Perilous Times

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedience to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traders, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." 2Timothy 3:1-4. Most biblical scholars agree we are living in the last days. News headlines on a daily basis report of the persecution of Christians and Jews and even of the rewriting of the Holy Bible. We see the scriptures above illustrated around us continually.

Our message this week will concentrate on the blaspheming, slandering and the despisers of good towards Israel. Palestinian Authority President Malmoud Abbas last Friday blamed Israel for all global terrorism that is totally untrue. At the same time, he stated that Jews are seeking to poison the water that Palestinians drink. This fabricated charge was credited to an Israeli Rabbi who does not exist. Palestinian leaders, since Israel was formed in 1948, have told similar lies knowing there are those who will believe them without seeking the real truth.

2Timothy 3:12-15 teaches us how to be overcomers and victorious in these perilous times. "Know The Truth And Proclaim The Truth." The most important truth we need to proclaim is that salvation is only through the belief and the confession in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and that God raised Him from the dead. Romans 10:9.

Additionally, we need to know the truth and proclaim the truth about the land of Israel. Genesis 15:18 says, "On the same day The Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your descents I have given this land, from the River of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.'" God gave to Abram and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob almost the whole Middle East to include Judea and Samaria, Gaza, parts of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Jordan. The Israelites to date have not occupied all this land but the day is coming when this will be a reality. Obadiah 1:19-20.

Know The Truth And Proclaim The Truth!  

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank

Genesis 12:3

"I Will Bless Those Who Bless You, And I Will Curse Him Who Curses You; And In You All The Families Of The Earth Shall Be Blessed."

This verse is a foundational type of message from our Lord God's Holy Word and encourages Christians to love and support Israel and the Jewish people. The second part is addressed to the Jewish people, God's original covenant people, and informs them "You will bless all the families of the earth." This was written approximately three thousand years ago, yet the Jewish people of today are obeying their Lord. 

Six years ago, Israel's Carmel Forest was on fire and Cyprus sent its only firefighting aircraft to assist in fighting the blaze which was the largest fire in Israel's history. This past Saturday, news reports revealed Cyprus was now facing its own massive blaze. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered three Israeli firefighting aircraft to join in the effort to put out the blaze. Netanyahu ordered the aircraft to be sent Saturday night and they were in Cyprus in less than 24 hours after the fire started. News reports also reveal Israel was working to send a rescue team to Cyprus.

Another story of Israeli's taking Genesis 12:3 literally revolves around an Israeli charity called Save A Child. This charity exists to assist needy children from developing countries. Recently, the four thousandth child received life saving heart surgery. A four year old from Gambia, Africa arrived at Wolfson Medical Center and stopped breathing. After hours of resuscitation and surgery plus days of recovery, the young child was playing with other children from all over the world. 

As the Jewish people are involved in acts of love and charity, they are obeying the words of their God when He says in Deuteronomy 30:9-10, "The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock and in the produce of your land for good. For The Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers. If you obey the voice of The Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statues which are written in this Book of the Law and if you turn to The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank
 

Different Standards For Israel

When we look at the title for our message this week, we are referring to how Israel is treated by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Israel is treated harsher than almost every other country represented in the U.N. based on inaccurate information. Yes, there is a blatant double standard!

Worldly news reports on a daily basis tells of human rights violations especially in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands Syrians have been massacred in a Civil War, ISIS rules part of Iraq and basic human rights are hard to find in Iran, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. "While human rights are out of control world wide, only one country is inspected at every meeting of the UNHRC - Israel," said Jamey Keaton of the Associated Press.

Keaton pointed out that over the past ten years, the UNHRC passed 233 resolutions with 65 focusing on Israel with the majority of them condemning Israel. At the same time, Syria had displaced 10 million of its people and received only 19 resolutions.

David Keyes representing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu responded, "The U.N. continues to single out Israel, the only liberal democracy in the Middle East. Imagine that, a country with free speech, free elections and minority rights is condemned more than mass murdering dictatorships in North Korea, Iran and Syria. This all speaks for itself."

That is the bad news. Here is the Good News for all who love and trust in our Lord God and support Israel. Psalm 17:6-9 says, "I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; incline Your ear to me and hear my speech.Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye, hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppose me from my deadly enemies who surround me."  

Our Lord God hears and responds to all our prayers, saves those who trust in Him from their enemies and shelters His people under His wings. Hallelujah!   

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank

                  

"For He Must Reign"

The title for our message is taken from 1st Corinthians 15:25, "For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet." This is a very encouraging verse for all of God's people but can be at the same time difficult to understand. The Apostle Paul is proclaiming that Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of God The Father, must reign until God puts all enemies of Jesus under His feet. 

Possibly, your response might be that this is good to know but hard to visualize and experience in the world in which we live. This reaction is understandable. However, as we draw closer to our Lord God we can also look for evidence of His moving and reigning within all the negative news and atmosphere.

Three Stories Out Of Israel This Week Illustrate Our God 

Still Reigns And Is Working Toward Protecting Israel . . .

Story One . . .The relationship between Russia and Israel is very important for the security of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced this week he is meeting with Russian Prime Minister Putin for the fourth time this year. Russia initially supported the establishment of Israel but broke ties with Israel after the Six Day War in 1967. The current meeting will discuss ways to fight terrorism, the situation in Syria and economic and trade co-operation. Yes, our God still is reigning!

Story Two . . .Thirty one countries have voted to adopt a new definition of anti-semitism in an attempt to counter hatred. As a result, a new definition of anti-semitism reads, "A certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews, that can also target the State of Israel." Certainly a step in the right direction since it is difficult to solve a problem until it is defined.

Story Three . . .The Governor of the state of New York and the Mayor of New York City, have just signed an Executive Order banning their state from contacting those who boycott Israel known as the BDS Campaign. Andrew Cuomo said, "If you boycott Israel, New York will boycott you. This state will not stand for the politics of discrimination in any form and will continue to support the people of Israel." A wonderful example for other states and the nations of the world. 

Yes, our Lord God is still on His throne and is still reigning! Psalm 110:1-2 says, "The Lord said to my Lord, 'sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool' The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion, rule in the midst of Your enemies!"

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank

Giving Thanks

This past weekend Americans remembered those who gave their lives in the military so citizens of the United States are able to continue to live in freedom. The main ingredient of their remembrance was to do so with a thankful heart. In a similar vein of thought, our message this week will remind Christians of the need to have a thankful heart towards the Jewish people. 

It is vitality important for Christians to understand that everything we receive as born again Christians was given first to the Jewish people. The Apostle Paul was agonizing over his brethren not recognizing Jesus as their Messiah in Romans 9:3-5 when he said, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God."  

This is a very bold declaration by Paul. He is acknowledging that all the blessings from our Lord God which we experience each day is in effect Jewish. The boldest declaration is that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is Jewish. The Word of God was written primarily by Hebrew men. Salvation itself was given to the Jew first, Romans 2:10.

Our Lord God's initial intentions were very clear concerning the giving of His love and blessings - to the Jew first! Then why do most Jewish people not understand that Jesus Christ is their Messiah? Through ignorance and disobedience they have rejected Christ, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:3.

Praise God, this is not the end of the story. Romans 11:11,26,29 says, "I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealously, salvation has come to the Gentiles. . And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins . . . for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.'"

As a result, my prayer for all Christians is that we will each day have grateful hearts toward our Lord God for all His blessings but also in this process be respectful and thankful to the Jewish people.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank