What a month July was !!

Started fairly ‘normal,’ but wow – an attempted political assassination of former President Donald Trump on 13 July that had the world riveted to our TV and the internet, the ensuing ‘investigation’ that still has most questions unanswered, followed by the Republican National Convention – it was so great to see the prominence and honoring of Israel and the hostages displayed. The head of the US Secret Service resigned in disgrace. Watching the machinations and posturing by the Democratic leaders to finally force President Joe Biden to withdraw from the upcoming election raised concerns and more questions about his competency to govern the remainder of his term in office. No comment about the ‘crowning’ of Kamala Harris as the heir apparent. Watched some of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics for two reasons: we love Paris, and the pre-event hype was a ‘different’ opening ceremony – athletes in boats on the Seine River rather than marching around a stadium – and now we’re thankful we missed the blasphemous ‘drag queen’ travesty of the Last Supper. I can only say, “Come quickly, Lord Yeshua.” We hope your month was eventful and that you are again ‘glued to the news’ with the assassination of Hamas terrorist leader Ismael Haniyeh at the installation of Iran’s new President. At this moment, Iran is announcing plans to take revenge on Israel and the United States.

Statistics on Israelis murdered in this war since 7 October 2023:

Policemen 63

Soldiers 689

Civilians 860, including 53 children

 

 

And of course, the tragic deaths of 13 children playing soccer in a Druze village in the Golan Heights, plus numerous others injured, from a Hezbollah missile attack a few days ago.  Quite a month!!

If ever we need to pray for Israel, its now.  Thank you for joining us in prayer.

The  International Olympic Committee barred the Israeli team from showing prepared “Bring Them Home” signs or wearing symbolic yellow pins but creativity reigned and the messages were displayed.  Check out these swim team and gymnastics team efforts..

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 24th,  marked the fourth time that Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, the most of any world leader in history. His staunchest critics have claimed  that the real reason for his visit to the States was “to enlist domestic American support to keep waging the war” rather than to end the war and bring home the hostages. Others have faulted  him for failing to deliver anything of substance in terms of a long term solution, let alone making serious concessions toward the Palestinians. His supporters saw things very differently, with one headline proclaiming,  “JOINT SESSION: In wartime address to Congress, Netanyahu gives ‘masterclass in global diplomacy,’ most powerful speech of his career – 55 standing ovations.”

While the Middle East pundits parse the details, here are some of the most memorable lines from his speech. Bibi sure knows how to fire up the crowd. Indeed, the “no fewer than 55 standing ovations” marked “the most of any such speaker in Congressional history.” (Note that he is more popular in America than in Israel, especially among American evangelicals.)

After his introductory greetings, these were his opening lines: “We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.”

After introducing several IDF soldiers who were sitting in the audience, including “Lieutenant Yonatan, Jonathan Ben Hamo who lost a leg in Gaza and continued to fight,” he said, “My friends, these are the soldiers of Israel – unbowed, undaunted, unafraid.”

On the difference between good and evil: “Defeating our brutal enemies requires both courage and clarity. Clarity begins by knowing the difference between good and evil. Yet incredibly many anti-Israel protesters, many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers. They stand with people who came into the kibbutzim, into a home, the parents hid the children, the two babies, in the attic, in a secret attic. They murdered the family, the parents, they found the secret latch to the hidden attic and then they murdered the babies. These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.”

“They refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians, between the democratic State of Israel and the terrorist thugs of Hamas.”

On the misguided protesters: “It’s amazing, absolutely amazing. Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming ‘Gays for Gaza.’ They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’

“These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about. They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history. They call Israel a colonialist state. Don’t they know that the Land of Israel is where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prayed, where Isaiah and Jeremiah preached and where David and Solomon ruled?”

“For nearly four thousand years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.”

On the misguided “justice” of the ICC: “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication. Israel has enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza. That’s half a million tons of food, and that’s more than 3,000 calories for every man, woman and child in Gaza. If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it, it’s because Hamas is stealing it.”

On the difference between Israel and Hamas: “For Israel, every civilian death is a tragedy. For Hamas, it’s a strategy. They actually want Palestinian civilians to die, so that Israel will be smeared in the international media and be pressured to end the war before it’s won.”

On Iran’s war with Israel and the world: “In the Middle East, Iran is virtually behind all the terrorism, all the turmoil, all the chaos, all the killing. And that should come as no surprise. When he founded the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini pledged, “We will export our revolution to the entire world. We will export the Islamic revolution to the entire world.” Now, ask yourself, which country ultimately stands in the way of Iran’s maniacal plans to impose radical Islam on the world? And the answer is clear: It’s America, the guardian of Western civilization and the world’s greatest power. That’s why Iran sees America as its greatest enemy.”

“Last month, I heard a revealing comment, ostensibly about the war in Gaza, but about something else. It came from the foreign minister of Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, and he said this: ‘This is not a war with Israel. Israel,’ he said, ‘is merely a tool. The main war, the real war, is with America.”
”
Continuing with this theme: “That’s why the mobs in Tehran chant ‘Death to Israel’ before they chant ‘Death to America.’ For Iran Israel is first, America is next. So, when Israel fights Hamas, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight Hezbollah, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight the Houthis, we’re fighting Iran. And when we fight Iran, we’re fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America.”

“And one more thing. When Israel acts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons that could destroy Israel and threaten every American city, every city that you come from, we’re not only protecting ourselves. We’re protecting you.”

“My friends, If you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”

In sum, “The war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms and returns all the hostages. But if they don’t, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home.”

“That’s what total victory means, and we will settle for nothing less.”

   

 

In a recent and relatively unnoticed conference in Beijing, China brought together representatives of more than a dozen Palestinian factions, including the longtime rivals Fatah and Hamas.  By the end of the two-day summit, China announced that the parties had signed an agreement ending their long schism and creating ‘a unified government for the benefit and future of the Palestinian people.’

The conference focused heavily on the civilian governance of the Palestinians and left the issue of Israel almost entirely out of the picture, a line China has kept since the war began.  A series of governmental statements, including in the UN, have professed that  China deplores the loss of life in the war and urges both sides to show restraint and concern for human life and humanitarian conditions.

China is slowly replacing the US in prominence on the world stage, and seeks to become a significant broker and influencer in the Middle East, another sign of America’s perceived weakness under our current leadership.

CONNECT WITH US IN PRAYER

 

• Safety for Israeli athletes and spectators in an increasingly Antisemitic France.
• Secure borders for Israel and safety for IDF soldiers in harm’s way.
• Unconditional support from the US and a cessation of the insane ‘show restraint’ conversation
• Righteousness to prevail in the upcoming US elections
• Transparency by our government in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump

 

CONNECT WITH US IN FINANCES

 

There are a few NEW options if you are prompted to partner financially in ministry with us:

If you don’t need a tax deduction, you can send funds to us via the INTERNET directly thru PayPal.  Use [email protected], which is Michael’s account.  Send as a friend, and there is no cost to you or us.

If you don’t need a tax deduction, you can send funds to us by check, payable to Michael Bryan, and mail to Michael Bryan, PO Box 255, Magnolia, MS 39652.

Tax-deductible donations by CHECK  can be made payable to Isaiah 61 Ministries and mailed to:

Isaiah 61 Ministries
PO Box 255
Magnolia, MS. 39652

You will receive a printed receipt at year-end and our eternal gratitude.

Tax-deductible donations via the INTERNET can be made thru the KKCJ website, www.kkcj.org.  Engage the “Give” tab at the top of the page, select “Staff Support,” and select “Michael Bryan.”

We are grateful to receive a partial salary from King of Kings Community to help with the work of ministry, and as God opens new doors for us, we know He will supply the needed resources to enable us to minister from America to Israel and to the Nations.  May God continue to bless you as you continue blessing us and Israel.

 

 

 

As the full heat of summer magnifies, we urge you to stand with Israel, pray for Israel, support Israel in a tangible way, and believe with us for the best.

We love and appreciate you

Michael & Patricia