And happy Purim to each of you! Purim, falling this year on February 28, is the most joyous festival of the Jewish year. The holiday is based on the breathtaking events of the book of Esther. It celebrates God’s miraculous deliverance of the Jews from a genocidal holocaust planned by…...
Category:
Spiritual Growth
Seed of the Woman, Seed of War
The phenomenon of anti-Semitism has puzzled Christians and nonChristians, Jews and non-Jews, sociologists and prophets alike for millennia. Why does the world persist in despising to death the Jewish nation, no matter what they do—or do not? The root of this ancient hatred traces all the way back to the…...
The Feast of Lights: Hanukkah and Messiah’s Incarnation
Though most believers now agree that Jesus (Yeshua) was not born on December 25, those choosing to celebrate the Incarnation at this traditional time may not be far off. The best Scripture-based estimate of the timing of Messiah’s conception—and in that sense, incarnation—would be during the Hanukkah season. The implications…...
Why Support Israel in Tough Times?
This message was originally written for a Christian magazine, at their request, several months ago. We chose at that time not to distribute it via our mailing list due to our concern it might possibly be misunderstood as self-promoting. However, because of the positive feedback we’ve received on the article,…...
The Blessing of Change
Change is a word that describes life for many as 2009 draws to a close. Modern Israel as a restored nation has been marked by practically constant change in practically every sector of society. Of course, Israeli geopolitics can and do change swiftly. Since we’ve arrived, Jewish neighborhoods (aka “settlements”)…...
Prophetic Perspectives and Prayer Points on News from Jerusalem – November 2, 2009
A New, Old Way to Pray As watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, we’re committed to watch and pray—and report to you who do likewise. However, a dilemma exists for many of us. In case you haven’t noticed, the media conveys mostly bad news, and most believers—including watchmen—are increasingly distressed…...
Tisha B’Av and Standing Firm in Love
Tomorrow, July 30, Jewish people around the world will soberly commemorate Tisha b’Av, which simply translates, the 9th of Av. Av is the fifth month of the biblical calendar and generally corresponds to late July or early August. Tisha b’Av is of penetrating significance in the spirit realm and in…...
Heritage of the Righteous in an Era of Evil – Psalm 37
“Trust…dwell…delight…rest…wait…give…inherit.“ Psalm 37 is striking in its repeated use of these seven little verbs. The psalm describes the heritage of the righteous during an era of evil. It promises an inheritance in God—even as the wicked prosper—obtained through trusting, dwelling, delighting, waiting and giving. It speaks with invigorating relevance to…...