were fighting with amazing and purposeful focus. I knew this was going on throughout the earth, but my focus was our U.S. skies.
I felt in my spirit a call to pray to strengthen these angels in their fight. God designed the earth and the whole cosmos to work through the prayers of the saints. Thus, when saints pray, angels are more successful.
Daniel prayed for 21 days and even then, Gabriel needed more help from Michael, the archangel, to get through that war zone to Daniel (see Daniel 10).
It is even more so today with more than seven billion souls on earth; the saints' prayers are needed. Your prayers are needed for the very angelic help you are seeking.
Strategic Prayer for Warring Angels, for the U.S. and for Our Families
1. Pray for angels on assignment to complete each assignment without interference for you, for your family and for your nation.
2. Pray the U.S. will be protected from within and from without by these angels from further terrorist activity. Pray for other nations in the same way.
3. Pray for your family members and friends. Pray for them by name. I was reminded the other day by Cindy Jacobs to pray Psalm 91 over all our family members. Do that for your family and for the family of God—the Body of Christ. Especially pray Psalm 91:9-12 (see below) about angelic protection.
4. Pray the post-election chaos will die down, and we will have a peaceful transition from one administration to the next in the White House.
5. Pray against all terrorist acts. Ask God to send angels throughout the earth and throughout the U.S., thwarting terrorist attacks.
6. Ask God to send even more angels than He has already sent. He has more than enough angels, but He seeks our prayers to fulfill His will. That's how He set up the universe. Your prayers are needed.
My personal testimony of praying for angels: Our family has always prayed for thousands of angels to protect us. For decades we've prayed this way. Many times, seers or prophets have been shocked by what they saw protecting our land and property: swarms and swarms of God's angels. We've prayed them in for years. You must do the same.
Again, God has more than enough angels to send thousands your direction, but always keep praying for this. Don't be stingy in your prayers. Pray big prayers for big angels for even the tiniest problems, and of course the huge ones as well.
The Lord is releasing the angels of abundant harvest. Charisma House is releasing Jennifer LeClaire's new book with a profound prophetic word and teaching principles to cooperate with heaven in this season. Check it out at angelsprophecy.com.
Read this carefully, especially verses 9-12:
Psalm 91:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust."
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you shall find protection;
His faithfulness shall be your shield and wall.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 nor of the pestilence that pursues in darkness,
nor of the destruction that strikes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you behold
and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
even the Most High, your dwelling,
10 there shall be no evil befall you,
neither shall any plague come near your tent;
11 for He shall give His angels charge over you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you up in their hands,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder;
the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
and I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him My salvation. 
Steve Shultz is the founder and publisher of The Elijah List and Breaking Christian News. For the original article, visit elijahlist.com.
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Castro Couldn't Kill Christianity in Cuba - J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA NEWS

Fidel Castro (Courtesy of history.com)

Castro Couldn't Kill Christianity in Cuba

J. LEE GRADY  CHARISMA NEWS
After Fidel Castro's death on Nov. 25, journalists, Hollywood entertainers and heads of state described the Cuban leader as an "iconic figure," a "tireless advocate for equity" and "a champion of the poor."
Never was it so obvious that the world has gone crazy than this past weekend, when world leaders applauded a dictator who tortured his own people.
Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, called Castro a "remarkable leader." Vladimir Putin of Russia called him "a strong and wise man." Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations, described Castro as "a strong voice for social justice."
These eulogies remind me of a warning from the prophet Isaiah, who wrote: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil" (Is. 5:20a).
I appreciate Florida senator Marco Rubio's more honest assessment of Castro. A Cuban-American himself, Rubio said on the day after Castro's death: "One thing is clear: history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people."
I know it's tempting—in a politically correct sort of way—to say nice things about tyrants at their funerals. But it is a mockery of justice to applaud a man like Fidel Castro when his record of human rights abuses is so criminal. Regardless of where you stand politically, this man was evil personified. Consider his legacy of shame:
  • He ordered mass executions of government officials when he took control of Cuba in 1959, and he was responsible for so many executions and "disappearances" of citizens that no one has been able to calculate the number;
  • He imprisoned, tortured and murdered more of his own people than any other Latin American dictator;
  • He forced more than 20 percent of Cuban citizens to flee the island, and some of them died in their boats while trying to escape;
  • He created a police state in which citizens were subjected to 24-hour surveillance;
  • He punished artists, writers and journalists for thinking freely, and he built concentration camps for dissidents—including thousands of gays and lesbians;
  • He closed down all private enterprise, ended private ownership of all property and eventually destroyed Cuba's economy;
  • He mentored Venezuela's dictator, Hugo Chavez, who then turned Venezuela into a sad copy of Cuba. Today, that nation is on the brink of total ruin while its people stand in line for hours to buy bread;
  • He attacked churches, executed and tortured pastors and attempted to wipe out Christianity to create his socialist utopia. His motto was "Socialismo o muerte," "Socialism or death."
What is worse, and even creepy, about Castro is that he was an avowed atheist who was reportedly involved in santaria and other forms of Afro-Caribbean witchcraft. Ever since a white dove landed on Castro's shoulder during a speech in 1959, sanitaria followers have believed he enjoyed supernatural protection from assassination attempts.
What was Castro's legacy? I would suggest the inscription on his tombstone should say: "He Couldn't Stop Christianity."
I visited Cuba in 1993, just after Castro began slightly softening his cruel restrictions on religion. I met many pastors who had been arrested and sentenced to years in prison camps because of their Christian faith. They knew what it means to face the spirit of antichrist. Yet after they were released, they found that Castro was unable to stop the spread of the gospel—even though he threatened churches with demolition and prevented the building of others.
I'll never forget the night a Pentecostal pastor told me we were going to visit what he called a "house church" on the western edge of Havana. I imagined I would be worshipping with a small group huddled in a basement. But when we arrived at the house, more than 200 people were joyfully singing praise choruses in the front yard.
When I asked the pastor if he was worried the police might arrest somebody, he smiled and calmly said: "Don't worry. Everybody in this neighborhood comes to this church."
In spite of Castro's hatred of God, his thirst for blood and his iron-fisted control, he could not stop the truth of Jesus from spreading in Cuba. A recent report by CBN News says 16,000 new churches have opened in Cuba in the past two decades. Missionary work on the island is at an all-time high.
Evangelist Luis Palau's organization sponsored the largest pastor training event in Cuban history this month, and those who were involved say Cuba is witnessing a miraculous awakening.
Carlos Barbieri, director of the Luis Palau Bible Institute, said: "The church in Cuba has grown in the shadows of culture for many years. Many of the churches and church leaders were born in the trenches and underground. They are bold and persistent. They are undoubtedly a living example for others, committed to the Scriptures and passionate about the Lord."
Fidel Castro worked for decades to snuff out faith on his island. But now he is dead—and the Cuban church has not just survived, it has thrived. Castro's sad life provides a warning to all leaders bent on evil. And Cuba's dark night has finally ended.
J. Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website, themordecaiproject.org.
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