The Perfect Storm – The True Story in Israel

Israeli FlagJerusalem Prayer Team – Mike Evans Ministries

On May 31, Israel walked straight into a trap—a trap set by a group of so-called activists determined to break Israeli attempts to halt the flow of arms and war materiel into the Gaza strip.

Having been warned in advance that the intent of the Free Gaza movement flotilla was to shatter the Israeli blockade, the IDF prepared to board the ships and divert them to Ashdod for inspection. A member of the Free Gaza organization credited with launching the flotilla, Greta Berlin, clarified the intent of the group: “We’re not trying to be a humanitarian mission.”

Apparently, Israel was ill-informed that the ship carried 700 pro-Palestinian activists prepared to do whatever necessary to reach their goal. American-born pro-Palestinian activist Hawaida Arraf threw down the gauntlet with the assertion: “We fully intend to go to Gaza regardless of any intimidation or threats of violence against us. They are going to have to forcefully stop us.”

According to Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon “the armada of hate and violence in support of the Hamas terror organization was a premeditated and outrageous provocation. The organizers are well-known for their ties to Global Jihad, Al-Qaeda and Hamas. They have a history of arms smuggling and deadly terror. On board the ship we found weapons that were prepared in advance and used against our forces…” (more…)

Continue ReadingThe Perfect Storm – The True Story in Israel

Why are Liberals So Afraid of Prayer?

Bishop Harry JacksonBy Harry Jacskson Jr – The Christian Post  – Apr. 27 2010

The last two weeks have been anything but calm in the world of faith and religion. Conservative Christians are wondering whether they are being betrayed by both the White House and the court system. The ruling of a Wisconsin judge that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and violates the concept of the separation of church and state has been like a blow to the solar plexus for battle weary Christians. In the much-touted culture wars, there has never been such an open case of liberals throwing down the gauntlet in a specific area that has been deemed “Christian territory.”Perhaps the blame for this change in the political atmosphere should be laid at the feet of the current administration and it’s concept of pluralism. After all, the president boldly declared last year that the U.S. was no longer a Christian nation. This remark infuriated the faithful and set the stage for millions of rank and file Christians to question his personal faith. Next, he did not attend the National Day of Prayer and refused to make a declaration or statement until late in the day last year. Conservative Christian powerbrokers watched tentatively as the administration attempted to bring new leaders into the president’s advisory circle. These new leaders had no real national cache’ with the Christian masses. Despite the fact that the president attended a Congressional prayer breakfast earlier this year, his approach seems to have been aimed at “defanging” the politically powerful, religious right.

(more…)

Continue ReadingWhy are Liberals So Afraid of Prayer?

Hundreds Commissioned for the End-Time Harvest at CTFM with Brother Yun from China

Brother YunDear friends and family in Christ,

1) Wow, what an amazing weekend in the Spirit of the Lord we experienced at Catch the Fire Ministries with the visit of Brother Yun from the Chinese Underground Church! 

The building was absolutely packed on the Friday night with so many people coming from many churches, denominations, and different places that we had to close the doors to the building as there just wasn’t enough room to accommodate everyone! Approximately 800 people attended over the two meetings on the Friday night and Saturday morning. 

A wonderfully culturally diverse team of six people travelled with Br Yun from China, Finland and America.  Firstly, a well known sister from America previously known as Evie ministered in song in her beautiful soprano voice telling of the goodness and love of Jesus, our Mighty King! Then a brother who interpreted for Br Yun spoke of the Back to Jerusalem Ministry, colouring his talk with many heart-warming and emotional testimonies of salvations and changed lives of humble God needy people.

Then the grand finale was when Brother Yun came up to speak!  Such a humble but God centred man!  He spoke of his persecuted life and leaving all for Jesus.  He stated that there were many nameless people in the Bible describing the 70 who were sent out to preach the gospel, cast out demons, and heal the sick.  He explained that it doesn’t matter who you are, you can be used by God.

Then it was time for the prayer ministry to begin!  A Holy Ghost pandemonium ensued as unnecessary chairs were moved  away and crowds surged forward for deep soaking and commissioning prayers.  Brother Yun’s call was for those willing to suffer anything, even death for Jesus as he explained in the past during much persecution he had said to the Lord “I’m ready to die for You”.  (more…)

Continue ReadingHundreds Commissioned for the End-Time Harvest at CTFM with Brother Yun from China

Burkas should be banned as ‘un-Australian’, senator claims

By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney 07 May 2010

An Australian senator has called the burka “un-Australian” and said it should be banned, sparking anger among the country’s Muslim community.

 Cory Bernardi, a Liberal from South Australia, complained that the full Islamic veil was a “repressive domination of men over women” and established “different sets and expectations in society”.

Writing on his blog following an armed robbery in Sydney by a man wearing a burka and sunglasses, he said: “It is un-Australian – and its symbolic barrier is far greater than the measure of cloth it is created from. For safety and for society, the burka needs to be banned.”

Sen Bernardi complained that the veil was “emerging as the preferred disguise of bandits and n’er do wells” and that Muslims migrating to Australia must learn to adopt local values.

If men wearing motorcycle helmets had to remove them in banks and businesses, then the burka should be taken off too, he argued.

His comments come days after Belgium’s lower house of parliament approved a draft law to ban wearing the full Islamic face veil in public. France, which has the largest Muslim population in Europe, is set to examine a similar draft bill this month, despite angry protests.

Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition Liberal Party, stopped short of supporting a ban on burkas, but said that most Australians found the garment “confronting”. (more…)

Continue ReadingBurkas should be banned as ‘un-Australian’, senator claims

Drama at Sea – War on Israel

Standing With IsraelSituation at sea as reported in Jerusalem Post, HaAretz, and Ynet – 1st June 2010

Hysterical reports and misinformation have beclouded the unfolding confrontation between the Gaza Flotilla and the Israeli Navy. NTV, the Turkish Television, reports up to 15 people killed, others reported 14. Perhaps the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) own reporting is the most accurate; it reported 10 dead and 10 commandos wounded, 2 seriously.

The Israeli military said ten activists were killed after its troops came under fire while intercepting the convoy.

“Navy fighters took control of six ships that tried to violate the naval blockade (of the Gaza Strip) …During the takeover, the soldiers encountered serious physical violence by the protesters, who attacked them with live fire,” a military statement said.

Activists attacked a commando with iron bars as he descended onto the ship from a helicopter, the army said. The IDF said its rules of engagement allowed troops to open fire in what it called a “life-threatening situation.” (more…)

Continue ReadingDrama at Sea – War on Israel

Tony Perkins: I see ‘hostility’ toward Christianity

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council,Family Research Council chief confirms ‘politically correct’ options diminishing
April 27, 2010 - By Michael Carl © 2010 WorldNetDaily
“We see a federal judge who’s been on the bench since Jimmy Carter appointed her. She’s not a new judge. This is a judge who’s been around for quite some time. And she decides all of a sudden that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. So I do think what we’re seeing is an environment that is hostile to Christianity,” Perkins said.

He also said what is happening now parallels America’s past.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council says he sees more and more limits being placed on what is “politically correct” for Christians to do.

“I see an environment being created that is hostile to Christianity,” he said. “Two months ago, I was disinvited to speak at Andrews Air Force Base. Just last week … Franklin Graham [was] disinvited to pray at the Pentagon on the National Day of Prayer.”

He said that “shows that this isn’t about political activity. It’s not about public policy positions. It really comes down to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (more…)

Continue ReadingTony Perkins: I see ‘hostility’ toward Christianity

The Orwellian logic that’s turning the faith Britain was built on into a crime

Dale McAlpine was hauled to court after telling a gay police community support officer he thought homosexuality was a sinBy Melanie Phillips – 3rd May 2010

Terrifying as this may seem, the attempt to stamp out Christianity in Britain appears to be gathering pace.

Dale Mcalpine was preaching to shoppers in Workington, Cumbria, that homosexuality is a sin when he found himself carted off by the police, locked up in a cell for seven hours and charged with using abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

It appears that two police community support officers – at least one of whom was gay – claimed he had caused distress to themselves and members of the public.

Under our anti-discrimination laws, such distress is not to be permitted.

Dale McAlpine was hauled to court after telling a gay police community support officer he thought homosexuality was a sin.

And so we have the oppressive and sinister situation where a gentle, unaggressive Christian is arrested and charged simply for preaching Christian principles.

It would appear that Christianity, the normative faith of this country on which its morality, values and civilisation are based, is effectively being turned into a crime. (more…)

Continue ReadingThe Orwellian logic that’s turning the faith Britain was built on into a crime

Heaven and earth unite in prayer today Thursday 27 May from 4pm – 5pm

Dear family & friends in Christ,   Today at 3pm more than 50 prayer warriors from Catch The Fire Ministries will be departing Melbourne for a prophetic intercessory prayer mission…

Continue ReadingHeaven and earth unite in prayer today Thursday 27 May from 4pm – 5pm

Cootamundra, NSW Catches the Fire on Pentecost Weekend – Healings & Salvation

Pastor\'s Daniel\'s daughter Shannen leading worship

People in Cootamundra, NSW surrender to the Lord at the altar

Dear family & friends in Christ,

Once again we thank and praise our Heavenly Father for a glorious weekend in Cootamundra NSW as people from 7 different churches hungry for more of Jesus received a mighty touch from the Spirit of God during this past Pentecost weekend!

We praise and thank the Lord for the local Four Square Gospel Church and the Baptist church for organizing these combined church revival meetings.

Pr Daniel led a team of ten others from CTFM, mostly youth on this trip. The Spirit of God used these young men and woman to minister in leading worship at all the services and then to pray for and prophesy over people. Everyone was so blessed to see the young men and woman of God serve the Lord with so much passion and commitment!

Pr Daniel stated,  I was so full of joy to see the next generation at Catch The Fire take on the baton and led people into the presence of God. They did such a fantastic job. I was so blessed to see the way they ministered under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. We desperately need the next generation to rise up and operating under the Anointing.” (more…)

Continue ReadingCootamundra, NSW Catches the Fire on Pentecost Weekend – Healings & Salvation

Franklin Graham: Christians Will Lose the Power to Pray Outside Church Walls ‘Maybe in My Lifetime’

C:\\Documents and Settings\\JASONG\\Desktop\\Franklin Graham.jpgWednesday, May 05, 2010 By Pete Winn, Senior Writer/Editor, CNS News
Two top evangelical leaders sounded a defiant tone on the eve of National Day of Prayer — warning that the American right to freedom of religion “is being eroded every day” and may be lost in an onslaught of secularism unless Americans “have the guts to stand up.”

The Rev. Franklin Graham, who last month was officially “dis-invited” by the Army to speak at a National Day of Prayer ceremony at the Pentagon for statements he made about Islam, said he will not back down in preaching the Gospel as he sees it.

“We’re living in a time where we cannot compromise, we cannot back up, we cannot retreat,” Graham said Wednesday during a live Webcast from the Washington, D.C. offices of the Family Research Council.

“The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be preached to the ends of the Earth – that’s what He’s called us to do,” he said.

Graham, the honorary chairman of this year’s National Day of Prayer, made his comments in a sermon to an audience of leaders making final preparations for Thursday’s National Day of Prayer. (more…)

Continue ReadingFranklin Graham: Christians Will Lose the Power to Pray Outside Church Walls ‘Maybe in My Lifetime’

HOW TO BE BAPTISED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Receiving the Baptism of the Holy SpiritJ. Lee Grady Charisma Channels – Spirit Led Living  Saturday, 17 April 2010

Find out the simple steps you can take to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

When we meet Christ and put our trust in Him, we are “born again” (John 3:3) and we receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts. This is the most important decision we will ever make. This happened to the disciples of Jesus in John 20:22, which says: “[Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'”

 But before Jesus ascended to heaven He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the “promise of the Father” had come (Luke 24:49). He told them that if they would wait there they would be “clothed with power from on high.” In Acts 1:8 Jesus told His followers that they would receive “power” to be His witnesses.

So the disciples waited in Jerusalem for many days, praying near the temple. On the day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after Jesus had died on the cross, something amazing happened. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the early church . This is described in Acts 2:1-4.  The Bible says that when the Spirit came, the disciples were filled (another word is “baptized”) with the Spirit (more…)

Continue ReadingHOW TO BE BAPTISED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

When the Thought Police Come Knocking on Your Door

Bill Muehlenberg of CultureWatchCultureWatch  – Bill Muehlenberg’s commentary on issues of the day…

Let me tell you in advance something you will need to know. If in the near future you notice that no new articles are being added to this website, and no new comments are being posted, there will be one very good reason for this: I will be in jail, or fighting a lengthy court battle, because of Victoria’s new EOC law which was just passed.

Now I realise that for my many enemies this will be tremendous news indeed. But for those at least concerned about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of conscience, this should be a very worrying development.

And to be honest, I am perfectly aware that there will be some Christians as well who will see the closure of this website as a good thing: “Yes, Bill was just too radical, and too much of a trouble maker. It is probably a good thing he has been put away. He was giving Christianity a bad reputation”.

Of course I will not find such attitudes surprising. Jesus had warned about these very things. He told his disciples to be ready for the coming persecution: “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you” (John 16:1-4). (more…)

Continue ReadingWhen the Thought Police Come Knocking on Your Door

Freed Female Converts to Face Iranian Judge Again

Islamic womenBy Ethan Cole|Christian Post Reporter Fri,  Apr. 09 2010

The two Iranian female converts to Christianity, who were released in November, will again appear before a judge next Tuesday, an Iran-focused Christian ministry reported.

Maryam Rostampour, 27, and Marzieh Amirizadeh, 30, were summoned for a court hearing on April 13.

According to Elam Ministries, which has been following their case from the beginning, the women are still in frail physical condition from their time in prison. The two had spent 259 days in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison where they were reportedly subjected to psychological abuse and their medical requests were ignored.

Since their conditional release on Nov. 18, the women have been recuperating and receiving medical treatments. Elam reported on Thursday that they “remain unwell, weak and suffering from various illnesses.”

Despite their sufferings, Rostampour and Amirizadeh are “determined to be faithful to the Lord and speak the truth in court whatever the consequence of personal cost,” the ministry said. (more…)

Continue ReadingFreed Female Converts to Face Iranian Judge Again

Ex-Muslim Defends Franklin Graham’s Islam Remarks

By Michelle A. Vu, Christian Post Reporter, Thursday April 29th

Graham and others like him who criticize Islam are not saying they hate Muslims, said Sabatina James, a well-known Paskistani convert to Christianity who lives in Europe, in an interview with The Christian Post on Wednesday.

The granddaughter of a mullah weighed in on the Franklin Graham controversy this week, contending that there is a difference between critisizing Islam and Muslims

 “Make the difference between sin and sinner,” said James, “between Islam and Muslims. Don’t say that every Muslim is a terrorist and every Muslim is bad because that is just not true. But there are definitely things that need to be changed in Islam or else you can’t live in a democracy.”

James, who is living under police protection and constantly on the move because of death threats against her, said Islamic rights do not fit in a country like the United States.

“Nobody is allowed to beat up his wife just because she’s not obedient but that is written in the Quran,” she said. “You know you have to think about it.”

“Is there a different Quran? No they are teaching the same Quran where it is written ‘beat your wife if she is not obedient.’ They are teaching the same Quran where it is written ‘the Christians and Jewish people are evil.’ It is written in the Surah Al-Maidah. It is written there ‘don’t take Jewish and Christian people as your friend.’ That is what you are taught in the Quran schools.” (more…)

Continue ReadingEx-Muslim Defends Franklin Graham’s Islam Remarks

Another baby saved through Options + Care (and from a Muslim family)

Pastor Daniel with another baby saved through Options Plus CareDear friends and family in Christ,

1) All glory to God!  Another baby has been saved through Options Plus Care Pregnancy crisis counselling division of Catch The Fire Ministries.  We thank God that after the re-launch of this ministry a few months ago, there has been a flood of inquiries for help, support and ministry.
 
We praise God for every opportunity He gives us to proclaim the good news of the Gospel and carry out the mandate God gave Pastor Daniel, which is: “To Save A Life and Save A Soul”
 
I was so thrilled when I received a call asking for help regarding a young woman who was pregnant.   I visited the home on several occasions, and then found out that they were Muslims.   I was so very excited that God had taken me into their lives as a light.   I soon realised that this young mum to be and her mother both needed our help, as there was no real male figure in the house.
 
Praise God for His wonderful grace and counsel through the Holy Spirit, which enabled this young girl to give birth to a very healthy baby boy on Monday the 17th of May.   They now call us their family and I know that before long they will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
 
Pastor Daniel visited the family in hospital within 24 hours of the birth.   They were so happy to see him and this is such a miracle,  a Muslim family so excited to see a Christian Minister. (more…)

Continue ReadingAnother baby saved through Options + Care (and from a Muslim family)