Blessed is the Nation - God Keeps His Promises

Gary Bauer (Christian, conservative and President of American Values Organization) shared the Prime Minister of Israel’s response to President Biden's actions regarding the Iran Nuclear deal. From Gary:

"Needless to say, Biden's actions are not being well-received in Israel. Speaking at this week's Holocaust remembrance ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to defend the Jewish people from those who routinely call for a second Holocaust. He said:”

"The nuclear agreement with Iran, which allowed it to make progress in developing its arsenal of atomic bombs . . . is back on the table. However, history has taught us that such agreements with such extremist regimes are worth less than nothing.

"Even to our best friends I say: Make no mistake -- an agreement with Iran that will pave their way to a nuclear weapon -- a weapon that threatens to destroy us -- any such agreement will not bind us one iota. Only one thing binds us: preventing those who seek to destroy us from carrying out their plan.

"During the Holocaust, we did not have the strength to defend ourselves, nor the sovereign right to do so. We were without rights, without a country, without protection.

'Today, we have a country, we have a defensive force and we have the natural and full right as the sovereign nation of the Jewish people to defend ourselves against our enemies.'"

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Such interesting times. Once again, Israel is at the center of world events. But I'm with Bibi....and God. "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you." Genesis 12:3

The recent change from the US in foreign policy is striking. What was accomplished in the Middle East under the Trump administration is why President Trump was 3 times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! If anyone deserves an honor such as that, President Trump does for all he accomplished for peace. But all of that successful progress is about to change. Almost in the blink of an eye.

The new focus from the Biden administration, and the statement from Bibi Netanyahu referring to it is huge!! It is extremely revealing and also heartbreaking! Think about what the PM just said!!! I can just hear him saying this, with the passion and steadfastness that is always in his voice:

"Even to our best friends [that’s us!!!] I say: Make no mistake -- an agreement with Iran that will pave their way to a nuclear weapon -- a weapon that threatens to destroy us -- any such agreement will not bind us one iota.

He is talking to us! We went from doing so much for Israel and being their strongest and best ally, under President Trump, to joining forces with those who want to destroy them! This happened in less than 100 days from the time Biden took office!!

We had better be paying attention!! This is, in fact a step toward “every nation will turn against Israel” coming to fruition. Exactly as told to us in Zechariah 12:3 and Zechariah 14:2 and other Scriptures.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. ~ Zechariah 12:3

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Zechariah 14:2

When I was young and heard that prophecy, I remember not being able to even remotely fathom how that could ever happen. I simply could not understand how the United States would EVER turn against Israel! I contemplated it often. I knew it would one day be true, because I trusted Scripture, but I simply could not understand how it could ever come to be. It just wasn’t who we were. We, as a Christian nation, were always dedicated to supporting Israel.

But we can certainly understand it now. Even under the Obama administration, I started to get a better understanding of how this might occur. He was clearly anti-Israel and revealed that disdain in many ways. (That is for another blog post.) In my view, we received a timely stay from going down the wrong path with the election of President Trump. He kept us on the right track. Moving our embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv was huge. It told the world, Jerusalem is indeed the capital of Israel! God wanted that so. There was no doubt with whom America sided. And the relationship between the United States and Israel was never more sound.

But Israel is used to getting thrown under the bus, and I don’t think anything happening now, has taken PM Netanyahu by surprise. He will lead his nation, as demonstrated in the strong message that he gave to his nation AND the world, on April 8^th 2021, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Ugh! Think about that!! On his nation’s Remembrance Day, he had to address the possibility of a second Holocaust! That should cut us to our core!

We are in such tentative times. The biggest defender of Israel in my life time, President Trump, was taken down by the left. After 5 solid years of attempt after attempt, they succeeded in his removal. I am not going to address that here. There will be disagreements about how and if that happened, but none the less, he is gone. And in his place we have a man, or someone behind a man, who seems intent on helping the enemy – the big one. You can surmise for yourself whom I mean by that.

Interestingly, the same thing that happened to President Trump over the last five years, is happening right now (and has been for some time) to PM Netanyahu. The Labor Party in Israel, (akin to our left) seek to destroy him. He too, has endured attack after attack. Political parties are as divided in Israel as they are in America. Right now Bibi has 28 days to secure his government after their recent elections, where neither candidate secured 61 votes as needed. I hate to think what will happen if Bibi Netanyahu is removed as Prime Minister. He is Israel’s reason for success and strength at this time. A man "appointed for such a time as this". Yes. I firmly believe that.

I am very closely watching Israel. Israel is God’s time clock. All prophecy is positioned around them. What happens there is how we know the end is near. It is why so many seek to destroy her. We even see disinformation within the church now. A blind distortion that teaches, a symbolic view of Israel as opposed to a literal view. This has helped remove support for Israel among our citizens - especially important - among Christians. We are now seeing an attitude among some in the church, that seems to say, “Why are we throwing money at that wasted piece of ground?” (I have names for people who said that quote.) That is for another blog post, too, I suppose. But think about that. If Israel is irrelevant, we have lost one of our greatest witnessing tools for the Truth of the Bible. So in their naivete, or their evil intent they seek to destroy her. But along with that, they destroy God's Word.

Anyway, yes, Israel IS God’s time clock for the world. We can watch through current events, to determine when the end is near. But in that fact is another very important fact. Israel is one of the best witnessing tools that God has given us. We can point to what the Bible says (in a literal sense) about Israel and watch what is happening in today’s political realm. From that, we can without a doubt know the Bible is true. We can share that with non-believers. It should cause a questioning among those who doubt. “If this is true, what else in the Bible might be true?” “Do I dare want to denounce it?” These are questions that might be stirred in people by watching current affairs in comparison to the Bible. By what is taking place in Israel, we can know where we are on God's timeline. If EVERY nation is turning against Israel, including their greatest long time ally, (exactly as stated in Scripture) it might be time to get on board. Visualize the Ark. Regardless, it is time for believers to even more fervently, bring others in. The ship is about to sail.

One additional thought regarding the Scripture that I shared above: Genesis 12:3 - “I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you.”

This promise is absolutely why I believe the United States has been so blessed by God. Our Biblical foundation, of course, has sustained us. The reasons our Founders designed and built our nation the way they did, is exactly why we have received God’s abundant blessings over the centuries. But also, since Israel became a nation in 1948, the United States has been Israel’s staunchest ally. Our blessed nation is a fulfillment of the promise in Genesis 12:3. I am not prepared to let go of that, to aid those who seek Israel's destruction. Because God keeps His promises – read the whole verse. And make no mistake, there are those who absolutely do seek Israel’s destruction. You can find that for one, in Iran. How can anyone be so foolish to not understand that? The guy who is bent on helping the enemy, I guess.

Oh, one further thought. In the end, Israel wins (as do we) and they will one day know their Redeemer lives. That’s huge!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.                      ~ Psalm 122:6

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.                          ~ Daniel 12:1

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.                                                                   ~ Psalm 33:12

Some Scriptures for study:

• Genesis 12: 1-3
• Ezekiel 36:24
• Ezekiel 37:21
• Joel 3: 1-2
• Revelation 1:1
• Isaiah 11:12
• Zechariah 12:9
• Zechariah 14:1-21
• Isiah 34:8
• Isiah 49:6
• Isiah 60:12
• Ezekiel 38:1-39:29
• Zechariah 2:8
• Jeremiah 30:7
• Daniel 12:1
• Revelation 16:12-16
• Revelation 19:11-16

Updated 4/11/2021 for format and clarity.

Hollowed Out

I am a person who likes to learn. I like to read and study and think. I suppose I have been accused of overthinking by some. But it is a part of who I am. I like to consider all outcomes and reasons; the things that might be effected by actions.

I am also (I suppose) a very political person. I know that is how I am seen. I don’t really think of myself like that. I simply view it as paying attention to current events, and being a good steward of our nation. I guess a part of me has never understood how people cannot be interested in those things. I do understand why some people choose not to speak up regarding their thoughts and opinions. Speaking up in regard to politics is certainly not for everybody. I do believe, however, that it is everyone’s duty to pay attention to the things happening in our world.

For me, the reason I choose to discuss politics is out of a conviction that it is the most deliberate tool we have to protect our Christian faith. That’s an ugly thought, I know…politics! Ugh! It’s too easy to say, “Well God will take care of those things. We just need to pray.”

No, He won’t. He gave it for us to do. We are His hands and feet while here on earth. And we are to be good stewards of our nation, just as we are to be good stewards of our earth, our communities, our church and our families – our entire world in which we live. Why would we just sit back for any of that – thinking God will take care of it? We don’t. We know it is our job to take care of all of it. Why would politics be any different?

“Yeah, but we should never talk religion or politics,” states the well known mantra.

Oh really? Well, that is about the biggest lie from Satan I have ever heard. Who gains from that? Satan does, that’s who. How do we learn anything if we do not talk about things and share what we know? If we are not open to discussion, how can we understand another person’s view point? We don’t have to be rude to discuss. Who thinks that? I certainly don’t. Our Founders certainly understood the importance of discussion. They called it "civil discourse". I think that phrase can be taken two ways. “Civil” as in government AND “civil” as in being polite! Those throughout our history certainly knew there must be discussion. In days of old, they actually met at the church to talk about the things that were happening in their communities and government. It is how they learned. The church building was not simply for faith. At times, it was for politics, government and community too. And no one silenced anyone.

But in this decade of time, we are being silenced. We have the ever growing “cancel culture”; and we have banning of certain voices on social media and in the news. We are seeing our history destroyed in the destruction of statues and monuments. We are seeing a rewriting of our history. And even more, a complete revision in the form of Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project that is being taught in our schools. Our children and even our military are being taught to hate our nation. We are seeing shaming and mocking to try to have everyone think the same and behave in the politically correct way. It is all part of the plan to be successful in their mission of destruction. There is an all out take over of our nation from a radical left. We are being destroyed from within, exactly as we have long been warned. The time is here.

I have lost friends because I choose to speak up on social media. I will admit, there are times I am troubled by that. Sometimes I think I should be like everyone else and just be quiet. I have tried that a time or two. But it doesn’t feel right. I feel like I am not doing what God has told me to do. I have always believed God has instructed me to be a voice regarding the things that are happening politically in our nation. I honestly feel like it is my ministry. I have never felt I had the freedom to be silent. It isn’t who I am. I understand that is not the requirement for everyone. We all have different jobs and ministries that are required of us.

Recently, Tucker Carlson had a guest on his new show, Tucker Carlson TODAY, which airs on the new Fox news channel Fox Nation. The guest, author, Douglas Murray, is a Brit. I am not even sure if he has citizenship here, but he certainly had some very wise things to say. The views he shared, cemented for me, my understanding of why I MUST speak out.

I only saw a segment of the interview, but it was enough for me to understand that I must continue in the things I do, even at the loss of friends. Please watch and give it some thought. It may not be for you, and that is OK. But for me, I feel “hollowed out” if I don’t. I will become simply a core of myself.

And the bottom line: I do trust myself. I know my intentions and goals are for the right end. I have a Guiding Manual in which I base everything - God’s Word. And that is where I place my trust, and grow my confidence. We are losing our nation. I cannot be silent. You do you. But please, let me be me. But whatever you do – Do NOT hollow yourself out. Do not be afraid to speak your thoughts. We do not all have to agree.

"You either speak the truth as you see it or you grow to despise yourself. And you can see the result of that in people who hollow themselves out. They become cores of human beings because they never spoke up. They never really trusted themselves, or the people around them, to say things honestly." ~Douglas Murray

So worth listening to this short clip. “Hollowed out”. “If you don’t speak up you will come to despise yourself.” That is it in a nutshell for me.