E-mail david@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk

~ Thursday 22nd April 2010 ~

The Word: "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls. (Joel 2:30-32) (Also repeated in Acts 2:18-21)

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this," says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 4:1-3)

Pointers for prayer:

In the first section of this report, I comment on a prophesy by Lance Lambert, along with a word from Peter Horrobin of Ellel Ministries International. As we read these important words let us pray the prayer that Peter Horrobin suggests: "Lord, during these awesome days, I pray there will be many who will see the signs in the sky, turn to You in their hearts and begin to cry out to You for answers to the issues and problems of their lives. Help me, Lord, to always remember how dangerous it is to fly through clouds of sin, knowing that to do so seizes the engine of my soul, and prevents me from fulfilling my destiny. I come to you afresh today in repentance and ask you to forgive me for all my sins. In Yeshua's name, Amen".

As we prayed last week, may we once again stand in the position of Samuel. In the Scriptures in 1 Samuel 3:9 it states, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.' As both Israel and the Church need to hear the voice of God, may we be in the only true place to hear the correct voice ~ that of listening to God regarding His plans and purposes for His people Israel. Pray that both Israel and the Church will hear the voice of God clearly directing us, so that both His will and blessing will be upon us.

As many of you have heard and been following on Facebook, last week the British Advertising Standards Agency decided that the Israeli Government Tourism office could not use a picture of the Western Wall in the background in its advertising. Please get active in writing your complaints to ASA, but also intercede that this disgraceful boycott would be overturned.

Praise God that He is always true to His Word (Isaiah 46:3-4), that He will never forsake Israel. Pray for encouragement, strength and perseverance for the Israeli people in the face of constant physical and spiritual opposition. Pray too for encouragement, strength and perseverance also for all those who uphold the nation of Israel and for those who are obediently following their calling to stand with Israel today. And keep praying for reconciliation: The ongoing conflict in the Land has done terrible damage to the relationships of Jew and Arab, especially amongst the younger generation. Pray that ordinary Jewish and Arab people, whether living in Israel proper or what the world terms as the "Territories", will have a desire for reconciliation and to live side by side in peace and harmony. Pray for those groups and ministries seeking to break down barriers, especially among the youth.

Fire and Billows of Smoke

Last weekend, my family and I spent many hours hard at work representing CFI at the Beit Yeshua Conference in Gateshead. The main sessions of teaching were from a good friend of mine Stephen Hedges who brought forth a powerful word. In between Stephen's two sessions, Julia and I spoke on "A call to action on the frontline", challenging the people to question where God is calling them and how to respond. Many where indeed challenged, and we all need to realise that where Israel is involved, we are very much on the frontline.

Much talk throughout the day also took place regarding the problems with the UK's airport closure due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. Many people felt that this was a "judgement" from God, due to the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority), the UK independent watchdog that in its wisdom decided to respond to an Israeli Tourist Office press campaign which includes pictures of East Jerusalem by banning it - ASA judged that Jerusalem is not part of Israel but Occupied Territory (more on that later). It is very strange that this Icelandic volcano has been erupting for over three weeks, yet the same day ASA chose to boycott Israel, all our airports were closed! Could God choose to judge our nation for this action? I'll let you decide. However, since the conference, I have been challenged by a couple of powerful words.

The first came from a free Devotional from Ellel Ministries International. Peter Horrobin is currently writing an online training school called Ellel 365. This is specifically designed to help people get the message and apply the practical truths of God's Word into their lives. To take a look for yourself go to www.em365.org . Peter Horrobin writes, "God has flicked his little finger and the world has been thrown into chaos! As I write these words the United Kingdom and much of Europe is entering its third day as a no-fly zone. A minor volcano has erupted in Iceland and thrown millions of tons of fine ash into the atmosphere. This silica ash turns to liquid glass in the heat of a jet engine, seizing the engine and making it incredibly dangerous for jet aeroplanes. No airline would knowingly take a plane through such a cloud. The effects would be catastrophic. So the world or, at least, Northern Europe which is covered by this almost invisible cloud of fine ash has been brought to a humiliating stand-still, costing the airlines alone over 150 million pounds per day. As the Daily Mail said, even a modest rumbling in the underworld is enough to throw a gigantic spanner into the works of modern life! "

Peter Horrobin continues, "I wonder what the Apostle Peter thought about the words of our Scripture for today [see above Scriptures], which he quoted from the prophet Joel on the Day of Pentecost? The days he was talking about, the last days, are the days we are living in. How do you interpret the heavenly signs and wonders, including fire and billows of smoke? The pictures of the erupting volcano can only be described with these exact words fire and billows of smoke are throwing the ash thousands of feet into the atmosphere. Insurance companies are excusing themselves from paying out on travel policies as this is declared by them to be an Act of God! As I read how the world is sensibly not flying through the ash cloud because of the great danger, the Lord turned me to our Scripture and then spoke to my spirit a lesson that I will never forget. This is what I sensed the Lord saying: Because of the danger to aircraft and the life of passengers and crew, no-one would even consider flying through such a dangerous cloud. But every day the people of the world are flying through clouds of spiritual darkness, immorality and sinful lifestyles, without any thought whatsoever as to the damage it might be causing them. The volcanic ash will only seize the engine of an aeroplane, the spiritual cloud of darkness will bring down to destruction the souls of men. The eyes of the world have been blinded by the god of this world, to the consequences of living in rebellion to the living God, and not walking in His ways."

Wow... these are troubling words that Peter Horrobin is sharing. But as he shared, he sensed God weeping as He looked at a world that listens to the warning messages from the scientists and weathermen, but ignores the messages that were given to the world by the Scriptures. Peter states, "I found myself praying that in these days there will be those who see what is happening and start to ask the right questions. And that when they read of the fire and billows of smoke, that have brought nations to their knees, they will turn to the God who answers the cry of our heart when, in humility, we fall to our knees in repentance." Is God speaking to us here... and if so, does it really change the way we live? Does it change the way I live? And if not, what will it take?

Here is another word I believe we need to read and pray into. It came from our Jerusalem Office via Chuck Cohen. During communion last Sunday, this word was given to Lance Lambert. Our CFI International Directors, Ray & Sharon Sanders, were with Lance Lambert too and Lance shared with them the word that he strongly believes is from the Lord. Lance believes that the Lord spoke to him and that the Lord "will turn upside down and inside out” the world. If you think the recent volcano is bad, maybe we need to prepare ourselves for what is ahead.

The word given to Lance Lambert on Sunday 18th April 2010 in Jerusalem reads: "Do not fear neither be dismayed for that which is coming upon the face of the earth, for I am with you, says the Lord. Nevertheless I have a serious controversy with the nations. They are seeking to divide My Land says The Lord, the land that I covenanted to give to Abraham and to his seed after him through Isaac and Jacob, as an everlasting inheritance. This I will not allow without devastating judgment upon those nations who pursue this plan. I have arisen with intense and furious anger and will not back down until I have destroyed their well being. I will cause their economies to fail, and their financial system to break down, and even the climate to fail them! I will turn them upside down and inside out and they will not know what has hit them, whether they be super powers or not. For I am the only One, the Almighty God and besides me there is none to compare."

The word given to Lance continues, "Do they believe that in their arrogance they can contradict and nullify covenants that I the Almighty have made? Do they believe that they can change what has gone forth from My mouth with impunity? It is My Word and My decree that has gone forth concerning the seed of Abraham. It will not be changed by man. I and I alone am Almighty. Do not fear! For this reason a new and a far more serious phase of judgment is commencing. Do not fear, it is I who is shaking all things. Remember that in Me you have peace but in the world tribulation. Trust Me! I am shaking all things so that which cannot be shaken may remain. When all your circumstances become abnormal, discover in Me your peace, your rest and your fulfilment. In this phase the old and powerful nations will become as if they are third world countries, super powers will no longer be super powers but countries such as India and China will arise to take their place. A great company of the redeemed will come out of these two countries. In all this change, do not fear. I know your weakness and your tendency to fear, but do not be dismayed at these things. In the midst of all this shaking, this turmoil and strife, there are two peoples that lie at its heart, the true and living church and Israel. I will use these matters, these events, to purify one and to save the other! Do not fear, above the storms, the shaking, and the conflict, I am the Everlasting and Almighty One. In Me you cannot be shaken, you can only lose what is not worth holding!"

British Advertising Standards Agency's ban on Israel

If this word given through Lance Lambert is indeed from the Lord God (which I believe it is), then we are in serious trouble... but woe to those who come against Israel. The word stated, "Nevertheless I have a serious controversy with the nations. They are seeking to divide My Land [Israel] says The Lord..." As many of you have heard and been following on Facebook, last week the British Advertising Standards Agency decided that the Israeli Government Tourism office could not use a picture of the Western Wall in the background in its advertising. As the Western Wall is alleged to be part of "East" Jerusalem it is therefore considered by the international community to be "occupied territory". On Israel's 62nd Independence Day the Jewish nation faces extreme existential situations that threaten to destroy Israel. In many ways Israel has not been as threatened or isolated since that first Independence Day in 1948. Then, they simply faced five Arab nations wanting their blood. Today, Israel faces the world's opposition, and the ring of enemies that surrounds Israel gets tighter. In the north, Israel's enemies are stronger than they have ever been and in the east there is the threat of nuclear weapons from Iran who openly calls for Israel's destruction. Although there is supposed to be peace with Egypt and Jordan, this could quickly change overnight, and in truth, there isn't really any peace here.

The UK of course has always been at odds with Israel, even turning its own back on the Balfour Declaration and in 1948 Britain did her best to see that Israel would not survive. Britain turned over vast amounts of military supplies to the Arabs and gave them most of the fortresses she had built in Israel. The Jordanian Army was led and staffed by British officers. Today, the British media, led by the BBC strongly oppose Israel, and now the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has criticised Israel for including pictures of the Western Wall in a tourism advertisement and demanded that the pictures be removed. Is this why we now sit under a cloud of ash?

Israel has given up more Land for peace than it should have already. It gave up Gaza, and looked what happened. In a final status agreement Israel already appears to accept that it will more than likely have to give up Hebron, one of its four holiest cities, and will have to make some sort of compromise on Judea & Samaria (otherwise known as the miss-named West Bank). But to give up Judaism’s holiest city and ‘eternal capital,’ Jerusalem? NEVER! The Western Wall in the midst of the Old City in Jerusalem is the section of the Western supporting wall of the Temple Mount which has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Temple (or House of God, as it should be called) in 70 AD. It became the most sacred spot in Jewish religious and national consciousness and tradition by virtue of its proximity to the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies in the Temple, from which, according to numerous sources, the Divine Presence never departed. It became a centre of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and Israel's exile, and of religious communion with the memory of Israel's former glory and the hope for its restoration. Let's face it... the Western Wall and the Jewish quarter of the Old City are the religious symbols at the heart of Judaism, the Jewish people and the State of Israel. To suggest that Israeli sovereignty of the Western wall is up for discussion is ridiculous and the ASA has to reverse its decision at once.

But what exactly was in the advert that ASA banned? By a picture of surfers in Tel Aviv, the latest advert said: "You can travel the length of Israel in six hours, imagine what you can do in four days." At the bottom of the advert was a small picture of the Western Wall, part of the complex near the Temple Mount. The British Advertising Standards Authority said the advert implied East Jerusalem was part of Israel. Oy vey... so what's the problem? IT IS PART OF ISRAEL!!!! A common misperception is that all the Jews were kicked out of Israel by the Romans in 70 AD, and then suddenly they returned to Palestine in 1948 demanding their country back. In reality, the Jewish people have maintained ties to their homeland for more than 3,700 years. So, Yom HaAtzmaut - 3,762 years !!! But why exactly did ASA ban the advert? Simply because they received one letter, yes... one letter of complaint about the advert, which appeared in UK newspapers. The ruling follows another case in 2009 where the ASA criticised Israeli tourist authorities for running an advert on the London Underground which appeared to show Gaza, Judea & Samaria and the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

To protest against this ridiculous ban, please contact: Advertising Standards Authority, 71 Mid City Place, High Holborn London WC1V 6QT. Telephone 020 7492 2222 & 020 7492 2122, Matt Wilson or Michael Todd Press Office Main Number 0207492 2123 or E-mail: enquiries@asa.org.uk Letters do work better than emails though. AND... Join the Facebook campaign too by clicking here: Stop The UK Advertising Standards Authority creating an Israel Boycott At the time of writing four thousand, seven hundred and thirty nine people have protested against this ban. Yes, 4739 people against, and one person for it! Yet will the British Advertising Standards Authority repent and apologise to Israel? Only time will tell.

Israel fights Obama

As mentioned, Israel faces the world's opposition. In the north, Israel's enemies are stronger than they have ever been and in the east there is the threat of nuclear weapons from Iran who openly calls for Israel's destruction. Well... after a year of the USA's Obama administration failing to take effective action against Iran's nuclear program and enduring a constant barrage of criticism and political pressure from the Obama administration, the State of Israel seems to have decided to tell its side of the story to the American people and the world. This week, Israel's Prime Minister sat for a wide-ranging interview on 'Good Morning America', Israel's Finance Minister challenged President Obama to fulfil his promise to stop Iran from going nuclear, and Minister Moshe Ya'alon presented a profound defence of Israel and Zionism in an interview with the Jerusalem Post.

Titled "The War of Independence Has Not Ended" , Minister Ya'alon defends the Jewish State in an intelligent and convincing way. Ya'alon speaks about the Palestinian related issues and relations with the United States, as he expresses the deep feeling of all Israelis that the most important issue facing Israel and world is Iran's quest for nuclear weapons. This has been well covered in these CFI News Reports, and I don't have space to re-address this, however, we need to keep pressing in with our intercession to see victory for Israel regarding this situation.

Netanyahu's Yom Ha'atzmaut Message

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a resounding speech this week as Israel's celebrates their Independence Day. To watch the video click here: PM Netanyahu's Yom Ha'atzmaut Message to the Diaspora Communities - Video Netanyahu stated, "Israel's Independence Day celebrates a double miracle in the life of the Jewish people. The first miracle is the restoration of Jewish sovereignty. There is no other example that I know of in the history of nations in which a scattered people, practically left for dead, has been able to re-assert its national life. The second miracle is what we've done since the establishment of the Jewish state. Israel is fast becoming a regional economic power and one of the world's leading technological powers."

Netanyahu continued, "All the powers of creativity and genius in the Jewish people are bursting forth in every area: in science; in technology; in medicine; in the arts. This great burst of creativity promises a great future for the Jewish people and for all mankind. This double miracle is a testament to the life-force of the Jewish people. It's a testament to the deep wells of hope we carry inside us and to the deep connection that we have both to our past and to our future. The two miracles that have already occurred are only the beginning. If we stand together, if we remain committed to our common destiny, there's nothing we cannot achieve."

During Israel's 32nd independence day, the late Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin declared: "Citizens of Israel, let us set Jerusalem above our highest joy! .It is our right to reaffirm on the day of our rededication of our national independence, that the city, north and south, east and west, is entirely under Israel's sovereignty, our eternal capital city! It cannot be divided! And will never again be divided! Neither directly, nor indirectly!" This is key... this must remain. Do keep praying for encouragement, strength and perseverance for the Israeli people in the face of constant physical and spiritual opposition. Pray too for encouragement, strength and perseverance also for all those who uphold the nation of Israel and for those who are obediently following their calling to stand with Israel today.

David Soakell

(CFI Church Liaison Officer (UK)

CFI Area Representative (U.K. North East) & Writer & Producer of the CFI News Report & Prayer Update)

CFI is a non-denominational Christian organization, seeking to lift up the Name of Jesus in all we do to bless His Jewish brethren and share the message of His love both for Israel and the Church. If you would like to receive our regular bi-monthly 'In Touch' Newsletter and Monthly Watchman's prayer letters through the post, please enter your details by clicking here: http://www.cfi.org.uk/contactus.php All information is for our records only and is stored in line with the Data Protection Act.

CFI UK Website: www.cfi.org.uk CFI Jerusalem Website: www.cfijerusalem.org CFI UK Young Adults website: http://www.isrelate.com/

Sources: Unless otherwise stated: Personal sources throughout Israel along with The Jerusalem Post, BBC News, CFI Jerusalem, Arutz-7 News, Israeli Embassy London & Israel National Radio