[We will soon be leaving for a sub-regional gathering of co-workers and, consequently, will be away from Internet access. Thanks for doubling up in prayer this fortnight!]

Our Stateside Assignment time was filled with numerous "God events," one of which I've been asked to share below. Please be in prayer for my friend:

Thank you so much for being a friend, a counselor, and a brother in Jesus. That time we spent at Starbucks was a time I'll never forget. Thank you for your encouragement and words of wisdom. I need them. My wife still doesn't talk to me. I still only see the kids every other day. I hurt inside like I've never hurt before. I look to God for strength, but the absence of my wife seems to take that strength away. Please ask all you know to pray for us. I don't know how long I can go on like this. I need God to put back together that which I broke. I pray that I'm given a second chance to be the Godly husband that I'm suppose to be for my wife. I pray for a second chance so the kids have a mother & father under the same roof. And that I can be an example of what God can do in a person's life.

I'm tired, I'm hurting, and I need my family back with God at the center.

Thanks for being there for me.

You're welcome, sir. I know you're reading this, so please know you now have the power of your Wednesday Weekly Wintercessor family behind you this week! I've seen these folks do incredible things in prayer, my dear brother, so be on the lookout for His hand! Let us know what He does so we can rejoice together!

"There is no logical stopping point," Stanton says. "Once we say that there's no real definition of marriage, then marriage becomes everything and marriage becomes nothing."

DVD equips Christians for 'gay marriage' debate. 

+ You prayed that we would be able to put "Humpty Dumpty back together again" (so to speak) as we began readjusting to a new schedule... oh, my was this a tough week! It was bad enough that *I* couldn't tell time, but the jet lag hit Jasmine even worse :-(

"Time heals all wounds," or so they say, and a few extra days of your intercession put things back together. Thank you for being so fervent in prayer!

<T H I S  W E E K><

<>< Pray for the gathering of colleagues to be a time of refreshment and renewal, especially in light of events in our part of the world.

<* Pray for the Ansari of India.><

CALENDAR UPDATES

16, Safe, uneventful travel w/luggage

* Your intercession made travel nearly flawless with nary a question :-) As I pulled each piece of luggage off the carousel, I saw your faces as I said, "Thank You, Jesus!"

17-19, Pray for quick adjustment from travel weariness.

* "Daddy, why can't I sleep?" was the hardest question I've had in a long time :-(
Things are moving slowly, so please stay in prayer.

20-22, Pray that this week will see us return to a routine as we re-establish relationships and help Jasmine prepare for 2nd grade before we leave again.

* Getting to worship was a good return to routine! That evening we visited with our newlywed landlord and his wife. We made visits to the bank and grocery store, sharing "gospel coins" along the way!

A fellow believer reflects on the current issue:

About Israel and the current situation - these thoughts are mine alone. I did not want to share during the fighting because I did support Israel in this particular defensive measure. I did not want anyone to think that I was Israel bashing during such a time. But now, okay, here goes.

Israel will never be rid of the threat from Islam and the Arab world. Nations against Israel are on standby awaiting the appointed time to make a final and decisive move. Israel has fought down many wars over the years, and God has always seen fit to stay the hand of destruction.

On the surface, it appears that God favors the natural and political state of Israel unconditionally as many preach, but this is not true. It also appears that Israel's problems are the result of Arab hostilities. This is also not true, although the hostility is real. Israel's continued problems is the result of their disobedience and rejection of Jesus Christ. This can be said of everyone outside of Christ to include nations. Israel is no different in that regard. Our Father is able to give them rest, and He would, I believe, in greater measure even now if they would call upon Him. (God has a remnant in country now, but I am talking about national repentance.)

Efforts to crush Israel, and defense of same, always spins against Israel in the World Court. Their enemies are clever. They hide behind innocent people knowing full well that Israel's responsive military attacks will kill them, thus making Israel look bad to the world. That's just one example of how it works, and all their spins continue to bring the entire world against Israel.

Powers that be want to destroy Israel now. They cite land and political issues, but it is in reality a spiritual issue. If all Jews can be killed, then Christ is a liar and not worthy of worship. The Jewish people are pawns in a deadly and very serious spiritual battle. Jesus declared that the Jewish race would not disappear from the face of the earth until all things were fulfilled (Luke 21: 32). That word race is usually translated as generation, which is one possible meaning, which can be confusing. What he really said was "race." and the devil is out to prove him to be fallible by exterminating all the Jews. God is keeping them from destruction, not because they are unconditionally holy, but for the sake of His Holy Name. At the appointed time, judgment will come to Israel as it will to all nations. We are assured that the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon the Jewish people and many will be saved at the appointed time. Until then, the Lord is holding back the wrath of Satan proxy nations of the world.

Romans dedicates three whole chapters to the restoration of the Jewish people, and that will be a happy day, but it does not include every Jew or the political kingdom of Israel. Chapter 11, verse 26 says that all Israel will be saved, and that prompts some saints to claim that all Jews will be saved. But the whole council of God, example Chapter 9, verse 6 and verse 27, clearly teaches that not everyone born of Israel is considered a Jew. The family of God, the real Zion, is bigger than the tiny nation of Israel. It is worldwide and comprised of people from all nations. Therefore "all Israel" will be saved, that is to say that all of those who belong to God through Christ.

Judgment will come to the world and Israel does not escape it. God's promises to natural Israel will have all been fulfilled and spiritual Israel will prove to be the fulfillment of all the promises. We are included in spiritual Israel even though we are gentiles. Elementary, yes, but important enough to affirm once again.

In today's reality, Israel continues to be ambushed and attacked unnecessarily from time to time. God is able to give them rest, but He allows the trouble because of ongoing disobedience. God could give them complete rest for a long period of time, even up to the appointed time of judgment, and then let it loose at once. I do believe that dark forces are pushing for the extinction of Israel NOW ahead of God's schedule of judgment. I do believe that each war has necessitated God's intervention to keep it from spiraling out of control ahead of the appointed time.

I don't know what the Lord has done this time around to reign in the conflict before it went global, but I witnessed his intervention during "Operation Defensive Shield" in 2002. This is a perfect example of what I am trying to say. It was during armed conflict with the Palestinians and was promoted as the military operation to end all terrorism in Palestine. Israel invaded all of the West Bank and Gaza. There was a lot of bloodshed, and as usual in war, thousands of innocent people were killed, wounded, or damaged somehow.

The world, through the United Nations, demanded that Israel withdraw their troops and cease hostilities. President Bush demanded it also. Then Prime Minister Sharon thumbed his nose at Bush and the world. He said that he was going to finish the job. Accusing Israel of committing atrocities, the world was gathering against Israel prematurely, and the Lord intervened to stop it, else it would have gone global prematurely.

The word of the Lord went out over Islamic TV by a Christian evangelist to both Israel and Palestine in the midst of fighting. The message to Palestine was "Repent! Jesus Christ is your only hope for salvation." The message to Israel was, "Stop! Turn around! Give life and receive it." This was a genuine word from the Lord, and not one made up, imagined, or supposed by the speaker. It was genuine. If one doubts it, consider the miracle itself - A Christian evangelist on Islamic TV calling the nation to repentance and Israel to obedience during a war between the two nations. It had never happened before, and it has never happened since. It was appointed for that time.

The message was broadcast three times a day for one month, beginning April 13. On day three, April 16, Sharon startled his military commanders by withdrawing his troops from the West Bank. He gave no explanation except to say that he had seen the horror of war and wanted peace. His military was dumbfounded, but the troops withdrew. It appears that Israel was somehow affected by the word of the Lord to "give life and receive it." The word went out supernaturally to accomplish what the Lord wanted it to accomplish.

That is difficult for many Christians to accept, but the word of the Lord is sharp and powerful. We preach it, why don't we believe it? Anyway, the story does not end there.

Over the next 30 days, Israel stopped a record number of suicide bombers trying to get into proper Israel. One scheme had seven suicide attacks in seven different cities on the same day planned. It was exposed and regional war was prevented. The Lord was showing Israel that he could protect them if they would only listen to Him and trust him. He was rewarding the pullout and cessation of military action in the West Bank.

Continued action at that precise moment would have preempted God's appointed time, and He would not allow it. When Israel withdrew, God showed Himself able to shelter them. Unfortunately, there was no voice to help Israel understand it that way. Christian leadership only saw the surface and perceived that Israel had rightfully kicked some butt. They celebrated what they thought was a victory instead of helping Israel understand the reality. Reality reported that the operation had not helped at all except to kill a few terrorists. Nothing else had really changed.

So, now Israel, still trusting in their own wisdom and military might, decided to build the infamous wall separating proper Israel from the West Bank in spite of the charge to give life and receive it. Building the wall demonstrated lack of faith in God and it also choked off life instead of giving it. The next day after announcing plans to build it, two suicide bombers got through security check points and killed 26 Israelis.

Israel did not understand the need to turn to God and trust Him. He was able to give them rest, but they chose their own way. This is not inconsistent with ancient Israel's behavior. God's current obligation to protect expired when they decided to choke off life to thousands living under their feet. Israel responded to the bombings with yet another military invasion that eventually fell short of its goals at the loss of more lives on both sides. From there on, Israel continued to pay a price in loss of life and failing economy. World opinion had cooled off during the reprieve of fighting, and the second invasion, although harmful to thousands, did not attain the same level of worldwide pressure. A global crisis had been averted by the stand down.

This latest attack by Hezbollah, like the bombings day after wall decision was announced, is the result of Israel's continued disobedience and rejection of Christ. I believe it, too, was spiraling out of bounds prematurely, and the Lord has somehow changed it's direction once again for a season. Perhaps He simply used your prayers unnoticed by the world. Let's pray that the cease fire remains in place.

Where is the voice that will council Israel in the ways of the Lord instead of blindly supporting them unconditionally? The evangelist that went on Islamic TV presenting the Lord's word has also in the past bore witness to and warned many members of Israel's Congress, including the Prime Minister and Statesman Shimon Peres. But that was then and today is now. It will, I think, take many voices. Where are they?

Leading to the last point of grave consequence, our nation rightfully befriends tiny Israel. Our two countries need each other. That is as it is, but "Catch 22" has its claws dug in. It is our unconditional support of Israel that will play a major role in our future judgment as a world power. Christian supporters of natural Israel abuse out of context the scripture, "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you" in order to promote unconditional support of natural Israel. I know very few willing to tell Israel to straighten up and do right for fear of losing favor with authorities (a real possibility). We are admonished not to "poke our fingers in the apple of God's eye." That is a bunch of religious jargon lending itself to trouble for the practitioner, the Church, and our nation.

The fact is that God is going to judge Israel at an appointed time, and the United States shares in the sins of Israel. Worse, the Church shares guilt for covering up the sins of Israel all the while telling them not to fear because God is with them. We are not so big that God cannot deal with us and remove our name from history. Unconditional support of a people who reject Christ adds to our own demise.

Again I ask, where is the voice that will dare to speak words of life to Israel?

Where is the voice that will speak words of life to our nation? May God raise those voices up loud and clear that we may avert terrible judgment through repentance.