IDF Deputy Chief: "Faith in God More Than Tanks"

 

IDF Deputy Chief: Israel's Army Needs Faith In God More Than Tanks

 

Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Naveh said the events currently shaking the Arab world 'were ordained from above' by a guiding hand.

The events currently shaking the Arab world "were ordained from above" by a guiding hand, Israel Defense Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Naveh said on Sunday. Naveh added that the Israeli army needed faith in God now more than its supply of planes and tanks.

Naveh made the statements while accompanying Israel's two chief rabbis, Rabbi Yona Metzger and Rabbi Shlomo Amar, on their visit to the chief military rabbi's office at the Tzrifin base. In remarks during the visit captured by the pro-settler news outlet Arutz 7, Naveh called Israel an island of calm in the storm of the Middle East, turmoil that had not been foreseen by intelligence officials despite their good work.

"But it was ordained from above," he said, "and we don't know where it will lead, but it's clear to us that there is a hand from above."

Naveh said supposedly democratic forces in the Middle East have always been supplanted by negative extremist and religious forces. Addressing the chief rabbis, Naveh called the IDF a Jewish army, an army of believers and an army that from the beginning always "knew how to create the right balance among communities represented in it, all the religions represented in it, but always leading with the power of faith and adherence to mitzvot [religious commandments]."

He said in recent years, the army had become more welcoming to religious soldiers.

Baruch atem b'Shem, Yeshua

Put On The Whole Armour Of God

Today as never before, Bible believing Christians worldwide are under spiritual attack. All believers are targets for those attacks. The devil is relentlessly attempting to draw us away from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The evil one and his demonic hosts are trying very hard to lure us away from Biblical Truth with lies. Sadly, I fear that many have fallen away, and are following the wide road that Satan's world offers them.

That wide road exists in many forms including....all paths lead to heaven; ecumenism; prosperity promises; the good life now; feel-good religion; immorality; a loving God will not judge; no accountability; the Bible is not to be believed...and so much more. Every day people are selling their souls to the devil as they fall victim to his schemes.

In addition, many support the dividing of Israel - having no belief in, nor respect for, the everlasting covenant given by Almighty God to the Jewish people. The very thought of pagans driving God's chosen people from their rightful possession brings me to tears.

We are surrounded on all sides by the evil of this world - often presented using clever words from seemingly Godly men. The spiritual attacks we face each day are battles to the death. We must hold on to that which is good, but cannot do it alone. It is only through the power of God's Word...prayer...and a personal relationship with Him, that we can stand firm and be strengthened to guard our hearts and thoughts. Please study and memorize the following Scripture passages. With God in our corner, we have His sure promise that the devil will flee from us.

Don


Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Waiting On The Lord

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait!"

"Wait?', you say, wait!" my indignant relpy.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By FAITH I have asked, and am claiming your word."

"My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign."

"And Lord, you promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting. . . for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountians to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want . . but, you wouldn't know ME."

"You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

"You'd never experience that fulness of love
As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save . . . (for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart."


"The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST."

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!"

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME,
And though oft may my answers is still but to WAIT."

"And though oft' My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, "Wait."

~Author Unknown~



Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

One Day He's Coming! Oh Glorious Day!

Don

Pakistan Christian “Burned”, Wife “Raped”, For Refusing Islam

Saturday, March 20, 2010 (12:06 pm)
By BosNewsLife Asia Service reporting from Pakistan

Story link here

RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian man was fighting for his life in Pakistan's Punjab province Saturday, March 20, after Muslim leaders backed by police burned him alive for refusing to convert to Islam, while his wife was raped by police officers, Christian and hospital sources familiar with the case told BosNewsLife.

Arshed Masih was burned Friday, March 19, in front of a police station in the city of Rawalpindi near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, following apparent death threats from his Muslim employer Sheikh Mohammad Sultan, an influential businessman, and religious leaders, said the Rawalpindi Holy Family Hospital.

His wife, Martha Arshed, was allegedly raped by police officers. Their three children -- ranging in age from 7 to 12-- were reportedly forced to witness the attacks against their parents.

"Both [Masih] and wife were rushed to the Holy Family Hospital and are under treatment," the hospital said.

He was listed in serious condition with about 80 percent of his body burned.

POLICE INVESTIGATION

Local police officials said they were "aware" of the attacks carried out by Muslim leaders and apparently at least some officers and added that an investigation was underway. No arrests were reported yet late Saturday, March 19.

Sheikh Mohammad Sultan could not immediately be reached for comment and it was not clear whether he had been in contact with police Saturday, March 20.

Before tensions emerged about their Christian faith, Masih worked as a driver and his wife as a maid for the Muslim businessman since 2005, Christians said.

The couple apparently lived with their children in the servant quarters of Sultan's estate in Rawalpindi, a key trade and tourist destination. In January, religious leaders and Sultan allegedly asked Arshed to convert to Islam with his whole family. After he refused, the group reportedly threatened him with "dire consequences".

DEATH THREAT

Arshed offered to quit his job, but the businessman allegedly said he would "kill" him if he were to leave.

He apparently also told Christian mediators that he would never allow the Christian family to live somewhere else.

This week tensions rose after Sultan reported a theft of 500,000 Pakistani Rupees (5,952$), according to a document seen by BosNewsLife.

The Christian family members were not named as suspects in the so-called 'First Information Report' from police.

Sources familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told BosNewsLife that the businessman had offered the couple to drop the case if they convert to Islam or "else that both would not see their children again."

However, "Arshed refused to convert and stood firm in his faith. Arshed`s wife was raped by the police and he was burned alive," Friday, March 19, local Christians said, speaking on condition of anonimity.

The case comes at a time when church groups have complained about growing attacks against minority Christians by Muslim militants, often with the alleged support by local law enforcement officials and other authorities.

~ ~ ~

That disturbing story from Pakistan made the news headlines, but many similiar stories happen often and go un-reported. However, it is a precursor of things to come for Israel and much of the world.

During the coming tribulation period, many will be martyred for their faith, for their refusal to bow down to pagan gods, and for their refusal to take the mark of Revelation 13:15-16 and Revelation 20:4.

In Revelation 6:9 the apostle John saw the souls in heaven of those who had been slain for their testimony.

Revelation 6:9
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

How strong is your faith today? How strong is mine? Would our testimony hold firm under torture - even to the point of imminent and certain death for our refusal to submit? Would we have the kind of enduring faith that Pakistan family showed in the face of pain and death?

Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross of Calvary for us in our place that we might live. He gave His life for us...what would we do for Him? We must be very sure.

Don