Danger of Middle East Conflagration | 309 | Report 30

Sky News recently reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally support in his cabinet for an attack on Iran. The country’s defence minister Ehud Barak and the foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman are said to be among those backing a pre-emptive strike to neutralise Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Western intelligence officials estimate that Iran is still at least two to three years away from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Israel has long made it clear that it will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear capability that could threaten the Jewish State. Israel’s former defence minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Haraatez newspaper that he feared a “horror scenario” if Israel attacked Iran. Washington is also strongly opposed to Israel taking unilateral action. Any strike on Iran could trigger retaliation from Iran and across the region. Syria, a close ally of Tehran, could also launch attacks, along with the Iranian-backed Hizbollah militia in Lebanon.

Source: Sky News; Revival Media

BIBLE STUDY: Matthew 24:5-7

PRAY: That God will control this volatile situation and that He will neutralise Iran’s threat in ways that will bring glory to His name.

Massive Oil Find Off Israel’s Coast | 302 | Report 25

Last year an oil exploration company announced the discovery of a massive oil field off the coast of Israel; the company now reveals that a production test drilling near Rosh Ha’Ayin indicates the field holds 1.5 billion barrels worth of oil. Experts said it was too early to know the amount of recoverable oil in the reserve. However, according to the company’s report from May 2009, this is likely to be 10-20%.
Despite the lack of details, the media was full of headlines announcing the exploration’s possibilities. “This is a joyful and heart-warming discovery,” Amir Makov, the Chairman of Israel’s Institute of Petroleum said.
This development comes alongside Israel’s discovery of the Tamar natural gas field in the Mediterranean, which is now valued at US $8 billion and will enable a vast gas-fired power plant to begin operations in 2013. Other sites are being tested, but there appears to be the potential for extraction of large volumes of both oil and gas off the coast of Israel. These finds could have deep felt effects in the whole Middle East, and some commentators are already likening Israel to Kuwait.

Source: Revival Media; Worthy News

BIBLE STUDY: Romans 11:25-36

PRAISE: God that Israel may be less dependent on erratic oil prices and supplies. Pray for peace.

Palestinian Embraces Israeli Soldiers

Pastor Ari Sorko-Ram who heads up the Tiferet Yeshua Messianic congregation in Tel Aviv and the website istandwithisrael.com, invited Palestinian Saed Awwad to share his testimony at Tiferet Yeshua.

Awwad recounted how he grew up in an Arab Christian home but hated the Jews of Israel every bit as much as his Muslim neighbours.
He told how he actively took part in the First Intifada, hurling stones and anything else he could get his hands on at Israeli soldiers on a daily basis. He was the victim of regular mistreatment by anxious and angry Israeli soldiers. The pressure of the situation began to get to Awwad, and he decided to use the American passport he had thanks to his mother’s American citizenship and spend some time in the USA.
While living in the US, Awwad was invited to attend an Arab church, where he was astonished to hear the pastor preach that, though the Jews may be their enemies, the Arabs must practice forgiveness and love toward them, as Jesus had taught. Awwad was even more determined to stay away from Evangelical Christianity, convinced that it was nothing but a Zionist ploy. But God had other plans, and touched Awwad’s heart, forcing him to make a decision between the things he had grown up believing were right, and the truth he could find only in Jesus.
“I gave my life to Jesus then and there,” said Awwad. “For three days I could not eat or drink. I just read the Bible, and in everything I saw Jesus Christ.” But he still didn’t like Israel very much, so when six months following his transformation the Lord asked Awwad to forgive the Jews, he considered turning his back on God. “If you’ll ask me this even one more time I will never speak to you again!” Awwad said, recalling his reaction to the Lord. “From my perspective [the Jews] had come from many nations and taken the land that I believed belonged to the Arabs. I was angry.” Eventually his heart was softened, and Awwad knew he had to surrender to God’s nature of unconditional love and forgiveness.
To demonstrate the fullness of his transformation, Awwad invited every active and reserve soldier in the Tiferet Yeshua congregation to join him on stage, where he embraced and professed his love for them, the very people he had fought hardest to defeat. “I am a Palestinian – you are Jewish. The world calls us enemies – but we are brothers – brothers and sisters in Yeshua! Nothing can separate us. The world will not separate us, politics will not separate us, walls will not separate us. We have a place in Heaven. You and I will bow our knees and worship the
Messiah Yeshua, our King together!”
Awwad concluded by asking the Israeli soldiers to also forgive him, and was greeted by a great outpouring of love.

Source: Israel Today

BIBLE STUDY: Ephesians 2:13-18

Day 3 – PRAISE: God for this example of the love that can ONLY
be found in Christ Jesus.
Day 4 – PRAY: That Awwad’s example will show many that the
only hope of peace is in Christ Jesus.

Huge Natural Gas Find off Israel Coast | 5th Mar 2010

Israel’s discovery of the Tamar natural gas field in the Mediterranean is now valued at US $8 billion, nearly double previous estimates of local analysts. “The state of Israel will make over $5 billion in royalties and corporate taxes from the production of the gas at Tamar field alone,” said Gal Reiter, an energy industry analyst at Clal Finance & Brokerage.
Natural gas will be flowing into Israel by 2012, officials said. Analysts say the natural gas field will have a huge impact on the economy of Israel and is expected to make the Jewish state more energy independent. Israel’s National Infrastructure Ministry (NIM) announced it is considering adapting the country’s bus fleet as well as cars to run on natural gas.
As infrastructure is built for bringing natural gas onshore, local economies are also expected to benefit from the billions that will be spent on a 311-mile distribution network, officials said. In December, Noble Energy Inc., the company that discovered the field, announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent to sell natural gas from the Tamar field to Dalia Power Energies. Dalia, a private electricity company, has a license to build a natural gas fired power plant in Israel with operations planned to commence in 2013.

Source: Worthy News; Yalibnan.com; Revival Media

BIBLE STUDY: Zechariah 13:1-6

PRAISE: God that the people of Israel will be less dependent on erratic oil prices and supplies. Pray for seeds of peace in the area.

link: http://revivalmedia.org/2010/03/04/huge-natural-gas-find-off-israel-coast-5th-mar-2010/

Huge Natural Gas Find off Israel Coast | 5th Feb 2010

Israel’s discovery of the Tamar natural gas field in the Mediterranean is now valued at US $8 billion, nearly double previous estimates of local analysts. “The state of Israel will make over $5 billion in royalties and corporate taxes from the production of the gas at Tamar field alone,” said Gal Reiter, an energy industry analyst at Clal Finance & Brokerage.
Natural gas will be flowing into Israel by 2012, officials said. Analysts say the natural gas field will have a huge impact on the economy of Israel and is expected to make the Jewish state more energy independent. Israel’s National Infrastructure Ministry (NIM) announced it is considering adapting the country’s bus fleet as well as cars to run on natural gas.
As infrastructure is built for bringing natural gas onshore, local economies are also expected to benefit from the billions that will be spent on a 311-mile distribution network, officials said. In December, Noble Energy Inc., the company that discovered the field, announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent to sell natural gas from the Tamar field to Dalia Power Energies. Dalia, a private electricity company, has a license to build a natural gas fired power plant in Israel with operations planned to commence in 2013.

Source: Worthy News; Yalibnan.com; Revival Media

BIBLE STUDY: Zechariah 13:1-6

PRAISE: God that the people of Israel will be less dependent on erratic oil prices and supplies. Pray for seeds of peace in the area.

Arafat's Former Driver Trusts Jesus | 18th Jan 2010

Palestinian Tass Saada ran away from home and joined Fatah when he was just 17. He was soon drawn to the militant views of Fatah founder Yasser Arafat. “I used to sit right across from him and just stare at him, mesmerized,” said Saada. “He was such a charismatic character.” Saada believed the Jews had stolen Palestinian land. He was determined to help Arafat push Israel into the sea. “Our training was specialized in intense, marine-type fighting skills,” he recalled. “We used to call ourselves guerrilla fighters, commando fighters.”
Saada became a Fatah sniper, picking off and killing Israeli soldiers. His nickname was “Butcher.” “My job was to knock off whoever was the commander of the unit,” he said. Saada took part in bloody battles against the Israeli army. He even attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Jordan, who he saw as unfriendly to Palestinians. But his most prestigious job was as a personal driver for his hero: Arafat. “Everybody knows I was a fierce driver,” said Saada. “And so when it came a time and need for Arafat to be transported from one area of Jordan to the other, they called me to do that.”
Saada eventually made his way to the United States to attend school. By that point, he had given up on waging violent jihad, but he still hated Jews. He became a successful restaurant manager, married an American woman and had two children. But he was miserable – living a fast lifestyle of mistresses and booze – until a long-time friend told him about Jesus Christ.
“He put the Bible in the middle, between the two of us. And I just got scared and I jumped away from the Bible,” Saada recounted. “I said, ‘I cannot touch that! It’s got the name of God, the word of God in it!’ He said, ‘So you believe this is the word of God?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ “Why did I say ‘yes,’ when we as Muslims don’t really believe that the Bible is valid as the word of God?” Saada says he momentarily lost consciousness at that point. “The next thing I know, I’m on my knees with my hands lifted up, inviting Jesus. And the rest is history.”
His Christian friend challenged him again. He said “Tass, to have the peace that I have, you must love the Jew.” Saada said, “Charlie knew how much I hated Jews.” But he soon got past that lifelong hatred. He developed close friendships with Jews and began to look at Israel in a brand new light. His book, Once an Arafat Man recounts his transformation. “I don’t believe in the two-state solution, because I believe that land belongs to the Jews. It doesn’t belong to us. But, on the other hand I believe that we have the right to live in that land, as is recorded in the Book of Ezekiel, where the Lord re-divided the land among the Israelites and told them to give the foreigners living among them an equal share of the land,” Saada said.

Source: Seeds of Hope; CBN News

BIBLE STUDY: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

PRAY: For more Saada’s who can be peacemakers through the power of Jesus.

Arafat's Former Driver Trusts Jesus | 17th Jan 2010

Palestinian Tass Saada ran away from home and joined Fatah when he was just 17. He was soon drawn to the militant views of Fatah founder Yasser Arafat. “I used to sit right across from him and just stare at him, mesmerized,” said Saada. “He was such a charismatic character.” Saada believed the Jews had stolen Palestinian land. He was determined to help Arafat push Israel into the sea. “Our training was specialized in intense, marine-type fighting skills,” he recalled. “We used to call ourselves guerrilla fighters, commando fighters.”
Saada became a Fatah sniper, picking off and killing Israeli soldiers. His nickname was “Butcher.” “My job was to knock off whoever was the commander of the unit,” he said. Saada took part in bloody battles against the Israeli army. He even attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Jordan, who he saw as unfriendly to Palestinians. But his most prestigious job was as a personal driver for his hero: Arafat. “Everybody knows I was a fierce driver,” said Saada. “And so when it came a time and need for Arafat to be transported from one area of Jordan to the other, they called me to do that.”
Saada eventually made his way to the United States to attend school. By that point, he had given up on waging violent jihad, but he still hated Jews. He became a successful restaurant manager, married an American woman and had two children. But he was miserable – living a fast lifestyle of mistresses and booze – until a long-time friend told him about Jesus Christ.
“He put the Bible in the middle, between the two of us. And I just got scared and I jumped away from the Bible,” Saada recounted. “I said, ‘I cannot touch that! It’s got the name of God, the word of God in it!’ He said, ‘So you believe this is the word of God?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ “Why did I say ‘yes,’ when we as Muslims don’t really believe that the Bible is valid as the word of God?” Saada says he momentarily lost consciousness at that point. “The next thing I know, I’m on my knees with my hands lifted up, inviting Jesus. And the rest is history.”
His Christian friend challenged him again. He said “Tass, to have the peace that I have, you must love the Jew.” Saada said, “Charlie knew how much I hated Jews.” But he soon got past that lifelong hatred. He developed close friendships with Jews and began to look at Israel in a brand new light. His book, Once an Arafat Man recounts his transformation. “I don’t believe in the two-state solution, because I believe that land belongs to the Jews. It doesn’t belong to us. But, on the other hand I believe that we have the right to live in that land, as is recorded in the Book of Ezekiel, where the Lord re-divided the land among the Israelites and told them to give the foreigners living among them an equal share of the land,” Saada said.

Source: Seeds of Hope; CBN News

BIBLE STUDY: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

PRAY: For more Saada’s who can be peacemakers through the power of Jesus.

Christians Can Help Middle East Peace | 2nd Jan 2010

Nashat Filmon, Head of the Palestinian Bible Society claims Christians can help foster peace by acting as a bridge between Palestinians and Israelis. “On the ground it is a very hard, devastating situation. Palestinian Christians are between a rock and a hard place. They can easily be crushed by both sides. But we have the opportunity to build bridges to bring both sides together. It’s our task to be true peacemakers between people and between people and God.” Meanwhile, Tass Saada, Yasser Arafat’s converted former driver (see story, Days 17 & 18) spends much of his time in the West Bank and Gaza, helping Palestinians through his charitable organization, Seeds of Hope. He says Muslims in the Middle East are turning to Christ in record numbers. That’s why he is confident that peace will one day come to the region – the kind of peace that politicians can never bring.

Source: CBN.com; Christian Post

BIBLE STUDY: Ephesians 2:14-18

PRAY: That Christians may indeed be the peace-giving salt and light that this region needs.

Arafat's Former Driver Trusts Jesus | 18th Dec 09

Palestinian Tass Saada ran away from home and joined Fatah when he was just 17. He was soon drawn to the militant views of Fatah founder Yasser Arafat. “I used to sit right across from him and just stare at him, mesmerized,” said Saada. “He was such a charismatic character.” Saada believed the Jews had stolen Palestinian land. He was determined to help Arafat push Israel into the sea. “Our training was specialized in intense, marine-type fighting skills,” he recalled. “We used to call ourselves guerrilla fighters, commando fighters.”
Saada became a Fatah sniper, picking off and killing Israeli soldiers. His nickname was “Butcher.” “My job was to knock off whoever was the commander of the unit,” he said. Saada took part in bloody battles against the Israeli army. He even attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Jordan, who he saw as unfriendly to Palestinians. But his most prestigious job was as a personal driver for his hero: Arafat. “Everybody knows I was a fierce driver,” said Saada. “And so when it came a time and need for Arafat to be transported from one area of Jordan to the other, they called me to do that.”
Saada eventually made his way to the United States to attend school. By that point, he had given up on waging violent jihad, but he still hated Jews. He became a successful restaurant manager, married an American woman and had two children. But he was miserable – living a fast lifestyle of mistresses and booze – until a long-time friend told him about Jesus Christ.
“He put the Bible in the middle, between the two of us. And I just got scared and I jumped away from the Bible,” Saada recounted. “I said, ‘I cannot touch that! It’s got the name of God, the word of God in it!’ He said, ‘So you believe this is the word of God?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ “Why did I say ‘yes,’ when we as Muslims don’t really believe that the Bible is valid as the word of God?” Saada says he momentarily lost consciousness at that point. “The next thing I know, I’m on my knees with my hands lifted up, inviting Jesus. And the rest is history.”
His Christian friend challenged him again. He said “Tass, to have the peace that I have, you must love the Jew.” Saada said, “Charlie knew how much I hated Jews.” But he soon got past that lifelong hatred. He developed close friendships with Jews and began to look at Israel in a brand new light. His book, Once an Arafat Man recounts his transformation. “I don’t believe in the two-state solution, because I believe that land belongs to the Jews. It doesn’t belong to us. But, on the other hand I believe that we have the right to live in that land, as is recorded in the Book of Ezekiel, where the Lord re-divided the land among the Israelites and told them to give the foreigners living among them an equal share of the land,” Saada said.

Source: Seeds of Hope; CBN News

BIBLE STUDY: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

PRAY: For more Saada’s who can be peacemakers through the power of Jesus.

Arafat's Former Driver Trusts Jesus | 17th Dec 09

Palestinian Tass Saada ran away from home and joined Fatah when he was just 17. He was soon drawn to the militant views of Fatah founder Yasser Arafat. “I used to sit right across from him and just stare at him, mesmerized,” said Saada. “He was such a charismatic character.” Saada believed the Jews had stolen Palestinian land. He was determined to help Arafat push Israel into the sea. “Our training was specialized in intense, marine-type fighting skills,” he recalled. “We used to call ourselves guerrilla fighters, commando fighters.”
Saada became a Fatah sniper, picking off and killing Israeli soldiers. His nickname was “Butcher.” “My job was to knock off whoever was the commander of the unit,” he said. Saada took part in bloody battles against the Israeli army. He even attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Jordan, who he saw as unfriendly to Palestinians. But his most prestigious job was as a personal driver for his hero: Arafat. “Everybody knows I was a fierce driver,” said Saada. “And so when it came a time and need for Arafat to be transported from one area of Jordan to the other, they called me to do that.”
Saada eventually made his way to the United States to attend school. By that point, he had given up on waging violent jihad, but he still hated Jews. He became a successful restaurant manager, married an American woman and had two children. But he was miserable – living a fast lifestyle of mistresses and booze – until a long-time friend told him about Jesus Christ.
“He put the Bible in the middle, between the two of us. And I just got scared and I jumped away from the Bible,” Saada recounted. “I said, ‘I cannot touch that! It’s got the name of God, the word of God in it!’ He said, ‘So you believe this is the word of God?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ “Why did I say ‘yes,’ when we as Muslims don’t really believe that the Bible is valid as the word of God?” Saada says he momentarily lost consciousness at that point. “The next thing I know, I’m on my knees with my hands lifted up, inviting Jesus. And the rest is history.”
His Christian friend challenged him again. He said “Tass, to have the peace that I have, you must love the Jew.” Saada said, “Charlie knew how much I hated Jews.” But he soon got past that lifelong hatred. He developed close friendships with Jews and began to look at Israel in a brand new light. His book, Once an Arafat Man recounts his transformation. “I don’t believe in the two-state solution, because I believe that land belongs to the Jews. It doesn’t belong to us. But, on the other hand I believe that we have the right to live in that land, as is recorded in the Book of Ezekiel, where the Lord re-divided the land among the Israelites and told them to give the foreigners living among them an equal share of the land,” Saada said.

Source: Seeds of Hope; CBN News

BIBLE STUDY: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

PRAY: For more Saada’s who can be peacemakers through the power of Jesus.

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