ISRAEL TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS

Israel, God's miracle nation, is only in existence today because God is watching over her in the midst of hostile nations. May the Jewish people affirm the declaration made by King David, Israel's greatest king: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright" (Psalm 20:7-8).

Israel has not given up trying to make peace with her neighbors, but Scripture declares that one day the whole world will make war on her (Zech. 12). This week Israeli diplomats met in Cairo with the Egyptians and agreed on re-starting the peace process. On August 24, Egyptian President al-Sissi said Russian President Vladimir Putin would host negotiations in Moscow between Netanyahu and Abbas. M-mm!

The Two-State solution had been dying a slow death. Most Jews and Palestinians don't want it. Only 46% Israelis and 39% Palestinians favor the deal that would return the Jewish State to her pre-1967 borders, allow 100,000 Palestinian refugees to return, and make West Jerusalem the capital of Israel and East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine. And get this - neither trust the U.S. and the European Union to broker the deal, but they do trust the Arab states! M-mm!

Israel is trying its best to make friends with Turkey and the African nations. Netanyahu is praising Turkey's parliament for ratifying their reconciliation deal, which means a mutual return of their ambassadors. "Relations with our neighbors are better than they've ever been," said Israeli deputy minister of regional cooperation.

More good news is that in July, Netanyahu toured East Africa, and afterward, the Republic of Guinea, a Muslim-majority nation, restored diplomatic ties with Israel after a 49-year break! Also, Israel's top diplomat, Dr. Dore Gold, secretly visited an unnamed Muslim nation last Monday that has no formal ties with Jerusalem. But his team stayed only a few hours due to the uncertain security situation! M-mm!

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu will meet with African leaders in New York in September when he comes to attend the United Nations General Assembly, hoping that his effort will finally change the "automatic majority against Israel" in the U.N. Will he achieve this?

As you might expect, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, is doing all he can to try to stop an Israeli breakthrough in Africa. In July, he met with Sudanese President, Omar al-Badhir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide! He would be the ideal accomplice with Abbas to try to counter Israel's diplomatic successes in Africa! M-mm! Wonder what they are cooking up?

Lovers of Israel, keep praying for "the peace of Jerusalem," meaning the salvation of the Jewish people. In these end times, their only true friends will be true Christians who love their Jewish roots in the Jewish Messiah. May Israelis and Jews everywhere come to realize that Yeshua HaMashiach is their only hope, their Friend who sticks closer than a brother!

RUSSIA, IRAN, AND ISIS WANT TO ANNIHILATE ISRAEL!

Today I read an article, "Middle East Update," from the Jonathan Bernis' Jewish Voice Ministries. Iran has allowed Russia to have a military base within the country. A few days ago Russian bombers flew a mission into Syria from that Iranian base! "Iran’s unwavering commitment to annihilate Israel joined with their emboldened nuclear development, the acquisition of this new air defense system [from Russia], and the presence of a Russian-Iranian cooperative just over Israel’s northern border are all reasons of concern for Israel." After reading that article, I couldn't help but think of the end times scenario described in Scripture. I felt compelling to put my thoughts into poetic form:

YOU SHOULD CARE

Israel in the end times – does anybody care?

The place of Jesus’ birth and death,

And soon He’s coming there.

The wise men called Him King of the Jews,

And so did Pilate, too.

His title written above His head

Who died for me and you.

Before He comes the nations will rage –

God sits in the heavens and laughs!

His Son will be King on Zion’s hill;

It will surely come to pass.

Russia may bellow, and Iran may boast,

And ISIS may threaten to conquer,

But missiles and rockets and nuclear bombs

The angels can use for fodder!

Till Jesus comes for the final war,

The battle of Armageddon,

The land of Israel is His focus,

The Jews in the midst of bedlam!

His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives,

A quake will split the earth open.

His chosen ones will escape through the valley –

Zechariah the prophet has spoken!

So don’t be distracted by Olympics and elections

And find yourself unprepared.

We’re told to pray for Jerusalem,

And the Gospel must be shared.

So, yes! You should care about Israel –

God will keep every promise to her,

And the whole world will know that He is the Lord

And fear His wrath to incur.

Till heaven and earth shall pass away,

Not one of His words will fail.

So bow down to Jesus, the Jewish Messiah,

His love and His truth you must tell.

(Psalm 2; Zech. 14:4-5; Psalm 122:6; Ezek. 37:28; 38:23; Matt. 5:18)

By Nancy Petrey ~ August 19, 2016