Tag:

Hamas

Actress Kathie Lee Gifford Appeals To Qatar’s Matriarch ‘Sheikha’ To Free Hamas Hostages

by Christel Berns March 18, 2024

written by Christel Berns

Actress, author, and former talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford appealed to Qatar’s matriarch and most influential woman, Sheikha Moza, to help free the Hamas hostages.

Kathie Lee Gifford Appeals To The Matriarch Of Qatar

It has been four months since the Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. The war that broke out cost the lives of many innocent citizens and soldiers. Despite the Hamas forces weakening, they still held captive over a hundred Israeli hostages in Gaza. For that reason, many groups joined hands to appeal to the Queen Mother of Qatar, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, to help release the hostages.

It’s In Your Hands (Screenshot). (2024). Actress, Retrieved February 21, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/j_kb60SyYco

Kathie Lee Gifford, an American actress, also appealed to the matriarch of Qatar. She pleaded with her as a mother and grandmother, acknowledging that Sheikha has the same loving heart as a mother and grandmother herself. Kathie is also an author and a pastor’s wife who founded a Christian organization that helps children who are victims of terrorism. They create initiatives for the children, like “relief packages and kid-friendly programs.”

The Message

Sheikha Moza bint Nasser is deemed to be “one of the most influential people in Qatar,” according to the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. The 64-year-old is the wife of Qatar’s former emir and the mother of Qatar’s current emir. Hence, she is an influential figure in the country.

Moza bint Nasser – موزا بنت ناصر [@mozabintnasser]. Qatar Matriarch. Instagram, 24 Jan. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C2euMiwqHmb/?img_index=1

Kathie recorded her appeal message to Qatar’s Queen Mother in a video she posted on social media. She urged her to use her “beautiful voice and heart” to help free the Israeli captives held by Hamas.

“You’re a very, very powerful woman where you live, and you have great influence and power to use every gift you have to do good things for people who are hurting,” she said. “Obviously, I’m discussing with you the hostages that are in Gaza right now suffering. They’ve done nothing wrong. All they want to do is come home.”

MANY APPEAL TO QATAR’S QUEEN-MOTHER ‘SHEIKHA MOZA’ TO FREE THE HOSTAGES IN GAZA

“So I ask you to reach down into that part of you — the best part of your beautiful heart. And feel compassion for them and use your beautiful voice to help free them from the despair that they’re in.”

“I will pray for you and for your family as I do for all the hostages in Gaza that God will bring them home and God will bless us all and peace will come to this world. Thank you.”

Kathie Lee Gifford appeals to Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar

Watch this video on YouTube

Reference | The Christian Post

Header Image: It’s In Your Hands (Screenshot). (2024). Actress, Retrieved February 21, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/j_kb60SyYco

March 18, 2024 0 comments

Articles Featured News Video

1000 Israeli Musicians & Families Of Hamas Hostages Unite In One Voice: ‘Bring Them Home!’

by Christel Berns February 23, 2024

written by Christel Berns

1000 Israeli musicians and some families of Hamas hostages united in one voice, singing and calling out to the world: “Bring them home!”

1,000 Israeli Musicians Unite For Hamas Hostages

An inspirational music video produced by Talya Yarom, featuring the song’s incredible orchestra and powerful lyrics, is going viral. The ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry shared the video before the year ended in December 2023.

ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry. (Screenshot). (2023). Homeland concert, Retrieved January 30, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/1aIyZnFbOu0

In the music video, 1,000 Israelis united to create a beautiful musical piece for their fellow Israelis who are held hostage by Hamas terrorists.

The Hamas Terrorist Attack

On October 7th, a tragedy struck Israel when Hamas terrorists attacked the border area of the country, resulting in the loss of many Israeli lives. Additionally, they took hostages and transported them to Gaza.

Ron Cantor of GOD TV had previously reported on the horror he witnessed in November 2023. He viewed body camera footage from the 1,500 Hamas terrorists who perished in the conflict. The recorded videos depicted the gruesome deaths that some Israelis had endured at the hands of the terrorists.

The Cry To Bring Back The Hamas Hostages

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, families of those who were taken hostage persist in hoping and praying for the safe return of their loved ones. Longing for the day when their family members will be back home, they cry out from their hearts. In honor of these individuals, some Israelis produced a musical show.

The ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry shared an incredible music video featuring a thousand Israelis uniting in one voice. The video was filmed in the Caesarea Amphitheatre, where some families of the hostages were also in attendance.

Homeland Concert

Talya Yarom produced the project and named it “HOMELAND CONCERT.” Eran Mitelman arranged the beautiful piece, while the directors Shillo Gallay and Danny Casson crafted the video masterpiece. All the musicians who joined the project were volunteers “for the purpose of returning the hostages home.”

After the video’s release, it captured the attention of the entire world. Apparently, “this musical show is on the largest and most significant scale that has ever been done in Israel!”

Let’s continue to pray for peace amid the ongoing unrest between the two nations and for the hostages to return home safely.

Watch the incredible music video that gave goosebumps to millions worldwide.

1000 Israeli musicians sing with one voice, BRING THEM HOME! - Homeland concert

Watch this video on YouTube

Reference | ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry

Header Image: ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry. (Screenshot). (2023). Homeland concert, Retrieved January 30, 2024 from: https://youtu.be/1aIyZnFbOu0

February 23, 2024 0 comments

Featured Israel Israel Insider

Israeli Forces Seize 3 Million Shekels in Hamas Cash

by The Israel Insider February 5, 2024

written by The Israel Insider

Israeli soldiers raided Hamas financial infrastructure in Khan Yunis, seizing three million shekels ($819,000), the Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday.

Khan Yunis, Gaza’s second-largest city, is regarded as a personal stronghold of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The money, in shekels, dollars and other Arab currencies, was confiscated from money changers affiliated with Hamas based on intelligence. Intelligence documents belonging to Hamas were also confiscated.

Cash confiscated from Gaza terror groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are transferred to the Ministry of Defense’s finance division, where it is counted and then deposited in Israeli state coffers.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade intensified their operations in Al-Amal, a Hamas stronghold west of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces located underground tunnel shafts, weapons manufacturing facilities, observation posts and other terror infrastructure. A large number of weapons were also found.

As soldiers advanced in the area, Hamas terror squads attempted to shoot at and plant explosives near the troops. Israeli forces eliminated the terrorists in close-range combat, as well as with the assistance of mortar fire, snipers and air strikes, the IDF said.

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. The number of men, women, children and soldiers held captive in Gaza by Hamas is now believed to be 136.

_________

500 Soldiers And Their Families Fed

by Ron Cantor February 2, 2024

written by Ron Cantor

Last night was unbelievable! Your generous donations provided $1000 worth of meat for a massive cookout for 500 soldiers and their families. The place was absolutely packed. About a third of the people there had no place to sit. But no one was complaining. As we entered, there was so much smoke from the cookout that you could barely see … but you could surely smell it!

The soldiers of Battalion 8110 have been in Gaza for four months. Now they get one week off. As we walked in, we saw children hugging their fathers, fathers with two children in their arms, and some on their shoulders.

But it wasn’t all good news. We met a man named Yosi, who had been working to feed soldiers on the border.

He said the soldiers are so happy when they came out to see that he was cooking food for them. But there was also a sadness because one of their beloved commanders was killed in battle the day before. Major (res.) Yitzhar Hofman was a commander in the Israeli Air Force’s elite Shaldag unit.

YNET wrote, “Hofman, who fought Hamas terrorists and saved many in Be’eri during the October 7 atrocities, killed in a fight against terrorists in the Shati refugee camp; Although wounded once during the war, returned to fight again.”

I’ve never been in the military. Up until a few months ago, the closest I came to experiencing a real war was going into my safe room when rockets were fired against Israel. Having spent the past four months with thousands of soldiers, I can tell you that it is an amazing thing to see the love, unity, camaraderie, and selflessness among the soldiers.

Unlike what is being reported around the world, to this day, I have never seen one soldier mention something derogatory against Arabs. We actually have Arabs in our army. Last night, during the speeches from different leaders, yes, there was talk of victory, but you never heard the word Arab or even Hamas. The soldiers wanted to defend the people of Israel against the terrorists that perpetrated October 7. They want to bring the hostages home. And then they want to get on with their lives and careers.

Over the next few weeks, more and more soldiers will be getting to come home for some relief. After last night, we were asked to provide several thousand dollars more for an upcoming gathering, and of course, we said yes. We’ll compile a video from what happened last night for next week.

We can’t do this without you, and we’re so grateful for your partnership. You were making an unbelievable difference in the lives of Israeli soldiers, and they know it. I always tell them that it is believers in the nations that are sending these donations. After I interviewed Yosi, that was the first thing I told him. He was overjoyed.

Let’s continue!

February 2, 2024 0 comments

Israel Israel Insider

A New Campaign To Free The Hostages In Gaza Targets Sheikha Moza, The Matriarch Of Qatar

by The Israel Insider February 2, 2024

written by The Israel Insider

While the war in the Middle East rages on, last week seeing the first American servicemen casualties, it is sometimes easy to forget that there are still almost 140 hostages held by the Hamas terrorists for over 115 days. Eight of those hostages are American citizens, two of them might already be dead.

But now, a new campaign has been launched to remind the American public of their plight and seek more action to set them free. The campaign is bringing into the forelight Moza bint-Nasser. Also known as Sheikha Moza, she is a high-ranking member and maybe the most influential person of the Qatari royal family. Sheikha Moza has been married to the ruler of Qatar for over 20 years, but then, in a dynastic twist which some say was her doing, the power was handed over to the current ruler, which is her son. Qatar brokered the first hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, and is mediating another deal currently being negotiated.

No one knows exactly who is behind the campaign, but it seems that prominent Christian Evangelical leaders are taking there an active role. Kathy Gifford published a few days ago a video of herself calling Sheikha Moza to use her power and take a more active role in freeing the hostages. Others, as we’ve heard, would soon follow suit.

Sheikha Moza is not just a matriarch. She takes a leading role in presenting Qatar’s new face to the world and is heavily involved in promoting education using Qatar’s vast resources. US administration officials believe the next few weeks will be crucial for an imminent hostage deal and those behind the campaign probably hope that an extra push from the Sheikha could also help release the hostages and maybe bring that part of the war to an end.

_______________

Learn more at change.org

February 2, 2024 0 comments

Israel Israel Insider

Hamas Command Center Found Under Gaza Cemetery That Israel Was Accused of Desecrating

by The Israel Insider January 29, 2024

written by The Israel Insider

Israeli soldiers discovered an underground tunnel running beneath a cemetery in Khan Yunis, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday.

The tunnel was located directly below the Bani Suheila cemetery by troops from the IDF’s 98th Division. Bani Suheila was one of several cemeteries the IDF was accused of desecrating in recent Western media reports.

“While investigating the tunnel, the forces came across explosives, sliding doors and blast-proof doors, and eliminated terrorists who were inside,” the IDF statement said.

“Inside the tunnel route, the forces located an office from which a Khan Yunis Brigade battalion commander managed the attack on October 7th, an operations room, a command and control center, and the living quarters of senior officials of the Hamas terrorist organization. The tunnel was also used by Hamas to command their attacks against IDF forces both above and below ground.”

The IDF said the shaft was one kilometer long and 20 meters below the cemetery, adding that it was part of a larger underground network.

Combat engineers destroyed the tunnel.

In mid-January, the IDF confirmed it was operating in cemeteries where intelligence indicated that the bodies of Israeli hostages may have been buried.

“The IDF conducts precise hostage rescue operations in the specific locations where information indicates that the bodies of hostages may be located,” the army said in a statement to NBC News at the time. “The hostage identification process, conducted at a secure and alternative location, ensures optimal professional conditions and respect for the deceased. Bodies determined not to be those of hostages are returned with dignity and respect.”

The military’s statement added, “If not for Hamas’ reprehensible decision to take Israeli men, women, children and babies hostages, the need for such searches for our hostages would not exist.”

Khan Yunis, Gaza’s second-largest city, is regarded as a personal stronghold of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whose family lives there. Ground forces recently completed their encirclement of the city.

__________________

Watch GOD TV here

In This Horrible Season In Israel, How Can My Prayer Make a Difference?

by Ron Cantor January 25, 2024

written by Ron Cantor

As we go through this horrible season in Israel, where there is so much injustice and heartbreak, I often feel helpless. Most days, I go outside, near the Mediterranean Sea, to pray. I feel like one of those seashells against the vast expanse of the sea. How can my prayer make a difference?

The fact is that your prayer alone can make a difference—a dramatic and powerful difference.

Let’s go to the book of Exodus. Moses has given the people of Israel the 10 Commandments. God has initiated a wedding ceremony with them in chapter 19. He tells him that Israel will be my “treasured possession among all peoples” (v. 5), his covenant people if they will obey him. It’s quite dramatic, with thunder, smoke, lightning, fire, and the sound of a shofar.

Moses is then invited onto the mountain to be with God for 40 days. Towards the end of this time, the people grow restless. Mind you, the cloud by day and the fire by night are still visible.^[1] But they come against Aaron—“And the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, ‘Get up, make for us gods…as for this man Moses…we don’t what happened to him.”

Aaron makes a golden calf and tells them that these are their gods. He calls for a feast the next day to Yahweh. It is interesting that in verse 4, he refers to them plurally as gods but then says that the feast is to the god of Israel, Yahweh. It appears that they were not forsaking Yahweh, but they were demanding that Yahweh allow them to worship in the way of pagans through idolatry.

The next day, they entered into pagan idolatry and, most likely, sexual immorality. The second commandment warns against idolatry because:

The one true God cannot be represented by gold or wood. It is an insult to his majesty. Every other known religion had gods that they could see untouched through idols, but the one true God was different. “Yahweh insisted on being believed in rather than being seen. It was so much easier to believe in something that could actually be seen. The Israelites were powerfully attracted to the latter option.”^[2]
Idolatry always leads to immorality. “The link between idolatry and sexual immorality is established by the frequent use of ‘prostituting themselves’ or ‘adultery’ to describe Hebrew idolatry [in the Old Testament]. Israel’s unfaithfulness to God was not only a form of spiritual prostitution or adultery, but it also led to the physical acts themselves.”[3]
Idolatry avoids relationships. Tim Keller writes:
“At the most basic level, idols are what we make out of the evidence for God within ourselves and in the world—if we do not want to face the face of God Himself in His majesty and holiness. Rather than look to the Creator and have to deal with His lordship, we orient our lives toward the creation, where we can be more free to control and shape our lives in our desired directions.”

By relating to an idol instead of a person, we avoid conviction.

Now, let’s get to the main point. When God tells Moses what is happening, he also tells him that his anger is burning against the Israelites and he’s going to destroy them all. He will start over with Moses.

We have to appreciate God’s anger here. He is married to this person. He rescued them from slavery and made a covenant with them. Some see this event as still during the wedding ceremony between God and his people. Sarah Hogan writes:

“The main components of ancient Jewish weddings, some of which are still upheld today, included events and items such the bride’s consecration, the blowing of the shofar (horn), the chuppah (tent-like covering), the ketubah (wedding covenant), and the exchange of wedding gifts. All these things occur in the book of Exodus: like a bride, Israel is consecrated before the ceremony (19:10-11), the cloud covering descends upon the mountain (19:18), the horn is blown to announce the beginning of the ceremony (19:19), the ten commandments defining the relationship are delineated (20:1-17), and the Torah is given as the dowry.”[4]

Marty Solomon describes it as the bride cheating on her husband at the wedding. No wonder God wanted to destroy them.

But whenever we see God speak of destroying people, he is looking for someone to talk him out of it. Justice demands punishment, but as intercessors, we appeal to his mercy. Moses’ response is one of the most powerful pieces of Scripture in the entire Bible. This passage starts with, “Moses implored the Lord his God (Elohav).” As far as I can tell, this is the first time that the suffix pronoun his is used to refer to Moses and God. It shows that their relationship has deepened.

“O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people (Ex 32:11–14).

This is not dissimilar to what we see when God confided in Abraham that he was going to destroy Sodom. The reason God shares information with both Abraham and Moses is not because he needs someone to talk him out of it but because he needs an intercessor to appeal to his mercy. Abraham’s words, “Will not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25) are an appeal to the mercy of God.

Conversely, when people want to call down fire from heaven, they are rebuked. James and John, but Jesus might want to kill those who rejected him. Jonah is sullen that God has mercy on Nineveh.

God is always looking for us on earth to appeal to his mercy. Remember God’s words through Ezekiel:

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord” (Eze 22:30–31).

The principle here is that God has a duty to bring justice, but if somebody intercedes and stands in the gap, he may relent. In the cases of Moses and the Golden Calf and Abraham and Sodom, God responded to the prayers of one person. That is how powerful prayer is. Through Abraham, if God had been able to find ten righteous people in Sodom, he could’ve saved the whole city. Moses, through his prayer, saved roughly 2,000,000 Jewish people.

Jeremiah is a prototypical Old Testament prophet. He doesn’t just prophesy; he identifies with the pain of his people. While his prayer is in the first person, scholars believe he is repenting on behalf of the people and appealing to God for mercy when he says, “Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing” (Je 10:24). The prophet knows that God has already determined destruction for his chosen nation. Jeremiah appeals to him not to go so far. And we know later on in the book that God says he will not utterly destroy Israel but eventually will restore her: “After I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country (Je 12:15).

But again, it’s very important that we understand the character of God. He wants to show mercy. When he shares his plans of destruction with human beings, it is specifically so they will intercede and stand in the gap, appealing to his mercy. He wants to show mercy.

^[1] Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), 663.

^[2] Ibid.

[3] Dennis P. Hollinger, The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life

[4] Sarah Hogan, “The Desert Honeymoon,” Modern Reformation, January 28, 2022, https://www.modernreformation.org/resources/articles/the-desert-honeymoon

______________

Hamas Is Weakening, But The Campaign Against It Will Be Lengthy

by The Israel Insider January 24, 2024

written by The Israel Insider

While the Israel Defense Forces is gaining ground against Hamas by the day, destroying it as a military force will take time, according to former IDF officers.

Professor Gabi Siboni, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and who holds the rank of colonel (res.), told the Tazpit Press Service that the Israeli campaign will be “very long.”

In Gaza, Hamas has built up the most fortified terror base in the world, he said, both above and below ground.

With so many homes in Gaza containing weapons and being linked to underground terror infrastructure, significant numbers of civilians are involved “in all sorts of ways and methods” in Hamas’s war machine, he said.

“Now the IDF is fighting this thing and it’s a tough war against a determined enemy. They [Hamas] are not ready to give up,” said Siboni.

The Israeli War Cabinet’s declared goal of dismantling Hamas’s military and governance capabilities is realistic and correct, he added. “It is the only way to preserve our existence—we must destroy Hamas. It’s not about standing with a stopwatch and asking ‘what’s happening’ all of the time. This fight will be long,” he added.

Furthermore, he said, the IDF has changed its order of battle in Gaza not because its objectives have changed, but because it must also take into consideration other arenas, like Lebanon and Judea and Samaria.

In recent days, the IDF has shifted from a high-intensity phase of combat to a lower intensity phase, dubbed Stage 3, in northern Gaza and Gaza city, releasing significant numbers of reservist units and decreasing the number of personnel and operations in the sector.

“The IDF operates methodically. Even as we speak, the IDF is methodically dismantling Hamas’ capabilities. This operation is ongoing and as time passes, Hamas becomes weaker and weaker. In fact, there are places where it has already lost control—but Gaza is still a combat zone,” said Siboni.

In the wake of the IDF’s achievements in northern Gaza, a number of governments have called on Israel to allow north Gaza residents who evacuated to south Gaza humanitarian to return. The IDF called on all civilians from Gaza City and northern Gaza to head south at the start of its ground offensive on Oct. 27, and estimates that approximately one million people complied, while around 250,000 people remained in place.

However, according to Siboni, the idea of allowing Gazan civilians to return to northern Gaza is a non-starter, since the area remains a combat zone, including underground infrastructure and homes filled with weapons.

“Until the IDF cleans it out, it’s impossible for residents to return. If they do, they’ll be hurt, and terrorists will harm the IDF, since they will return under the guise of the residents,” he warned. “Hamas long ago stopped wearing uniforms.”

Meanwhile, in southern Gaza, the IDF is trying to reach the Hamas leadership, in the belief that this is where they will also most likely find the hostages, he assessed.

“The IDF wants to push our enemy as far south as possible. We are in a long process, we will also need to deal with the south of the Strip more methodically. But it needs to be done step by step,” said Siboni. “The achievements are excellent. All of this is happening in the most densely populated and heavily fortified area in the world, with the lowest rate of uninvolved civilian casualties compared to other wars,” he noted.

“It will take us years to dismantle this, since Hamas is deeply embedded within the population, and we will also need to stay in the Strip from a security perspective for decades; there is no other mechanism that can provide the security we need in Gaza. Therefore, there will be no choice but to operate there for years,” he said.

The best example of the model Gaza will need is the current state of affairs in Judea and Samaria, he added.

“We launched ‘Operation Defensive Shield’ in 2002, conquered the Palestinian cities and hit the terror nests. And we’re still fighting—more than 20 years have passed. To this day we are fighting in Judea and Samaria and will continue to fight in Gaza to dismantle these infrastructures. We must mow down these capabilities all of the time,” he said.

Israel was also beginning to put measures in place to prevent a future force buildup in Gaza, he said, including preventing the transfer of sophisticated weaponry via the Gaza-Egypt border.

“Cooperation with Egypt is very important, because the Egyptians in general have the same interest,” he added.

IDF Col. (res.) Moshe Elad, one of the founders of security coordination between the IDF and the Palestinian Authority and a lecturer at the Western Galilee College in northern Israel, told TPS that the military has requested additional time for the operation because it was surprised by the scale of the tunnels, among other reasons.

“They thought it was something reasonable, and then they find out it’s an entire city, and therefore it takes time,” said Elad. “The implication is that it will take a lot of time. I estimate this not in days, not in weeks, but in months,” he said, adding that it would take six months “at least” just to scan all the tunnels.

Moreover, as is the case with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas is not subject to and simply ignores international law, he said, which gives it an advantage.

“This asymmetry actually causes delay, because you want to be okay with international law, you don’t want to kill people just like that,” while your enemy has no such concerns, he said. “In this war, which is on two fronts as well, you also need to protect yourself more,” he added.

With IDF legal officers accompanying operations, explaining the implications to commanders of various courses of action, Israel is under intense pressure as it fights Hamas, said Elad, adding that Israel is facing unparalleled international pressure, including from the United States.

Meanwhile, domestically, there are some calling for an end to the fighting in exchange for the release of the hostages—a scenario which according to Elad would produce severe security problems for Israel.

If Israel ends the war before Hamas has been broken, Israel will appear weak in the region, and that would prove deadly, he cautioned.

“We must rehabilitate regional deterrence. This must be done because there is simply no other choice. Therefore, everything else needs to wait. The situation of the captives is very difficult, I believe the army is working on this, but our enemies are announcing that there will be more Oct. 7 attacks,” said Elad.

“They don’t care about pressure, public opinion or anything else. Even in the Palestinian Authority, there is the danger of what has already occurred in 1996, when they turned their barrels on us and their snipers opened fire. I experienced it personally—people fell dead next to me—three Border Police officers who were killed by P.A. snipers in Tulkarem.”

January 24, 2024 0 comments

Featured Israel Israel Insider

Thank You So Much For Continuing To Stand With Israel

by Ron Cantor January 22, 2024

written by Ron Cantor

I am in the midst of writing a seven-part theology of spiritual formation for my doctorate class. I’m going to share each installment with you each week for the next seven weeks. This week is simply the introduction. I hope it blesses you on your journey to become more like Yeshua.

Also, I have a video I’d like to share with you about my time at Kibbutz Zikim. It’s the first in a series that we will be releasing with each new email. Thank you so much for continuing to stand with Israel during these difficult times. You are true friends.

A Theology of Spiritual Formation

The artisan takes his tool and shapes an image from a marble slab. Only he knows what the finished product will look like. To others, it is just a massive metaphoric rock. But now it will go through another phase of metamorphosis, being shaped by a master craftsman. One might think of Michelangelo, who took on the challenge after two others quit, to carve the 17-foot iconic David from an enormous, nondescriptive piece of marble.[1]

That is spiritual formation. God is the craftsman, and we are the marble slab (or dust of the earth [Gen. 2:7]). The metaphor is not perfect because, unlike the lifeless rock, we play a role. We must position ourselves correctly for the master to form us into the likeness of Jesus.

Humans were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27), but Adam and Eve forfeited much of this in the fall (Gen. 3:7). Jesus came to restore the image of God in man (Rom. 8:29, 1 Cor. 15:49, 2 Cor. 3:18). The Hebrew word translated image is צֶלֶם tselem and can also mean idol.^[2] What is the connection between an idol and us being made in God’s image? Tselem “derives from the root word that means ‘to carve’ or ‘to cut.’”[3] An idol maker carves an image from a piece of wood. In the same way, God is forming believers into the image of his Son.

Spiritual Formation is Biblical

Richard Averbeck says spiritual formation has a biblical foundation, combining pneumatikos (spiritual), used 26 times in the NT, and morph (form, shape.)[4] In Romans 12:2, Paul uses the word transformed (metamorphóō), which “represents the thorough change in the nature of a Christian’s life as it comes to conform to God’s will. This change is contingent on God’s mercy and the action of His Spirit.”^[5] The transformation takes place as the disciple encounters Jesus through prayer, the Word, solitude, service, and many other ways, “The goal of spiritual

[1] Diane J. Chandler, Christian Spiritual Formation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014), 74, Kindle Edition.

^[2] James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

[3] Chandler, Christian Spiritual Formation, 30.

[4] Richard E. Averbeck, “Spirit, Community, and Mission: A Biblical Theology for Spiritual Formation,” Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care Vol. 1, No. 1 (2008): 28.

^[5] J. W. Simpson Jr., “Transform,” ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Grand Rapids: MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 889, Logos.

formation as revealed in the Word of God is the (trans)formation of our hearts and lives into the very image of Jesus Christ Himself, which is the will of God the Father.”^[1]

One can see the word metamorphosis in the Greek word translated as transformed. The Oxford Dictionary says it is “the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages [emphasis added].” For the believer, it is being formed into Messiah’s image “from one degree of glory to another” (1 Cor. 3:18).[2]

This paper aims to establish a biblical theology for spiritual formation by examining both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. We’ll interact with biblical figures, like David and Paul, and modern scholars to arrive at a biblical understanding of spiritual formation. We will lie in the grass beside quiet waters with David, the shepherd, and suffer with Paul through service and self-denial as he seeks to get the gospel to those who need it. Ultimately, we will seek to discover how the Bible as a whole comes together to speak to the issue of spiritual formation.[3]

Disciples Grow in Maturity

In 2016, it was widely reported that then-candidate Trump made a profession of faith in Messiah.[4] One would expect that this profession would lead to a dynamic new life. Whereas before he engaged in adultery, now he would be a loving, faithful husband. He had previously written about his need for revenge,[5] but the new Donald Trump would be forgiving. In the past, he had exhibited arrogant, narcissistic tendencies, but now that he had embraced the Messiah, we would see a humble man, more concerned about others than himself (Phil 2:3-4). Of course, this never happened. Regardless of what one thinks about Donald Trump as a politician, there can be no argument that he never became a disciple.

Can one be a believer without spiritual growth? Is it normal for teenagers to still be in diapers, eating baby food? The oft-quoted words of Dallas Willard ring true: “There is absolutely nothing in what Jesus himself or his early followers taught that suggests that you can decide just to enjoy forgiveness at Jesus’s expense and have nothing more to do with him.”[6]

The Process of Formation

Robert Mulholland defines this spiritual journey in four steps, “as (1) a process (2) of being formed (3) in the image of Christ (4) for the sake of others.”[7] This process is impossible apart from God. As mentioned above, we play a role, but God is the master craftsman.

From a biblical point of view, however, “spiritual formation” focuses our attention on the dynamics of how the Holy Spirit works in us, among us, and through us. Spiritual formation is, first, dynamic in its emphasis on the divine power and means of formation, and second, deep in its focus on the inner workings of the human person. The Spirit of God reaches into the spirit of the person to do the core of his work. God has not called us to do something without enabling us to do it. There is a divine person, the Holy Spirit, continually at work in us, who acts directly on the deepest parts of us, our human spirit ….[8]

The Bible gives us a set of disciplines to lead us toward spiritual growth. Willard writes, “We meet and dwell with Jesus and his Father in the disciplines for the spiritual life.”[9] The purpose of these disciplines is to position us for reception. Think of a football player ready to receive a punt. He knows exactly where to stand to be in the best place to catch the football. He will not be positioned correctly if he’s on the sidelines, at the line of scrimmage with the other players, or facing the wrong direction. When the ball comes, he will not receive it.

Averbeck likens this holy positioning to turning ourselves into a temple God can visit. “A temple is a place of God’s residence, where the presence of God is practiced; a place of purity and, above all, worship.”[10] This applies to us individually (1 Cor. 6:18-20) and corporately as a body (1 Cor. 3:16-17).[11] Spiritual formation cannot be done apart from the body of believers. Much of formation happens when the church is together; “he dwells in their midst.”[12]

Making Room for God

There is no formation without dedicated or sacred space and time. Holiness has more to do with something being set apart for a particular purpose than the legalistic definitions we learn. What made the ground holy, causing Moses to take off his shoes, was the fact that God’s presence was there (Ex. 3:5). We tend to define holiness as the absence of sin when, in fact, it is the presence of God. The disciple must map out where and when we will meet with Yahweh. Jesus was up early, seeking him in “desolate places” (Luke 5:16). He spent time fasting and in solitude. Time with the Father was his priority. Similarly, the believer sets times and places during his days, weeks, months, and even years as holy, set apart for the Lord. This is how we do formation.

[1] Richard Averbeck, “The Bible in Spiritual Formation,” in The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation, ed. Alan Andrews (NavPress Publishing Group, 2010.) 198, ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=5395452.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008).

^[3] Stephen Lowe, “Watch: Introduction to Biblical Theology of Spiritual Formation,” Liberty University, accessed January 21, 2024, 00:35, https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/509397/pages/watch-introduction-to-biblical-theology-of-spiritual-formation?module_item_id=59094152.

[4] Trip Gabriel and Michael Luo, “A Born-Again Donald Trump? Believe It, Evangelical Leader Says,” Washington Post, June 25, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/us/politics/a-born-again-donald-trump-believe-it-evangelical-leader-says.html

[5] David Cord, “Donald Trump Is Completely Obsessed With Revenge,” Mother Jones, October 19, 2016, https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/donald-trump-obsessed-with-revenge/

[6] Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship (San Francisco, CA: Harper One, 2006), 13.

[7] Mulholland, M. Robert . Invitation to a Journey, A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2016), 19, Kindle.

[8] Averbeck, “Spirit, Community, and Mission,” 28.

[9] Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines . New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1988), Preface, Kindle Edition.

[10] Averbeck, “Spirit, Community, and Mission,” 37.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid., 44.

_______________
Read more on the GOD TV blog here

Watch GOD TV here

January 22, 2024 0 comments

Featured Israel Israel Insider

Israeli Forces Destroy Network of Hamas Weapons Factories in Civilian Areas

by The Israel Insider January 18, 2024

written by The Israel Insider

Israeli soldiers destroyed a network of Hamas weapons factories located along a stretch of Gaza’s main highway, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Thursday.

The facilities, located along the Salah al-Din Road, consist of weapons factories above and below ground, where rockets, weapons and ammunition were produced. The sites were connected by dozens of tunnel shafts.

The shafts were also connected to a larger tunnel network so the weapons could be delivered to terror squads across the Strip. Some of the shafts were divided into areas for production or storage.

Israeli forces found weapons production facilities in other areas of Gaza as well.

In the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, soldiers exposed dozens of workshops for the production of weapons, including large quantities of arms and equipment, as well as tunnel shafts. Troops operating in an area of central Gaza between the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps found machines and containers for the production of chemical substances along with hundreds of long-range rockets.

The IDF added that a combat team conducted “operational activity” against Hamas’s Bureij Battalion’s infrastructure located in and near civilian buildings and government institutions, seizing money, maps, weapons and propaganda material.

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. The number of men, women, children, soldiers and foreigners held captive in Gaza by Hamas is now believed to be 136. Other people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.

_________

Learn more about the Israel Crisis here