Dear friends:

In a book I wrote almost 20 years ago, I described the Middle East at that time as a "powder keg."  Guess what?  It hasn't changed!

It has been that way since Israel came back into her God-given land in 1948.  For 58 years, the perennial news has been, "Middle East Heats Up!"

Is the situation any worse now?  Maybe not, but it does seem as though things are coming to a new climax, as the end-time prophecy clock continues to go "tick-tick-tick" toward midnight.  Someday, maybe soon, both the hour and minute hands will point straight up -- toward "12"!

Just days ago Israel made a major incursion into Gaza because of the capture of one Israeli soldier by Hamas.  Now, the news today reports that Hizbollah guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers on the northern front.  Here is the news report:

MARJAYOUN, Lebanon (Reuters) - Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed up to seven Israelis in violence on either side of the Lebanese border on Wednesday, further inflaming Middle East tensions.  Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described the Hizbollah attacks as an "act of war" by Lebanon and promised a "very painful and far-reaching" response.

When will Israel and the U.S. decide that you cannot negotiate with these blood-thirsty maniacs, and stop trying to placate them and their Muslim enablers?  Hopefully, this lesson is being learned.

Keep looking up.  Jesus is coming!

Jim