Category: Opinion

Every visitor to Israel has at least one special moment from his or her trip that stands out. Whether it’s walking on the same paths on which Jesus walked, sitting in a restaurant talking with local Israelis or planting a tree to help the desert rebloom—a visit to Israel is memorable.

I asked believers from around the world to share their unique memories. From Wales to China to the United States, they responded with stories they’ve treasured in their hearts—in some cases for decades. Here are their special moments.

A 220-person Israeli delegation arrived this week in Haiti to aid victims of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the country late Tuesday.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a fleet of doctors, nurses and aid workers to provide medical care, food, shelter and other necessities to the tiny country. Relief efforts include a Home Front Command field hospital and rescue unit, workers from Magen David Adom, an organization similar to the American Red Cross, and Israeli police officers.

No other book of the Bible has more to say about the captivity of God’s people and the promise of freedom and restoration than the book of Isaiah. Isaiah ministered as a prophet to the people of God in and around Jerusalem during the period when the nation of Israel was a divided kingdom.

Zechariah 12:1-13:9 is a powerful prophecy of when the veil of the Jewish people will be dropped and Israel will be saved in a day. Zechariah prophesies, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born” (Zech. 12:10, KJV).

At 4:53 p.m.—the moment when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake turned Haiti
upside down a week ago Tuesday—hundreds of Christians spent a minute
praying for survivors, churches and relief teams on the ground in
Port-au-Prince.

Ministries are also responding to the diaster, providing relief and/or medical
assistance to the small nation. To make a financial contribution to quake victims, scroll down to the
ministry of your choice and click on the link.

Photo courtesy of Haiti-based Love a Child

We may never know with certainty which of the four sites associated with “Emmaus” is the true location. Which one is the actual location where Jesus appeared to His disciples following His resurrection?

The story in Luke 24 recounts how two of Jesus’ disciples met Him while traveling. They were heading west from Jerusalem, to Emmaus. They spoke with the “stranger” for a while and only later, when they ate together, was Jesus’ true identity revealed. Later, the two disciples headed back to Jerusalem.

Prayer is one of the most valuable weapons of spiritual warfare. When we slip to our knees to communicate with God, He spiritually transforms our hearts and we send out prayers that can effect change in Israel and other hot spots around the world. The Bible says we “ought to always pray” and never let up (Luke 18:1). Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you with a passion for prayer and watch Him bless you, Zion and the nations in 2010. To pray with us, click here.

Although it takes a back seat to rumors of war, a tsunami of faith is quietly overtaking the Muslim world. Islamic adherents are laying aside their allegiance to Muhammad to follow Jesus Christ, despite the social ostracism, persecution and possible martyrdom that converts to Christianity face. Propelled by dreams, visions and miracles, this wave of revival is bringing vast numbers of Muslims—some say millions—into God’s kingdom.

When Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, news of their conquests spread quickly.

The terrified Gibeonites devised a plan to avoid being conquered. Several men approached the camp dressed in dirty, worn-out clothes, carrying old wine and moldy bread. They told Joshua they were ambassadors from a distant land and asked Israel to enter into a covenant with them (Joshua 9).

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.

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In an overwhelming show of support, the House of Representatives passed the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009 on Tuesday.

The bill, which passed 412-12, requires “the president to report to Congress three months after the law’s enactment—and every six months thereafter—anyone who has provided Iran refined oil, helped to import oil or helped it develop its domestic refining capacity,” the examiner.com reported.

Our group enjoyed another jam-packed day in Israel as we visited Bet Yigal Alon Museum, Tel Dan, Hazor, Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Peter’s Primacy and the Ein Ayub, the spring of Job.

And today I learned dreams really do come true. When I heard earlier this year that my name had been submitted for consideration, I struggled whether or not I should accept the invitation. The thought of making this trip without my wife Wendy really bothered me—until I had a dream one night in May.

Current events in Israel have brought much to mind regarding those in Messianic ministry today. Whatever the sociopolitical problems faced by those ministering in Israel, too many engaged in reaching the Jews are misunderstood. So, my review here is with an eye toward equipping leaders to help others understand this timely, prophetic and uniquely difficult ministry.

One of the characteristics of prophetic revelation is that it is sometimes allegorical or symbolic, and it is fully understood only after future events have taken place. From the Old Testament perspective, it was not altogether clear what the Messiah would look like.

The prophets foretold the coming of both a kingly Messiah and a suffering servant, but no one even remotely considered that both were the same person.

Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-Free Iran (CLNFI) sent a letter to Congress today urging lawmakers to place sanctions on Iran to prevent the Middle East country from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Representing millions of evangelicals, Roman Catholics and other Christians, CLNFI told Congress the time has come to “act.”

“Now that super-majorities in the house and senate have made their support for sanctions known, and now that the Iranian regime has made its increasing defiance clear to the world, the time for Congress to act has arrived,” said Richard Land of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

What a blessing it is to be grandparents. Psalm 128: 1-6 promises the children of Israel that they will see their children’s children. “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table” (v. 3, KJV). “Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel” (v. 6, KJV).

We are so grateful for the fruitfulness of God in our lives. We are going to have to expand our dining table because the olive plants are already crowding the table. The Father loves to be surrounded by many children.

You’ve seen her—the veiled, dark-robed woman in the checkout line at Wal-Mart or Target. She’s Muslim, you think to yourself, probably from the Middle East or Asia.

But on closer inspection, you discover that she has blue eyes. A few strands of sandy blond hair peek out from her head veil. Or perhaps she’s black and speaks with a distinctly American accent.

She’s not from the Middle East, you realize, but from your own backyard! In fact, she could be someone you went to high school with.