The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11

For some time now I have been pondering the question of how two people or two groups of people can look at the same "facts" and come up with opposing views and positions on what those "facts" represent. Certainly the Israeli-Palestinian situation is one of these situations, as was the recent American election and the whole question of the danger to the world (not just to Israel) of Iran. With respect to the Church, this is also evident concerning the "revivals" of the last 10 years and even the restoration of Israel itself.

In political issues, on one side of these equations are tangible facts and the lessons of history versus ideology and wishful thinking that are not supported by facts. When speaking of the opposing points of view in the Church, on one side we have a firm adherence to the Word of God and on the other, experiences. Have we reached the time when God Himself is releasing deceiving spirits upon those who do not have a love of the truth?

Along with this is the question: do all things happen by God's sovereign will and design? Here I think we can come to a definite answer, though its application has to be applied by the Holy Spirit within us in the different situations.

I do not think that all things happen by God's sovereign will and design. If you answer "yes" to that question, then you need to give a convincing answer to the question of evil in the world. As I understand God's purposes, He has given us "free will" because He wants us to choose Him and to choose to live a Godly life. We are constantly confronted with choices and while He has given us both His Word and His Spirit within us, yet the choice is up to us. That is not to say that God does not in His sovereignty intervene in the affairs of men; He does. He intervenes in response to the prayers of His People and He intervenes when it is according to His purposes.

Because I believe in "free will," I do not think that all that has happened is necessarily God's doing, but I have to refer back to the theme of this January's International Prayer Conference:

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land.

(Haggai 2:6)

Without a doubt we have had a year of global shaking, not only in the political and economic arenas but in the Body of Messiah as well. And it isn't over yet. Many political scientists have said that the world wide economic meltdown that we are in gave the U.S. election to Obama. Until that point McCain was ahead by a reasonable margin.

We also need to recognize that while McCain did not stand with Bush in all his decisions, he was linked to Bush by many people. President Bush's extreme unpopularity had many practical reasons, but we need to consider that God's grace in leadership may have been lifted from him because he sought to divide God's Land. Scripture promises God's judgment on all those who do this (Joel 3:1-2). All of this does not mean that God wanted Obama to win and so caused this economic meltdown. Here too, people had a choice of responses to the economic situation. Remember that the Lord tells us that though the shaking will come, those who are planted on His Rock shall remain steady.

[The Lord's] voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, YET ONCE MORE I SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO HEAVEN. Now this, YET ONCE MORE, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

(Hebrews 12: 26 - 29)

The Body of Messiah has been shaken again by another latest and greatest revival with signs and wonders that polarized the Body. When the instrument of that "move" fell from grace, much of the Body was left to pick up the pieces. The fact that most of those who supported that "move" have not seen fit to repent and ask forgiveness for encouraging a blind following of questionable signs and wonders and ignoring the Biblical standard, does not bode well for the future.

If the theme of the next International Prayer Conference (Jan 19 - 26, 2009) Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you (Isaiah 60:1 - 2), is as prophetic as this years theme, we are in for a very rough time. Yes the Glory of God will become more manifested, but first will come the darkness, the heavy darkness, the deep darkness.

The Challenges We Are Facing Today and Tomorrow

Israel will elect a new Prime Minister and Knesset on 10 February 2009. To me the choice is clear. We need Netanyahu as P.M. and his Likud party to have enough seats that the coalition haggling is minimized. While Netanyahu has many faults and will need much prayer before the election and after, he is the only viable candidate who can restore Israel's security and the only one who may be able to stand up to an America that is intent on bringing "peace" to the Middle East. His reforms as Finance Minister a few years ago have strengthened Israel's economy and brought the shekel to be one of the strongest currencies today. Two former Likud members who retired from politics have returned: Benny Begin and Dan Meridor. Both of these men have a deserved reputation for integrity and intellectual honesty and depth. It has been reported that former Chief of Staff General Yaalon may also join Likud next week. This would give the Likud a very good slate of respected candidates to offer the Israeli public.

Though the election will take place on 10 February, until a government is formed and sworn in Olmert remains P.M. with all the authority the position holds. Coalition negotiations in Israel can be both time consuming and arduous. It is possible that the new government will not actually be sworn in until the end of April. We hope it will be quick but this is not generally the case. That is one reason to really pray for Likud to gain many seats. The larger their representation is the easier and quicker it will be to form the new government. Meanwhile, Olmert continues to call for a divided Jerusalem, the giving away of the Golan Heights to Syria, and the formation of a Palestinian State in Judea and Samaria - the heartland of Israel.

The worldwide economic crisis will effect us all. Many will lose their jobs and the worldwide economy will shrink - at least for a season. The battle with Islam will be effected as well - especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wars are expensive and unless there is a recognition that this battle is a matter of survival, there will great pressure to pull back and invest the finances at home. The will diminish the already very weak prospect of the USA taking military action against Iran. As for real economic sanctions, sanctions that can make a difference, I don't think that Obama will be any more successful than Bush in getting the world to cooperate. Again, this will leave this existential threat in Israel's lap. We desperately need a new government that has the courage and proper strategies to deal with it.

Concerning Obama: My wife is a tour guide and when her last group went into Bethlehem, a group of vendors got on their bus shouting we have a King in America now - Obama. We hope and pray this isn't true but only time will tell.

Russia will be the "wild card." Will she take this opportunity to try and regain her lost empire and worldwide influence? She is already arming our strongest enemies: Iran and Syria. How will she react if we attack the Iranian nuclear sites? How quickly will she test Obama? During the US election campaign, Obama's Vice President candidate (Biden), predicted that within six months of taking office Obama would be severely tested by an international crisis. Biden is not a prophet, but he is very seasoned in international relations and he is probably right. Will the test come from a resurgent Russia, or Iran, or another massive terror attack on the USA? Maybe it will come from a direction no one expects at all. And how will Obama respond to it? Whatever you personally think about America, politically, we are still in a situation where what America does or does not do has global consequences.

The world is facing many earth shaking crises at the same time. Is this the Lord's shaking that will bring us to a time of unprecedented darkness, darkness that will cover the whole earth? Whether this is the time or not yet, we do know that the time will come. This is part of God's blueprint for the last days.

Mark 13 gives us a picture of what is to happen before the Lord returns. It tells us of cataclysms on earth and amongst the peoples. It also speaks directly to us concerning what will befall the children of God; persecutions, betrayal and death. How are we to prepare for those times? We must Watch and Pray.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming - in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning - lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

Mark 13:31 - 37

How do we watch? Certainly we must be in the Word, for it tells us what will happen and how we are to live. Praying, in part is watching too, for we not only talk to God, we hear from Him as well. For me at least, watching is also being informed and alert to what is happening in the world and discerning where we are and where we are going according to the Heavenly Blueprint. When we know where we are and what the Lord plans to do at that time, we pray specifically for His will to be done on earth as He has already written it in Heaven. This is our privilege, our responsibility, and His command to us, Watch and Pray.

Please pray for:

• Netanyahu to be elected Prime Minister and the Likud to win 40+ seats in the Knesset. (61 seats are needed to form a government).

  And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

  (Jeremiah 3:15)

• The Lord to hedge Olmert in so that he doesn't do more damage to Israel than he already has.

  Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths.

  (Hosea 2:6)

Lord thank You that we are going to elections.

Lord teach us to Watch and Pray.

Prepare us for the days ahead in Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit.

May we be planted and grounded in the Rock of Yeshua our Messiah, our soon returning King.

Lord send the rain. Give us a bountiful year of rain and snow and refill the Sea of Galilee and the underground aquifers.

I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.

(Deuteronomy 11:14)

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

(Numbers 6:24 - 26)