This last Thursday we helped sponsor a Night to Stand with Israel where Irving Roth was to be our featured guest. Irving is a holocaust survivor and travels around the country telling his story to audiences of all ages. He goes to schools, universities, churches, anywhere he can to tell people that what he is seeing today has the earmarks of the events that led up to WWII. He is alarmed by how fast our country is falling for the same propaganda as Germany did. 
Unfortunately, he had a slight heart attack Sunday evening and couldn't come. Randy Neal, who travels with him, came anyway and we got to meet Irving via video. It was not a disappointing evening by any means!
Irving was 15 when he lived to get out of the concentration camp, Auschwitz. He is adamant to educate the next generation to what is happening and the compelling evidence that this is necessary is what is happening on our college campuses. The hearts and minds of our children are being saturated with hatred for Israel and America! 
I pray that we will consider how dangerous it is to be ignorant and silent!
 

I've been thinking this week about what it means to be a "watchman on the wall." Isaiah 62:6 talks about how the Lord has posted these watchmen to be alert people who will never forget their responsibilities toward Jerusalem. This has been our theme for quite a while and I've been aware that God is working to call more of His children to this post. 

While studying Matthew 11 I came across a verse that I didn't quite understand. Where Jesus spoke of John the Baptist He said; "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it." 

After some research, I found that this verse implies a "dynamite" experience. That whatever this advancement was, it was like  dynamite that is exploding the way open. It is also directly linked to Micah 2:12-13 which is a "Messianic" passage. The picture is of a sheep pen where all the sheep are locked up and enslaved. But there is "one who breaks open the way" that "will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. ...[then] Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head." 

Then I head to John 10 where I hear Jesus say "The watchman opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. ...I Am the gate for the sheep. ...I am the good shepherd."

John the Baptist was breaking open the way for Jesus to come. Could it be that we are called to be the "watchman" who opens the gate for Him? 
Just a thought, eh?