The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 3

• This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

WARFARE Is Not an Option, We Simply Must Learn To FIGHT

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

¹By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.²I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

• The word “night” is plural in the Hebrew indicating that she sought Him night after night. What Happened? “She Found Him Not”.

³The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? ⁴It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

• She asks the watchmen of the city “Saw Ye Him Whom My Soul Loveth?” When she finally found him “She Held Him, and Would Not Let Him Go Until She Had Brought Him into Her Mother’s House”.

• The maiden brought her Solomon home to rekindle their love. The believer must not only find the Lord and return to Him but also return to the House of God.

⁵I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

• Intent on cementing their relationship, the bride repeats her charge to all forms of distraction to leave her undisturbed in her time of repentance and restoration.

Neither the bride nor the bridegroom is speaking in the next few verses but the daughters of Jerusalem. The daughters of Jerusalem represent our testimony to others (the world).

⁶Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

• They ask “Who Is This That Cometh Out Of The Wilderness Like Pillars Of Smoke, Perfumed With Myrrh And Frankincense?” (“This” is feminine in the Hebrew. The words that follow refer to the bride’s coming.)

• The repentant bride is seen coming out of the wilderness having made a sacrificial offering; therefore, she is seen “As Pillars Of Smoke”. So different does she appear because of her new commitment that the daughters of Jerusalem cry, “Who Is This?”

⁷Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.⁸They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

• It is not only the bride who is seen but the bridegroom as well. They are together in a procession. The bed refers to a hand carried chariot. The mood of the procession is not one of love, but of warfare. In what are the valiant men experts? “WAR.”

¹¹Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

• Now that the bride has agreed to go with Solomon into battle, their wedding day is assured. Apparently, Solomon’s mother took part in the ceremony. In Scripture typology, the mother represents Israel (Rev.12:1-2; Gal.4:26).

When the wedding march (the Rapture) begins for Christ and His bride, God will turn back to Israel and she will begin to serve Him again. Thus, Israel will rejoice “In the day of His Espousals/wedding day”.

http://youtu.be/_zcNqxobJW8

(To be continued…)

The Believer’s Walk as Revealed in the Song of Solomon – Chapter 1

This book was written by Solomon to recount his love relationship and marriage to a lovely young Shulamite maiden. It is also a portrait of God’s relationship with Israel. The Song of Solomon is cherished as a guide and an inspiration for the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and seeks to lead the believer toward a closer and more OBEDIENT walk with the Lord. The Song of Solomon became one of the five scrolls of the third part of the Hebrew Bible, each of which was read publicly at one of the annual Jewish Feasts. This one was assigned to be read at the PASSOVER. Passover also marks the beginning of the journey to the Promised Land.

The Proof of DESIRE is in PURSUIT

Climbing the Mountain of Faith

¹The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.

By divine record we are informed that King Solomon wrote 1005 songs (I Kings 4:32). However, he entitled this story “The Song of songs”. Just as the inner sanctuary of the temple was the Holy of holies and Christ is King of kings, so this book is indeed “The Song of songs”.

• The story begins with Solomon’s bride speaking.

²Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

The bride’s intense longing is expressed as desiring “The Kisses of His Mouth”. We are all familiar with the kisses on the cheek. Even so, our longing will increase from seeking mere kisses on the cheek, occasional blessings, to pursuing a closer and more intimate relationship with Christ through His Word.

The bride says that His great love is “Better Than Wine”. Many times in Scripture wine represents the joys of the world. Once we have tasted of the kisses of His mouth, the meat of the Word, how far better is the love of God than all the pleasures of the world.

³because of the savor of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

The virgins love the king because “Thy Name Is As Ointment Poured Forth”. His name has not been kept as bottled ointment but rather as ointment poured forth upon His people who now find new identity and power through the name of Jesus.

⁴Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

The bride says to the king “Draw Me”. As we serve the Lord, we become increasingly aware of the fact that “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” Mt.26:41. We not only need to desire Him, but we need to be drawn.

How do the virgins respond? “We Will Run After Thee”. The king takes his running bride “Into His Chambers”. When the king brings us into his chambers, we have entered into the secret place of the Most High, Psalm 91:1.

⁵I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. ⁶Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

The maiden had attended to other vineyards: job, ministry, and etc, but what vineyard had she left unkept? “Her Own Vineyard”; represented by the disregard for her complexion. If we are successful in all other areas of life, but neglect to attend to THE WORD, the source of our spiritual complexion, we have failed to keep the most important vineyard of all. Our vineyard can bring forth much fruit by abiding in the vine, THE WORD, John 15:5-7.

The maiden stated in v5 that “I Am Black”. She recognized that she did not have her own beauty, but through the love of the king she could declare to others “O Ye Daughters of Jerusalem” that she was lovely. The tents of Kedar were dark in appearance but the curtains of Solomon were delicate fine linen.

The closer we draw to the Lord the more conscious we become that we are arrayed in fine linen and made to be glorious, Eph.5:27. In Rev.19:7-8, the Bride of Christ, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, will be wearing “Fine Linen, Clean and White”.

⁷Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feeds, where thou makes thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of thy companions?

The maiden ask the bridegroom to tell her “Where Do You Graze Your Flock and Where Do You Rest Your Sheep at Noonday?” The maiden specifically requested the place of the noonday feeding. When the ancient shepherds in the east fed their flocks, they took them to the grassy riverbeds and springs when the heat of the noonday came. Therefore, the richest food was to be eaten at noon. We should covet earnestly the finest possible spiritual food, I Cor.12:31.

As lovers of God’s Word we should be in earnest pursuit of the rich grasses of the noonday feeding. For the shepherds of the east it was a difficult journey down the steep mountainside to the cool river valley. Likewise, to feed delicately on spiritual things may require extra labor to obtain the rich valley grass necessary to continue the inner chamber relationship with the Lord.

The maiden ask the bridegroom “Why Should I Be Like One Who Wanders Beside the Flock Of Thy Companions?” Why should the church be like one who wanders outside the blessings of God – the rich grasses of the noonday feeding?

⁸If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

Solomon calls her “O Thou Fairest Among Women”. In Deu.32:10; Ps.17:8, God’s people are called “The Apple Of His Eye”, an old English expression referring to the pupil of the eye. The phrase is used symbolically of something cherished, precious, and protected.

The king tells the maiden to “Go Thy Way Forth By The Footsteps Of The Flock”. The footsteps of the flock refer to the pathway trodden by other saints who have also chosen to pick up the Cross and follow Him.

⁹I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

To what are we compared? “A Company Of Horses In Pharaoh’s Chariots”. The horses of Pharaoh were reputed to be the best in the world. Along with their great beauty, they were strong, swift and courageous in battle!

¹¹We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

“WE” speaks of the trinity of God. “Borders Of Gold With Studs Of Silver” refer to the crown being prepared for us that we will receive when in the eternal presence of God.

¹²While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof.

The maiden perceives that the king could smell “Her Spikenard”. Spikenard was a very costly ointment that was extremely fragrant. It was a plant not native to Israel but imported at great expense. At His great expense, the Lord has planted the Christ life within that makes us lovely and fragrant with a savor far beyond any earthly plant.

¹³A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

The maiden says that her beloved is to her “A Bundle Of Myrrh”. Myrrh was a highly fragrant and costly spice imported to Israel. At great cost, our Savior was imported from afar and is highly fragrant to all who know Him. Myrrh was used to deaden pain, as walking with the Lord comforts us through the heartaches of this life. Myrrh was very bitter to the taste and refers to the cross we must bear as we serve Him, Mt. 10:38. Myrrh was used medicinally and was a cure for many ailments as our great Physician is health and healing to all who believe in Him.

To those who experience these various aspects of the Lord’s character, He is truly a bundle of myrrh; The Balm of Gilead; The Bread of Life; The Lamb of God, Jer.8:22; Gen.37:24-26; Gal.3:13; Is.53:5.

¹⁵Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.

Hearing her loving evaluation, the king responds wholeheartedly and says of her eyes “Thou Hast Doves’ Eyes”. Eyes are the window of the soul and have always been recognized as the place where character can be seen. The dove is the emblem of simplicity, innocency, and fidelity. We have been washed in the blood of Jesus and made to be innocent and pure like the dove.

¹⁷The beams of our house are cedar and our rafters of fir.

Solomon’s bride refers to the beautiful and strong wood to build their home together. When we are living close to the Lord, we too are building a strong and lovely home for His habitation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whjZTug_O-Y

(To be continued…)

MAN’S FIRST DIMENTION – THE SPIRIT

Kenneth E. Hagin

Man is a spirit who possesses a soul and lives in a body. Man’s spirit is that part of him that knows God. He is in the same class with God because God is a Spirit and God made man to fellowship with him. God made man for His own pleasure. Man is not an animal. In order to fellowship with God, man must be in the same category with God. Therefore, just as God is a Spirit, so man is a spirit.

We can’t fellowship with animals because they are in a different kingdom , a different class than we are. But we can fellowship with one another, and we can fellowship with God because we are the same type of being.

Jesus told the woman at the well in Samaria,

• “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:24. We cannot know God or touch Him physically. He is not a man. He is a Spirit. We cannot communicate with Him mentally, for He is not a mind. He is a Spirit. But we can reach Him with our spirit, and it is through our spirit that we come to know God.

So we know that God is a Spirit. And yet God, who is a Spirit, took upon Himself a man’s body. Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…,” John 1:1-3, 14.

When God took upon Himself human form, He was no less God than when He didn’t have a body. Man, at physical death, leaves his body. Yet he is no less man than when he had a body. We see this in Christ’s account of Lazarus and the rich man at death,

• Luke 16:19-31, There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

In Paul’s epistle to the church at Thessalonica we see a glimpse of man’s three-fold nature.

• “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” I Thessalonians 5:23.

Another version translates this verse, “I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This three-fold man is to be preserved “entire,” without blame at the coming of the Lord. That will be a great day, for when the Lord comes, this whole man – spirit, soul and body – salvation, new birth,  will be preserved “entire.”

We have a new spirit now, for our spirits are born of God. But we will have a new body “at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” We have a new life now, but we will have a new body then.

• The Bible talks about salvation in the past, present and future tense. When it talks about salvation in the past tense, its connected to the “new birth.” When it speaks of salvation in the present tense, its connected to the “renewed mind” Romans 12:2. When it speaks of salvation in the future tense, its connected to the redemption of our bodies.

More than one Old Testament prophet prophesied concerning Israel that God would establish a new covenant with the house of Israel. This new covenant is the New Testament as we know it. Through the prophet Ezekiel God said,

• “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and you shall keep My judgments, and do them” Ezekiel 36:26-27.

Ezekiel was prophesying the new birth. When a man is born again, the spirit (which is the real man) is born again and the old man is gone. The old hard, stony heart is gone. He is a new creature, as Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17,

• “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

The words “heart” and “spirit” are used interchangeably in the scriptures. Your heart is your spirit. When the Word of God speaks about the heart of man, it is speaking of the spirit of man.

Peter talked about the “hidden man of the heart.” He was telling us not merely to be concerned with outward adorning,

• “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price,”   I Peter 3:4. This is the real man. It is not the outward man, the man of flesh and bones; it is not the body. It is the inward man.

Paul referred to the “hidden man of the heart” – man’s spirit – as the inward man.

• “…Though our outward man perish (another version says ‘is decaying’), yet the inward man is renewed day by day,” II Corinthians 4:16. The outward man, or the body, is growing older and “is decaying,” just as the house you live in is decaying and needs constant upkeep and repairs. But the real you is not getting older, for Paul said, “…yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

You will never be any older than what you are right now. You are no older now than you were a few years ago. You know more now than you did then, but you are not any older. Your hair may become grayer and you may get a few more wrinkles, but the real you will never become old. For the inward man is renewed day by day.

Then Paul went on to say,

• “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal,” II Corinthians 4:17-18. You may be going through some kind of trial which is making your life miserable from the natural standpoint. But remember, it is just for a moment. For we look forward to something far more wonderful which will last, not for a moment, but for eternity.

“While we look not at the things which are see, but at the things which are not seen…” The outward man is seen, but the inward man is that hidden, unseen man. Too many people are defeated in life because they are looking at the wrong things. All they ever see is physical. Smith Wigglesworth once said “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m moved only by what I believe.” The only way we can look at the unseen is by faith.

The first verse of the next chapter is a continuation of what Paul was saying here. When Paul wrote this epistle it was all one long letter to the church at Corinth. Man has divided it into chapters for easier reference. Talking about things that are not seen and about the inward man, Paul said,

• “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” II Corinthians 5:1.

The “earthly house” that Paul talks about here is, of course our physical body. He says that if our body is “dissolved…” if it dies and is placed in a grave, decays and goes back to dust, that is not the end. “…We have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens…” He is referring to the spirit of man, the inward man, that is eternal.

Paul continues on this subject further in this same chapter.

• “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,” II Corinthians 5:6-8. In v.6 Paul said, “we are always confident;” then again in v.8 he said, “we are confident…” Paul knew what he was talking about. He was confident that while “we (the inward man) are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.” But when we (the inward man, the real man) are “absent from the body,” we are “present with the Lord.”

Living in the natural, physical world as we do, it is difficult to realize that the spirit world is far more real than this natural world. We think of people as existing only in their physical bodies, and when they are dead as no longer existing. However, the scriptures tell us that the real man is the inward man, the hidden man of the heart, that he is an eternal being. He will live on long after his “earthly house” has returned to dust.

Death in the scriptures does not mean the cessation of life as we understand it. It means separation from God.

Israeli Oil Could Have a Bigger Impact Than Gas

Oil in Israel Newsletter	http://oilinisrael.net
by sspillman
The Jerusalem Post reported this week on an assessment from the Swiss based financial services giant UBS, that a significant oil find could have a greater impact to Israel’s economy than the recent massive natural gas discoveries offshore. UBS analysts, Roni Biron, Ziv Tal and Reinhard Cluse wrote in a report on the Israeli gas and oil sector that: “Our calculations suggest that, in the event of success, oil could potentially deliver a boost to GDP growth, the budget and the external balance that might potentially be even bigger than the impact from natural gas. “This would also imply a larger appreciation potential for the shekel and an even greater requirement to manage the resulting macroeconomic challenges through a carefully managed sovereign-wealth fund.” Simply put, UBS analysts are saying that discovering oil could mean more to Israel’s economy, trade balance, domestic budget, value of the shekel and long term national wealth than the recent gargantuan offshore natural gas finds that will make Israel both import independent and a major exporter. Not to mention (they didn’t) that being oil and gas independent would add significantly to Israel’s national security. The UBS analysts reminded readers that the Leviathan and Tamar fields were the world’s largest gas discoveries in the past decade, that Tamar would be sufficient for all of Israel’s domestic needs, making Leviathan available for 100% export. They reported, “natural- gas exports from the Leviathan field will begin in 2017 at almost $3 billion per year, before rising to almost $6 billion in 2020.” $6 billion per year from natural gas exports – that’s significant! What’s more significant is that the UBS report was about how a oil could have a greater impact.

Coming soon: a vaccine against cancer

By David Shamah

Israel’s Vacciguard introduces a unique biotech system to develop immunizations against some of the world’s deadliest maladies, from cancer to CMV, and West Nile virus.

Holding out hope of a vaccine for some of today’s deadliest diseases – Vacciguard CEO Dr. Anat Eitan.

The notion of a vaccine for cancer – or for many other deadly diseases nearly impossible to control, let alone cure – may seem to be no more than wishful thinking. But that is exactly what Israeli biomed startup Vacciguard is introducing: A technology tool for developing vaccines against a wide range of diseases from cancer to West Nile virus.

We may be in the 21st century, says Vacciguard CEO Dr. Anat Eitan, but more than 15 million people die each year from infectious diseases – and not only in developing countries.

“Our technology consists of proprietary peptide carriers which are derived from a protein element called Heat Shock Protein 60 enabling a much more effective method of battling bacteria and viruses,” says Eitan.

Vacciguard’s research shows that when carrier peptides from HSP60 are attached to external areas of a pathogen or tumor (known as an antigen), the “arms” of the immune system are activated — enabling the generation of specific T-cells that support a long-lasting immune memory against the antigen-bearing pathogens or tumors. The system works very effectively, even without the addition of agents generally used to boost the response to a vaccine under existing technologies.

“We are able to take small sections of the bacteria or virus that by themselves are unable to activate the immune system because they contain only weak antigens, and turn them into strong immunogens,” Eitan tells ISRAEL21c. Immunogens are antigens that can provoke an adaptive immune response.

Hope against deadly diseases

Vacciguard’s system could provide a way to develop effective vaccines against maladies that currently have no effective treatments, such as meningitis type B, three types of West Nile virus and cytomegalovirus (CMV), which infects between 50 percent and 80% of adults in the United States, and 40% worldwide. CMV, though many have never heard of it, also is the main cause of devastating defects in newborns.

“CMV is typically unnoticed in healthy people, but can be life-threatening for those with weak immune systems, such as the elderly, HIV sufferers, organ transplant recipients and the like. With our system, we can develop vaccines for any of these situations,” says Eitan. She adds that there is great interest in the United States in offering immunization against CMV to women before they become pregnant.

One of the reasons for the Vacciguard system’s greater effectiveness is how its components are derived. “Most of the currently used vaccines are based on either an attenuated pathogen or a single whole protein of a bacteria or virus,” explains Eitan.

“We can take a few amino acids from the pathogen that are common in all its strains, and develop a single vaccine that is effective against all the strains of the selected pathogen — instead of developing a specific vaccine to each strain as is the case with the existing technologies.”

As a result, Vacciguard technology can be used to quickly develop vaccines for different permutations of a disease – and address issues of resistance in later generations of bacteria and viruses, as well.

Successful studies with mice

Vacciguard’s technology was developed by Prof. Irun Cohen, a world-renowned immunologist at Rehovot’s Weizmann Institute of Science, who has been working to develop HSP60 as a vaccine base for many years. Cohen has published more articles in the journals of Science and Nature than any other Israeli scientist.

Vacciguard, established in 2007 and incubated at the Misgav Venture Accelerator for biotechnology, has conducted extensive studies using mice. In one test, all the mice that were exposed to pneumonia but were not given a vaccine died – while almost all of the mice that received the injection survived.

The studies were promising enough to persuade Campus Bio, the drug development division of Clal Biotech, to invest $1.4 million in Vacciguard. Under the recent agreement, the Rehovot-based Vacciguard team will develop a vaccine for CMV.

“It’s exciting to be part of a venture that can for the first time provide an effective treatment for millions who in the past had little or no hope of overcoming their condition,” says Eitan. “We believe that our technology will be at the forefront of helping those people.”

A Night to Honor Israel

Listen!Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. The LORD will lay bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.Isaiah 52:8, 10— • — Since our inception in February 2006, CUFI has held over 150 Nights to Honor Israel across the country. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have come together at these Nights to Honor Israel to bless Israel. Lives have been changed and Israel and the Jewish people have been blessed by these amazing nights.	A Night to Honor IsraelThis is an English event with Spanish Translation.Thursday, May 5, 2011 – 7:30 PM Gulf Meadows Church 8012 Fuqua St Houston, TX 77075 Keynote Speaker: Pastor John Hagee National Chairman for Christians United For Israel Pastor John Hagee National Chairman Christians United for Israel David Brog Executive Director Christians United for Israel

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The Hope of Passover

Yael Eckstein

Shalom,

It is Passover in Israel, time once again for Jews to relive the Exodus, the story of their ancestors’ deliverance from slavery to freedom in biblical times. Though it is an ancient story and Jews have celebrated Passover for thousands of years, even today this sacred holiday gives me much-needed hope when I look at the dire state of our world, which is filled with hate, conflict, and anti-Israel sentiment.

When the Israelites were in exile in Egypt, it appears God hid His face from them. Although we have no record of miracles performed during their time in slavery, we read the rest of the Passover story and realize that God’s love was always present. At the proper time, He quickly took the Jews out of Egypt and brought them to freedom, performing miracles and wonders for the world to see.

The slavery and hardships experienced by the Jewish people before God freed them from bondage can serve as a reminder to us that even during the rough points in life, God has not forsaken us. When we hit rock bottom and feel utter despair — as the Israelites felt during their torturous slavery — we must remember that our current suffering could be a precursor to freedom, joy, and fulfillment.

Whenever I feel fearful about living in Israel and being surrounded by enemies, I look at the story of Passover and my faith is restored. I am reminded that although times look bleak at the moment, God can change the situation in an instant and bring us to beautiful redemption. Learning from the story of Passover, I know that God is always with me and showering me with love — even when times are difficult.

Commemorating the Exodus from Egypt is an effective way to strengthen our faith, and it provides us with the spiritual and practical tools we need to overcome hardships and retain faith in an all-loving God. My prayer this Passover is that the love and glory of God will shine strong throughout the world as it did when He took the Jews out of Egypt and brought them to the Holy Land.

May we remember this Passover — and always — that God loves us, is present with us, and is calling us to open our hearts and let Him dwell inside.

With love from the Holy Land,

Yael Eckstein

Eat Curry, Fight Cancer: Study Reveals Cancer Fighting Agent found in Common Curry Recipes

Aimee Herd

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” –James 1:17

Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel have found that turmeric, commonly found in curry dishes—when coupled with the arthritis treatment, Celecoxib—can fight cancer.

According to Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari and colleagues, curcumin, the active ingredient found in turmeric, helps to alleviate the inflammation that occurs when the body is dealing with cancer.

“It has the promise of being an important life-extending therapy,” noted Nadir Arber of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. “Particularly for non-curable pancreatic cancer, suggested by the very promising results we achieved for 20 pancreatic cancer patients.” (Photo by: Lotus Head)

The results of the research were published in the journal, Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology.

Since some may not have a good curry recipe to try, I thought it might be nice to include one in this article. And, since my husband David is an excellent cook, I’ve included his below—it’s been tested and approved by discerning eaters; his family.

Bon Appétit!

Dave’s Indian Chicken Curry – (Recipe by David Herd)

¼ cup olive oil
2 ½ Chicken breasts with bone in (5 halve breasts)
5 bone in skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
6 med carrots sliced ½” thick
2 med yellow onions coarsely chopped
10 brown mushrooms quartered
1 bunch of green onions sliced thin
1 ½ teaspoons minced ginger root
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoons Indian curry powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
5 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 – 15 oz. cans chicken stock
1 cup crushed tomatoes
½ cup plain yogurt
4 large white potatoes cut in 1 ½” pcs.
White or Brown Basmatti Rice

Heat oil in large non stick frying pan on medium heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry until browned on both sides. Fry in two batches or whatever it takes. Set aside.

Add a little more oil if needed and sauté onions, carrots, mushrooms until onions start to soften. Then add the garlic and ginger root and sauté another minute.

In large dutch oven add the vegetables, chicken stock, and the tomatoes and bring to a gentle boil. Add the curry powder, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves and cinnamon and stir together well. Add the chicken pieces and try to cover them with liquid in pot.

Bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover and cook until potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes depending on the simmer.

Serve over cooked rice in bowls with a dollop of yogurt.

Source: Viva Sarah Press – Israel21c.org

Change: God Can Turn Things Around in a Heartbeat!

Kim Clement

Happy April, Warriors!

This is a very special month for us because it is my wife Jane’s birthday month! Spring is in the air and I love what that means; new birth, new life, blooming and flourishing living creations…God’s beauty is all around us. Spring is like the evidence of His existence.

It has been extremely busy for us lately, with two international trips already this year. Many of you supported us on our journeys overseas and we are so grateful for your love and support. I just returned from my second trip to Israel this year and I am amazed at what God is doing. I’m watching things unfold before my very eyes. I feel honored to know He has chosen me, among others, to speak His word to Israel, for such a time as this. Now that I’ve been there and really gained an understanding of the land and people, I am so excited to be taking a group of warriors with me this year. The Spirit prompted me to end my 18-month fast in Israel this September, with a prophetic gathering of warriors He has placed around me and with me. I hope you are making every effort to join us and be a part of this monumental occasion (see details below for Israel Tour 2011).

God is Preparing to Show Himself Strong

As I stood on the Sea of Galilee recently, I sensed an excitement in my heart. I almost felt that God was actually preparing to show His right hand of deliverance, at this time in history. Even though we are surrounded by forces that are Hell-bent on the destruction of the nation of Israel, the occupation of Jerusalem and the downfall of the USA, I feel that God is preparing to show Himself strong. If the radical Muslims succeed in the downfall of the USA, they feel that the destruction of Israel is attainable.

So why did I sense a positive feeling of breakthrough? What happened on and around the Sea of Galilee that spoke so strongly to me?

CHANGE. No matter what came against Jesus or the disciples, He turned it around. Storms came and He quieted them; He defied gravity and walked on the water; He met demonic opposition when He landed on the other side of the lake, and with His word was able to tame a demoniac and send a herd of pigs into the sea. God can turn things around in a heartbeat!

While I was on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, I was reminded of a devotional I wrote to my team a little while back and I wanted to share it with you today. What was going through Simon’s mind when Christ told him to “Launch out into the deep…for a catch,” when he knew full well that they had been fishing all through the night with no success?

Luke 5:4-6 [Jesus] said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled ALL NIGHT and CAUGHT NOTHING, NEVERTHELESS at YOUR WORD, I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a GREAT NUMBER OF FISH, and their net was breaking…

I was reminded of how God had previously spoken through me about how He had destined and prepared the soil of our nation for the purpose of spreading the Good News throughout the Earth, long before the creation of the world. God has not completed the task of reaching every nation on the Earth with the Good News, and therefore, it makes good sense that He will defend our nation until His purpose has been fulfilled. It seems that we are working (toiling), investing time and effort into the advancement of the Kingdom, and seemingly “catching nothing.” However, the labor of His followers and His people is not in vain! SUDDENLY, at His word, there was a breakthrough.

“Nevertheless, at Your Word We Will Do It”

Once upon a time, the Church was afraid to go to war, but now it seems that we are constantly at war. Unfortunately, we’ve taken up arms against each other, against our differences in theology, eschatology, doctrines, creeds and styles. Believe me, I know. There is a general “mass misery” that has taken charge of the people because of political changes and rulership now.

What religion has done is imprisoned inspiration and freed misery; isolated hope and released fear; isolated risky faith and released cautious and calculating methods to avoid embarrassment. When Jesus instructed His disciples to launch out into the deep for a catch they said, “Nevertheless, at Your word we will do it.” Risky steps of faith greatly outweigh comfortable strides of cautious activity. WHY ARE WE SO AFRAID OF DANGER? Our finest hours exist in the presence of evil occupation.

If Daniel could reign in the presence of evil dictatorship, why can’t we today? Daniel was deported at the age of sixteen, a captive of JUDAH to Babylon, and yet Daniel became a prophetic voice to the heathen and the Jewish world, declaring God’s PRESENT and ETERNAL purpose. If Joseph could prosper in prison and unfold God’s mystery in the presence of an Egyptian pharaoh, why can’t we? A Kingdom-minded and a Kingdom-controlled person cannot and WILL NOT be spiritually or mentally imprisoned by the appearance and presence of evil.

The disciples were laboring and fishing all night long and they caught nothing. Jesus sends them back to the SAME “unprofitable” waters and turns their entire quandary around. BUT if they had not been obedient and taken the chance, nothing would’ve changed. Don’t give up in the place where you’ve been unsuccessful and unprofitable: Something might change with your determination, and especially if you have a word from God.

I have a sense that Spring is going to live up to its name and nature – FERTILITY. We need to guard our tongue, lest we speak words contrary to our Lord’s will for the hour. Elizabeth Drew wrote, “Language is like soil. However rich, it is subject to erosion, and its fertility is constantly threatened by uses that exhaust its vitality. It needs constant re-invigoration if it is not to become arid and sterile.”

Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
Email: hope@kimclement.com

Christian NBA Players Pay Solidarity Visit to Israel and Visit Shimon Peres, Israel’s President

Dan Wooding

“The trip was off the charts for us. It changed our lives and it humbled us that God used us [to touch] the whole country to let them know that there were Christians who had come to their land and show their support.” –Bill Alexon

(LOS ANGELES, CA)—Bill Alexson, a pioneer in the NBA Chapel Program and former chaplain for some 20 years with the Boston Celtics, thought he had seen and experienced everything in basketball—until he went to Jerusalem last year with an all-Christian team of NBA stars.

Back in September 2010, ten past and present NBA basketball players belonging to the Christian athletic foundation Power Sports International made a week-long pilgrimage and solidarity visit to Israel, putting on clinics and exhibition games and meeting with dignitaries to express their support for the Jewish state.

Organized by former Boston Celtic chaplain Bill Alexson, the tour featured former New York Knicks Allan Houston and Anthony Bonner, former Toronto Raptor Jerome Williams, ball-whiz Charles Smith of the Harlem Globetrotters, as well as Dwight Howard, Sr., father of one the NBA’s top stars at present.

The 23-member delegation was hosted by President Shimon Peres at Beit Hanassi in Jerusalem, where he was presented with an NBA shirt.

The players were a big hit with youths from basketball leagues in the Jerusalem area on Tuesday as the NBAers dazzled them with trick passes and alley-oop dunks at a skills clinic. The team then played a friendly in the evening against Bnei HaSharon of the Israeli national league.

So how did event take place? In an interview after this year’s NBA Chapel service in Los Angeles and before the 2011 All-Star Game at the Staples Center, Alexson talked about the visit.

“I’m the president Sports Power International (http://sportspower.org) and our mission is to take both current and former Christian NBA players around the world, including to Liberia, sharing the Gospel. The NBA’s been marketed like Coca Cola, so it’s very impactful,” he began.

“The purpose was for Christian NBA players to show their support for Israel and the Jewish people,” he explained. “As we told the crowd at half-time, we were there because we believe what the Bible says; that the Jewish people are God’s chosen people and the God who gave them the land is going to allow them to keep the land.

“We met with the president at his residence with the media including television cameras, covering it. President Peres took the microphone and said, ‘You don’t know what this means to us for you, as Christian NBA players, coming to show support of the Jewish people at this time.

“The trip was off the charts for us. It changed our lives and it humbled us that God used us [to touch] the whole country to let them know that there were Christians who had come to their land and show their support.”

“If Christians don’t take a stand; then who is going to?”

I then asked Alexson if he was from a Jewish background.

“No, I’m half Greek and half Irish, but I’m a spiritual Jew who knows Yeshua [Jesus] and he’s the Messiah of the Jewish people,” he told me.

What was the big interest in going to Israel?

“Well, personally, as a Christian, I’ve always wanted to go to Israel because it’s the Holy Land, but more than that, I had become aware of some countries who were distancing themselves from supporting Israel.

“So I wanted to do my part and I started talking to some of our NBA players about the possibility,” he said. “Then the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the largest pro-Israel group lobby in America, heard about my interest and we cooperated in the trip.

“And boy, did they take us on a tour. We went to the edge of the Gaza Strip, to the Lebanon border, and also to the religious sites. We even talked with an Israeli lady living near to the Gaza Strip who explained how she can’t take a shower because ‘the alarm might go off’ and then she said she knew they were ‘going to be sending rockets.’

“It was very moving experience. The ball players had their lives changed, God used us and now we’re taking NBA players around the world to preach the Gospel halftime on nationally televised games.”

Read more at the source link provided.

Source: ASSIST News