That phrase will adorn billboards across Jerusalem in preparation for President Bush's visit to Israel within the coming days. At the bottom of the poster are the words, "God gave Israel to the Jews". It is intended to be a timely reminder to a US President who has called for the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza, Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem before the end of his term in office. The campaign is being organized by a Jewish group called Am K'Lavee. They believe that the Israeli government has made a mistake in basing the argument for Israel's settlement of Judea and Samaria on purely militaristic and Zionistic reasons, and instead think the claim should be based solely on Scripture which states that the land was given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for an eternal possession (Genesis 17:8). Ironically it is unbelieving Jews who are reminding a believing President of what his Bible says.

Quote: ""The Biblical claim of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel was recognized by the British in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which called for the establishment of a Jewish State in Palestine," Fishman states. "The British believed in the Bible and what was written in it, and that was what guided Lord Balfour in winning the support of the British Parliament. "America also believes in the Bible," Fishman says, "and therefore, it is totally unreasonable that America and its God-fearing President should act against the Bible, the pillar of Christian belief." Through the poster, Fishman is embarking to remind President Bush that God's plan for the world supersedes his plan.

Tzvi Fishman is calling on all Bible lovers to unite and join the battle to save Jerusalem. Fishman says its not just about stopping the division of God's land, but also preserving the right to freedom of worship for all religions in the Holy Land. He hopes that his poster will not only be spread across Jerusalem but also the internet, and that if enough people say no to the Roadmap to Peace, they can stop the division of the land and prevent the region from becoming a haven for Islamic terrorism. In light of Biblical prophecy I don't think we can prevent the division of God's land, but I do think we ought to pray for the Jewish people that they would come to know their Messiah Yeshua, and that God would accomplish His will in the Middle East. And I think we should stand up for the Jewish people and support their claim to the land of Israel, which is in accordance with God's Word. 

I don't know whether President Bush is a Christian or not, the Lord knows. But I think that is quite a testimony to have with unbelievers, that he believes in the Bible. And likewise for America. This should be a reminder to us that we are constantly being watched by the world to see if we are living up to what we claim to believe. Paul states in Romans 11:11 that believing Christians, through their relationship with Yeshua, should be provoking the Jewish people to jealousy of their Messiah. Imagine the influence the Church would have in this world if we just lived our lives according to what we believe. The Lord said in John 13:35, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another". Perhaps for President Bush and America, that testimony may be undeserved. Remember the Church of Sardis in the book of Revelation, which had a name that it lived but it was dead (Revelation 3:1). Let our testimony not be in name only but may we live out what we believe, and hopefully through God's help, many people will come to know the Saviour.

Source Arutz 7

Christian, Jewish and Islamic leaders have called for leadership from the United States of America in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams met today to further progress on talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has apparently guaranteed that Israel would discontinue development in east Jerusalem, after coming under pressure from the United States and the Quartet (EU, US, UN, Russia). This latest call from religious organizations for a resolution to the Middle East conflict is just one of many made over the past year. It follows a similar call from the Lutheran Church earlier this month, and a letter from the major "Evangelical" denominations in July. Today's statement was made by NILI - the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative.

Quote: ""On principles for resolving final status issues, including borders, security, settlements, refugees, and Jerusalem, NILI is urging the Administration to support benchmark ideas developed by Israelis and Palestinians in official and unofficial negotiations over many years, and reflected in the Geneva Accord," read an NILI statement released Wednesday. "Public opinion polls report majority support among Israelis and Palestinians for a peace agreement along these lines." 

It's not the first time the NILI group have called for action in the Middle East. They made a similar call in December of last year. NILI group members include all the major apostate denominations in the United States. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (who have blasphemed the character of God and hate Israel); the Episcopal Church (who condone sexual immorality, deny salvation through Christ alone, and have blasphemed the character of God); the Presbyterian Church USA (who condone sexual immorality, drug abuse and hate Israel); the National Council of Churches USA (who have publicly praised Iranian President Ahmadinejad); and Christianity Today (who hate Israel). As we can see, when the Antichrist steps onto the scene offering peace in the Middle East it will be a natural thing for the "harlot church" to rally behind him, for the world is already drunk with the issue of peace in the Middle East. Today, largely thanks to advent of satellite television, much of Christendom is also drunk on the "signs and wonders" movement, and when the false prophet comes on the scene working his "lying wonders" (2nd Thessalonians 2:9), no questions will be asked. They will rally behind this man, and condemn all those who are against this "move of God". This has already happened with the "Word of Faith" movement. Benny Hinn has on several occasions cursed all those who come against his organization in the name of truth. These organizations have twisted the Scriptures in order to support their erroneous doctrines. But praise God we know the truth, and as Jesus Christ said to Satan all those years ago, our answer must be the same - "for it is written", Matthew 4:10. God has given us an answer for everything in His Word, and Satan is powerless against it. As we can see, the world is fast approaching the time of Jacob's trouble, and the harlot church follows in its wake. We do not run with the world, the Lord has better things planned for us. Even so come, Lord Jesus.

1st Thessalonians 5:6-11
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Source United Press International, Christian Post

Just a day following the Annapolis peace conference, Fatah television broadcast a commercial showing a map of the Middle East without the state of Israel. The Jewish state was replaced by a Palestinian flag, with the words "Palestine 2007" emblazoned in the centre. Now the Palestinian Authority is at it again. This time Fatah have created a poster for the party's 43rd anniversary, which displays a map of "Palestine" with no state of Israel. The entire region is covered in the pattern of Yasser Arafat's head-scarf, which has become a status symbol used by both neo-Nazis and Arabs to display their hatred of the Jewish people. An image of an AK-47 runs the length of the Jordan river, proving that President Abbas' Fatah party has not given up the armed struggle against Israel and will not recognize its right to exist. The Palestinian Liberation Organization has recognized Israel's right to exist, of which Fatah is a member. But neither Fatah nor Hamas have ever recognized Israel's right to exist. Indeed, Fatah members have stated that the PLO's recognition of Israel's right to exist is simply a tactical step to bring the "the resistance and the revolution closer to the lands of Palestine".

Fatah's refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist and its continued glorification of martyrdom against the Jews makes a mockery of this whole peace process. Today Israel is blamed for undermining peace efforts through building houses on its own Biblical "birthright", while Palestinian leaders who incite their people to murder are welcomed with open arms by the international community. The same was true during the time of Nehemiah. Following the end of the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish people sought to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. But they were viciously opposed by their Arab neighbours. 

Nehemiah 2:10
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

Jeremiah prophesied that following the Babylonian invasion, God would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:2), to allow the land to enjoy its Sabbaths (Leviticus 26:33-35). When Daniel understood that the time of Israel's restoration to the land was near, he set about confessing his own sin and the sin of his people. As a result of that prayer, God sent an angel to Daniel to give him understanding concerning the future of the nation of Israel. Even while Jerusalem lay in ruins, the angel told Daniel that the city must be rebuilt and destroyed yet again. 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy have run their course. The Messiah was "cut off" and the "city and sanctuary" were destroyed by the Roman armies in 70AD (Daniel 9:26). Daniel's 70th week states that the "prince that shall come" will defile a future sanctuary and abolish a sacrificial system. Today Israel is once again in possession of Jerusalem, and is seeking to rebuild the Jewish Temple. How close are we to the commencement of Daniel's 70th week? I don't know for sure. I don't think we are in it at present. But we ought to be like Daniel, and to start preparing for the event that we are very close to it. While we haven't been given a specific date as Daniel had, we do have many indications that Christ would return after 2000 years have run their course (Hosea 6:2). Are you ready to meet Him? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Romans 13:11-12
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Source Jerusalem Post, Paleo Lithics

A few days ago I commented on the attack on Israel's Jewish status, and how it is a ploy by Satan to make void God's promises to His chosen people and prevent the return of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem. My friend Jim also published an article detailing Israel's God-given right to the land of Israel. Once again the Jewish status of Israel has come under attack. This time it didn't come from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Not even from Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh. This attack came from the Roman Catholic Church. You would be forgiven for thinking that at this time of year, the leaders of Christendom would be focusing upon Bethlehem and the birth of the Jewish Messiah. Think again. Those sorts of speeches don't draw the crowds anymore. It seems that Jewish Messiahs are "out" this Christmas, and Israel-bashing is "in". In his annual pre-Christmas address, Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah slammed Israel's Jewish identity, and blamed the Jewish state for the lack of peace in the Middle East. He called on Israel to abandon its Jewish heritage and form a political state for Jews, Christians and Muslims. 

Quote: "Sabbah denounced Israel's demand to be recognized as a Jewish state by the Palestinians and said "God made this land for all three of us, so a suitable state is one who can adapt itself to the vocation of this land. ''This land cannot be exclusive for anyone,'' he said, adding that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had unleashed "forces of evil" across the Middle East and that it was Israel's obligation, as to end the warring. "The one who will decide is Israel. If Israel decides for peace, there will be peace... Until now, there has been no peace, simply because there has been no willingness to make it."

I don't know what Bible he's reading from, for God never promised to give the Church any land. Jesus Christ Himself stated in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence". On the other hand, as my friend Jim commented, God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning the land of Israel has never been revoked (Genesis 12:7). The Bible states that "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance", Romans 11:19, and the Lord says that just as it is impossible for Him to break His covenant with the sun and moon, so it is equally impossible for Him to break His covenant with Israel.

Jeremiah 31:35-37
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

The Scriptures prophesied that one day the nation of Israel would be reborn. Ezekiel 37:22 states that God would gather the seed of Israel from among the Gentiles, and make them "one nation in the land" upon the mountains of Israel. We have witnessed this prophecy coming to pass in our lifetimes. Psalm 83 also prophesies of Israel's ongoing conflict with the surrounding Arab nations. Their stated desire is to cut Israel off "from being a nation", and they have tried many, many times to accomplish that. The promises of God are wrapped up in Israel's possession of Jerusalem and its Jewish status. If you take away the Holy City, you make void the prophecy that Jesus Christ would reign over His people Israel (Luke 1:32). If you take away Israel's Jewish status, you make void God's promise that Israel would never cease from being a nation. As we can see with today's news, the world will never be satisfied with a existence of a Jewish state, no matter how much land they give away. And we know that things will continue to grow worse until the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. Praise God that His promises are without repentance. Peter states that God has given us "exceeding great and precious promises" (2nd Peter 1:4), and John says "this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life" (1st John 2:25). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Source YNet News