It's Already Been Taken Care Of!!
I was RED now I'm WHITE
I don’t know about you but this is still hard for me to believe sometimes. I know it is true and yet there is always that BUT….”But God I have sinned too many times in the face of your Glory”, “BUT Lord I haven’t learned after all these years to be a loving and gentle man even when I know you and fellowship with you” “BUT, I have failed with so much that you have entrusted to me.” BUT, BUT, BUT
I have to receive this by faith and be reminded of it constantly. Maybe you need this word today too. Maybe you have your “BUT Lords” I don’t know. I just encourage you with these following words because they are true. Praise the Lord they are True! In the same Spirit that Paul spoke in I know many of us can and will say of ourselves, “I AM THE CHIEF OF SINNERS!” "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am Chief .“—I Tim. 1:15.
Have a refreshing day knowing that Jesus has taken care of all your many sins past, present and future. What HOPE and PEACE we have when we put our faith in Jesus and his Word!!!!
Love you and God Bless.
THERE HE BROKE THE FLASHING ARROWS, THE SHIELD, THE SWORD, AND THE WEAPONS OF WAR.
Psalm 76:3 Our Redeemer's glorious cry of "It is finished" was the death-knell of all the adversaries of His people, the breaking of "the weapons of war." Behold the hero of Golgotha using His cross as an anvil, and His wounds as a hammer, dashing to pieces bundle after bundle of our sins, those poisoned "flashing arrows," trampling on every indictment and destroying every accusation. What glorious blows the mighty Breaker gives with a hammer far more powerful than the fabled weapon of Thor! How the diabolical darts break in pieces, and the infernal swords are broken like old clay pots! Consider how He draws from its sheath of hellish workmanship the dreadful sword of satanic power! He snaps it across His knee as a man breaks dry sticks and throws it into the fire. Beloved, no sin of a believer can now be an arrow bringing death, no condemnation can now be a sword to kill him, for the punishment of our sin was borne by Christ, and a full atonement was made for all our iniquities by our blessed Substitute and Surety. Who now accuses? Who now condemns? Christ has died, yes, has risen again. Jesus has removed the weapons of hell, has quenched every fiery dart, and has broken the head off every arrow of wrath; the ground is covered with the splinters and relics of the weapons of hell's warfare, which are only visible to us to remind us of our former danger and of our great deliverance. Sin no longer has dominion over us. Jesus has made an end of it and put it away forever. Our enemy's destructions have come to a perpetual end. Declare all the wonderful works of the Lord, all you who make mention of His name; do not be silent, neither by day, nor when the sun goes down. Bless the Lord, O my soul. -- Devotional from Truth for Life Ministries
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
It is a big responsibility to encourage one another in these changing times and not to be silent. It’s on my heart to encourage you in 3 important areas:
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE DEPENDANT UPON GOD’S WORD
WE EACH HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PRAY & FAST ACCORDING TO HIS WORD.
1. The first encouragement is continue in your faith with Jesus Christ and, above all else, work hard to stay close to him in your hearts. Everything that matters, namely our souls and salvation depend upon Jesus alone and He will provide and protect you in changing times. In Jesus we have peace in all circumstances and we do not fear. The immoral climate of our country, the worldly ideas that constantly barrage through the airwaves, the tolerance of sin, the intolerance of biblical truth, and so much more all contribute in making our hearts and minds susceptible to a weakening of our faith in Jesus Christ IF we do not remain in the WORD of GOD. So stay close to Jesus by staying in the Word of God and begin practicing your prayer life. Talk to the Lord again and repent of your sin and humble yourself before Him. This will be a sure recipe for getting healthy again.
2. The second encouragement is to stand strong with Israel in faith according to scripture no matter the pressures or persecutions that will come along with that. For the Christian standing with Israel is like standing for your brother and not only that there is a blessing for those who will support and love the Jewish people.
3. The third encouragement is to continue or to begin praying with fasting for America in earnestness. This is the one thing we must do in order to make a real and lasting change for this country. Our commitment to prayer to God will eventually change us and this country will change when we change.
REGARDING AMERICA
HOW TO PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY AMERICA? By Adrian Rogers
Please take the time to listen to this message. I pray you will not pass this by. It is very important.
4 That is where the tribes go up,
5 There the thrones for judgment stand,
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
7 May there be peace within your walls
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends,
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
"This article assumes the reader has some familiarity with Romans 9-11, the most concise teaching on Israel's relationship to the Church. Among other pivotal truths, Romans 9-11 clarifies that God's Covenant calling on Israel is irrevocable; the Church has not replaced the Jewish Nation in His heart or prophetic plans."
WHY STAND WITH ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Why_Stand_With_Israel_S.pdf?docID=1227
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL & EXCELLENT ARTICLES THAT WILL NOT BE A WASTE OF YOUR TIME!!!!!!!
TO WHOM WAS ISRAEL PROMISED: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/To_Whom_Was_Israel_Promised.pdf?docID=1225
HOW TO PRAY FOR ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/How_to_Pray_for_Israel.pdf?docID=1223
WHY NOT DIVIDE ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Why_Not_Divide_Israel.pdf?docID=1226
JERUSALEM IN PROPHECY: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Jerusalem_in_Prophecy.pdf?docID=1224
___________________________________________________________________
The move was an attempt to score points with many in the Jewish and evangelical communities who, given Obama's past political relationships with terrorist sympathizers, racists, and other undesirables, have been wary of how, as president, he would treat the Jewish State.
The rousing applause from the audience, including some of the most powerful politicians in America, was immediate.
Almost as immediate, though, was Hamas' condemnation. Leaders of the terrorist group had previously endorsed Obama as their choice for America's Commander in Chief.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said he "totally rejected" Obama's Jerusalem pronouncement.
"The whole world knows that holy Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and we will not accept a Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state," he added.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
To read Obama's speech in its entirety, please click HERE.
What a difference a day makes.
On Thursday, when queried by CNN, Obama said he was misunderstood.
"Well," Obama explained, "obviously, it's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues. And Jerusalem will be part of those negotiations."
Despite telling the AIPCAC conference what it wanted to hear and believe, an undivided Jerusalem was, in fact, never his campaign's position.
Obama's adviser for the Middle East, former Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer, in May told the Israeli mass circulation daily, Haaretz, that his campaign considers it "impossible to make progress on serious peace talks without putting the future of Jerusalem on the table."
In the Democratic primaries, 53 percent of Jewish voters chose Hillary Clinton compared to 45% who chose Obama.
(Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008) -- Using some of his most apocalyptic rhetoric yet, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is vowing that the United States and Israel will soon be "annihilated," even as he refuses to abandon Iran's nuclear program. Marking the 19th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, Ahmadinejad said: "Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started." He also insisted that "I must announce that the Zionist regime (Israel), with a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion and betrayal is about to die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene." Are Israeli leaders thus planning to launch a massive air attack on Iran before the end of the year, or even before new national elections in Israel which may take place as early as November? Or are they trying to persuade the U.S. to do it before President Bush leaves office? Perhaps both. Which underscores the point I've been making for some time -- while we intensify our efforts to pray for peace in the epicenter, we also need to be intensifying our efforts to prepare for war. "An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks 'unavoidable' given the apparent failure of Western sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential," Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said Friday, according to Reuters report. "If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective," said Mofaz. "It was the most explicit threat yet against Iran from a member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government, which, like the Bush administration, has preferred to hint at force as a last resort should United Nations Security Council sanctions fail to achieve the desired abandonment of nuclear development by Tehran. Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, has defied Western pressure to abandon its uranium enrichment projects. The leadership in Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against Israel -- believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal -- and U.S. targets in the Gulf for any attack on Iranian turf. Mofaz also said in the interview that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, 'would disappear before Israel does.'" "[T]he White House sidestepped questions about the Israeli threat to attack Iranian nuclear sites, saying it would not respond to hypothetical question," reported Ynet News in Israel. "'The world community, I believe, is united in the desire to make sure that Iran doesn't develop a nuclear weapon and have a severe threat that we don't want to see come to fruition,' White House spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters. But asked specifically whether the United States would support an Israeli strike on Iran, he said, 'I'm not going to talk about hypotheticals. I think we've been pretty clear in recent weeks and months about our approach on Iran.'"...Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is warning that Israel may soon be forced to launch a major military operation in Gaza to stop thousands of rockets, mortars and missiles which continue raining down on the southern cities and towns of the Jewish State....Reports the Jerusalem Post: "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert returned to Israel from the US on Friday morning and, echoing the previous day's remarks by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, hinted that Gaza's day of reckoning was fast approaching. 'We are constantly evaluating between the possibility [of a deal] to reach complete quiet and the lack of a possibility of reaching such an agreement,' he said. 'The absence of the latter option will draw us closer to an operation that will be much harsher and tougher against the [terror] groups. "According to the information we have now, the pendulum is closer to a decision to embark on a harsh operation in the Gaza Strip than it is to an agreement with the terror organizations,' continued Olmert. Olmert's comments came a day after Amnon Rozenberg, 51, a father of three, was killed by a Gaza shell that hit the Nirlat paint factory at Kibbutz Nir Oz. The Security Cabinet is set to convene on Tuesday to discuss a response to the incessant attacks from Gaza. Olmert told an Israel Radio reporter that Israel was exploring all the options available in order to achieve complete quiet for southerners without the need to enter into a violent and severe confrontation with terror groups in the Strip, adding, however, that there was a distinct possibility Israel would need to embark on an offensive and extensive operation against Palestinian terror groups." Weighing heavily on Olmert as he makes decisions about Iran and Gaza is his own precarious political position, and the fact that both he and President Bush will be out of office soon. Olmert was in Washington earlier this week, meeting with President Bush and other senior administration officials, as well as addressing the annual conference of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. But Olmert's trip may be his last to D.C. as premier. The buzz out of Israel is that early elections are increasingly expected, perhaps this November or December. While this is not yet official -- and Israeli politics are notoriously turbulent and unpredictable -- leaders and field workers of the major parties are working under the assumption that the Olmert government, tainted by the failed Second Lebanon War and new allegations of corruption, is on its last legs and that they need to be ready for snap elections in the fall. For now, all eyes are focused on June 18th, the dates the Knesset could vote to dissolve itself, automatically triggering new elections. New polling indicates the Likud Party, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is not only far ahead but surging. Were elections held this month, Likud would be expected to pick up as many as 35 parliament seats, up from an estimated 30 seats last November. The Labour Party, by contrast -- led by current Defense Minister Ehud Barak -- has lost significant ground since last November, garnering support for only 19 seats currently, down from 23. Olmert's Kadima Party, meanwhile, continues to slide. Current polls show Kadima -- likely to be led by current Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni after Olmert's departure -- would receive only 11 Knesset seats, rather than 15. Polling Data: Prospective results of a Knesset election (Results presented in seats) Likud -- 35 seats (up from 30 in Nov) Labour -- 19 seats (down from 23 in Nov) Kadima -- 13 seats (down from 15 in Nov) Israel Our Home -- 11 seats (same as Nov) Shas -- 11 seats (up from 9 in Nov) United Torah Judaism -- 6 seats (same as Nov) National Religious Party -- 5 seats (down from 6 in Nov) Yachad -- 5 seats (up from 4 in Nov) Social Justice -- 2 seats (down from 4 in Nov) Green Party -- 2 seats (up from 0 in Nov) Arab parties -- 11 seats (down from 10 in Nov) Retired People's Party -- 0 seats (down from 2 in Nov) Source: Dialog / Haaretz Methodology: Interviews with 467 Israeli adults, conducted on May 27 and May 28, 2008. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
To read the latest news from the Middle East and Russia, please go to Joel's WEBLOG.
To join 54,000 other >> FLASH TRAFFIC <<>
To read the first chapter of DEAD HEAT for free, or purchase a copy from Amazon.com, please click here
Would you consider making a $25, $40 or $60 monthly donation to The Joshua Fund? To learn how, and/or make a secure, tax-deductible financial contribution -- by mail or on-line -- please click here.
To watch the Epicenter Conference speeches on-line, and learn more about the conference's purpose, please click here
PRAY FOR PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR
Looking for more ways to bless Israel? Here are three specific options that are particularly appropos given recent developments. Each are taken from our list of "60 Ways To Bless Israel At 60." The full list is available on our weblog at www.joshuafund.net. 2.) Stock one bomb shelter in northern Israel with food, water, a first aid kit, other emergency supplies and a secure storage locker. There are currently some 5,500 bomb shelters that need to be urgently stocked with supplies before the next war. The Joshua Fund is currently raising funds to stock 100 as soon as possible. Cost per bomb shelter: $5,500. 3.) Provide one ton of food to care for needy families in northern Israel who were hit by 4,000 rockets and missiles during the 2006 war with Hezbollah. These families are still recovering from that war. Many live on less than $500 a month. And food prices are rising in Israel, as they are around the globe. Every month, therefore, The Joshua Fund pays for about 10 tons of food to be purchased by one of our allies in Israel, distributed to the needy in the north, as well as stockpiled for the next war. Cost: $2,500 per ton. 4.) Help purchase desperately needed medical equipment such as respirators, ventilators, operating room lamps, mobile x-ray machines and the like for under-funded regional hospitals in Israel. At the request of hospital administrators, The Joshua Fund has adopted the Barzilai Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon to help them raise funds for such equipment. Barzilai is the only hospital and trauma center serving the 500,000 Israelis living near the Gaza border and facing a nearly constant barrage of rockets, missiles and mortars. They are doing heroic work, but they do need our help. Cost: Some of this equipment is very costly, averaging between $20,000 to $80,000 each. A donation of $5,000 would help significantly towards meeting these vital needs. The Joshua Fund will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, brief you on how those projects are proceeding, and let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible. To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to: The Joshua Fund 18950 Base Camp Road Monument, Colorado 80132-8009 Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at this moment of Israel' 60th anniversary.
Would you consider making a donation of $25, $40 or $60 a month to The Joshua Fund? Please click here to find out more, and/or to make a secure donation on-line.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE DEPENDANT UPON GOD’S WORD
WE EACH HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PRAY & FAST ACCORDING TO HIS WORD.
1. The first encouragement is continue in your faith with Jesus Christ and, above all else, work hard to stay close to him in your hearts. Everything that matters, namely our souls and salvation depend upon Jesus alone and He will provide and protect you in changing times. In Jesus we have peace in all circumstances and we do not fear. The immoral climate of our country, the worldly ideas that constantly barrage through the airwaves, the tolerance of sin, the intolerance of biblical truth, and so much more all contribute in making our hearts and minds susceptible to a weakening of our faith in Jesus Christ IF we do not remain in the WORD of GOD. So stay close to Jesus by staying in the Word of God and begin practicing your prayer life. Talk to the Lord again and repent of your sin and humble yourself before Him. This will be a sure recipe for getting healthy again.
2. The second encouragement is to stand strong with Israel in faith according to scripture no matter the pressures or persecutions that will come along with that. For the Christian standing with Israel is like standing for your brother and not only that there is a blessing for those who will support and love the Jewish people.
3. The third encouragement is to continue or to begin praying with fasting for America in earnestness. This is the one thing we must do in order to make a real and lasting change for this country. Our commitment to prayer to God will eventually change us and this country will change when we change.
REGARDING AMERICA
HOW TO PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY AMERICA? By Adrian Rogers
Please take the time to listen to this message. I pray you will not pass this by. It is very important.
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REGARDING ISRAEL
In these last days the actions that will PROVE AND DISTINGUISH true Christianity from false Christianity will be those actions that produce an UNDYING & UNDIVIDED support of Israel and the Jewish people.
Psalm 122
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing in your gates,
O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
REGARDING ISRAEL
In these last days the actions that will PROVE AND DISTINGUISH true Christianity from false Christianity will be those actions that produce an UNDYING & UNDIVIDED support of Israel and the Jewish people.
Psalm 122
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing in your gates,
O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
to praise the name of the LORD
according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There the thrones for judgment stand,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This link contains a very good article that will shed a lot of light as to WHY? Israel is such a big deal in today's world, and what the true Christian's stance toward Israel should be.
"This article assumes the reader has some familiarity with Romans 9-11, the most concise teaching on Israel's relationship to the Church. Among other pivotal truths, Romans 9-11 clarifies that God's Covenant calling on Israel is irrevocable; the Church has not replaced the Jewish Nation in His heart or prophetic plans."
WHY STAND WITH ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Why_Stand_With_Israel_S.pdf?docID=1227
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL & EXCELLENT ARTICLES THAT WILL NOT BE A WASTE OF YOUR TIME!!!!!!!
TO WHOM WAS ISRAEL PROMISED: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/To_Whom_Was_Israel_Promised.pdf?docID=1225
HOW TO PRAY FOR ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/How_to_Pray_for_Israel.pdf?docID=1223
WHY NOT DIVIDE ISRAEL: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Why_Not_Divide_Israel.pdf?docID=1226
JERUSALEM IN PROPHECY: http://www.jewishvoice.org/site/DocServer/Jerusalem_in_Prophecy.pdf?docID=1224
___________________________________________________________________
As mentioned, in these last days the actions that will PROVE AND DISTINGUISH true Christianity from false Christianity will be those actions that produce an UNDYING & UNDIVIDED support of Israel and the Jewish people.
Jewish World Review June 6, 2008 / 3 Sivan, 5768
Mere hours after becoming Israel's new ‘best friend’ Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem
By Binyamin L. Jolkovsky
Original 'misunderstood' statements contradicted campaign policy
www.JewishWorldReview.com
Mere hours after becoming Israel's new ‘best friend’ Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem
By Binyamin L. Jolkovsky
Original 'misunderstood' statements contradicted campaign policy
www.JewishWorldReview.com
Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Barak Obama stood before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee parley Wednesday morning and declared his complete, unqualified support for a Jewish Jerusalem. The Holy City, he said, "will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided."
The rousing applause from the audience, including some of the most powerful politicians in America, was immediate.
Almost as immediate, though, was Hamas' condemnation. Leaders of the terrorist group had previously endorsed Obama as their choice for America's Commander in Chief.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said he "totally rejected" Obama's Jerusalem pronouncement.
"The whole world knows that holy Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 and we will not accept a Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state," he added.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
To read Obama's speech in its entirety, please click HERE.
What a difference a day makes.
On Thursday, when queried by CNN, Obama said he was misunderstood.
"Well," Obama explained, "obviously, it's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues. And Jerusalem will be part of those negotiations."
Despite telling the AIPCAC conference what it wanted to hear and believe, an undivided Jerusalem was, in fact, never his campaign's position.
Obama's adviser for the Middle East, former Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer, in May told the Israeli mass circulation daily, Haaretz, that his campaign considers it "impossible to make progress on serious peace talks without putting the future of Jerusalem on the table."
In the Democratic primaries, 53 percent of Jewish voters chose Hillary Clinton compared to 45% who chose Obama.
Other sources: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212659672984&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
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* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *
AHMADINEJAD VOWS U.S., ISRAEL WILL BE "ANNIHILATED" SOON Senior Israeli official says war with Iran may be "unvoidable." Meanwhile, Olmert's government on verge of collapse.
By Joel C. Rosenberg
AHMADINEJAD VOWS U.S., ISRAEL WILL BE "ANNIHILATED" SOON Senior Israeli official says war with Iran may be "unvoidable." Meanwhile, Olmert's government on verge of collapse.
By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., June 6, 2008) -- Using some of his most apocalyptic rhetoric yet, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is vowing that the United States and Israel will soon be "annihilated," even as he refuses to abandon Iran's nuclear program. Marking the 19th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, Ahmadinejad said: "Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started." He also insisted that "I must announce that the Zionist regime (Israel), with a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion and betrayal is about to die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene." Are Israeli leaders thus planning to launch a massive air attack on Iran before the end of the year, or even before new national elections in Israel which may take place as early as November? Or are they trying to persuade the U.S. to do it before President Bush leaves office? Perhaps both. Which underscores the point I've been making for some time -- while we intensify our efforts to pray for peace in the epicenter, we also need to be intensifying our efforts to prepare for war. "An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks 'unavoidable' given the apparent failure of Western sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential," Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said Friday, according to Reuters report. "If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective," said Mofaz. "It was the most explicit threat yet against Iran from a member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government, which, like the Bush administration, has preferred to hint at force as a last resort should United Nations Security Council sanctions fail to achieve the desired abandonment of nuclear development by Tehran. Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, has defied Western pressure to abandon its uranium enrichment projects. The leadership in Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against Israel -- believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal -- and U.S. targets in the Gulf for any attack on Iranian turf. Mofaz also said in the interview that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, 'would disappear before Israel does.'" "[T]he White House sidestepped questions about the Israeli threat to attack Iranian nuclear sites, saying it would not respond to hypothetical question," reported Ynet News in Israel. "'The world community, I believe, is united in the desire to make sure that Iran doesn't develop a nuclear weapon and have a severe threat that we don't want to see come to fruition,' White House spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters. But asked specifically whether the United States would support an Israeli strike on Iran, he said, 'I'm not going to talk about hypotheticals. I think we've been pretty clear in recent weeks and months about our approach on Iran.'"...Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is warning that Israel may soon be forced to launch a major military operation in Gaza to stop thousands of rockets, mortars and missiles which continue raining down on the southern cities and towns of the Jewish State....Reports the Jerusalem Post: "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert returned to Israel from the US on Friday morning and, echoing the previous day's remarks by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, hinted that Gaza's day of reckoning was fast approaching. 'We are constantly evaluating between the possibility [of a deal] to reach complete quiet and the lack of a possibility of reaching such an agreement,' he said. 'The absence of the latter option will draw us closer to an operation that will be much harsher and tougher against the [terror] groups. "According to the information we have now, the pendulum is closer to a decision to embark on a harsh operation in the Gaza Strip than it is to an agreement with the terror organizations,' continued Olmert. Olmert's comments came a day after Amnon Rozenberg, 51, a father of three, was killed by a Gaza shell that hit the Nirlat paint factory at Kibbutz Nir Oz. The Security Cabinet is set to convene on Tuesday to discuss a response to the incessant attacks from Gaza. Olmert told an Israel Radio reporter that Israel was exploring all the options available in order to achieve complete quiet for southerners without the need to enter into a violent and severe confrontation with terror groups in the Strip, adding, however, that there was a distinct possibility Israel would need to embark on an offensive and extensive operation against Palestinian terror groups." Weighing heavily on Olmert as he makes decisions about Iran and Gaza is his own precarious political position, and the fact that both he and President Bush will be out of office soon. Olmert was in Washington earlier this week, meeting with President Bush and other senior administration officials, as well as addressing the annual conference of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. But Olmert's trip may be his last to D.C. as premier. The buzz out of Israel is that early elections are increasingly expected, perhaps this November or December. While this is not yet official -- and Israeli politics are notoriously turbulent and unpredictable -- leaders and field workers of the major parties are working under the assumption that the Olmert government, tainted by the failed Second Lebanon War and new allegations of corruption, is on its last legs and that they need to be ready for snap elections in the fall. For now, all eyes are focused on June 18th, the dates the Knesset could vote to dissolve itself, automatically triggering new elections. New polling indicates the Likud Party, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is not only far ahead but surging. Were elections held this month, Likud would be expected to pick up as many as 35 parliament seats, up from an estimated 30 seats last November. The Labour Party, by contrast -- led by current Defense Minister Ehud Barak -- has lost significant ground since last November, garnering support for only 19 seats currently, down from 23. Olmert's Kadima Party, meanwhile, continues to slide. Current polls show Kadima -- likely to be led by current Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni after Olmert's departure -- would receive only 11 Knesset seats, rather than 15. Polling Data: Prospective results of a Knesset election (Results presented in seats) Likud -- 35 seats (up from 30 in Nov) Labour -- 19 seats (down from 23 in Nov) Kadima -- 13 seats (down from 15 in Nov) Israel Our Home -- 11 seats (same as Nov) Shas -- 11 seats (up from 9 in Nov) United Torah Judaism -- 6 seats (same as Nov) National Religious Party -- 5 seats (down from 6 in Nov) Yachad -- 5 seats (up from 4 in Nov) Social Justice -- 2 seats (down from 4 in Nov) Green Party -- 2 seats (up from 0 in Nov) Arab parties -- 11 seats (down from 10 in Nov) Retired People's Party -- 0 seats (down from 2 in Nov) Source: Dialog / Haaretz Methodology: Interviews with 467 Israeli adults, conducted on May 27 and May 28, 2008. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
To read the latest news from the Middle East and Russia, please go to Joel's WEBLOG.
To join 54,000 other >> FLASH TRAFFIC <<>
To read the first chapter of DEAD HEAT for free, or purchase a copy from Amazon.com, please click here
Would you consider making a $25, $40 or $60 monthly donation to The Joshua Fund? To learn how, and/or make a secure, tax-deductible financial contribution -- by mail or on-line -- please click here.
To watch the Epicenter Conference speeches on-line, and learn more about the conference's purpose, please click here
PRAY FOR PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR
Looking for more ways to bless Israel? Here are three specific options that are particularly appropos given recent developments. Each are taken from our list of "60 Ways To Bless Israel At 60." The full list is available on our weblog at www.joshuafund.net. 2.) Stock one bomb shelter in northern Israel with food, water, a first aid kit, other emergency supplies and a secure storage locker. There are currently some 5,500 bomb shelters that need to be urgently stocked with supplies before the next war. The Joshua Fund is currently raising funds to stock 100 as soon as possible. Cost per bomb shelter: $5,500. 3.) Provide one ton of food to care for needy families in northern Israel who were hit by 4,000 rockets and missiles during the 2006 war with Hezbollah. These families are still recovering from that war. Many live on less than $500 a month. And food prices are rising in Israel, as they are around the globe. Every month, therefore, The Joshua Fund pays for about 10 tons of food to be purchased by one of our allies in Israel, distributed to the needy in the north, as well as stockpiled for the next war. Cost: $2,500 per ton. 4.) Help purchase desperately needed medical equipment such as respirators, ventilators, operating room lamps, mobile x-ray machines and the like for under-funded regional hospitals in Israel. At the request of hospital administrators, The Joshua Fund has adopted the Barzilai Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon to help them raise funds for such equipment. Barzilai is the only hospital and trauma center serving the 500,000 Israelis living near the Gaza border and facing a nearly constant barrage of rockets, missiles and mortars. They are doing heroic work, but they do need our help. Cost: Some of this equipment is very costly, averaging between $20,000 to $80,000 each. A donation of $5,000 would help significantly towards meeting these vital needs. The Joshua Fund will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, brief you on how those projects are proceeding, and let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible. To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to: The Joshua Fund 18950 Base Camp Road Monument, Colorado 80132-8009 Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at this moment of Israel' 60th anniversary.
Would you consider making a donation of $25, $40 or $60 a month to The Joshua Fund? Please click here to find out more, and/or to make a secure donation on-line.
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