In a few hours, a Joshua Fund colleague and I are heading to Brussels where I have been invited to speak at a conference at the European Union Parliament on ways to counter the delegitimization of Israel. Other invited speakers include Members of the EU Parliament, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Israeli officials, Tony Blair (by video), and Tomas Sandell, founder of the European Coalition For Israel, and organizer of the conference. We’ll also be addressing a conference of key pastors from all over Europe. I’d be grateful for your prayers that I would give a solid, Biblical defense for Israel and the Jewish people. Lord willing, I’ll send you an update from Brussels.

This weekend, I delivered a series of 5 messages at a wonderful church in Albuquerque, New Mexico on “Critical Issues Facing The People Of The Epicenter.” Topics included, “Are The Jews The Chosen People?”; “Were The Jews Given The Promised Land?”; “Why Does The World Hate Israel And The Jewish People?”; “Does God Love Israel’s Neighbors?”; and “How Can The Church Bless Israel and Her Neighbors?” Pastor Skip Heitzig invited me to give the series. He and I hosted the first Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem in 2008. He will be one of the honored speakers at the 2011 Epicenter Conference as we develop these important themes in more depth and call the Church worldwide to stand strong against Radical Islam and against Replacement Theology. Please check back to this weblog, as later this week I hope to have links to the audio and video for those messages so you can consider them for yourselves. Also, please prayerfully consider coming to Israel for the conference and The Joshua Fund tour of the Holy Land.

Events are moving quickly in the Middle East. The U.S. is now offering Israel 20 state-of-the-art F-35 fighter planes for free (a $3 billion value) if Netanyahu’s government will agree to a 90 day moratorium on building settlements and further direct peace talks with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, here’s the latest Haaretz headline: “U.S. defense chief says Iran sanctions working, argues against military strike: As Iran prepares to defend nuclear sites, the U.S. Defense Secretary insists that economic sanctions are effectual.”

Yesterday, the Jerusalem Post Christian Edition published an interview with me on Israel, the Iranian nuclear threat, “The Twelfth Imam,” and The Joshua Fund. Here is the full article.