A question, and a very popular topic here, is how do we separate politics from religion - or how to we separate our purpose and work here from the politics of the region? The past few weeks and months have highlighted the fact that life here continues - in the midst of turmoil on every border, and within the State of Israel. And life includes all aspects of things. Sometimes a question doesn't have to be answered, because the question is flawed.
Without getting into a history lesson, let's just say that the separation of "God and State" has led to many unfortunate consequences. After all, if God is removed from the equation, and removed as a solution, then failure is certain. Human politics typically do not involve including God, but rather purposely excluding Him.
So, for us, the question we ask ourselves everyday is...how do we know what side of an issue we should be be on? Or how can we be certain that our views are correct? This applies to all of the aspects of life going on around us.
What is the Truth? Are there consequences for not adhering to the Truth, or dare I say the Law? We believe we have no choice but to place the Word of God as the ultimate Truth decider. Seriously, what other choice do we have? If we believe God is the Creator, then He and He alone decides what is Truth and what is not.
God's Word must be the test for all things.
Some of the issues...
BRING BACK OUR BOYS:
Thank you for your continued prayers for the safe and quick return of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali from the hands of terrorists. The recent effort by the IDF has focused on caves and tunnels looking for the boys.
Search for teens - update
Realize that Hamas - a formally recognized terrorist organization - is behind this, and their intent is to ask Israel to once again release murderers and terrorists from Israeli prisons in exchange for the teens. Israel, having given in to past prisoner releases, has proven that most criminals will return to their ways. A hard lesson they are reaping the consequences of. As of today nearly 350 individuals have been arrested and detained as part of "Operation Brother's Keeper"; the majority of these are Hamas members and those released from prison.
YouTube video - IDF Chief of Staff Visits Troops Searching for Kidnapped Teens
I've met with soldiers this past week in Samaria and have seen the effects of 2-3 hours of sleep, and the intensity they operate under while seeking information and attempting to locate the boys. Some of the soldiers cancelled their graduation ceremonies in order to work up to the very last minute of their enlistment to continue the efforts.
.JPG)
What is the Truth in the midst of this political ploy and cowardly act perpetrated by the terrorists? It's quite simple...Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. And so, any attempt to divide, or deny, or annihilate, or destroy this Land or its people will be prayed against, and stood up against. We would rather be "Godly" correct than "politically" correct.
Again, I won't get into a history lesson, but the right of Israel to be here can be proven Biblically, politically, legally, morally, and militarily.
Well, maybe one history lesson...
Palestine is a Geographical Area, Not a Nationality
All of the terrorists' acts of cowardice are attempts to persuade the world of a myth that a certain people group deserve to occupy Israel. The TRUTH is that God has given the Title Deed to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Romans 9:4, Romans 11:1, Ephesians 2:17-18.
“I am establishing my covenant between me and you, along with your descendants after you, generation after generation, as an everlasting covenant, to be God for you and for your descendants after you. I will give you and your descendants after you the land in which you are now foreigners, all the land of Kena‘an, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:7-8
TRUTH or consequences?
RECENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECISION:
Surely not meaning to step on any toes here......
Presbyterian Church votes in favor of divestment
We wonder how the convenience of the separation of Church and State is used when it fits ones agenda. The Church is silent in so many areas of society that have become corrupt..i.e. abortion, homosexuality, etc. but Israel is now a topic for votes, and how to spend it's money. The Presbyterian Church leadership has purposed to divest itself from companies who do business in Israel. Why? They say Israel is occupying - Israel!! And those who settle here are living in settlements. Well, they are supposed to:
“Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply." Jeremiah 23:3
"The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob." Isaiah 14:1
How is Romans 11:11 reconciled in the minds of the leadership of this church? How are we to separate politics form our daily lives? We cannot. Because now, we (Linda and I, along with CFI and other Christian organizations who believe God's Word) will be lumped together with this decision and will have to prove ourselves - again to our Jewish friends. We'll have to gain their trust and explain that Christianity was not supposed to be a persecuting religion, but rather a religion of love and support of God's chosen people. A provoking to jealousy, not to be confused with envy for Gentile Christianity, but rather a jealousy of what the Jewish people are called to be - a Light to the Nations (Isaiah 49:6, Luke 2:32, Acts 13:47) After all, why would a Jew be jealous for a religion that wants the Jews to leave Israel?
"I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Genesis 12:3
TRUTH or consequences?
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
The WCC - an active organization in Israel.
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
On many Friday afternoons, we will spot an organized protest of Christians against the "occupation" of Israel of the so-called West Bank. The Bible calls this Land Judea and Samaria, Canaan or the Mountains of Israel. These protests are in the center of Jerusalem, and for the most part, go unnoticed by the population. Once in a while we'll see someone across the street waving an Israeli flag in support of God's Word. We wonder what would happen if a group of 100 Jews went into Hebron, or Nablus, or Ramallah or Gaza and claimed the Palestinain Authority, or Hamas was 'occupying' the Land....
How can we separate politics from the every day life here? We can't, because the politics of man keeps propping up itself, rather than the Truth of God's Word. For our American friends, we dare not even remind you of the consequences of the current administration's policies which are significantly opposed to the Bible and God's ways. The progressive and humanistic movements are quite obvious and harmful. There is forgiveness of sin - but it must be asked for and repented of. Thank God there is still hope!!
What is the 'occupied' territory?
We live in a place where Biblical prophesy and its fulfillment, along with the media headlines, converge on a daily basis. We greet new immigrants from Ukraine at our Lighthouse Center. We love and welcome them in the name of Yeshua. We speak with soldiers and tell them that not only are they the physical guardians of the promise to Abraham, but that they are performing a righteous deed. We visit survivors of the holocaust and encourage them to return to the God of their youth and ask them to trust His promise that He will never leave them nor forsake them.
We also visit victims of rockets from Gaza - where recently Hamas has re-united itself with the Palestinian Authority Government. In the past two weeks since this unification - three boys from Judea have been kidnapped and more rockets have been fired into Israel than have been fired all year. We visit war veterans and thank them for their service, as they wonder if this thing called war will ever end. The opportunities to be a Light are endless. Why? Because man keeps forgetting who God is - and leaving Him out of the picture.
We pray for Divine intervention - in all things, but God has already given us His TRUTH. So we pray for this TRUTH to be the litmus test in our daily lives.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34
TRUTH or consequences?
And so, whether we like it or not, there are consequences for not aligning our thoughts and actions up with God's Word - His Truth. And, yes, we realize we have much yet to learn, but while we are in the process, we can at least look to His Word for direction and purpose. As a well known Pastor often says..."we may not have arrived, but we've definitely left." We are learning.
All our love from Jerusalem, please continue to pray for her.
“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today..."
Deuteronomy 11:26-28
No comments:
Post a Comment