Blessed And A Blessing

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, while addressing the Davos World Economic Forum recently, made the following statement, "Israel isn't what is wrong with the Middle East, it is what is right with the Middle East." Netanyahu went on to state that it is the "epicenter of world innovation to include research and development."

"Israel is an innovative nation. It's economic policy is to cut taxes and to remove barriers to competition so that the private sector can run forward and compete. During the past ten years, Israel has managed to bring down the debt-to-GDP ratio to 67% while reducing inflation and cutting unemployment. This is an invitation to others to join this innovative nation, it is open for business, please come and join us." This concluded Netanyahu's remarks.

All of this is very special and exciting because it is the Word of our Lord God in action. During the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12:2 our Lord God said to Abraham and his descendants "I will make you into a great nation and will BLESS YOU." When we hear these remarks by the Prime Minister of Israel and observe the Israeli economy as one of the strongest in the world we see God's Word coming to fruition. Hallelujah!

Let's go a step further! Geneses 12:2 says "And you shall be a blessing." What is not covered by the world media, Israeli doctors and aid workers have been involved for the last three years in treating refugees from the Syrian war in Israel. Since Syria forbids its citizens to go to Israel, all of this has to be done in secret. The refugees must be smuggled in and out and the names of the patients are kept secret. Israeli doctors are also treating patients in Jordan in a similar secret manner. I would say that Israel is going over and above the call of duty and is certainly being a blessing as God's Word proclaims. Hallelujah!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank     

The Holy City - Part Two

Last week we addressed the quesion of why Jerusalem is referred to as The Holy City with the result of Jerusalem being God's Habitation. Today, we will look at our Lord God's word concerning the future of His Holy City.

However, before we look at the future, it is important to realize currently the spiritual warfare over Jerusalem and Israel as a whole is severe. Most worldly governments and the worldly media believe East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria belong to the Palestinians. Since early 2013, the United States Secretary of State has made 15 trips to Israel and is predicting a Peace Accord by Spring. The leaders of Israel need our urgent and sincere prayers each and every day to react to the Will of our Lord God.

Well, back to the future of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 33 is a very prophetic chapter concerning Jerusalem. We know Jeremiah was sanctified in his mother's womb as a prophet. Jeremiah 33:14-16 illustrates our Lord God saying "Behold, the days are coming, 'says The Lord,' that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judea: In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judea will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely, and this is the name by which she will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness."

However, Zechariah 14 illustrates Jerusalem will experience some hard times before the Jeremiah 33 prophetic events. "For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. . . .then The Lord will go forth and fight against those nations. . . .His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. . . .and The Lord shall be King over all the earth. . . .but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited." Zechariah 14:2, 3, 4, 9, and 11.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank



The Holy City

During my last trip to Israel and as the tour bus approached Jerusalem, the sound system started playing the following worship song. . .

Jerusalem, Jerusalem;

Lift Up Your Gates And Sing;

Hosanna In The Highest;

Hosanna To Our King

Immediately, everyone in the bus started worshiping The Lord, it was one of the richest and purest times of worship of my life. What is it about Jerusalem that causes such a response? Why is it referred to as the Holy City? Why is it said "Jerusalem is the center of world events?"

The word of our Lord God says in Psalm 132:13-14 "For The Lord has chosen Zion (Jerusalem), He has desired it for His habitation; this is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it." Jerusalem is very important to our God, because it is His habitation. Our God deeply cares about His home and the grounds that surround it which is all of Israel. Jerusalem is not our God's temporary residence, it is His permanent abode. He will dwell in Jerusalem forever.

The importance of Jerusalem to our God is also illustrated in Psalm 122:6 that says "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love You. May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your houses." Traditionally, most people believe the peace mentioned here revolves around a lack of war in Israel. This is true but the Hebrew meaning of this peace is much more involved. This peace actually means well being, happiness, health, prosperity, favor and rest. We are actually praying for all of this for the Jewish people when we obey this verse.

We, who love and pray on a regular basis for Israel, can join a ministry in Israel that takes Isaiah 62:1 literally "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns." We can participate with the Jerusalem House of Prayer For All Nations headed by Tom Hess in which people from all over the world come to pray twenty-four hours a day on the Mount of Olives. For more information please go to www.jhopfan.org 

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank  

"This Is Insane, Dangerous And Immoral"

An United States Government official said recently "A core goal of United States Middle East Policy is to release Palestinian mass murderers from Israeli prisons." In fact, twenty six prisoners were released on December 28th. The United States now conditions its support of Israel on their willingness to release independent mass murdering terrorists!

How does this advance the cause of peace? Does not acts of this nature almost guarantee the next round of the Palestinian terror war against Israel? A society that demands the release of such prisoners does not appear to have much of an interest in a peaceful agreement. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 requires all states must "deny safe haven to those who commit terrorists acts." The Palestinians are not keeping this resolution with the apparant United States approval.

The Israeli public views the release of Palestinian mass murderers as "insane, dangerous and immoral." Continually, in our messages we have encouraged you who love Israel to pray for the Israeli government to make decisions pleasing to our Lord God. Last week, the Ministerial Committee approved a bill to apply Israeli Law over the Jordan Valley. This valley protects Israel from invasion from the east. This bill would assure that this area remains under Israel's sovereign control. Praise The Lord! Keep Praying!

Possibly, all of this raises the question "Can Israel survive without America?" America's track record in achieving peace has been consistently poor since 1948. The only two Arab Israeli peace accords - with Egypt and Jordan - were initiated by Israel. In fact the United States opposed the 1977 peace initiative with Egypt. This is a very interesting question, isn't it?

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank  

The New Year

Traditionally, this first week of a new calendar year finds people thinking about and making resolutions that they think will improve their lives in comparison to mistakes or failures of the previous year. I guess this is all well and good, however, statistics prove the majority of resolutions made at the beginning of a new year are not kept.

As we start this new year, I suggest it would be more appropriate to look at how we can recommit our lives to our Lord God. This is a perfect time to evaluate our relationship with our Lord and see if we are involved in such Godly activities such as keeping the Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28-34); bringing our tithes into the storehouse (Malachi 3:10); or visiting orphans and widows (James 1:27) just to name a few. Isn't this much more important to our Lord than setting resolutions?

Recently I studied how the Jewish people start a new year in which they celebrate a Feast Day known as Rosh Hashana. The Jewish Festival Calendar is based on a Lunar Cycle that starts in either September or October. In their Synogogues on Rosh Hashana the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21 is read and the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 is also read.

This is a very special way to start a new year since there is much to learn from both stories in our Lord's Word. Abraham worshiped God while even knowing he was required to sacrifice Isaac his only son. Abraham actually bowed low before The Lord in submission and adoration. He chose to obey God when all within him wanted to turn the other way and not obey.

We Praise The Lord for His Word - our Manual of Instructions on how to live our lives pleasing to Him. As we start this new year, let us be those who recommit our lives in obedience to our Lord God to include loving and supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank