Detailed LCCC English News Bulletin For April 03/17
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Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published On April 02-03/17
Healing the Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus Son Of Timaeus/Elias Bejjani/April 01/17
World shrugs as Hezbollah prepares massive civilian deaths/Noah Beck/Jerusalem Post/April 03/17
In first White House meeting 7 years, Egypt expected to focus on security assistance/Michael Wilner/Jerusalem Post/April 03/17
Londonistan: 423 New Mosques; 500 Closed Churches/Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute/April 02/17
The Muslim Brotherhood Swoops into Sweden/Judith Bergman/Gatestone Institute/April 02/17
Europe: Combating Fake News/Fjordman/Gatestone Institute/April 02/17
Souq’s sale to Amazon: a disappointment or celebration/Yara al-Wazir/Al Arabiya/April 02/17
Trump policy setbacks and implications for the Gulf/Dr. Mohamed A. Ramady/Al Arabiya/April 02/17
The demagogic attack on Ahmed Asiri/Turki Aldakhil/Al Arabiya/April 02/17
The abandonment of the Syrian people/
Hisham Melhem/Al Arabiya/April 02/17
What next for global jihad/Dr. Azeem Ibrahim/Al Arabiya/April 02/17
Titles For Latest Lebanese Related News published On April 02-03/17
Healing the Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus Son Of Timaeus
Netanyahu Sends Warnings at Inauguration of Anti-Hizbullah Missile Interceptor
Israel Says to Strike Hizbullah in Syria if Golan Threatened
Bassil: Law Passed by Large Consensus Better than Extension, Vacuum or 1960 Law
Al-Rahi Warns against Another ‘Shameful’ Extension of Parliament Term
Clouds of Smoke as Latest Fire Hits Central Dubai
Berri Warns of ‘Coup-Like Situation’ as FPM ‘Optimistic’ on Electoral Law
Thursday-Friday Parliament Session to ‘Pave Way for Extension’
Hizbullah, AMAL Consider Vacuum ‘Red Line’, Parliament May Vote on Electoral Laws
Machnouk: Hezbollah’s weapons display is condemned, rejected and a blow in face of the new mandate, defying the State logic
Bassil during FPM’s dinner in Sydney: Be soldiers of nationality restoration!
Lebanese Democratic Party: Contacts between Arslan, Jumblatt and Safa confirmed prevention of any strife attempt
Limited clashes in Choueifat after raising Party flags
Italian Defense Minister arrives in Beirut this evening
Derian: Our constants prompt us to preserve community’s unity, coexistence
Jaber, El Chab take part in IPU meeting in Dhaka
Jarrah: Hariri insists on salary scale approval
Riachy from Sidon: No elections except under new law
Hariri to Paris, Berlin and Brussels
Zeaiter: Electricity work plan contradicts cabinet agreement
World shrugs as Hezbollah prepares massive civilian deaths
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published On April 02-03/17
Ready For ISIS: Egyptian Commando Cadets Eat Raw Rabbits, Chickens, Snakes, Vow To Avenge Dead Comrades In The Sinai
Muslim World League: Hate Advances Terror Agendas, Provides Rally Base
20 people murdered at Pakistan shrine
French judiciary reinforces decision to confiscate Assad’s uncle’s property
Arab coalition’s assessment team apologizes for error on Hajjah factory in 2015
Britain apologizes to Saudi Arabia after London incident involving Gen. Assiri
Houthis threaten to send former defense minister to Iran
Captured Houthi militias reveal they were trained by Iran
Italy Brokers Deal with Libyan Tribes to Curb Migrant Influx
Egypt Military Says Top Islamist Killed in Sinai
Critics of Islands Accord Suffer Blow in Egypt Court
Israel Says Not Seeking Gaza ‘Adventures’ after Killing Claim
Venezuela Court Retreats from Bid to Boost President
Links From Jihad Watch Site for April 02-03/17
Egypt: “3,000 extremist fatwas” incite Muslims to destroy churches
Jordan’s King: “The fact that terrorists are going to Europe is part of Turkish policy”
German minister proposes registry of mosques, monitoring of Islamic sermons
Convert to Islam who waged jihad for the Islamic State returns to Belgium
Fort Hood jihad murderer announces hunger strike to protest “America’s hatred” for Sharia
South Carolina: Muslim arrested at airport for attempting to join the Islamic State
UK: Son of jihadi imam stripped of passport after waging jihad in Syria
Montana Democrats vote against bill banning Sharia, call it “repugnant”
Sweden: Feminists running away from no-go zones
Muslims roll out prayer mats in streets in massive protest in Paris suburb
Italy: Muslim mom shaves head of daughter for not wearing hijab
Prince Charles tried to halt Afghan invasion to “honor Ramadan”
Links From Christian Today Site For April 02-03/17
More than 250 killed and scores injured in catastrophic landslide in Colombia
20 people massacred in brutal drugging and stabbing at Sufi Muslim shrine in Pakistan
Wealthy – and not so wealthy – White House staffers’ finances detailed in new disclosures
Truck driver in church minibus crash that killed 13 may have been texting
Trump’s new environmental policies – the end of the fight against climate change?
Trump wants to let pastors endorse politicians, but most evangelical leaders don’t want to
Jailed Pakistani Christians offered freedom if they convert to Islam
The Bulletin’s Link on the lccc Site
http://data.eliasbejjaninews.com/newselias/english.april03.17.htm
Healing the Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus Son Of Timaeus
Elias Bejjani/April 01/17
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/?p=38014
John 09:5: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”.
We become blind not when our two eyes do not function any more and lose our vision. No, not at all, this is a physical disability that affects only our earthly body and not our Godly soul. We can overcome this physical blindness and go on with our lives, while our spiritual blindness makes us lose our eternal life and end in hell.
We actually become blind when we can not see the right and righteous tracks in life, and when we do not walk in their paths.
We actually become blind when we fail to obey God’s commandments, negate His sacrifice on the cross that broke our slavery bondage from the original sin, and when we refuse to abandon and tame the instincts’ of our human nature, and when we stubbornly resist after falling into the evil’s temptation to rise to the Godly nature in which we were baptized with water and the holy spirit.
Meanwhile the actual blindness is not in the eyes that can not see because of physical ailments, but in the hearts that are hardened, in the consciences that are numbed and in the spirits that are defiled with sin.
Ephesians 4:29: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear”
When we know heart, mind and soul that God Himself, is LOVE, and when we practice, honour and feel LOVE in every word we utter and in every conduct we perform, we shall never be blind in our hearts, conscience and faith, even though when our eyes cease to perform.
In its spiritual essence and core, what does love mean and encompass? Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (13/01-07), answers this question: ” “If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails”
In every community, there are individuals from all walks of life who are spiritually blind, lacking faith, have no hope, and live in dim darkness because they have distanced themselves from Almighty God and His Gospel, although their eyes are physically perfectly functional and healthy. They did not seek God’s help and did not repent and ask for forgiveness, although they know that God is always waiting eerily for them to defeat the evil, get out his temptations and come to Him.
On the sixth Lenten Sunday, our Maronite Catholic Church cites and recalls with great piety Jesus’ healing miracle of the blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus. This amazing miracle that took place in Jerusalem near the Pool of Siloam is documented in three gospels; Mark 10/46-52, John 9/1-41, Matthew 20/:29-34.
Maronites in Lebanon and all over the world, like each and very faithful Christian strongly believe that Jesus is the holy and blessed light through which believers can see God’s paths of righteousness. There is no doubt that without Jesus’ light, evil darkness will prevails in peoples’ hearts, souls and minds. Without Jesus’ presence in our lives we definitely will preys to all kinds of evil temptations.
The Miracle: Mark 10/46-52: ” They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still, and said, “Call him. ”They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!” He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. The son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, the blind beggar who was born to two blind parents truly believed in Jesus. His heart, mind and spirit were all enlightened with faith and hope. Because of his strong faith he knew deep inside who actually Jesus was, and stubbornly headed towards him asking for a Godly cure. He rebelled against all those opportunist and hypocrites who out of curiosity and not faith came to see who is Jesus. He refused to listen to them when they rebuked him and tried hardly to keep him away from Jesus. He loudly witnessed for the truth and forced his way among the crowd and threw himself on Jesus’ feet asking Him to open his blind eyes. Jesus was fascinated by his faith, hailed his perseverance and gave him what he asked for. He opened his eyes.
John’s Gospel gives us more details about what has happened with Bartimaeus after the healing miracle of his blindness. We can see in the below verses that after his healing he and his parents were exposed to intimidation, fear, threats, and terror, but he refused to succumb or to lie, He held verbatim to all the course details of the miracle, bravely witnessed for the truth and loudly proclaimed his strong belief that Jesus who cured him was The Son Of God. His faith made him strong, fearless and courageous. The Holy Spirit came to his rescue and spoke through him.
John 9/13-12: “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents’ sin?” Jesus answered, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.” After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him, “Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam.” (This name means “Sent.”) So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing. His neighbors, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “He is the one,” but others said, “No he isn’t; he just looks like him.” So the man himself said, “I am the man.” “How is it that you can now see?” they asked him. He answered, “The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see.” “Where is he?” they asked.“I don’t know,” he answered.
Sadly our contemporary world hails atheism, brags about secularism and persecutes those who have faith in God and believe in Him. Where ever we live, there are opportunist and hypocrites like some of the conceited crowd that initially rebuked Bartimaeus, and tried with humiliation to keep him away from Jesus, but the moment Jesus called on him they changed their attitude and let him go through. Meanwhile believers all over the world suffer on the hands of ruthless oppressors, and rulers and men of authority like the Pharisees who refused to witness for the truth.
But despite of all the dim spiritual darkness, thanks God, there are still too many meek believers like Bartimaeus who hold to their faith no matters what the obstacles or hurdles are.
Colossians 03:12: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”
Lord, enlighten our minds and hearts with your light and open our eyes to realize that You are a loving and merciful father.
Lord Help us to take Bartimaeus as a faith role model in our life.
Lord help us to defeat all kinds of sins that take us away from Your light, and deliver us all from evil temptations.
In conclusion, let us never blind ourselves from knowing where is the light and who is the light: “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” (John 09/39)
