What a year!  Despite so much chaos in our world, there is so much for which to be thankful.  Tomorrow we’ll look toward 2017, but today let’s reflect on 2016.

January:

• We began the year asking questions such as: Are we sleeping? and Is there Hope for America?  While I believe many churches are asleep at the wheel, I rejoice with the multitudes of Christians who are awakened to the fact that our Messiah is coming soon.
• In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27), we commemorated the 6 million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

February:

• We discussed why it is important to stand with Israel.
• We rejoiced at the idea that Israelis are sharing Yeshua (Jesus) with other Israelis.

March:

• In one of the most popular posts all year, I provided insight following a personal prayer walk in Washington DC.  It was a sobering occasion.
• In attendance at the AIPAC Policy Conference in DC, I shared thoughts after hearing each presidential candidate state their positions on Israel, re-capped the conference, and shared my favorite moment of the conference.

April:

• Israel is an innovative nation, so I launched a feature called “Innovation Nation,” where I spotlight various Israeli inventions, such as the MobileODT (medical equipment), AlphaOmega (medical equipment), the SoftWheel (wheelchair mobility), and Desalination.
• We gazed upon Jesus in the various Jewish spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits)

May:

• Jim Caviezel shared a special message for our time.

June:

• We witnessed an example of how Israelis bless the world
• I re-capped the 2016 ICEJ Summer Conference.

July:

• We looked at Ezekiel 38-39 in light of current events and reflected on a world unraveling.

August:

• A great awakening is taking place in the Middle East…but you don’t hear that on the news!
• We asked an important question: If not us, then who?

September:

• As the election season became more intense, we focused on what to look for in candidates despite having less-than-stellar choices.
• September closed with a challenge to be a hero.  (One of the most popular posts of 2016.)

October:

• We witnessed evidence of Obama’s denial of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
• The Spirit of the Lord is moving in Israel, and we’re seeing it!
• We launched a new Bible study, Why Israel Matters: Rightly Relating to Our Jewish Roots, in October and it was shared online.  (Search the category “WIM Study”)  Blog followers from all over the world joined together at the virtual study table!

November:

• I introduced the “Israel Test.”
• We heard encouraging stories of survivors of the raging fires in Israel.

December:

• December’s news was dominated by the UN Security Council Resolutions against Israel.  Early on, 6 nonsensical resolutions against Israel were passed before Obama took a huge parting shot at Israel and Kerry made an outrageous speech.
• Stockpiles of WMD are discovered in Damascus, causing us to wonder what it will be like when a rogue regime gets their hands on them!
• We finished our online study together by considering the question, “How should we then live?”

In addition to all of the above, we joined in the Isaiah 62 Prayer Initiative, Franklin Graham’s Decision America Tour, and a call to prayer by Anne Graham Lotz.  We deferred to Middle East experts such as Amir Tsarfati and Joel Rosenberg, and we took in Word from Jerusalem each month.

Yes, it was a chaotic year in terms of world events and American elections.  But spending time with each of you around the study table, and in discussion of world events in light of Bible prophecy has been a highlight of the year!  Thanks to all of you who have faithfully followed, and to those of you who occasionally catch a post now and then.  To fulfill God’s call for now, and to have others on the journey with me is very gratifying.

Thanks for following, and I look forward to journeying with you in 2017.  Come back tomorrow as I look ahead to the new year.