Who is Really to Blame?

As I watch what is going on in the middle east I cannot help but be perplexed as to how anyone could say Israel is in the wrong here. Everyone seems to be forgetting who started this conflict....

The terrorist group Hezbollah attacked first, taking Israeli soldiers captive and firing missiles into Haifa. They attacked FIRST! This group is also known to use civilian people as human Shields, hiding in Mosque, hospitals and residential areas. Being so filled with hate of other races, they see the sacrifice of innocent people as nothing but a means to continue their terror.

Knowing how the world views the loss of life, especially when it is children, what better way to reign terror on others and then twist it around to make a nation defending itself look like they are the terrorists. The truly sad thing in all of this is their propaganda and strategy seems to be working.

Israel warned those living in the areas which were going to be targeted to leave. They did what they could to allow civilians to get out before they went in. Those who are in the areas being hit are there because they have chosen to be.

"The ongoing escalation in Israel/Lebanon brings to mind Golda Meier's statement that the animosity will end only when, "....The Arabs love their children more than they hate ours." Children and other innocent civilians in Lebanon are being used, once again, as human shields as Islam does not love life; it celebrates death." (Taken from an article from Olive Tree Ministries.)

I couldn't have made the point better. What is going on is horrible yet at the same time it is, I believe more Bible prophecy coming to pass..

What we are seeing is further fulfillment of Zechariah 12 - 14 where all nations turn on Israel (and all are injured), for many in the world are now beginning to hate Israel more than Hezbollah, which is a sister organization to al-Qaida. Israel is doing some of the Western world's dirty work in the war against Islamo-fascism and at the same time, being condemned for it.

The other day I picked up the Bible and happened to turn to the book of Joel. When I read this verse I could not help but feel as if I was reading exactly what is happening today...what caught my attention incredibly this was just after the attack began in Tyre.

(4) "Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head; Joel 3:4.

It seems pretty clear the Lord is protecting Israel. Just look at the difference in casualties..with all themissiless the terrorists have fired into Israel there have been miraculously few deaths, compared to the human losses in Lebanon.

These terrorists are filled with hate, wanting everyone who is not willing to submit to their reign or their "beliefs" to die. People seem to forget the whole idea of this group is to wipe out all "infidels", believing they will achieve paradise and reward for every one they murder. What kind of a god is their god who says if you murder others you will make it to paradise?

What blows me away is this turn of the tide, which is now trying to say Israel is wrong and are "war criminals". Would not those who deliberately put their own people in harms way, using them asShieldss against their terror activities not be the criminals? Are not those who deliberately place children, women and the elderly between them and their enemies in all actuality cowards?

Are not the leaders of these terrorist groups, nothing more than heartless, evil men, strategically placing their soldiers in the middle of innocent people simply to create sympathy and approval for their war?

It is not Israel who is to blame for this conflict, nor is it Israel who is to blame for the loss of the women and children. The blame and the responsibility for these civilian deaths rest squarely on the heads of Hezbollah as well as those political parties who are not only encouraging their activities but supplying them with the weapons.

If Israel agreed to a cease fire, it is a pretty safe bet it would not be long before her enemies would break it. How do you sit down and try to reach an agreement with a group who will stop at nothing to advance their cause? What in the world makes anyone believeHezbollahh would keep any promises they might make? You cannot reason with people who are so filled with hate, they can see nothing but their goal...to murder anyone who does not agree or submit to them!

So Israel should agree to a cease fire why???? Until these armed and deadly terrorist groups are destroyed, there will never be any true or lasting peace for anyone, especially Israel. She has many enemies and this battle has been going on since the days of Abraham... and as hard as others have tried to wipe this nation out of existence.

One thing to keep in mind is the Bible promises that who ever blesses Israel will be blessed and who ever curses her will be cursed...

Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

A good thing for America to keep in mind when deciding which side to stand on.

Waiting for the Lord
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27:14

Hearing and doing God's will are two important steps that often get confused as one step. However, these are two distinct processes.

When we hear God's voice, this is only 50 percent of the process. The next important step is to know when to move. It is one thing to hear; it is another to know when to act.

There was a time when the Lord showed me I was to write. This was a major change in my life from what I was doing. As I began to write, I attempted to find a publisher for my work.

This became a real frustration. I encountered many false starts, and many well-intentioned people wanted to assist but their efforts resulted in further delays.

Finally, my wife asked me, "Os, have you completed the book you are working on?"
"No," I replied."When you complete the book, God will provide a publisher if He has called you to write. You need to complete the book."

A few months later I was in discussions with a publisher about my work. They were going to be in my city and wanted to meet with me. The day we met they offered me a contract on my book. It also was the exact day that I had completed the book.

I thought back to the words my wife had said.Corrie ten Boom was a prisoner in the German Holocaust who lost her sister in the concentration camps.

She tells a story about her father taking her on trains. She always wanted to get the ticket from her father ahead of time. He never gave her the ticket until she was about to get onto the train.


God is always on time. He is never late, and He is seldom early. Ask God for the wisdom to discern His will and His timing for the events in your life.

(From one of my daily devotion emails.)

A Good Point....

The lady who wrote this letter is Pam Foster of Pamela Foster & Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing interior design and home planning.

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11,2001
Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.


I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. In the meantime,
when I hear a story about a brave Marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and ---- you got it, I DON'T CARE!

(This was in my email...had to post it.)

Nothing We Cannot Handle

I have a friend who suffers with chronic pain. She is in constant pain and discomfort, having surgeries and health issues I for one would have a very hard time dealing with. But through it all she has always been optimistic, cheerful and never without the ability to praise the Lord. Even with all the things she is suffering with in her life.

Recently in a conversation we had over the phone we were talking about certain events that have happened in my life over the last few months.

I had told her that through certain circumstances beyond my control we had lost everything we owned. I had told her I looked at it this way. " The Lord gives and the Lord takes away" and material things are just that...Material things. Even though I at times, grieve over the lose of things like pictures, cards I had saved over the years, and my wedding things. I finally came to the conclusion that if I were to die today, I could not take these things with me, and once I get to heaven those things will not be important.

My friend told me she couldn't believe how well I was accepting this and that with all the stuff I have been through there must be something special waiting for me in heaven.... Me?

All I could think was....

This awesome inspiring woman is living with constant considerable pain, she has been through surgeries, can no longer do things she loves without pain and still remains joyful and full of faith in the Lord. I would not be able to cope with the kinds of things she has gone through. When I had a problem with my back a couple months ago, the pain was so bad I prayed for God to just take me, the idea of living with constant pain and being unable to care for myself was not something I wanted to live with.

I admire this woman and believe the Lord will have a special reward waiting for her. For the suffering she has and is living through on a daily basis. For her concern with the feelings and happiness of others above herself.

Even with all the things she is dealing with she never fails to ask how I am doing and trying to encourage me as well as all those in her life. For her to tell me I am doing something that seemed inspiring and amazing to her just blew me away. It had a very humbling affect on my heart.

It also made me realize that the Lord knows which of his children can handle certain trials and those who can't. What one person may be going through seems harder to someone else than what they might be going through. The Lord never gives us anything we cannot handle it....and if a trial or a test comes into our life it is only because the Lord knows we can handle it ...with His help.

We never know what others may be facing, but I believe the trials and hardships each of us face on occasion are there that our faith might shine through and be an example to someone who is struggling. The Lord is much more concerned with our attitudes in the face of trials than He is in the trial's themselves. To be willing to offer a sacrifice of praise and worship even if we may not feel like it is more precious to Him than all the good works we could even begin to do.

To be able as Job did to say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That is the kind of witness and testimony unbelievers need to see from those of us who claim the name of Christ.

Cell Phone VS Bible

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell Phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we turned back to go get it if we for got it?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it as we traveled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?

This is something to make you go... hmmm... where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.

Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

How Great the Price

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town.

One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit.

Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak..."I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there, son?" "Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you gonna do with them?" I asked. "Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered.

"I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time.""But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?"

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"

"How much?" the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.

The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.

"Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other.

I'm really gonna have fun!""And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.

"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you You don't want those people!!"

"How much?" He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."

Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage he opened the door and he walked from the pulpit.

Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.

Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God).

Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?

Willingness to Surrender to Him!

I can't believe it is July already. Today is my youngest son, Christopher's birthday. He turns 21 today, and it is so hard for me to believe that many years have gone by since he was born.

Sunday at church the message was on surrendering and giving everything to the Lord. The message was about Abraham and his being willing to sacrifice his only son out of obedience.

Abraham was willing to do this, give his promised and only son as a sacrifice to the Lord simply because the Lord told him too. Of course the Lord didn't allow him to actually go through it. But what faith Abraham was required to have, to be willing to give up what he loved most in his life.

The Bible doesn't tell us what went through Abraham's mind, but it does tell us when Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the sacrifice was, Abraham simply said, "God will provide". I think he knew the Lord well enough to know that either the Lord would raise his son from the dead should Abraham actually be required to sacrifice his son, or He knew the Lord well enough to know He would honor Abraham's willing heart to obey and provide another "lamb". Either way he had the faith and trust within to obey even though it may mean losing someone he loved.

The message was all about being willing to make sacrifices of what we hold important should the Lord ask us to. It was also about being willing to trust the Lord enough to surrender everything to Him, knowing God is God and we are "to love the Lord our God with ALL our hearts and ALL our souls." It's the first commandment and maybe even the hardest to obey at times.

As human beings we are not always willing to give up our comfort or our possessions even if it means doing so will bring us closer to our Lord or bring someone unsaved to the Lord. It's a form of selfishness..."I have what I have and I am not willing to give any of it up."

We have a hard time truly understanding and accepting ALL things belong to the Lord to begin with, everything we have is on loan from Him and giving it back to Him shows we realize this principle.

When the Pastor was giving the message I was remind of when my oldest son Jason became ill when he was nine months old.

He started running a very high fever, and nothing would bring it down. We finally had to take him to the hospital as nothing the doctors told us to do would bring it down.

By the time we arrived at the hospital, Jason was beet red, literally. His eyes became glazed over and it was like he wasn't there. They took him in the room and asked me to leave so they could examine him. The moment I left, Jason went into violent convulsions.

They had to do a spinal tape on him, when they let me back into the room, I sat there looking at my little son, covered in cold cloth, shaking and out of it. He was so little and there was nothing I could do to help him.

The worst feeling any parent can ever experience is that helplessness of not being able to do anything to help your child and not knowing if that child is going to survive.

As I sat there watching his little body shake, I began to cry and pray for him. I remember it vividly as if it was yesterday.

"Lord, please heal my son. You gave him to me and I don't want to lose him. Please Lord don't take my son. But Father I surrender him to you, and if it is Your will to take him now, not my will but Thine."

This was my exact prayer, and the moment I said "not my will but thine", I felt as if I could literally feel the arms of the Lord envelop me. I cannot even begin to describe the peace that instantly filled my soul. I knew no matter what happened it was going to be ok and should the Lord take my son I would someday see him again.

Yet inside I knew Jason was going to be ok and the Lord honored my prayer to heal him because I was, at that moment, willing to let Jason go if that was what the Lord so chose.

The following day Jason had several seizures, but I continued to trust the Lord to take care of him. We had the pastor from our church at the time come and pray for him. The nurses watched this with a kind of "what the heck are they doing" look.

They never did figure out what caused the fever. All the tests they ran were negative and a couple of days later Jason was released and came home.

Ever since that day, when things happen beyond my control I am reminded of that day. That if we are willing to truly trust the Lord and surrender our desires to Him regardless of what it may cost us, He will honor that faith and no matter what happens, He is always with us and knowing that we can overcome anything that comes into our lives.

That day Jason became "my Isaac", and as Abraham did I had to be willing for God's will not mine. The Lord has plans for Jason's life as well as all my children and I can rest and trust in that no matter what it may look like.