"Be Glad And Rejoice"

This past Tuesday at sundown, the Jewish people throughout the world started their celebration of the Feast of Hanukkah. The traditions of Hanukkah include the lighting each night of one candle of an eight-branched Menorah. Thus Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights.

The drama of Hanukkah begins with Alexander The Great during the fourth century, BC who had conquered the world by the age of 23. Several generations later, Antiochus Epiphanes, who ruled from Syria, had military control over Jerusalem. Antiochus had Jerusalem's High Priest murdered and set up a statue of Jupiter on the Temple Mount.

An old priest named Mattathias became angry and fled to the nearby mountains with his sons to prepare to wage warfare against the oppressors from Syria. Mattathias put his son Judah in charge and they defeated every attempt by Antiochus to end their uprising. Judah led his followers to Jerusalem where he drove the Syrian force from the Temple and out of the city.

Upon arriving at the Temple, they found inside the Temple a huge Menorah. The rejoicing Jewish conquerors found only enough oil to light the Menorah for one day. Levitical Laws stated that the Temple Menorah must burn continually. The miracle of Hanukkah is that our Lord God provided enough oil to cause the Menorah to be lit for the entire eight days.

What does this mean for us? Hanukkah is a story of overcoming in the face of overwhelming adversity. Our lesson from this holiday is that we can overcome with our God. Zephaniah 3:19 says, "Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you." Our Lord God has dealt with our oppressors in the past, is dealing with them in the present and will deal with them in the future. As a result, Zephaniah 3:14 also says, "Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!" 

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

Frank    

Israeli Style Democracy

Israel is the only country in the Middle East to function as a democracy. However, their method of democracy is very different and is referred to as a Parliamentary Democracy. Israel's Parliament, the Knesset, can be dissolved before completing its four year term. Political parties are elected to the Knesset and there are 13 parties currently represented. The elected parties appoint members to the Knesset and each party receives a number of Knesset members based on general election results. 

After the Knesset is elected, Israel's President identifies one party to form a coalition. The leader of that party then becomes the Prime Minister and he works to form a coalition and then the Knesset votes its approval. If at any point, the Prime Minister cannot continue a coalition of support, the government is dissolved and new elections are necessary. This happened last week and elections are set for March 17, 2015.

Prime Minister Netanyahu hopes that going to the polls will deliver a government with less internal opposition. Surveys indicate a plurality of voters would choose Netanyahu's Likud Party in the upcoming election. 

A major concern for Israel and those who love Israel is will the splintered government function effectively over the next two months with all the current challenges in place. Hamas is rebuilding tunnels for its next attack; ISIS plans to attack and destroy Israel; Iran is close to having nuclear weapons; terror attacks in Israel have increased recently; and riots are common on the Temple Mount and in East Jerusalem. Also there are parties in favor of "Giving Up The Land" that desire to gain control of the government.

Israel needs our prayers desperately right now. We know there are those who want an Israeli government who will give in to the demands of their enemies. However, Isaiah 62:7 encourages us to pray continually for our Lord's control and protection over Jerusalem, "You who make mention of The Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." Let us take these verses to heart and pray accordingly and continually.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care,

Frank

"A Blessing"

Genesis 12:3 says, "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This extremely important verse of Scripture illustrates our Lord God speaking to Abraham as part of establishing the Abrahamic Covenant showing that The Lord desires for the Jewish people to be a blessing to all peoples of the earth.This has been illustrated by the Jewish people over and over again in the past and in the present. For example, the Jewish people have been the recipients of 22% of all Nobel Peace Prizes while making up only 2% of the world's population. Israel is always one of the first countries responding to help during disasters.

The tactics of the Israeli Defense Forces during the recent Gaza War also is a prime example. Medical tents were established at the Gaza border to actually treat injured citizens of Gaza. The I.D.F. did all they could do to avoid any casualties within the citizenship of Gaza. 

This so far has been a little bit of a history lesson since I know I have covered these concepts in other blogs. However, in today's message I want to share how the Israelis function among themselves in Israel and especially during the Gaza War. We need to first realize that the population of Israel is annually rated among the happiest, healthiest and most educated in the world. Life expectancy in Israel significantly exceeds America's and that of most European countries. Unemployment is low, the economy is robust.

During the duration of the Gaza War, youth movements, Synagogues, businesses and individual citizens sent food and supplies to the soldiers in Gaza. They also visited wounded soldiers, sent food to bomb shelters and visited bomb shelters to entertain and play with the children. A major concern among Israeli citizens was to reach out to what was known as "Lone Soldiers" meaning those who have no family in Israel. Israelis went out of their way to visit these soldiers in hospitals and to attend their funerals.

Yes, God's Chosen People have taken their calling to be a blessing to all peoples of the earth seriously. However, another very important part of Genesis 12:3 is for us which states, "I will bless those who bless you." We can do this with our continual and fervent prayers for God to take care of them and protect them.

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

Frank  

Prayers Of Thanksgiving

"Make a joyful shout to The Lord, all you lands! Serve The Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that The Lord, He is good; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with Thanksgiving. and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For The Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations." Psalm 100. 

This Psalm is titled "A Psalm of Thanksgiving." It teaches us much about having a heart and mind of thanksgiving toward our loving and caring God not just one Thursday each year but everyday. Proclaiming this Psalm each day will illustrate a heart full of thanksgiving for our Lord God.

Verse One Says, "Make A Joyful Shout To The Lord." The Israelites, as they march around the walls of Jericho, shouted to The Lord with a voice of triumph and the walls came tumbling down. . . Lord, touch our hearts to shout words of triumph unto You each day in every situation. 

Verse Two Says, "Serve The Lord With Gladness." The place to be happy is here and the time to be happy is now. . . Lord, grant us hearts and minds of happiness unto You each day.

Verse Three Says, "Know That The Lord He Is God." Before we can have any real joy, we have to recognize the authority of God in our lives. . . Lord, give us a heart and mind attitude of knowing you as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Verse Four Says, "Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving." Prior to approaching our Lord God, we must have hearts of repentance and thanksgiving. . .Lord, turn our hearts into hearts of reverence unto You.

Verse Five Says, "For The Lord Is Good." We need to acknowledge each day that everything good in our lives is a love gift from Our Lord God. . .Lord, give us hearts of unconditional love, joy and thanksgiving unto You each day.

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

Frank

    

Standing With Israel

Our Lord God numerous times in His Word illustrates for us, as Born Again Christians, that we are "indebted" to His original chosen people, the Jewish people. Romans 9:4-5 says, "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." Additionally, Romans 15:27 says, "For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things." On this subject, we need to acknowledge and realize any financial support for Israel and the Jewish people are "offerings" in addition to our tithes to our local churches.

If you are looking for a ministry to support, let me recommend Bridges For Peace which is headquartered in Jerusalem and I personally have been involved with this ministry for 20 years. Bridges For Peace just celebrated 50 years of standing firm with Israel. Their stated mission is "Christians supporting Israel and building relationships between Christians and Jews in Israel and around the world." They have offices in nine countries and they take an uncompromising stand against anti-semitism.

Bridges For Peace participates in numerous acts of tangible support. These efforts include assistance for new immigrants to Israel including monthly food supplies to 28,000 people in fifty communities throughout Israel. They also contribute to the safety of Israelites with donating bomb shelters and ambulances. This week they dedicated two fully equipped ambulances to Israel's emergency provider, Magen David Adom.

Working with Israel's Social Workers and Government Agencies, Bridges For Peace is Israel's unconditional friend. For more information on how to get involved, contact bridgesforpeace.com  Always remember, Genesis 12:3 says, "I will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel."

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care,

Frank 

     

"I Am Zealous For Zion"

Unfortunately, Iran is back in the news and, as expected, it is not good news for Israel. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, exclaimed on November 8th "This barbaric, wolf-like and infanticide regime of Israel which spares no crime has no cure but to be annihilated. The only means to confront a barbaric regime like Israel is arming the Palestinians."

This is the anti-Israel rhetoric coming out of the East but there is also negative news about Israel coming from the West by way of the European Union. The European Union's new Foreign Affairs Chief, Federica Mogherini, visited Israel this weekend. She insisted on the urgent need for a Palestinian State with the Eastern half of Jerusalem as its capital. "This is the position of all of the European Union," she proclaimed. Since when does the European Union determine the borders of Israel? 

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu responded once again stating that "Jerusalem is our capital and as such is not a settlement. The neighborhoods in which we are living and we have been building, have been there for close to fifty years. Everybody knows that in any Peace Agreements they will remain part of Israel." A majority of Jews insist Jerusalem must never again be divided.

Our Lord God proclaims in Zechariah 8:2,3,7,8,15 "I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her. . .I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. . .behold I will save My People from the land of the East, and from the land of the West; I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. . .I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do Not Fear."

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

Frank       

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem. . ."

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem Lift Up Your Gates And Sing, Hosanna In The Highest, Hosanna To Our King." This is the start of a glorious worship song about Jerusalem and when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returns to earth and stands on the Mount of Olives, Zechariah 14:4. Jerusalem is the holiest of cities on earth for the Jewish people and Christians and the third holiest for Muslims and is always a center of turmoil especially within the last couple of weeks.

A Palestinian last week shot and nearly killed Rabbi Glick in Jerusalem. Glick advocates for the right of Jews to pray atop the Temple Mount. He is the head of Halica the Initiative for Jewish Freedom on the Temple Mount. They are for religious freedom for Jews and non-Muslims on the Temple Mount not pushing for the removal of Muslims.

As a result, an emergency meeting was held by the Internal Affairs and Environment Committee on November 2nd in which the Chief of  Police said "Even if we have to bring a large number of forces, we will protect the right of those going up to the Temple Mount." Jerusalem Mayor Barkat added "We will not tolerate the throwing of stones, we must protect the status quo on the Temple Mount and we must fight against those who want to disrupt it. 

Continuing the current narrative about Jerusalem especially the Temple Mount, Israeli Representative to the United Nations Ron Prossor addressed the U.N. on October 29th. Following are excerpts from his remarks, "The people of Israel are not occupiers and not settlers. Israel is our home and Jerusalem is the eternal capital of our sovereign state. The Holy City is named more than 900 times in the Bible. The Temple Mount is Judaism's Holiest Place. Today a Jew who wishes to visit the sacred site is threatened with violence." 

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:10-11. We, as born again Christians, need to fight the spiritual battle every day but also can stand strong for Israel and Jerusalem at the same time. Amen!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day,

Frank