Recently, when Hali and I were in Israel with one of our dear pastor friends, Pastor Hatim Jiryus, He asked me to share The Reconnection with some of our Arab Israeli brethren living In the Galilee. 

The Holy Spirit led me to these versus in Ezekiel 37 where God directs His prophet to prophesy to the House of Israel. Here is some of what I shared, and you can click on the link at the end of this article to listen to the message for more detail.

Ezekiel 37:1-14

When reading and mediating on these Scriptures, there are certain key points that stand out to me. First, God asks Ezekiel to prophecy with three separate phases and directives: 

1. To the dry bones to form flesh and bone and sinew; to come to life.
2. To call on the four winds to release the breath (the Holy Spirit) into the Jewish people.
3. To declare the resurrection of the body.

I see these three separate commands from God as strategic to our current understanding of Israel’s physical and spiritual restoration, that perhaps the division of them may actually help us to understand and process where we are in God’s timetable to reveal His end time plans to us.

First, the first prophecy is nearing its fulfillment in that the dry bones have been reformed and brought back to the land. I believe this prophecy relates specifically to Israel’s physical restoration to the land, as a nation and a people. 

However, it is important to point out that at the end of this first directive, the bones were restored with flesh and body, but that no breath had entered them.  In this first prophecy in verses 4-8, the Lord mentions the promise of the breath several times, but again in verse 8, Ezekiel states that it was not yet in them.

This pattern of writing back and forth is also true of the text related to the land, as it is not mentioned specifically until verse 12, when the Lord says that He will bring them back to the land, which is an actual tie-in to the earlier verses in the first prophecy related to Israel’s physical restoration; specifically because it is already happening and is still in process of fulfillment as Jewish people return to their homeland.

This physical restoration of the people of Israel and its order also ties into all three main sections of Scripture related to it: In Torah (five books of Moses) (Deut. 30:4); in the Prophets (Ezek. 36:22-28) and in the New Covenant (-27), God tells us through His Word that God will bring them back first and then restore them spiritually through a cleansing and repentance process.

This is significant to understanding, as many believers have actually questioned this: “Lord, how can they be back in the land and not be saved yet?” We need to follow and trust God’s words, as it relates to Israel’s restoration; His insights and timing, rather than our own understanding. Especially with Israel’s rebirth, as not everything is totally clear to us until perhaps it actually happens, which we can deduce about Phase 1, relating to the Jewish people returning to the land from the nations; and partially now as we enter more fully into phase 2, as Jewish people are restored spiritually through the Holy Spirit and are born again.

Let me explain:

If Phase 1 relates to the Jews returning to the land, but there was still no breath in them; and Phase 2 relates to the breath being released to them. Hasn’t this already begun to happen with Jewish people beginning to awaken to Messiah again in a greater way, for the first time in almost 1800 years? Yet only a small remnant has been touched and many more are yet to be saved. So would it be true to say that Phase 1 is nearing its completion and that Phase 2 has already commenced?

This then leads us to Phase 3, which refers to the resurrection of souls when the Lord returns. Obviously, this hasn’t happened yet, but the Apostle Paul refers to this in Romans 11; that Israel’s spiritual restoration will actually lead to this (verse 15). However, if this is the case, then shouldn’t Israel’s spiritual restoration become paramount on our radar, becoming one of the main keys to the Lord’s return?

God’s Glory Plan

I call this God’s Glory Plan, where in the previous chapter in Ezekiel (36:22-28), the Lord states clearly that He will show Himself to the world through Israel’s spiritual awakening; that indeed it will not be just for their sake, but rather for the sake of our Father’s holy name. And it is important for us to understand God’s words and covenants are on the line here and that this is His plan for His glory to be revealed through Israel’s awakening.  But will God do this alone, or will His church also play an important role in their rebirth? Similarly, if you like, to Ezekiel’s own experience here, as God gave these prophetic directives, it wasn’t God who prophesied, but rather Ezekiel, whom God instructed.

We All Need the Reconnection Now

In explaining The Reconnection to the Gentile side of the family, who in this case represent the rest of God’s children. I always like to point out that the Israel of God will not be complete until His first-born are re-grafted back into the tree. That they should be important to us; not just because of God’s promises to them, but also because they are the final part of our family, yet to be restored. And as result: their spiritual awakening plays out a very strategic part of God’s plans to restore the world to Himself. As the apostle Paul points out to us in Romans 11 that the veil that is blinding Israel will ultimately be lifted (verses 25, 26). But, just how will this happen?

Sometimes however, when you read and study church eschatology, you wonder about this, as if God will take care of it all on His own.  But this is not what Scripture says, as in fact, we are the chosen ones to release the mercy back toward them through what we have already received from our Lord; to get up close to them and to be able to demonstrate His love and His presence through us, that they may be drawn to jealousy (Rom. 11). Just as Paul writes to the church concerning the Jewish people; “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!'” (Rom.‬ 10:14-15‬)‬‬‬.

Can we do this ourselves, or in our own strength? I think not. Just look at history and how the ancestral church ended up treating the Jewish people, and how separated we became from our Jewish roots. No, you see, it is not only His plan to restore Israel here in these last of days, but it is also His plan to restore His family to Himself, to reunite as one, as we will never be able to reach the Jewish people as we are supposed to without His heart and His love for His family flowing through our spirits. And they can’t be restored without us or our supplication. So in reality, we are in great need of each other in order for our destinies to be fulfilled and for our Lord to return. This is His masterful plan to make us one!

This is why The Reconnection is so significant to us in this day. It is the final part of the restoration for His church, in order for us to fulfill our role and call. As God restores the remnant of Israel, we must be restored to them, to our roots and our full identity together with Israel to help bring all of this to pass (Eph. 2:19). As well as to prepare the body for a Messianic kingdom upon the earth that will go out from Israel into all of the nations.

The winds are blowing: We have had the times of the Jew and we have had the times of The Gentile. Now is the time for both, for a re-uniting in the one new man that, like Ezekiel, we may fulfill our call. To stand in the gap for the church’s restoration that she may cry out, “Israel, come forth! To call on the four winds, that the breath of God maybe released to Israel and to the nations. {eoa}

To learn more about this, please refer to my book, The Ezekiel Generation. To listen to the message in Israel, please click here.

Grant Berry is a Jewish believer in Yeshua/Jesus and author of The New Covenant Prophecy and The Ezekiel Generation. He founded Reconnecting Ministries with the specific focus to help the church reconnect spiritually to Israel and considers it vital to the kingdom of G-d in the last days. His message focuses on the unity, love and healing that the Father wants to bring between Jew and Gentile, yet clearly points out the differences and misunderstandings between the two groups. Now is the time to look more carefully into this mystery to make way for healing and reconnection in the Spirit. For more information, please visit . 

By the end of Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will be back to full strength, just in time for the next round of cases to be heard by the high court.

Senators voted 54-45 to confirm the nomination of 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch to succeed the late Associate Justice Antonin Scalia with three Democrats joining all of the Republicans in the chamber in support of President Donald Trump’s nominee. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who is still recovering from two back surgeries in the past 45 days, did not vote.

The “Red State Democrats” who voted for Gorsuch’s confirmation were:

• Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.)
• Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.)
• Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)

Vice President Mike Pence took up his constitutional duty as the Senate’s presiding officer prior to the vote. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) spoke briefly before the vote, as well, stating:

I opened our Judiciary Committee hearing with this. As Justice Scalia said, it is ‘the proud boast of our democracy that we have a government of laws and not men … Without a secure structure of separated powers, our Bill of Rights would be worthless.’

The separation of powers in our Constitution is the guardian of our liberty. Judge Gorsuch understands that. His deep understanding of the separation of powers enlivens his opinions. 

By faithfully enforcing the boundaries among branches of the government and the power of the federal government in our lives, this justice will ensure that the law protects our liberties.

And here’s the other thing that’s important about a judge who respects the separation of powers. We know he’ll be independent. He told us that he’s his own man, that no man speaks for him.  He’s not beholden to the president who appointed him. 

And his testimony shows that he’s not beholden to us, either. He wouldn’t compromise his independence to win confirmation votes. He passed the test. This is a man of integrity.

And his qualifications for the bench are exceptional. You know the story. Columbia University, Harvard Law School, Oxford University. Partnership at a prestigious law firm and high-level Justice Department service. And most importantly, a decade-long record of faithfully applying the law on the federal bench in 2,700 cases.

This brilliant, honest, humble man is a judge’s judge.  And he will make a superb justice.

Once he is sworn in, Gorsuch will immediately be able to issue opinions on cases before the Supreme Court. With the court potentially deadlocked during the Scalia vacancy, there is the possibility some cases already heard by the other eight members may be reheard with Gorsuch present—such a move would indicate the court faced a 4-4 tie without his vote.

But the next high court battle could already be brewing. The rumors in Washington, D.C., are building that Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy—who was one of Gorsuch’s mentors—is ready to retire and could do so at the conclusion of the current term in June or July.

Kennedy is, arguably, the court’s “swing vote,” and replacing him with another conservative like Gorsuch would swing its balance for many years to come. By forcing the Republicans to invoke the so-called “Nuclear Option” on Gorsuch’s nomination, however, Democrats have little means to put up much of a parliamentary fight as long as the GOP controls both the White House and the Senate. {eoa}

We hear it all the time: “Words matter.” And of course, that’s true. But so do actions.

Andrew Carnegie put it like this, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

It’s hard to trust someone who consistently doesn’t follow through on what they say. 

So better not to say anything at all unless we really plan to follow through. Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

Whether we’re a husband, father, boss, laborer, pastor, teacher, coach or political leader, the words that matter most are the ones we back up with actions. 

Reputations rise and fall on whether or not we “keep” or words. As Elvis Presley pleaded, “A little less conversation, a little more action please.” {eoa}

Patrick Morley is the founder of Man in the Mirror Ministries.

This article originally appeared at .

Millions of people are hooked, emotionally dependent on food. I remember when it finally hit me: I was addicted to food. Very honestly, it was very hard for me to say, “I am addicted to food.”

Food addiction is a habit you develop over many years. You have thoughts and behaviors connected to this habit. I made a decision that I was never going to try the world’s way of dieting again and asked the Lord for help in this area of my life. I heard that still, small voice say, “Break the habit!” I didn’t realize how hard that was going to be. Now, two years later, the habit is gone, and I have lost 80 pounds which I do not plan to find.

I have “taste and see that the Lord is good” (See Ps. 34:8). The food trap has nothing to do with weight—whether you are overweight or underweight. The food trap is when you allow food to be an emotional pickup. You love the way it tastes, how it makes you feel, but hate what it does to your body and how it controls you.

When you eat for emotional pickup, it then becomes the weight that so easily ensnares you.

“… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1b). 

Food is a natural source for deception and dependency.  We must have food to survive and thrive; we are physically dependent on food. God created us to need food and to enjoy the taste of food. Food becomes a trap when it is used as a substitute for comfort.  It becomes a roller- coaster ride of emotions, a love-hate relationship. Its obsession fills your thoughts and actions and robs you of your self-esteem, holds you captive and has life-damaging consequences. How much power have you given food over you?

Habits can be broken, and as children of God, we have a Counselor, the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).  Job said, “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). Hosea 4:6a tells us, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge …”   We need to start by humbling ourselves, admitting that we can’t do it alone and that we need God’s help.  Ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your understanding. Study nutrition and how different foods affect your body and control that “feel good” part of the brain. Remember, you are breaking a habit that has taken years to form, so rest in the Lord, be faithful and diligent in your relationship with God, be transformed by renewing your mind and your body will follow. As the food habit is broken, the weight falls away!

Food has served the devil well since the Garden of Eden, when he used food as a temptation for the fall of mankind.  Why should we be surprised he is still using food today to keep the child of God from walking in the joy and peace that belong to him or her through Jesus Christ?

Until you face the fact that addictions are rooted in a spiritual problem, you will stay on the roller coaster, fighting the battle of the bulge. There is a power greater than your taste buds!  

After I surrendered my food addiction causing my weight problem to God, He gave me a battle plan that started on the inside and worked 80 pounds from my body!

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.  ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be brought under the power of anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). {eoa}

Joyce Tilney is author of Why Diets Don’t Work – Food Is not the Problem. Visit for more information about her walk in breaking this addiction. Joyce is founder of Women of God Ministries, teaching women today, from women of yesterday. Visit: for more information.

How many times have we heard this statement, especially when someone is speaking to a brand-new believer? I know I have heard it 100 if not thousands of times since I first came to know that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah. Yet, you can search through the entire Bible and you will not find one place where we are told to forgive ourselves.

We are told to forgive others in the Tanakh (Old Testament). We read over and over about G-D forgiving His people, and we even read about His people forgiving others. But we don’t find a verse that commands us to forgive ourselves. When we look into the Brit Chadashah (New Testament), again we find many examples of instructions and commandments that tell us to forgive others, but again not one example of a verse that would command us to forgive ourselves.

Someone might ask, “Why is this important?” and, “What does it matter? After all, when a person forgives themselves don’t they feel better afterwards?” and, “Isn’t forgiving yourself a way to free yourself from the baggage and sins of your past?” The truth is no: Forgiving yourself does not do any of those things. What actually does those things is our understanding the forgiveness of G-D and accepting that He has forgiven us from all our sins.

When we insist on forgiving ourselves, we actually place ourselves in a position to say, “I know G-D forgives me, but that forgiveness is not fully mine until I also forgive myself.” This does two things. One, it makes G-D’s forgiveness incomplete, and two, it actually places our role in forgiveness above the role of G-D’s. His forgiveness becomes reliant and effective only if we then ratify or sign off on it, as if we were G-D’s supervisor.

The truth is that G-D has, through the atonement of Messiah Yeshua, provided forgiveness for all sins of all people, regardless of whether people accept that they have had complete forgiveness provided for them or not. Our role is to accept the gift of forgiveness and then live our lives as new creations.

“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

We read the following in Luke 7:47 about the woman who anointed Yeshua’s feet: “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.”

Notice that Yeshua said her sins, “which are many,” have been forgiven. He did not then instruct her that, in order for her to walk in that forgiveness, she would need to forgive herself.

While some might think this is a “solution in search of a problem,” the reality is whenever men assume authority that belongs to G-D, it is a problem and that problem always ends up with false doctrines and ultimately idolatry.

“They turned the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 1:25).

Simply stated, we, as believers in Yeshua, need only to understand the forgiveness that was provided by His substitutionary sacrifice and accept that forgiveness is ours. Now to work on the forgiveness that is our responsibility,

We are closer to the start of World War 3 than we have been in decades.

In Part 3 of this series of articles, I discussed the fact that President Trump’s team was preparing a “military response” in Syria and that a “coalition” is being formed to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. The missiles have started flying. Cruise missiles from a U.S. Navy vessel in the Mediterranean Sea have hit multiple targets inside Syria, and many fear that what we have just witnessed could be the beginning of a broader conflict.

Trump should not have done this, because according to the U.S. Constitution the president needs the approval of Congress to go to war. Fortunately, there are still a few members of Congress that still care about the Constitution and that are bold enough to point out this fact. One of those members of Congress is U.S. Senator Rand Paul:

Earlier on Thursday, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) announced he would oppose any military action without a vote in Congress.

“The President, if he decides to do something in Syria, he would come to Congress and ask for a declaration of war. Short of Congress voting on it, I’m opposed to illegal and unconstitutional wars,” Paul told Fox News radio show Kilmeade and Friends.

Now that the missiles have started flying, it may be too late to stop this war from happening.

But that does not mean that we shouldn’t try to stop it. Now is the time to raise our voices and to let Donald Trump know that we do not want this war.

And what is especially tragic about all of this is that Donald Trump is taking us to war because of a misunderstanding. Rand Paul’s father, former presidential candidate Ron Paul, is among many that believe that there was “zero chance” that Assad would have deliberately used chemical weapons against those innocent people:

Pointing out that the prospect of peace in Syria was moving closer before the attack, with ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the run, Paul said the attack made no sense.

“It looks like maybe somebody didn’t like that so there had to be an episode,” said Paul, asking, “who benefits?”

“It doesn’t make any sense for Assad under these conditions to all of a sudden use poison gases—I think there’s zero chance he would have done this deliberately,” said Paul.

As I discussed in Part 1 of this series, the incident in Syria’s Idlib province on Tuesday was almost certainly a false flag attack that was designed to pull the United States and other western powers into the war.

And since I wrote that article, more evidence that this was a false flag attack has continued to emerge:

Evidence which has emerged in the aftermath of the attack at Khan Sheikhoun indicates that not only was the nature of the attack misreported by the media, but that certain individuals on the ground in Syria may have had foreknowledge of the attack up to several days before it happened. On April 3rd, 2017, an anti-Assad journalist tweeted that the next day he would be launching a media campaign to cover airstrikes on the Hama countryside, including the use of chemical weapons. It is not clear how the reporter was able to know that chemical weapons would be used an entire day before the attacks occurred.

Observers further noted that on April 1st, 2017, a doctor on the ground in Khan Sheikhoun, Dr. Shajul Islam, had received several shipments of gas masks in the days running up to the chemical incident. The revelations on Twitter fueled speculation that opposition figures were aware of the chemical attack days before it actually happened, contesting the narrative that the Syrian government was responsible. Daily Mail has reported that Dr. Shajul Islam was at one point sought by the British government in connection with the abduction of two journalists in Syria, and security services have stated that Islam and his brother may have had ties to ISIS executioner “Jihadi John.”

In addition, it is very interesting to note that the “White Helmets” were ready and waiting with their cameras to film the attack when it happened. The White Helmets are funded by George Soros and they have been closely affiliated with al-Qaeda in the past. They very much want to see Assad removed from power, and so they would greatly benefit from the U.S. getting involved in the war in Syria.

And let us not forget that it turned out that Assad had absolutely nothing to do with the infamous “chemical attack” that he originally got the blame for in 2013:

The narrative for the August 2013 attack in Ghouta, which Barack Obama cited as the pretext for a long-awaited U.S. attack on government targets in aid of jihadist rebels, completely collapsed after it emerged that the casualties were the result of an accident caused by rebels mishandling chemical weapons provided to them by Saudi Arabia.

The United Nations’ Carla Del Ponte also said that evidence suggested rebels had used sarin nerve gas.

As journalist Seymour Hersh reported in December 2013, intelligence officials told him that the entire narrative was a “ruse” and that “the attack was not the result of the current regime.”

If Donald Trump would have just waited until all the facts were known, it is quite likely he would have seen that there was absolutely no need to attack Syria at all. This is something that I discussed on “The Alex Jones Show” on Thursday, and hopefully we can spread this information far and wide before it is too late.

Because if the U.S. does something very foolish in Syria, there is a very real possibility that it could actually cause World War 3 to erupt. I included the following quote in Part 3 of this series, but I want to share it again because it shows how much is at stake. According to The Intercept, one of the military options that has been presented to Trump is a “saturation strike” that would result “in Russian military deaths”:

The proposed strike would involve launching Tomahawk cruise missiles to overwhelm Russian air defense systems used by the Syrian military. The Russian government currently helps maintain the air defense sites and advises the Syrian military.

According to both U.S. military officials, the current proposal would likely result in Russian military deaths and mark a drastic escalation of U.S. force in Syria.

One U.S. military official said the decision to allow the strikes, which would kill Russians, signals a significant change in policy by the Trump administration. A decision by Trump to go forward with the plan would be a reversal from the Obama administration, which denied multiple air strike proposals that would likely cause Russian personnel casualties in Syria.

I cannot even begin to describe how foolish it would be for Trump to make such a move.

Hopefully Trump will stop listening so much to his generals and will begin to listen to some common sense.

When Obama was considering military action against Syria in 2013, Trump strongly urged him not to do it.

In one September 5, 2013 all-caps rant, Trump tweeted, “AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA – IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!”

“Don’t attack Syria – an attack that will bring nothing but trouble for the U.S. Focus on making our country strong and great again!” Trump tweeted four days later.

During the presidential campaign, Trump also bashed Hillary Clinton for her disastrous foreign policy, tweeting, “Crooked Hillary Clintons foreign interventions unleashed ISIS in Syria, Iraq and Libya. She is reckless and dangerous!”

Trump was right on the money when he originally said those things, and hopefully he will go back and read those tweets and take his own advice.

We live at a time when the world is becoming increasingly unstable, and many of the things that I have been warning about for a very long time are starting to come to pass.

Nothing good is going to come out of an attack on Syria. Other than “looking tough”, there is nothing to be gained for the United States, but there is so much that could go tragically wrong.

In 2013, the American people very loudly let Barack Obama know that they did not want a war with Syria.

If we want to stop a war with Syria in 2017, we need to be even louder than last time, because President Trump seems determined to act very quickly.

So if you do not want us to go to war with Syria, raise your voice right now, because tomorrow might be too late. {eoa}

The major problem that President Trump faces in foreign policy and national defense is not Russia, the Red Chinese or even ISIS and the Muslim culture of jihad—it is the many Obama-era advisers and appointees that he has kept on, and in some cases even promoted, that are leading him into the same Obama-style disasters that he campaigned against when he was running for president.

Last night President Trump order as many as 60 cruise missiles to strike a Syrian government-held airbase. According to The Wall Street Journal the strikes represented the first time a U.S. military operation deliberately targeted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Mr. Trump is being pushed and encouraged by the same Republican neo-con cabal in Congress, led by Senator John McCain, that provided aircover to Obama when he tiptoed into another Near East war of choice in Syria.

What prompted the latest push for more American involvement in Syria came earlier this week as activist groups blamed Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian government for a Tuesday attack in northern Syria in which dozens of people were killed, including according to CNN, at least 10 children, and more than 200 individuals were injured, because of asphyxiation caused by exposure to an unknown gas or chemical agent.

After the attack, Senator McCain—a vocal critic of President Trump’s foreign policy—ripped into the president, saying he needs to speak out against Assad and promise that Assad’s allies will pay a price for their actions against the Syrian people.

“I want to hear him [Trump] say we’re going to arm the free Syrian army,” he said. “We’re going to dedicate ourselves to the removal of Bashar al-Assad. We’re going to have the Russians pay a price for their engagement. All players here are going to have to pay a penalty and the United States of America is going to be on the side of people who fight for freedom.”

Never mind that the “Free Syrian Army” is largely a figment of McCain’s fevered imagination.

In July of 2015 Obama’s Defense Secretary Ashton Carter admitted that only 60 so-called “moderate” Syrian rebels were then being trained by the U.S. in the $500 million program that had been slated to put 3,000 fighters into the field against ISIS by the end of that year.

Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he regretted disclosing that the number was so low but “I wanted to tell the truth. The number 60, as you all recognize, is not an impressive number. The number is much smaller than we hoped for at this point.”

The $500 million Syrian training program authorized by Congress was intended to train and equip up to 5,400 fighters annually, with about 3,000 projected to be ready by the end of 2015.

In September of 2015, the testimony of Centcom commander, General Lloyd Austin, revealed that the U.S. plan to train thousands of Syrian opposition soldiers had cost half a billion dollars and resulted in “four or five” trained people on the battlefield.

Most of the trainees McCain thinks constitute a “Free Syrian Army” were killed in their first contact with the enemy or went over to the jihadi forces aligned with the Islamic State.

However, in response to the goading of McCain and others President Trump said the Syrian regime’s apparent use of chemical weapons against its own citizens “crossed a lot of lines” for him; “These heinous actions by the Assad regime cannot be tolerated,” he said, hinting that some military response was being contemplated.

In announcing the strike on the airbase “It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons,” Mr. Trump said. “There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons.”

The problem is we’ve heard very similar words from President Obama, and after spending billions of dollars in a war of choice in Syria, nothing effective came of them, even though the Obama administration knew exactly where the Syrian chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs are located.

In August 2013 the Obama White House issued a report, “Government Assessment of the Syrian Government’s Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013” saying:

The Syrian regime maintains a stockpile of numerous chemical agents, including mustard, sarin and VX and has thousands of munitions that can be used to deliver chemical warfare agents.

Syrian President Bashar al-Asad is the ultimate decision maker for the chemical weapons program and members of the program are carefully vetted to ensure security and loyalty. The Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC)—which is subordinate to the Syrian Ministry of Defense—manages Syria’s chemical weapons program.

Obama knew where the SSRC is, and never hit it. President Trump’s team knows exactly where the SSRC is—why didn’t they take it out?

We suggest it is because too many of the people who advised Obama are now advising President Trump.

We have long been opposed to further entanglement in Obama’s war of choice in Syria, both because we saw no American national interest in the Syrian civil war and because we tend to believe what James Madison said about war.*

However, if President Trump truly believes eliminating the Syrian chemical weapons program is in the national interest of the United States, he should take out the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center where they are made and managed. Anything short of that is merely continuing the fantasies of John McCain and the halfhearted measures and follies of Barack Obama.

*Of all the enemies of true liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instrument for bringing the many under the domination of the few. {eoa}

George Rasley is editor of Richard Viguerie’s . A veteran of over 300 political campaigns, he served on the staff of Vice President Dan Quayle and as spokesman for now-Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mac Thornberry. He has served as a staff member or consultant to some of America’s most recognized conservative political figures. He is a member of American MENSA and studied international relations at Worcester College, Oxford.

This article was originally published at . Used with permission.

God’s Calendar Contains Divine Appointments

I have a calendar on which I write down my many diverse appointments. Because I am a widower, at the beginning of every New Year, the first dates that go on my calendar are the birthdays of my four adult kids. But the four quickly became eight, as they all got married within a three-year time frame. So now I have eight appointments. Oh, mercy, those eight have now quickly become 14 and counting, with grandchildren being added.

My calendar is full of these special appointments—and I would not miss one of them. These are times to celebrate life. I attempt to be prompt, prepared—and even bring gifts!

I approach my appointments on God’s calendar in the same manner. I agree with God’s Word, declaring that I am a chosen watchman. I show up expectant, ever-ready and prepared to pray.

In my annual planning, I set apart many of the prayer rallies across the nation and world. For instance, I reserve the first Thursday in May every year for the National Day of Prayer—done. It is on my calendar, and I will participate. The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem on the first Sunday in October—check mark. The Global Day of Prayer on the Day of Pentecost—I always set that date aside.

How about the Day of Atonement and Passover? Yes, I observe the major Jewish Feasts in some manner every year. These are hallowed days of worship and prayer unto the Lamb.! For me, this too is a form of being a watchman on the walls.

Each of us has been chosen to be a watchman of the Lord in this generation. It is a calling. An assignment. And in whatever ways God calls you to pray, it should be a very strategic appointment on your calendar. We get an indication of the importance of our assignments in this exhortation from Isaiah 62:6-7: “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night. You who remind the Lord, do not keep silent; give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a glory in the earth.”

Our Biblical Mandate

The Greek word for watch is grégoreó, which means “to be awake or “vigilant.” Dictionaries bring us a variety of definitions, including “keeping awake in order to guard,” “a close observation,” “to be on the alert” and “to be alert.”

Over the years, I have heard a lot of teachings on what will happen in the last days, most of it rather fear-based—such as storing up food, being prepared to protect yourself, and taking your money out of the bank. I rarely hear faith-building, edifying teaching concerning the believer’s biblical response to those times. I am not saying that we shouldn’t be prepared for difficult times, but I’ve read in God’s Word, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23b).

So I continue to seek the Lord and ask to learn His will and His ways. I continue to search for the biblical response of wisdom and faith mingled together. Throughout my journey, I have discovered that Jesus had a lot to say about this subject. In fact, Jesus taught His disciples to “Watch and pray” (Matt. 26:41a).

What did Jesus say about how to live in the last days? Watch! (See Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.) I found that the word “watch” occurs 11 times in these three Gospels.

Wherever we are on God’s timeline, we, as Jesus’ disciples, have His command to watch with Him. The beloved Apostle Paul echoed Jesus’ mandate: “Continue in prayer, and be watchful with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2). One key in this is to walk in a sustained state of watching with prayer, even in the late-night shifts. Do it with thanksgiving. Or how about adding a little bit of praise? That is sure to keep you going.

My Personal History

This has been the case in my personal prayer life. For years, the Holy Spirit awakened me at 2:00 a.m. I would get up, go out to my living room, and sit in God’s presence for a couple of hours. I did this for 20 straight years. Yes, it was a sacrifice. And yes, it became a delight!

I learned that if I do what God wants me to do (watch and pray), I will be successful in what I want to do (sleep.) Quite frankly, this is how dreams and visions were unfolded to me. Quietness is the incubation bed of revelation. So visions came when I sat quietly with Him, and dreams came when I went back to bed, resting in a sweet sleep.

As my understanding and experience grew, I found that I was watching, being on the alert and responding in prayer to whatever the Holy Spirit wanted to reveal to me. Like a nursing mother doing the night feeding, I cared for and nurtured the burden of the Lord. Whatever was on His heart was on my heart. I was carrying His prayer concerns. These became lessons in not just praying to God, but praying with God. After all, Jesus ever lives to makes intercession (see Heb. 7:25).

Eventually I learned that watching is to sleeping as fasting is to eating. That revelation gave me perspective. It is a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. So as I continued my study, I found the phrase “watch and pray” in Matthew 26:41, Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak, and the very similar Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

That statement is so true. My flesh is so weak and wants to check out. But hold on—as we look further, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Through watching and praying, I receive grace to avoid temptation and maintain a pure walk with the Lord throughout the day.

Specific Watches in Scripture

There are 24 hours in a day—and biblical watches were divided into three-hour segments. The following list includes only a few phrases used in the Word of God regarding various watches:

• Exodus 14:24: Last watch of the night (the morning watch)
• Psalm 130:5–6: Waiting for the morning
• Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48: The fourth watch
• Acts 3:1: The hour of prayer; 3:00 p.m.—the ninth hour
• Daniel 6:10: Three times daily—Daniel’s custom
• Psalm 55:17: Three times daily—David’s prayers (evening, morning and noon).

We, too, can observe different types of watches in prayer at various times. Could it be that these diverse strategic watches are appointed for specific people to keep? Yes! And often when people feel called to a prayer watch, each carries a specific theme.

One might be a devotional prayer watch. Another could be a time of revival intercession, reminding God of His promises and appointments not yet fulfilled. Another might be a spiritual warfare watch. Many people feel called to a governmental prayer watch or a crisis-intervention watch. Some people set aside time for prophetic intercession. I always include an Israel prayer watch, and one for evangelism when I pray to “the Lord of the harvest, that He will send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:38). God is creative, and there is variety in these watches and prayer applications. I love the diversity in the body of Christ and the way He gives various burdens or assignments to His “watchmen on the walls.”

Growth in the Prayer Movement

God seems to be strategically calling His people to prayer watches as never before. A little more than a decade ago, there were only a handful of Houses of Prayer in North America. Today, there are more than 10,000 Houses of Prayer that combine worship and distinct prayer themes in their diverse watches.

In the United States, numerous statewide solemn assemblies of prayer and fasting come under the umbrellas of The Response, Awakening America Alliance, OneCry, National Day of Prayer, Intercessors for America, The Jericho Center directed by Dick Eastman and many other ministries.

Then add the diversity of ministries such as The Call with Lou Engle, Reformation Prayer Network with Cindy Jacobs, Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network with John Benefield, the International House of Prayer – Kansas City with pioneer Mike Bickle and our very own Prayer Storm with Jon and Jolene Hamill, where every prayer matters. In the Nashville, Tennessee area, we have a regional prayer network called Worship City Prayer. In addition to the few I have mentioned, there are also hundreds and possibly thousands of local churches in the nation with prayer calls and prayer rallies.

This is good news for prayer warriors. There are new recruits constantly being trained. It is a new day with renewed momentum in the global worship and prayer movement.

A Personal Invitation to Make History

I grew up hearing different versions of this statement: “When God is about to do a mighty new thing, He always sets His people praying.” If this is true, then the growing numbers of watchmen on the walls today are leading us to the brink of another Great Awakening.

God is choosing and appointing watchmen to make history before the throne of Almighty God. I don’t plan to miss that appointment. I encourage you not to miss your opportunity either.

Surrender to the Lord to be a valiant prayer warrior, seizing your appointment. Decide today that you will enlist—or possibly reenlist—as a spiritual watchman for the purposes of God in your generation. What a destiny and high calling! {eoa}

Famed Christian artist Carman Licciardello is pleading for prayers after a giant tumor appeared.  

“After 40 years, I think I know a well timed attack when I see one. I’m about to go into the studio and start recording a song about my cancer healing testimony but I needed a routine check up first,” Carman shared on Facebook recently. 

The contemporary Christian music star was diagnosed with myeloma in February 2013. Myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells, is deadly. Doctors gave him three to four years to live. But Carman, who has recorded 15 gold and platinum albums and videos and has sold more than 10 million records, refused to go down without an all-out war. 

Doctors pronounced him free of cancer in 2016.  

“The doctor discovered, on my shoulder, a tumor the size of a golf ball. Now I need surgery to remove it for a biopsy. It’s just the timing lines up with the end of my remission cycle. Maybe this could be my last recording. I just don’t know at this point. Anytime I’ve been in this situation I’ve come to you all for prayer and things turned around. Well this is one of those times again,” Carman said in late March.  

“So my faith is being challenged. Faith to finish this record and finish my course. I’m sure the enemy of my soul wants it cut short. So I’m asking for your love and prayers. The past couple years I’ve been able to lead over 5,000 people to Christ and in my heart I feel like there’s a few more I still need to get to. Your prayers are effective and powerful and I’m asking for them today. Please share this with a friend. I believe someday the end of my journey will indeed come. … but not yet. There’s still a bit more work to do,” his Facebook post continued. {eoa}

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered two U.S. Navy destroyers launched nearly 60 cruise missiles at a Syrian Air Force base. 

It is believed officials at this very base launched a devastating chemical attack against their own people. 

As the world deals with the aftermath, faith leaders sound off on what this attack could mean for our future as Americans—and Christians.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council: 

While we at the NHCLC are extremely reluctant to endorse the use of America’s military might to solve international disputes, the revelation that Bashar al-Assad’s has used chemical weapons against his own people represents an especially horrific case and one that demands an international response. We therefore support this strategic and targeted military action taken by the Trump Administration.

The world community cannot sit idly by while brutal dictators like Bashar al-Assad are allowed to terrorize their own people and defying every international law and convention in the process. Our continued inaction would be our complicity. Too many lines have been crossed and too many lives lost. Meanwhile terrorists have seized upon the region’s instability, using it to wage jihad and deploy terrorists around the world, including to Europe and the United States. Thankfully, it seems the days of allowing such atrocities to be left unchecked are over.

Our prayers are with the Syrian people, that this long nightmare might soon be over. And our prayers are with our government and military leaders, that they would have strength and wisdom moving forward. And lastly, we pray for international leaders around the world, that they would join the effort in bringing stability to Syria and safety to her people. 

Marco Rubio, Florida senator and former Republican primary candidate:

Be sure of this: “The wicked will not go unpunished” Proverbs 11:21 #SyriaChemicalAttack 

Greg Laurie, Harvest Crusade evangelist:

The United States of America has struck an air base in Syria with Tomahawk and cruise missiles. This air base was the staging point for the deadly Syrian sarin attacks. President Trump, commenting on the horrific attacks of the Syrian government on it’s [sic] own people, including women and children, said, ‘No child of God should ever suffer such horror.’ Pray for our leaders and military and the innocent victims of Syria! May God protect and bless the United States of America.

Franklin Graham, evangelist, founder of Samaritan’s Purse:

Join me in praying for our nation and the innocent people in Syria suffering as a result of this awful civil war. Ask God to give wisdom to President Donald J. Trump and leaders in the Middle East to bring resolutions to the conflict, and pray that this will not escalate any further. 

Cindy Jacobs, prophet:

Praying for peace tonight. Asking God that the situation in Syria not escalate.

Joel C. Richardson, end-times expert and prolific author:

The president should be commended for moving fast and hitting hard.

Now the big question: What will the president do next? Is this a one-off attack, or will the president order a series of attacks? What are the president’s goals in Syria? He should destroy Syria’s airfields and air force. He should create safe zones where Syrians can be protected from chemical weapons attacks and other attacks. And he must prove that he will hit Assad with tremendous force so no leader or terrorist believes they can use weapons of mass destruction with impunity.

It’s not just about Syria—the president sent a powerful message last night to Putin, the ayatollahs in Iran, the North Koreans and other American enemies and opponents. But there must be follow-up and a clear, coherent and focused strategy.

Expect the Israeli military to be on high alert for possible reprisal attacks.

I expect our key Sunni Arab allies—notably Egypt, Jordan, the Saudis and most of the Gulf states—to fully and publicly support President Trump’s actions.

Let’s be praying for the president and his national security advisers, for U.S. military forces around the world and particularly in the Middle East and for the suffering people of Syria.

Billy Hallowell, Faithwire editor, author of Fault Line

The Syrian conflict has been long, complicated and tragic for those individuals and families caught up in the chaos. President Donald Trump’s move to strike a Syrian base comes after an unacceptable, horribly tragic and deadly attack on Syrian citizens, including children. Many in Congress have heralded Trump’s act, though it’s abundantly clear that considerations and a plan forward must be thoughtfully forged if the U.S. wishes to stem the tide of chaos. Regardless of where people stand on the issue, Christians must unite in prayer for America’s leaders and for the situation at large. 

Dave Williams, author of Hope In the Last Days

“See, Damascus will cease from being a city; it shall be a ruinous heap” (Is. 17:1). 

This end-time prophecy from Isaiah has never yet been fulfilled, but looks likely to become a reality in the days just ahead. The United States’ air strike on the Syrian airbase may be just a preview of what’s coming to Damascus. We need to seriously intercede for our Christian brothers and sisters trapped in Syria, as they fear the rebels (the ones the USA are arming) more than they fear the killer President Bashar al-Assad.

With Russian and Iranian troops on the southern border of Syria now, just a mile from the border of Israel, the stage is being set for Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 to occur. It could be just on the horizon. Gather all intercessors and pray now! And, believers, look up and lift up your heads, for your deliverance is drawing near! (Luke 21:28; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:16-18).

Steve Stirling, president and CEO of MAP International: 

This week’s events in Syria bring into greater focus the terrible situation facing the people in Syria. MAP International is working with its partners on the ground in Jordan and is evaluating the need for additional assistance to all those impacted by the ongoing crisis. In March, MAP International airlifted 1,000 personal hygiene kits to Jordan in support of Syrian refugees. These relief supplies followed a shipment of critical medicines and health supplies provided in January 2017. The organization, which has been responding to the Syrian refugee crisis since 2013, has provided more than $2 million in critical medicines to partner organizations working on the ground in the region. Our hearts break for the many who are suffering, and we ask you to join us in praying for the people of Syria. 

Larry Tomczak, cultural commentator:

April 7 at noon, our ministry of Intercessors for America will gather 1,000 intercessors on this First Friday for nationwide prayer, fasting and interaction with a top government leader who will inform us so we can pray intelligently about this situation. As Christians, we should be greatly encouraged by the Trump news conference during the night because our president not only spoke with God’s authority but made reference to God and prayer unashamedly. May we follow his example and continue to lift up our leaders in this critical situation as we’re directed in 1 Timothy 2.

Daniel K. Norris, revivalist and author:

We are at a pivotal time where America has the opportunity to repent for our past transgressions concerning our recent dealings in the Middle East especially as it affects Israel. I truly believe God has extended grace to our nation to redress policies that were anti-Israel and created the environment for regimes like Assad to continue and even strengthen. 

Last time Syria crossed the “Red Line,” we turned a blind eye. Heaven watched as did the world. America was weakened, Russia, Iran and Syria were emboldened and Israel was threatened. 

The swift, decisive action of the U.S. this time has made a strong statement. A statement that was quickly affirmed by Netanyahu. 

No doubt if we were under a Clinton administration, the status quo would have continued. 

We must pray for divine wisdom to be upon our president and his advisers. These are dangerous days, but no less dangerous than before. Thankfully America’s present posture is one that the world desperately needs in times like these. 

This story will be updated throughout the day. Please check back for more comments! {eoa}