Sound The Midnight Cry

“As Time Goes By!”

A line from a song in the movie Casablanca says, “The fundamental things apply as time goes by.” Yes, there was a day when basic fundamental truths were accepted in the United States but to use another old phrase, “My, how times have changed.” An example of this would a recent report by Jeffery Long, of Elizabethtown College, that list “hate websites” on the internet.

"Hate is an ugly thing, and its ugliness is well illustrated in its various manifestations on the Internet, including those detailed in this report" Mr. Long stated as he introduced a report issued by the Hindu American Foundation. "The proliferation of websites promoting religious hatred is an unfortunate consequence of the universality of access to the internet," added Vinay Vallabh, a lead author of the report of the foundation. The report advocates blocking the content of websites judged to be purveyors of "hate speech."

Now I would agree with him as neo-Nazi sites spew out their propaganda. The Islamic jihadist websites are busy recruiting warriors and martyrs to their cause. However, the sites that the Hindu American Association identifies as "hate sites" aren't jihadist or neo-Nazi websites—they are Christian websites. Among the many 'hate sites' that the Hindu American Foundation advocates blocking as hate sites are the Southern Baptist Missions Board, the Gospel for Asia and CBN.

Now some might say, “Who cares what one organization reports? No one is going to pay attention.” Ah, but that is where you and I would be wrong. The Hindu-American Report joins a growing pile of similar reports to the Congress, all defining Christianity as the epitome of hate speech.

According to the Bible, during the Tribulation eventually, being a Christian will make one an enemy of the state and subject to capital punishment. Everyone knows that an entire culture can't be re-educated overnight to believe that Christianity is a religion of hate. It takes time to condition people to a new way of thinking and the world seems to on track to do exactly that.

So let’s try to put this in perspective: Christian fundamentals teach us to love God above all things and love our neighbor as we do ourselves. Since the worst place anybody can end up is hell, the most loving thing for a Christian to do is to help them avoid ending up there. To most of the world including the U.S., that is 'hate speech.'

So, despite any fallout for sticking to biblical fundamentals of telling your friends, family and neighbor about Jesus Christ and His love for them, followers of Christ must stick to the ‘fundamental command’ to ‘go and tell.’ Whatever the consequences, “The fundamental things apply as time goes by.”

"Say What?"

When you think you’ve heard it all, something comes out that causes you to question what you just heard. Headline last week - Iran chosen lead position for 2009 UN World Conference against Racism. Despite its numerous calls for Israel's destruction, and repeated denials of the Holocaust, the committee will have its first meeting in Geneva on August 27th, led by Libya.

The decision to include Iran in the committee has been blasted by UN watchdogs. “As a UN spokesperson against racism, Iran will invert totally the message and mission of the United Nations,” Anne Bayefsky, senior editor of the New York-based Eye on the UN, said in a press release. “Iran is now poised to wrap itself in a UN flag as a lead agent of the next global conference against racism, Durban II,” she added, referring to the 2001 UN conference on racism held in Durban, South Africa, which saw unprecedented levels of anti-Zionist rhetoric and calls for Israel's destruction.

Speaking to Ynetnews, Bayefsky said that “the leading exponents of anti-Semitism, whether directed at Jews individually or the Jewish people and its state generally, continue to be provided a global platform at the UN. This is but one example of a broader phenomenon.”

Review of the UN records show that in 2006 the UN system as a whole directed the most condemnations for human rights abuses against specific states - first towards Israel and fourth towards the United States. "Iran was lower down on the list of UN human rights concerns,” Bayefsky said, adding: “And yet the US taxpayer continues to pay a quarter of the bill for activities which demonize Americans and Israelis on a global scale.”

When asked how a state which openly denies the Holocaust could find itself in such a role, a U.N.'s spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated, “Iran is one of 20 States who are members of the bureau of the Preparatory Committee…meaning States were chosen freely to sit on the Prep-Com. It is the Member-States who decide.” With this structure, the U.N.'s Human Rights Council has effectively been taken over by the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), allowing Iran and Libya access to key roles.

Anyone with even a little knowledge of the biblical prophecy can readily see how the mechanisms are being methodically put in place for the ultimate rejection of Israel by all the nations. (See Zechariah 11-14)

The Scripture declare the signs of the return of Jesus Christ. The Church is called to declare to the world that “Jesus is coming again!” It’s time to speak up folks and let the world ask, “Say what?”

“Religious Potpourri”

The word potpourri comes from the French word “pot-pourri,” which was the French name for a Spanish stew with a wide variety of ingredients called olla podrida. In English, “potpourri” is often used to refer to any collection of miscellaneous or diverse items. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, defines potpourri as “a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material, used to provide a gentle natural scent in houses.” However, I would venture to say that not all potpourri smells good, especially one that is composed of the latest religious news.

Last month, a veteran Episcopal priest says she became a Muslim just over a year ago and now worships at a mosque Fridays – but that hasn’t stopped her from donning her white collar Sunday mornings. “I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I’m both an American of African descent and a woman. I’m 100 percent both,” Rev. Ann Holmes Redding told the Seattle Times. The problem with here justification is that one deals with unchangeable physical characteristics and the other with personal belief and philosophy [kind of like saying I’m a Republican and a Democrat].

Then there is Carlton Pearson in Tulsa, OK. This one time Pentecostal preacher now teaches that, “People who believe in hell create it for themselves and others. People who believe in devils and demons become that in consciousness, and they act it out.” He told his congregation one recent Sunday, “We may go through hell, but nobody goes to hell.”

Then this past week, two major news items came forth to add to this “religious potpourri”. First, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [the largest U.S. Lutheran body] passed a resolution stating that clergy members who are in homosexual relationships [yes, you read that correctly] will be able to serve as pastors. This was followed by a Dutch bishop in the Netherlands stating that Catholic churches should use the name Allah for God to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians. Tiny Muskens, the bishop of Breda, told the Dutch TV program “Network” Monday night he believes “God doesn’t mind what he is called”, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reported.

The fact that every one of these actions is unbiblical doesn’t seem to faze anyone. 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

Any question about these being the last days? I think not! Jesus is coming soon.

“The Root of the Problem”

Have you ever tried putting something together without consulting the instructions? How about trying to cook something without consulting with the recipe? There is a reason that these are included with any project and that is so that we can get it done properly. The same is true when it comes to dealing with issues in the Middle East.

I have harped on this for several years but here I go once more. The issues in the Middle East are filled with numerous topics: power, oil, ideologies and many more. However, the root of the Israeli-Arab conflict is none of these…it is religion. Even more so, the right for Israel to exist is at the very core of the conflict…plain and simple. Any attempt to solve this situation without addressing this point is vain.

Now I can understand why the political process has failed so miserably as it approaches the problem as political. Peace conferences, international policy meetings, political shuttles between diplomats of nations have all failed because they fail to recognize the issue that lies at the root of the conflict.

So imagine my astonishment when I saw reports last week of a letter signed by 34 evangelical leaders addressed to President Bush about the Israeli-Arab conflict. Were they reminding the President about what the Bible says concerning the land known as Israel? Were they calling for the President to stand alongside Israel at any cost? Were they reminding him about “who” gave the land to Israel? The answer to all these questions is “no”. Their purpose in the letter was stated clearly:

“We also write to correct a serious misperception among some people including some U.S. policymakers that all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank. Nothing could be further from the truth. We, who sign this letter, represent large numbers of evangelicals throughout the U.S. who support justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. We hope this support will embolden you and your administration to proceed confidently and forthrightly in negotiations with both sides in the region.”

It is apparent to me that these church leaders in America do not believe “the book”. Deuteronomy 11:24 says that God told Moses, “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours.” Yet these leaders encourage our President to slice up the Promised Land and turn it over to Israel’s avowed enemies under the pretense of peace.

Recent history shows that every time the U.S. has forced Israel to make concessions of the land God gave them, tragedy has fallen in our own country. I shudder to think what might happen if our nation’s leaders with the backing of church leaders continue to pursue this perverse course of action.

We are desperately in need of a revival from heaven to shake those that fill the pulpits of our churches. May God grant us mercy for our “foolish wisdom.”

"The Israeli Struggle - Facts and Figures"

I received this from the Lekarev Report in Israel. I thought it might be beneficial for some folks when trying to sort out the "spin" by the media.

1. Nationality and Jerusalem - Israel was a nation by 1312 BCE., Two thousand years before Islam appeared.

2. Arab refugees began to be called Palestinians in 1967; two decades after Modern Israel came into being.

3. After conquering the land in 1272 BC., the Jews ruled it for one thousand years (1000) and for 3,300 years, they had a continual presence in there.

4. The only Arab rule after the take over in 635 BC., continued for only 22 years.

5. Jerusalem was a Jewish capital for more then 3,300 years. Jerusalem was never a capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even the Jordanians when they conquered Jerusalem did not make her their capital and no Arab leaders ever visited her.

6. Jerusalem is remembered more then 700 times in the bible, and never - not even once - in the Koran.

7. The Jews pray with their faces toward Jerusalem, the Muslims pray with their faces toward Mecca. If they are between Jerusalem and Mecca, their faces are toward Mecca and their behinds toward Jerusalem.

8. Arab Refugees? In 1948, the Arab leaders encouraged the Arabs to flee Israel with promises to purify the land from Jews. 68% of them fled without ever seeing an Israeli soldier! Jewish Refugees? They had to flee Arab countries because of persecutions, pogroms, violence from their Arab neighbors.

11. The number of Arabs that fled Israel in 1948 is estimated at 630,000 - the same number of Jews that fled the Arab countries. By design, the Arab refugees were not absorbed in the Arab countries to which they fled, despite their gigantic land mass. From 100,000,000 refugees in the world since War World 2, they are the only unit that did not assimilate in the countries of their origins.

12. The Arab-Israeli conflict? The Arabs have 8 states, not include Palestine; There is only one Jewish state.

13. During the Jordanians rule, holy Jewish sights were plundered and the Jews had no access to them. Under the Jewish rule, all the holy sights, Muslims and Christians, are looked after and are accessible to all religions.

14. Israel and the Arabs in the UN? Until 1990 - Of 175 decision in the Security Council, 97 were against Israel. Of the 690 decisions of the Collective Council, 429 were against Israel.

15. UN kept its silence when 58 synagogues in Jerusalem were destroyed by the Jordanians. UN kept its silence when the Jordanians methodically desecrated the Ancient Jewish Cemetery on Mount of Olives. UN kept silent when the Jordanians forced political actions that did not allow access to the Jews to the Western Wall.

This is a great summary list to keep at hand for sharing with others.

War and Peace?

War and peace! I’ve always thought that this was an oxymoron like “jumbo shrimp” or “same difference”. So it didn’t surprise me today when I read conflicting statements and actions taking place in none other than the nation of Syria.

For example: Earlier today [Wednesday] in a letter to his army on its 62nd anniversary yesterday, Syrian President Bashar Assad declared strongly that “The Syrian army and the Syrian people are stronger than they have ever been, and Syria is determined to return every grain of dirt from its occupied land. Our desire for peace does not mean that we have given up our rights…The liberation of our occupied land is a sacred duty and a right guaranteed by international laws.” The “occupied land” Assad referred to is the Golan Heights region, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.

While this was taking place, the Syrian Foreign Minister continues to say that Syria will take part in “any international conference for peace.” War and peace?

Today, the Lekarev Report expressed their opinion that this is “misinformation.” In other words what Syria is saying, does not equate with what Syria is doing.

Also released this morning is a report an intelligence report published by DEBKAfile that says Syria has postponed their war plans from late summer to November. Again, is this really a postponement or is it deliberate misinformation? Good question.

DEBKAfile's military sources report that the latest intelligence update on Syria's intentions reached Jerusalem via Washington in the last few days. It indicated that Syria's political and military leaders had rescheduled the start of hostilities against Israel on the Golan for the second two weeks of November, 2007, postponing their original planning by more than two months.

When one reads Isaiah 17:5-6, we learn that it is the early harvest time-frame in which Damascus is destroyed. I do not see Israel conducting a first strike on Damascus…Iran maybe; Damascus, not likely. I don’t profess to be a military analyst…only a person that reads the Bible and makes note of the signs of the times. So we are kind of in a wait and see scenario.

What happens tomorrow or next week in the realm of bible prophecy is not the issue; what matters is how we live our lives during this time. We are given opportunities on a daily basis to share the love of Jesus Christ and the hope for dealing with the issues of daily life.

So yes, we can all attest it is interesting times we live in. As to bible prophecy, we watch with anticipation knowing that all if it leads to one incredible event…the return to planet earth by Jesus Christ!