As we pray for the peace of
Jerusalem
Prophetic News and
Commentary
Reporting on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Jeremiah 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet….
Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make
mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
V:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth.
Psalms
122:6 Pray for the peace of
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The following articles are compiled by:
Rick Allinson
No end to deadly Bolivian floods
Source:
BBC
21 February 2007 – At least 35 people have died and 10 are missing in Bolivia as a result of floods caused by months of heavy rain.
Up to 340,000 people are estimated to have been affected, as water levels continue to rise in eastern areas.
Roads in the worst-hit departments of Santa Cruz and Beni have been blocked by mudslides, hampering relief efforts.
The government has declared a state of emergency and is appealing for international aid.
Two months of heavy rain have been blamed on what has become known as the El Nino effect, an occasional seasonal warming of parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Local authorities in the worst-hit areas say many communities have been completely cut off by the floods, and it has been impossible to get aid to them.
Mozambique flooding situation worsens
Source: HB
The flooding situation in Mozambique is worsening, according to
Mozambique's top disaster official.
Paulo Zucula told Reuters that a number of the evacuation centres cannot now be
accessed by road and supplies are being airlifted with just one UN helicopter.
Some 4,000 people could lose their lives if they do not receive drinking water
and food soon, Mr Zucula said.
"They are starving and some diseases such as malaria and cholera are looming,"
he added.
On Monday, Mozambique's national disaster agency said that the worst may be yet
to come as the rainy season draws on.
Severe flooding in the Zambezi Valley, which began in December, has forced more
than 120,000 people from their homes and caused around 40 deaths.
Comments: The floods just keep on coming. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected in these two countries and the situation seems to be getting worse instead of better. In other places like the United States, many areas are reporting potential flooding problems and the spring thaw is just around the corner. Yes it may be true that we see flooding quite often around the globe but as I have covered here many times before, historic records are being set quite frequently and with devastating results. Keep and eye on these kind of events because they are fearful sights.
Lu 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
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Quartet underscores demand that PA gov't recognize Israel
Source: Jerusalem Post
21 February 2007 – The Quartet issued a statement following its talks in Berlin Wednesday night reiterating the need for the Palestinian Authority to accepts its three principles, but also adding that there was a discussion about "possible further steps by the international community in the context of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East."
In recent weeks there has been talk of the need for steps other than the road map to try and move the diplomatic process forward.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted in the Russian press as saying there was a need for Israeli and Palestinians to continue direct contacts that deal with a political horizon.
The Quartet is made up of the US, EU, UN and Russia.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on
Wednesday pledged to continue holding talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas, despite the inconclusive trilateral talks on Monday and the fact
that the Mecca understandings between Fatah and Hamas did not accept the
Quartet's benchmarks.
The following articles are compiled
by:
Leo Wong
Survey: Billy Graham and Pat Robertson most well known religious figures
Source: chirstianpost.com
February 21, 2007 -- The Rev. Billy Graham topped the list of most favorable religious leader in the nation, according to a new Barna report. But the evangelist fell well behind celebrities and other public figures who scored higher favorability with Americans.
The latest Barna research report evaluated American public opinion of 34 public figures from the fields of entertainment, politics and business and religion. Generating the highest favorability was actor Denzel Washington with 85 percent. Graham who was scored as most well-known among religious leaders only generated 64 percent of favorability.
Ahead of Graham were Oprah Winfrey (83 percent), Billy Gates (80 percent), Tim McGraw (72 percent), Faith Hill (71 percent), Mel Gibson (69 percent), George Clooney (67 percent) and Bill Clinton (64 percent).
The survey confirmed an earlier report that found most Americans unfamiliar with some of the nation's leading Christian ministers. Evangelical pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren was found to be unknown by 72 percent of the adult population and 63 percent among born again Christians. One of the most influential Christians and also once dubbed the next Billy Graham, Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas was also largely unknown in both population segments.
According to Barna's most recent research, Pat Robertson was the only other religious figure besides Graham known to at least half of the population. The statistics were similar among born-again Christians. For Robertson, however, only 33 percent of Americans had a favorable impression of him and 25 percent had a negative one.
In regards to the born again population, Barna said, "The perceptions that born again adults have of public figures is nearly identical to that of people who are not born again. That suggests that their faith in Christ has little influence upon their decision-making, which explains why surveys find few distinctives in their lifestyle and values. Not only are most born again adults surprisingly oblivious to national religious leaders, but they apparently have the same perceptual filter as people who have not turned to Jesus Christ. If nothing else, this suggests that most born again adults are a work in progress, and that there is a lot of growth yet to experience in the renewing of their minds."
Comments: The world adores its own and it appears that professing Christians also chase after secular figures. What does that say about believers who think the same as the unsaved? They even talk and dress alike. Unlike twins Arnold Schwarznegger and Danny DeVito, you can’t tell the difference between some Christians and their unsaved friends. That’s how much members of the Church in North America have assimilated themselves with all those around them. If believers were true to Jesus in all facets of their lives, the world would hate them and persecute them. But, people in general detest being subject to ridicule and scorn so they blend in with those who are lost and perishing. There’s such a dearth of individual one on one witnessing for the Lord. We’re ashamed of being labeled a Christian. Oh, one can say he/she is a Catholic, a Muslim, a Hindu, or a Buddhist, and there won’t be any outward laughter directed at them, but tell someone you’re a Christian and people will bring up Pat Robertson or the disgraced Jimmy Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart. Oh, Billy Graham is respected, but he had departed from the straight path of Biblical preaching and teaching decades ago.
Of course, as born again Christians, we needn’t point to such and such a Christian as our model, but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He may not win any popularity contest, but at the end of each person’s life, it’s what he/she thought of Jesus that’s important. If you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you have eternal life. If He’s not your hero, then you’ll not be a stranger in Paradise for He won’t know you. Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Faith Hill won’t be able to pull you across the fixed gulf that separates the Lake of Fire from the New Jerusalem. In fact, even a few of them might be joining you in that fire that is never quenched. Fame, wealth and popularity won’t count with God. Only sins forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ will bring forth everlasting life.
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Italy and Spain aim to salvage the EU constitution
Source: EUObserver.com
February 21, 2007-- Italian and Spanish leaders have voiced their full support for salvaging the EU constitution, indicating they could join Germany as the big country frontrunners pushing for the charter's revival.
Meeting on the Balearic island of Ibiza on Tuesday (20 February), Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero praised the current German EU presidency for trying to move from "a phase of stagnation to a time of initiative" on the European constitution.
The document, originally signed by all member states, was put on ice after its rejection by French and Dutch voters in spring 2005 but is now back on the political agenda.
German chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged to come up with a timetable for negotiation of a way out of the constitutional impasse and present it to the whole union in June.
Mr Prodi and Mr Zapatero - representing two of the 18 countries that have ratified the charter - called for a solution which would preserve the "essence" of the existing text along with minimum changes making it acceptable to states that have not yet ratified it, according to press reports.
"Our goal is to maintain the essential idea of achieving a more united and efficient Europe with new ways of working," the Spanish leader said.
The new EU constitution streamlines all the previous treaties and introduces changes that are seen as making the enlarged bloc more effective and transparent, such as a simpler voting system and a permanent presidency instead of the current six-month rotating system.
Comments: Italy and Spain are the two leading candidates to produce the Antichrist (if he’s not going to be a Muslim). Being that the EU comprises the largest portion of the Revived Roman Empire, the EU nation Italy would play a major part in its resurrection and it did in 1957 in Rome. In fact, this year, the EU celebrates its 50th birthday. Spain, on the other hand, became the 11th country to join the Union. The book of Daniel Chapter 7 and Verse 8 speaks of the 11th being the little horn ruler to arise in the last days. Spanish King Juan Carlos still holds the title “King of Jerusalem”. Added to all this is the fact that Italy and Spain have already ratified the EU constitution and you get the point; the EU is their baby. If the EU constitution dies, there will be a huge price to pay so they’ll make sure its life support system is monitored.
Interspersed among all the legal beagle fluff and financial contents in the EU constitution is the eye popper proposal for a permanent president who will be elected by the EU states (refer to Revelation 17:13) . I have indicated in the past the absurdity of an emerging superstate aspiring to usurp the USA as the No. 1 superpower and it doesn’t even have a full-time president, but instead handed the baton of leadership to 6-month revolving presidents. What other major country does this and expects to be taken seriously? None that I know of. Now, we’re on the verge of seeing an elected president (perhaps the Antichrist after the Rapture). Dear saints of God, prepare to leave Earth soon on the Jesus Jet. The boarding gate is 777. The destination? A one-way trip to the Father’s house of many mansions! Goodbye to this sin stricken world; it’s been not nice knowing you.
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When grandmas go to jail for witnessing
Source: WorldNetDaily.com
February 21, 2007 -- Arrested for sharing the Gospel? Yep. Arlene Elshinnawy, a 75-year-old grandmother of three, and Lynda Beckman, a 70-year-old grandmother of 10 (along with nine others), were arrested for sharing their faith on the public sidewalk in Philadelphia, Pa., USA.
They faced 47 years (the rest of their lives) in jail for spreading the Gospel because of a Pennsylvania "hate crimes" law that is nearly identical to H.R. 254 – the "hate crimes" bill reintroduced in Congress and said to be on the "fast track" in the House Judiciary Committee. This is the same bill that previously passed both the House and Senate and was killed only because of Republican leadership opposition in conference – something we no longer have. Don't believe hate crimes will silence your freedom of speech and freedom of religion? Think again.
Comments: Revelation 20:[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Today, Christians witnessing for Jesus will end up in jail, but after the Rapture, believers will lose their head for testifying that Jesus saves. The Democrat controlled U.S. Congress comprised of a majority of left leaning liberal Satan led lawmakers are bent on eradicating all vestiges of Jesus and Christianity from the daily lives of Americans. Freedom of speech is in theory only. In actual practice, you can’t go out to a public venue and proclaim that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; no person comes to the Father except through His Son. For that, you’ll be thrown into the slammer.
Yes, there’s discrimination due to religious belief that’s classified under one of the protective categories provided that you don’t proselyte your beliefs, i.e. don’t try to shove Christianity down the throats of pagan Americans. You can voice your belief in a passive way, but don’t shout it from the rooftop and don’t take “No” for an answer. It didn’t use to be that way. Bold preachers such as Billy Sunday would go to the street corners and proclaim Jesus as the Savior of sinners and countless thousands got saved. In today’s religiously correct society, you can publicly promote any religion other than Christianity and it’s OK. It’s Satan’s doing of curse. He wants to silence those godly believers from leading the lost and perishing to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Satan wants people to accompany him to the Lake of Fire and his willing Democrat accomplices (some even profess to be Christians) are doing his bidding to muffle the voices of Christian preachers. This is paving the way for the entrance of the Satan’s Antichrist whose sword will try to silence the Word of God, but the AC will fail as more people will be saved during the 7-year Tribulation Period than in today’s dispensation of the grace of God. Praise be to God!
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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!
Shalom!