Abraham the Believer

17 06 2019

Talit

As we leave for our 2019 Elisha Vision “Speak to the Dirt” Israel tour, my thoughts turn to Abraham. Most translations of Genesis 15:6 say that he believed in the LORD. However there are several like this from the New Living Translation:

And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. Genesis 15:6

This is a better translation, that he believed the LORD (Yehovah). Even though many don’t believe in God, believing in God is a no-brainer.

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. James 2:19 NLT

So as you continue reading in James 2 you will find that the New Testament leaves out the word “in” for all translations.

And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.  James 2:23 NLT

That means the New Testament leaders understood that Abraham did not just believe “in” God, he believed God. What a totally transformative meaning. He was a believer in the Messiah! You see, that is the promise that Yehovah made to Abraham. He would have a son who would be the line of ancestry from which the Messiah would come. That is why he was not afraid to offer Isaac. He believed God’s promise!

May we walk in the faith of Abraham and be counted righteous through the promised Messiah. Abraham believed, long before Yeshua appeared on this earth. How much more should we believe, who know the many fulfilled promises evident in the birth, death, and resurrection of Yeshua haMashiach, Jesus the Messiah!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                  (Read more)


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Trump Heights/Ramat Trump

14 06 2019

Trump-Israel

The Golan Heights in Israel will soon  have a new town named after President Trump.(This Sunday, June 16, 2019)

A new community planned for the Golan Heights in honor of US President Donald Trump will be named Ramat Trump, literally translatable as “Trump Heights,” and will be approved at the next cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The cabinet secretary on Thursday sent to ministers details of the cabinet resolution for approving Ramat Trump, stating that the community will be located close to the existing village of Kela Alon and will be under the jurisdiction of the Golan Regional Council. Times of Israel

This is after the decision to name the new train station in the Old City: Donald J Trump Station. The U.S. President has made several momentous decisions that bless Israel. Here is a partial list:

  1. Stopped the Iran deal.
  2. Moved our Embassy to Jerusalem.
  3. Defunded Palestinian Authority because they pay salaries to terrorists (pay to slay).
  4. Defunded UNRWA, the UN propaganda arm in Gaza.
  5. Recognized Israel’s control of the Golan Heights (annexed by Israel in 1981).
  6. Considering allowing Israel sovereignty in part of Judea & Samaria (West Bank).
  7. Close/positive relationship with PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

The current United States Administration is blessing Israel, the seed of Abraham.  Therefore, on the basis of Genesis 15, we can expect Yehovah God’s blessing on America as a matter of principle and the faithfulness of God’s promise.

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 15:3

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                  (Read more)


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52 Years of Love and Friendship

11 06 2019

 

20190611_152834

1967 Maine to 2019 North Carolina with A&W Mug

Today Doreen and I are celebrating our wonderful marriage of 52 years! Please indulge me a few comments on our extraordinary life-long love. We have certainly been blessed more than we deserve, by the favor and blessing of Yehovah God through His Son, Yeshua.

The top picture is from the week before our wedding on June 11, 1967. This was the precise time Israel was fighting the miraculous Six Day War. Our wedding day was the first day after the war. You can understand our attachment to Israel. We have stood with Israel for 52 years and counting. Our calling in ministry is eternally connected to our love for Israel. Our ministry name “Elisha Vision” reflects our prayer, that God would use us to open the eyes of His servants to see His surrounding warrior angels and know that “more are they that are with us, than they that are with them” (the enemies of Israel).

Our love for each other has always been defined by the most blessed intimate friendship two people could possibly enjoy. When we were dating at Berkshire Christian College in Lenox, MA, we discovered a secret to success in our future marriage:

Transparent Honesty – There are other important keys, but this is the first practical priority. Of course, the first priority was to put Jesus first, ahead of each other. But we discovered transparent honesty almost by accident. Now, we know it was God setting us on the right track, without us realizing it was Him.

On our very first date, we were on a Bible college hayride that had many funny moments. A friend and I decided to wear matching ponchos just to be silly, only to pick up our dates and find that they had heard of our plan and did the same thing. So four of us climbed into the station wagon with three more friends to travel two hours across the state to the hayride at which our men’s quartet was the entertainment. October in Massachusetts is a great time for a hayride unless the overloaded wagons are being pulled by sweaty horses at a temperature of 35 degrees with a steady drizzle. Ah! The steam generated by those horses created a cloud which of course the wagons passed through. It was a memorable evening in many ways. When we stopped on the way home at an A&W Root Beer drive-in, Doreen and I had the biggest order, so the proprietor gave us a slightly chipped mug which we treasure to this day! Our first brush with what we later came to recognize as transparent honesty was to occur on the way home after the hayride, the refreshments, the joke and story telling. Things had quieted down and no one was talking. I happened to have my arm on the back of the seat, not with romantic intent, but because of the fact that four of us were crowded into it. About this time I took my glasses off noticing the interesting effect of the stars changing from brilliant pinpoints of light to little blurry suns and back again as I switched back and forth. In the midst of this private reverie, I realized that Doreen was questioning me as to what I was thinking, since I was so quiet. Well, I immediately recognized an opportunity to come up with one of the most romantic lines of all times, but I liked her already too much to fake romance, so I just declined to answer. But she was not about to give up, and she kept teasing me till I finally reluctantly admitted: “The stars are pretty when I take my glasses on and off.”  Of course she was impressed with this surprising glimpse of depth and sensitivity and we laughed and enjoyed the whole evening. Yet, our great discovery did not happen that night, but about a week later. 

We were walking into town one afternoon when I noticed that Doreen was unusually quiet and pensive. She was a million miles away. So I asked her what she was thinking with a note of teasing in my voice. She was very embarrassed and did not want to answer. Never one to back off, I kept teasing and chiding her that I had told her what I was thinking the night of the hayride. Finally, she soberly agreed to tell me with the disclaimer that she would not at all have dared mention it under any other circumstances. Her honest thoughts were about whether I might be the one God intended to be her husband some day. Well I joined her in the embarrassment and we agreed that it was certainly too soon to tell, but that it was in the Lord’s hands. Having quickly settled that point we went on to discuss the amazing concept of being so honest with someone that you would even tell them what you were thinking! It was a great revelation that we would only later discover was in the Bible. It was so good, we agreed to be that honest with one another from then on, and we still are! (Excerpt from our little marriage booklet: 7 Keys to a Happy Marriage)

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. Ephesians 6:13-14 NLT

“Truth” in this verse is not doctrinal purity, but simple honesty. It is the first piece of the famous armor for our spiritual warfare. Honesty is non-negotiable in human relations, especially marriage.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                       (Read more)


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Bye Bye Avigdor Liberman

6 06 2019

Liberman2

“We won’t allow Israel to return to how it was under King David” This statement is from Avigdor Liberman, after blowing up the Israeli election process by refusing a compromise to form a conservative government under Prime Minister Netanyahu. (Excellent analysis of his personal vendetta against Netanyahu in this Caroline Glick column.)

My Prediction: Let me go out on a limb here. Bye-bye Liberman. He will not prosper politically. His party won five seats in the April election, and some polls suggest he will win nine in the September election. However, I believe Netanyahu was selected by God to lead Israel and therefore Liberman is fighting against Yehovah God. Let me explain his most egregious violation.

Liberman is strongly secular and he opposed the religious parties on the military draft controversy. However, with the above declaration rejecting King David, he has stepped away from the favor of God. He accused the orthodox of wanting to establish a theocracy, which may or may not be true. In fact, I have my own reservations about the motives of the religious orthodox parties. Yet the issue is above politics or religion.

King David did not rule over a theocracy. It was a monarchy, led by a fallible man, but who was a man after God’s own heart. We also should seek God’s heart.

But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do. Acts 13:22 NLT

David’s government was not a theocracy. It prospered when he listened to God and it faltered when he did not listen. The point is the amazing liberty that God gave David, a man, to rule as a king, under God. Israel will have no king until the Messiah. But any leader who listens to God’s voice will prosper. King Saul would not listen:

“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command Yehovah your God gave you. Had you kept it, Yehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for Yehovah has sought out a man after his own heart. Yehovah has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept Yehovah’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:13-14

I have made clear my opinion about Pres. Trump and PM Netanyahu being chosen by God. This does not speak to their character any more than King David. But as long as they manage to walk in God’s purpose for their nation, they will prosper in their governing. That is why I have faith to pray for them. It is so important that they listen to God, and to godly counsel surrounding them both. 

If you doubt my reasoning, just remember the name on the eternal throne from which Jesus, the King of Kings, will rule. It is not Jesus. It is not Yehovah. It is the name of a man: David. The mystery of intimacy with God is the secret key that every believer should desire. Seek first…the Kingdom and His righteousness.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and Yehovah God will give Him the throne of His father David. Luke 1:32

We will never have a better idea than God’s plan. Let us seek His face, His intimacy, so we can walk, and yes govern, the way He chooses for us.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                   (Read more)


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Ready for our Israel Tour!

4 06 2019

Joy

Two weeks from today we fly to Israel with 30 folks for the experience of a lifetime. Doreen and I are honored to lead the group who are mostly first-timers. Even though this is my fifteenth time, I still feel just like this sweet little girl. I always feel like a salmon returning to its spawning grounds. Jerusalem is the center of the earth and the center of God’s redemptive purpose. When the Messiah comes, He is not coming to Washington, DC or New York or London or Rome or Mecca or anywhere else. He is coming to Jerusalem.

I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,’ says Yehovah your God.  Amos 9:14-15 ESV

We are now praying about a 2020 Elisha Vision Israel Tour. If you would be interested, please let us know, here.

Prayer Points: Here is a current list of prayer points for Israel and the Jewish people:

  1. Psalm 102:13 Now is the time! (The Holocaust Psalm)
  2. Psalm 83:9 Pray that Yehovah will deal with Israel’s enemies as he did with Midian when they turned on each other in Gideon’s day.
  3. Psalm 122 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
  4. Zechariah 10:1 Pray for rain in the time of latter rain.
  5. Romans 11:23-24 Pray for Israel to grafted in again.
  6. Ezekiel 36 Pray through the whole chapter as a literal prophecy.
  7. Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
    They shall never hold their peace day or night.
    You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent,

If you want your prayers answered, pray what Yehovah has already said He will do.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                  (Read more)


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Israel & U.S. Prayer Call

30 05 2019

Pray for President

Israel is going into unprecedented new elections this September, for failure to form a governing coalition. In America, calls for impeachment are rapidly increasing. We join with Franklin Graham’s call for prayer and include Israel in our petition before Yehovah. Both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are under spiritual attack as I have been saying for months now by the evil spirit of Haman (see here).

Here is Franklin Graham’s call to national prayer:

Along with 250+ Christian leaders, I am asking followers of Christ across our nation to set aside next Sunday, June 2, as a special day of prayer for the President, Donald J. Trump.

President Trump’s enemies continue to try everything to destroy him, his family, and the presidency. In the history of our country, no president has been attacked as he has. I believe the only hope for him, and this nation, is God.

This is a critical time for America. We’re on the edge of a precipice. Time is short. We need to pray for God to intervene. We need to ask God to protect, strengthen, encourage, and guide the President.

We know that God hears and answers prayer. He can soften hearts and change minds. He is all-powerful, and He rules over the affairs of nations. The Bible instructs us to pray for those in authority, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”               1 Timothy 2:2–3

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                 (Read more)


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Haman and Global Jihad

28 05 2019
Bullseye

Here is our prayer target for this week.

Israel may have to have another round of elections. There is a major battle in the spiritual realm that requires our sincere and sober intercession in prophetic prayer. Early this year I heard a new emphasis of this clear word from the Lord about Haman in the Book of Esther. I declared a warning about the genocidal spirit of Haman in March of 2016, and several blogs since then. It was immediately apparent that the devious spirit was arrayed against Israel and the U.S. to oppose Donald Trump. It is still true, and also applies to PM Netanyahu of Israel. We must bind the spirit of Haman and pray that the evil plot will be exposed.

The Esther Solution: Jews all over the world celebrate Purim, the great victory over their enemies in the Book of Esther. The basis of their win was simple: self-defense. The King had issued a law allowing the execution of all Jews. Esther’s famous story “for such a time as this” and “if I perish, I perish,” resulted not in reversing the law, but in a new decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves. What a concept!

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people. And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. Esther 9:1-3 (You should read this short Book of Esther)

What does this have to do with global jihad?  Europe is one big “gun-free zone.” Citizens are not allowed to defend themselves. Believe it or not, the solution is not simply a 2nd Amendment argument. This Esther principle is the global solution for nations. Israel (as usual) is the classic example. Their correct justification for military action is that they have a national right and a personal right to defend themselves. Their enemies also attack civilian soft targets. Israel is different because they fight back. In the United States, we still have the 2nd Amendment, although it is seriously undermined, but Europe is defenseless.

The goal of Haman in Esther was the death of every Jew. That is the same demonic principality unleashed today. Only now, it includes Christians, and by extension, the Western free world. Are you willing to stand up for Israel today? We are in this together, make no mistake. President Trump is known for “punching back” whenever he is attacked, and is often criticized for his undiplomatic attitude. However, this is a time in history when we need to wake up, stand up, and speak up for God’s purpose.

Here is the warning that Mordecai gave Esther.

“Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13-14

Pray for courage for our leaders in America and Israel. And keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem and for rain.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                   (Read more)


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