Text size: smaller | normal | larger
Skip to main content

Blog

Sep 27, 2017

Tips for studying the bible with your childrenBy: C4i

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

One of the most important responsibilities you'll have as a parent is fostering a healthy foundation for your child's spiritual life. While you can't make their decisions or steer their interests forever, you can plant the seeds for a long, rewarding, and self-motivated walk with Christ for your children with the right lessons.

Here are some tips to make biblical study more fun, engaging, and rewarding for your kids.

Put on a show

When you have young children, you need to find a way to make the bible connect with them. If you're ONLY reading verses out of the Bible to them, that won't be anything but a quick path to nap time, not to any kind of lasting interest in the Word of God. You need to get their attention and make the Bible something they want to know more about. 

Instead of making Bible study time a totally serious and straight laced affair, try to make it a fun activity that they can look forward to. Pick interesting stories from the bible and act them out as you read them, bringing your kids into it wherever you can. Use different voices for different characters, bring in things like puppets, pictures, and props to make it entertaining for your little audience members. If a particular story resonates with your kids, stage an amateur play in the living room with the kids acting for different characters and going through the broad strokes of the story (David and Goliath is a great choice for this, as is Jonah in the belly of the whale, or the good Samaritan).

Transform bible study time from a passive activity where the kids just sit there to something they engage with and help to create as well.

Read the bible as a family every day

In addition to the times where you specifically teach your children about the word of God, work a daily devotional into your family routine. It's easiest to structure this as something you do right before bed as part of the wind down for the day (maybe as an extension of story time or tucking them in) or as something you do in the morning before you start the day, but if another time works for your family then go for it. The important thing is that you take a moment every day to read a passage of the Bible together and pray.

Your family devotional doesn't need to be long or drawn out, it just needs to be consistent. Reading a quick pair of verses and saying a prayer together everyday is better than trying to struggle through full chapters and missing days because you just don't have the time. What you need to show is that as parents reading the Bible is important and valuable to you,  that is is something that is part of your lives, not just something you sometimes sit down to do like a math class.

Always answer questions, but know when to have your kids look for the answers themselves 

Whenever you are studying the Bible or holding your daily devotion, be sure to always answer any questions your kids have to the best of your abilities. You want them to fully understand the lessons you've imparted to them, not to walk away scratching their heads.

But, once your children become more capable readers on their own, have them look up the occasional answer or passage themselves when they have questions. By all means, guide them and give them direction, but have them flip through the Bible and find the spot they need themselves. Make sure they understand how the Bible is divided into different books, chapters, and verses and how to use that knowledge to find specific parts. This is the kind of knowledge that will stick with them as they become young adults and allow them to find their own path to spiritual growth. You'll be giving them tools they'll use for the rest of their lives.

Live what you teach 

Your own example will always be the most important Biblical education your children receive. Words are one thing, but actions are another, and your children will see your example and model their own actions and decisions after it. Always look for ways to implement the lessons you've taught your children in your own life. Model your teachings, enthusiastically live the virtues you've taught them and be sure they know that their parents stand by what they preach.

[Comment]

Sep 22, 2017

How Israel grows food in the desertBy: C4i

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

 
They say need is the mother of invention, and there is no need more primal or natural than hunger. No country have completely conquered hunger yet, but, how do you even begin to approach the problem when you live in a desert?

Well, if you're a member of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center, the answer is "get creative.”

Walking through the greenhouses of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center, you'd never guess you were in an arid climate where water is scarce and the soil is mostly loose sand. All throughout the center things are growing, from plump gourds and peppers, to reaching vines of cherry tomatoes coiling towards the sun. It's a place of growth not just for vegetables, but for knowledge.

The Center's chief goal is the development of innovative farming techniques that allow them to do more with less. One of the Center's most famous innovations includes their method for irrigating soil with brackish water. They managed to find a way to take water that would normally be considered too saturated with sodium and other impurities to be used in farming by irrigating gardens directly underneath the plant. This way, the root system can soak up the moisture it craves while the more delicate leaves and stem of the plant are safe from the salt. A simple, but ingenious method that has applications in any arid climate.

"From waste to feed” is the motto of the center, with nothing taken for granted or left for scrap. The two guiding principles of the Center include the strict protection of nature and it's ecological systems, as well as the smart use of sustainable natural resources. The idea is to take what is available in their region and use it to maximum effect in a way that will not damage the local environment, but allow it to thrive and grow with the population in tandem. This doubly important considering the Center is located Negev, an area rich with delicate natural splendor.

As the population in the area increases and the number of tourists the country sees every year continues to rise, demands on the local climate also increase in step. It is the goal of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center to ensure that the local environment can meet those needs, but without diminishing or destroying what makes the area unique and beautiful. A tall order in a country with a hot, dry, climate and very little rainfall, but with ongoing research into energy conservation, farming techniques especially designed for arid climates, and infrastructure, they seem more than up to the task.

What's more, the Center isn't interested in keeping this knowledge to themselves. They see sustainable farming as a global goal and freely share their research with the rest of the world. In coordination with the CINDADCO (the Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation ), Israeli farming experts and scientists regularly tour their findings in other arid nations. Demonstrations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia are common, helping to bolster Israel’s reputation as agricultural innovators. 

While the techniques and technology employed may be cutting edge, the spirit is very old school Israel.  The Center's emphasis on creative usage of what is available, self-reliability, and community responsibility comes straight from the nations history of Kibbutz. Modern technology and thought applied to a noble traditional spirit – that's how Israel grows food in the desert. 
[Comment]

Sep 20, 2017

REPORT: ISRAELI POPULATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN ALL SECTORS: 88% OF ISRAELIS WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES IN THE PAST YEAR:By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

The Central Bureau of Statistics released its annual report on Mon.18 Sept. 2017 ahead of Rosh Hashana. The report looked at population trends in Israel over the course of the year and includes information on education, social welfare, public attitude and employment trends. According to the data, Israel’s population is on a consistent incline. Israel’s population grew by 156,000 or 1.8% since last year’s report. In terms of public attitude, 88% of Israeli citizens aged 20-years-and-older said they were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their lives. 21% or some 1.1 million people feel stressed on a constant basis. 6% of the population of 340,000 admits to feeling lonely on a regular basis and 34% say they find it difficult to cover their monthly expenses. Today, Israel’s population is estimated at approximately 8.743 million. The Jewish population makes up approximately 6.523 million or 74.6% of the total population. The Arab population is about 1.824 million, 20.9% of the population and the rest make up about 396,000 or 4.5%. Each of these sectors experienced consistent growth since the previous report. (J.Post) "Like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezek. 36:38 [Comment]

Sep 18, 2017

A Canadian hero - Julius KuhlBy: C4i

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

When we think of heroes who stood up to the fascist regime of the Nazis, we think of people like Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg, celebrated icons of resistance. Famous names you recognize from films and history books, rightfully celebrated for their actions.

But, not all heroes went go on to become household names. Some just return to their normal lives. They blend in and become just another face in the crowd, their acts of bravery unrecognized in their own time. 

Such is the case for Julius Kuhl, a Polish born Toronto resident who quietly saved hundreds of Jewish lives during the holocaust.

If you were to have bumped into Mr. Kuhl on the streets of Toronto before his death in 1985, you probably wouldn't have guessed there was anything remarkable about him. Mr. Kuhl looked like any other random person you might find sipping coffee or buying groceries. A typical looking businessman with a pair of glasses, standing a little on the short side. This was a man who spent his adult years selling watches, building a construction company, and raising his family, a completely ordinary Canadian immigrant success story.

What you wouldn't realize was that as a young man, Mr. Kuhl was once a low-level diplomat stationed at the Polish legation in Bern, the Swiss capital, during WWII. Of Jewish decent himself, Mr. Kuhl was all too painfully aware of the persecution being experienced by Polish Jews under the boot of the Nazi regime. The grim fate that awaited innocent Jews who were rounded up, dragged out of their homes like criminals, and shipped off to slaughter like animals. Unlike many others though, he was in the position - and had the moral courage - to do something about it.

As a member of the legation's staff, Kuhl was able to quietly come into possession of thousands of blank passports. These blank IDs were collected from the nearby embassies and counsels of various South and Central American countries. With the help of an his consul associate Konstanty Rokicky, Mr. Kuhl forged the credentials of thousands of Jews still stuck in the Warsaw ghetto. 

Kuhl also used his position in the Polish legation to relay covert messages and aid the Jewish community. Using the privilege of the Polish diplomatic pouch, Kuhl was able to get in contact with figures such as Rabbi Michael Dov-Ber Weissmandel, a leader in the Jewish underground in the Warsaw ghetto, and other sympathetic sources. He was able to coordinate with other efforts in rescuing Jews from persecution, collecting names of needy Jewish resident, disseminating the forged passports, and gaining knowledge on what was occurring within Nazi occupied territories.

Funds donated from American Jews, funneled in through the Polish consulate in New York, were used to finance the operation. Passports were purchased from various South American consulates, and stamps officiating them were attained from friendly diplomats of these consulates (although often at a price). When rumors of the operation began to rumble, Mr. Kuhl was shielded by his superior Aleksander Lados who was serving in something akin to an ambassadorial role at the time.

These efforts, documented and verified by both the Polish government and the the Yad Vashem holocaust museum in Jerusalem directly saved the lives of hundreds of Jews who were able to secure travel across the boarder using the documents, or were held as "Latin prisoners” in a French detention center instead of a German extermination camp when caught. Not all of the fake passports held up to extended scrutiny, and in time, officials became suspicious of the number of South American residents apparently living in Switzerland at the time, but Kuhl's actions saved lives and gave many a better chance for escape than they would have had otherwise.

The network was eventually exposed, and while Mr. Kuhl and Mr. Lados managed to keep their positions until the end of the war, they were on thin ice. When the postwar government re-took the consul, Mr. Khul was stripped of his diplomatic status and was forced to emigrate with his young family. They resettled in Toronto and Kuhl integrated into the Jewish community with a renewed faith and a talent for business.

For his part, Mr. Kuhl never publicly discussed his actions, celebrated them, or sought any status or recognition for them. By all accounts, he never saw his actions as particularly heroic despite the fact that the passport scheme placed him in serious danger (the network was essentially an act of espionage and broke several laws). He simply saw them as the responsible actions anyone in his position would have been expected to perform.

Mr. Kuhl's quiet, dignified, moral clarity should be an inspiration to us all. When we see evil in this world, it is our duty to do what we can to stand against it. Never allow yourself to be a silent enabler of hate, or to be cowed into inaction through threats. Instead, use what you can to protect the victims of persecution and resist evil in all of its forms. 
[Comment]

Sep 14, 2017

MORE THAN 70 TERROR CELLS BUSTED IN LAST 2 MONTHS, NETANYAHU SAYS:By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

PM Netanyahu revealed 10 Sept. 2017 that dozens of terror plots were stopped in the past two months by the Shin Bet domestic security service. "In July and August, the Shin Bet thwarted over 70 terrorist cells that were planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians,” Netanyahu said. "Israeli civilians don’t know everything that the Shin Bet does.” He did not elaborate on the nature of the attacks. Last week the agency said in its monthly report that it had recorded 110 terror attacks in Aug. 2017 compared to 222 the previous month, when tensions around the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem generated a major spike in incidents. The decrease brought the number of attacks back to a level similar to before the July conflagration, which resulted in the highest number of incidents in any month since Dec. 2015. From Jan. 2016 onward, Israel saw an average of 121 attacks against its citizens per month. (Times of Israel) Intercessors your prayers are vital and effective in helping to discover terrorist cells and to avert attacks in and around Jerusalem. Please continue to pray.
[Comment]

Sep 14, 2017

TAYLOR FORCE ACT TO BE ENFORCED STARTING IN 2018: By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

The Taylor Force Act was attached to the 2018 Foreign Operations budget in the Senate on 7 Sept. 2017. The Taylor Force Act would cut USA funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) until it ends its policy which distributes $300 million to terrorists and their families annually. The bill is named after Taylor Force, a former United States Army officer who was murdered in a stabbing attack in 2016, while walking along the Jaffa boardwalk. A recent report found that more than half of the PA's yearly budget goes to terrorists, with more than $1 billion having been dedicated for such purposes in the last four years alone. Despite pressure to end the policy of paying the families of terrorists who murdered Jews, PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas told the United States last month that he has no intention of doing so. "I do not intend to cease paying salaries to the families of prisoners and martyrs, even if it means I lose my position. I will continue paying their salaries until my dying day," he said. (Arutz-7) [Comment]

Sep 14, 2017

ISRAEL OFFERS RECONSTRUCTION AID TO MEXICO AFTER EARTHQUAKE:By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Israel will offer aid in reconstruction and any other assistance needed to Mexico in the wake of a severe earthquake. "Israel sends condolences to the families of the victims. We understand that these are difficult days for this country, for the Mexican people,” Israeli PM Netanyahu said 10 Sep. 2017. At least 90 people have died in the 8.1 magnitude earthquake that struck off the southern Pacific coast. The Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas was hardest hit. Netanyahu said he would offer the aid in person when he meets with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto this week, on part of his visit to Latin American, the first such visit by a sitting Israeli prime minister. (JTA) "I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” Gen.26:4 [Comment]

Sep 14, 2017

ISRAEL RUSHES AID TEAMS TO FLORIDA:By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

 Israeli humanitarian-aid groups are on their way to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Three teams of volunteers fromIsraAID, ZAKA Search and Rescue, and the Israel Rescue Coalition, all of who rushed to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, are now on their way to Florida to help. Other Israeli aid teams are heading to Mexico, which was hit by a deadly earthquake on 7 Sept. 2017, and are offering aid to communities in Haiti and the Caribbean also devastated by Irma. (Israel 21c) Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the families and global communities who have suffered immense loss through natural disasters in the past two weeks. [Comment]

Sep 13, 2017

Hidden gems of IsraelBy: C4i

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

When you talk about taking a trip to Israel, most people immediately think of sites like Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. These are certainly important places anyone visiting the Holy Land should go, but, you might also consider stepping off the beaten path and checking out some of Israel’s lesser known treasures as well. 

These sites might lack the name recognition of the most famous attractions, but they all have their own unique appeal and are sure to deepen your appreciation for this historic land.

The Avshalom Caves

Image: No Details

The Avshalom Caves are a spectacular geological treasures that need to be seen to be believed. Located  about 3 km east of Bet Shemesh, the Avshalom Caves are an underground wonder that have been 300,000 years in the making. The caves are known for the incredible number of stalagmites that have formed due to centuries of running water eroding the stone, shaping them into incredible natural pillars. 

While now open to the public, the Avshalom Caves were originally kept a closely guarded secret after their discovery. The caves are so delicate and unique that is was feared they would be damaged by an onslaught of geologist and tourists. For as beautiful and striking as the caves are, they are also an important specimen for study. Known as "the Rosetta stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean” it is hoped that the cave's preserved 300,000 year history will help shed light on other climate phenomenon in the area.

The Herzliya Marina

Image: No Details

Sure, there are plenty of great places to eat and shops to visit in Tel Aviv, but why limit yourself to the city? Get a taste of Israel port life by visiting the Herzliya Marina. Just 20 minutes from Tel Aviv, Herzliya offers a taste of authentic Israel life. Dotted by small shops and cafes, you can spend the afternoon shopping and exploring before relaxing over a cup of spiced coffee and watching the sun set over the water. 

Ramla's underground boat rides

Image: No Details

Ramla might not be the first Israeli city you think of, but if you happen to be traveling nearby be sure to take the time to check out its famous underground boat rides! This unique aquatic tour will take you in a canoe through an ancient reservoir that has stood for more than 1,500 years. Known as the Pool of the Arches, the waters meander through a maze of stone arches and small docks that weave in and out from each other.

Fun fact, in ancient times, this area was referred to as the Pool of the Goats due to its popularity with farmers seeking to water their livestock!

Nisco Museum of Mechanical Music

Image: No Details

Love music? Have an interest in vintage instruments? Or maybe you just enjoy strange gizmos and mechanical marvels? If you can identify with any of those statements, you should definitely try to make it to the Nisco Museum of Mechanical Music. This small collection of the beautiful and bizarre is located at the outer edge of the Ein Hod artists colony in the Carmel Mountains. The museum, maintained and staffed by Mr. Nisan Cohen, a former American filmmaker who returned to his homeland in the late mid-'70s features a selection of automated musical contraptions. From player pianos and music boxes, to gramophones and hurdy-gurdys, Cohen has assembled a collection of some of the most interesting mechanical music devices in the world.

The Golan Heights

Image: No Details

A mountainous area of natural beauty, the Golan Heights are a great spot of hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts to explore. In one of the wettest areas in Israel, there are not shortage of natural springs, rivers, and scenic waterfalls. In fact, the Heights get so much moisture they are the site of Israel’s only ski resort! Who would have thought you might want to pack your skis for a trip to Israel? Whether you fancy the idea of some kayaking, some skiing, or just want to enjoy some picturesque vistas, the Heights are worth a visit. 
[Comment]

Sep 12, 2017

SYRIAN ARMY THREATENS ‘DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES’ FOR AIR STRIKE: By: Colin Wingfield

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

Image: No Details

The Syrian army responded Thur. morning 7 Sept. 2017, to the air strike the previous night on a Syrian military site in western Syria. The Syrian army claimed that Israeli warplanes fired several rockets from the Lebanese airspace at 02:42 am on Thursday targeting one of the Syrian military posts near Masyaf, killing two army personnel and causing material damage to the site. "The attack proves Israel’s direct support for ISIS and additional terror organizations,” the army claimed. In addition, it threatened that "The aggressive Israeli attack could have dangerous consequences on stability and security in the region." Later Thurs. Executive Director of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies Amos Yadlin noted that the strike was "not routine.”

"It targeted a Syrian military-scientific center for the development and manufacture of, among other things, precision missiles, which will have a significant role in the next round of conflict.” The factory that was targeted in Masyaf produces the chemical weapons and barrel bombs that have killed thousands of Syrian civilians,” he continued. "If the attack was conducted by Israel, it would be a commendable and moral action by Israel against the slaughter in Syria.”Yadlin emphasized that "The attack sent 3 important messages. 1: Israel won't allow for empowerment and production of strategic arms. 2: Israel intends to enforce itsredlines, despite the fact that the great powers are ignoring them. 3: The presence of Russian air defense does not prevent airstrikes attributed to Israel. Now it's important to keep the escalation in check and to prepare for a Syrian-Iranian-Hezbollah response, and even opposition from Russia,” he said. (INN)Pray according to scripture regarding the many dangerous foes that threaten Israel’s northern borders: "The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.” Deut. 28:7 [Comment]

< Previous Next >
Return to navigation Return to main content