Breaking News. Spiritual Perspective.
Christian supporters of Israel flooded the White House this week with e-mails urging the Obama administration to end what some have called a crisis in U.S.-Israel relations.
Some 20,000 e-mails calling on the administration to “end this unnecessary crisis, return to a more productive approach, and stand with our ally Israel” had been sent in the first 24 hours after Christians United for Israel (CUFI) launched the initiative Tuesday.
It has been two months to the day that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti, leaving scores of people dead and thousands wounded. Within days of the quake, an Israeli medical team of doctors, nurses and other personnel arrived in the region and erected a state-of-the-art field hospital that the media called the “Rolls Royce” of emergency medical care. Israel’s readiness comes from experience. Being the victims of war has taught Israelis how to respond to crisis. Watch the video below.
Without question Israel, and its capital city, Jerusalem, are of paramount importance in the plans and purposes of God. And we know God uses believers to work with Him in prayer for the carrying out of His plans, His mysteries, on the earth (see 1 Cor. 14:2).
That’s why He commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6, NKJV). But this does not mean we are to pray simply for the absence of war. It also means we are to pray for Jerusalem to fulfill its prophetic destiny.
It was customary in ancient times to seal a covenant deal with a meal. This ritual dates back to ancient empires and tribes long before the Torah. Some primitive tribes would prepare an animal, or more primitive groups would literally mingle the blood of the covenant parties in a cup of wine and both parties drink from it.
Moishe Rosen spends a lot of time resting now as he copes with the effects of prostate disease that metastasized into bone cancer. Last fall, he nearly died after surgery for an intestinal blockage.
Although outlasting the doctor’s prediction in January 2008 that he wouldn’t live past Thanksgiving, soon after that surgery Rosen considered hospice care. Ultimately, he rejected it, reasoning he didn’t want it until he was unable to get out of bed.
In Genesis 12:3, God makes a promise to Abraham: ‘”I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'”
In my own life I have seen proof of this promise; when I have blessed Israel and the Jewish people, God has showered His blessings on me. That is why we have set up the “Bless Israel” fund through Christian Life Missions.
Author June Volk grew up in a Jewish family in New York City and married a well-off Orthodox Jew. But when the family denounced her brother-in-law for proclaiming, “Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah,” she too wanted to know Christ. When she called out to the Father, she said He revealed Himself to her in the form of fire. To hear her testimony, watch the videos below.
God promised Abraham that his seed would create a new nation. But there was a problem—Abraham had no children because his wife, Sarah, was barren. At age 75, he left Ur and journeyed to Canaan with his 65-year-old wife, Sarah. It is interesting that God never revealed the visible sign or token of His covenant to Abraham until Abraham was 99 years old.
David knew the secret of the quiet place, and he had to constantly focus to remain in this quiet place. He writes, “Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies” (Ps. 23:5, KJV). David had many enemies. However, he knew he was not fighting against flesh and blood. He knew his true enemy was Satan. David knew the secret to overcoming Satan.
Muslim youth began rioting last week at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem following Israel’s decision to include the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb in its list of national heritage sites.
Israeli police said protesters worshipping at the al-Aqsa Mosque emerged from prayer Friday throwing rocks at police and at Jews praying at the Western Wall, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The son of a Hamas founder whose Christian conversion made international headlines released the complete story of his faith journey Tuesday in a memoir brimming with spy-novel-like drama.
Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef details a six-year-long conversion process that originated with a Bible study in Jerusalem and resulted in his departure from the Islamic terrorist organization. He was baptized in 2005 near Tel Aviv in a ceremony performed by a San Diego woman visiting the church that Yousef attended.
A section of ancient walls recently uncovered in Jerusalem dates back to the time of King Solomon and supports the existence of the first temple, according to Israeli archaeologists, who call it “the most significant” find from the era of the first temple.
“This is the first time that a structure from that time has been found that may correlate with written descriptions of Solomon’s building in Jerusalem,” said Eilat Mazar, director of the excavation team for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem .
Queen Esther saved her people from destruction when she petitioned King Xerxes to spare her life and the lives of the Jewish people. Esther 9:24 says Haman had “plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them” (NKJV). But God gave His chosen people victory over their enemies, and today Jews around the world celebrate Purim in recognition of Esther’s courageous confrontation. But will modern-day forces rise up and once again attempt to destroy Israel? Watch the video below.
David is described as a man after God’s own heart. He was not perfect by any means, but there was something in him that attracted God. It was his heart. David had a contrite and humble heart.
The Bible tells us that God will not despise a contrite heart. David had just committed adultery when he wrote this psalm, and this psalm instructs us how to confess our sins. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (KJV).
God is a God of infinite detail. He made sure that Jesus fulfilled every requirement for a sin sacrifice according … Read More
Time and time again one hears the accusation that Christians view the restoration of Israel as a stepping-stone to the final battle of Armageddon in which countless Jews will perish. Supposedly, this is what motivates Christian Zionists to side with Israel at present, while ultimately wanting to accelerate ‘the end’ and with it the second coming of Jesus.
More than 20 years ago, many Ethiopians left their poverty-stricken country as the result of a secret rescue mission. Today thousands call Israel home, drawn to the land by their Jewish heritage. Some trace their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but regardless of their roots, many call Yeshua Lord. This is foretold in the Word, which says Ethiopia will one day reverence the Father with worship.
Zephaniah 3:10 says, “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones shall bring my offering.” To see prophecy fulfilled, watch the video below.
The founding of J Street in 2008 sparked much debate in the pro-Israel community. Many were concerned that the group would be overly critical of the Jewish state and thus erode the pro-Israel consensus in the United States.
Others and I disagreed and welcomed J Street’s stated desire to “broaden the public and policy debate in the U.S. about the Middle East.” It disturbed me that there were those who would seek to preclude any reasonable voice from competing in the marketplace of ideas.
One h
undred and twenty-eight leaders from the Pentecostal Church of God Sunday pledged support for Israel and an undivided Jerusalem when they presented Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat with a signed a declaration.
General Bishop Charles Scott said the group’s visit represents more than symbolism. “Understanding the theology of the situation is paramount,” Scott said. “We intend this to be a juggernaut,” he added.
Bishop Charles Scott (left) and Mayor Nir Barkat
The passages of Scripture in Revelation 21:1-27, should cause our hearts to leap. If you know your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you can look forward to living in the New Jerusalem.
The description of this holy city is mind boggling, but I believe every word of it. Yes, we will walk streets of gold, and there will be gates made of pearl. There will be no need of the sun or the moon because the light will emanate from the glory of God.
When we are filled with the Spirit and our faith is centered on Yeshua, on all that He has done and will do for us, a wonderful transformation takes place: We are endowed with a renewed mind which can weigh viewpoints, practices, and philosophies (see Rom. 12:2).
In this regard, when we reflect on that huge corpus of literature known as rabbinic literature—and I include in this the prayer books—we are filled with what I would call profound ambivalence. What do I mean by this term?
A Personal Response to Rabbinic Judaism
As a young leader in the Messianic Jewish movement, I devoted myself to working my way through the Talmud, the primary multi-volume corpus of the application of Jewish Law. I was also taking a course in Jewish worship at Spertus College of Judaic that concentrated on the prayer books.
