“Stay Away from the Bear!”

I like the story of the hunter and the bear that were both in need. The hunter was cold and desired a fur coat and the bear was in need of a meal. Through the art and skill of negotiation both got what they wanted, the hunter got his fur coat and the bear got his meal simultaneously.

While it might seem like a stretch to use that illustration it really is a very accurate description of the world we live in. People want the quick fix, don’t want to wait for anything and the days of our nations’ leaders being resolute and staying the course has given way to the wind blowing and changing the course of entire nations in moments.

Nations today are bankrupt after the quick fixes to jump start the economy, and entire industries have collapsed trying the same thing and despot leaders now flourish as negotiations only delay the inevitable wars.

The Apostle Paul wrote when men would cry peace and safety sudden destruction would come like birth pangs of a woman in labor, we are seeing that today.

As a Christian don’t sell yourself short, be faithful to the faithful God and above all stay away from the bear!

Are Uprisings Good?

Admittedly this author has not written about the uprisings in Moslem nations in a positive light and since February the lack of fruit has been more than obvious.

Before Hosni Mubarak was removed as Egyptian President he stated that Israel going to war with any Arab nation would result in war between his nation and the Jewish state. Jordan, the other nation “at peace” with Israel under King Hussein, allowed Iraqi trucks loaded with supplies to travel through his nation into Israel supporting the Palestinian uprising.

And Syria’s relationship with Israel has proven just how volatile of a neighbor they were under Hafez al Assad and now his son. But Egypt is on the verge of electing a president more anti Israel than Mubarak; the same could happen in Jordan and now more than likely can happen in Syria.

One media source called these uprisings, “The Arab Winter,” and the relationship between these nations and Israel has grown colder these past several months.

Since fundamentalists overthrew the Shah in Iran and placed the Ayatollahs in power these uprisings have not bode well for the U.S. or Israel, Pakistan is looking bleak and the Jordanian-Egyptian-Syrian block the same. Uprisings are not always good.

“One More Coin”

The gold Dinar was once the most commonly used coin in the Moslem world until 1924 when the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Until recently the gold Dinar has been obscure until a Muslim group in Malaysia has started to mint the coin again and other Moslems are expressing interest in doing the same.

During the 1970’s the Saudi royal family expressed the desire to create a one-world economic system based on the Arab petrol dollar. At first it was the Euro that connected the petrol dollar to Europe’s industrial complex, but the Dinar in mass production could alter the financial system even more.

The desire of world conquest by extreme Moslem elements, their call for nations to stop using the U.S. dollar and the price of oil all show immense economic pressure that can be brought to bear on America.

It’s not just one more coin; the revival of the Dinar is but one more piece of the puzzle that is coming together very quickly.

History repeats itself

Finally, after months of fighting between government and rebel forces in Syria, the U.S. has called for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step aside.

At present there is an estimated 2000 dead in Syria and many experts feel Assad could use chemical warfare to quell the rebellion. The question on many people’s minds is why after decades of Syrian terrorist activities and repression of human rights are we only now standing up and saying something?

Assad’s father, Hafez al Assad, used cyanide gas on the city of Hama then bulldozed the city with an estimated 20,000 killed. So, the family policy in the nation has always been brutal and dictatorial.

Now, four decades later, the son is following in his father’s footsteps. History is repeating itself with brutal similarity, but like Libya and Egypt what took so long to voice our disapproval?

The violence in Syria and Egypt coupled with Islamic fundamentalists poised to take control of these nations poses a threat to Israel as well as the troubled nations themselves and the chemical and biological arsenal of Syria is but a heartbeat away from terrorists. Can it get much worse? Sadly, yes!

Don’t Get Too Comfortable

There was great rejoicing and celebration when news of Osama bin Laden’s death was announced here in America. Horns were blowing, flag waiving, cheering and there was even dancing in the street because the threat was longer an issue.

Russia threw off the yoke of the Czars and eventually got communist rule just as the Germans replaced the Kaisers with Adolph Hitler. The Shah of Iran had to go and in his place came the Ayatollah.

What we saw in American euphoria was a total lack of understanding the infrastructure of any terrorist organization, al Qaeda included.

A quick fix, placebo, a bandage on a severed artery are appropriate metaphors and bin Laden’s death probably soothed some angry people but now what? If the elimination of terrorist leaders solved the problem, then Israel would be at peace and living within safe borders.

We remember the prophet’s words “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and trust in the Mount Samaria, Notable persons in the chief nation.” Amos 6:1a N.K.J.

Being comfortable because of the demise of Osama bin Laden is not what we can afford because the threat is still there.

Reform, when will it come?

Approximately one month ago the U.S. Embassy in Damascus was attacked by Syrian Government protestors, breaking windows, spray painting walls,  and throwing fruits and vegetables,  but they were dispersed without injury by Marine guards.

U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford visited the city of Hama a stronghold of opposition to the policies of Syrian President Bashar Assad and had suffered greatly due to government crack downs and by what most deem excessive force. Former President Hafiz al Assad suffered the same opposition in Hama and actually had the city shelled for weeks, then gassed and finally bulldozed to quit the opposition.

Syria is modeling more of a crushing of the opposition rather than making good on the promises of reform promised months ago,  and apparently are not anywhere in the near future. Historically the Assad family’s 40 year rule has been more aggressive and punitive than that of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and more like that of Libya’s Gaddafi but our nation isn’t demanding Assad to step down.

The Syrian aggression that took brutal control of Lebanon thirty-five years ago,  promoted and exported terrorism,  and waged brutal war against Israel is just as cruel with its own people, and reform won’t come soon enough to relieve Lebanon, Israel, or Syria itself.

Between revolution and civil war

We have seen the nation of Turkey make some dramatic moves away from the U.S. and Israel and move into the courts of Syria, Iran and Russia.

The Ottoman Turks once ruled a vast empire and had gained control of many nations only to decline after World War I. Since then Turkish ambition has been twofold, to become a world power once again and to exert Muslim influence in a powerful way.

Not only has Turkey befriended rogue nations but its government under the leadership of Prime Minister Erdogan has weakened secular institutions nationwide. Erdogan is moving to alter the Turkish constitution at the expense of the judicial system, the press, as well as the military.

Erdogan likes to quote an early 20^th century Turkish poet, “The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmet, the minarets our bayonets, and the faithful our soldiers.”

Turkey is moving into the prophetic arena believing it is due to its own ambition but the scriptures tell us they are but one of many nations following the same pattern.

It is no coincidence that somewhere between the Islamic revolution and civil wars of the Middle East Turkey is coming to the forefront and we know it is all part of God’s plan.

Reform is not always good

Amr Moussa is a distinguished looking man of 74, has a smooth baritone voice and is the head of the Arab League, no small distinction. Moussa, however, is better known for his anti Israel diatribes and has gone on record as saying the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has no substance to it and a ploy by the Jewish state for political gain.

In fact, Moussa’s disdain for Israel is so well known a hit song includes his sentiments “Ana Bakra Israel” or I hate Israel. The song goes on to say “but I love Amr Moussa”.

Moussa presents the facade of what many try to project as moderation but in fact he resigned his government position when the peace treaty with Israel and Egypt was signed in 1977.

Aside from the Moussa factions there are two other variables to be considered in Egypt. The first is the Moslem Brotherhood which is a avowed enemy of Israel and second there are the secular revolutionaries that are seemingly finding less media coverage than they were in this past winter, but the militants seem to be getting more attention.

The trend in Egyptian culture is not looking good for their nation, Israel or the world at large. Sometimes reform is not the best thing that can happen.

It’s for righteousness

The dialogue between John the Baptist and Jesus at the River Jordan is one of the greatest recorded in the scriptures. As the Baptist argued with the Messiah he was directed to a most divine principle as Jesus told him it was necessary to be baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness – Matt. 3:14-15, But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

John had told people he was not worthy to undo the shoes of the one coming (Luke 3:16) and as the lamb that would take away the sin of the world (John 1:36). This is truly one of the greatest examples ever, Jesus had avoided all protocol and entitlement to show us the right way to servanthood.

Jesus was defining His right standing with God because He is submitting Himself in principle and by example not because He needed to be baptized. It is not just awesome to see Jesus setting His example but also to see John the Baptist submit to the concept as well.

John the Baptist and Jesus both defined leadership not by assertion but by mutual submission. Leadership is not standing at the crossroads giving directions but rather saying follow me, something we all need to do.

Have we learned from history?

In September of 1972 the world was shocked when eleven Israeli athletes were murdered during the Olympic Games in Munich. It is no exaggeration when Israelis say everybody in the country was connected personally to the victims of this heinous act.

This operation not only violated the sovereign nations of Germany and Israel but it defined the most brazen of attitudes and showed the world in a graphic way just how vulnerable noncombatants are to terrorist attacks.

If you compare the population of Israel during this time and the losses at Munich and compare the U.S. population during 9-11 and our losses incurred per capita the national psyche of both nations were indeed staggering.

As the United Nations is ready to vote on the approval of a sovereign Palestinian Nation it should be remembered that Mahmoud Abbas, architect of the Munich Massacre, wants to be the head of this new nation. How many people would have been outraged at the prospect of Osama bin Laden heading up a nation but the world is clamoring for a Palestinian nation headed up by Abbas or a Hamas member so the question is what have we learned from history?