“Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us”
1Sam 7:8
1Sam 7:8
- Three Israeli teenagers abducted and killed by Hamas terrorists
- Hamas in Gaza launches rocket attacks that reach Beer Sheba
- Palestinian teenager abducted and murdered
- Nationwide riots in Israeli Arab villages
- Beduins in the South clash with police
- Palestinians riot near Jerusalem
- An Israeli Arab who murdered a young woman caught
Our newspapers and headlines all reflect the tremendous conflict, turmoil, and upheaval that we are experiencing; we are in the midst of a dangerous time. Just read some of the News headlines and you will get the feeling that the nation is aflame. Some are worried about another Intifada, others, believe things are not ripe for it. Read here for one analyst’s point of view. http://tiny.cc/intifada
Yesterday evening a heavy barrage of rockets was unleashed from Gaza toward our southern cities. This morning, Israel is widening its operation against Hamas in Gaza and is calling up some reserves. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to lob rockets at Israeli cities and towns. It seems likely that if Hamas does not cease its hostilities, Israel will decide to go into the Gaza Strip.
But regardless of the situation God’s plan of the restoration and redemption of Israel is on track!
This is what I felt the Lord impress upon my heart, right at the beginning of the events that have led to the current crisis. It was ignited by the abduction and murder, by Hamas, of three teenagers who were hitching a ride home for the weekend, from their yeshiva, located in the Etzion Block, in Judea, about a month ago.
Our need is to get a hold of God and pray
It is not my purpose here to analyze and argue or prove Israel’s rights, or moralize, or compare Israel and Hamas and the Palestinians, or try to explain heinous acts that have been done by individuals. Rather, I believe that our urgent need is to get a hold of God. And this, must be based on His Word.
I take it as a given, that the Bible clearly teaches that in the Last Days God would gather Israel from all the corners of the earth, and here meet her and apply the New Covenant to her people, as a nation. This is an essential part of His plan for the nations! See Ezekiel 36
If some will want to find fault with Israel, and say that Israel’s sinfulness prevents her from the fulfillment of the promises of God, I would say that just the opposite is true. God has brought us back in an unredeemed condition and has promised to redeem, cleanse, sanctify us, and give us a new heart. The Jewish people have been brought back to the land for this very purpose: to be sanctified and made whole and holy. The promises and the covenants are all we have, but they are enough.
This should be understood most by believers; after all, on what basis have they come to salvation?
- Hamas in Gaza launches rocket attacks that reach Beer Sheba
- Palestinian teenager abducted and murdered
- Nationwide riots in Israeli Arab villages
- Beduins in the South clash with police
- Palestinians riot near Jerusalem
- An Israeli Arab who murdered a young woman caught
Our newspapers and headlines all reflect the tremendous conflict, turmoil, and upheaval that we are experiencing; we are in the midst of a dangerous time. Just read some of the News headlines and you will get the feeling that the nation is aflame. Some are worried about another Intifada, others, believe things are not ripe for it. Read here for one analyst’s point of view. http://tiny.cc/intifada
Yesterday evening a heavy barrage of rockets was unleashed from Gaza toward our southern cities. This morning, Israel is widening its operation against Hamas in Gaza and is calling up some reserves. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to lob rockets at Israeli cities and towns. It seems likely that if Hamas does not cease its hostilities, Israel will decide to go into the Gaza Strip.
But regardless of the situation God’s plan of the restoration and redemption of Israel is on track!
This is what I felt the Lord impress upon my heart, right at the beginning of the events that have led to the current crisis. It was ignited by the abduction and murder, by Hamas, of three teenagers who were hitching a ride home for the weekend, from their yeshiva, located in the Etzion Block, in Judea, about a month ago.
Our need is to get a hold of God and pray
It is not my purpose here to analyze and argue or prove Israel’s rights, or moralize, or compare Israel and Hamas and the Palestinians, or try to explain heinous acts that have been done by individuals. Rather, I believe that our urgent need is to get a hold of God. And this, must be based on His Word.
I take it as a given, that the Bible clearly teaches that in the Last Days God would gather Israel from all the corners of the earth, and here meet her and apply the New Covenant to her people, as a nation. This is an essential part of His plan for the nations! See Ezekiel 36
If some will want to find fault with Israel, and say that Israel’s sinfulness prevents her from the fulfillment of the promises of God, I would say that just the opposite is true. God has brought us back in an unredeemed condition and has promised to redeem, cleanse, sanctify us, and give us a new heart. The Jewish people have been brought back to the land for this very purpose: to be sanctified and made whole and holy. The promises and the covenants are all we have, but they are enough.
This should be understood most by believers; after all, on what basis have they come to salvation?
~~~~
A lambkin is enough
“Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.” 1Sam. 7:7-10
I have been struck again and again by the fact that Samuel, in the face of war, danger, and pressure, offered a small little lambkin to God as a whole burnt offering. No trumpets, Shofars, big to do, shouting and sweating. Just a lambkin, a whole burnt offering….and God heard and saved his people from their enemies. It is wonderful to notice too, that the place of victory becomes known as Ebenezer, and it is exactly the place where the ark was lost formerly. (See 1Sam. 4:1) The place of defeat and loss, became a place of victory by the help of God; all because Samuel knew how to get a hold of God….with one little lamb!
We need to get a hold of God, we need to see Yeshua again.
It is at the cross where we see light, and it’s at the cross where we understand and it is at the cross where we can stand in prayer.
The book of Revelation describes the greatest and most horrible conflict imaginable. But in the midst, always, there is the Lamb; and He is always in perfect control of events. If you lose sight of that, you will see only what the devil does; but if you see the Lamb— you will know how to stand before Him through it all.
I urge upon you our need to see God again in the crucified Messiah. There, we can see and understand and be in the Spirit. There, we can intercede for the fulness of all He died for, and for the restoration of His nation in the Land.
Our nation’s need cries out to us, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us.”
Let us, then, cry out to God, standing on the finished work of The Lamb; that He may save us from our enemies and our sins!
He declared that we will understand, and that we will thus cry out to Him:
“Thus says the Lord God: For this also I will let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do it for them; Ezek. 36:36-37
Ofer Amitai - Jerusalem Prayer Center
“Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.” 1Sam. 7:7-10
I have been struck again and again by the fact that Samuel, in the face of war, danger, and pressure, offered a small little lambkin to God as a whole burnt offering. No trumpets, Shofars, big to do, shouting and sweating. Just a lambkin, a whole burnt offering….and God heard and saved his people from their enemies. It is wonderful to notice too, that the place of victory becomes known as Ebenezer, and it is exactly the place where the ark was lost formerly. (See 1Sam. 4:1) The place of defeat and loss, became a place of victory by the help of God; all because Samuel knew how to get a hold of God….with one little lamb!
We need to get a hold of God, we need to see Yeshua again.
It is at the cross where we see light, and it’s at the cross where we understand and it is at the cross where we can stand in prayer.
The book of Revelation describes the greatest and most horrible conflict imaginable. But in the midst, always, there is the Lamb; and He is always in perfect control of events. If you lose sight of that, you will see only what the devil does; but if you see the Lamb— you will know how to stand before Him through it all.
I urge upon you our need to see God again in the crucified Messiah. There, we can see and understand and be in the Spirit. There, we can intercede for the fulness of all He died for, and for the restoration of His nation in the Land.
Our nation’s need cries out to us, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us.”
Let us, then, cry out to God, standing on the finished work of The Lamb; that He may save us from our enemies and our sins!
He declared that we will understand, and that we will thus cry out to Him:
“Thus says the Lord God: For this also I will let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do it for them; Ezek. 36:36-37
Ofer Amitai - Jerusalem Prayer Center
~~~~
For the latest update on the conflict: http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3083,00.html
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