EU AGREES ON MEDITERRANEAN UNION

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.

Two dead as fresh storms spawn tornado near Atlanta
Sat Mar 15, 9:27 PM By Matthew Bigg

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A tornado in northwest Georgia killed two people and left others seriously injured on Saturday, one day after a twister battered Atlanta's downtown, officials said.One person died in Polk county and a second died in Floyd county, said Buzz Weiss of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Both counties are on Georgia's border with Alabama.The National Weather Service issued a string of tornado warnings moving east across north Georgia throughout the day. It said there was a risk of isolated tornadoes across central Georgia and South Carolina, where local media said storms left thousands without power.Workers were clearing debris in the heart of Atlanta following Friday night's storm, which damaged landmark buildings, overturned cars and injured dozens of people.It was a very significant, very serious storm. There's lots of damage, said Weiss.Some 30 people were taken to hospitals and one was in serious condition after the storm, which packed winds of 130 mph (216 kph), police and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said.Damage could be up to $150 million, according to an initial estimate by John Oxendine, state insurance commissioner, who was quoted in local media.Franklin declared a state of emergency in the city after the storm, which local media said was the first recorded tornado in Atlanta's history.It powered through as tens of thousands of basketball fans packed area stadiums to watch big games.Police evacuated the multistory Omni Hotel, which shares a building with the CNN Center, after high winds shattered windows and spilled debris onto the street.Winds also broke windows and caused damage at CNN Center, the television network's headquarters, CNN said.

The storm struck the most prominent section of downtown Atlanta, which houses attractions including CNN, the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Aquarium and the new World of Coca-Cola.

LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN

Those buildings are clustered around Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Summer Olympics.Officials temporarily halted the game between Mississippi State and the University of Alabama at the Georgia Dome after high winds damaged the roof and caused a large monitor hanging above the court to sway ominously.Thousands of people were attending a National Basketball Association game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks at the Philips Arena, adjacent to the CNN Center complex. But the game was not suspended.Friday's storm started north of the city and swept through downtown at about 9:45 p.m. (0145 GMT on Saturday) Emergency services were searching a building in a suburb of metropolitan Atlanta that partially collapsed.Witnesses said they heard a sound like a freight train when the storm hit and saw a funnel-shaped cloud. One woman told a local television station she saw a whirling circle of debris higher than her hotel room on the 12th floor.Tornadoes are common in parts of the U.S. South, often leaving a trail of death and devastation. But they usually strike rural areas. The deadliest tornado in a U.S. city in recent decades hit Waco, Texas, in May 1953, killing 114.(Editing by Todd Eastham)

Tornado leaves path of destruction in downtown Atlanta
Sat Mar 15, 2:58 PM

The U.S. National Weather Service has confirmed that a strong tornado tore through downtown Atlanta, Ga., on Friday night, leaving a trail of destruction and injuring at least 30 people.The tornado moved through the city's centre, first packing winds clocked at 177 km/h, before it grew into a force with winds of up to 209 km/h, the weather service said on Saturday.This was clearly a tornado. We are going to be ranking it as an EF-2, weather service meteorologist Lans Rothfusz told reporters.The path length was about six miles [10 kilometres] long for the duration, although there were spots in there where it kind of went down and came back up again, he said.High winds smashed skyscraper windows and sucked furniture and luggage out of hotel rooms. The tornado also tore the roofs from several buildings and rattled the rafters of two major sports arenas that were filled with basketball fans.Officials stopped one game at the Georgia Dome and cancelled a second planned for the Southeastern Conference tournament after the building shook. There were at least two rips in the fabric of the dome’s roof.A number of windows were shattered at the headquarters of the Cable News Network. On its website, CNN said damage to the roof and ceiling allowed water to pour into the atrium.Power lines and trees were ripped down in the city's historic Cabbagetown neighbourhood. Heavy damage is reported at a mill that was converted into lofts in the residential area. There was also damage to the Georgia World Congress Center.

AND WHEN YOU ORDER THIS ARTICLE GET DECEMBER 21, 2012 HISTORIES FINAL DAY ALSO, ITS FANTASTIC I JUST GOT MY COPY YESTERDAY AND I AM WATCHING IT AS I DO THESE STORIES IN FACT. ITS A FANTASTIC VIDEO TO WARN THE WORLD WHATS COMING IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. ORDER YOUR COPY FROM JACK VAN IMPE MINISTRIES TO WIN SOULS FOR KING JESUS THE TRUE GOD OF ISRAEL.

Beloved in Christ Jesus our Lord,

I have just finished reading one of the most shocking and spiritually uplifting books ever. Let me tell you why.First, because the author, Mark A. Gabriel, Ph.D., grew up as a devout Muslim in Egypt, went on to earn a Doctorate in Islamic studies, and taught at Al-Azar University in Cairo, Egypt, the most prestigious and powerful Muslim university in the world.His uncle was the leader of one of the largest mosques and was revered by all devout Muslims. The author of the book I devoured -- entitled Jesus and Muhammad was also extremely devoted and literally sold out to Islam.For seven years he memorized the Koran verse by verse, and in the eyes of Muslims was considered a holy person because he carried the entire Koran in his mind. But as an Islamic scholar and educator, he doubted much of what he taught. For example,He asked one professor, Why did Muhammad tell us first to get along with Christians, and then told us to kill them?

He asked another professor, Why was the prophet Muhammad permitted to marry thirteen women, and we are commanded not to marry more than four? Doesn’t the Koran say that Muhammad was just a human being? So why did he have extra rights? He had so many doubts, to which he could find no answers in the Koran, that he began losing faith in his Islamic religion. Soon the school’s Islamic leaders heard about his questions, and he was summoned to meet with them for a session of interrogation. When he expressed sincere doubts, here’s what happened:The mood in this meeting changed. One man became enraged. He got up from his seat, stood in front of him, and spit in my face. You blasphemer! he snarled. I swear your mother is a bastard. I could see by the look on his face that had we not been in a meeting with other people, he would have killed me at that moment. Get out,he commanded.At three o’clock in the morning that same night, my father heard knocking at the entrance of our house. When he opened the door, fifteen to twenty men rushed past him carrying Russian Kalashnikov assault weapons. They ran upstairs and looked throughout the house, waking people up as they looked for me ... I was in the hands of the Egyptian secret police.Even his own family turned against him. At one point his father took a pistol in his hands and tried to kill him. Only the true God kept him alive.

One day a young Christian lady, a pharmacist, witnessed to Dr. Gabriel and gave him a Bible. He writes:Here I was, a scholar who had spent thirty years studying Islam and the life of Muhammad. I didn’t just practice Islam; I had memorized the entire Koran. Now I had a Bible in front of me that was introducing me to Jesus.His conversion story is tremendously exciting; his persecution startling and unbelievable. Nevertheless, he remained true to the Lord Jesus; suffering ignominiously shameful treatment but pressing on in loneliness. He continued studying diligently and earned his master’s degree in World Religion and a doctorate in Christian Education.This book will move your heart as it did mine. No one knows Islam like this man; and in 250 pages he covers every aspect of the Muslim religion with chapters and verses from the Koran -- and then goes on to show the superiority of Christ and Christianity with hundreds of Bible verses! I’ve read twelve books on the Islamic faith, but nothing compares to the insights I gleaned from this masterpiece written by a former Islamic theologian. He covers scores of verses from the Koran and then answers many of the errors he exposes by verses from God’s book, the Holy Bible.In the world in which we live today, you must understand the truth about Islam!

I invite you to send a generous gift of support for Jack Van Impe Ministries as you request your copy or copies of Jesus and Muhammad by enclosing $15 for one copy. For information on extra savings on multiple orders, please email our Donor Services department.

Thank you!

Yours in world evangelism, Jack Van Impe

P.S. Your gift will mean that Rexella and I can continue to proclaim the life-transforming Gospel and prophetic truth globally! Thank you in advance!

REBUILT 3RD TEMPLE (THE EU DICTATORS 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 ROMAN,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 the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

REBUILT 4TH TEMPLE (THE TRUE MESSIAHS TEMPLE)

ZECHARIAH 6:12-13
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

ISAIAH 60:9-10
9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

ISAIAH 2:1-5
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

MARK 11:9-10,15-17
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

EZEKIEL 40 TO 48 IS THIS 4TH TEMPLE TO BIG FOR THE MOUNT I BELIEVE TO BE BUILT 25 MILES FROM JERUSALEM.

Preparing to Rebuild The Temple - Temple Institute prepares linen garments for descendents of Aaron

For Aaron's sons, make tunics and sashes. Also make them hats that are both dignified and beautiful. Place these [vestments] on Aaron and his sons. Then anoint them, and install them, sanctifying them to be priests to Me. Also make linen pants to cover their nakedness, reaching from their waists to their thighs. [All these vestments] must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the Communion Tent or offer sacrifice on the altar, performing the divine service in the sanctuary; otherwise they will have committed a sin and they will die. This shall be a law for [Aaron] and his descendants after him for all time. (Exodus 28:40-43) They made the tunics for Aaron and his sons by weaving them out of fine linen. [They made] the linen turban, the fine linen hats, and the line pants, [all out of] twined linen. [They made] the belt, embroidered out of twined linen, and sky-blue, dark red and crimson wool. (Exodus 39:28-29)

For the first time in 1,938 years the linen garments of the lay priests are being produced in preparation for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the renewal of the Divine service.The last priestly garments to have been worn were those worn by the priests who were martyred by the Roman legions who brutally invaded and destroyed the Holy Temple on the ninth day of the month of Av, in the year 70 AD.The Temple Institute has spared no effort in procuring the necessary materials for the performing of this Torah commandment, and once again has enlisted 21st century technology in order to do so in a manner befitting the Torah injunction that these priestly garments be both dignified and beautiful. (Exodus 28:40)

Specially prepared flaxen thread , wound into six-ply strands, according to the Torah prescribed requirement, (twined linen - shesh mushzar), has been imported from India. These individual spools of thread are presently being spun into larger 1.7 meter long spindles in order to accommodate the next step: the weaving of bolts of fabric 1.7 meters wide. Before commencing this process, (known in Hebrew as hashtayah), of creating the 1.7 meter spindles, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, founder of the Temple Institute made the traditional shechechiyanu blessing expressing gratitude to God ...for keeping us alive and preserving us and permitting us to behold this day.In addition, before every step of the manufacturing process, a special statement of intent must be uttered in Hebrew: L'shem mitzvat assei assiyat bigdei hakehuna: for the sake of the positive commandment to make the priestly garments.The prepared spindles are then being transported from the textile factory in the town of Gedera to a second factory in the city of Tel Aviv. There they will be woven into kilometer (3,280 foot) long bolts. The weaving process, (known in Hebrew as arigah), creates the checkerboard pattern described in Torah, (ibid 28:39).The final states of the manufacture of the garments involves the cutting, sewing and embroidering of the woven fabric, creating the tunic (ketonet), pants (michnasayim), turban (mitznefet) and belt (avnet).

The turban (mitznefet) is eight meters (26 feet) in length, and is wrapped around the priest's head. Each belt (avnet) requires a sixteen meter (52 feet) length of linen, which is wrapped around the priest's waist. (During the time of the Second Temple, when preparing to serve in the Holy Temple, the priests dressed in the chamber known as the chamber of Pinchas the Wardrober, and each priest was assisted by a fellow priest with the turban and belt.)

As always, in recreating temple-ready vessels and garments, the Temple Institute research department initiates the process with intensive research, assuring in this case that the priestly garments will be created in strict accordance to the halachic requirements as described in Torah and in the unbroken oral tradition received at Sinai and preserved by Jewish sages throughout the generations.

Each set of priestly garments will be tailored to fit its individual purchaser. The garments being created are not museum pieces or collector's items. Their cost is 2,500 shekel, (approximately $695). They will be sold only to true descendants of the High Priest Aharon, who aspire to be fully prepared for the day when they can once again perform the Divine service in the Holy Temple, may we merit to rebuild it soon! Incredibly, this is our first public announcement of the production of the priestly garments and we have already registered our first orders. A second production run is already being planned to accommodate the anticipated demand. In these very difficult and trying times we witness the enemies of the God of Israel arrayed to the north and to the south and to the east and to the west of the land of Israel, shamelessly boasting of their wicked intentions, and even Israel's friends are calling upon her to relinquish control over the Temple Mount, the one place chosen on earth by God for His presence to dwell, and for all mankind to be seen in His service.

The demand by the descendents of Aharon for the garments that they will wear while tending to their daily responsibilities in the Holy Temple can only be understood as an expression of unshakable faith in the unfolding trajectory of Jewish history and in God's promise for all mankind: And My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.(Isaiah 56:7)

Scholars continue to debate location of Ark of Covenant

Like another famous swashbuckling treasure hunter, he has a fear of snakes. And he's not averse to associating with mystics, charlatans and crooks in his quest for prized artifacts.But unlike his fictional alter-ego, the British Indiana Jones claims he's discovered the genuine Ark of the Covenant — or at least a direct descendant of the vessel constructed to hold the original tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments.In a newly released book, University of London professor Tudor Parfitt claims to have located the treasured artifact on a dusty shelf of an out-of-the-way museum in Harare, Zimbabwe.It was just by chance that I finally managed to track it down to a storeroom in Harare, was able to analyze it and discover that, quite apart from anything else, it's quite probably the oldest wooden object in sub-Sahara Africa, said Parfitt, an expert in Oriental and African studies. It's massively important in terms of history, even apart from its status as the last surviving link to the original Ark of Moses.

In his book, The Lost Ark of the Covenant: Solving the 2,500 Year Old Mystery of the Fabled Biblical Ark, Parfitt describes traipsing around the globe, decoding ancient texts and deciphering numerous clues to locate the enigmatic object.Along the way, the man dubbed the British Indiana Jones by friends, colleagues and the Wall Street Journal uncovered genetic evidence confirming claims by the Lemba tribe that its members are descendants of ancient Israelite priests, the lost Ark's caretakers.Among a host of similarities with the Israelites, the Lemba priests have been the guardians of the ngoma lungundu, a sacred but unassuming wooden drum they say came from the great temple in Jerusalem.Based on radiocarbon testing dating it to A.D. 1350, Parfitt believes a replacement was constructed from a piece of the original ngoma, which legend says destroyed itself or was destroyed in a pyrotechnic explosion.But some Bible scholars, archaeologists and Ark experts are skeptical of Parfitt's claims and even of the Ark's existence. Others say the ngoma could be one of multiple replicas constructed in ancient times.Still others say the description of the drum is a far cry from the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant described in Exodus, complete with its golden cherubim.

J. Edward Wright, a professor of Hebrew Bible and early Judaism at the University of Arizona, conceded it's possible the Babylonians stripped the gold from the Ark after invading Jerusalem in 586 B.C. The Ark is believed to have disappeared from the temple in Jerusalem around that time.In the ensuing 2,500 years, many treasure seekers have risked their lives and fortunes trying to locate it. And many claims have been made about the location of arguably the most important religious artifact in history.The most dominant theory has to do with the St. Mary of Zion Church in Aksum, Ethiopia, said Beatrice Lawrence, an instructor at Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. The theories abound, but there is no evidence to support any theory over the other.Grant R. Jeffrey, author of The New Temple and the Second Coming and 24 other books, said Jewish writings and the Ethiopian Royal Chronicles indicate a replica of the Ark was made before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.The original, they say, was hidden in Ethiopia until 1991, when it was transported to Israel.The Temple Institute, a group of orthodox rabbis in Jerusalem dedicated to rebuilding the temple, claim the Ark is safely stored in a hidden chamber under the Temple Mount complex, according to the institute's Web site.Meanwhile, the Sanhedrin Court, the only religious body authorized to determine the temple's correct location, reconvened in 2005.And renowned biblical archaeologist Vendyl Jones, who claims to be the inspiration for the fictional Indiana Jones, is trying to raise $88,000 to return to Qumran to remove 40 stones blocking entrance to an inner cave where he believes the Ark and other temple treasures are located.

If the Ark is found and authenticated, biblical scholars say, it would be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history.I suppose if they found it, it would be on par with something like the discovery of the treasures of King Tut, said William M. Schniedewind, a professor of biblical studies and northwest Semitic languages at the University of California, Los Angeles.Parfitt, whose work tracking down the lost tribes of Israel has been featured on 60 Minutes and the BBC, began to suspect the Lemba tribe possessed the Ark after attending a tribal ceremony in 1987.At the time, tribal leaders told him about the ngoma, which they said was guarded by the white lions of God and a two-headed snake inside a nearby mountain cave.Over the next two decades, Parfitt traveled from Israel to Egypt, Ethiopia and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe in search of the ngoma and its secrets. He encountered a cannibalistic tribe in Papua New Guinea, was ambushed and shot at in Africa and narrowly escaped being kidnapped by Islamic outlaws in Yemen.He experienced a major breakthrough in 1999 when he took DNA samples from 136 male members of the Lemba tribe. In a finding that drew worldwide publicity, a genetic analysis confirmed they were descendents of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

In 2001, Parfitt returned to the Dumghe Mountain cave, but he didn't find the ngoma. He was later told the ngoma had been moved, and he kept searching.Finally, based on a tip about the transport of artifacts in war-ravaged areas and using a photo of the ngoma taken in the 1940s by a missionary scholar, Parfitt located the sacred object in a storeroom in the Harare Museum of Human Science in Zimbabwe.The wooden drum had a blackened hole in the bottom and the shattered remnants of wooden rings on each corner. Parfitt also noticed a carved, interlaced pattern described in the biblical Book of Exodus.While the ngoma still is stored at the museum in Harare, Parfitt is concerned the highly valuable artifact once again may disappear in a nation plagued by violence and corruption.Parfitt, who was inspired to search for the Ark by a friend, hopes the discovery will bring peace.My friend Reuven is a very peaceful man and something of a mystic and visionary, Parfitt said. His whole excitement about the Ark was based on the idea that the Quran talks about it as being in some way a symbol of legitimacy for Israel. He was always convinced before his death if it was ever found that somehow the Ark might pave the way for peace in the Middle East.

DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).

REVELATION 13:1
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea,(MEDITERRANEAN SEAS) and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(THE EU AND ITS DICTATOR IS GODLESS)

REVELATION 12:3
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

REVELATION 17:3,12-13
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
12 And the ten horns (NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Israel in favor of Sarkozy’s plan for launch of Mediterranean Union July 13

Israeli President Shimon Peres on Wednesday expressed his support for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans for the creation of a Mediterranean Union to promote trade and cooperation.I support 100 percent the plan, Peres, who is on a five-day state visit to France, said in an interview with French radio Europe 1.The entire Israeli government is in favour of Sarkozy’s initiative of course, he added.North Europe countries, the Maghreb countries in the south and the Arab countries in the middle, why not cooperate on what is possiblre?, he asked, recalling that Europe started with a union on coal and steel.A summit meeting between the EU countries and Mediterranean countries, including Israel, is scheduled to take place on 13 July in Paris when France takes over the six-month EU presidency.Ahead of a EU summit meeting at the end of this week, France and Germany settled their differences over President Sarkozy's plan to create the EU-Mediterranean new forum.Merkel would also travel to Paris for the ceremony launching the Mediterranean Union on July 13, the spokesman added.Sarkozy is expected to outline the compromise at the meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels on Thursday.The French president originally envisaged setting up an organisation exclusively for states bordering the Mediterranean but Germany balked at the idea fearing it would freeze out northern EU countries from a vital geo-political region.German Chancellor Angela Merkel forced Sarkozy last week to open up the club to all 27 EU states. The new union is intended to replace the so-called Barcelona Process which was launched in 1995 with much fanfare but which has made little headway in building cross-border business.s

EU leaders agree to weakened Mediterranean Union plan
14.03.2008 - 09:14 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU leaders on Thursday (13 March) approved a watered-down version of a plan put forward by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a grand Mediterranean Union stretching from Morocco to Turkey and aiming to foster cooperation with the EU's southern neighbours.Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa called the proposal an upgrade of the Barcelona process – the mechanism currently regulating the relations between the EU and the Mediterranean countries – and said it had received support during the EU leaders' meeting in Brussels.It is now a question of working on this in different forums. It's now a question of doing what is needed so that this project can see the light of day, he said.

An agreement was reached to launch the project as soon as possible, with the principle that all member states will participate, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also said.A formal decision to transform the Barcelona Process into a Union for the Mediterranean is expected to be taken on Friday (14 March), Mr Sarkozy told journalists late on Thursday night.After strongly criticising Mr Sarkozy's original version of the plan, which was only to involve certain EU member states but be funded by EU money, Germany gave its support, allowing the project to go ahead after Paris agreed a milder all inclusive version of the plan.We are in favour of further developing the Barcelona process, German chancellor Angela Merkel said on her arrival at a traditional gathering of conservative leaders prior to the summit, as it was slowing down and must be revitalised, the German leader added.Both countries agreed on a compromise last week during a meeting in Hanover.Mr Sarkozy praised the efficiency of the Franco-German axis and said he had passed a very happy moment hearing Ms Merkel defending the Mediterranean project as she did [during the meeting].

Mr Sarkozy also rejected claims that his initial proposal had been considerably weakened, saying that it was not very different from what was eventually agreed upon.There is still one secretariat, a joint north-south presidency, and periodical summit meetings foreseen, so I do not think I have renounced anything, he said, adding that he was happy the principle of a closer partnership with the Mediterranean countries was taken up with great enthusiasm by the other member states, as the Barcelona [process] simply did not work.

Cool reception by some

The proposal sparked ideas for other EU states as well, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying that the EU should now commit more to eastern states, particularly Ukraine, which should be given a clear European perspective.We accept this agreement in general, but we also have our own proposal about Ukraine, he said.Meanwhile, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said that key points, such as what exactly the role of the new Mediterranean set up would be, remained unanswered and suggested the French president was working to reach national goals above all.It is obvious that Sarkozy wants to make a name for himself during the French presidency and is focusing on a subject in which he has an economic interest, Mr Topolanek was quoted as saying by CNN.For his part, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering underlined that MEPs also want to be involved.He expressed amazement that up to now, the parliamentary component of the Barcelona Process, the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, has been completely ignored in the proposals.The European Parliament is equally astonished that a decision appears to have been taken to convene a summit in Paris on 13 July, without parliament being mentioned as a participant. I hope this was a mere technical oversight, he added.The details of the plan are to be worked out by June, before a summit on 13 July in Paris under the French EU presidency, which would formally launch the Union for the Mediterranean.The fledgling union is to involve some 39 countries - the EU's 27 members and around 12 southern states, such as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Syria and Turkey.

EU treaty bill clears the Commons MAE 14,08

The government says a referendum is not needed on the treaty
The controversial bill which will ratify the Lisbon Treaty has cleared its final Commons stages. MPs voted by 346 votes to 206 to approve the EU (Amendment) Bill, after topic-by-topic debates over six weeks. For the Conservatives, William Hague accused ministers of ramming through the bill without a referendum. But Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the treaty was good for the UK and said Conservative scaremongering was dangerous and deluded. The Bill, which will now go to the Lords, will ratify the Lisbon Treaty - which was drawn up to replace the EU constitution, after that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

Prosperity agenda

Last week the Conservatives lost a vote on their proposal to put the treaty to a referendum - something opposed by the government and Lib Dems who say the treaty does not have constitutional implications. Opening the final day of the lengthy Commons debate, Mr Miliband told MPs: Last week we debated how to pass the treaty into law. Today we debate whether to do so.The truth is the foreign secretary and prime minister now believe the former prime minister (Tony Blair) made a serious error when he promised a referendum

William Hague
Shadow Foreign Secretary

He said every mainstream political party in Europe believed it was good for the UK and good for Europe, because it reformed the EU's foundations and would allow us to move on to the agenda of prosperity and development and climate change. He said the only major opposition party in Europe resisting it was the Conservatives who were stuck in the past and obsessed with myths about the EU. But shadow foreign secretary Mr Hague said the treaty would give the EU unwarranted power over Britain's national life.

Referendum refusal

He accused the government of ramming through the legislation without a referendum, in clear breach of its election promises , without a democratic mandate for the treaty. The truth is the foreign secretary and prime minister now believe the former prime minister (Tony Blair) made a serious error when he promised a referendum and it was that error which has reduced them to arguing that something which is 90% the same is fundamentally different, he said. This is a treaty which genuine Euro-sceptics should be coming to praise - not to bury

Edward Davey
Liberal Democrats

He said the promising of a referendum and refusal to give one were nothing to do with constitutional practice, but everything to do with the sharp practice of ministers focused solely on what they could or could not get away with. He urged Lib Dem peers to stand by the party's manifesto commitment when the bill is debated in the Lords. But Labour former health secretary Patricia Hewitt said the Conservative Party was talking to itself, not to the British people and certainly not to our partners in the European Union. And for the Liberal Democrats, Edward Davey said the Commons debates had shown the treaty was sensible and modest. He told MPs there were many firsts in the treaty, including member states having the right to leave the EU and national parliaments being given a mechanism for calling a halt to EU legislation. This is a treaty which genuine Euro-sceptics should be coming to praise - not to bury, he said. The fact that they don't now back these reforms that they used to call for reflects the reality that the vast majority of Euro-sceptics aren't genuinely sceptical but actually are closed minded and pre-determined in their opposition in everything European.But Democratic Unionist Sammy Wilson warned that by passing the legislation, MPs would be doing irreparable damage to their image and the powers of Parliament.

The CARMEL ALERT Mar 14th 2008
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying for Israel and the salvation of the Jewish people.

David's Comment: Why Is Israel Always Under Attack ?
Rev 12:1-2 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

Many people alive today think of Israel as a new nation that appeared on the world stage only 60 years ago and they blame many of the world's problems, terror and the price of oil, on the tiny nation of 6 million Jewish people that sits on a postage size piece of land at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe. Such people are ignorant of the Bible, unaware or mistaken about the existence and/or identity of God, and they are ignorant of world history.

As we all know Israel has existed before most of the nations that we now live in. Israel 's history extends far back into man's tenure on planet Earth. More than 4000 years ago, God cut an unconditional, blood sealed covenant with a man called Abraham, promising him a clearly defined land, everlasting nationhood, and descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand of the seashore.

This covenant wasn't just for Abraham's sake, but for the sake of all the nations and a key element of the covenant was that Abraham's descendants would be a blessing and a light to the rest of the human race. Sounds like a great idea ! Only one problem - there is another powerful spirit being out there who doesn't want YHVH's plan to succeed. From the time of Adam & Eve, 6000 years ago, he has been reigning over the Earth and all who dwell upon it, in rebellion against God, deceiving mankind into the same rebellion against God, and attempting to set up his own kingdom, instead of serving the Kingdom of YHVH .

We read in Rev 12:7 that war broke out in Heaven, resulting in Satan & the other rebellious angels being cast down to the earth, bringing the war with them. Ever since the day that Cain killed his brother Abel, we human beings have been killing each other by the millions, and it continues even into the enlightened 20th and 21st centuries. We are all merely pawns in a spiritual war being waged in the Heavenlies. As the scale of death and destruction testifies to, this war is a very serious matter indeed. It is not about the here and now, but it is about eternity. It is about which kingdom will prevail and who will sit upon the Throne in Heaven and upon the Throne in the Temple in Jerusalem .

To direct out focus back to this week's title - Why is Israel always under attack ? - the answer is so simple. So simple that most people can' see it ! Since the beginning of time, YHVH chose to establish and maintain His Kingdom in the city of Jerusalem , the undivided capital of His nation of Israel . Contrary to the large number of Christians who are deceived by Replacement Theology to believe that the Kingdom of God is just a spiritual kingdom, the truth is that YHVH has resurrected the Dry Bones to the land of their forefathers as a preparation to restore His Kingdom on the Earth. Yeshua will soon return to the physical city of Jerusalem to sit upon the Throne of David in the precise location that the Spirit of God dwelt in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.

Satan well knows the ultimate destiny of Israel , and he knows that the continuing restoration of Israel spells his end. That is why he has waged a war against Israel and the Jewish people throughout the last 6000 years. That is why Israel has always been under attack and will continue to be under attack until the day that Yeshua comes to destroy the enemies of God. Israel , specifically Jerusalem will become the capital of God's Kingdom, and will be the capital city of the whole world.

Whether the Muslim world, the UN, the US State Department, the EU or many church leaders understand or believe that fact, it will happen! Our part as Believers is to first of all BELIEVE, and then to play our part in hastening the day of the Lord's return (2 Pet 3:12), by standing up for Israel's right to exist in all of the Promised Land, and to pray for the real peace of Jerusalem - the return of the Messiah - Yeshua. MARANATHA !

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 . Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this with 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.

Please make your voice heard by signing the petition to save Jerusalem www.savejerusalem.org

Shabbat Shalom ... David & Josie

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

What about nuclear war? The Bible says the
elements shall melt with fervent heat.
Would this refer to nuclear devastation?

Let's look at what the Bible says about this kind of firepower-and when such annihilation might occur. We read in 2 Peter 3:10 a clear description of the last days: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. God does not need man's modern inventions to produce the mass devastation mentioned in this text. Atoms have been here since God created heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1). Only in our day has science learned to harness what has always existed. God could have brought the components together at any time to produce the effects predicted in this prophecy. This text pictures the renovation of the world. Since God's Word promises a final day of rest, there can be no complete renovation of the earth until Christ has reigned for one thousand years. Therefore, this text refers to events to be fulfilled after the Millennium-the thousand-year reign of Christ. However, scores of other texts predict nuclear war for the Tribulation Hour.

Here's the startling truth portrayed in this portion of scripture: Humanity today has the potential to carry out that which prophecy has long predicted for the human race. Because science has harnessed this power, and because God's predictions for the Tribulation Hour promise massive fiery devastation, the hour is most certainly at hand. God is able to carry out everything mentioned in Revelation 8:7 and 9:18. He, the omnipotent One, needs no assistance from the world's Atomic Energy Commissions or the Pentagon. These verses indicate that humans will use atoms during the Tribulation period and at the end of the Millennium. Modem science tells us there are three primary effects of an A- or H-bomb blast. First, there is the tremendous mushrooming effect as it ascends into the heavens upon detonation. Second, as the blast begins its descent, it disintegrates, dissolves, and melts even steel. In fact, a five-hundred-foot steel tower melted into nothingness in the desert of New Mexico during past experiments. Finally, the heat made the same desert a blazing inferno.

Now, observe the statement Peter made under the direction of the Holy Spirit nineteen centuries ago. First, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise. Second, the elements shall melt with fervent heat. God said that the elements would melt. Go to any library and make a study of atomic weaponry. The materials will be classified under the letter E under the term elements-the very word God used. Think of it! Twentieth-century scientists continue to use the same language God employed nineteen hundred years ago. Finally, Peter states, The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (2 Peter 3:10). The three major effects of nuclear detonations are identical to Peter's prophecies and the catastrophic bombardments of earth predicted for the coming Tribulation Hour. In numerous other scriptural texts, undoubtedly, World War HI will be one of incineration. Revelation 9:18 states, By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone. I have stood in Japan, near Hiroshima, and remembered with sadness the reports of mayhem and destruction that emanated from the two Japanese cities struck by the atomic bomb during World War II. My mind was troubled. Then I thought about the Tribulation Hour. Zechariah 14:12 pictures an atomic devastation beyond comprehension. The prophet said, Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. This is the precise effect of humankind's newest weapon-the neutron bomb that destroys people but not property! All of this could take place in the near future. Then, after the millennial reign of Christ, the final atomic renovation of 2 Peter 3:10 will occur.

While believers will not endure the horror of the Tribulation, we must know the times so as to be faithful witnesses. That is why we must study and take the time to understand the prophecies in this startling chapter. They are vivid reminders that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is near. At a time when the world mocks His return, reveling in its atomic weaponry and false sense of security, and during an era when the sixth day is about to expire, Christ could return momentarily. The clock is ticking away its last fateful seconds. Little time remains. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and have not accepted Him as your Savior and Lord, you, too, will be left behind with those who refuse to believe. All laughter will end when the fire begins to fall (Genesis 19:14, 24, 25; Luke 17:28-30). It will then be eternally too late. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

In Conclusion ...
I have an important question for you.

In Matthew 24:3, Christ's disciples asked, What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [literally, age]? The Savior proceeded to provide a list of cataclysmic world events, which would both usher in His return and culminate in the Day of the Lord. He added in Luke 21:28, And when these things begin to come to pass [or begin to occur simultaneously], then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Concerning this great day, the apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them.

Never in the pages of world history have we witnessed such a proliferation of the signs Jesus predicted would be in place immediately before His return. No longer are the days of simultaneous war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, and cultic activity limited to the pages of the Bible. All we need to do today is glance at the morning headlines or listen for five minutes to CNN (or watch the tawdry afternoon television peep shows) to realize that these signs of Christ's return are in evidence worldwide and increasing both in frequency and intensity. Is it any wonder that the scientists who control the famed doomsday clock are moving its hands ever closer to midnight?

Prophecy: History Written in Advance

The questions I have tried my best to answer in the preceding newsletters have dealt with the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the stream of end-time events that will usher in the Tribulation-a period of unparalleled terror. I remind you, Christians will not be a part of this horrendous time (Revelation 3:10). In answer to your many questions, I have endeavored to deal with most of the major New Testament prophecies that relate to the return of our Lord in the light of current international events. Remember that prophecy is simply history written in advance. It is God's declaration and description of future events. As such, prophecy cannot, has not, and will never fail in even the smallest detail until all has been fulfilled. The day of that ultimate fulfillment is upon us. My personal prayer is that, upon completing this book, you will renew your vow of love, service, and allegiance to the Savior. If you do not yet know the Lord of lords and King of kings, it is my earnest prayer that you will open your heart and your life to Jesus today. Do not be left behind. Do not say, I wish I had taken the words of prophecy more seriously.

Will it be easy for us in the years before the Tribulation? I think not. We will still be compelled to deal with runaway crime, abortions, drug abuse, plagues, pestilence, AIDS, wars, and rumors of wars, and an unprecedented hostility toward the gospel. The question is, Will you be strong in your love for Christ, or will you sell your birthright for a few thrills during the challenging times that are sure to lie ahead? Will you be an end-time hero for the faith? Alternatively, will you be found wanting? The apostle John, thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, survived the painful ordeal but was disfigured for life and banned to the isle of Patmos. The beloved apostle Paul was beheaded. Two of the New Testament writers, Jude and Peter, were crucified. Another Gospel writer, James, was battered to death with a fuller's club.

Now let us look at the larger picture: Soon the great hour will have arrived, and all God's children will be present as the investigation begins. What will you say as you stand with such an array of heroes-believers who gave their all and who proved their first love for Christ during an entire lifetime and even unto death? Only you know the answer. Christ's return may be tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. We do not know the day or the hour when Jesus will break through the blue to call us home. However, we do know that it is near, even at the doors. Therefore, my closing questions to you are: Are you ready for Christ's imminent return? Could you bear the investigative judgment if it were to take place tomorrow? Would you be ashamed, embarrassed, red-faced, even brokenhearted? Would tears of sorrow flow from your eyes for an entire millennial age? Is your present disobedience worth such heartache? Would you not rather serve God with all your heart and hear Him say with a loud voice: Well done, thou good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21)? It is not too late to make a change, to reverse your lifestyle, and put Christ first in your life. If you do not know the Savior, I urge you to obey John 1:12 and Romans 10:13. If you are away from the Lord, I plead with you to act upon 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do it. Make the right decision. Then live the remainder of your days for Him, short as those days might be. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Maranatha! The King is coming!