God tells us to ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may those who love you be secure.’ (Psalm 122:6). No hidden messages there – it is what it is. You need to know what is going on so you know what to be praying for. When you read the Bible, you can see throughout the whole book that Israel is the place to watch – the Holy Land.
This is the video footage of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the congress on May 24th 2011. It is VERY good and VERY important to watch. Everyone really needs to be up to date on what is going on in the Middle East as it does and will affect all of us.
The following poem speaks about the tragedy of good people doing nothing because they’re seemingly not being affected by what is happening around them. The writer, was referring to the Holocaust. He was a protester of Hitler’s anti-semetic regime.
First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out –
Because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.
By Martin Niemoller
The Holocaust
The Holocaust saw the murder of over 6 million Jewish people, headed by Adolf Hitler (the Nazi dictator and Chancellor of Germany) because they were simply….Jewish. This music video was filmed at Auschwitz, a concentration camp used in the extermination of the Jews during the Holocaust. You can see from the images the result of such a hate for people and what happens when people do nothing. Towards the end of this clip, you can hear some of the apology from the President of Germany to the Jewish people so make sure you watch to the end, even though it is emotionally difficult.
We can see this exact same anti-semetic attitude in our modern world today. People have it in for Israel and their hate for the land and its people is fierce.
CURRENT: Anti-Semitism
PAST: Anti-Semitism
NOW: Anti-Semitism in France
Take the Flotilla incident and what the news titled as: ‘Israel Deadly Raid on Peace Ship.’ The news channels had a field day bashing Israel and anti-Semitism was out of control! A post written here gives you a good overview of how I felt about THAT. The news was still against Israel even after evidence was revealed that crates of gas masks, knives, clubs, slingshots, bulletproof vests, and night vision goggles were on board. Why can’t Israel protect itself, especially from a group of people who openly hate Israel and attack it! The ship was supposed to be stopped and checked as usual…and those on board Flotilla refused…suspicious? I think what the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu says is true of Israel, ‘Guilty until proven guilty‘. In other words, always guilty.
Below I have copied a fantastic post written by Lara Berman. A very timely and crucial message! I get sick and tired of seeing Israel battered and bruised by a biased media. Wake up people!
If Facebook represents the average Joe, G-d help us.
I log on to see “Go Egypt, Go!” as my friend’s status update.
My newsfeed reads, “3 people have liked the Virtual ‘March of Millions’ in Solidarity with Egyptian Protestors…who through Peaceful Demonstrations are Demanding Freedom and Democracy.”
Are we talking about the same demonstrations? ‘Cause, I gotta ask: which part is peaceful? The vans attempting to run over people in the streets? The kidnapping of journalists? The fire bombs? Hundreds of thousands of people (600,000+) joined this group.
I get the sense that here in America, most folks have no idea what they’re supporting. They hear “Egypt wants democracy” and without any further context, they’ve picked their side. I’m all for democracy too, by the way, but I’m hip to reality – institutions don’t materialize overnight. The U.S. government unwisely urges Mubarak to abandon his post yesterday – who do they suppose will fill that void? If these riots caught the world off guard, as everyone claims, then there are no political parties waiting in the wings ready to unveil their latest campaign slogans.
But there does seem to be one organized group in this story and that’s the Muslim Brotherhood. Yes, the common man started this swell, but the Muslim Brotherhood has fanned it’s flames across the Middle East. I’m skeptical that Yemen, Egypt, Jordan and Syria all had spontaneous outbursts within the same 2-week period without any behind-the-scenes coordination. Are we all buying that? I suspect, the events in Tunisia lit the match and the Muslim Brotherhood seized the opportunity to instigate this unrest in the hopes of furthering its hateful agenda.
Oh, but I spoke too soon! The Muslim Brotherhood’s not so bad. They’re misunderstood. Hey, they’re like the tea party! Or, evangelical Christians!
There is only so much political correctness and ignorance I can stomach. We’re so busy tolerating the intolerant! Let’s break this down. To understand them, let’s stick to who we know: ourselves. Our parents raised us to embody the morals and values that were important to them. Right? Sure. We’d all agree on that. Well, so too did the Muslim Brotherhood bring up their offspring, Hamas and al Qaeda with ideologies and world views critical to them.
Rather than simply threatened with it, do ABC’s journalists actually need to be beheaded for us to realize who we are dealing with? Are bruises and concussions not enough? Did Anderson Cooper need permanent brain damage to warrant the realization that these folks aren’t like lil’ Sarah Palin from Alaska?
People run the streets in Egypt like rabid animals, beating each other mercilessly. Our enemy, Iran is celebrating – that should be clue enough – and chanting “death to America.” Rage and blood thirst pours through my television set with every image, every interview, every live shot. But this is no movie.
Where is the leadership? Who will lead Egypt? “Democracy!” the West cries. But there are no heroes in this fight. We Americans love instant gratification, but forcing a make-shift, insta-election only provides fertile soil for a theft of power by extremists under the guise of democracy.
And speaking of leadership, Obama’s silence and disappearance this week spoke volumes to me and to the world.
The perceived success of these riots grants dangerous momentum to extreme Islam’s quest for a Muslim caliphate and the enforcement of global sharia law. The world is about to divide between those who agree with that world order and those who don’t; and Obama, as leader of the rest of us, of the free world, retired. He went behind closed doors. Unprecedentedly, he shut out the press. Today, due to pressure, he agreed to a press conference and answered one question. Hey, Mr. President, I know it’s tough to be unscripted.
Dan Gillerman, former Israel ambassador to the U.N. spoke in several news interviews recently. And I must say, after days on this volatile sea, his wisdom and experience shone like a lighthouse in the absence of our own captain.
In a New York City rally, a supporter of the Egyptian, common man’s cause held up a sign saying, “long live the Egyptian intifada.” The Muslim Brotherhood already stated its intention to wage war on Israel, dumping former peace treaties should they come to power, G-d forbid. Syria too decided to join in the fun; rallies have sprung up there. Synagogues and Torah scrolls already burn in Tunisia. Heinrich Heine, a German Jew said in 1821, “where they burn books, they will ultimately also burn people.” We are being given clues, messages to heed.
If there is one blessing in all this, it is that the difference between the “good guys” and the “bad guys” is glaringly obvious. As a young woman, this situation is the worst I’ve witnessed in my lifetime. The stakes demand strength of character from each of us. And even if Obama did this week, we must not choke.
I hope those entrusted with authority get smart fast and handle this delicate situation with wisdom. But meanwhile, may we, as lovers of freedom do our part. May we unite, be swift enough to put the pieces together, and have the strength of character to speak up for our way of life, for Israel, and for human Life, against those who wish for and glorify death. We have freedom. May we use it for good and may we win.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
For the past 10 years I have been a part of a dance team that has been asked to dance all over the countryside. We are a group of Christian women who worship through dance. Here is our missions statement: The Jubilee Ministry Dance Ensemble is a Christian, Australian based Davidic praise and worship team, incorporating dance, flags and banners, all used to the glory of God. Our mission is to proclaim the word of God, through worship, over our nation Australia, as well as over the nation of Israel, in obedience to Psalm 122:6, to ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.’
Our team is made up of the most beautiful group of women with incredible hearts. It is such a blessing to be in the team and minister with them. We are definitely a family.
Last night we danced in Brisbane at the annual PFI (Prayer For Israel) Conference.
Our team, minus two.
'The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit'
A beautiful lady, Grace, doing her drama.
Dancing with the congregation.
Dancing 'Yeshua' with Susanna Galer singing.
Changeroom mischief. A spot of planking. We had a good laugh at this 🙂
My husband took came along and took these photos for us. So many to choose from so you may see some more popping up here and there 🙂
Hubby and I were driving home from Brisbane one day when he asked if I could read out loud to him the book of Hosea in the Old Testament from the Bible. I haven’t really spent much time in this section before and I was really blown away by something.
So many people think that God is a bit of a pushover. They may not use those words exactly, but they sum Him up something like this:
“God would never send anyone to hell, he is not mean.”
“God only has love in Him so He wouldn’t harm.”
“God can’t be real cause there is so much hurt in the world…wouldn’t He just fix everything?”
“I can just do the wrong thing (sin) and ask for forgiveness, then do it again, then ask for forgiveness – He is a forgiving God after all! Easy.”
Hmmmm….this is not the same God of the Bible, especially the one in the book of Hosea! First of all, let us get one thing straight. The book of Hosea says the following about God:
Hosea 1-3 He is a sovereign God
Hosea 4-7 He is a holy God
Hosea 8-10 He is a just God
Hosea 11-14 He is a loving God
He most certainly is, without a doubt, all those things and more goodness! He is LOVE after all.
He is also a jealous God, one who likened Israel (His people) to that of a prostitute who had run away from her loving and doting husband Hosea (who represents God). God is so disappointed and angry that after all this time, after freeing Israel from the clutches of Egypt and doing many miracles for her, Israel would still turn her back on Him and look to other gods and idol worship. Forgetting Him. God had basically had enough and it was time to let Israel know the consequences of turning her back on God.
”I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me. So now I will attack you like a lion, like a leopard that lurks along the road. Like a bear whose cubs have been taken away, I will tear out your heart. I will devour you like a hungry lioness and mangle you like a wild animal.You are about to be destroyed, O Israel— yes, by me, your only helper. Now where isyour king? Let him save you! Where are all the leaders of the land, the king and the officials you demanded of me? In my anger I gave you kings, and in my fury I took them away.’ – Hosea 13: 4-11
Yikes, I would not want to be in the bad books with God….the word that comes to mind is fear. He is mighty and powerful and patient….but continually turning your back on Him may cause Him to get your attention at some stage. You can only be ignorant of Him for so long.
‘I want to heal Israel,but its sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars. Thieves are on the inside and bandits on the outside! Its people don’t realize that I am watching them. Their sinful deeds are all around them, and I see them all.’ – Hosea 7:1-2
So why does God feel this way towards Israel? Let’s see a part of the reason…..
‘O Israel and Judah, what should I do with you?” asks the Lord. “For your love vanishes like the morning mist and disappears like dew in the sunlight. I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces— to slaughter you with my words, with judgments as inescapable as light. I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings. But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust. “Gilead is a city of sinners, tracked with footprints of blood. Priests form bands of robbers, waiting in ambush for their victims. They murder travellers along the road to Shechem and practice every kind of sin. Yes, I have seen something horrible in Ephraim and Israel: My people are defiled by prostituting themselves with other gods!” Hosea 6:4-10
So, what of Hosea’s prostituting wife and unfaithful Israel?
Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them. – Hosea 3:1
Shame Hitler didn’t understand God’s relationship with Israel, one of the many reasons given for the holocaust was because Hitlers twisted mind originally thought he was doing God a favour by wiping out His people, the Jews. Very messed up. Hitler wanted the Jews annihilated as he believed that God had finished with them (antisemitism).
‘Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me. I, the Lord, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west. Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt. Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria. And I will bring them home again,” says the Lord.’ – Hosea 11:8-11
And finally,
‘Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,for your sins have brought you down.Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord.Say to him,“Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us,so that we may offer you our praises.Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses.Never again will we say to the idols we have made,‘You are our gods.’No, in you alonedo the orphans find mercy.”
The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;my love will know no bounds,for my anger will be gone forever. I will be to Israellike a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines.They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.
“O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.” Let those who are wise understand these things.Let those with discernment listen carefully.The paths of the Lord are true and right,and righteous people live by walking in them.But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.’ – Hosea 14: 4-9
My goodness, there is so much to write about! I urge you to read Hosea, the whole lot, even if you do not believe in Him. It is not very long and you will be glad that you did. It gives a bit more of an understanding of God’s character.
I have a story that I need to bring up after my husband broke one of our glasses today.
He has the worst track record when it comes to glassware. It’s like he gets nervous about handling things that can break. After we first got married we bought a heap of beautiful wine glasses from Freedom. Gradually as time went by, the quantity of glasses in our home decreased, until we were left with one lonely little wine glass (and a few less drinking glasses, and plates).
During one of our visits to IKEA in Brisbane, my husband decides that we should replace all our broken wine glasses so he leaves me in the lighting zone and heads off to the glass area. Soon I hear a loud CRASH echoing over the crowd of shoppers. Oh.My.Goodness…..I immediately know what has happened and have quite a vivid picture in my head. When I turn the corner I see my husband standing in the middle of an assemblage of broken glass with a sweet IKEA lady trying to clean up the mess. He starts to tell me that he was looking at a glass, tried to pick it up and knocked the one next to it over, and this movement of the neighbouring glass knocked over a whole community of other glasses. I just silently shook my head in disbelief. However, we did end up leaving the store with some nice glasses which we still have to this day. It was ‘just’ a ceramic one he broke today.
September 2003 - our wedding
The only time I have been stoked that my husband smashed a wine glass was when he had just become my husband – on our wedding day. He has Jewish ancestry and we wanted to honor that in our wedding, we also loved the beautiful symbolism and emotion that Jewish weddings evoke. Once we both had said “I do” and shared a glass of wine (communion), our Pastor wrapped up the empty glass in some material and placed it onto the ground for Kirk to smash with his foot. “Mazel Tov!”
So why deliberately smash a glass at your wedding? There are so many different interpretations as to why this is done at a Jewish wedding.
the marriage will last as long as the glass is broken– forever.
the husband and wife drank from a glass that no other will ever drink from (cause it is broken), in other words the marriage is just for the husband and wife….no one else can drink from that cup (if you know what I mean?).
our previous ‘single’ lives are in the past and we are starting a new life together as a married couple. The old/past is done with.
the most widespread meaning attached to the glass-smashing ritual is that it symbolises the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70AD. As the Temple functioned as the centre of worship in Judaism, its destruction has been devastating to the Jewish people. By remembering this national sadness during the joyous festivities of a wedding, Jews “set Jerusalem above [their] highest joy” (Psalm 137).
Jewish men may also joke at the wedding that this is the last time the groom gets to ‘put his foot down’!
What was something special that you did or would like to do at your wedding?
Search the Bible and you will find that it doesn’t actually tell us the date on which Jesus was born. So Christians who wanted to celebrate his birth had to pick a date, and what they picked was 25 December.
In other words Christmas Day is a bit like the Queen’s Official Birthday. The Queen was born in April but her ‘official birthday’ is celebrated in June (in Australia). In much the same way, the early Christians didn’t know Jesus’ actual birthday, so they picked a day to be his ‘official birthday’.
It was back in the year 440 that this day was picked. And it was chosen because it was close to the date of the winter solstice, 22 December. That’s about the time when the sun reaches its most southern point and starts swinging back to the north. So in the northern hemisphere it was the mid-point of winter.
From the solstice onwards the days started slowly getting longer and warmer. Now that’s not a bad thing to celebrate: which the ancient pagans did with a big party.
When those pagans became Christians they said, “Hey, let’s keep our mid-winter party, and use it to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ”. Maybe not in exactly those words, but that was the idea. And that’s how the date for Christmas was chosen.
UNEARTHING THE SPUD 