Jerusalem Update #11
By Dr. Gary Collett
October 25, 2001
Greetings from Jerusalem!
We are back after three weeks in New Zealand on a teaching tour! The time was
amazing. With three weeks of stories to tell and so many wonderful people we
met, it is hard to know where to start so I think it should be with the land
itself. New Zealand is all kinds of shades of green, rolling hills and
mountains, sheep, cattle, pasture lands like blankets, clean cities and smiling
people. We found the people of New Zealand as open, friendly and even
encouraging us to immigrate to New Zealand … all in all the people and land
were like a beautiful dream come true. We did several interviews on the only
Christian Radio Station for the entire country. Naturally, as the only Christian
station, every one of any "Faith" background listens to the station.
The program host, Steve, was/is very experienced and gifted in his calling and
was quite provoked with interest in issues we presented. Steve was so
"into" the interview(s) with us that he missed a newscast and
cancelled another recorded program in order to continue with us. From the two
live programs, which both ran over their first allotted time frames, there were
a multitude, saying it mildly, of phone calls. After arriving in New Zealand, at
the first weekend Conference we did eight speaking sessions (from Friday evening
to Sunday morning). We spent a day at a local College/University with faculty,
staff and student classes sharing seven times. We did a good number of evening
speaking times with local North Island Churches as well as the radio interviews
during the time available. The bottom line, of the whole experience of
responses, from the people was: "We have had a good number of
teachers from Israel, and other countries, come here before but none have taught
as you have with such a depth to the Word of God in such easily understood
ways". "We have never heard teaching as you teach before and I’ll
never be the same in understanding the Bible because of the new depths that have
been opened up!" "You make the Bible exciting, thank you, thank you,
thank you!" "You have opened the Scriptures up in such new provocative
ways that I do not know where to start in studying!" "The Bible is a
whole new book now to me!" "You have renewed my faith!" "Now
many things Spiritually make sense, which did not before!"
We must admit that the numbers of people who made the above statements and or
variants of them really blessed us and as much the various Pastors who literally
came up to us in tears thanking us for the Lord working through us to
heal, challenge and motivate them. It was all simply awesome as the Lord also
confirmed His working by some rather amazing personal healings received! One
such healing was with our Host in New Zealand, Bill, who has had body fluid
seeping sores from allergies for a good period of time, had them treated by
doctors with no lasting results …but the Lord gave an answer and all of Bill’s
sores dried up and were gone leaving nice pink skin! PTL!
A result also of our visit to New Zealand was the realization by many that the
ministry the Lord has put us in is NOT just to those in the "Messianic
Movement". Our greatest joy is in sharing in denominational settings
with those who know little or nothing about "Roots of our Faith" in
order to challenge to the depths of God’s Word, where it all is headed and
dangers along the way! Certainly, our hosts Bill and Sue in New Zealand
blessed us by their "spoiling" us with great hospitality, sightseeing
and grazing through the many quaint little shops but even more so were we
blessed to see God’s people of New Zealand being blessed by the Lord!
Then the flights back to Jerusalem were an adventure all in themselves! We saw
the provision and timing of the Lord in really neat ways but will not take time
to recount them now. In arrival to Jerusalem we were saddened to hear, literally
the increased conflicts. The gunfire around Gilo, Bethlehem and Beit Sahour has
been almost non-stop day and night, keeping us awake at night. In talking to a
friend (in Bethlehem) I was told that if Israel did not pull back then a major
attack was planned against Gilo larger than any which have occurred. I was told
this in the early afternoon on Monday and then news stated that Israel was
warned to pullback "or else". The "or else" was averted by
Israel but conflict expressed by tanks, guns and helicopters continues. How long
can major war be held off? A problem, which we now encounter because of the
Tanks in place and all the shooting very near us, is we are unable to take help
to Christian Arabs. We have gifts for them from people in New Zealand and as
soon as we are able (when the tanks and shooting stop or slowdown enough) we
will then proceed. The needs are very real, as whole areas have been confined to
their homes for days. Please pray.
While on our trip to New Zealand we watched News with sadness as we saw what we
expected begin to occur namely biological attacks, which I am sure all are aware
of in the form of "letter attacks". The news reports they are
happening here in Israel also. We also think it will increase in one form or
another due to the nature of the "attackers". Two books, which can be
checked out concerning the subject, are: "The Rise of the Islamic Empire
and the Threat to the West," by Anthony J. Dennis, published by Wyndham
Hall Press. And "Jihad in the West," by Paul Fregosi, published by
Prometheus Books. But realize they and other such books are under attack, which
may make them currently hard to get, even from Amazon.com. Under the
circumstances we have strongly felt that it is not just America which is
"under attack" but rather the Nations of the World. A strong
consideration for this is the "co-circumstance" that September 11th
is the reported anniversary of the signing of the British Mandate Balfour
Declaration in 1922 by the Nations for the establishment of the State of
Israel. The signing on that date was the first physical step toward the
establishment of Israel. Islam has a habit of making attacks on
"anniversary’s" we have found by experience living here in Israel!
The Twin Towers attack we see as a threat against the World. Due to it happening
on American soil there is then a double threat, the second against
America itself. Why is America second and the World first? Here is a suggested
scenario…due to the ensuing trade difficulties and etc of this fall the Arab
Oil Cartel of Nations continue their demand that payments for oil be switched
from Dollars to the Euro. The decision for this we understand is scheduled for
January 1st, 2002. Should this then not be passed what difficulties
would the Nations behind the Euro begin to experience at the hands of
"world terrorism"? But there is strong likelihood such a passage would
occur. Results… the European Bloc would pass the United States in world
leadership! The US dollar would become second class and no longer the leading
world money standard. But maybe more important would be the political prestige
the results would give to Nations that are currently predominantly Islamic or
are becoming predominantly Islamic such as Europe itself! Could this be the
under laying reason why so many in Islam have immigrated to Europe in the last
ten years and why Islam is the most pushed, fastest growing religion in Europe?
A change from the dollar to the Euro would give Islam a real boost towards world
dominance as from a "Euro" dominated position Islam could then
strongly influence or even control the Nations behind the Euro which in turn
would mandate control over the Mid-East and its Oil! The "thorn"
against total Mid-East control and its Oil is little Israel. Now the picture
gets bigger? David will be coming against Goliath!
Food for thought!
As this is a Faith Ministry reaching out to local and national communities we
depend on your faith gifts!
Blessings, --Gary and Debra
(Dr. GR Collett)
gcollett@netvision.net.il
*Hebraic Roots Learning Center
PO Box 11388, Jerusalem 91113, Israel
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