Over there in England, another new British Prime Minister took office as a result of the departure of his predecessor Liz Truss who served for less than two months. The new Prime Minister is now Rishi Sunak who is notable for his public service (recently he was Chancellor of the Exchequer), his ethnicity (England’s first British Asian PM) and his friendship towards Israel. Citing external sources, CBN News recently published a news article pointing out Sunak’s recent statements about Israel’s eternal capital Jerusalem and his opposition against the wicked Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the CBN News article. Some parts in boldface…
Most of the world will focus on the economic quagmire facing new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as the internal Conservative Party tensions which could cut short his time in office at 10 Downing Street.
In Israel, though, Sunak’s earlier statements about Jerusalem and the global Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement are the ones making headlines.
The Times of Israel quoted Sunak at a Conservative Friends of Israel gathering two months ago, as saying Jerusalem is “indisputably the historic capital” of Israel and that there is a “very strong case” to be made for moving Britain’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The UK’s youngest prime minister in 200 years also pledged to support a bill in parliament opposing BDS. He wrote in the UK Jewish News, “The Jewish community is right to call out those who seek to damage the only Jewish state in the world.”
Sunak, the nation’s first Hindu to hold the top political office, also raised his voice against the dramatic rise in anti-Semitic incidents which began more than a year ago. “This is not an issue to be equivocal about,” he said.
“Everyone across parliament and the country must take a robust position on eliminating antisemitism and I am determined to ensure this scourge on our society is eradicated,” he added.
In an interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Sunak also praised Israel as “a shining beacon of hope.”
While the new prime minister cautioned that a move of the British embassy in Israel would involve “sensitivity,” and perhaps would not be achievable immediately, his statements are reassuring to many Israelis, who have been jostled by the instability in governments around the world, including their own.
Next, watch the YouTube short video below.
For the newcomers reading this, Sunak took office as Prime Minister at a time of tremendous crisis. I’m talking about socio-economic problems going on as well as the internal tension among Sunak’s fellow Conservatives. Being Prime Minister of England means tackling endless problems that could derail the current administration’s efforts to serve the constituents and solve the problems. Sunak’s tenure as PM could end suddenly.
That being said, it is important for people to pray for their leaders and whatever your political views are, I encourage you pray for Prime Minister Sunak so that his administration can achieve solutions to help their people, and so that England’s ties with Israel will grow strong and lead to more cooperation. Pray also that England will be able to officially move its Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem!
Be thankful to the Lord that the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) is friendly towards Israel and has stated to oppose the evil and destructive BDS movement. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and always remember to love and bless the Jewish people in accordance to the Lord God! Refer to the holy scriptures posted below…
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
Psalm 122:6-7 (ESV)
God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
The Philippines has very delicious mangoes which can be availed in their basic fruit forms as well as other forms such as dried mango snacks, candies, juices and shakes. For mangoes to remain available for domestic and overseas consumption, the farming and production of the fruits must be maintained in good conditions in the long run and this is where the State of Israel comes in.
This past September, the State of Israel confirmed its support for farmers in the Ilocos Region as Ambassador Ilan Fluss formally visited the province of Ilocos Norte and stated they are looking forward to more cooperation specifically on mangoes, as reported by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To say the least, mango farmers in the Ilocos Region need Israel’s expertise as they have been dealing with problems for some time now. The Ilocos Region itself is a major source of mangoes here in the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the article of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Israel government has vowed to assist Ilocos farmers to boost their productivity by sharing their innovative solutions to modern agriculture.
In his first visit to Ilocos Norte province, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said one of the big areas they are looking at for stronger support and longer cooperation is battling emerging diseases in mangoes and other promising crops in the region by tapping mango experts from Israel.
“We have lots of expertise in the approach. See what we can offer if I can identify good experts that can come and help in identifying the disease and solution which is not always on more and more pesticides but try different approaches to look into it and come back to the governor,” he said.
As a junior diplomat to the Philippines back in the 90s, Fluss recalled that the Israel government had introduced a training program in Guimaras then to help in exporting its mangoes to Japan.
Since 2012, the mango industry in the province has been suffering from low yield due to erratic weather patterns and disease infestation.
Ricardo Tolentino, president of the Mango Growers Association in Ilocos Norte, said a lot of mango growers continue to suffer losses due to the El Niño or the prolonged dry spell and the oversupply from other mango-producing provinces that drove prices down.
As a high-value commercial crop in the province, the Ilocos Norte government has been helping farmers rehabilitate their fruit-bearing trees and apply organic conditioners to give time for the soil to “heal.”
Grafted mango seedlings, organic fertilizers, and fruit-fly attractants are, likewise, being distributed to farmers to help boost the industry.
Based on the quarterly bulletin report of the Philippine Statistics Authority from April to June 2022, the Philippines’ mango production decreased by 3.8 percent, from 556,820 metric tons in the same quarter of 2021 to 535,430 metric tons this period.
The above article ended stating that the Ilocos Region contributed 22.5% to the total production and was the top mango producer during the 2nd quarter with more than 120 metric tons registered.
Be thankful to the Lord for this recent development of the strong ties between the Philippines and Israel. Israel itself is a world leader on agriculture and their assistance for mango farmers in Ilocos Norte comes at a very crucial time as the entire Philippines continues to gradually recover economically and socially from the COVID-19 crisis. What is at stake here are livelihood, food production, food supply and the maintenance of mangoes in the country. Mangoes are a major product of export of the Philippines and we should be thankful to the State of Israel for their attention and support.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Something significant happened in Israel recently. This year’s Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated big-time as thousands of Christians from around the world joined the Jewish people and Israelis in the event which itself is a comeback from the 2-year-old COVID-19 crisis that affected everyone, according to a Christian Broadcasting Network News (CBN News) report. The revival of the Feast of Tabernacles as well as Israel’s gradual return to normalcy prove that the Lord God is at work and watching over.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the article of the CBN News report. Some parts in boldface…
This week, Israelis and Jews around the world are celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles – or “Sukkot” in Hebrew.
After two years of limited tourism to Israel because of the COVID pandemic, over 2,000 Christian pilgrims from more than 70 nations came here to take part in the Feast of Tabernacles.
THE ICEJ has celebrated the feast for more than 40 years.
“The Feast of Tabernacles is a fall harvest feast on the biblical calendar that also has a prophetic purpose hidden within it and that is the second coming of the Lord. So, we are here celebrating every year in anticipation of the coming of Jesus here to Jerusalem and it’s always this glorious celebration of Christians, the Body of Christ from all over the world,” ICEJ VP David Parsons told CBN News.
Sharren Haskel, a member of Israel’s parliament, came to welcome the pilgrims and why their presence means so much.
“The Jewish people throughout history didn’t have many friends,” said Haskel. “They had a few but not many. And to see thousands of people, Christian leaders and believers that are coming here to celebrate with us – people who are advocating for Israel – who are bringing that message that Israel is a light in the Middle East. How we bring those shared Judeo-Christian values of freedom and liberty and equality. And it’s important to me to show them that it’s not taken for granted.”
Haskel also mentioned in her message the prophetic fulfillment of the Feast.
“The prophet Zechariah spoke of a future time when all the nations would come to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot,” Haskel told attendees. “Look around you now. We are the living proof of the accuracy of the Bible and the truth of the Word of God.”
She continued: “The prophecy speaks about bringing people from all around countries, all around the globe from different nations, from different religions and celebrate here in Jerusalem. You can feel it in the air. You can see those people, how important it is for them, and how important it is for us to fulfill it, to celebrate it.
For many pilgrims, the feast is a time of joy.
Andrea from Bolivia told CBN News it’s a “miracle” to be here.
“It’s the Promised Land. I’m so happy to be here,” she said.
“It’s hard to describe. It’s really something you have to experience and to be here in person in the eternal capital of the nation is just profound,” said Ashely from Zimbabwe.
Jenni, who is also from Zimbabwe, said it is a “privilege to come and take part in worshipping the King at the Feast of Tabernacles.”
One of the highlights of the Feast of Tabernacles is when Christians from around the world join Israelis for the annual Jerusalem March.
“What a joy to be here in Jerusalem. I’m telling you to see the nations going up is a fulfillment of prophecy and I just love it every time and it’s amazing to be here after two years,” Adam, a parade attendee, told CBN News.
For Israelis, the Christian presence touches their hearts.
“They came here to support us. I don’t have words to bring my happiness,” said Gershon.
Haddasha Sharoni described the feeling as “amazing.”
“The vision is coming true. The vision that we read just now in Shabbis Zechariah is coming true that all the countries are coming to Israel and Sukkot,” she said.
For added insight, posted below are two related news videos of CBN News’ YouTube channel. Watch them and pay close attention to the details.
The revival of the Feast of Tabernacles this year was not only expected in relation to the recovery from COVID-19, it is also biblical. Learn from the following holy scriptures below…
And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:16 (NKJV)
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.’
Leviticus 23:33-34 (NKJV)
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the Lord’s altar which he had built before the [temple] porch or vestibule,
A certain number every day, offering as Moses commanded for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the solemn feast days three times in the year—the Feasts of Unleavened Bread, of Weeks, and of Tabernacles.
2 Chronicles 8:12-13 (AMPC)
Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.”
John 7:2-3 (NKJV)
Along the way, it is essential for us Christians to love and bless the Jewish people in accordance to our Heavenly Father’s declarations. Learn from the following holy scriptures below…
And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves].
Genesis 12:3 (AMPC)
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:22-27 (ESV)
The Lord will never forget us in our need; he will bless us indeed! He will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron, his priest.
Psalms 115:12 (TPT)
Pray and seek for Jerusalem’s peace, for all who love her will prosper! O Jerusalem, may there be peace for those who dwell inside your walls and prosperity in your every palace. I intercede for the sake of my family and friends who dwell there, that they may all live in peace. For the sake of your house, Yahweh our God, I will seek the welfare and prosperity of Jerusalem.
Psalms 122:6-9 (TPT)
Be thankful to the Lord for the revival of the Feast of Tabernacles, for the gradual recovery from COVID-19 and for Israel and the Jews. Thank the Lord also for the return of Christians to the Holy Land and the new opportunities for them to deepen their faith in Him even further! Thank the Lord also for the new and upcoming bible experience tours! Be thankful as well for the enduring and strengthening Israel-Philippines ties!
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Recently, the Manila Times had a virtual interview with Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss. Content of that interview was published online by the newspaper and it sure contains lots of details about the strong ties between Israel and the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the article of the Manila Times. Some parts in boldface…
The Manila Times (TMT): Could you give us an overview of Philippine-Israeli bilateral relations? What is the direction of our bilateral relations?
Ambassador Fluss: I would like first to say that I want to congratulate The Manila Times for its anniversary — 124 years is long, many years. So, congratulations.
Generally speaking, the relations are, I would say, very good and warm. Historically, we always remember 1928, the Philippines giving a safe haven to 1,300 Jewish refugees trying to escape Nazi rule where most countries, not all countries, closed the borders for refugees.
And the Philippines during the time of President [Manuel] Quezon showed the gesture of giving the message of helping those who are in need. And it is something that we appreciate very much.
And the second thing I would mention, which is very important to us historically, is 1947 when the Philippines voted in support of the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel, voted in the United Nations. This gives the foundation for the political foundation for the establishment of the State of Israel.
For this reason, until today, Filipinos do not need a visa to enter Israel and I think this is one of the reasons why we are seeing a really very good flow of people, movement of people between our two countries because it is easier with no visa.
Hopefully, when we see direct flights between our two countries, and I am very optimistic it will happen sometime next year, I think Manila-Tel Aviv will be a very busy line.
First of all, there is always a very good sense of people feeling very comfortable, very interested, very warm to each other I think it comes from similar values — the importance of family, value of family, value of charity, of helping each other, the community, I think these are the issues that we share between our societies, our two countries.
Today, we just had a JCM, the joint committee meeting, which is an annual political meeting between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel and the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) here. We did an overview of the relations.
And generally, things are going well between our two countries — friendly, warm, open discussions.
TMT: In terms of trade and commerce, are there new avenues that we can explore to further enhance our economic cooperation?
Ambassador Fluss: I’ll say my vision as the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines is to create bridges of innovation and technology between our two countries, which means one side to transfer the knowledge, what we’re doing in Israel.
Because Israel is known as a global hub of innovation. I want to share this experience and to help the Philippines in creating its own system of innovation where you can have local innovation, entrepreneurship. And to support that, I’m working on both government-level and private sector, academia, and also introducing relevant Israeli technologies that can support the development process here in the Philippines.
In this regard, we had a delegation in the Philippines last week of companies in the agricultural sector who came to a big agricultural expo in Davao, which is the “food basket of the Philippines.” We participated there. I was there in Davao last week.
There is a lot of interest in Israeli technologies and this is also part of the vision and one of the main goals of the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) is enhancing agricultural productivity and food security, and we are trying to support these efforts. The State of Israel is a leader in agriculture technologies.
So, for one side the economy and trade, so more business delegations. We are also looking at another delegation coming to the Philippines on the area of water. We are also planning to have an exhibition on Israeli innovation in the Philippines, which will be presented here. We have Israeli experts to talk about Israeli innovations.
During the pandemic two years ago, the Israeli Embassy expanded and we opened a trade and economic office in the embassy which shows Israel is now investing more in promoting the relations between our two countries in this sector.
Ambassador Fluss confirmed that Israel-Philippines ties are in a really good state not just diplomatically but also socially and economically. This past September, it has been confirmed that the State of Israel will assist farmers in the Ilocos Region by sharing their solutions to modern agriculture which should boost the local productivity. Ambassador Fluss visited the province of Ilocos Norte for the first time and met with the officials there.
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to grow stronger. As such, I encourage you all to not just read Manila Times’ interview with Ambassador Fluss but also pay close attention to the many details recorded in the interview so you can have a clear view about the state of Israel-Philippines relations. That interview is a blessing from our Lord. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations rise high strongly and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed on opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Hillsong Church, one of the major Christian churches in Australia, announced recently that the next edition of their popular Hillsong Conference will be held from July 3 to 5, 2023. The good news here is that people are welcome to register online for Hillsong Conference 2023 by clicking here.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Hillsong’s official announcement about Hillsong Conference 2023. Some parts in boldface…
With the success of Hillsong Conference 2022 including over 300 decisions for Christ, 49 nations represented in person and online, and an amazing atmosphere of worship and Spirit-inspired preaching, we are excited to announce that we have dates for Hillsong Conference next year on Monday 3rd – Wednesday 5th July.
2023 conference theme is, Again to our First Love.
This is a new era for Hillsong Conference, and with this in mind we asked for your thoughts on how we can best take the conference forward in the most relevant and meaningful way. A huge thank you to those who participated and provided valuable feedback to help us move forward in strength and with relevance. Survey results were particularly useful as a window into the specific areas of delegates’ interests. This information helps us to focus and refine our direction.
The results revealed approximately 60% of those surveyed want to keep Hillsong Conference in July and for the same length of time. 2022 was attended in the majority (75%) by members of Hillsong Church and 25% from other churches – in keeping with our mandate to champion the cause of the local church. Many of those who attend, do so to hear the speakers and experience corporate worship. Over 65% of those who responded to the survey said their areas of interest were leadership and creative, although almost 25% expressed other areas such as evangelism, the Holy Spirit, theology, and biblical learning, plus areas of social and family support, among others. Feedback on the availability of streaming services and interactive live sessions was very positive, with 75% saying they were open or interested.
In relation to the above announcement, check out this official promo video about Hillsong Conference 2023.
For the newcomers reading this, Hillsong Conference is a very popular and long-running annual worship and Bible-focused event of Hillsong Church. The local church where I attend regularly has pastors who were sent to attend Hillsong Conferences years ago and what they learned was not only valuable but also anointed by the Lord. Hillsong Conference undeniably helps worship leaders from around the world gain insight on worshiping the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and leading more people to the Lord.
To see the official photos of Hillsong Conference 2022, click here. To register early for Hillsong Conference 2023, go to https://hillsong.com/conference/
Let me end this post with the bible scriptures below.
Lord Almighty, you are the one who created all the nations. Look at them—they’re all on their way! Yes, the day will come when they all will worship you and put your glory on display.
Psalms 86:9 (TPT)
O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker [in reverent praise and supplication].
Psalm 95:6 (AMPC)
Beloved friends, what does all this imply? When you conduct your meetings, you should always let everything be done to build up the church family. Whether you share a song of praise, a teaching, a divine revelation, or a tongue and interpretation, let each one contribute what strengthens others.
1 Corinthians 14:26 (TPT)
Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17 (NASB)
Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:3 (AMPC)
That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (MSG)
Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser!
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The Philippines’ defense of its littoral zones will be strengthened thanks to the newly acquired fast-attack interdiction craft-missiles (FAIC-Ms) from Israel for the Philippine Navy’s use, according to an announcement published through the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Be aware that this is not the first time that military hardware made by Israelites will be used to enhance the defense operations of the Philippines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The newly-acquired fast-attack interdiction craft-missiles (FAIC-Ms) will boost the Philippine Navy’s (PN) capability to protect the country’s littoral zones.
The littoral or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore.
“These ships could be deployed to patrol and protect our littorals from any possible threats,” PN spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency Tuesday.
Other possible missions of these ships will be determined by the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), he added.
The BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902), which were formally christened in rites at the PN headquarters in Manila on Tuesday, are the first two out of the nine FAICS-Ms acquired by the Philippines from Israel Shipyards Limited for PHP10 billion.
These vessels are named after two Philippine Marine Corps heroes and Medal of Valor recipients — the late Private First Class Nestor Acero and the late 1st Lt. Lolinato To-Ong.
“This acquisition aims to strengthen the country’s naval capability in terms of enhancing littoral defense and maritime interdiction operations as it will complement the previously acquired 12 MPAC (multi-purpose attack craft) of the PN,” Negranza said.
These two FAIC-Ms were sponsored by Soledad B. Bacarro, the wife of AFP chief-of-staff Lt.Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.
The two vessels were loaded aboard a cargo ship and departed Haifa, Israel in late August. These vessels were formally launched last June 26.
Three more vessels are scheduled to be delivered starting this year while the remaining four units will be constructed at the PN shipyard in Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite City.
These 32-meter high-speed vessels are equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons, and short-range missiles that are capable to deliver precision strikes against larger hostiles and high-value targets on land and sea.
Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other four will be armed with machine guns and light automatic cannons.
The acquisition of eight FAIC-M units is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.
The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion, was issued on January 5 last year.
These are expected to replace the force of patrol killer medium (PKM) or medium-sized patrol craft.
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to grow stronger through military and defense-related matters. The Philippines has a lot of work to do to enhance national defense and that means we must pray to our Lord for the national defense goals to be fulfilled. The newly acquired FAIC-M units from Israel are the newest blessings for the Philippines. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations rise high strongly and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed on opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on a decades-old worship song that pastor Darlene Zschech composed during her time with Hillsong Church and the Hillsong Worship team – I Will Run to You.
As for Hillsong Worship, follow them by clicking here (Facebook), here (Instagram) and here (Twitter).
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of I Will Run to You, posted below for your reference are the lyrics. Words and music of this song were credited to Darlene Zschech.
Your eye is on the sparrow
And Your hand, it comforts me
From the ends of the Earth to the depth of my heart
Let Your mercy and strength be seen
–
You call me to Your purpose
As angels understand
For Your glory, may You draw all men
As Your love and grace demand
–
And I will run to You
To Your words of truth
Not by might, not by power
But by the Spirit of God
Yes, I will run the race
‘Till I see Your face
Oh let me live in the glory of Your grace
–
You call me to Your purpose
As angels understand
For Your glory, may You draw all men
As Your love and grace demand
–
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the lyrics of the first paragraph of the song: Your eye is on the sparrow, And Your hand, it comforts me, From the ends of the Earth to the depth of my heart,Let Your mercy and strength be seen.
The above lyrics emphasize that the Lord is ever present and He will never abandon His faithful children no matter how divisive and chaotic this world is. As long we keep faith in Him, honor Him and follow Him, the Lord will keep us up with His mercy, strength and peace. This also means we should keep on pursuing Him wholeheartedly and without hesitation! To be with God requires being with His Son Jesus who is our Lord and Savior! Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14 (NKJV)
Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will also help you,
I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)
But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh, for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!
Psalms 73:28 (TPT)
Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
John 14:6 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics from the 2nd paragraph: You call me to Your purpose, As angels understand, For Your glory, may You draw all men, As Your love and grace demand.
The above lyrics is a lively reminder that as creations of God, there is absolutely no way we could fully separate ourselves from Him. To be separated from Him is futile and only leads to darkness. When the Lord calls you, it is your destiny to answer His call which is undeniably a high call. Without the Lord, we are nothing, we won’t have glory and we would fall into darkness, sadness and wickedness. Answer the Lord’s call and come to Him. Run to Him and be with Him wholeheartedly! Never forget that God sent Jesus to save humanity and that alone shows how much He loves us and how faithful He is. We only need to answer the high call from our Lord and come to Him decisively with love and obedience. The Lord is always the holy one we must connect with. Learn from the scriptures below…
Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NASB)
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
Psalm 91:15 (ESV)
But as for me, I will call upon the Lord to save me, and I know he will!
Psalms 55:16 (TPT)
By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),
Ephesians 1:18 (AMPC)
With this in view we constantly pray for you, that our God may deem and count you worthy of [your] calling and [His] every gracious purpose of goodness, and with power may complete in [your] every particular work of faith (faith which is that [a]leaning of the whole human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness).
2 Thessalonians 1:11 (AMPC)
“Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you. “I promise that I will never leave you helpless or abandon you as orphans—I will come back to you! Soon I will leave this world and they will see me no longer, but you will see me, because I will live again, and you will come alive too. So when that day comes, you will know that I am living in the Father and that you are one with me, for I will be living in you. Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will reveal myself to him.”
John 14:15-21 (TPT)
There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NASB)
Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.
Psalm 99:9 (NKJV)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics from the 3rd paragraph: And I will run to You, To Your words of truth, Not by might, not by power, But by the Spirit of God, Yes, I will run the race, ‘Till I see Your face, Oh let me live in the glory of Your grace.
The above lyrics collectively emphasize the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, His grace and our union with Him. The said lyrics, in my view, are the very essence of the Hillsong worship song. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the [a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 (AMPC)
Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”
Luke 11:28 (MSG)
Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (TPT)
May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.
Romans 15:13 (AMPC)
He gave us resurrection life and drew us to himself by his holy calling on our lives. And it wasn’t because of any good we have done, but by his divine pleasure and marvelous grace that confirmed our union with the anointed Jesus, even before time began!
2 Timothy 1:9 (TPT)
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.
Romans 5:8 (AMPC)
For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right.
Psalms 33:4 (TPT)
Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 (AMPC)
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)
Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.
John 15:9 (NASB)
And it’s true: “Everyone who calls on the Lord’s name will experience new life.”
Romans 10:13 (TPT)
Indeed, the lyrics and title of I Will Run to You are holy and anointed! This Hillsong worship song is also musically beautiful and written to motivate your heart of worship of the Lord. That being said, I strongly recommend the playing of I Will Run to You during Sunday worship services as well as during church special events. I Will Run to You is clearly all about us – the children of God – to always come to our Heavenly Father through Lord Jesus no matter what happens. This Hillsong worship song is also a great reminder of our union with the Lord.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles and CMAs.
Since August 9 of 1957, Israel and the Philippines had been friends and the diplomatic ties between them prospered through the decades. In 2018, then President Rodrigo Duterte and a contingent of officials visited Israel. There, then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Duterte. During the COVID-19 crisis, Israel assisted the Philippines in varied such as having Filipinos in Israel vaccinated and by also sending their health experts to the Philippines.
Indeed, the ties between the Philippines and Israel are essential. The celebration of 65 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations is real and the Manila Bulletin reported about it recently.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from report of Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines and Israel are celebrating their 65th year of diplomatic relationship this year.
On August 9, 1957, the two nations started fostering their relations, with Israel providing capacity building programs for Filipinos in the agriculture sector.
Israel has been providing assistance to Filipinos in advanced farming practices and data-driven agricultural management systems, as part of the Philippines’ campaign to stabilize the price of commodities and strengthen long-term food security.
As of 2021, the Philippines and Israel recorded a total of $354,349,790 in trade, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Israel also exported $268,096,401 worth of products to the Philippines, DFA added.
In July, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss met with Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles of the new Marcos administration to discuss possible collaboration and ways to strengthen the embassy’s connection with the Office of the Press Secretary in sharing the initiatives and partnerships between Israel and the Philippines.
Fluss said Israel’s expertise in cybersecurity, digital diplomacy, and media tech could be deployed for faster and more comprehensive delivery of news and information in the remote areas in the Philippines.
Responding to President Marcos’ first State of the Nation Address, Fluss also said Israel is looking forward to achieving the chief executives’ vision, “especially in the fields of agriculture, innovation & technology, and more.”
Be thankful to the Lord as Israel-Philippines ties continue to create opportunities, prosperity and new forms of friendship between the Filipinos and the Israelites. Keep on praying to Him to have the two nations to rise high and stand out among all nations of this very divided world we live in. Pray to Him that no enemy will ever succeed while opposing Israel and the Philippines. The evil ones will be exposed and will fall down in due time.
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Running, an original worship song from Planetshakersreleased through their album REVIVAL (click here for the official page of the album) For the newcomers reading this, the previous Planetshakers worship songs I examined and analyzed in the CMA series were How I Praise, All, Great Outpouring, 247 365, Encounter Song and So Good. Let me share to you also that Planetshakers will be returning to the Philippines with worship events scheduled! In fact, Planetshakers has been touring internationally to lead people to the Lord with music and powerful worship!
If you want to discover and learn more about Planetshakers, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram), here (Twitter) and here (YouTube). To know more about Planetshakers itself, visit https://www.planetshakers.com/
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Running, posted below for your reference are the lyrics. Words and music of this song were credited to Andy Harrison and Joth Hunt.
VERSE 1
Who You are is holy
Nothing in this world compares
Hidden in Your glory
Are treasures far beyond compare
PRE-CHORUS
Beauty on beauty, wonder on wonder
Lord there’s none like You
Closer and closer, You draw me in so
I will run to You
CHORUS
I’m running, running to You
I’m longing, longing for You
I’m pouring, my affection on You
‘Cause all I want is You, all I want is You
VERSE 2
Who You are is worthy
All creation bows to You
All You do is perfect
Every word is proven true
BRIDGE
Holy, holy Lord almighty
There is none like You
Worthy, worthy, You are worthy
There is none like You
TAG
All I want is You
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the lyrics of Verse 1 of the song: Who You are is holy, Nothing in this world compares, Hidden in Your glory, Are treasures far beyond compare.
The Verse 1 lyrics emphasize that our Lord is holy and His holiness can never be matched by anyone nor anything in this very divided world we live in. As God is our creator, He is also our source and the ultimate planner. Therefore, we only worship, honor and glorify the Lord. The Lord is the one we approach. Run to God, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit! Learn from the scriptures below…
No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NKJV)
Keep exalting the Lord our God facedown before his glory-throne, for he is great and holy!
Psalms 99:9 (TPT)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
Hebrews 1:3-4 (NASB)
Moving on, we have the Pre-Chorus lyrics which go as follows: Beauty on beauty, wonder on wonder, Lord there’s none like You, Closer and closer, You draw me in so, I will run to You.
The Pre-Chorus lyrics emphasize that the Lord God is much greater than us and the whole world we live in. The greatness of the Heavenly Father can never be matched and as He is our creator, it is only our destiny and responsibility to be faithful to Him, to honor Him and be with Him above everything else. All the glory, all the praise and all the prioritizing belong to the Lord! We move to the Lord because our rightful place is with Him! Do not forget that the Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus to save us. Learn from the following bible scriptures below…
There is none like You, Lord;
You are great, and Your name is great in might.
Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For it is Your due!
For among all the wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
Jeremiah 10:6-7 (NASB)
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods.
1 Chronicles 16:25 (AMPC)
And I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I show Myself holy among you in their sight.
Ezekiel 36:23 (NASB)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
But everyone my Father has given to me, they will come. And all who come to me, I will embrace and will never turn them away.
John 6:37 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines from the Chorus: I’m running, running to You, I’m longing, longing for You, I’m pouring, my affection on You, ‘Cause all I want is You, all I want is You.
The Chorus clearly magnifies our purpose with the Lord and this, I believe, is the basis of the worship song’s title. As children of the Lord, we are meant to come to Him, open our hearts to Him and have unwavering faith in Him. Posted below are more holy scriptures about coming to the Lord…
Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (MSG)
Lord, you are so good to me, so kind in every way and ready to forgive, for your grace-fountain keeps overflowing, drenching all your devoted lovers who pray to you.
Psalms 86:5 (TPT)
Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father. From now on, you know Him and have seen Him.
John 14:6-7 (AMPC)
Jesus replied, “Loving me empowers you to obey my word. And my Father will love you so deeply that we will come to you and make you our dwelling place.”
John 14:23 (TPT)
Next, the lyrics of Verse 2 are as follows: Who You are is worthy,All creation bows to You, All You do is perfect, Every word is proven true.
After that, here are the lyrics of the song’s Bridge: Holy, holy Lord almighty, There is none like You, Worthy, worthy, You are worthy, There is none like You.
Collectively Verse 2 and the song’s Bridge emphasize the greatness, the almighty power and love of the Lord. He is faithful and He always keeps His promises. He is also our Source, our Creator and the Way Maker. The Lord is worthy of all the praise and faith from us. The Lord is almighty and nothing else can ever compare to him. No idol and no form of opposition will ever come close to the Lord’s power and holiness. Learn from the following scriptures below…
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (NASB)
But you, O Lord, your mercy-seat love is limitless, reaching higher than the highest heavens. Your great faithfulness is infinite, stretching over the whole earth.
Psalms 36:5 (TPT)
For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
John 3:17 (AMPC)
Nevertheless in Your great mercy
You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them;
For You are God, gracious and merciful.
Nehemiah 9:31 (NKJV)
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].
Genesis 12:2 (AMPC)
The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!
Psalm 126:3 (AMPC)
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
Psalm 63:3-4 (NKJV)
Come on, everyone! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord! Let’s shout our loudest praises to our God who saved us! Everyone come meet his face with a thankful heart. Don’t hold back your praises; make him great by your shouts of joy! For the Lord is the greatest of all, King-God over all other gods! In one hand he holds the mysteries of the earth, and in the other he holds the highest mountain peaks. He’s the owner of every ocean, the engineer and sculptor of earth itself! Come and kneel before this Creator-God; come and bow before the mighty God, our majestic maker!
Psalm 95:1-6 (TPT)
Indeed, the lyrics and title of Running are holy and anointed! This worship song by Planetshakers is a strong reminder about who our Lord is and why we are meant to be with Him, follow Him and honor Him eternally. As faithful children of God, our destiny and purpose are with Him. We are meant to come into His presence, be ready to follow His commands and preach His Word in this very divided world we are currently living in. Musically, Running is motivating and solemn at the same time. It is an ideal song to worship the Lord during Sunday worship services or during prayer events with the spiritual family.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles and CMAs.
If you are looking for breakthroughs within Israel-Philippine ties related to business or economics, be delighted over the news that an Israeli firm partnered with a local firm that will create opportunities for growth with regards to investing, according to a Manila Standard news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Standard report. Some parts in boldface…
OurCrowd, Israel’s most active venture platform, and Einhorn Resources Inc, a Philippine investment firm, today announced a partnership that will provide Einhorn clients direct access to OurCrowd’s exclusive investments and mentorships to facilitate growth of Philippine startups.
The partnership was signed in Tel Aviv, Israel, between Dan Bennett, OurCrowd’s General Partner & Managing Director of Australia and Asia, and Jean Henri Lhuillier, Einhorn Resources Inc. CEO.
“This new partnership is an exciting opportunity to extend our pipeline into the vibrant investment community in the Philippines and to help nurture its startup ecosystem,” said Dan Bennett. “Einhorn Resources’ deep knowledge of the Philippine investment landscape will be instrumental to bringing our top-tier technology talent to that part of the world.
“Not only are we raising money for these opportunities both in Israel, the US and beyond, but this is an important opportunity for corporates and family offices to invest from the Philippines and to attract technology that will benefit their core business.”
This collaboration, the first of its kind in the Philippines, provides Einhorn clients direct access to one of the world’s leading online venture platforms. OurWorld currently has $1.9 billion in commitments and has deployed capital to more than 347 portfolio companies and 39 funds in five continents. It also has 200,000 registered members from 195 countries which it allows to participate in vetted and early-stage firms and funds.
Currently, plans are being made to set up a regional incubator that will give growth opportunities to Philippine startups looking for Israeli tech expertise.
“We are excited to work with OurCrowd to pave the way for stronger ties for investment opportunities, traditional companies and tech solution collaborations,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier. “The partnership aims to open the funnel to a Philippine network of investors who can choose relevant companies to invest in as well as customize an online portfolio.”
Indeed, the OurCrowd-Einhorn partnership is a very welcome development and its impact will be felt in the years to come. Both the Philippines and Israel endured hardships related to the COVID-19 crisis over the past few years but there are efforts to not only recover economically and socially, but also emerge stronger from the pandemic. The economy of the Philippines is growing but more opportunities related to investing are needed and this is where the OurCrowd-Einhorn partnership comes in. To the local entrepreneurs reading this, please pay close attention to the above excerpt and start considering looking to Israel for opportunities and innovations in business. This partnership is truly a blessing from the Lord for both Israel and the Philippines!
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Author Carlo Carrasco 