THE RISEN KING MESSIAH TODAY

REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE

REVELATION 11:1-2
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

DANIEL 9:27
27 And he( THE EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: (1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until theconsummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

PASSOVER DAY 7 IN ISRAEL SCRIPTURES. (NISAN 20) APR 8,07

TORAH

EXODUS 13:17-15:26
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

NUMBER 28:16-25
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:
20 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram;
21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

PROPHETS

2 SAMUEL 22:1-51
1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.
45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,
49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

PASSOVER DAY 3 AROUND THE WORLD. JESUS' RESURRECTION, PROOF JESUS IS GOD THE MESSIAH OF ISRAEL. THE ONLY LEADER THAT EVER DIED AND ROSE TO LIFE EASTER SUNDAY. THE WORLDS ONLY SAVIOUR.

MATTHEW 28:1-20
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

OTHER NEWS AROUND THE WORLD. NISAN 20, APR 08,07

1-WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS.2-Quake lifts Solomons island out of the sea. 3-East Coast storm slows travel. 4-Easter feels like Christmas. 5-Reunion sees colossal volcano eruption, but population safe. 6-Mysterious disappearance of US bees creating a buzz 7-Pope decries world's suffering' as millions celebrate Easter. 8-Stefans Comment: Please Pray for New Age Israelis This weekend. 9-How is the Jewish Sabbath observed? 10-U.N.:Warming ruining society, nature. 11-Gay-rights bill lets court define church's purpose. 12-Captors of Israeli soldier make demands.

EARTHQUAKES

MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS (USGS)

Update time = Sun Apr 8 11:11 AM EDT

APR 08,07
MAP 5.1 AZORES ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.5 VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
MAP 5.0 NEAR THE COAST OF SOUTHERN PERU
MAP 3.3 KODIAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
MAP 4.8 NEAR THE COAST OF SOUTHERN PERU
MAP 4.7 VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
MAP 4.9 VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
MAP 2.9 MOUNT ST. HELENS AREA, WASHINGTON
MAP 4.8 NEAR THE COAST OF SOUTHERN PERU
MAP 2.6 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
MAP 4.8 AZORES ISLANDS REGION
MAP 3.1 OREGON
MAP 3.3 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.3 GULF OF ALASKA
MAP 3.6 NORTHERN ALASKA
MAP 3.2 NORTHERN ALASKA
MAP 4.9 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
MAP 3.7 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP 5.2 KURIL ISLANDS
MAP 2.6 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 3.9 SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
MAP 3.4 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA

APR 07,07
MAP 4.2 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 2.7 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
MAP 3.0 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP 3.5 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 2.5 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP 2.7 MOUNT ST. HELENS AREA, WASHINGTON
MAP 3.0 KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
MAP 3.6 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 2.7 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 5.7 SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
MAP 5.2 LOYALTY ISLANDS
MAP 5.0 LOYALTY ISLANDS
MAP 2.7 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 6.0 AZORES ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.1 SOUTHWEST INDIAN RIDGE
MAP 5.2 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
MAP 2.6 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 2.8 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 2.5 KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
MAP 2.5 KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
MAP 5.2 IZU ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
MAP 3.8 ALASKA PENINSULA
MAP 3.3 SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA

Quake lifts Solomons island out of the sea by Neil Sands Sat Apr 7, 7:58 PM ET

RANONGGA, Solomon Islands (AFP) - The seismic jolt that unleashed the deadly Solomons tsunami this week lifted an entire island metres out of the sea, destroying some of the world's most pristine coral reefs. In an instant, the grinding of the Earth's tectonic plates in the 8.0 magnitude earthquake Monday forced the island of Ranongga up three metres (10 foot).Submerged reefs that once attracted scuba divers from around the globe lie exposed and dying after the quake raised the mountainous landmass, which is 32-kilometres (20-miles) long and 8-kilometres (5-miles) wide.

Corals that used to form an underwater wonderland of iridescent blues, greens and reds now bleach under the sun, transforming into a barren moonscape surrounding the island.

The stench of rotting fish and other marine life stranded on the reefs when the seas receded is overwhelming and the once vibrant coral is dry and crunches underfoot. Dazed villagers stand on the shoreline, still coming to terms with the cataclysmic shift that changed the geography of their island forever, pushing the shoreline out to sea by up to 70 metres.Aid agencies have yet to reach Ranongga after the quake and tsunami that killed at least 34 people in the Pacific archipelago but an AFP reporter and photographer on a chartered boat witnessed the destruction first hand.

At Pienuna, on Ranongga's east coast, locals said much of their harbour had disappeared, leaving only a narrow inlet lined by jagged exposed coral reefs either side.Villager Harison Gago said there were huge earthquake fissures which had almost split the island in half, gesturing with his hands that some of the cracks were 50 centimetres (20 inches) wide.Further north at Niu Barae, fisherman Hendrik Kegala had just finished exploring the new underwater landscape of the island with a snorkel when contacted by the AFP team.He said a huge submerged chasm had opened up, running at least 500 metres (550 yards) parallel to the coast.On the beach at Niu Barae, the earthquake has revealed a sunken vessel that locals believe is a Japanese patrol boat, a remnant of the fierce fighting between Allied forces and the Japanese in WWII.

Kegala said that from the perspective of those on the island, the sea appeared to recede and villagers still feared it would come back again as a tsunami, making them reluctant to return from higher ground where they fled.Plenty big noise, he told AFP, describing the disaster in the local pidgin dialect.Water go back and not come back again, he added, saying the whooshing sound of the receding water and the shaking from the quake occurred simultaneously.Danny Kennedy, a dive operator in the provincial capital Gizo, said the earthquake had damaged coral reefs throughout the Solomon Islands' western province.He said dive sites once ranked among the best in the world were dying because the tremors had upset the fragile natural ecosystem.

Some of the most beautiful corals are the most delicate and those are the ones that have been affected, he told AFP. The more robust corals are still there but it's the ones that people want to photograph, the sea fans and the colourful corals, that are dying.

Kennedy said the damage to the coral reefs could dry up the region's major source of overseas money. Diving is huge here, it employs so many local people, he said. The fear is that people are going to come here and see the reefs are damaged then tell people not to come back for a few years until they recover.

Jackie Thomas, acting manager for Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the Solomons, said the loss of the reefs was a huge blow for the fishing communities that are dotted along Ranongga's coast. The fish from the reefs are the major source of protein for the villagers, she told AFP from Gizo. They use shells for tools and rely on the sea for many of their basic needs. It just shows the incredible force of the earthquake, to move a whole island.She said the reefs around Ranongga were a protected marine environment and locals had worked hard with WWF in recent years to ensure that they were managed sustainably.Now it's another marine environment that has been destroyed, she said. Who knows if the coral reefs will recover and the fish will come back? Villagers will have to travel further to find the same sort of food and nutrition they've relied on the whole food chain has been disrupted.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

East Coast storm slows travel
Sunday, April 8, 2007 - CBC News

It seemed more like Christmas than Easter on the East Coast on Sunday as many people in the region awoke to a blanket of snow, which cancelled flights and knocked out power in some areas.The storm started late Saturday, hitting the greater Halifax area and much of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.No flights have moved in or out of the Halifax or the Greater Moncton International airports since Saturday night.Ferry officials have warned customers to expect delays between Cape Breton and Newfoundland.Air traffic in Halifax came to a stop around 10 p.m. and midnight in Moncton. Officials in Halifax said crews were working on the runway all night but it's still slippery.

Nova Scotia Power said 800 customers were without electricity in Dartmouth, but the power was supposed to be restored by 11 a.m. AT on Sunday.Forecasters said Charlottetown could get up to 20 centimetres of snow by Sunday night and up to 15 centimetres could fall in New Glasgow, N.S.

Easter feels like Christmas Mark Avery, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel Sun Apr 8, 4:46 AM ET

South

Portions of the South saw snow on Saturday, and could see more today. Several locations in Texas received snow#an unusual occurrence for April to begin with#but also received accumulating snow. Some more snow is possible today in the Texas Panhandle and other portions of West Texas, with snow possible this morning in parts of East Texas as well. Rain is possible along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coasts today. Otherwise, the story for today is the continued cold across the region, with several record lows (and record cold highs) possible again today and freeze warnings up across most of the South. Red flag warnings (for an increased fire danger) are in effect for much of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and the western Carolinas. Rain moves eastward to Florida on Monday, with rain showers returning to parts of West Texas and Oklahoma on Monday. By Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms will be more widespread across the region, with rain chances reaching the Southeast Coast on Wednesday. Another chance of storms moves into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley by Friday. High temperatures will generally be staying near or below average throughout the week ahead, with some moderation in Texas and Florida by Tuesday and in the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys by Friday.

Midwest

Lake-effect snow will once again fall over portions of Michigan and Ohio today. The lake-effect snow belts in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, western Lower Michigan, and northeast Ohio will see the greatest snows. Lake-effect snow warnings and advisories are in effect for parts of northeast Ohio through today.

More snow is expected on Monday before the lake-effect snow machine turns off by Tuesday. However, on Tuesday a chance of rain and possibly some thunderstorms moves into the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, spreading up the Ohio Valley on Wednesday and Thursday. Snow returns to the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest from Tuesday through Thursday. Another storm system moves out of the Rockies on Friday bringing rain and wind to the Mid-Mississippi Valley with more snow possible in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. High temperatures are expected to remain below average through the week.

Northeast

Lake-effect snows continue to fall over southwestern New York and the Tug Hill Plateau in Upstate New York. Meanwhile, windy and cold conditions will grip the Megalopolis this Easter. Lake snows will continue in the interior Northeast into Tuesday before a storm system moves in and brings more widespread rain and snow to the region by Wednesday and Thursday. Afternoon highs are expected to remain below average through the week ahead.

West

While the East has been shivering, the West has been sizzling. Above average temperatures continue to hold in place in much of the West, with Southern California being the only place in the West (west of the Continental Divide) expecting highs below average today. Rain and a few thunderstorms are possible in the Four Corners area, with rain (and mountain snow in the highest elevations of the Cascades) possible in the Pacific Northwest. Rain and storms move into the Central Rockies on
Monday before moving into the Plains on Wednesday. By then, another storm system starts moving ashore bringing mountain snow and valley rain to the Rockies on Thursday. Afternoon highs will remain above average through Wednesday across much of the West, except in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. By mid to late week, much of the region will once again see below average highs.

Reunion sees colossal volcano eruption, but population safe Sat Apr 7, 4:54 PM ET

SAINT-DENIS-DE-LA-REUNION (AFP) - A volcano on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion has spewed massive lava flow and tossed magma as high as skyscrapers, but residents were not in danger Saturday, officials said. It's not a volcano any more. It's a monster, one resident said.The so-called Piton de la Fournaise volcano in eastern Reunion, a French overseas department, has been erupting for about a week. Tourists and residents have been able to take in the impressive sights since residential areas have not been threatened.

On Friday, about 100 residents were evacuated from a village in southeastern Reunion, with some believing they could see lava approaching.

They were allowed to return to their homes two hours later, however. What was believed to be lava turned out to be a forest fire caused by projections of burning ashes.Some residents have decided to leave their homes anyway out of fear of what could happen. Eight houses were destroyed by lava flow in March 1986.The eruption showed signs of weakening Saturday, though it remained active. A thin coating of ash covered several neighborhoods in the eastern area of Saint-Andre.It could last several more days, but not weeks, said Thomas Staudacher, director of the island's Volcano Observatory.

Staudacher called the lava flow colossal and estimated it at three million cubic metres (four million cubic yards) per day.Lava flows, which have cut off a national highway, have traveled at 60 kilometres (38 miles) per hour, and magma has been projected 200 metres (656 feet) high.Lava has flown toward the sea, producing clouds of volcanic gas when making contact with water that has enveloped many areas of the island. But sulphur dioxyde levels in the gas have not been measured at dangerous levels.

Mysterious disappearance of US bees creating a buzz by Jean-Louis Santini Fri Apr 6, 10:09 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US beekeepers have been stung in recent months by the mysterious
disappearance of millions of bees threatening honey supplies as well as crops which depend on the insects for pollination. Bee numbers on parts of the east coast and in Texas have fallen by more than 70 percent, while California has seen colonies drop by 30 to 60 percent.According to estimates from the US Department of Agriculture, bees are vanishing across a total of 22 states, and for the time being no one really knows why.Approximately 40 percent of my 2,000 colonies are currently dead and this is the greatest winter colony mortality I have ever experienced in my 30 years of beekeeping, apiarist Gene Brandi, from the California State Beekeepers Association, told Congress recently.

It is normal for hives to see populations fall by some 20 percent during the winter, but the sharp loss of bees is causing concern, especially as domestic US bee colonies have been steadily decreasing since 1980.There are some 2.4 million professional hives in the country, according to the Agriculture Department, 25 percent fewer than at the start of the 1980s.And the number of beekeepers has halved.
The situation is so bad, that beekeepers are now calling for some kind of government intervention, warning the flight of the bees could be catastrophic for crop growers.Domestic bees are essential for pollinating some 90 varieties of vegetables and fruits, such as apples, avocados, and blueberries and cherries.The pollination work of honey bees increases the yield and quality of United States crops by approximately 15 billion dollars annually including six billion in California, Brandi said.

California's almond industry alone contributes two billion dollars to the local economy, and depends on 1.4 million bees which are brought from around the US every year to help pollinate the trees, he added.The phenomenon now being witnessed across the United States has been dubbed colony collapse disorder, or CCD, by scientists as they seek to explain what is causing the bees to literally disappear in droves.The usual suspects to which bees are known to be vulnerable such as the varroa mite, an external parasite which attacks honey bees and which can wipe out a hive, appear not to be the main cause.CCD is associated with unique symptoms, not seen in normal collapses associated with varroa mites and honey bee viruses or in colony deaths due to winter kill, entomologist Diana Cox-Foster told the Congress committee.

In cases of colony collapse disorder, flourishing hives are suddenly depopulated leaving few, if any, surviving bees behind.The queen bee, which is the only one in the hive allowed to reproduce, is found with just a handful of young worker bees and a reserve of food.Curiously though no dead bees are found either inside or outside the hive.The fact that other bees or parasites seem to shun the emptied hives raises suspicions that some kind of toxin or chemical is keeping the insects away, Cox-Foster said. Those bees found in such devastated colonies also all seem to be infected with multiple micro-organisms, many of which are known to be behind stress-related illness in bees.

Scientists working to unravel the mysteries behind CCD believe a new pathogen may be the cause, or a new kind of chemical product which could be weakening the insects' immune systems. The finger of suspicion is being pointed at agriculture pesticides such as the widely-used neonicotinoides, which are already known to be poisonous to bees. France saw a huge fall in its bee population in the 1990s, blamed on the insecticide Gaucho which has now been banned in the country.

Pope decries world's suffering as millions celebrate Easter Sun Apr 8, 8:07 AM ET

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday lamented suffering in the world's strife-torn and poorest regions as millions across the globe marked Easter, the holiest day in the Christian calendar. How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world! Natural calamities and human tragedies that cause innumerable victims and enormous material destruction are not lacking, the head of the Roman Catholic Church said his traditional Easter address.I am thinking of the scourge of hunger, of incurable diseases, of terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion ... he said.Speaking from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica to a crowd of tens of thousands, the pope evoked the plight of victims of last week's tsunami in the Solomon Islands and added that nothing positive comes from Iraq which is torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees.

The pope rarely speaks about the situation in Iraq, where attacks continue despite a massive security operation since February 14 to quell daily bloodshed that has left thousands dead in the last year alone.He also expressed apprehension at the conditions prevailing in several regions of Africa, the world's poorest continent, notably Darfur, Somalia and Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis, and for this reason the bishops of that country in a recent document indicated prayer and a shared commitment for the common good as the only way forward, he said.Zimbabwe has been wracked by a political and economic crisis which shows no sign of abating. In Sudan's restive Darfur region, at least 200,000 people have died according to the United Nations, since a conflict erupted in 2003.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the leader of the world's Anglicans, meanwhile urged Christians to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation, saying they could help resolve conflicts around the world.Recalling recent progress in the Northern Ireland peace process, where rival Protestant and Catholic parties agreed last month for the first time to share power in the British-run province, Williams said: Going forward requires us all to learn a measure of openness to discover things about ourselves we did not know, seeing ourselves through the eyes of another.In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin marked Easter by returning a long-lost icon of Our Lady of Vladimir to Russia's Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II and pledged to return other religious relics lost in the Soviet era.

Alexy II on his part put aside long-running differences with the Roman Catholic Church to send Easter greetings to Pope Benedict XVI, in a letter quoted by the Interfax news agency Saturday.I ... wish you blessed peace, good health and the Risen Saviour's help in your lofty service on the ever-joyful holiday of Easter, the patriarch said.For the first time this Easter an icon a holy work of art venerated by Orthodox Christians was placed near the altar as Benedict XVI presided over
Easter mass in the Vatican's St Peter's Square decked out in spring flowers.

Celebrations took on different shades across the world. Solomon Islanders prayed for victims of the tsunami while a priest urged the people to take the task of rebuilding upon themselves.Now is not the time to wait and sit for supplies, Reverend John Pihavaka told his congregation.Now is time for you to make work, to start and rebuild after the tsunami, he said.

In Ukraine, Easter had political undertones with hundreds of protesters against President Viktor Yushchenko celebrating with traditional cakes and eggs sporting the blue-and-white colours of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who has defied Yushchenko's order to dissolve parliament.

Easter was celebrated with great fervour in Poland, where more than 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, prompting the priest of a leading Warsaw church to say there could be need to increase its capacity in future. Iraq's dwindling Christian minority donned their Sunday best but held quiet festivities, fearful of the bombings and abductions terrorising Baghdad's streets.

Stefans Comment:Please Pray for New Age Israelis This weekend APR 08,07

Romans 10:13-15 For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! (NKJ)

I was inspired to write this short report after watching a segment on the Sunday night main Israeli news program. The report was about the portion of the Jewish population of Israel who prefer to be outside of Israel during the Passover festival. In one part of the report this large exit of the country before Passover was called a modern day exodus and was illustrated by showing Israel's new and
modern Ben Gurion Airport check in hall packed with Israelis on the way overseas.

Some secular Israelis were interviewed and they had some terrible things to say about the Passover and celebrating it. One woman said: and another man was quoted saying: why should we have to pay a price and suffer (referring to not eating leaven). Is it our fault the Israelites left Egypt at this specific time. These statements truly saddened me.

The reporter presented some interesting facts. This year has seen a 40 percent rise in people leaving the country during Passover, and most of the flights are to countries such as Turkey ... where they traditional and biblical Seder is not held. These numbers and statistics represent only 3 percent of the population, however it saddens me that 3 percent are out of the country, and that many more Israelis are holding Passover seders simply out of tradition, without truly believing that it even happened. For these people, it is simply a fable and a part of Jewish tradition.

Also during the Passover holidays there is a very large New Age festival taking place at Nitzanim beach, near to Ashkelon and Ashdod. It is called called Bombomella. This is a festival filled with drugs, sex and free nudity, idol worship and different kinds of demonic rituals. This festival is attended by approximately 60000 people every year and I believe looks a bit like what happened at the feet of MT. Sinai after the exodus from Egypt - complete idolatry and debauchery. The festival will be begin on Thursday and continue until Sunday, running non-stop, day and night with music and parties going on 24/7. There will be a large group of 180 250 Jewish and Gentile believers that are going to be at in the grounds of the festival during the endurance of the festival evangelizing and sharing the gospel with whoever they can.

As we all remember the Resurrection of the Messiah this weekend, please lift up in prayer the Israeli believers who are at the Bombomella festival, that they shall be surrounded by the hosts of Heaven and protected from every form of attack, spiritual or physical and that they shall have Divine appointments. Please pray for a strong anointing on them as they speak to the people, and that the seed that they sow shall fall on good ground. The young people that flock to those kinds of festivals are searching and looking for spiritual fullness that they will only find in Yeshua.

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel . Do not be silent, but share this to your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for our son Jordan, and all of his fellow soldiers in the IDF.

Shabbat Shalom .. . David & Josie Silver

How is the Jewish Sabbath observed? APR 08,07 RABBI ECKSTEIN

Like all other Jewish holy days, Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) begins at sundown - in this case, on Friday evening. That is because in the Jewish calendar, the day begins at sunset. This pattern is derived from the biblical account of creation in Genesis which states, and there was evening and there was morning. The rabbis interpret this statement as indicating that day follows night. There are to be no distractions on Shabbat for the observant Jew. Driving a car, using the telephone, or using any form of electricity is prohibited. Instead, we are to concentrate on celebrating God's creation. Our time is to be spent in warmth and meditation, fellowship and harmony, wonder and awe, as we marvel over the miracle of God's creation. For those who observe the Shabbat, it is indeed a day of delight, an island in time.

There is an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation on Friday. The house is cleaned, candlesticks are polished, Sabbath delicacies are bought and prepared (since cooking, as all work, is prohibited on Shabbat), and the Sabbath table is set. As sundown draws closer, we wash up, put on our finest clothes, and get ready to welcome the Shabbat. We attend synagogue and recite our evening prayers and then partake of a festive Shabbat meal.This extensive preparation for the Sabbath and anticipation of that momentous day is an essential ingredient of its observance. Just as the Jewish people prepared themselves physically and spiritually before receiving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, so we undergo a physical and spiritual preparation before entering the Shabbat. The Bible tells us to put ourselves into the proper frame of mind, stating, Six days you shall labor, and do all your work (Exodus 20:9). How, ask the rabbis, can a person complete all his work in the course of six days? It is difficult, sometimes impossible. Yet, when the Sabbath arrives, we are to feel as if all our work has been completed, greeting Shabbat in a spirit of tranquility and peace, without anxious thoughts of what still needs to be done.

Formal observance of the Shabbat begins with the woman of the home lighting the Sabbath candles. It is customary to light one candle for each member of the household.

In Judaism, the family and the home are the primary vehicles for expressing Shabbat spirituality and, by extension, for emphasizing Jewish values as a whole.Traditional Shabbat songs are sung and the father blesses his children with the biblical priestly blessing. He extols his wife's virtues and declares his love and appreciation for her by reciting the woman of valor prayer, based on Proverbs 31. Through observance of these rituals each week, Jews create an environment in the home that serves to remind us of God's sovereignty and His love for us.

The following morning, Saturday, we attend synagogue prayer services and return home to eat our second festive Sabbath meal.

This meal has been fully prepared before the Shabbat. We spend the afternoon relaxing, studying Torah, and sharing with family and friends. As sunset and the close of Shabbat draws nearer, the afternoon service, Minhah, is recited. Then the third and final Shabbat meal is eaten. The central theme of this concluding portion of the Shabbat is redemption. If we have truly partaken of the Shabbat experience, we have now reached our spiritual goal and gotten a glimpse of the messianic world to come. Our yearning for Messiah and redemption intensifies.

The Shabbat is formally concluded with the evening prayer service, and the havdalah, or separation ceremony. In this ceremony we reaffirm our belief in the coming of the Messiah and the future redemption of the world. We accept anew our duty to sanctify life and imbue it with holiness.Finally, we light a long braided, candle, drink from an overflowing cup of wine, and smell the fragrance of spices as we chant the prayer, Be not afraid, my servant Jacob, for I, the Lord, am with you. The light of the braided candle symbolizes the intertwining of the Eternal One and the divine spirit in man, for as the Bible says, the Lord is our Light and redeemer. The aromatic spices refresh our soul and dispel the emptiness we feel at the conclusion of Shabbat. And the overflowing cup of wine symbolizes our uncontainable optimism and our hope for the coming week.

U.N.: Warming ruining society, nature
April 8, 2007 (CNN)

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) Top climate experts warned on Friday that global warming will cause faster and wider damage than previously forecast, ranging from hunger in Africa and Asia to extinctions and rising ocean levels. More than 100 nations in the U.N. climate panel agreed a final text after all-night disputes with some scientists accusing government delegates of watering down their findings in a draft 21-page summary for policymakers.We have an approved report, Rajendra Pachauri, the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), told reporters after the talks in Brussels.

Pachauri who said he was still wearing the same suit as on Thursday due to the marathon overnight talks added he hoped the world would pay attention. The report says the poor will be hardest hit by changes including desertification, drought, and rising sea levels.

The IPCC groups 2,500 scientists and is the top world authority on climate change. Its findings are approved unanimously by governments and will guide policy in coming years on issues such as extending the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol, the main U.N. plan for capping greenhouse gas emissions, beyond 2012. (Watch a worst-case scenario for U.S. cities )
http://edition.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/tech/2007/04/05/snow.global.warming.flooding.affl&wm=11

Conflict is a hard word, tension is a better word, Gary Yohe, one of the report's lead authors, told Reuters of the mood at the marathon talks.He said China, Russia and Saudi Arabia had raised most objections during the night to a 21-page summary which makes clear that the poor will suffer most.

Other participants also said the United States had toned down some passages.Some scientists objected, for instance, after China tried to eliminate a note saying that there was very high confidence that climate change was already affecting many natural systems, on all continents and in some oceans.

China, the second largest source of greenhouse gases after the United States and ahead of Russia, wanted no mention of the level of confidence.

Africa must adapt

Still, delegates sharpened other sections, including adding a warning that some African nations might have to spend 5 to 10 percent of gross domestic product on adapting to climate change.Overall, the report is the strongest U.N. assessment yet of the threat of climate change, predicting water shortages that could affect billions of people and a rise in ocean levels that could go on for centuries.It builds on a previous IPCC report in February saying that human greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels, are very likely to be the main cause of recent warming. (Watch how this report differs from earlier statements )

That report also forecast that temperatures could rise by 1.8 to 4.0 Celsius (3.2 to 7.2 F) this century.Friday's study also says climate change could cause hunger for millions with a sharp fall in crop yields in Africa. It could rapidly thaw of Himalayan glaciers that feed rivers from India to China and bring heatwaves for Europe and North America.U.S. delegates rejected suggested wording that parts of North America may suffer severe economic damage from warming.But it toughened some sections by saying significant loss of biodiversity was possible in parts of Australia such as the Great Barrier Reef by 2020.The IPCC report says climate change is no longer a vague, distant threat.The whole of climate change is something actually here and now rather than something for the future, said Neil Adger, a British lead author of the report.

Gay-rights bill lets court define church's purpose
Most sweeping and culturally devastating law in Oregon history, establishing pagan morality April 7, 2007 - 1:00 a.m. Eastern - By Bob Unruh - 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski

A plan being shoved down a fast track in the Oregon Legislature would give homosexuals a vast range of new state laws they could use to impose their moral perspective on Christians across the state, according to opponents who fear for their speech and religious expression rights. Senate Bill 2, on its face, is written to enshrine in state law special protections for homosexuals by classifying them as a protected civil rights group. But hundreds of pastors whose churches include tens of thousands of evangelical Christians are horrified by what they see advancing virtually without opposition. Senate Bill 2, in the Oregon House of Representatives, if passed, will limit your free speech rights and rights of conscience; require public schools to teach that homosexual/lesbian/bisexual behavior is okay and moral; impact your rights as a business owner; and put judges in authority on certain church matters, according to David Crowe, of the Christian ministry called Restore America.

This bill is arrogantly, defiantly and deceptively crafted to accomplish a lot more than what it is saying, he told WND. It definitely adds sexual orientation to the list of protected civil rights groups. But there is verbiage in the bill and the verbiage has to do with the primary purpose of a church. They're seeking really to gain a foothold for homosexuals into the Christian church with the court's approval, he said. It's more than the nose of the camel, they want the whole camel in the tent to ruminate around however they would like, he said. The word we've gotten from attorneys is that of all the bills around the country this is the worst, Crowe said. The bottom line this is a total effort by the left to subvert our morality, our Judeo-Christian morality and impose on us a morality they consider superior. What it is really is challenging everything we as Christians stand for.

The bill would affect churches even though it has a so-called church exemption, he said, because it would require every church operation that isn't directly in support of its primary mission goal to be subject to mandatory homosexual hiring requirements and other restrictions. And it would leave the determination of what is in support of a church's primary mission to be determined by a secular judge. It is possible, for example, that a lesbian could sue a church if not hired to be a pastor's secretary. For Christian business owners, it would require them to hire and promote homosexuals irrespective of the religious beliefs the owner might hold or whether the employee agrees with the products, in a Christian bookstore for example. For parents, it means their children in public schools would be subject to the state-sponsored and state-required indoctrination that the homosexual lifestyle choice is moral even if the parents hold religious beliefs that contradict that.

The law and this is onerous has a clause that talks about developing a program of education to change our attitudes, Crowe said. To change our attitudes? Is it the government's business to change attitudes? But that's precisely what's in the bill.They want to put into law [their] view of morality, and that's a small minority view of morality.

They are seeking to impose that on the rest of us, he said. Nearly 500 Christian pastors from across the state recently gathered with representatives of the Legislature to express their opposition to the proposal, and afterwards issued a statement that the law, if approved, would be the most sweeping and culturally devastating law in Oregon history,establishing pagan morality under the guise of a 'civil right,' and imposing it upon all Oregonians under the cover of law.Crowed noted that of the 14 states that have added sexual orientation to their protected
classes, all except Senate Bill 2 provide clear protection for churches. Not one includes wording that allows courts to determine the primary purpose of a church, but SB 2 does, he noted.

The majority of our legislators have chosen to believe the lie that those who engage in homosexual activity cannot help themselves, and that they are being unjustly and wrongly discriminated against, when in fact, neither is true, Crowe said. The proposal clearly opens the door to liberal judges to redefine and decide the primary purpose of a church, and violates the rights of everyone, said Crowe, who recommends people sign a petition to encourage legislators to oppose the plan. The governor had appointed a commission to study the issue, but included only representatives of liberal or gay churches, leaving members of 2,500 Bible-believing and teaching churches unrepresented on the panel, he said. Individual leaders from Christian organizations already have begun contacting not only their lawmakers, but Gov. Ted Kulongoski too. A letter from Vernon M. Marks, superintendent of the Oregon Assemblies of God churches, told Kulongoski that the more than 30,000 members of those churches are urging the rejection of the plan.

His letter told the governor the bills will:

Violate the very moral and ethical foundations of our culture.Restrict the rights of our citizens to make moral distinctions and to speak freely.Disregard fundamental biblical guidelines for the sanctity of traditional family.Promote dysfunctional family structures that will rob the next generation.Ignore the overwhelming vote of Oregonians to preserve traditional marriage.Discriminate against parents raising
mentally and physically challenged adult children.Provide special rights for a few and ignore the civil rights of the majority of Oregonians.Discriminate against parental moral values and convictions.

Promote behaviors that clearly violate common sense and social stability.Will create a huge strain on Oregonians economically.Will elevate the already taxed judicial system in dealing with lawsuits over these issues.Infringe on the constitutional protection of the free exercise of religion.

John Fortmeyer, publisher of the Christian News Northwest reported that the Legislature has given the appearance of allowing public input, but it doesn't appear to impact any decisions. Nick Graham of the Oregon Family Council told him a March hearing on the plan lasted seven hours and had 126 people register to oppose it. Sixty-five supported it. We had fantastic testimony in opposition, such as from legal firms and executive pastors, Graham said. But to no avail, that evening, the bill was passed out of committee and sent to the floor of the Senate ... We were given the appearance of public input, but ultimately it meant nothing..Also, PRAY! said a message from Marks to the church group's pastors. This is possibly the most dangerous piece of legislation to come from Oregon's legislature. The Constitution Party said the plan is a recipe for civil war. Everyone should read this legislation. It clearly gives those who choose non-traditional sexual behavior preference over those with traditional moral values, said state Chairman Jack Brown. This legislation will lock religious people inside their church buildings and let perversion occupy the rest of the landscape!

Captors of Israeli soldier make demands By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press Writer Sun Apr 8, 8:32 AM ET

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Israel is reviewing a list of hundreds of Palestinians prisoners that Gaza militants want released in exchange for a captured Israeli soldier, an official and media reports said Sunday, in a sign of potential progress in the 10-month standoff over a deal. The release of Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit is a precondition for any possible progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. A swap could also help the new Palestinian unity government, a coalition of the Islamic militant Hamas and the moderate Fatah movements, in its quest for international acceptance.There were conflicting reports on the captors' demands. Some said the list contained close to 500 names, while others said there were twice as many. A Palestinian close to the negotiations was told that among those on the list is Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five consecutive life terms for his role in shooting attacks that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk.

Hamas-allied militants, who seized Shalit on June 25, handed the list to Egyptian mediators who delivered it to Israel in recent days.Israel's Shin Bet security service is reviewing the list and will give its recommendations to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in coming days, the Yediot Ahronot daily reported Sunday. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the review was under way.Shalit's captors, who snatched the soldier in a raid into Israel, initially demanded the release of 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, including women, minors and dozens of the longest-serving inmates. Israel balked at freeing those involved in attacks the wounded or killed Israelis.In all, some 9,300 Palestinian security prisoners are being held by Israel, one of the highest totals in 40 years of Israeli military occupation.

On Saturday, Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti announced that Shalit's captors presented the list of names they wanted freed and that it was handed to Israel by Egyptian mediators.

If the Israeli government is serious, there is now a very good opportunity to end this chapter, said Barghouti, a distant relative of Marwan Barghouti, the uprising leader.Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas spokesman, also said progress has been made.Israeli Cabinet Minister Yitzhak Herzog told Israel Army Radio said he was not involved in the negotiations, but that I imagine that there is a certain progress, compared to what there has been until now.On the other hand I would be very wary ... because there is still a long way to go, he said.

Also Saturday, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a Palestinian militant and wounded two. The Israeli military said it launched the strike after spotting the militants trying to plant a bomb. It said militants had planted explosives in the same area two days earlier.The army said militants have planted more than 40 bombs along the border since Palestinian militants in Gaza and Israel agreed on a cease-fire in November.The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a small militant group, said the militants were on a holy mission when they were hit by the Israeli force.Israel says militants have been exploiting the lull to smuggle explosives, missiles and other weapons into Gaza through tunnels from neighboring Egypt.During the truce, Palestinian militants have fired some 200 rockets into Israel, the army said, including two on Saturday. One of the rockets caused light damage to a building in the border town of Sderot, a common target of the militants. The army said there were no injuries.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as telling newly graduating members of his presidential guard Saturday that they and members of the other Palestinian security forces must work together to put a halt to the rocket fire, saying it was against the national interest.