If you’re going to believe in everything you read – then start with your Bible.
Have you noticed that we are constantly bombarded with things that have the potential to distract us, discourage us, consume our time, and steal our peace? There is so much to read, consider and weigh up, it can be overwhelming.
I recently read: `If you’re going to believe in everything you read – then start with your Bible.` I believe this is what we see with the Bereans in Acts 17:11. But the Scriptures say there will be a falling away in the last days, a hardening of hearts and an increase in knowledge (Daniel 12:4) – so, we shouldn’t be taken by surprise (Matthew 24:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2 Timothy 3:1-2).
It`s hard to accept at times, seeing such hatred toward God and the people God, who are set aside for his own purposes and his own sake. How must it make God feel when he sees people hate what he loves? Relentless bias against Israel is seen on our TV screens and posted on social media.
In a new book titled ‘Everlasting’, available through our CFI UK online shop, I read a quote from Malcolm Hay in relation to Christian Antisemitism: “Men are not born with hatred in their blood … the infection is usually acquired by contact; it may be injected deliberately or even unconsciously, by parents, or by teachers. Adults, unless protected by the vigour of their intelligence, or by a rare quality of goodness, seldom escape contagion. The disease may spread throughout the land like the plague, so that a class, a religion, a nation, will become the victim of popular hatred without anyone knowing exactly how it all began; and people will disagree, and even quarrel among themselves, about the real reason for its existence; and no one foresees the inevitable consequences.”
What is the antidote to this infection? In July the Jewish people mourned and fasted during Tish B ’Av for the baseless hatred that they see and experience.
At CFI UK we want to continue to pray for Israel, her land and people; for those things that they have suffered in the past to be understood and never tolerated again. We want the Jewish people to know that many Christians do love Israel and want to look to God to see his fulfilment of promises made thousands of years ago. Indeed, we live in days the prophets of old would have loved to see.
We encourage you to pray for the Spiritual Restoration of all things in Israel:
We understand that many issues about Israel and recent events within it can be difficult to grasp. And we are concerned about the balance and accuracy of news articles and social media posts. Visit our home page https://www.cfi.org.uk/index.php for helpful short films.
We pray for you that the Holy Spirit will guide you in all truth (John 16:13).
** For a relevant resource see, https://www.cfi.org.uk/christ-in-the-old-testament
“…. since we have so great a host of witnesses surrounding us, after we have put off every weight and the easily distracting sin, would ourselves, patiently steadfast, run the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on the Author and Finisher of the Faith, Y’shua, Who, to obtain the joy set before Him, endured the cross ….consider the One Who endured such hostility as this toward Himself by the sinners, so that you would not be weary, losing heart in your inmost beings." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
August 2023