I Can’t Believe It!

Startling News: It's nearly 6:30 am and I'm awake! Well, that's not the news that startles me today. What startles me is that it's December 1 already and the year is nearly gone. But with the old year nearly gone it means there's a new year dawning just over the horizon—a new year filled with new opportunities to serve the Lord.

There isn't a lot of time this morning to write … I teach today in Columbus. But I just wanted to share another "I Can't Believe It!" with you … it has to do with the Annapolis Summit and the way so many are led to believe that partitioning Israel is a good idea. While it may seem good in man's eyes, it is in direct violation to the covenant God made thousands of years ago with Abraham—a covenant that has never been broken by Him, and is still in effect through Abraham's descendants through his child of promise, Isaac.

I've watched the news, read reports, listened to historians talk on the issue. There are so many differing opinions, even among the church. But why? Why does the church not take God's Word for what it says? Why can't the church stand in support of God's covenant. Israel was never replaced by the church … scripture bears it out that the church was "grafted in". God's heart is still moved with great love and compassion toward Israel as He looks forward to the day of complete restoration, when she acknowledges Yeshua as her Messiah.

Many argue that the Palestinians are the ones being displaced. They argue on behalf of Palestinian Christians who are victims of Israel—unbelieving Israel—asking where is the justice? My only answer to that is God's justice is beyond our comprehension. We cannot apply man's reasoning to God's reasoning; we cannot apply our criteria for justice to God's ways. God's ways are indeed higher than man's; man's reasoning is but foolishness to God.

But I have a question. Where are those who are appointed and anointed to preach the truth? Why are they not teaching the Palestinian Christians the truth? This may seem like a strange observation, but here's what I see. In talking to my friends in India who were born Hindu and raised in the Hindu way, when they become Christians and begin to study the Word, they understand covenant and they understand God's promise to Israel. They don't have a problem with God's heart toward Israel. When I talk with my friends in Kenya who are born and raised without religion or with a form of a mixture of culture and religion, when they become true believers and begin to study the Word, they have no trouble accepting the fact that God has made promises to Israel and He will keep His promises to them.  No questions! 

So, why is it when Palestinians become Christians, they aren't taught the Word the same way?  Why do they still see themselves as the victims?  We're all victims—not of political pressures or economic pressures or cultural pressures, we're all victims of being born with a sin nature, with flesh that would rather rebel against God than conform to His Word.  To not teach the Palestinian Christians the truth of God's Word concerning Israel, or to allow them to maintain their jealousy over land that was undoubtedly given to Israel by God Himself, is wrong—wrong on the part of those teaching and preaching the Word to the Palestinian converts.  Just as Gentiles have to reckon with the fact that Israel is God's chosen people and we're "grafted in" through the shed blood of Jesus, the Palestinian Christians need to reckon with the fact that God has a plan for them, but it's God's plan they need to conform to.  To pitch fit after fit about land that the Scripture proves has belonged to Israel as a result of God's covenant with Abraham through Isaac is to rebel against the very Truth they claim to believe as born-again Christians.

Where are the preachers? Where are the shepherds? Where are those who are bold enough to proclaim truth? If Palestinian Christians were taught the truth, they wouldn't feel like victims any more than you or I feel like victims of the enemy. It would be understood that we all have battles to face in this life—some because of our natural heritage, some because of the decisions we make in life, and some simply because we proclaim the name of Jesus the Messiah. But we ALL have battles!

Paul teaches us that it is a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ. This is what needs to be preached throughout the earth, including the Palestinian Christians. "To live is Christ, to die is gain" is the motto of the persecuted Church.

It saddens me that the Palestinian Church is persecuted—I pray for them, and I pray that God will send laborers to them who will dare to preach the truth to them. But the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is persecuted in many nations … we should be praying for all our brothers and sisters in the faith, that God would strengthen them and give them the courage to stand in the face of persecution for their faith.

These are just my thoughts this morning. But, I really wonder if the whole issue couldn't be more simply viewed as more a problem with the Shepherds and Teachers/Preachers who are not preaching/teaching the truth to the Palestinian Church than it is with the people themselves, although they generally act out what they are taught. 

There needs to be a revival of Truth in the ministerial gifting of pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, and apostle.  Too much truth is being conceded in order to please the people.  The message of the Gospel isn't an easy message.  But the Palestinians are no more victims than you and I are because we're all subject to the temptations of this sinful flesh.  God teaches us to be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING OF THE MIND so that God's will can be seen.  That even means the Palestinian Christians who still feel the land belongs to them. It's deception clear and clear.

Let's pray that God will reveal the truth, but more than that, let's pray that Israel's eyes will be opened to the truth, that the Palestinian Church will open their eyes to the truth, and that the Prince of Peace will soon be acknowledged as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem … Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim!