Thursday, January 5, 2017

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: A new bipartisan move, led by Senators Rubio & Cardin, is underway in Congress to defend Israel against UN Resolution 2334.

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New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

A new bipartisan move, led by Senators Rubio & Cardin, is underway in Congress to defend Israel against UN Resolution 2334. This is encouraging. Here’s the latest.

by joelcrosenberg
There is good news to report as 2017 begins.
With Members of Congress back in Washington to begin a new legislative session, a major bipartisan effort is now underway in both chambers to counter U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334, the anti-Israel measure President Obama shamefully refused to veto just before Hanukkah and Christmas.
I commend my friend, Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, and Sen. Ben Cardin, the Maryland Democrat, for leading this effort to defend Israel, America's most faithful and loyal ally in the Middle East. Today, they introduced a Senate resolution with broad bipartisan support that strongly opposes the actions taken by the U.N. and the Obama administration and lays out a positive American agenda towards Israel and the peace process with the Palestinians going forward. In the House, a similar resolution has been introduced by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY),  which I also commend.
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence have, to their credit, denounced UNSC Resolution 2334. If they move quickly to enact the Rubio-Cardin recommendations, these will be steps in the right direction.
Like most of my fellow Evangelicals, I want there to be a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I support good faith efforts to bring healing and reconciliation between both sides and I am praying to that end. After all, in the Scriptures the Psalmist commands us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." What's more, our Lord Jesus Christ instructed us, "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Therefore, I believe there should be direct peace talks between both sides at the highest levels. The talks should be serious and constructive and hopefully lead to the end of the conflict and real protection of Israel’s rights and security needs balanced with real protection for Palestinian human rights and civil rights and security needs. Unfortunately, since 2009 the Palestinian leadership has consistently refused Israel's oft-repeated offers for direct bilateral negotiations. They also brought the Hamas terror organization into their government and have supported two rocket wars against Israel.
This is no way to make peace. Nor is the UN's attempt to force a solution on Israel. We must vigorously oppose any and all efforts by the U.N. and other international bodies to dictate terms to Israel, or unilaterally declare illegal Israel's legitimate claim to Jerusalem, the Biblical and eternal capital of the Jewish people. We must also strongly oppose every effort by the UN and others to delegitimize Israel and isolate her through boycotts, sanctions and divestment (ie, the "BDS" movement). Such efforts are unfair, unjust, and counter-productive. They make peace more difficult to achieve, not easier.
All that said, let me be clear: strongly supporting Israel's freedom and security against Radical Islamic terrorism and international anti-Semitism and injustice does NOT mean a person has to be against the Palestinian people. Christ commanded us to love our neighbors and our enemies. We can -- and should -- love the Palestinians, and want a better life for them, and pray for their welfare, and support serious efforts to improve their lives and defend their rights and freedoms against injustices of all kinds. Indeed, Christians outside the region can -- and should -- pray for the Palestinian people personally, and get to know personally our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ. We should work to understand their needs, and develop sincere friendships, stand with them against poverty and terror and injustice, and encourage them as they proclaim the Gospel to their people and shine the light of Christ in the darkness. The Scriptures are crystal clear: God loves the Jewish and Palestinian people dearly, and so must we.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced a Senate resolution objecting to the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, as well as all efforts that undermine direct, bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement. They are joined in this effort by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dean Heller (R-NV), John McCain (R-AZ), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Todd Young (R-IN).
“Efforts to delegitimize Israel have been underway a long time at the United Nations and have now sadly been aided by the outgoing administration, but the time has come to turn back the tide and renew America’s commitment to the Jewish state,” said Rubio. “When it comes to the U.S.-Israel alliance, we believe that senators of both parties must stand firmly with Israel and condemn efforts to undermine Israel's legitimacy. This resolution expresses the Senate's rejection of continued anti-Israel efforts at the United Nations, reiterates our commitment to Israel, and urges the incoming administration to work with Congress on this issue.”
“I am deeply disappointed that the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 2334, which is a one-sided text that makes direct negotiations for a two-state solution more challenging.  Our Senate Resolution sends the message that the U.S.-Israel partnership is ironclad,” said Cardin.  “Going forward, Congress will take action against efforts at the UN or beyond that use Resolution 2334 to target Israel.  I hope that in 2017 we can look at policies and actions that facilitate resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and I stand ready to support productive efforts.”
“The decision taken by the President to abstain from this vote--to fail to act on behalf of an ally represents a failure of leadership and judgment. It is highly regrettable that one of President Obama's last actions in office was again to abandon our ally Israel,” said McConnell. “As this resolution notes, the United Nations is not the appropriate venue for dictating parameters for a two state solution, this can only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”
“Since the days of ‘Zionism is racism,’ the U.N. has been a fervently anti-Israel body and, unfortunately, that bias has never diminished. Knowing this, past administrations – both Democrat and Republican – have protected Israel from the vagaries of this biased institution,” said Schumer. “Unfortunately, by abstaining on United Nations Resolutions 2334, this administration has not followed in that path. This Senate resolution reaffirms that peace must come through direct negotiations in order to achieve a sustainable two-state solution.”
A PDF of the resolution is available here. The resolution:
  • Expresses grave objection to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016);
  • Calls for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to be repealed or fundamentally altered so that it is no longer one-sided and allows all final status issues toward a two-state solution to be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties;
  • Rejects efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to impose solutions from the outside that set back the cause of peace;
  • Demands that the United States ensure that no action is taken at the Paris Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict scheduled for January 15, 2017, that imposes an agreement or parameters on the parties;
  • Notes that granting membership and statehood standing to the Palestinians at the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and other international institutions outside of the context of a bilateral peace agreement with Israel would cause severe harm to the peace process, and would likely trigger the implementation of penalties under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 114–113);
  • Rejects any efforts by the United Nations, United Nations agencies, United Nations member states, and other international organizations to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel through economic or other boycotts or any other measures, and urges the United States Government to take action where needed to counter any attempts to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel;
  • Urges the current presidential administration and all future presidential administrations to uphold the practice of vetoing all United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to insert the Council into the peace process, recognize unilateral Palestinian actions including declaration of a Palestinian state, or dictate terms and a timeline for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
  • Reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to continue to seek a sustainable, just, and secure two-state solution to resolve the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians; and
  • Urges the incoming Administration to work with Congress to create conditions that facilitate the resumption of direct, bilateral negotiations without preconditions between Israelis and Palestinians with the goal of achieving a sustainable agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
[This column is based on my personal beliefs and opinions. I share them in my personal capacity as an American citizen and an author. They do not reflect the views of The Joshua Fund, which is a non-profit organization and takes no political or legislative positions.]
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joelcrosenberg | January 4, 2017 at 9:04 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6sQ
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House Select Panel on Infant Lives Delivers Its Final Report - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), chair of the House Select Panel on Infant Lives, said she hopes the panel's work will help save lives in the future. (Reuters photo)

House Select Panel on Infant Lives Delivers Its Final Report

BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS
Wednesday afternoon, the House Select Panel on Infant Lives concluded its yearlong investigation and released its final report, which details many of the disturbing practices it uncovered in the abortion industry as well as recommendations for improving access to appropriate scientific models.
"It was an honor to chair the Select Investigative Panel," U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said in a statement after the report's release. "I want to thank my colleagues who are strong pro-life leaders and have worked tirelessly over the past year.
"It is my hope that our recommendations will result in some necessary changes within both the abortion and fetal tissue procurement industries. Our hope is that these changes will both protect women and their unborn children, as well as the integrity of scientific research."
The panel's creation by the U.S. House of Representatives followed the release of several undercover videos produced by pro-life activists calling themselves the Center for Medical Progress. The final report concluded those videos were an accurate depiction of the behind-the-scenes work abortionists and tissue-procurement companies.
"Over the last year, the Select Panel's relentless fact-finding investigation has laid bare the grisly reality of an abortion industry that is driven by profit, unconcerned by matters of basic ethics and, too often, noncompliant with the few laws we have to protect the safety of women and their unborn children," Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) said. "I have never shied away from my own pro-life views, but the findings of this panel should incense all people of conscience."
A number of other members of the panel sounded off after the final report's release:
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.): "It has been a privilege to serve on this panel alongside such dedicated members in pursuit of the truth. I applaud the diligent work the Select Panel did in investigating the callous practices of abortion providers, the nefarious dealings of the tissue procurement industry and the atrocious disregard for the privacy and well-being of patients. The American people deserve to know these facts so responsible decisions can be made about research that respects women and protects life. I truly wish this investigation hadn't been necessary, but I am comforted and gratified knowing our work uncovered some truths I am hopeful will better inform Americans everywhere, lead to the preservation of life and promote the safety and well-being of women."
Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah): "It has been an honor to serve on the Select Investigative Committee on Infant Lives. The committee's work uncovered aspects of the fetal tissue industry few people knew about, and I look forward to tracking the progress of the criminal referrals. We must protect the unborn, and every citizen's God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.): "This select panel conducted a thorough and fact-based investigation to provide the American people answers and to hold those who facilitated these horrendous practices accountable. As a physician who has operated on babies as young as 22 weeks' gestation, I am proud of our work on behalf of the most vulnerable among us—to protect the lives of the unborn from an industry that puts profits before the value and dignity of human life."
Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (R-Md.): "The Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives succeeded in uncovering shameful practices, which undermined the very foundations of ethical American scientific research and have led to 15 criminal and regulatory referrals. Over the course of its year-long investigation of fetal tissue procurement companies and abortion businesses, the Select Panel found evidence that several tissue procurement companies and abortion clinics may have violated federal felony laws prohibiting the sale of human fetal tissue. As a physician and researcher, it is my sincere hope that our investigation and the subsequent referrals have put an end to these shady and unethical practices."
Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.): "I'm honored to have served on the Select Panel on Infant Lives because it played a pivotal role in uncovering the big business that is the fetal tissue procurement industry. In the course of our investigation, our panel requested the banking and accounting records from many institutions to verify those businesses' activities. Although many complied, StemExpress, a major procurement business, did not. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that they are held accountable in the 115th Congress."
Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-Ky.): "The Select Investigative Panel has worked hard to uncover the illegal and highly repulsive activities of the organizations involved in the sale and trafficking of baby body parts. Now it is up to the judicial system to hold the perpetrators accountable and up to Congress and the new Administration to see that these heinous acts are continued no longer. The way we treat our young, our weak and our voiceless does matter. History will hold us accountable for these atrocities."
Click here to read the full report. 
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Alabama Supreme Court Rules Unborn Baby is a Person - Veronica Neffinger ChristianHeadlines.com

Alabama Supreme Court Rules Unborn Baby is a Person


Alabama Supreme Court Rules Unborn Baby is a Person

The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit brought by a woman 
who claims her doctor caused her to have a miscarriage by administering an abortion-inducing 
drug can proceed.

Kimberly Stinnett’s usual doctor was reportedly out the day of her appointment. Karla Kennedy, 
the doctor who was filling in that day, believed that Stinnett had an ectopic pregnancy since she 
had had one previously. Thus, Kennedy decided to administer methotrexate, a drug that, as the 
court noted, is “intended to cause the end of the pregnancy.”

However, when Stinnett’s usual doctor, William Huggins, examined her pregnancy via 
ultrasound, he found that Stinnett did not have an ectopic pregnancy after all, but instead 
had a normal intrauterine pregnancy. He said that Stinnett’s pregnancy was now doomed 
to fail, however, quite possibly from the methotrexate.

A few weeks later, as predicted, Stinnett suffered a miscarriage. She then took her case 
against Kennedy to court, alleging that the doctor had unnecessarily ended a viable pregnancy.

The initial court dismissed the case, but when Stinnett appealed her case to the Alabama 
Supreme Court, it was ruled that her case stands and must be heard in the lower court.

The court’s decision to allow Stinnett’s case to proceed has significant implications for 
the pro-life movement since they based their decision on the belief that Kennedy had 
possibly contributed o a homicide--meaning that Stinnett’s unborn baby was a person and 
not simply a fetus.

“The use of the viability standard established in Roe [Roe v. Wade] is incoherent as it 
relates to wrongful-death law because, among other reasons, life begins at the moment of 
conception. The fact that life begins at conception is beyond refutation,” wrote Judge 
Thomas Parker.

“Members of the judicial branch of Alabama should do all within their power to dutifully 
ensure that the laws of Alabama are applied equally to protect the most vulnerable members 
of our society, both born and unborn,” Parker added.


Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
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How Christians Show the Way for a Better Life for Israeli Arabs - ARIEL BEN SOLOMON JNS.ORG

(Reuters photo)

How Christians Show the Way for a Better Life for Israeli Arabs

ARIEL BEN SOLOMON/JNS.ORG  charisma news
Arabs in Israel maintain a higher quality of life than their brethren in most other places in the Middle East, yet a significant number continue to support the Palestinian-Arab struggle against the Jewish state.
One of the latest incidents occurred in the Arab city of Nazareth, where the municipality, headed by Mayor Ali Salam, held a recent event that ended up glorifying terrorist murderer Baha Alyan, who along with an accomplice murdered three Israelis on a bus in Jerusalem last year.
"Hundreds of elementary and high school students and young men and women of all ages arranged themselves in rows" holding books in their laps, a formation they called a "chain of readers," in the event organized by the Nazareth municipality and the Inma'a Association for Democracy and Capacity Building, the Jerusalem-based Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported last month, according to Palestinian Media Watch.
Itamar Marcus, founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, told jns.org that when Nazareth officials were notified about the report, they insisted that they never knew about the event's intention to glorify terrorism.
"They said that in spite of what the press reported, the municipality only approved the readers chain" and did not have prior knowledge about the praise for Alyan, Marcus said.
Indeed, it appears likely that Mayor Salam had no prior knowledge of the plans to glorify a terrorist, since he has been waging an ongoing public battle against Arab politicians whom he accuses of radicalism.
Many Israeli Arabs strongly back the Palestinian narrative in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but decide not to act on those beliefs, perhaps because they see Israel as too strong; they continue to work and interact with Israeli Jews on a daily basis.
Yet some Arabs, like Member of Knesset (MK) Basel Ghattas (Joint Arab List), have decided to work against the state through political means and even by supporting terrorists. Ghattas is under investigation for allegedly smuggling cellphones and SIM cards to Palestinian Fatah security prisoners in Israel.
Arab Knesset members like Ghattas have been increasing their visits to Palestinian terrorist and security prisoners, a new report by Israel's Shin Bet security agency revealed last week. The report found that in 2016, Arab lawmakers submitted 13 requests to visit arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti and 14 requests to visit Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the outlawed northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
At the same time, the Arab community is divided on the issue of relations with the state, with many Druze, Christians, Bedouin and a growing number of Muslims rejecting the violent and non-violent struggle against Israel.
Dr. Mordechai Zaken, head of minority affairs in the Israeli Public Security Ministry, told JNS.org that Israel's Arab public can be divided into various parts and should not be generalized. Arabs can be grouped according to location, religion, sect, professional affiliation and other factors, he said.
For example, in the "triangle"—a cluster of Israeli-Arab towns located near the 1967 lines, including Umm al-Fahm and Kafr Qasem—"there is a greater likelihood of [Arab] support for the Palestinian cause because many families have relatives in the West Bank," said Zaken.
On the other hand, in northern Israel's Galilee region, most local Bedouins do not have family members in the West Bank and are less focused on what is going on in the disputed territories.
Asked about Arab politicians' ability to mobilize Arab citizens against the state, Zaken replied that "they use the land issue because this has been traditionally one of the major unresolved problems of Arabs in Israel, and it has been a cause easier to unite behind. The War of Independence and later acts of land-expropriation throughout the years has roused opposition against the government."
Regarding the Bedouin living in the southern Negev, Zaken explained that they have long rebelled against whatever regime ruled their territory, going as far back as the Ottoman Empire. 
"Rebellion is in their nature and the nomad culture still affects them, as they have for generations lived in constant tension with the sedentary communities," Zaken said, adding that "Arab politicians use these feelings to try to get them directed against the state, as if they are not receiving all of their rights."
Arab Christians' quality of life in Israel continues to improve, and Muslims are catching up to the traditionally high Christian levels of income, education and mobility, said the government official. 
"The Christians have led in trying to integrate into Israel society, moving out of their towns and into the big cities. Now many Muslim professionals are following in their footsteps," said Zaken, who in 2013 initiated Israel's "Government-Christian Forum," which attempts to address Israeli Christians' concerns with the state.
The actions of MK Ghattas, according to Zaken, have sparked significant criticism among Israeli Arabs, with many acknowledging that the lawmaker crossed a line in his support of Palestinian prisoners. "This sentiment is present even among Arabs that support the establishment of a Palestinian state," Zaken said.
Father Gabriel Naddaf, a Greek Orthodox priest who works to increase Christians' voluntary enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces and their integration into Israeli society, told jns.org that since the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings began in the region in late 2010, "the killing of Christians in the Middle East was a shock for the Christians in Israel."
Christians living in Arab states, he said, "were not saved from massacres and destruction, and the radicals want to force Christians to change their religion. This is what caused me to talk about the identity of the Christians in Israel."
Naddaf, whose pro-Israel views have been sharply criticized by many Muslims and Christian Arabs who identify with the Palestinian narrative, recalled that when he began speaking about Arab Christians integrating into Israeli society, his approach was not widely accepted. But with time, he has seen progress. In 2014, the first Israeli-Christian children were registered as "Aramean" instead of "Arab" on their national identification cards. Previously, all minorities in Israel were treated as one group—Arabs.
Some Arabs aggressively oppose Israeli Christians' increasing desire to identify as Aramean, seeing it as an effort to divide the Arab community.
MK Ghattas and his Christian supporters "are people (who) don't identify themselves as Christians first, but instead as Arabs first," said Naddaf, describing them as people who value ideologies such as nationalism over religion.
Naddaf said most Arab Christians oppose Ghattas and that "his way is not leading anywhere but to hate. He hurts the security of us all."
"Most of the Christians are moving in my direction" of increasing their integration into Israeli society, asserted Naddaf, adding that many politicians—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself—are showing support for his cause.
"We must help the state and overcome all of the problems," Naddaf said, "and not let its enemies and the terrorists that surround us weaken the country." 
This article was originally published at jns.org. Used with permission.
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2017: The Year of the Next Level - JENNIFER LECLAIRE CHARISMA NEWS

Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Watchman on the Wall, by Jennifer LeClaire

 CHARISMA NEWS
When I was driving to Orlando for Christmas, I heard the Lord say, "Next." I started meditating on that word "next." I looked it up on the dictionary. In other words, I pressed into what the Lord ways saying. The Lord showed me next-level assignments, next-level warfare and next-level blessings. Our cry this year is going to be "Next!"
Here's what the Lord spoke to my heart: "Those who are seeing first the kingdom of God this year are going to see an acceleration. You are going to advance faster than you've ever advanced. You will find angelic assistance on your journey, and you will need it. One assignment will come after another. At times, you'll have more than one assignment at the same time. The warfare will also be next level but you will defeat one enemy after another after another after another. And the blessings will come in rapid succession. Each time you finish an assignment, each time you conquer your spiritual foe, you will see new-level blessings in your life. You will see it as you stand your ground, as you obey My leading and as you seek My heart."
It's time to step out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. It's time to step out of our comfort zones and into the abundance zone. It's time to step out of the past and into the next! Let's unpack this "next" word so we can cooperate with the grace of God as the Lord releases the angels of abundant harvest.
1. Next-level assignments, David is a great example of next-level assignments. As a teenager, David's first assignment was to tend to sheep in the field. As he tells the story, "Your servant was a shepherd for my father's flock, and the lion came and the bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I took hold of his beard, struck him, and killed him. Your servant slew both the lion and the bear" (1 Sam. 17:34-36).
When David heard there was a giant opposing the armies of the living God, I can imagine him saying, "Next!" He didn't hesitate to step into his next-level assignment. The Bible says he ran to the battle line after prophesying Goliath's defeat (1 Sam. 17:45-51). David struck down Goliath with a sling and a stone. As you step into the next-level assignments, there will be next-level warfare, but your Goliaths will fall.
This is the time to ask the Lord, "What is my next assignment? What's next?" People are going to be jealous of you, like Saul was jealous of David. But you will bless and curse not. You will move in the opposite spirit and maintain your authority in the spirit.
2. Next-level warfare. Paul said, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Cor. 16:9) The Message translation says, "A huge door of opportunity for good work has opened up here. (There is also mushrooming opposition)." In other words, new level, new devil. Sometimes you fight the new devil before you get to the new level.
In the spirit, you are like one of David's mighty men—even greater! Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. If one of David's mighty men, Josheb-Basshebeth, could slay 800 in one occasion, what can you do? One can put 1,000 to flight and two can put 10,000 to flight (Deut. 32:30).
3. Next-level blessings. When we're obedient to accept the assignments of the Lord and we refuse to grow weary in well-doing until the assignment is complete, we're going to tap into next-level blessings. We must finish the assignment to tap into the blessing! If you have half-completed assignments, if you are procrastinating, unlock your blessing by crossing the finish line and start decreeing the blessings in Deuteronomy 28 over your life now with a "next" in your heart.
Matthew 6:33 Is Key
Matthew 6:33 is the key Scripture here to stepping into this prophecy: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you." The Amplified translation expands on this: "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."
Make a decision today to seek the Lord first and foremost and listen to His voice. Discipline yourself to rise up early in the morning or cut out unprofitable activities in exchange for eternal rewards. Feed yourself a steady diet of the Word of God, pray, fast and believe. This is the year of the next level. Let's soar like eagles for the glory of God! 
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.
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A Tale of Two Nations - Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY

A Tale of Two Nations

Thursday, January 05, 2017 |  Charles Gardner  ISRAEL TODAY
The effect of the shameful anti-Israel resolution at the UN has, it seems, been quite literally earthshaking.
I reported last week on how, after Britain voted for the motion, a leading UK journalist accused our government of anti-Semitism in an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.
Now I learn from New Zealand friends that the November 14 earthquake – one of the most powerful ever to strike the Pacific nation – came just minutes after a closed meeting at which a draft of the resolution was allegedly discussed between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Prime Minister John Key.[1]
The Obama administration is widely believed to have been behind the motion, which condemned all Israeli settlement activity as illegal and even delegitimized Jewish claims to Jerusalem’s Old City, which has an unbroken link to Judaism over thousands of years.
And we know that it was New Zealand who co-sponsored the resolution (with Senegal), which saw 14 out of the 15 Security Council members vote in favour, with the U.S. abstaining rather than casting its veto as it usually does on issues relating to borders, thereby giving it added credence.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called for ambassadors of those countries voting in favour to be reprimanded, and called home envoys to the sponsoring states. And it seems that the Judge of all the earth has sent tremors to the proposers as a warning to those who would touch the ‘apple of his eye’ or divide up his land (Zechariah 2.8, Joel 3.2).
My friend described it as ‘Genesis 12.3 in action’ – the Bible verse reading: “I will bless those who bless you (the seed of Abraham), and whoever curses you I will curse…”
Another friend, from north of Auckland, pointed out that New Zealand were given the “ignominious honour” of fronting the resolution when Egypt (once an enemy of Israel) stepped back from doing so. The Bible does teach that, in the last days, Egypt will become a friend of Israel (see Isaiah 19).[2]
The resolution effectively legitimizes the Palestinian narrative that Israel has no entitlement to land that is historically theirs – the same line taken by the butchers of Islamic State and similar terror groups who have caused such mayhem over Christmas in Cairo, Berlin and Istanbul.
Israel’s Education Minister Naftali Bennett issued a defiant response to the UN action from a snowy Mt Hermon in the Golan Heights: “Five minutes from here, the Syrian government and ISIS have butchered over half-a-million men, women and children. The UN resolution suggests that this is occupied territory and should be handed over to those enemies… You have Israel thriving and a terror state five minutes from here in an abyss of murder. We will prevail.”[3]
Christians in Egypt, meanwhile, have followed their Saviour’s example by responding to the bombing of a Cairo church, which left 25 dead, with forgiveness for the perpetrators.
Arabic TV host Mona Roman is quoted as saying: “We had a lot of phone calls from Muslims saying, ‘We are killing you; we are destroying your churches, and you are saying we forgive you, we are praying for you.’ In fact, two Muslim men called in after the attack to give their lives to Christ. They said, ‘All that we see from you is love and forgiveness. You never answer us with explosions or weapons or hate speech. You are very strong people in love. We are the ones who are weak.’”
Witnesses said that, when the bomb went off, the priest was presiding over communion, repeating the words of Jesus, ‘This is my body, broken for you’. The women (separated from the men in the Coptic Church) were standing with arms lifted in worship of Jesus when, a moment later, they would have been standing in front of Him in heaven.[4]
PHOTO: Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully (Haim Zach / GPO)
  1. This quake, of a 7.8 magnitude causing extensive structural damage, struck just after midnight on November 14 near Christchurch, which suffered a devastating tremor five years ago. Just a week later, a second quake struck central New Zealand, with the epicenter some 200km north-east of Wellington, the capital. Although this measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, my sister Penny, who lives over 100 miles away on the west coast, felt the earth shaking – a truly frightening experience.  ↩
  2. To be fair, many New Zealanders have protested their country’s role in this debacle and the nation has become a favourite destination for young Israeli tourists.  ↩
  3. Jerusalem News Network, December 30 2016, quoting Arutz–7  ↩
  4. Egypt’s tragedy…and a story of forgiveness by Bonnie Brown of ASSIST News Service  ↩
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