Gas in Israel

The Next Big Lebanon-Israel Flare-Up: Gas: For most countries, the existence of a massive fossil-fuel deposit within its sovereign territory would be gratefully welcomed as an economic windfall. But the delight in Israel at the recent giant gas discovery off its northern coastline is tempered by the knowledge that it could provide the spark to ignite the next war between the Jewish state and its mortal foe to the north, Lebanon's militant Shi'ite Hizballah. 

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Related articles on the gas drilling in Israel
Israel Discovers Gas!: The Houston-based Noble Energy company, drilling for Israel’s Delek fuel company, announced that it has discovered a huge deposit of natural gas under the Mediterranean Sea near Haifa. Read more>>

Israel Drills Big Gas Prospect: Oil companies in Israel, led by Texas-based Noble Energy Inc. this week are expected to start drilling one of the world's most promising natural-gas prospects of recent years, according to executives. Read more>>

Lebanon asks UN to guard gas from Israeli drilling: Lebanon has asked U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ensure that Israel's plans to drill for gas in the Mediterranean do not encroach on its own offshore reserves, the National News Agency said on Tuesday. Read more>>

UN refuses Lebanon request to intervene in Israel gas drilling
Lebanese FM urged Ban Ki-moon to prevent Israel from exploiting Lebanon's maritime wealth, but UN spokesman says it won't demarcate border. Read more>>

Wise Cogitations - Proverbs 3

When reading Proverbs 3 the other day, it reminded me why it was one of my favourites.  It is full of really great wisdom and advice.

Some of the verses that I love from this chapter, that I think should be really pondered, are:

v3-4: Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

v5-6: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understaing.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

v7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

v11: My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

v27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Arab States, Russia, China v. Western Coalition

• Putin likens U.N. Libya resolution to crusade calls: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Monday likened the U.N. Security Council resolution supporting military action in Libya to medieval calls for crusades.

• Coalition air strikes see waning support from Arabs, China and Russia: Arab League and China express regret as Moscow suggests US-led coalition is going beyond its mandate. 

World Watch

With all that is happening around the world recently, Andy Walton's Weekly World Watch is an interesting read.

• Click here to read this week's Weekly World Watch (Will open in Power Point)

German-Israel Relations

• A Deepening Rift Between Germany and Israel: Germany has made it plain to Israel that it cannot expect unqualified support if it allows the conflict with Palestinians to drag on.  It marks a major change in Mrs. Merkel’s attitude toward Israel, which she had unswervingly supported since she took office more than five years ago.

• Deciphering German foreign policy toward Israel and Iran: The so-called German-Israeli ‘special relationship’ is clouded by Berlin’s tight relations with Tehran.

Faith

Hebrews 11v1-3

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

"The Name and the Faith are terms comprehensive of the whole subject. "There is One Faith," says Paul, "and one Hope of the Calling." 

...when "faith" is used in connexion with "name" it embraces the things associated with it by Paul in his definition of it in Heb. 11 : 1. In this place, he says, "Faith is a hypostasis of things being hoped for, and elegchos of transactions not seen." Here faith, or belief, is said to be hypostasis and elenchos; that is, faith is reality and proof. The person who has it, embraces certain things promised as realities, and certain transactions as things proved. Hence, faith is the assured hope of things promised, the conviction of the truth of transactions not witnessed by the believer."

John Thomas, Eureka (Volume 1), p.284

Tekhelet

Click the link for an article about the colour blue that is mentioned as on various parts of the tabernacle and on the fringes of garments: 

Rediscovered, Ancient Color Is Reclaiming Israeli Interest

Blue or "tekhelet" in Strongs Concordance (#8504):

תּכלת

tekêleth

tek-ay'-leth

Probably for H7827; the cerulean mussel, that is, the color (violet) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith: - blue.

Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 

Exodus 26v1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:  That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.   I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. 

Num 15:37-41