Whenever I hear of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas I’m always skeptical. Here’s the main reason:

A long-sought truce between Israel and Gaza militants went into effect early Thursday, with the aim of halting militant attacks and a bruising Israeli blockade that have made life unbearable for people living on both sides of the border.

A day of intense Palestinian rocket and mortar fire and Israeli air reprisals on Wednesday underscored just how fragile the Egyptian-brokered agreement would be. Hamas security reported that the Israeli navy fired four shells into the waters off Gaza City after the truce began; the military had no immediate comment. Hamas has run the territory since seizing control a year ago.

It seems to me if someone is going to have a truce and announce it days ahead of such truce, the parties involved would stop killing each other when they’ve announced they are going to have a truce. It’s a goodwill gesture.

But Hamas isn’t as interested in a truce as it is in having the time to get stronger so they can attack with impunity once they have restocked their supplies and opened their supply lines again.

Israel is an island unto itself in that region; surrounded by enemies on all sides with the exceptions of Jordan and Egypt, and in my opinion, if push came to shove Jordan and Egypt would go against Israel once again.

The other day I received an “urgent” mailing requesting money of course. $144 to be exact. I don’t know the person who sent the letter, although I have heard of some of the people on the board of prayer warriors.

What made me throw it into the trash was a sentence that went something like “We must not let these people stop God’s prophecy regarding Jerusalem.” Pretty strong statement, but if it’s God’s prophecy that Jerusalem will not be divided again (and it is) how is any man or any amount of money going to stop it?

We have prophecies in Ezekiel telling of a big war in Israel; so bad that God does intervene so Israel isn’t destroyed.

I pray for peace in Jerusalem every day, as instructed by the Lord, but I also know certain things will come to pass over which no single human being has any control. I don’t consider the anti-Christ to be human, nor his false prophet.

I’m considering a trip to Israel in March, but I’m carefully considering it since my husband has bad legs and doesn’t want to take a chance of blood clots on such a long journey.

If I don’t make it this time I will probably never get to see it in this lifetime, but I know I will dwell in the New Jerusalem after that.

Always be a friend to Israel and you will always be blessed for it, but don’t do it just for the blessing; do it because it’s the right thing to do. Shalom!