First, we must ask ourselves do we really understand God’s heart when it comes to prophecy. It is God’s stamp of approval on this God breathed book He gave us. What other religious writing was ever so bold to make so many predictions and yet be so accurate?

Second, the concept of literal interpretation is not as much doom and gloom as it is warnings of impending doom and the need for repentance. Noah’s culture was warned for more than a century. Lot’s culture was spared as God searched for just a handful of righteous people and Nineveh saw the greatest single revival ever recorded because they received the words and repented.

Finally, as believers, do we serve a God that just goes soft on Sin? Is it doom and gloom to realize after the age of man coming to a close the Creator of the universe will deal with all of the rebellion and wrong in the world? It is hard for me to picture a just God giving everybody a pass including the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Arafat and bin Laden to name a few. There is not doom and gloom for those anticipating the just and righteous reign of Jesus Christ on earth. We look forward to it, and in reality there is nothing wrong with that message!

So after three decades has God’s prophetic clock stopped ticking? Absolutely not, in fact as far as His timetable things are moving quite rapidly, we just need to be practical.

First there are currently 47 nations that occupy what was the geographical area of the ancient Roman Empire. Second the financial woes of Europe could actually cause a separation of nations that would then form geographic pockets such as the northern nations of Europe headed by Germany and the Southern nations forming a different group. And the vastly increased Muslim population of Europe will no doubt play a big role across Europe.

Realistically there are too many variables that have not played out but God’s hand is moving nonetheless. One of my Bible College teachers told his students when the ten nations come together you won’t have to be told, you will know it. How many people were sure the prophecies of Russia were voided when the Iron curtain collapsed? Will Russia invade Israel? Absolutely! Has the ten nation coalition come together officially? No, at least not yet.

The Arab spring hailed as the beginnings of democracy has but turned into a prairie fire raging out of control. Directly to the north of Israel is Lebanon the dragon’s lair of Syrian/Iranian aggressions. Given Syria’s current unrest taking place a vicious attack can erupt at any moment having both nations raining death and destruction of the Jewish state. Farther north lies Russia, friend to both Syria and Iran and openly desires to become involved with Syria in resolving problems between nations of the region.

The prophecy of Jeremiah warning of an inescapable invasion from the north did ultimately come to pass but so did the second part, Israel returning to their homeland.

Can we see a boiling pot to the north ready to flow into the Jewish state? Yes, but again there is the second part as well. We know Israel will not only be victorious but will stay in the land God has given them and once again we can trust in God’s word to be the shining light in dark times.

Seasons Christian Fellowship

10850 N. 32 nd Street

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Services:

• Sunday morning          10:30 am
• Sunday evening            6:00 pm
• Wednesday                    7:00 pm

YOU are invited and Welcome!

First service January 1st, 2012 10:30 am

May the Lord that we all serve pour out a special blessing to Pastor, Gerri, the rest of the family, the Board, the Elders, the Deacons, and to this great congregation may He pour out His power and grace in a special way.”

With all our Love,

Steve, Lori and Boys

In any case there is the other group of Israelis that will celebrate their holidays in different fashion. Some will be patrolling the waterways on ships and in submarines and some will be flying some type of aircraft or monitoring radar and intelligence reports. Still others will be found in bunkers, on constant patrol, or back at a base waiting to respond to a call they hope never comes.

True there are many nations whose military personnel must do the same thing but Israel has a unique distinction. They learned in 1973 that even the most Holy day of their culture can be violently interrupted by invading armies. Israeli lifestyle has seen terrorist bombing even on a holiday like Purim, or wedding banquets being attacked by terrorists.

But an even stronger reality is that if unprepared or even at the ready their enemies stand poised at every border threatening to cut the tiny nation to pieces. Thus Israelis lie in a constant state of flux longing for peace but always prepared for war. Much of the geography in Israel significant to Jew and Christian is now under Moslem control while some is being negotiated for. In either case war will come again, holiday or not, and Israel must be ready.

We ask ourselves how can a loving husband and father, committed church worker and a great employee be taken from family and friends. And certainly of all times of the year, why before Christmas? But God’s plan doesn’t fit into our closely knit and warm concepts of life!

A review of friends of mine that have passed away since July 2007 until now has grown to twelve; the oldest being 62 and the youngest 44. In what should be the prime of life God has seen fit to take them, several in their sleep. It is a ride I would like to get off of.

Paul wrote, “For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” II Cor. 4:16. We have no guarantees about tomorrow other than God’s grace. These events in our lives hurt but fret not, all of us are dying outwardly but God is renewing us inwardly where it matters the most and that’s what counts for eternity. Yes, death is always around us but life in Christ is within us regardless of circumstances.

The nation of Israel is trapped today by the same mentality of the West; negotiate with terrorists, make more concessions and peace will come. Tragically what is described as a struggle between neighbors is in reality a true war. This war is ready to explode and expand into the entire region.

We have been hearing about democratic reform in Egypt and Syria is burning out of control and the same mentality is saying just talk about it. It reminds me of September 15, 2000 just days before the second Intifada; Israeli President Shinon Peres stating Arafat and company were not likely to erupt with any violence. Somewhere since the Camp David, Madrid, Oslo I and II and all other gatherings for peace, cooperation and mutual interest has been lost in outbursts of violence.

Is a hotel on a border between two neighbors at war a sign of peace? Attempts at reform and stability are always punctuated by violence and unrest. The pseudo peace and phony optimism is not benefiting Israel, stopping violence nor guaranteeing democracy. What’s next?

There are many controversial topics in theology but the debate over dispensations is a common and long term topic in Christian circles. The concept is that God has dealt with mankind from the Age of Innocence to the current Age of Grace. Not that God has changed but rather He has dealt with man according to the dynamics of environment, culture, etc.

To watch God’s plan for man run its course we realize that the Creator has not changed His standards but has used different instruments like Prophets, Priests, Judges, and Apostles to name a few. Thankfully He remains unchanged. However, there is a sad element of dispensation belief that is confusing to me. Every generation we hear the cry for a fresh move of God to come to the church. However, when the new, fresh movement comes the ones crying out for change are the ones that are the most resistant.

Change is usually what is needed and wanted but so many dispensationalists embrace the idea until that wave comes and they are found running to high ground. Church history has proven even in the time where freshness is needed the most it is resisted the most. Most of us do not like change.

It is safe to say God is doing some new and fresh thing, but what He does always upsets the applecart of tradition. The revival of Ezra and Nehemiah was not like that found in the book of Acts and that was not like Azusa Street, Charismatic Renewal or the other fresh moves designed by God. Do you want change? Be careful, when it comes to God His new is not remanufactured, it is brand new!

If you are a Christian you can’t help but be a little more focused on the little town of Bethlehem for obvious reasons. And if you are a believer that has a soft spot for Israel and her people, that sentiment become multiplied. That is why this time of year can be so difficult knowing the condition of Bethlehem.

My last visit to the tiny town not far from Jerusalem was a sad drive indeed. Tents of the PLO filled both sides of the road we travelled. Anti Christian and Jewish slogans spray painted on buildings and a noticeably reduced Christian presence in the city once patrolled by the Israel Defense Forces is now patrolled by Fatah forces.

In 1996 it drove home the reality, just three years after the first Oslo Accord, just how permeated Israel had become by her avowed enemies. Even sadder was the reality that with these terrorist occupying sites sacred to both Judaism and Christianity is the possibility of not being able to see these holy sites again.

Herod sent soldiers into Bethlehem to kill all the males two years and under in Matthew 2:16, the same spirit that drove Pharaoh in Exodus 2:22.

Rachael was entombed near Bethlehem and the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15 describes her as weeping without comfort over the loss of her sons. Pharaoh, Herod or Fatah all point to the loss of life and sadly this scenario is playing out again only at a much larger scale. So again I ask you to pray for Israel as inevitable war approaches, holidays or not.