SABBATH REST

SHABBAT SHALOM FOR

TURBULENT TIMES

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself rested from his works, as God did from His.

                              (Hebrews 4:9-10). 

 

“Shabbat Shalom,” meaning Peaceful Sabbath, is the Hebrew greeting heard in Jewish communities on Friday afternoons and throughout the daylight hours of Saturdays. Israeli hotels have special Shabbat elevators that stop on every floor, so no Jew has to push the button and thereby violate the Sabbath law to do no work. While God certainly commanded the people of Israel not to work on the Sabbath, this sort of hyper-legalism was never God’s intention for Sabbath observance, nor should it be the focus. God rested on the seventh day not because He had grown weary from the previous six-days of creation, but in order to give all mankind a day to renew both body and soul. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

Chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews elaborate on the most essential truths about the Sabbath. God’s Sabbath rest is not merely something for us to observe but something for us to experience. Entering God’s Sabbath rest relates to our personal salvation and experiencing the fullness of His peace throughout life. 

Paul described this truth when he wrote: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Because we have been made right with God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we have ceased from all personal efforts to earn or merit salvation. 

 

SABBATH PEACE COVERS EVERY ASPECT AND CIRCUMSTANCE OF LIFE

God’s Sabbath peace extends to far more than the assurance of our salvation, although the knowledge that all of our sins are covered by His blood offers every believer unceasing joy and peace. Sabbath peace and rest cover every aspect and circumstance of life, knowing that the God who created us will keep us in perfect peace because we trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Many Christians fail to understand that entering God’s Sabbath rest or peace is part of the covenant of salvation. Instead, they choose to go through life holding on to their problems rather than holding on to God. Entering into God’s Sabbath peace is not merely for one day of the week but for every day of our lives.

Entering into God’s Sabbath rest means God opens the vaults of His riches to all who believe. He invites us to draw freely from His unlimited reserves of peace and  other divine attributes that are part of the Kingdom. Yet, so many Christians fail to access the riches of God’s grace and instead opt to live their lives in fear, worry and doubt. This is why Paul wrote: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19). 

The peace the world offers depends entirely on external conditions, while God’s peace is oblivious to outward circumstances. As Christians we may live our entire lives secure in the knowledge that God always has the last word in all matters. How foolish if we reject the peace that Christ alone can offer. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you, Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

 

GOD’S PEACE GUARDS HEARTS & MINDS

   Today there is so much that wants to rob us of our peace with God—troubles in the church, troubles in the nation and, of course, troubles in our personal lives. But, God assures us He will give us the victory in all things. Therein lies our peace and hope! In Christ we are always victors, not victims. The Bible says, “Cast all our cares on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

   Paul reminds us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Friends, as you pass through the struggles and troubles of life, remember through Christ’s atonement you have entered God’s Shabbat Shalom forever.

        

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.

John Greenleaf Whittier

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold Coins Unearthed At Israel Crusades Site

HERZLIYA, Israel, July 11 (Reuters) - A 1,000-year-old hoard of gold coins has been unearthed at a famous Crusader battleground where Christian and Muslim forces once fought for control of the Holy Land, Israeli archaeologists said on Wednesday.

The treasure was dug up from the ruins of a castle in Arsuf, a strategic stronghold during the religious conflict waged in the 12th and 13th centuries.

The 108 coins - one of the biggest collections of ancient coins discovered in Israel - were found hidden in a ceramic jug beneath a tile floor at the cliff-top coastal ruins, 15 km (9 miles) from Tel Aviv.

"It is a rare find. We don't have a lot of gold that had been circulated by the Crusaders," said Oren Tal, a professor at Tel Aviv University who leads the dig.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/gold-coins-unearthed-israel-crusades-site_n_1664327.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D177875#slide=1212259

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION IN EGYPTIAN PARLIAMENT

The Obama administration is spending billions of dollars to help establish a democracy in Egypt under the control of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose representatives recently visited the White House. How's that working out, Mr. President? 

Now under consideration in the Egyptian Parliament is a proposal that would allow Muslim men to marry girls as young as 14. But that's not the only thing they are cooking up in Muslim land-- the Egyptian Parliament is also considering a proposal that would allow men to have sex with their wives up to six hours after they are dead. 

Read all about it...
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155294

OBAMA BYPASSES CONGRESS AND SENDS FUNDS TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

President Barack Obama has bypassed a Congress block and signed a waiver declaring that aid to the Palestinian Authority is “important to the security interests of the United States,” AFP reported on Friday.
In a memo sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, published by the White House, Obama said it was appropriate to release funds to the PA.
A provision of The Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2012 said none of the funds “may be obligated or expended with respect to providing funds to the Palestinian Authority.”
In signing the waiver, Obama instructed Clinton to inform Congress of the move, on the grounds that “waiving such prohibition is important to the national security interests of the United States.”
A $192 million aid package was frozen by Congress after the PA submitted its unilateral bid for United Nations membership last September.

Read more:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155218

ROMNEY APPOINTS HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST TO BE ADVISOR

By Lisa Keen on April 23, 2012

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Richard Grenell appearing on Fox News

Republican presidential nominee apparent Mitt Romney has begun his run toward the political middle, and one aspect of that shift appears to have been the choosing an openly gay man to his team of campaign advisors.
The advisor is Richard Grenell, 45, who also served the administration of President George W. Bush, as a spokesman for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He was also appointed by Ambassador John Danforth in 2004 to serve as an alternative representative of the United States to the U.N. Security Council.
The campaign’s announcement last Thursday (April 19) did not identify Grenell as gay, only that he was joining the campaign to serve as its spokesman on national security and foreign policy issues.
Grenell has served a long line of prominent Republicans in various capacities, including New York Governor George Pataki, former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, and San Diego Mayor Susan Golding.
The fact that the Romney campaign announced Grenell’s appointment suggests the campaign intends to go after those one in four gay voters who tend to vote Republican.
Read more: http://www.keennewsservice.com/2012/04/23/romney-names-gay-to-foreign-affairs-team/

TOM WHITE, VOM DIRECTOR TAKES OWN LIFE

Tom White, executive director of the highly respected Voice of Martyrs, took his own life this past April, amid allegations he had molested a 10-year old girl. “Our hearts are broken,” said a ministry spokesman, “but the Voce of Martyrs will continue serving our persecuted brothers and sisters.” Prior to his death, neither VOM’s staff or board of directors knew of the allegations brought against White. 

Voice of Martyrs, known formerly as Jesus to the Communist World, was founded by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand in1967, who were both imprisoned by the communists in Romania—Richard for 14 years and Sabina for 3 years.

Editor’s Note: This is one of the saddest stories we’ve ever reported in this publication. We pray for Tom White’s family and his 125 collegues at VOM, but we pray especially for the young girl who might have been victimized. Tom White was working for VOM in 1979 when he crashed-landed his light plane onto a Cuban street while dropping Christian literature into the country. He was captured and served 18 months in a Cuban prison.

   Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, stayed in our home for many days prior to Tom’s imprisonment in 1979. I recall how they talked with him on the phone from our home and spoke so highly of his commitment to their ministry and his dedication to Christ. They trusted him implicitly.

   Whether or not the allegation is true that prompted Tom White to take his life, we believe his failure should not be held against this wonderful organization, and that Christians should go on financially supporting VOM and praying for the staff who must carry on their vital mission to the persecuted church following this great tragedy.

‘Most Evil Person Alive’ Newsweek Editors Caught Joking About Letting Cheney Die

On Monday’s edition of Newsweek’s daily NewsBeast in-house video, Newsweek/Daily Beast assignment editor Allison Yarrow said of Cheney: “But can you imagine being that organ donor?...I would never do it. I’d say ‘give me my heart back.” Newsweek senior writer Ramin Setoodeh added, “I would never give my heart to Dick Cheney. It would freeze over.” Yarrow offered: “He may be one of the most evil people in the world.”    

See for yourself:
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/03/30/Newsweek-Editors-Caught-Joking-About-Letting-Cheney-Die

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE JERUSALEM AS PART OF ISRAEL

A long-standing point of contention between Israel and the US (one of the few that exists) is the fact that while Congress and the vast majority of American citizens recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state, the White House refuses to do so.
The Obama Administration's position on Jerusalem took center stage this week when a State Department spokeswoman refused during a press briefing to accept that the city, even the non-contested and Jewish dominated western half, is the capital of Israel.
Early in the week, the Washington Free Beacon political blog discovered that a State Department communication posted online had identified "Jerusalem" and "Israel" as separate Middle East entities. Following that revelation, the State Department quickly altered the communique to list only cities and not countries.

At Wednesday's weekly press briefing, a reporter asked State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland to comment on the issue, to which she replied, "Our policy with regard to Jerusalem is that it has to be solved through negotiations. We are not going to prejudge the outcome of those negotiations, including the final status of Jerusalem. ...That's all I have to say...”
Read more:
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/News/tabid/178/nid/23174/language/en-US/Default.aspx

AWM PRAYER LIST - FEBRUARY 2012

Join us in prayer for the following:
Wes - surgery
Solomon in Ohio - small child needs healing for cancer
Chris in Ohio - prayer for healing from cancer
Todd in Georgia - needs job

If you have a need and would like to have us join you in prayer, please contact us.

Jerusalem municipality orders closure of bridge leading to Temple Mount

The Jerusalem municipality has ordered the immediate closure of the Mughrabi Bridge in the old city, which leads from the Western Wall Plaza to the Temple Mount, saying it poses a danger to the public since it is on the verge of collapse.
In a letter to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the Jerusalem municipality's engineer, Shlomo Eshkol, said he intends on ordering the "immediate closure of the structure" and "completely prohibit its use."
According to the regulations, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation has seven days to submit its objections to the order.
Jerusalem municipality officials stressed that the wooden bridge poses a severe security threat since it is highly flammable and in danger of collapsing. They warned that if a fire breaks out it could spread to the Temple Mount.
The municipality said that only a small number of security officials will be able to use the bridge, and only under urgent circumstances.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Jerusalem municipality two weeks ago to postpone the demolition of the Mughrabi Bridge, which was already due to begin.
Netanyahu's bureau had asked the municipality to postpone the work due to the sensitivity of the issue and warnings from Egypt that the action would focus protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Israel.
A new bridge is meant to replace the wooden structure built over the Mughrabi Ramp, which partially collapsed following a storm in 2004. The dismantling of the ramp in 2007 led to protests in the Muslim world and international criticism.
The dispute over the bridge has now become a key issue in Egypt's elections. The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, called Thursday on Jordanian King Abdullah to dissuade Israel from replacing the ramp.

Qaradawi claims that Israel wants to replace the bridge to ease access by settlers and its security forces to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Posters were put up at Cairo's Al-Azhar University calling on Muslims to protect the mosque.

More: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/jerusalem-municipality-orders-closure-of-bridge-leading-to-temple-mount-1.400337

Some Soliders Up in Arms After Officials Remove Cross From U.S. Military Chapel in Afghanistan

Some U.S. servicemen are up in arms after a large cross was removed from outside a chapel on a military base in northern Afghanistan. The base, called Camp Marmal, is German and hosts NATO forces. The chapel in question is an interfaith house of worship that is overseen by the U.S. Army.
Soldiers say that they felt comfort as a result of having the cross visible from the outside of the chapel. In an e-mail to Politico, one serviceman said, “Sometimes the Church and the ability to openly express religious views ultimately gets people through the deployments over here.”
According to this particular soldier, when he asked a chaplain what had happened to the cross, he was told that it needed to be taken down. The faith leader, however, didn’t share any additional information on the matter.
“We are here away from our families, and the chapel is the one place that feels like home,” added another service member. “With the cross on the outside, it is a constant reminder for all of us that Jesus is here for us.”
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/some-soliders-up-in-arms-after-officials-remove-cross-from-u-s-military-chapel-in-afghanistan/
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EGYPT MAY END PEACE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL

It's not only Israeli analysts who fear that even the cold peace between their country and Egypt may be in danger as Islamic forces rise in the wake of Egypt's revolution.

Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday told the Washington Post that there is a "very strong possibility" that following upcoming elections, Egypt's new rulers will revoke the Camp David Accords.

That is especially true if the Muslim Brotherhood comes to power. The group is contesting over 50 percent of the parliament seats in the next election, and is currently the only major political party active in the country.

Abdullah said that Jordan will soon be "the last man standing" in terms of nations in the region that have friendly relations with Israel.

There are many who disagree with Abdullah's conclusions, and even the Post tried to qualify his statements by noting that so-called experts (presumably the same who failed to see the 'Arab Spring' coming in the first place) find talk of Egypt ending its peace treaty with Israel wildly speculative.

Those experts insist that Egypt wants to maintain its flow of American financial aid and military equipment, and won't do anything to jeopardize that. However, the Muslim Brotherhood and the many Egyptians who back the group have repeatedly stated throughout the revolution that they have no interest in continuing their nation's reliance on American backing, and that they view adherence to their radical Islamic ideals as far more important than Western money.

"The peace between Israel and Egypt is no longer holy," declared Egyptian diplomat and Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi at a recent rally. "It [peace with Israel] cannot be considered equal to the holy Koran."

MORE: http://www.israeltoday.co.il/News/tabid/178/nid/22992/language/en-US/Default.aspx