Lawmakers Join in Support of Detained Iranian Pastor

CBNNews.com

Thursday, June 21, 2012

 

  

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted unanimously in favor of a resolution calling for the immediate release of imprisoned Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

Tuesday's vote followed a petition with more than 120,000 signatures of people urging lawmakers to approve the measure.

The American Center for Law and Justice has been following Nadarkhani's case and advocating on his behalf. ACLJ Chief Counsel Jordan Sekulow said he is "hopeful" that the entire Senate will propel the resolution forward.

"Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has sacrificed so much for his faith and has refused his captors' calls for him to renounce Christ," Sekulow said in a message to supporters.

He added that the resolution is key to strengthening the international fight against religious persecution toward Nadarkhani and others.

The ACLJ is now pressing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to call a full vote on the issue.

Nadarkhani is facing death by hanging in Iran for refusing to recant his Christian faith. He's been in prison away from his wife and two sons since 2009, often under harsh treatment and poor living conditions.

Sign the online petition urging more pressure on Iran to release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and dismiss his death sentence.

The American Center for Law and Justice has also started a Twitter campaign to spread the word about Nadarkani's case. @CBNNews has joined the effort. Learn how you can "Tweet for Youcef" here.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/June/Lawmakers-Join-in-Support-of-Detained-Iranian-Pastor/

'Son of Hamas' Makes Movie Exposing Islam

CBNNews.com

 

 

 

Mosab Hassan Yousef video

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Mosab Hassan Yousef, a Christian convert and the son of a Hamas leader, is now working on a movie about the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Yousef announced the project at a press conference in Jerusalem Tuesday. It was his first visit to Israel since he left in 2007.

"I think this is the time to expose the real nature of Islam," Yousef told reporters.

"Islam is not a religion of peace," he continued. "Islam is a religion of war and most Muslims don't understand the true nature of Islam. This is the time and I would like to announce it today here from Jerusalem, next to the Temple Mount."

In Yousef's book, Son of Hamas, he explains how he worked with Israeli security to stop terror attacks against the Israelis.

Many Palestinians, including Yousef's parents, view him as a traitor to Islam and worthy of death.

"I'm not to be addressed as his mother because he's not my son," Yousef's mother, Rubha told Reuters. "He gave his loyalties to a religion other than Islam. We're Muslims and he attacked our religion."

But Yousef remains unapologetic about his Christian faith.

"Usually people are ashamed when they do something wrong. People love to live in the darkness ... I live in the light. I didn't do anything wrong by saving human life," he said.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Hamas-Leaders-Son-Makes-Movie-Exposing-Islam-/

Southern Israel under heavy fire, 11 wounded

Southern Israel under heavy fire, 11 wounded

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 | Ryan Jones

Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Gaza Strip fired more than 50 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel on Tuesday and into Monday morning. Eleven border policemen were wounded in one of the attacks.

The attacks began during the pre-dawn hours Tuesday, and continued with a hail of rocket fire throughout the day. The only casualties reported were from a direct missile strike on a building near the coastal town of Ashkelon, where 11 officers with Israel's Border Police suffered light-to-moderate shrapnel injuries.

The assault continued on Wednesday morning with more short-range Kassam rocket attacks and at least one medium-range Grad missile attack that targeted the town of Beersheva.

Israeli forces responded with numerous overnight aerial raids on terrorist installations in Gaza. A number of terrorists were reportedly killed in the Israeli reprisals, but army officials cautioned that the situation was likely to get a lot more intense in the coming hours and days.

Gaza's Hamas rulers have actually claimed responsibility for many of the rocket attacks, a departure from the group's usual policy of letting smaller allied terror groups take the blame for attacks on southern Israel.

It is likely that Hamas is feeling emboldened by the assumed Muslim Brotherhood victory in Egypt's presidential election. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, and views the rise to power of the latter in neighboring Egypt as the start of a new era of "resistance" against the Zionist regime.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23265/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Iran, Syria, Russia, China Plan Massive War Games

CBNNews.com

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

 

 

  

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Iran, Syria, Russia, and China will take part in the "biggest-ever war games in the Middle East," Iran's semi-official FARS News Agency reported Tuesday.

According to the report, 90,000 troops, 1,000 tanks, 400 aircraft, warships, submarines, destroyers, and minesweepers will rendezvous along the coast of Syria within a month for the massive exercise.

Egypt has given China permission to send 12 warships through the Suez Canal, which reportedly will dock at Syrian ports over the next two weeks.

The announcement comes on the second day of meetings between Iran and the P5+1 -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany -- in Moscow.

Both Russia and China have vetoed military intervention in Syria and additional economic sanctions against Iran at the U.N. Security Council.

Tuesday's announcement also comes on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he will visit Israel on June 25.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Iran-Syria-Russia-China-Plan-Massive-War-Games/

Así es Israel

Ahava Love Letter - “No Rejection”

Ahava Love Letter

“No Rejection” “For the sake of His great name, the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own.” (1 Samuel 12:22)

Dear family of friends,

Most of us know of rejection. We understand, and have felt the pain of, this hurtful emotion. When carried out beyond the soulish realm into the physical arena, it can be devastating. I would think that all of us have experienced it at the receiving end at one time or another, in soul and body.

In 1 Samuel 12:22, quoted above, the prophet Samuel delivered a message to the nation of Israel at the end of his life. He prophesied that the Lord would not reject them as His people. After what they had already gone through, in deliverance from Egypt and the ongoing battles against surrounding peoples, this had to be a great word to hear. To know that the living God would not reject you, for His great name’s sake, was one promise to hang onto.

I am trusting it also can be a promise for those of us who are grafted into the spiritual vine, as believers, whether Jew or Gentile.

As we stand on the Lord’s promise to cover our back, and our front, even in the midst of false accusation, we can face the enemy and defeat him, not only on our behalf but for others who need our strength and support.

A primary purpose of the ministry of Love For His People is to stand with those who daily face worldwide rejection and the onslaught of the enemy, primarily our Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel. We already know that the Lord stands with them - just the fact that Israel and the Jewish people are still around today is proof enough. But we are also called as believers to stand with them, those living in Israel, as they hold claim to the Promised Land given to them.

Love For His People is committed to stand with His chosen ones, and will hold to His eternal word that “for the sake of His great name, the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own.”

I know many of you share this heartfelt commitment also. In my communications to friends in Israel, I know they appreciate it very much indeed. I also am aware that they continually need our prayers, encouragement, and financial help as never before.

We appreciate and thank you who have faithfully shared in this ministry of prayer and financial support for Jewish believers. Please consider sending a gift today to that end. When we hold up their hands, the Lord Yeshua promises to hold up ours.

Ahava to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

 

Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a monthly charitable gift of $5-$25 each month to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)

©2011 Steve  Martin      Love For His People, Inc.  12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134      

E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com

Facebook pages: Steve Martin  and  Love For His People       

Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter 

 

Blogger: http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com         YouTube: loveforhispeopleinc

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858.  Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.

Ahava Love Letter #30   Origianl published date: Aug. 16, in the year of our Lord 2011 

Eight Gates of Jerusalem Today

Sites and Insights: Gates of Jerusalem - Jerusalem Post

By WAYNE STILES

06/18/2012 17:47

There are 8 gates of Jerusalem today; but the Bible promises 12 in the future.

Photo: Courtesy

Wayne Stiles has never recovered from his travels in the Holy Land. Follow him on Twitter (@WayneStiles) or on his blog at www.waynestiles.com.

The walls and gates of Jerusalem have expanded and contracted over the centuries like the breathing of a living being.

The walls of the Old City of Jerusalem are such that we have to enter through the gates—just as people did for thousands of years.

Gates were more than passageways. They served as places for personal business and civic affairs (see Ruth 4:1). Gates often took their names from the distant cities they faced, like Jaffa, Damascus, and Shechem.

The gates of Jerusalem today mostly date from the time when Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt the walls around 1537. Moving counterclockwise around the wall:

Jaffa Gate



Because the Jaffa Gate also faces Hebron, where Abraham is buried, Arabs call the gate, Bab el-Khalil, “Gate of the Friend,” because of Isaiah 41:8. The gate offers easy access to the Citadel Museum and a walk on the ramparts. General Allenby memorably entered Jerusalem in 1917 through the Jaffa Gate.

Zion Gate



Immediately south of this gate sits modern “Mount Zion.” Its Arabic name, Bab Nabi Daud, “Gate of the Prophet David”—came about because David’s tomb supposedly rests on Mount Zion. A misnomer on all counts, biblical Zion (as well as David’s Tomb), rests east of its modern designation. The gate wears a pockmarked facade, voiceless scars from the fierce fighting for the Jewish Quarter in 1948.

Dung Gate



The unusual name stems from a gate that stood along the city’s south wall in the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:13). The Targum identifies the Dung Gate as the “Potsherd Gate” of Jeremiah 19:2. In antiquity, the city dump lay in the nearby Hinnom Valley, and the Potsherd Gate served as the exit by which the citizens took out the garbage.

Golden Gate



Bricked closed for more than 1,000 years, this gate is sometimes confused with the “Beautiful Gate” of the Second Temple (Acts 3:10). Muslim tradition holds that a conqueror or the Messiah will enter through this gate. Indeed, the Bible does predict the glory of the Lord will enter the Temple by means of “the eastern gate” (Ezekiel 43:4), but who knows if it refers to this one. Regardless, no bricked gate will deter the Messiah.

Stephen’s Gate



Christians have identified this gate with Stephen’s name in honor of his martyrdom outside the city (Acts 7:58-60). However, Byzantines placed his death outside a northern gate. Another name, “Lion’s Gate,” comes from the stone reliefs of two lions (or panthers or jaguars) that flank the gate.

Herod’s Gate



Sometimes called the “Gate of Flowers,” or Bab ez-Zahar, this gate took Herod’s name in the 16th or 17th century because pilgrims mistook a Mamluk house near the gate to be Herod Antipas’ palace. In this area the Crusaders penetrated the walls to capture the city in 1099.

Damascus Gate



A fine example of Ottoman architecture, this is the most beautiful of the gates of Jerusalem. Excavations below the gate reveal a triple-arched gateway that Hadrian built—the northern extent of the Cardo street from the second century. Outside the gate, an Arab market offers fresh fruit and vegetables. The Jews call it the “Shechem Gate,” and the Arabs refer to it as the "Gate of the Column.”

New Gate



The antiquity of the city walls is betrayed by the “New Gate,” opened in 1887 as a means of convenient northwest access to the Old City. I lodged for a week in the Christian Quarter years ago, grateful for the easy access the New Gate allowed to the city streets.

The Future Gates of Jerusalem

The 8 gates of Jerusalem have stood for centuries. But the Prophet Ezekiel predicted a day when the gates of Jerusalem would total 12—one for each of Israel’s tribes (Ezekiel 48:31-34).

Ezekiel also mentions that when the Messiah reigns in Jerusalem, the city will even receive an additional name: “The Lord is There.”

Wayne Stiles has never recovered from his travels in the Holy Land. Follow him on Twitter (@WayneStiles) or on his blog at www.waynestiles.com.

http://www.jpost.com/Travel/AroundIsrael/Article.aspx?id=274293

Romney seeks Christian vote with support for Israel

Romney seeks Christian vote with support for Israel

Monday, June 18, 2012 | Ryan Jones

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday committed himself to staunchly supporting Israel in its showdown with Iran should he win November's election against President Barack Obama.

"I would make it very clear that for us, as well as for them, it is unacceptable for Iran to become a nuclear nation," Romney told a Christian political gathering in Pennsylvania, where he accused Obama of being "more frightened that Israel might take military action than he is concerned that Iran might become nuclear."

The unequivocal declarations of support for Israel were seen as an effort to boost Romney's elect-ability among conservative Christians, a segment of Republican voters with which Romney is unpopular with due to his Mormon faith.

In related news, the results of a survey published this week showed that a 70 percent majority of Israelis view America as a strong and reliable ally, and 91 percent fully believe that if Israel were facing an immediate existential threat, the US would come to her aid.

On the other hand, a growing number of Israelis do not trust Obama. Only 38 percent of Israelis said they have a positive view of Obama, while 23 percent do not like the US president at all. The rest responded with a neutral stance.

Should Romney succeed in his White House bid, 30 percent of Israelis believe the Republican will improve US-Israel relations, while 26 percent see relations remaining the same as they are today. Only 6 percent felt Romney would be worse for Israel than Obama.

The survey was carried out by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, the Bar-Ilan University Center for International Communication, and the Anti-Defamation League.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23260/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Expert Gives Proof of Jewish Sovereignty over Jerusalem

By Chris Mitchell

CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief

Thursday, June 14, 2012

 

 

  

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Jerusalem is the most contested city in the world. But who does it belong to according to international law?

A two-day conference, entitled "The Status of Jerusalem Under International Law, Future Options for the City," addressed that crucial question this week. The conference highlighted the research of Dr. Jacques Gautier, a lawyer and expert in international law who presented his work to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.

"The intention was to present the facts," Gautier told CBN News.

Gautier's work, called "Sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem,"a is 1,300 pages long, with 3,200 footnotes. It took 25 years of research to produce.

"I found there was a moment in history when decisions were made under international law that are pertinent and relevant today," he said.

Gautier points to the 1920 San Remo Conference. After World War I, the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers, with the legal authority, decided "in favor of the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people."

In fact, Chaim Weizman, who attended this conference, immediately declared this is the most important moment in the history of the Jewish people since the Exile. It's the turning point from the point of view of international law," Gautier said.

"It's already been decided. And I want the world to stop ignoring what took place in San Remo; what took place with the council of the League of Nations," he continued.

Yet most of the world either denies, ignores, or is ignorant of the right given to the Jewish people under international law.

"Right now in the media (and) at the U.N., you constantly hear that the Jewish people are there as outlaws, they're trespassers, they're thieves, they're wrongfully there," Gautier explained. "If my conclusions are well founded and they're in fact there as a right, according to international law and they're not thieves," he said.

"We cannot deny the rights that have been given to the Jewish people," he concluded.

After 25 years of research, Gautier is convinced all of Jerusalem has been granted to the Jewish people as part of their national homeland.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Expert-Gives-Proof-of-Jewish-Sovereignty-over-Jerusalem/

HIGHWAY TO ZION ASSEMBLY

You are invited to join us!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HIGHWAY TO ZION ASSEMBLY
Worship, Dance, Shabbat Candle-lighting

       Cathy Hargett - Founder, Highway To Zion

You are invited to join us!!
Ze'ev Nevo is a speaker you do not want to miss!
Please come!

Friday, June 15, 2012  ~~ ~ 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

~ I N T R O D U C I N G ~

Ze’ev Nevo
Director of Israel Media Ministries
www.israelmediaministries.org
Gifted Speaker, Israeli Sabra, and most importantly,
devoted disciple of Yeshua ha Mashiach!

To give you a preview into Ze’ev’s story, read these excerpts
from his profile:

“Being a son of a Holocaust survivor and growing up in a secular Jewish family in Jerusalem, I never thought too much about God. After all, how can I believe in God after the Holocaust? Who would believe that today I am writing to you not just as a believer in God but as a believer in Jesus? I came to faith in Jesus (I usually call Him by His Hebrew name Yeshua) in 1999 when I was 27 years old…….It was in 2006 that I felt I must do something more extreme to share Yeshua with the people of Israel.  That’s when I began to serve full time with an evangelistic organization in Israel…..Then, one night, a very unusual thought came to me — I knew it was the Lord….. A journey of faith began that day that took my family and I out of Israel for the sake of Israel… much like the story of Joseph.”

Ze’ev is a powerful and winsome speaker who challenges your mind and your spirit with his insights.  His heart to reach his Jewish people with the truth of Yeshua ha Mashiach through the founding of Israel Media Ministries will touch you and inspire you to be part of the restoration of Israel. 

Messianic Worship Band!
Leader, Steve Martin of Love for His People Ministries
Laurie Martin (LFHP), Patty Paquette (HTZ), Ron Bowen (LFHP)
Gid Anthony (BY), Wane Daroux (BY)

Worship Dance!
Congregational worship dance with Highway to Zion Messianic Worship
Dancers and representatives from Beit Yeshua’s Machol Dancers
and anyone and everyone – whosoever will! -  who wants to come forward and dance together
as the sons and daughters of the God of Israel, in the joy, praise, and worship of Yeshua ha Mashiach!

Location:
Raintree Country Club
8600 Raintree Lane
Charlotte, NC  28277
RSVP if you're coming! :  Highwaytozion@aol.com

Israel: Jesus was not born in Palestine!

Israel: Jesus was not born in Palestine!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 | Ryan Jones

Israel is conducting a last-ditch diplomatic effort to prevent the Palestinian Authority from officially registering the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem as a World Heritage Site belonging to the country of "Palestine."

Later this month, the UN's World Heritage Committee will meet in Russia to debate inclusion of several sites from around the world. The committee confirmed that the Church of the Nativity is one of sites to be discussed.

The Palestinian effort to label Jesus' birthplace as being part of "Palestine" was made possible by last year's decision by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to officially recognize the fictional state.

Israeli officials told local media that the Church of the Nativity is indeed a World Heritage Site, but that listing it under "Palestine" is both erroneous and harmful to the peace process. The Palestinian Authority has for years been trying to paint Jesus as one of their national heroes and further deny both his Jewishness and affiliation with Israel.

Yasser Arafat used to openly declare Jesus to be a Palestinian as he kicked off Christmas from Bethlehem every year. His successors, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and prime minister Salam Fayyad, have continued the trend.

"Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the Palestinian identity of Jesus Christ," declared Fayyad as he flipped the switch lighting a 50-foot Christmas tree in Bethlehem's Manger Square last December.

The lie has fully permeated Arab society in the region.

In a December 3, 2010 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Samih Ghanadreh from Nazareth was asked about his new book "Christianity and its Connection to Islam." Ghanadreh told the host that he remembers fondly how Arafat would label Jesus as "the first Palestinian Shahid (martyr)," to which the host matter-of-factly responded, "Jesus was a Palestinian; no one denies that."

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23255/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Worthy Is The Lamb

The Lord Is Good (Hillsong)

Gaza kindergartners want to 'blow up Zionists'

Gaza kindergartners want to 'blow up Zionists'


Kids at Islamic Jihad kindergarten celebrate end of year by demonstrating how Palestinian prisoners are 'tortured' in Israel. Teacher: We educate them to love resistance, Palestine

Elior Levy

Published: 06.12.12, 18:08 / Israel News

Children attending a kindergarten in Gaza that is run by Islamic Jihad celebrated their graduation by dressing up in army attire, waving toy rifles and chanting anti-Israel slogans.


"It is our obligation to educate the children to love the resistance, Palestine and Jerusalem, so they will recognize the importance of Palestine and who its enemy is," the kindergarten's director said.





'Palestinian prisoner tortured.'


The children were dressed up in uniforms of Jihad's armed-wing, the al-Quds Brigades, and each of them received a toy rifle. Some of them held up photos of Islamic Jihad founder Fathi Shaqaqi.




'Palestinian prisoner and Israeli guard'

The event was attended by the children's relatives, some of whom belong to Islamic Jihad and other armed Palestinian factions.




'Until I die as a shahid.' Gaza kids during party

During the ceremony the children were asked to stand next to mock coffins draped with flags of the various armed factions. The flags bore the images of "shahids (martyrs)."




Kindergartners defend 'al-Aqsa mosque'

One child, Hamza, said "When I grow up I'll join Islamic Jihad and the al-Quds Brigades. I'll fight the Zionist enemy and fire missiles at it until I die as a shahid and join my father in heaven.

"I love the resistance and the martyrs and Palestine, and I want to blow myself up on Zionists and kill them on a bus in a suicide bombing," he said.

During the ceremony the children "demonstrated" how Israel treats Palestinian prisoners. In the display, handcuffed children depicting inmates were placed in cages, with an "Israeli guard" standing nearby.

Another child depicting an Israeli prison guard placed the head of a "Palestinian prisoner" in a bucket of water to demonstrate how Palestinian prisoners are "tortured" in Israel.

"At every kindergarten graduation ceremony we focus on the children to represent the role of struggling and resistance in the way of Allah so they will grow up to love the resistance and serve the cause of Palestine and Holy Jihad, as well as to make them leaders and fighters to defend the holy soil of Palestine," one of the teachers said.


http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4241588,00.htm

JERUSALEM - OLD CITY - 2010 WALKING TOUR - 1080P HD

Israel Marks Record Tourism in First Five Months

CBNNews.com

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

  

JERUSALEM, Israel -- In the first five months of 2012, Israel welcomed 1.42 million tourists, surpassing a 2010 record by 4 percent.

May saw around 321,000 tourists, also a 4 percent rise from May 2010 and 2011, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported.

Despite cancellations in 2011 attributed to uprisings in surrounding countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Libya, Syria and others, during the "Arab spring," Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said record number of tourists has helped the economy tremendously.

"The records and the constant increases in incoming tourism are proof that investment in the sector contributes to increasing revenue for the country and creates thousands of new jobs," Misezhnikov said.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Israel-Marks-Record-Tourism-in-First-Five-Months/

Time for 'financial Zionism', urges Israeli basketball star

Time for 'financial Zionism', urges Israeli basketball star

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 | Israel Today Staff

American-born former Israeli basketball star Tal Brody is urging fellow Israelis and supporters of the Jewish state around the world to combat the destructive BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement with what he calls "financial Zionism."

In a column for the Times of Israel, Brody notes that while Israel's hi-tech sector and large corporations are doing well on the global scene, small Israeli businesses are suffering at the hands of those of Israel's critics that want to punish her for perceived injustices against the Palestinians.

"It is a phenomenon that cannot be trivialized, because literally thousands of Israeli jobs could be lost should the tide not be reversed," writes Brody.

Brody, who is today a Goodwill Ambassador for Israel, says the solution, in addition to advocating for Israel, is to "buy blue and white." By purchasing Israeli-made goods from Israeli suppliers and retailers, the BDS movement can be effectively opposed and even neutralized.

Israel Today is ready to help on both fronts.

You can subscribe to our monthly magazine and get the information you need to be a better goodwill ambassador for Israel. Click Here to learn how to get 15% OFF your subscription rate

You can also buy from our Jerusalem Depot online store, which carries only made-in-Israel goods produces by small Israeli businesses. Click Here to have a look!

Do your part - become a financial Zionist!

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23253/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Joel Manby: Love Works

Joel Manby: Love Works

LEADING WITH LOVE

“When asked what was behind our caring culture displayed on Undercover Boss, I said, ‘Well we actually use love to define our leadership culture at Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE). Not love the emotion, but love the verb,” says Joel Manby, President and CEO of HFE.

When Joel agreed to appear on the CBS show, Undercover Boss, he had no idea the response he’d receive. His episode was seen by 18 million viewers across the U.S. and was the highest rated episode, behind the show’s premiere episode following the Super Bowl. Not only were people watching, they were taking notice.

Viewers were blown away by the HFE employees’ job satisfaction, and perhaps more so by the fact that they had a boss (Joel) who truly cared for their well-being.

"The simple truth is this: there is a crisis of confidence in leadership. The level of dissatisfaction and even resentment present in the thousands of letters and email message shocked me. People felt as if they couldn't trust their leaders and bosses. That's why our episode of Undercover Boss provoked such an overwhelming response - people were hungry for something new, something better. Countless workers wanted more from their leaders and their work environment, and we were hearing about it."

Joel is a twenty year veteran of the auto industry. Serving as the CEO of Saab USA, he discovered emptiness in his big business principles and practices. He felt like he was on a high speed treadmill. He and his family moved ten times in 15 years. During one year, he spent 250 days on the road and when he was at home, he had 6 a.m. calls from Sweden and 11 p.m. calls from Asia. He kept missing family birthdays and other occasions.

Wanting a great marriage and to be a great dad, he asked his boss if he could change positions, which would cut his travel in half. His boss refused. The harder Joel worked and the higher he was promoted, the worse his life seemed to get. His self-esteem was tied up in the performance of the companies he ran. He wanted out of life, but he didn’t want to be that selfish.

When Joel was offered a position with HFE, he seized the opportunity. Once on board, Joel looked to the owners as he determined how to best lead the company. In watching them, Joel realized the word “love” best described them.

Joel has incorporated the definition of love, the verb, into the company’s existing organic culture to establish how leaders are to behave. He views love as a mode of thinking-one that has helped him deliver tangible results and position HFE as the 9th largest themed attractions company in the world.

"Leading with love is counterintuitive in today's business environment because it turns many so-called leadership principles upside-down. Yet the outpouring of support from people who had never even heard of HFE convinced me that while we might be doing something slightly crazy by leading with love, we were also doing something that people were hungry to be a part of."

Highlighting practices such as writing thank you notes to employees each day, providing assistance to 10 percent of his workforce through the Share it Forward Foundation, and letting employees make the majority of all decisions, Joel’s leadership style is controversial, yet extremely successful. Over the past decade, while many competitors were failing or struggling, HFE is thriving.

SEVEN PRINCIPLES

The seven principles Joel set-up as guidelines for HFE actually come from one of the oldest and most respected authorities on human behavior: the Bible. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the apostle Paul writes, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

From this verse, HFE created a leadership that would embrace love as a behavior, not an emotion. Love is:

1. PATIENT: Embracing patience is not about ignoring poor performance. When leading with love, the principle of patience means behaving with self-control in difficult situations.

2. KIND: Show encouragement and enthusiasm. Kindness doesn’t mean being nice all the time; leaders must hold people accountable.

3. TRUSTING: Place confidence in someone. To become a great leader, one needs to assume the best about each person.

4. UNSELFISH: Being unselfish doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself—it means thinking of yourself less. Move from a selfish heart to a serving heart.

5. TRUTHFUL: Define reality corporately and individually. A strong leader assures that the truth is communicated to every individual about his or her performance and how it can be improved.

6. FORGIVING: Release the grip of the grudge. What was done to us doesn’t matter in the end—all that matters is how we respond.

7. DEDICATED: Stick to your values in all circumstances. Dedicated love will create hope and enthusiasm in the work environment.

“Leading with love is too important to be left to chance. It takes effort to lead with the principles of love - to be patient, kind, trustful, unselfish, truthful, forgiving, and dedicated . . . leading with love is worth it. On every level it is more difficult, and on every level it is more rewarding, more fulfilling, more right than you can imagine,” Joel says.


Author, Love Works (2012)
Appeared on CBS hit reality show, Undercover Boss
President and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (HFE)
Serves on several boards, including the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and John Scott Ministries
MBA from Harvard Business School on a GM scholarship
Valedictorian of Albion College
Wife, Marki, and four daughters

Website

www.JoelManby.com

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Israel Allies to US: Recognize Jerusalem as Capital

By Erick Stakelbeck

CBN News Terrorism Analyst

Thursday, June 07, 2012

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WASHINGTON -- Members of the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation met in Washington, D.C., this week and called on the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.

Several Jewish and Christian leaders, as well as pro-Israel lawmakers, attended the group's Jerusalem Day Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday.

Rep. Allen West, R-Fla.

"Jerusalem is the rightful capital of the Jewish people, and it should stay that way," Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., said. "It should always be unified under one simple flag, that star of David, because that is David's city."

Jerusalem's ties to the Jewish people date back at least 3,000 years, to King David's reign.

The city is mentioned 600 times in the Bible's Old Testament and another 160 times in the New Testament. It is never mentioned in the Koran.

Yet a battle continues to rage today over whether Jerusalem should remain Israel's undivided capital.

Palestinian leaders and their international backers want to split the city in two and make eastern Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state

"We have to be Israel's friend, and I would implore this president, who I just believe in my heart is not Israel's friend, to have a change of heart," Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill.,told CBN News.

Legislation was passed on Capitol Hill in 1995 calling for the U.S. Embassy in Israel to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Seventeen years later and that still has not happened.

In fact, successive administrations - from President Clinton to President Obama - have used a waiver to delay that decision and keep the Embassy in Tel Aviv.

The embassy issue was a major part of the agenda at the Jerusalem Day event.

"For us, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, the greatest country the world has ever known, to be fearful of moving our embassy to Jerusalem, in my opinion, is a disgrace and we need to do that and do that right now," GOP Florida Senate candidate Dave Weldon said.

Rabbi Benny Elon, president of the Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, told CBN News that the Palestinian claim to Jerusalem was rooted not in history but hostility.

"They don't need Jerusalem," he said. "They just want to make sure that we, the Jews, shall not have it."

Elon called on all American believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to put pressure on decision-makers in Washington to remedy the problem.

For full video: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Caucus-to-US-Acknowledge-Jerusalem-as-Israels-Capital/

Israel Discovers More OffShore Oil and Gas

CBN News

JERUSALEM, Israel -- An Israeli company announced the discovery of another sizable offshore oil and gas field on Sunday. Israel Opportunity Energy Resources LP estimated the newest field at about 1.4 billion barrels of oil and 6.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

"The quantity of gas discovered in the licenses -- and the high probabilities -- make it the third largest off-shore discovery to date," chairman Ronny Halman told Globes. "This quantity guarantees Israel's energy future for decades," he said, "and makes it possible to export Israeli gas and boost the State's revenues without worrying about gas reserves for domestic consumption."

The latest discovery follows last June's announcement of one of the world's largest offshore gas reserves estimated at more than 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 800 million barrels of oil.

In addition to the offshore gas and oil fields, another Israeli company has been exploring the country's shale oil reserves, which could equal Saudi Arabia's oil reserves.

Israel Energy Initiatives chief scientists Harold Vinegar told CBN News a conservative estimate was about 250 billion barrels of oil.

In February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias to talk about the discovery off the coast of Cyprus of natural gas deposits estimated at 8 trillion cubic feet. The two leaders discussed the possibility of a joint pipeline to export gas to Europe and Asia.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/June/Israel-Discovers-More-OffShore-Oil-and-Gas-/

Obama now unsure Palestinians even want peace

israel today Magazine

You've read the news. Now understand it.

Report: Obama now unsure Palestinians even want peace

Wednesday, June 06, 2012 | Ryan Jones

 

US President Barack Obama has come to realize what many Middle East observers have long known: that perhaps the Palestinian Authority leadership does not want genuine peace and coexistence with Israel.

Obama expressed that concern during a White House meeting with Orthodox Jewish leaders on Tuesday, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Over the past three years, Obama has seen the Palestinian leadership consistently refuse to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while at the same time trying to blame the impasse on Israel's rejection of far-reaching preconditions.

Washington's response to this frustrating situation has been increased pressure on Israel to make gestures toward the Palestinians, in particular by curbing Jewish construction in Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and Samaria. The apparent hope was that the Palestinians would soften up, but it also resulted in Israel feeling as though the Obama Administration was far less friendly to Israel than previous American governments.

In Tuesday's meeting, Obama insisted that was not the case, noting that all four previous American presidents had called for an end to Jewish "settlement activity." Obama said that in the overall scheme of things, his administration actually tilts in favor of Israel, a fact that has caused problems between Washington and the Palestinians.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23247/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Our Friend Ephraim Shaul in Liberia, West Africa

Ephraim Shaul in Libeira, West Africa

Orphans in Liberia with Ephraim

We recently received these three pictures from our good friend Ephraim Shaul in Liberia, West Africa. He cares for the orphans also pictured.

Muslim Brotherhood must not control Egypt, warns presidential candidate

Muslim Brotherhood must not control Egypt, warns presidential candidate

Israel Today magazine

Monday, June 04, 2012 | Ryan Jones

As Egyptians wait to vote in the second round of their first truly democratic presidential election, secular candidate Ahmed Shafiq is loudly warning voters that choosing his Muslim Brotherhood rival will plunge Egypt into darkness and spark renewed conflict with Israel.

The Muslim Brotherhood already controls the Egyptian parliament, thanks to a very strong showing in legislative elections in December and January. In last week's presidential election, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi took home the lion's share of the votes with 25 percent. But that wasn't enough for an outright victory, so a run-off will be held between Mursi and Shafiq, who received 24 percent of the votes, in two weeks.

In a press conference on Sunday, Shafiq cautioned that giving the Brotherhood both the parliament and the presidency will "return Egypt to the dark ages."

Shafiq insisted that despite its promises to the contrary, the Muslim Brotherhood will oppress Egyptian Christians, will try to impose Shariah Law, and will antagonize Israel by making "Palestine" the central issue for all Egyptians. Shafiq also said the Muslim Brotherhood would ignore the mounting lawlessness in the Sinai Peninsula, a situation that concerns Israel greatly as regional terror groups like Hizballah, Hamas and Al Qaeda set up base in the area.

"I represent progress and light, they represent backwardness and darkness," said Shafiq, who himself is a very divisive figure considering his past association with ousted former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Road to Damascus: Arab Believers Risk Death for Faith

By Gary Lane

CBN News Sr. International Correspondent

Sunday, June 03, 2012

 

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What happens when a Muslim comes to Christ in the Middle East? Many fear persecution so they keep their Christian faith a secret. Others, like evangelist "Rasim," boldly profess their faith and suffer dire consequences as a result. There are dangers but also blessings of embracing and sharing the Gospel in a very distressed region of the world.

Signs and Wonders

Many Muslims throughout the Middle East are coming to Christ through signs and wonders like those performed by Paul and Barnabas in the Book of Acts. The road to Damascus is where the Apostle Paul walked and stopped at the home of Ananias where he was baptized. And that was the start of an incredible ministry that has changed the world. Today in Syria, other evangelists are following in his footsteps.

One evangelist named Rasim shares his faith in a mosque with the imam. He gave the Islamic priest a copy of the Bible and the Jesus film. "I told him if you read the Bible, you'll believe and your mind will be changed -- the Lord is God and he died for you," Rasim said. "He took the Bible and he said, 'maybe.'"

Several Christians joined Rasim in the mosque and prayed for an elderly Muslim man named Bakram. He could barely walk because he had broken his knee and it had not healed properly.

"Bakram was healed and he started dancing and was very happy," Rasim said. "Hallelujah! There's a miracle in the mosque!"

Safety is a Concern

Like the secret Muslim converts and other Christians, Rasim's safety is at risk. While he is often afraid when he approaches a mosque, he said he feels the peace of God once he steps through the door in faith. And because he courageously pushes forward, the knees of a Bedouin woman were also healed recently when Rasim paid a visit to her home.

"We have fear, but Jesus is with us -- Emmanuel is with us," Rasim said. "Jesus said, 'I am with you forever' and we need to go to the mosques and everywhere to tell people the truth about Him and His love."

Christians Killed in Egypt

Believers like Rasim have good cause to fear. It is hard to be a Christian in a Muslim-dominated society, especially in Egypt where Christians were murdered in the streets earlier this year near the city of Luxor. "In November 2008 there was actually an attack of 3,000 people on a church in Cairo where they had attempted to burn it," said Caroline Doss of the American Coptic Federation. "And the attack can actually be viewed online on You Tube. You haven't heard anything about an arrest or a prosecution...That's sending a clear message to the Egyptian population that this is acceptable behavior."

It is life-threatening behavior that mainly targets converts from Islam.

Egyptian Mohammed Hegazy his family are in hiding -- running for their lives. That is because he has several fatwas -- official Islamic pronouncements of death against him because he became a Christian and then fought a legal battle to gain the right to change his religion on his national ID card.

"If you don't have the right or freedom to choose your own belief, what rights do you have," Hegazy asked. "What freedom do you have? I am not afraid because I believe in Christ. Hegazy said he was jailed and tortured by Egyptian state security agents who wanted him to return to Islam.

"They hanged me upside down by my feet and beat me repeatedly," he said. "They used to torture us with electricity on many parts of our bodies and especially on the genitals."

Conversion Kept Secret

Hegazy suffered because he publicly professed his faith. Converts from Islam often try to keep their Christianity a secret in Muslim countries. But many are eventually found out by family members and others.

"I was very worried a rock would hit one of my children or my wife," said Asif, a former Palestinian Muslim who was attacked by militant Muslims. "Thank God the rock hit me instead."

Asif's leg was broken and surgery was required. A steel rod was placed in his shattered leg. He endures ongoing threats and pain, still Asif said he will never return to Islam.

"I can't play back and forth...faith is not a game," he said. "Honestly my life has changed. I am a happier person, a better person. I have a new life now."

Compelled to Share Their Faith

Despite the risks, some bold Middle Eastern Christians feel compelled to share their faith with Muslims and other people. Several years ago, an Iraqi Christian under the alias of Hassan, started a church in Mosul. The body of believers grew from several people to 60 in about five months. One day a gunman in a passing vehicle shot Hassan. Doctors said he suffered a spinal cord injury and would never walk again.

Hassan continues to share Christ with others, but today he does it from a wheelchair in Lebanon. His paralysis has caused many difficulties, but also opportunities.

"When I witness to people about Christ, they know that I really mean what I say unto death," Hassan said. "Of course living for Christ in Iraq is not easy for anybody...despite this difficult situation the salvation of souls is taking place in big numbers among masses in Iraq."

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/May/Middle-East-Christians-Share-Faith-Despite-Risks/

Israel Word - shared by Catharina Schouten

Catharina Schouten

TWICE NOW I COULD NOT CATCH MY BREATH! THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED ( SOME WEEKS AGO) THE LORD MADE IT CLEAR IT IS PROPHETICLY! ISRAEL IS IN DEEP TROUBLE. THE SECOND TIME WAS JUST A VIEW MINUTES BACK. OUT OF THE BLUE I FELT LIKE CHOKING! THE LORD TOLD ME:

IT WILL SEEM THAT ISRAEL WILL GET HELP BUT IT IS A FALSE THING! I AM WAITING SAITH THE LORD, I AM WAITING FOR MY PEOPLE TO CRY OUT TO ME! EVENTHOUGH THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE ME AS THE SON AS THEIR JEWISH MESSIAH THEY CAN CRY OUT FOR ME.

THEY CAN NOT HIDE THEIR ROOTS. THEY CAN NOT HIDE FROM ME. I AM IS STILL HERE! I LOVE MY PEOPLE BUT THEY MUST EXPECT IT FROM ME! I WILL SHOW THE WORLD THAT I AM DOES NOT SLUMBER AND DOES NOT SLEEP.
LISTEN TO ME AND THEN PRAY PRAY PRAY AND AGAIN LISTEN TO ME SO YOU CAN PRAY PROPHETICLY! FOR MY WORDS WILL NEVER RETURN IN VAIN SAITH THE LORD.

I ALSO WARN THOSE WHO LOVE MY LAND IN A ROMANTIC WAY! AS SOON AS IT CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE, YOU WONT SUPPORT MY LAND AND MY PEOPLE, SAITH THE LORD!

SO RETURN TO ME WITH ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND ALL THAT YOU ARE AND ALL OF YOUR HEART BEFORE YOU PRAY FOR MY LAND AND MY PEOPLE! I NEED THE PURE OF HEART WHO CAN BE MY VOICE! I WILL HONOUR THEIR PRAYERS CAUSE THEY ONLY REPEAT WHAT I AM SAYING AND MY WORD WILL NOT COME BACK IN VAIN! COMFORT MY PEOPLE NOT WITH YOUR OWN FIRE IT IS PROFANE FIRE IN MY EYES SAITH THE LORD! COME TO ME AND I WILL CIRCUMCIZE YOUR HEART ( DEEPER OR EVEN FOR THE SECOND TIME)

THEN I CAN SPEAK THROUGH YOUR MOUTH AND YOU CAN TRULY BE A WATCHMAN ON THE WALL! I NEED YOU MY PEOPLE I NEED YOU AND MY LAND NEEDS YOU SAITH THE LORD.

ONLY THOSE THAT LET ME BE THEIR ALL IN ALL, ONLY THOSE THAT LET ME CIRCUMSIZE THEIR HEART, ONLY THOSE WHO DEEPLY DIE TO SELF AND THEIR OWN AMBITION, CAN STAND IN THE DAYS TO COME! PEOPLE WHO I DO NOT SEND CRY OUT THERE IS PEACE, PEACE , WHERE THERE IS NO PEACE, THESE PEOPLE HONOUR ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT NOT WITH THEIR HEARTS!

TURN BACK TO ME! TRUST ONLY ME! NOT YOUR PLANS NOT YOUR SOLUTIONS NOT YOUR POLITICIAN , NO, TURN YOUR HEARTS ON ME! FOR I AM WHO I AM, AND I NEVER CHANGED! SAITH THE LORD

Isaiah 29 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men

Catharina Schouten, The Netherlands (repost out of 2011)

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/catharina-schouten/23/a28/848