My family and I had the privilege of traveling to Israel twice with Eagles Wings.
Dear Bruce and Rebecca,
NOT ON OUR WATCH! EW Leads Protest of Thousands at the United Nations
As world leaders gathered in New York City for the UN General Assembly and the "Durban III Review Conference on Racism" sponsored by the UN, another strategic, international event was taking place only a block away. Eagles' Wings led a coalition of Christians, Jews, and other faiths to recognize the importance of standing with Israel, and participants came from near and far to protest the UN-Sponsored Durban III Conference.
While this conference espouses itself as anti-racist, it sadly is the exact opposite. Its bigoted agenda is to single out the democratic nation of Israel and condemn it as a "racist and apartheid state." Though Durban III was boycotted by nations including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Israel, it was supported by many others. More than an hour before the rally was to start, hundreds began to fill the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the UN. High school and college students, mothers, businessmen, and grandmothers came to make their voices heard. By 12 noon, more than 2,000 people flooded the plaza - coming from across the U.S. as far away as California, Georgia, and Florida, and from many countries including New Zealand, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, the UK, Finland, and Israel - all uniting together to stand for Israel.
Robert Stearns led the rally, his voice booming through the plaza, "How dare the Durban Conference, this United Nations sponsored event, supported by American tax dollars, single out the one nation in the Middle East which has the most progressive human rights record of all, and routinely and systematically ignore human rights abuses of other member states?" He went on to proclaim the true record of freedom and human rights enjoyed by all the citizens of Israel, reminding those gathered that “there are decisive moments in history when people of basic decency, common sense, and goodwill have to step outside the comfort zone of their daily routine, and step into the uncomfortable place of speaking truth to [those in] power.”
A sea of Israeli flags waved in the cool breeze of the day, peppered with hundreds of signs reading, "Israel We Stand with You" and "Stop the Durban Lies", with the crowd lifting up a cry to those who would try to subvert true justice, by saying, "Not on our watch!"
The crowd cheered as speakers from a broad spectrum of ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds attested to the record of the State of Israel.
Rabbi Yaacov Kermaier, of the 5th Avenue synagogue in NYC, spoke on behalf of the Jewish community by saying, "I want to say to the broader Christian community, thank you. ...Israel and the Jewish people feel that the world is closing in on them. But …it gives us so much courage … and strength when we know our Christian brothers and sisters are there as friends…"
Sudanese former child slave Simon Deng also addressed the rally, challenging the UN leaders who are completely ignoring the genocide in his country and are instead paying heed to falsified accusations against the only viable democracy in the Middle East, Israel, and underscored the illegitimacy of the Durban III Conference.
Deputy Speaker of the Knesset in Israel, MK Danny Danon was on hand and spoke to the cheering crowd, "I am very honored to be in New York City, in front of the UN with real lovers and supporters of the Jewish people…and…the state of Israel, and I want to thank you and bless you for coming here today and standing for the people of Israel who are watching what happens at the UN today."
The protest was hosted by a coalition of more than 30 organizations led by Eagles’ Wings, including StandWithUs, The Jerusalem Institute of Justice, EyeOnTheUN, Human Rights Coalition against Radical Islam, the Hudson Institute, Americans for a Safe Israel, National Conference of Jewish Affairs, and Z-Street, as well as dozens of Christian leaders including Bishop Carlton Brown of Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem who addressed the gathering.
Robert Stearns closed the rally by leading in the singing of the national anthem of the State of Israel, the “Hatikva” or “the Hope”, with the song echoing across the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the UN for all to hear.
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Christians in the Muslim World
News from Jerusalem (Vision for Israel) about the horrific persecution of Christians in the Muslim world. Let's not be ignorant but informed. These events are happening now. Please don't turn your eyes away thinking this is happening so far away. These precious ones are part of the Body of Christ, and a part of us who call ourselves Christian. Please pray.
FIRST THE SATURDAY PEOPLE, THEN THE SUNDAY PEOPLE: Islamic terror groups have long had a favorite taunt which says, first the Saturday people, then the Sunday people. This means of course, first the Jews then the Christians will be targets for terrorist persecution, subjection and elimination. Vision for Israel, in an ongoing endeavor, plans to keep you informed of growing Christian oppression across Islamic controlled lands that you may pray for both the victims and their persecutors. Persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is endemic, on its way to reaching epidemic proportions.
A SUMMARY OF MUSLIM PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS DURING SUMMER 2011: The vilest anecdote to surface in July comes from Pakistan, a hotbed of anti-Christian sentiment, even though Christians make up less than 3% of the population. A two-year-old Christian girl was savagely raped when her father refused to convert to Islam. Because her anatomy has been disfigured, she has undergone five surgeries and suffers several permanent complications. Her family lives in fear and hiding. Though this report surfaced days ago, it occurred four years ago. (AINA) Pray for this emotionally and physically tortured family and their child – that they may be healed, comforted and delivered from fear and from those who have so brutally caused them to suffer.
AFGHANISTAN/NORWAY: An Asylum seeker in an immigration center in Norway had boiling water poured over him after he converted to Christianity and would not comply with Ramadan fasting rules. He and the other converts at the center now fear for their lives. "If you do not return to Islam, we will kill you," was the message from the Islamist asylum seekers at the reception center in Norway. The victim refuses to disclose his real name for fear of further reprisals. If Afghan authorities found out about the incident and he were to be subsequently deported he would risk being sentenced to death by stoning, he claims. He survived the incident, but has been left with a severely disfigured back. (Mohabat) Pray for the healing, protection and godly consolation of this young man.
EGYPT: Muslims who were angered by the installation of a church bell, (under Sharia law, churches must not offend Muslims by ringing bells), went on a violent spree, attacking a 5-month pregnant Christian woman and others who were "beaten with iron rods and pipes." Additionally, Muslims "severely sexually harassed" a Christian woman in front of her husband at a bus terminal. When her husband tried to defend her honor, he was violently beaten. Soon after, thousands of Muslims in the region began looting and torching Christian property, screaming "Allah Akbar!" and cursing the Cross. Also, last month, a Muslim gang using sexual coercion to convert Christian girls was exposed. (WCN) In recent months there have been numerous injuries and murders visited upon Christians in Egypt. Muslims who once restricted themselves to preaching hate against those who are different, today feel free to act on their words and have been beating and torturing Christians throughout the country. Egyptian Islamist sects have been known to burn churches and destroy other property in their zeal to wipe out the minority population.
INDONESIA: Christians were forced out of a church building and severely harassed- even as they then tried to worship at the side of the road. Also in August, the mayor of Bagor, Indonesia announced a new reason not to allow churches to open: If the name of the street on which a church desires to establish a new building bears an Islamic name, it may not be constructed . (ACT)
IRAN: The Islamic Republic in August seized 6,500 copies of the Bible in northwest Iran in what appears to be the latest onslaught by Iranian authorities against Christianity in the country. Tehran has been cracking down on its tiny Christian minority of late, so much so even the EU has noticed. "In the past six months," the EU reported, "the crackdown has led to the arrest of 285 Christians in 35 cities. In one instance, Yusef Nadarkhani, an evangelical pastor and the father of two, had been sentenced to death for converting from Islam, and the Iranian Supreme Court continues to uphold the decision. For many Americans, evidence of how Iran treats its Christian minority is an indicator of the kind of uses to which it would put nuclear weapons. On a positive note, which again reveals the power of prayer, Iran has released a Dutch-Iranian pastor who was jailed for 359 days on charges of spreading Christianity among Farsi-speaking Iranians. (Bos News)
IRAQ: Kirkuk police, Aug 24, reported they had deactivated an explosive device left near the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the Almass district of Kirkuk. (WCN) Latest UN figures show that more than a quarter of the refugee population violently forced out of their homes in Iraq since 2003 are Christians. The number of Christians in Iraq has plummeted from 1.4 million in the 1980s to an estimated 200,000 as of July 2011.
IVORY COAST: Muslims crucified two Christian brothers on "the example of Christ" and in accordance to Koran 5:33: The pair were badly beaten and tortured before being crudely nailed to cross-shaped planks by their hands and feet with steel spikes. (Gateway Pundit)
JORDAN: A Jordan-based group on September 2, threatened to file a lawsuit against Israel in the International Criminal Court over its opening of the baptismal site Qasr al-Yahud near the Jordan River. The group, which calls itself “The Arab Union to Resist the Expulsion of Arab Christians,” is headed by the speaker of the Jordanian senate, Taher al-Masri, and includes officials from around the Arab world. The group is upset over the fact that on July 12, Israel held an official ceremony to mark the opening of Qasr al-Yahud, the site which is known as the place where Yeshua was baptized by John the Baptist and which is considered the third holiest site in Christianity. (INN)
NIGERIA: Earlier this summer two churches were bombed simultaneously; at least three Christians died, and several were injured. Muslim extremists with the alleged aid of Nigerian soldiers killed 24 Christians during August in Nigeria's central Plateau. (Front Page Magazine)
PAKISTAN: Under accusations of blasphemy, and with the help of a local politician, Muslims last month attempted to annex a Christian hospital established in 1922 by missionaries. Additionally, two Christian men were seriously injured by young Muslim men in Karachi when they refused to convert to Islam. They were returning home after an early-morning prayer service at their church on August 14. Six youths started questioning them about their faith and later tried to force them to recite the Kalma (Islamic conversion creed) and become Muslims, but the two refused to renounce Christianity. The Muslims got out of the car armed with iron rods and attacked the two young men shouting that they should either recite the Kalma or be prepared to die. They severely beat the two Christians seriously injuring both. The young Muslim men then left, assuming they had killed both Christians, although they have subsequently recovered. The family has not registered a case with police, fearing reprisal by the Muslims. Christians make up only 2.45% of Pakistan’s population, which is more than 95% Muslim. (Alina)
SAUDI ARABIA: On August 12 it was reported that a captured Christian pastor is set to be deported to Muslim Eritrea, where he faces the death penalty. (RSL) Pray for the reversal of any death threat and for the freedom of this unnamed pastor.
TANZANIA: August 12, Muslims burned down two churches to cries of "away with the church - we do not want infidels to spoil our community," and vows not to befriend "infidels." (Front Page Magazine)
UGANDA: A 14-year-old girl in western Uganda is still unable to walk 10 months after her father tortured her for leaving Islam and putting her faith in Yeshua, according to area Christians last month. (J.Post) Pray for this young girl not to abandon her faith, also that she may escape the brutality of her father and other family members who might add to her sufferings for the name of Yeshua.
UZBEKISTAN: Uzbekistan is reportedly a place where fines, abuse and the destruction of religious literature are unceasing. On August 31, police who raided a Protestant family's home in Fergana also beat the husband as they confiscated a Bible, an Uzbek New Testament and the Proverbs of Solomon. (WCN)
THE SAD, SAD LACK OF SOLIDARITY AMONG CHRISTIANS: A recent study shows 105,000 Christians are killed every year because of their faith. In other words, every five minutes a Christian is killed because he or she believes in Yeshua. It is shocking to see how little other Christians do about it. The most natural thing to do as a Christian, a Christian leader or organization, would be to demand that Islamic leaders and organizations call for a stop to religious violence against Christians. They should demand that imams declare void the many Koranic verses preaching hatred and for the murder of followers of Yeshua. Many people expected many more Christians to write letters to the editor, demonstrate in front of mosques, call for the media to report more about the problems, etc. Local congregations should write open letters to local Islamic organizations, urging them to publicly renounce any religiously motivated violence -- including the relevant portions of their own written religious texts. I will not say "shame on you" for not standing up for your sisters and brothers. Present and future generations of Christians enjoying less security than you are enjoying now will do that. Looking the other way may not be harmful for oneself, if one lives in a safe setting. But letting people in need down -- even fellow Christians -- is embarrassing and cowardly, and it makes Christianity look useless in situations where things are less rosy. Protecting fellow believers from oppression and violence should be the least of what we do. The sad, sad lack of solidarity among Christians must come to an end, even if taking a stand involves personal risk or going public offends those who want to harm you. Christianity is the largest religion in this world. It laid the cultural basis for the richest, freest and most compassionate society in this world. It is time for this giant to wake up. (Nicolai Sennels /Jihad Watch)
“Remember those who are in bonds as though you were bound with them, and those who suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” Heb 13:3
JOL SUNDAY PEOPLE SUMMER UPDATE
News Update September 7th 2011
JNN NEWS, P.O. Box 7411, Jerusalem 91073, Israel
“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” Ps 18: 28-29
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” Ps 18: 28-29
FIRST THE SATURDAY PEOPLE, THEN THE SUNDAY PEOPLE: Islamic terror groups have long had a favorite taunt which says, first the Saturday people, then the Sunday people. This means of course, first the Jews then the Christians will be targets for terrorist persecution, subjection and elimination. Vision for Israel, in an ongoing endeavor, plans to keep you informed of growing Christian oppression across Islamic controlled lands that you may pray for both the victims and their persecutors. Persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is endemic, on its way to reaching epidemic proportions.
A SUMMARY OF MUSLIM PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS DURING SUMMER 2011: The vilest anecdote to surface in July comes from Pakistan, a hotbed of anti-Christian sentiment, even though Christians make up less than 3% of the population. A two-year-old Christian girl was savagely raped when her father refused to convert to Islam. Because her anatomy has been disfigured, she has undergone five surgeries and suffers several permanent complications. Her family lives in fear and hiding. Though this report surfaced days ago, it occurred four years ago. (AINA) Pray for this emotionally and physically tortured family and their child – that they may be healed, comforted and delivered from fear and from those who have so brutally caused them to suffer.
AFGHANISTAN/NORWAY: An Asylum seeker in an immigration center in Norway had boiling water poured over him after he converted to Christianity and would not comply with Ramadan fasting rules. He and the other converts at the center now fear for their lives. "If you do not return to Islam, we will kill you," was the message from the Islamist asylum seekers at the reception center in Norway. The victim refuses to disclose his real name for fear of further reprisals. If Afghan authorities found out about the incident and he were to be subsequently deported he would risk being sentenced to death by stoning, he claims. He survived the incident, but has been left with a severely disfigured back. (Mohabat) Pray for the healing, protection and godly consolation of this young man.
EGYPT: Muslims who were angered by the installation of a church bell, (under Sharia law, churches must not offend Muslims by ringing bells), went on a violent spree, attacking a 5-month pregnant Christian woman and others who were "beaten with iron rods and pipes." Additionally, Muslims "severely sexually harassed" a Christian woman in front of her husband at a bus terminal. When her husband tried to defend her honor, he was violently beaten. Soon after, thousands of Muslims in the region began looting and torching Christian property, screaming "Allah Akbar!" and cursing the Cross. Also, last month, a Muslim gang using sexual coercion to convert Christian girls was exposed. (WCN) In recent months there have been numerous injuries and murders visited upon Christians in Egypt. Muslims who once restricted themselves to preaching hate against those who are different, today feel free to act on their words and have been beating and torturing Christians throughout the country. Egyptian Islamist sects have been known to burn churches and destroy other property in their zeal to wipe out the minority population.
INDONESIA: Christians were forced out of a church building and severely harassed- even as they then tried to worship at the side of the road. Also in August, the mayor of Bagor, Indonesia announced a new reason not to allow churches to open: If the name of the street on which a church desires to establish a new building bears an Islamic name, it may not be constructed . (ACT)
IRAN: The Islamic Republic in August seized 6,500 copies of the Bible in northwest Iran in what appears to be the latest onslaught by Iranian authorities against Christianity in the country. Tehran has been cracking down on its tiny Christian minority of late, so much so even the EU has noticed. "In the past six months," the EU reported, "the crackdown has led to the arrest of 285 Christians in 35 cities. In one instance, Yusef Nadarkhani, an evangelical pastor and the father of two, had been sentenced to death for converting from Islam, and the Iranian Supreme Court continues to uphold the decision. For many Americans, evidence of how Iran treats its Christian minority is an indicator of the kind of uses to which it would put nuclear weapons. On a positive note, which again reveals the power of prayer, Iran has released a Dutch-Iranian pastor who was jailed for 359 days on charges of spreading Christianity among Farsi-speaking Iranians. (Bos News)
IRAQ: Kirkuk police, Aug 24, reported they had deactivated an explosive device left near the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the Almass district of Kirkuk. (WCN) Latest UN figures show that more than a quarter of the refugee population violently forced out of their homes in Iraq since 2003 are Christians. The number of Christians in Iraq has plummeted from 1.4 million in the 1980s to an estimated 200,000 as of July 2011.
IVORY COAST: Muslims crucified two Christian brothers on "the example of Christ" and in accordance to Koran 5:33: The pair were badly beaten and tortured before being crudely nailed to cross-shaped planks by their hands and feet with steel spikes. (Gateway Pundit)
JORDAN: A Jordan-based group on September 2, threatened to file a lawsuit against Israel in the International Criminal Court over its opening of the baptismal site Qasr al-Yahud near the Jordan River. The group, which calls itself “The Arab Union to Resist the Expulsion of Arab Christians,” is headed by the speaker of the Jordanian senate, Taher al-Masri, and includes officials from around the Arab world. The group is upset over the fact that on July 12, Israel held an official ceremony to mark the opening of Qasr al-Yahud, the site which is known as the place where Yeshua was baptized by John the Baptist and which is considered the third holiest site in Christianity. (INN)
NIGERIA: Earlier this summer two churches were bombed simultaneously; at least three Christians died, and several were injured. Muslim extremists with the alleged aid of Nigerian soldiers killed 24 Christians during August in Nigeria's central Plateau. (Front Page Magazine)
PAKISTAN: Under accusations of blasphemy, and with the help of a local politician, Muslims last month attempted to annex a Christian hospital established in 1922 by missionaries. Additionally, two Christian men were seriously injured by young Muslim men in Karachi when they refused to convert to Islam. They were returning home after an early-morning prayer service at their church on August 14. Six youths started questioning them about their faith and later tried to force them to recite the Kalma (Islamic conversion creed) and become Muslims, but the two refused to renounce Christianity. The Muslims got out of the car armed with iron rods and attacked the two young men shouting that they should either recite the Kalma or be prepared to die. They severely beat the two Christians seriously injuring both. The young Muslim men then left, assuming they had killed both Christians, although they have subsequently recovered. The family has not registered a case with police, fearing reprisal by the Muslims. Christians make up only 2.45% of Pakistan’s population, which is more than 95% Muslim. (Alina)
SAUDI ARABIA: On August 12 it was reported that a captured Christian pastor is set to be deported to Muslim Eritrea, where he faces the death penalty. (RSL) Pray for the reversal of any death threat and for the freedom of this unnamed pastor.
TANZANIA: August 12, Muslims burned down two churches to cries of "away with the church - we do not want infidels to spoil our community," and vows not to befriend "infidels." (Front Page Magazine)
UGANDA: A 14-year-old girl in western Uganda is still unable to walk 10 months after her father tortured her for leaving Islam and putting her faith in Yeshua, according to area Christians last month. (J.Post) Pray for this young girl not to abandon her faith, also that she may escape the brutality of her father and other family members who might add to her sufferings for the name of Yeshua.
UZBEKISTAN: Uzbekistan is reportedly a place where fines, abuse and the destruction of religious literature are unceasing. On August 31, police who raided a Protestant family's home in Fergana also beat the husband as they confiscated a Bible, an Uzbek New Testament and the Proverbs of Solomon. (WCN)
THE SAD, SAD LACK OF SOLIDARITY AMONG CHRISTIANS: A recent study shows 105,000 Christians are killed every year because of their faith. In other words, every five minutes a Christian is killed because he or she believes in Yeshua. It is shocking to see how little other Christians do about it. The most natural thing to do as a Christian, a Christian leader or organization, would be to demand that Islamic leaders and organizations call for a stop to religious violence against Christians. They should demand that imams declare void the many Koranic verses preaching hatred and for the murder of followers of Yeshua. Many people expected many more Christians to write letters to the editor, demonstrate in front of mosques, call for the media to report more about the problems, etc. Local congregations should write open letters to local Islamic organizations, urging them to publicly renounce any religiously motivated violence -- including the relevant portions of their own written religious texts. I will not say "shame on you" for not standing up for your sisters and brothers. Present and future generations of Christians enjoying less security than you are enjoying now will do that. Looking the other way may not be harmful for oneself, if one lives in a safe setting. But letting people in need down -- even fellow Christians -- is embarrassing and cowardly, and it makes Christianity look useless in situations where things are less rosy. Protecting fellow believers from oppression and violence should be the least of what we do. The sad, sad lack of solidarity among Christians must come to an end, even if taking a stand involves personal risk or going public offends those who want to harm you. Christianity is the largest religion in this world. It laid the cultural basis for the richest, freest and most compassionate society in this world. It is time for this giant to wake up. (Nicolai Sennels /Jihad Watch)
“Remember those who are in bonds as though you were bound with them, and those who suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” Heb 13:3
JOL SUNDAY PEOPLE SUMMER UPDATE
News Update September 7th 2011
JNN NEWS, P.O. Box 7411, Jerusalem 91073, Israel
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Fulfilled Expectations
So the LORD must wait for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for His help. Isaiah 30:18 NLT
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.
This celebration is the second of three days Jewish males are commanded to gather before the LORD in Jerusalem to celebrate and rededicate themselves to the covenant. The first day is Passover, and the third day is the Feast of Tabernacles.
Why did God command that they gather in Jerusalem on particular days? Simply so that they would be there when He showed His great love and compassion in the fulfillment of these important feasts. As they traveled to Jerusalem they prepared their hearts and were full of expectation hoping for the Messiah. As they traveled, many prayed throught Psalms 120-134 (the songs of ascent). Read through all of these in order non-stop. It's awesome that in Psalm 120 the focus is on daily troubles and by the time you get to Psalm 134 all focus is on the LORD.
Passover is the prophetic foreshadowing of of the betrothal. The Jewish people were betrothed to God when they left Egypt to follow Him. This was fulfilled when Jesus, the Bridegroom, met the Torah's requirements and became the FINAL sacrifice paving the way for all people, Jew and Gentile, to be reconciled to God. Those gathered in Jerusalem for Passover were there to witness His triumphant arrival into the City on a lowly donkey. They were there when Jesus was arrested, tried, condemned, crucified, and ultimately rose from the dead. Simon of Cyrene was there for Passover, but ended up helping to carry His cross. Sadly, many were part of the crowd that shouted, "Crucity Him!"
Shavuot, is the prophetic foreshadowing of the marriage. 50 days after they left Egypt, the Israelites gathered before God at Mt. Sinai and entered into a covenant with Him as they received the Torah. This feast later became agriculturally focused as the gathering of first fruits. This was fulfilled while Jews were gathered to celebrate the first covenant, and Jesus' disciplies were gathered in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit empowered them and wrote the Torah on their hearts--a New Covenant--and they all began to speak in tongues declaring the praises of God in languages they never learned. I believe that those in the crowd of 3,000 who received Messiah and were baptized that day were also there 50 days earlier shouting "Crucify Him!", and this was an answer to Jesus prayer, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they do."
The third day, Sukkot (Tabernacles), will be the prophetic fulfillment of the gathering of all nations to Jerusalem and the advent of the Millenial Kingdom. This is yet to come; however, these days are times when we are to be full of expectation and anticipation of God's faithfulness to His covenant.
God's heart is longing to pour out His love and compassion, and He is waiting for His people, Jew and
Gentile, to turn their hearts to Him, and then there will be a convergence of His heart and our hearts joining as one. This is my prayer for you, and for Jerusalem and the Jewish people...for another mighty outpouring of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (The Holy Spirit) to open hearts to receive all that Jesus accomplished, and that Jesus would be the recognized Messiah!
Monday, May 2, 2011
In the Shadow of His Wing
As I was praying Sunday morning, I saw the LORD's outstretched wing. Beneath the wing was an entrance into another world. There it was lush and green and peaceful with a waterfall. People were resting and enjoying the beauty, being refreshed, in the shadow of His wing. While He was covering people with one arm/wing, the other was engaged in a battle, a "fight for the fulfillment of His word." Then I saw a person come out from under the shadow and join the LORD in battle. It was as if that person was sufficiently rested/strengthened, had matured, and was ready to partner with the LORD to fight for the fulfillment of His purposes.
Last night I was impressed to turn to Psalm 57. (Sometimes these impressions to turn to certain Scriptures are the LORD, sometimes my own imagination, but I laughed when I read the first two verses.)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,[a]
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Last night I was impressed to turn to Psalm 57. (Sometimes these impressions to turn to certain Scriptures are the LORD, sometimes my own imagination, but I laughed when I read the first two verses.)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,[a]
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Triumph in the Face of Despair
On the eve of Purim, the celebration commemorating the deliverance of the Jews from Haman's plot, it is most important that we leave the comforts of the palace and hear the cry of Mordechai and others like him who are mourning.
But wait! Aren't settlements illegal? Didn't they put themselves at risk by living there?
Settlements are perfectly legal and are in no way an obstacle to peace. The main obstacle to peace is the Palestinians refusal to accept the legitimacy of Israel.
Myths & Facts about Jewish Settlements
Back to my question, "How could such evil persist?" How could a human being pick up a three-month-old baby girl and slit her throat? The same types of questions were repeatedly asked in the aftermath of the Holocaust, and the most consistent answer was that the perpetrators saw the victims as something less than human. I'm sure the Palestinian who picked up Hadas did not see a precious baby, but a pig, which is in line with how they are taught to view Jews. My prayer is that eyes would be open to the truth. That all life would be valued. That those who perpetrated this horrific crime would be brought to justice, and, in the spirit of Golda Meir's* sentiment, may the Palestinian people learn to love even more than they hate, and may both the Jews and the Palestinians come to know the love of Messiah Jesus.
The Purim celebration begins with a fast, then the reading of the Megillah (the scroll of Esther), and then concludes with an all out party. Interestingly, in the entire book of Esther, God is never mentioned, but it is explained that He worked behind "masks" (behind the scenes), so it is customary for children to dress in costume, but rather than going door-to-door collecting treats, they go door-to-door giving treats! The adult celebration is quite wild, and it is actually required to get drunk! It's really a carnival atmosphere, and it is so amazing that the Jewish people can press on and celebrate in the midst of such tragedy. That is such a testimony of hope in the faithfulness of God to His covenant.
Let's join them as they celebrate this weekend, and pull ourselves out of the challenges we face and triumphantly celebrate God's mercy and enduring love.
*Golda Meir's actual statement: “we will have peace with our neighbors when they learn to love their children as much as they hate ours.”
One week ago, this beautiful family, the Fogel Family (mother, Ruth; father, Udi, Yoav (11); Eldad (4) and Hadas (3 mos)), were brutally murdered while sleeping. Three of their children survived (Tamar (12); Roi (8) and Yishai (2)). More details of exactly what happened can easily be found on the web, including photos of the crime scene.
The family decided to release the crime scene photos so the world could see the brutality inflicted. I chose not to include those, indeed I cannot bear to look at them, although I have caught glimpses, and I ask the same question I asked when I first studied the Holocaust, "How could such evil persist?" I look at these faces and I see no difference between them and my family. I look at Eldad (bottom center) and see my son Aaron. I look at Hadas (bottom right) and see my daughter Naomi. The parents could easily be me and Bruce. The only difference is that we are here in the USA, and they lived in Itamar, a settlement in the West Bank.
But wait! Aren't settlements illegal? Didn't they put themselves at risk by living there?
Settlements are perfectly legal and are in no way an obstacle to peace. The main obstacle to peace is the Palestinians refusal to accept the legitimacy of Israel.
Myths & Facts about Jewish Settlements
Back to my question, "How could such evil persist?" How could a human being pick up a three-month-old baby girl and slit her throat? The same types of questions were repeatedly asked in the aftermath of the Holocaust, and the most consistent answer was that the perpetrators saw the victims as something less than human. I'm sure the Palestinian who picked up Hadas did not see a precious baby, but a pig, which is in line with how they are taught to view Jews. My prayer is that eyes would be open to the truth. That all life would be valued. That those who perpetrated this horrific crime would be brought to justice, and, in the spirit of Golda Meir's* sentiment, may the Palestinian people learn to love even more than they hate, and may both the Jews and the Palestinians come to know the love of Messiah Jesus.
"I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land." Lev 26:6
The Purim celebration begins with a fast, then the reading of the Megillah (the scroll of Esther), and then concludes with an all out party. Interestingly, in the entire book of Esther, God is never mentioned, but it is explained that He worked behind "masks" (behind the scenes), so it is customary for children to dress in costume, but rather than going door-to-door collecting treats, they go door-to-door giving treats! The adult celebration is quite wild, and it is actually required to get drunk! It's really a carnival atmosphere, and it is so amazing that the Jewish people can press on and celebrate in the midst of such tragedy. That is such a testimony of hope in the faithfulness of God to His covenant.
Let's join them as they celebrate this weekend, and pull ourselves out of the challenges we face and triumphantly celebrate God's mercy and enduring love.
*Golda Meir's actual statement: “we will have peace with our neighbors when they learn to love their children as much as they hate ours.”
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Safe in the Storm
Since the beginning of 2011, my family has been in one storm after another. At least one of us has been sick with a cold or flu for over two months. It started with me catching a cold over New Year's weekend, and just as I was starting to feel better my 3 year old son got it, then as soon as he was recovering my husband got it, then the baby, and after that round, I got sick again with fevers and chills.
I started feeling better and was looking forward to returning to some sense of normalcy when my son woke up with a stomach bug. We went through four days of him not able to keep even a teaspoon of water down. After two emergency room trips and then overnight in the hospital on IV's because of dehydration, he started to recover. Then the baby woke up one morning with a raging fever (the highest was 103.8) that lasted for 5 days. She pulled through, my son was doing better. It seemed the storms were calming down--not quite.
I had my annual physical exam and a mandatory mammogram (which I wasn't thrilled about). My plan was to get it over with and get on with life; however, when I called to get my results I received the news that my scans were "incomplete." The radiologist saw something on my scans that required me to go back in for more. So, I went back in for another mammogram, then an ultra-sound, then another mammogram, and back to ultra-sound with the radiologist.
There was ten minutes of absolute silence as they were looking at the screen, and I was doing everything I could to stay in a place of peace, trusting in the Lord. I couldn't help but think about all the other women who had laid on this table for this same procedure, etc. Finally, the radiologist explained that the reason they weren't saying anything was because they weren't seeing anything. There was definitely something showing up on the mammogram, but they couldn't see it on the ultra-sound, so I was scheduled for a biopsy the following day.
The procedure for the biopsy was quite unpleasant. Laying on a table they injected me with lanocaine; however, they didn't give me quite enough. The needle shot into me and when they started to move it around to collect tissue I screamed and jumped off the table. The nurse literally held me down and said, "Just scream; don't move." Yeah, right! They gave me more medication, and I made it through the rest of the procedure a bit shaken.
The following day I was staring at my phone waiting for the call with the results. I even called the nurse line twice during the late afternoon to see if the results came in. It was a Friday, and I really didn't want to go through the entire weekend not knowing. Then at 5:15 p.m., I got the call from my doctor. Benign.
Whew!
You'd think we could get back to normal; however, my son is fighting another cold. Fevers. Sore throat. Not eating. Sigh...
As I was doing my daily Bible reading, I came across this verse, "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thess 3:16
I'm feeling pretty battered and bruised now, but I'm still standing on the Rock. God never promised that the storms of life would pass us by, but He encouraged us to build our house on the Rock, so that when the storms hit we would continue to stand.
Bruce and I were talking last night, and he was saying that if we can't handle this storm, how are we going to handle living in Israel and bombs exploding around us potentially. This a recent political cartoon that was published a couple of weeks ago that describes the climate in the Middle East:
As God protects Israel, who is the apple of His eye, may we remain safe in His care.
"Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Ps 17:8
I started feeling better and was looking forward to returning to some sense of normalcy when my son woke up with a stomach bug. We went through four days of him not able to keep even a teaspoon of water down. After two emergency room trips and then overnight in the hospital on IV's because of dehydration, he started to recover. Then the baby woke up one morning with a raging fever (the highest was 103.8) that lasted for 5 days. She pulled through, my son was doing better. It seemed the storms were calming down--not quite.
I had my annual physical exam and a mandatory mammogram (which I wasn't thrilled about). My plan was to get it over with and get on with life; however, when I called to get my results I received the news that my scans were "incomplete." The radiologist saw something on my scans that required me to go back in for more. So, I went back in for another mammogram, then an ultra-sound, then another mammogram, and back to ultra-sound with the radiologist.
There was ten minutes of absolute silence as they were looking at the screen, and I was doing everything I could to stay in a place of peace, trusting in the Lord. I couldn't help but think about all the other women who had laid on this table for this same procedure, etc. Finally, the radiologist explained that the reason they weren't saying anything was because they weren't seeing anything. There was definitely something showing up on the mammogram, but they couldn't see it on the ultra-sound, so I was scheduled for a biopsy the following day.
The procedure for the biopsy was quite unpleasant. Laying on a table they injected me with lanocaine; however, they didn't give me quite enough. The needle shot into me and when they started to move it around to collect tissue I screamed and jumped off the table. The nurse literally held me down and said, "Just scream; don't move." Yeah, right! They gave me more medication, and I made it through the rest of the procedure a bit shaken.
The following day I was staring at my phone waiting for the call with the results. I even called the nurse line twice during the late afternoon to see if the results came in. It was a Friday, and I really didn't want to go through the entire weekend not knowing. Then at 5:15 p.m., I got the call from my doctor. Benign.
Whew!
You'd think we could get back to normal; however, my son is fighting another cold. Fevers. Sore throat. Not eating. Sigh...
As I was doing my daily Bible reading, I came across this verse, "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thess 3:16
I'm feeling pretty battered and bruised now, but I'm still standing on the Rock. God never promised that the storms of life would pass us by, but He encouraged us to build our house on the Rock, so that when the storms hit we would continue to stand.
Bruce and I were talking last night, and he was saying that if we can't handle this storm, how are we going to handle living in Israel and bombs exploding around us potentially. This a recent political cartoon that was published a couple of weeks ago that describes the climate in the Middle East:
As God protects Israel, who is the apple of His eye, may we remain safe in His care.
"Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Ps 17:8
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Why Stand with Israel?
Why Stand with Israel ?: Reasons why it is important to stand with Israel and the Jewish people and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem
On August 4, 1991 I boarded an American Airlines flight for Uppsala , Sweden Bible School
A few years prior to my moving to Sweden, the Lord began to open my heart to the fact that Israel is very much in His heart, and it was during the year in Sweden that I began to understand God’s heart for Israel and how important it is for the Church to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and stand with the Jewish people as well as to pray for all nations to support Israel. In the years since, there has been little else that has so captivated my attention than what is happening in Israel today, piecing together Israel’s miraculous history, understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity, praying for Israel and seeking the Lord for direction as to the role He cast me into in this unfolding drama.
Why should we stand with Israel
God stands with Israel Israel
Tom Hess, the founder of the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations, in his book, “Let My People Go,” lists over 700 verses of Scripture stating God’s commitment to the land and people of Israel
Jesus is Jewish and is returning as the Jewish Messiah to a Jewish Land. I truly believe that in an effort to be “New Testament Believers” many Christians discount the validity of the fact that Jesus is in fact Jewish. He lived a Jewish life. He fulfilled Jewish prophesy. Embracing Jesus’ Jewishness enlightens our understanding of Scripture.When we come to understand the Jewishness of Jesus we will come to know Him, understand Him, and experience Him in such a deep way.
As a Christian, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Jewish people. The Jewish people, in their tenacious zeal to hold onto tradition, have preserved Scripture, kept their generational bloodlines pure for the Messiah to be born, preserved their unique cultural identity even in 2,000 years of exile, and have served the nations of the earth as a light and as priests (which is their calling). It is through the Jewish people that Messiah Jesus came to earth, and their preservation of God’s covenant made it possible to recognize Him. It is as I begin to understand Jewish traditions and who these wonderful people are that I can truly experience and understand who Jesus really is and what He came to do and what He is coming back for.
As a Christian, my heart burns to vindicate Jesus’ Name as there were many atrocities committed against Jews in the Name of Jesus, but not in the character of Jesus. It sickens me to know that there was a time in history when the Church was the leading terrorist organization in the earth. Atrocious acts were perpetrated on the Jews in the Name of Jesus. Killing. Torture. Destruction. All done in the Name of Jesus, and it is because of these atrocities that there are many Jewish people who have vowed never to accept the Gospel of Jesus because they believe it would be a betrayal to their identity as a Jew. We in the Church need to come to terms with our history, repent of anti-Semitism, and reach out a genuine loving hand to the Jewish people. I also pray for the Jewish people to see our sincerity to right the wrongs committed against them, and that they would see and experience the true Jesus through us.
Resources:
Watchmen on the Wall: A Practical Guide to Prayer for Jerusalem
Where was Love and Mercy?: Christian Anti-Semitism, Overcoming the Curse, by Clarence Wagner
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Was-Love-Mercy-Anti-Semitism/dp/9657155002/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298233699&sr=1-6
As a member of the human race, I owe the Jewish people a debt of gratitude for all their contributions to humanity. What other people group has made so many contributions to humanity in so many fields such as technology, medicine, agriculture and the arts? I daily use my cell phone, Windows XP, and see drip irrigation systems in the fields surrounding my home. During my first trip toIsrael in 1992 I was surprised to learn that Israel exports more than they import, even supplying tulips to Holland , and they are the major supplier of fruits and vegetables throughout Europe . When I read about all of the inventions that have come from the creativity of the Jewish people, the technological and medical advances made that were developed in Israel
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Was-Love-Mercy-Anti-Semitism/dp/9657155002/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298233699&sr=1-6
As a member of the human race, I owe the Jewish people a debt of gratitude for all their contributions to humanity. What other people group has made so many contributions to humanity in so many fields such as technology, medicine, agriculture and the arts? I daily use my cell phone, Windows XP, and see drip irrigation systems in the fields surrounding my home. During my first trip to
God’s plan for Israel land of Israel
“For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?...And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.” (Romans 11:15, 23)
I am Jewish, and as a Jew, I cannot deny my heritage. Earlier, I alluded to the fact that my year in
My father was a Jew, albeit a secular Jew. My mother was raised in a Methodist church. When they married they agreed that God would never be spoken of in our home. Christmas was all about Santa Claus and Easter was the Easter Bunny. To make a long story short, my father, upon receiving a diagnosis of malignant melanoma, called out to the Lord and received Jesus as his Savior and Messiah. My mother too received Jesus. I already received Jesus a few years prior thanks to the witnessing of one of my school friends. My father died one year later when I was twelve years old.
In the next few years, I became familiar with the events of the Holocaust by reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom and The Diary of Ann Frank. I read many other books on the subject as well as watched movies and documentaries to educate myself. I was so fascinated with how such evil could be allowed by a seemingly civilized people. As I learned about the tremendous suffering the Jewish people endured during that time, I always thought, “Those poor people.”
Then I grew up and learned a whole lot more. There was a lot of teaching about this during my time in
That truly never occurred to me. “Those poor people” could have been me and my family!
I have spent the greater part of the last 20 plus years studying to gain an understanding of all of this Scripturally and historically, and I feel that I’m just beginning to scratch the surface.
Monday, February 7, 2011
What is a Watchman? Part III--Sound the Alarm
"Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near." Joel 2:1
This is the moment the Watchman waits for, what he's been looking for all along...the moment when he can sound the alarm. And, there are generally two reasons for a Watchman to sound an alarm:
- To warn of an approaching enemy
- To announce the arrival of the King
As a side note: This past week, the Lord called me into a season of "purposeful prayer." There are several ministries and churches that He laid on my heart to hold before Him in intercession on a regular basis. The demands of my life don't allow me to spend hours in prayer or even to attend prayer meetings at this time, but I'm so grateful that the Lord gave me a strategy to participate with Him in prayer and in the unfolding of His plans in the earth. Some of these ministries I pray for weekly, but most every other week. I pray in tongues throughout the day and keep my ears attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in how to pray, and I've been amazed at how He has led me. When I've shared with the ministry leaders what the Lord revealed to me, they told me that those things are exactly in line with how the Lord is leading them--and there's no way I would have known that. I really believe that this is a season of training for me. The pressures and demands of life are not going to go away, and it is still possible to give myself to the work of the Lord while trusting Him to take care of the burdens of my heart. I was even pondering that it is often easier to carry someone else's burden than my own.
Back to the topic...
One of the clearest pictures of watchman intercession is the story of Esther. And it is so appropriate for me to write about Esther now as it is the time for the Purim celebration. Friday, March 18, 2011 is the date for the celebration to start.
I've heard so many allusions to Esther in the past few years. People long to be like Esther--lavished with love in the palace of the king. Sounds good, doesn't it? However, I have a different take on the matter. Let's look at the Biblical account in Esther 4 and set the stage. Esther is established in the palace. She's spent her night with the king, and he delighted in her and crowned her queen. Outside the palace, Mordecai (who I believe is the true hero of the story) offended Haman, and Haman hatched a plan to annihilate the Jewish people. Upon hearing of Haman's evil plan, Mordecai and all of the Jewish people cry out in mourning over their impending doom--they sounded the alarm about an approaching enemy.
Where's Esther? In the palace, enjoying its luxuries, self-absorbed and completely oblivious to all that is happening outside the palace. It was her servants who heard Mordechai's cry and told her about it, and her first reaction to hearing about Mordecai in sackcloth and ashes was to be embarrassed by his behavior and send him clothes. It was only after he refused them that she sent her servants to find out why he was mourning. When she finally heard his true cry, and understood what was happening, she felt powerless to do anything. She had a lot going against her. Although she was queen, she had little to no power to influence or change anything. She saw her predecessor deposed, and there was no reason for her to believe she wouldn't face the same fate. Mordecai admonished her, and his admonition shook her to the core:
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14
Esther needed to become actively attentive to Mordecai's cry, his admonition aroused her to a state of being awake, alert and aware of her responsibility. She was also awakened to her identity. Although she kept it hidden, now was the time for her to reveal who she truly was--a Jew. And now that she was actively attentive, awake, alert and aware it was time for her to sound the alarm. The "such a time as this moment" occurred when she sent her reply to Mordecai:
"Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die." Esther 4:15
She was so convinced of her responsibility to intercede on behalf of her people, that she was willing to lay down her life. And we know the rest of the story.
Are we convinced enough of what God is asking of us to be willing to lay down our lives? Yes, there are times to enjoy the presence of God and allow Him to pour out His great love for us, and for us to respond to Him in adoration. Yet, there is also a time when we stand with him as covenant partners and work with Him to establish His Kingdom on the earth.
God has His watchmen placed in various places in the earth at this time. We are called to pray purposeful, passionate, strategic and intelligent prayers as God imparts wisdom so we can partner with Him to accomplish what is on His heart. Intelligent prayers--know what is going on around you. Be up to date with current events and what God is drawing your attention to. Study Scripture. Develop an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, who searches the deep places of God's heart. Pray out those things that God highlights to you. There is tremendous power in prayer, which is why the enemy does all he can to keep God's people from praying!!
Finally, when all is said and done, watchmen get the awesome privilege of announcing the coming King.
"Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!" Psalm 24:9
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
What is a Watchman? Part II--Awake, Alert and Aware
During the past week as I was meditating on the topic of "Awake, Alert and Aware," I couldn't help but be amused because, as a mom of young children, more specifically an older mom of young children, I am in a perpetual state of feeling tired. I can't remember the last time I had a good night sleep and felt fully awake, alert and aware through the day. It seems as if I'm holding on for dear life continuously asking the Lord for grace and strength.
The demands of having young children are tremendous, and it is awesome training for being a watchman. My husband and I are in a constant state of watchfulness over our children. My husband, particularly, is continuously working to make our house safe, and it's a never-ending job. Gone are all of my beautiful decorative candles, sculptures and vases, even our living room tables are now in storage to prevent injuries. Everyday we are surprised at what our children discover they can now get into. We can't let down our guard for a moment. If we do we usually regret it.
In this state of perpetual tiredness, I find that I am not at my best. My judgment is clouded and my temper is short. My patience is worn thin trying to deal with my three-year-old's tantrums and my almost one-year-old's fussiness. There are objects thrown across the room, doors slammed, screaming...and I realize that I'm throwing a bigger tantrum than they are! I don't like me at those times.
However, God understands that we get tired, and His grace is sufficient. As watchmen, no matter how stressful the situation we find ourselves in, we are to cultivate an attitude of wakefulness, vigilance, readiness and caution. We cannot give into slumber which produces indifference, lethargy and insensitivity.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 states, "So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded."
When you're awake, alert and aware your eyes are open and you can see. Awhile ago, I heard the Lord say, “I don't want you to miss the significance of each moment. For what I want you to see can happen as quick as the blink of an eye.”
We can move through our daily routines blindly because they are so familiar. We don't look. We don't see what is right before us. Two dramatic examples I can think of:
1. A physician I heard speak at a fund raiser for the Robbinsdale Women's Center. She claimed the dubious distinction of having opened the first abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. She described her routine for each procedure. She had to lay everything out and count each part to be sure nothing was left behind. She did this day after day for years, and then one day she saw. She saw that what was laid out on the table was a baby.
2. A sea boat captain engaged in the slave trade in the nineteenth century. He made the journey to and from Africa many times carrying his cargo and pocketing the profits and then going back for more. Then he met Jesus and he saw. He no longer saw cargo, he saw men, women and children. That captain left his profession and went on to pen one of the most recognized anthems of worship, Amazing Grace. And, although he lost his sight later in life, he could truly see.
With a simple change of perception the courses of these lives were altered.
“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” Matthew 5:22, 23
The way you look at things is the way you will live.
Rabbi Saul was on a mission.
“But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.” Acts 8:3
Did he do these things because of his hatred toward God? No! He did these things out of his zeal for God. He actually thought that what he was doing was honoring God and His word. He was on his way to Damacus...
“...still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?...Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.” Acts 9:1-4, 8
Then the Lord appeared to a man named Ananias and instructed him to go lay hands on Saul, and he did...
“And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;” Acts 9:18
And we all know that Saul became Paul and with the same zeal he preached Jesus, suffered persecution and imprisonment, and penned letters to the Church that are still relevant and contain truths still being revealed. When Ananias laid hands on Paul and he received his sight back, and he never saw things the same again.
When the Arameans plotted to capture the prophet Elisha, the king of Aram “...sent horses and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.” Elisha's servant panicked, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (see 2 Ki 6:15,16)
“Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see!' And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Ki 6:17
We think we know what is going on by what we see around us; however, there is a whole other realm of reality. In Psalm 89, the psalmist begins with worshiping the Lord for His faithfulness, yet in the middle of his praise he laments over God's seeming unfaithfulness. Circumstances appeared that God had forsaken His covenant. When we are in the midst of trial and turmoil, we are short-sighted, as this psalmist was. We cannot see beyond our current circumstance, but we must trust that God sees much further than we can. There is much that He is doing that we cannot see, but when all is revealed we will know that God was faithful all the time.
“But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him nor deal falsely with my faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.” Ps 89:33,34
In Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen, sight is a powerful symbol throughout the story. In one part of the story, the father has just returned home from the hospital after suffering a heart attack. His teenage son is worried about all of the work his father is doing and how it is affecting his father's health, and his father says:
“We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked, what value is there to a human life? ...I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. Do you understand what I am saying? A man must fill his life with meaning. Meaning is not automatically given to life. It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning. That I do not think you understand yet. A life filled with meaning is worthy of rest. I want to be worthy of rest when I am no longer here. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“...a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something.”
What happens in the blink of an eye? Blinking is an essential function of the eye that helps spread tears across the surface of the eye to provide moisture and remove irritants from the cornea and conjunctiva. It is a cleansing process. Blinking irrigates the eye, the eyelid provides suction, and the eyelashes provide a line of defense that catch most irritants before they reach the surface of the eyeball. That's what happens when we blink. However, what happens when God blinks?
“Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Ps 17:8
Speaking of Jacob/Israel, Moses sang, “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of a wilderness; He encircled him; He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye.” Dt 32:10
God assures us, “For thus says the Lord of Hosts, 'After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zech 2:8
Safety and refuge are in the blink of God's eye. The Scriptures above refer to Israel as being the apple of God's eye, and as believers in Jesus, we get to join in and partake of this promise. The pupil is also referred to as the apple of the eye, and some translate it to mean the daughter of the eye. Think of how a father protects His precious daughter. That is how God protects and closely watches over Israel and you. He is aware of everything, and He cares about every bit of it.
In the same way, He wants us to be awake, alert and aware of all He is doing. He admonishes us by instructing us to:
“Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye.” Pr 7:2
Guard as most precious the words spoken over you, the promises He's made. Guard them as the apple of your eye. Blink! Keep them fresh and clean. Blink! Keep your vision clear. Blink! Defend against any irritant that can cloud your vision and cause pain. Blink! Stay awake. Be alert to all that is happening around you. Be aware of all God is saying and showing you. Value it. Treasure it. Honor it. Don't miss it. It all can happen so fast, so slow down, and take the time to see.
Next post: What is A Watchman? Part III--Sound the Alarm
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What is a Watchman? Part I--Actively Attentive
First of all, let me tell you what a watchman is not. Being a watchman is not a ministerial office or position. It does not take a special calling or gifting to be a watchman. All of us are watchmen. To be a watchman is to take a position of humility and devotion in service to the King and the Kingdom of God. I define a watchman as one who climbs to a high place so he can see far and is:
"The true watchman is someone who watches God, Who is the Chief Watchman--beholding Him in His awesome majestic glory, and what He is doing." --Tom Hess, founder; Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations
So, when we watch God, what is the amazing thing that we see? That He Himself is watching! What is He watching? He watches over His Word, and He watches over us.
"Then the Lord said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it." Jeremiah 1:12
"The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." Psalm 121:8
If God is watching over His word, then we, as watchman, should study Scripture so that we know what He said that has been fulfilled, what is in the process of being fulfilled, and what is yet to be fulfilled. We also need to be people of worship and prayer who dwell and abide in the presence of the Lord listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We need both--knowledge of the Scripture and intimate knowledge of the leading of the Holy Spirit to remain balanced. When we know His word, we can stand in agreement with Him, declaring and decreeing His precious promises and the desires of His heart until all are accomplished.
Knowing that God is watching over us and is fully acquainted with all our ways and all that is happening in our lives should give us tremendous comfort, as well as cause us to watch our lives to ensure that we are bringing Him honor, even during the times when we are alone. When we are alone we display our true character, and it is God who rewards us for what we do in the secret place. We also need to remember that people are watching us: our family, our friends, strangers, and especially our children. Our children watch us, learn from us and imitate us. The picture below is very precious to me. My husband, Bruce, sitting at our kitchen table reading his Bible, and our three-year-old son, Aaron, got his Bible and joined his Daddy.
- Actively Attentive to all God is saying and doing
- Awake and Alert even in the darkest time of the night
- Aware of times and seasons
- sounding an Alarm to warn people of either an approaching enemy or the returning King
"The true watchman is someone who watches God, Who is the Chief Watchman--beholding Him in His awesome majestic glory, and what He is doing." --Tom Hess, founder; Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations
So, when we watch God, what is the amazing thing that we see? That He Himself is watching! What is He watching? He watches over His Word, and He watches over us.
"Then the Lord said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it." Jeremiah 1:12
"The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." Psalm 121:8
If God is watching over His word, then we, as watchman, should study Scripture so that we know what He said that has been fulfilled, what is in the process of being fulfilled, and what is yet to be fulfilled. We also need to be people of worship and prayer who dwell and abide in the presence of the Lord listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We need both--knowledge of the Scripture and intimate knowledge of the leading of the Holy Spirit to remain balanced. When we know His word, we can stand in agreement with Him, declaring and decreeing His precious promises and the desires of His heart until all are accomplished.
Knowing that God is watching over us and is fully acquainted with all our ways and all that is happening in our lives should give us tremendous comfort, as well as cause us to watch our lives to ensure that we are bringing Him honor, even during the times when we are alone. When we are alone we display our true character, and it is God who rewards us for what we do in the secret place. We also need to remember that people are watching us: our family, our friends, strangers, and especially our children. Our children watch us, learn from us and imitate us. The picture below is very precious to me. My husband, Bruce, sitting at our kitchen table reading his Bible, and our three-year-old son, Aaron, got his Bible and joined his Daddy.
I want to be like Aaron--always watching to see what my Daddy is doing so I can imitate Him!!
Next post: What is a Watchman? Part II--Awake and Alert
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Ask of Me the Desires of My Heart
On January 1, 2011, I heard the Lord say to me,
"Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will show you the Kingdom.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will reveal mysteries.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will explain hidden knowledge.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will join your heart to Mine, and My desires will become yours.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and your eyes will see what I see, and your ears will hear what I hear--the cry of My people for Me. I hear their cry, and I will act."
People may wonder why I'm so preoccupied with Israel, Jerusalem, the Jewish people, the Middle East, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Hebrew, etc. Years ago I made a commitment to the Lord to lay down my own dreams, desires and plans and take up His. I knew that if I gave myself to make His dreams come true that He would take care of fulfilling my dreams. I have not been disappointed.
Why do I stand for Jerusalem? Simple. Jerusalem is dear to God's heart.
When Solomon completed the Temple in Jerusalem, during the time the Temple was consecrated and dedicated to the Lord, God appeared to Solomon and said, "For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy--a place where My Name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to My heart." (2 Chronicles 7:16 NLT)
Referring to this Scripture, 2 Kings 21:4 states that Jerusalem is "the place where the Lord had said, 'My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever." Then again in verse 7, "...My Name will be honored in this Temple and in Jerusalem--the city I have chosen from among the tribes of Israel."
The city of Jerusalem is mentioned over 800 times throughout the Bible and God's people are commanded to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper." (Psalm 122:6)
It is quite an experience coming into Jerusalem driving from the desert. As you approach Mount Scopus you enter a tunnel. It's quite a long tunnel that gets darker and darker, and then all of a sudden you come out of the tunnel and the first thing your eyes see is the Old City of Jerusalem, and its beauty takes your breath away--even though you see the dirt, grime and the wear and tear of the city, nonetheless it is beautiful. Then you get out of the bus on top of the Mount of Olives and walk down a steep winding path that ends at the Garden of Gethsemane. Within the garden, the tour guide points out two olive trees. One is 2,000 years old and the other is 3,000 years old. Then you glance over your shoulder and see the Temple mount, and all of a sudden it hits you. Those trees were here when Jesus wept and prayed and lamented over Jerusalem, and your heart breaks as you hear His voice crying, "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem!" Then you get it. Jerusalem is not a metaphor. It is a very real place, and it is dear to God's heart, and His desire is for Jerusalem to be restored and to recognize her Messiah and cry out "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord."
"Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will show you the Kingdom.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will reveal mysteries.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will explain hidden knowledge.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and I will join your heart to Mine, and My desires will become yours.
Ask of Me the desires of My heart, and your eyes will see what I see, and your ears will hear what I hear--the cry of My people for Me. I hear their cry, and I will act."
People may wonder why I'm so preoccupied with Israel, Jerusalem, the Jewish people, the Middle East, Jewish Roots of Christianity, Hebrew, etc. Years ago I made a commitment to the Lord to lay down my own dreams, desires and plans and take up His. I knew that if I gave myself to make His dreams come true that He would take care of fulfilling my dreams. I have not been disappointed.
Why do I stand for Jerusalem? Simple. Jerusalem is dear to God's heart.
When Solomon completed the Temple in Jerusalem, during the time the Temple was consecrated and dedicated to the Lord, God appeared to Solomon and said, "For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy--a place where My Name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to My heart." (2 Chronicles 7:16 NLT)
Referring to this Scripture, 2 Kings 21:4 states that Jerusalem is "the place where the Lord had said, 'My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever." Then again in verse 7, "...My Name will be honored in this Temple and in Jerusalem--the city I have chosen from among the tribes of Israel."
The city of Jerusalem is mentioned over 800 times throughout the Bible and God's people are commanded to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper." (Psalm 122:6)
It is quite an experience coming into Jerusalem driving from the desert. As you approach Mount Scopus you enter a tunnel. It's quite a long tunnel that gets darker and darker, and then all of a sudden you come out of the tunnel and the first thing your eyes see is the Old City of Jerusalem, and its beauty takes your breath away--even though you see the dirt, grime and the wear and tear of the city, nonetheless it is beautiful. Then you get out of the bus on top of the Mount of Olives and walk down a steep winding path that ends at the Garden of Gethsemane. Within the garden, the tour guide points out two olive trees. One is 2,000 years old and the other is 3,000 years old. Then you glance over your shoulder and see the Temple mount, and all of a sudden it hits you. Those trees were here when Jesus wept and prayed and lamented over Jerusalem, and your heart breaks as you hear His voice crying, "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem!" Then you get it. Jerusalem is not a metaphor. It is a very real place, and it is dear to God's heart, and His desire is for Jerusalem to be restored and to recognize her Messiah and cry out "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord."
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