The Syrian regime has used lethal chemical weapons, mostly sarin gas, against armed rebels several times in the past few weeks, and is continuing to do so, the head of the Israel Defense Forces Military Intelligence Research Branch, Brig. Gen. ltay Baron, said on Monday.

Baron said that photographs showing victims with foam coming out of their mouths and contracted pupils were signs that deadly gas had been used.

Speaking at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Baron confirmed that “to the best of its [the IDF’s] knowledge,” weapons of mass destruction had definitely been used by the Syrian regime, a development which the United States and others say they are still trying to determine.

In his briefing, Baron said the lack of an “appropriate international response” to the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons was “very worrying” and was leading Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his forces to believe that there were no consequences to their use of WMDs.

“It could signal to them that their use of chemical weapons is legitimate,” Baron said.

Last week, U.S. officials said that American intelligence officials were looking into the possibility that chemical weapons may have been used in Syria in a limited form, although there is no consensus yet and additional analysis is required. President Barack Obama has defined use of chemical weapons as a “red line” that would trigger unspecified U.S. action.

Baron said 1,000 people were killed on average in Syria every week, and that since the uprising began some two years ago the death total has reached 70,000, with some 1 million displaced Syrians.

“There are more than 1000 tons of chemical weapons in Syria, plus missiles with warheads. It is a massive arsenal. The regime has already made use of some of these weapons. The fact that there has already been use of chemical weapons without an appropriate international response is very worrying. The possibility that non-state actors, who do not make the same cost-benefit calculations as states do, get their hands on these weapons is also very worrying,” Baron said.

Baron added that Russia was supporting Assad by delivering to his forces sophisticated air defense systems like the SA-17 anti-aircraft missile battery.

Baron’s comments were preceded a day earlier by strong statements from Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz.

“Strangely, there is considerable Russian support for the Assad regime,” Gantz said at the INSS on Monday.

“Assad is losing control and destabilizing elements are growing. Iran and Hezbollah are in up to their necks and higher in an effort to preserve … the Assad regime and in preparations for the day after [Assad falls].”

Gantz warned that four decades of quiet along the Israel-Syria border in the Golan Heights could be in danger. He said the civil war in Syria could result in “chaos,” with violence turning toward Israel.

Baron, in his Monday briefing, said it was quite likely that Syria would fragment as a state into differing and unstable parts, a possibility that would present serious challenges to Israeli security.

There have been a number of recent incidents of cross-border fire from Syria into Israel, some intentional and some accidental. In several of the incidents, the IDF responded by the targeting the sources of the fire.

Speaking about the Gaza Strip, Gantz said Israel would not accept a return to the reality that existed before Operation Pillar of Defense last November. He said the IDF would not hesitate to act to re-establish deterrence against Gaza terrorist groups, if necessary.

On the situation in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Gantz said he hoped Egypt would continue its recent efforts to thwart the smuggling of weapons into Gaza and restore security in the Sinai region.

“I hope Egypt will become a more stable place and that what took place as a political change won’t turn into a security challenge for us,” Gantz said, referring to political developments in Egypt in recent years.

Gantz called for continued international pressure on Iran over its nuclear program and its global terror activities. He said Iran was continuing to take advantage of talks with international powers to further develop its nuclear program.

For the original article, visit .

Something remarkable happened to a man named Joshua outside a city called Jericho. What happened to him needs to happen to us.

He became the leader of the Israelites after Moses died. In Joshua 1:3, God promised Joshua that when he led the people across the Jordan River, He would give Joshua every place he set his foot. Three days later, God dried up the Jordan for his people to cross over.

All of the Amorite kings and Canaanite kings heard how God was leading His people, and they just folded. They didn’t have the courage to face God’s people. Everything was going great for the people—until they came to Jericho and literally hit a wall.

Jericho was strong and fortified with huge walls all around the city. Joshua had a promise from God that the land was theirs, but the people of Jericho were not going to just hand it over. They chose to stand their ground inside what they believed was an impenetrable fortress.

Here’s what happened to Joshua that changed everything:

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’

“‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’

“The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” (Josh. 5:13-15, NIV)

… Then the walls of Jericho would collapse.

It was right after this that God gave Joshua the plan to defeat Jericho. The people were to march around the city—one lap a day for six days. On the seventh day, they were to make seven laps with the priests blowing on rams’ horn trumpets. At the end of the seventh lap, they would blow a long blast on the trumpets, which would be everyone’s cue to shout. Then the walls of Jericho would collapse.

That was some plan! It made no sense from a military perspective. But it was God’s plan, and Joshua knew it.

Joshua literally removed his shoes that day. He was barefoot. This said volumes about his understanding not only of who God is but also of who God was to him. By removing his shoes, Joshua was saying, “If this battle is going to be won, it will not be determined by our military equipment, as good as it may be. It will not be determined by our military strategy and expertise, as smart as we may be. If this battle is going to be won, it will not be determined by our strength, our endurance or our numbers. If this battle is going to be won, it will be won by God’s power! His strength! His Spirit!”

Take Off Your Shoes

It’s only then that we can see things from God’s perspective and recognize His plans. It’s about dying to yourself. It’s about relinquishing control and accepting the fact that you are not God and you never will be. Taking off your shoes is about tuning in to God’s voice. It’s about humility and vulnerability before God and before others.

Sometimes all of our successes can keep us from being really successful in things that matter the most. We can be too smart for our own good. When we hit a wall and the circumstances of life get dark, instead of taking off our shoes, we lace them up even tighter and try to kick our way through. But the walls are too thick and too tall. We end up experiencing and inflicting more pain. We need to take off our shoes.

When Joshua saw this man with a sword in his hands, his heart must have been beating out of his chest. He immediately asked him to identify himself: “Are you for us or our enemies?” Identify yourself! Whose side are you on?

The man replied, “Neither, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” 

When Joshua heard that, he hit the deck. The Scripture says he fell down “in reverence” and immediately asked, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

There are several things about this event that indicate this man was not an angel. If he had been an angel, he would have told Joshua to get up and not to worship him because he was just an angel. Most Bible scholars believe this man was Jesus. The Bible teaches us that Jesus has always been: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2, NIV).

“The Word” is a name for Jesus. John 1:14 says that one day “the Word became flesh.” That’s the Jesus we know in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But Jesus has always been.

I believe that Joshua got a sneak preview of Jesus.

The reason Jericho fell before Joshua is because Joshua fell before Jesus. But it’s really not important whether you believe that the man standing in front of Joshua that day was actually Jesus. Don’t get distracted by that. The point is that Joshua’s perspective of who God is and his understanding of God’s authority is why he recognized that this moment required total surrender and submission to his Lord. He automatically said, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” That’s where we need to be and what we need to ask.

Take off your shoes and fall before Jesus. It will clarify God’s purpose for your life and define who you are.

Tierce Green is the executive pastor of small groups at Woodlands Church in The Woodlands, Texas, where he speaks to over a thousand men each year in a seasonal gathering called The Quest. He is also a teaching pastor in the bullpen for his senior pastor, Kerry Shook.

For the original article, visit .

Our theology—how we understand God—affects everything, and bad theology will crush you.

I was taught (and believed) that unless I spoke in tongues, I didn’t have the Holy Spirit. I tried and couldn’t, so I doubted my faith. 

I was taught (and believed) that I could determine my income by committing to tithe a certain amount and that then God was obligated to let me earn enough income to pay the tithe. I was on commission at that point, and my income dropped to almost zero.

I was taught (and believed) that I needed to destroy all my music because the devil inhabits matter and I was making my home the devil’s home. I didn’t listen to any music for 15 years.

I was taught (and believed) that miracles ceased with the closing of the New Testament canon. So I explained away the miracles happening all around me. 

Run from any theology that a) explains away what God has said about Himself in Scripture, b) requires something of you beyond the Bible’s teaching or c) puts limits on God that God doesn’t put on Himself. 

And leave some room for mystery. Never want a God you can fully explain.

A report published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has ranked Israel as the second-most educated country in the world. The only country ranked more educated than Israel is Canada.

Other countries ranked within the top 10 list are Japan, the United States, New Zealand, South Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia and Finland. According to 24/7 Wall Street, which analyzed the OECD report, “Israel only joined the OECD in 2010. That year, its GDP per capita was more than $7,000 below the OECD’s average. Despite this, the country’s high school graduation rate was 92 percent in 2010, well above the OECD’s 84 percent average.”

In addition, 45 percent of Israel’s population has a university or college degree, demonstrating how much Israeli society values higher education. As Elie Wiesel, political activist and Nobel laureate, once stated, “I don’t recall a Jewish home without a book on the table.”

Indeed, Israeli universities, such as the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Technion, Ben-Gurion University and Tel Aviv University, are considered not only to be the best in the Middle East, but also world-class institutions, attracting students from around the world.

Additionally, Israel spent 7.2 percent of its GDP on educational institutions in 2009, the sixth-most among all the nations surveyed. This is important, for studies have demonstrated that countries that invest the most in education have the most educated populations.

According to the OECD report, the Ofek Hadash (New Horizon) education reform in Israel has significantly improved the wages of teachers and thus the quality of students’ education. Indeed, the wages of elementary school teachers in Israel increased by 32 percent between 2005 and 2010, while the salary of high school teachers increased by 8 percent during this period. The OECD average for increased salaries for elementary school teachers was 5 percent, while the OECD average was a mere 4 percent for high school teachers.

Educational funding has a strong relationship to how many people pursue higher education, according to OECD chief media officer Matthias Rumpf. Countries with the highest percentage of residents with a college education usually privately invest in education.

In the United States, for example, 28 percent of the funding comes from private sources, while in South Korea, it is over 40 percent. In the U.K., it is 32 percent, while in Australia, it is about 33 percent. In Israel, it stands at 21 percent. Canadian private investment is only slightly higher than Israeli private investment in higher education.

According to the OECD, “Public funding provides a very large part of investment in education, but the role of private sources has become increasingly important. Some stakeholders are concerned that this balance should not become so tilted that it discourages potential students from attending tertiary education. Thus, it is important to examine changes in public/private funding shares to determine if they are influencing patterns and levels of student participation.”

In Israel, students invest privately in their own college education, yet the costs are not so high as to discourage students from studying. Students in Israel don’t usually pay off student loans for decades into the future like American students do.

For the original article, visit .

I hope you all heeded my previous advice and stayed away from the artificial white stuff, and I don’t mean fake snow! I think I’d better back up my animosity towards Splenda with a bit of science as I realize my intoxicated liver may be a unique reaction enjoyed by a select few (in which case, lucky me).

Splenda claims its product has been thoroughly researched; yet not one long-term human study has been conducted to determine any potential health risks. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) gave Splenda the green light after reviewing only a handful of short-term tests, and each of those was conducted on animals, not humans.

Oh, and they were done by a Splenda manufacturer. Maybe they were a little biased?

In test animals, Splenda produced:

• Swollen livers and kidneys (my formerly “fatty” liver fits into this category)
• Shrunken thymus glands
• Reduced growth rates
• Decreased red blood cell count
• Hyperplasia of the pelvis
• Extension of the pregnancy period
• Aborted pregnancy
• Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights
• Diarrhea

It’s far beyond my mental capabilities to comprehend why Splenda and the FDA continue to tout the yellow packets as completely harmless, considering the makers have affixed chlorine, a known poison, onto the natural sucrose molecule not once, not twice, but thrice!

My dad suggested I eliminate all Splenda from my diet, and I immediately did so because he was the one person whose advice I was smart enough to always take. (If a random specialist had given me the same “doctor’s orders,” I can tell you I would’ve rolled my eyes, gone home, and emptied five Splenda packets into a tall glass of iced tea).

In the days following my Splenda withdrawal, my headaches subsided until they were completely gone. I wasn’t getting dizzy anymore, and I was properly digesting all my food. A few months later, I returned to have another blood test, and guess what: my liver enzymes were back to normal.

I try my best to adhere to a 100 percent Splenda-free diet. But, the times I’ve chosen to ignore what I know about its toxicity, I’ve always regretted it. My head starts hurting, my stomach feels bloated, I even get irritable and my sunny disposition turns sour (insert “sweet” pun here).

I guess Splenda is kind of like an ex-boyfriend; it’s more or less a romance that didn’t exactly end amicably. Despite my full awareness that it’s no good for me, I give in to its attractive exterior and comfy familiarity only to have my hopes dashed by a giant headache and annoying stomach cramps.

So, let’s all join hands against going back to ex-boyfriends and ex-artificial sweeteners alike.

Stay fit, stay faithful.

Diana Anderson-Tyler is the author of Creation House’s Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness. Her popular website can be found at , and she is the owner and a coach at CrossFit 925. Diana can be reached on Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

Pediatricians today cautioned young people against participating in a popular dare known as the cinnamon challenge, which involves trying to swallow a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in a minute without drinking water.

Health risks tied to the game—such as breathing problems, lung inflammation and asthma attacks—are relatively rare, they said, but are “unnecessary and avoidable.”

“What we were discovering was that it wasn’t just that this was a dare prompted by peer pressure, but in fact there were acute health issues associated with it and there might be some real concerns for more chronic health issues,” said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, a co-author on the study from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

When a person tries to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without water, it almost always results in choking, Lipshultz told Reuters Health. Then, if the user takes another breath in, cinnamon powder can coat the airways and get stuck in the lungs.

Cinnamon powder is mostly cellulose, which doesn’t degrade in the lungs and has been shown to cause permanent tissue changes that can reduce lung function, according to the authors.

They also called the powder caustic and said it “triggers a severe gag reflex” in response to a burning sensation in the mouth and throat.

Attempts at the cinnamon challenge have increased dramatically in recent years, researchers said, in part as a result of popular Internet videos.

U.S. poison control centers received 222 calls relating to abuse or misuse of cinnamon by teens in 2012, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. During the first half of that year, about 30 people required medical attention due to cinnamon inhalation, the study team wrote in Pediatrics.

Symptoms included coughing, nosebleeds, burning in the throat and vomiting.

Lipshultz said those numbers may just be “the tip of the iceberg,” as poison control centers aren’t always called when someone is taken to the emergency room after attempting the dare.

His group said parents and doctors should talk to kids about those potential harms so that they can know the risks of the cinnamon challenge in the face of peer pressure to participate.

“We all were teenagers and college students at one point and did things we later regretted—most of the time there’s not lingering consequences. The concern here is that may not be the case,” Lipshultz said.

Cindy Deutsch, public education coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center in Denver, said her own research has suggested that calls to poison control centers and Internet activity related to the cinnamon challenge peaked in early 2012 and have since declined.

“This year … locally here, we’ve only had one call regarding the cinnamon challenge,” she told Reuters Health.

Still, she agreed with the authors that it’s something parents and school nurses, in particular, should be aware of and talking to youth about.

“It’s definitely not worth the risks, because it can cause very serious health consequences, and there’s really no good reason to do this,” Deutsch, who was not involved in the new research, told Reuters Health.

“With people who have asthma is where it can be worse,” added Dr. Alvin Bronstein, the center’s medical director.

“These are mostly young people,” he told Reuters Health. “They’ve got youth on their side, but we wouldn’t recommend it.”

Cinnamon may be deceiving because it’s so commonly used as a cereal topper or gum flavor, Lipshultz said.

But, he added, “Just because it’s on your spice rack, if you take half a bottle of cinnamon at once in your mouth, it may not be so benign.”

© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.

Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, had a lot to say about a man who is foolish. The fool is dull, stupid, arrogant and a simpleton. As the primary author of Proverbs, Solomon warns us about granting a fool access to you and your inner circle.

If you’re going to grow in wisdom, you will need to surround yourself with wise men—mentors who can help guide you on the path toward success. Likewise, if you surround yourself with fools, they will have a very destructive influence in your life, paving the way to ruin.

Here are 12 warnings about fools:

1. A fool doesn’t value learning a lesson (Prov. 1:7).
2. A fool will mock and slander a successful man (Prov. 10:18).
3. A fool has no moral restraint (Prov. 13:19).
4. A fool is flippant toward sin and its judgment (Prov. 14:9).
5. A fool can’t be trusted with important information (Prov. 14:33).
6. A fool sniffs at his father’s instructions (Prov. 15:5).
7. A fool is disrespectful toward his mother (Prov. 15:20).
8. A fool doesn’t learn the lessons of pain (Prov. 17:10).
9. A fool expresses arrogant disregard for God (Prov. 19:3).
10. A fool stirs up strife in every room he enters (Prov. 20:3).
11. A fool consumes all of his income (Prov. 21:20).
12. A fool creates his own theology to justify his actions (Prov. 28:26).

Unfortunately, modern culture marginalizes manhood by portraying men as foolish. As authentic men, we must step up to the calling of wisdom and prove ourselves strong, intelligent, wise and discerning.

For the original article, visit . Fivestarman was founded in 2008 by Neil Kennedy. Kennedy has passionately promoted God’s Word for 25-plus years of ministry. He is known for practically applying biblical principles that elevate people to a new level of living. As a business, church, ministry and life consultant, Kennedy has helped others strategize the necessary steps to reach their full potential.

For me and many of my friends, attending Promise Keepers together was a highlight of our lives back in the mid-1990s. At one point, I counted that I had been to 23 events, culminating with the huge rally in Washington, D.C., that had to have more than a million men in attendance. 

A lot has changed since then. If anything, we need Promise Keepers more than ever. A lot of twists and turns in the ministry in the past several years meant that Promise Keepers was not what it once was. But I’m glad to report that Promise Keepers is back!

This year, Promise Keepers is at six locations, and I think it would be wonderful if thousands of men would rally their friends and go to Promise Keepers like in the old days.

The first two-day conference is set for Phoenix, Ariz., on May 17 and 18. It will be followed by events in Nashville, Tenn. (June 21-22), Cedar Falls, Iowa (July 19-20), Battle Creek, Mich. (Aug. 23-24), Tulsa, Okla. (Sept. 20-21), and Daytona Beach, Fla. (Oct. 25-26).

Later, I will write more about Promise Keepers, but I urge you to put this on your calendar now. Help us spread the word, and let’s take our friends and family who are either not believers in Jesus or whose fervor has run cold. 

Billy Graham’s son Franklin has been quoted as saying, “Promise Keepers has won more men to Christ than my father.” However, statistics convey that men in America are in deep emotional and spiritual trouble these days.

• Divorce in the Christian community is competing with the 50-percent rate of divorce in the secular community.
• Two of every 5 Christian marriages experience physical abuse at the hands of the man.
• Only 4 percent of the Millennial generation (age 15-30) have a biblically based faith in Jesus Christ.
• Nine of 10 young adults who grow up in the church leave the church when they graduate high school.

Spiritual transformation through Promise Keepers ministry is desperately needed because men are warriors who are simply asleep at the wheel.

This year’s theme for Promise Keepers is “Awakening the Warrior,” while the vision is “Men Transforming the World.” A powerful lineup of speakers is scheduled for the events, including Coach Bill McCartney, Miles McPherson, Sam Rodriguez, Dr. Raleigh Washington, Crawford Loritts, Gary Rosberg, Derwin Gray, Brad Stine, Dan Seaborn, Rick Rigsby and more.

Christian artists Lincoln Brewster and Jeremy Camp are also scheduled to perform at Promise Keepers events.

On a more personal note, I’m happy that we’re able to partner with Promise Keepers and help them put out the program they will hand out at the events. We’re actually selling advertising for it to companies that are interested not only in reaching the 30,000 or so that they estimate to attend, but also in supporting the ministry. 

Leave comments about your experiences at Promise Keepers and tell us if you plan to attend and take several of your best friends with you.

Steve Strang is the founder and publisher of Charisma. Follow him on Twitter at @sstrang or on Facebook (stephenestrang).

Time moves quickly, and before we know it, another year has passed. Photos give us the incredible ability to reflect, allowing us to look at exact moments from the past.

We can look back and remember the times our family experienced, one photo at a time. So, step back from behind the camera, jump in the picture and capture moments and memories for a lifetime.

Here are a few photo ideas of times you and your children will want to look back on.

Firsts

Whether it’s your children taking their first steps or the moment you handed over the keys to their first car, first times are important milestones in your child’s life. Imagine stumbling across a photo of you and your child after they caught their first fish. Even your major accomplishments—your first day at a new job or the moment you finished your first 5K—are moments your family will enjoy looking back on.

Just Before a New School Year

Every year, without fail, summer ends and kids begin a new school year. Equipped with the essentials, from cool school supplies to fresh shoes, the start of another year of learning is the perfect moment to snap a picture. Just before you send your children on their way, take the time to make a sign, showing their name and the grade they’re entering. Create a first-day-of-school collection, an anchor point for reflecting on how much your kids have grown, physically and intellectually, from year to year.

Family Adventures

Cameras are essential tools for family adventures. A trip to a new destination or a familiar location deserves a solid picture. Step out from behind the camera, ask a passing stranger to take the photo and capture the moment. Maybe it’s in front of the tiger exhibit your kids love at the zoo, a beautiful mountain scape, a new exhibit at the museum or just lounging at the beach; whatever it is, be sure to seize the opportunity to record exciting family adventures.

Anything Silly

We love making goofy faces. We love that moment, just after taking the serious photo, when the photographer says, “Now a funny one!” Admit it—even the most serious among us finds joy in making an ugly, pig-nosed face with the ones we love. The silly picture, the crazy faces and out-of-the-box poses—they’re perfect for the memory books. Even though we probably don’t want to remember what we look like when sticking our tongues out, the fun of taking silly pictures is worth the potential embarrassment.

Repeat Photos

What if there were two pictures, side by side, that were exactly alike—the pose, the clothes, even the location? The only difference? Time. Re-creating photos is an awesome representation of passed time. We can see just how much we’ve grown and changed. Whether it’s five, 10 or even 20 years between photos, re-create a blast from the past for a fun, must-have family photo.

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

There is a kibbutz (well, sort of) in the Rehovot area of Israel that is a very interesting place to visit if you are fascinated with the history of modern Israel.

In the 1940s, the main “industries” of Kibbutz Ayalon were a laundry facility, where the “kibbutzniks” worked, cleaning clothes for British soldiers and the like; and a bakery, where workers kept busy day and (curiously) night. It was a very noisy laundromat, and the machines in the bakery seemed to be unusually squeaky and clattery as well. And anyone closely watching either facility at certain times would have noticed a rather disproportionate number of people coming and going from these two places of employment.

What only a few knew was that below these two facilities was a large, interconnected munitions factory. Israel hadn’t even been “born” yet as a state and, therefore, couldn’t technically be making weapons. Its infant survival depended on weapons, though, so a clever system was created for entering, leaving and signaling at these two facilities.

Right under the noses of the British army, an elaborate weapons cache was building up, and much of Israel’s defense as a young nation was due to this secret place. 

One day, the British soldiers who dropped by were offered warm beer while their laundry was being processed.  Their “kibbutznik” host kindly said, “Next week, if you’d like cold beer, let us know ahead of time you are coming and we’ll refrigerate it for you.” That was a clever way to get a heads up.

Today the British soldiers are no longer feared and all of the secrets of Kibbutz Ayalon are revealed. One can go in and out of the passageways and see all of the working stations and hear all about the codes and secret signals.

You and I have a secret place and a secret weapon as well. It’s right where you are sitting right now. You have a private line to heaven that can’t be intercepted. You can set battalions of angels into action, stop disease, free prisoners, release God’s power, pray Scriptures back to God and intercede on behalf of hurting, broken people. It sounds fanciful, but it is true! God has given us an enormous arsenal of weapons as well as defensive shields.

Charles Spurgeon cried out one day, “Look upward, and let us weep! You have given us a mighty weapon, and we have permitted it to rust.”

Let’s pick up this weapon, shine it and sharpen it, and join a global army of prayer warriors who will usher in God’s purposes—His heart and His mind—with power and force. For this we were chosen and appointed.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance” (Eph. 6:18).

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

For the original article, visit .