Shalom Friends,
At this Hanukkah and Christmas season Kerry and I pray you’ll be blessed with the intimate and abiding peace of the Prince of Peace, Yeshua the Light of the World. Stepping into 2015 surrendered to Him, whatever our circumstances and those of the world, we can be confident He is in control. Yeshua said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Know that we pray for each of you who has supported us in friendship, prayer or finances. Know too that the same God who was with the Maccabees during the events culminating in Hanukkah is with each of you during these tumultuous times. You can be encouraged and inspired by the ancient Maccabees’ example of faith and courageous stand for truth.
As you go through this post we’d ask that you please pray as you read. New avenues of ministry have opened to us and we need your intercession to navigate them. Your prayers really do make a difference.
Thanking God in 2014: As you know, 2014 was a sabbatical year for Light of Zion in which I dedicated the time to spiritual refreshing and medical recuperation. Thankfully, my back pain is continuing to heal—but please don’t stop praying for total healing! Last month I was able to attend a Messianic Leaders Roundtable Conference in Phoenix. While on sabbatical, we’ve continued to co-facilitate monthly international prayer meetings for Israel and the Middle East, and do some minimal writing. This month my article on reconciliation between Israeli Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians was published in Ministry Today, a magazine with wide circulation geared toward pastors and other Christian leaders. May God uses the article to communicate His heart to many. Click here to read it.
2015: New Ministry Venues: I’ve been invited to write and present a position paper on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at an important and scholarly international Messianic Jewish think-tank in mid-February in New York. Would you please pray: (1) for the mind and heart of Messiah as I write; (2) clarity of expression; and (3) grace for my back during the many hours of sitting to research, write, and travel.
The second new avenue of ministry concerns the birth and development of an international “one new man” network of churches and ministries supporting Israel. The founding organizer, a well known pastor in Jerusalem and personal friend, has asked us to serve as part of the ground-level, core directive team. As the other members of the team are all well known and highly regarded international Messianic and Christian leaders, the organization could grow very large and fast. Please pray for Kerry as he travels to Jerusalem December 14-21, for the board of directors’ initial meetings.
Presently we are leading intercessory prayer for this new organization and are slated to serve on the teaching team. One of the group’s groundbreaking distinctives is that Messianic Jews will be included at all levels. (No large, pro-Israel networking group currently relates formally or publicly to Messianic Jews.) We’ll share details after the organization goes public in early February at a conference in Colorado. I’ll be teaching at this conference, so appreciate your cover in prayer as I prepares, travel, and present. We also plan an extended ministry trip to Israel in the spring or summer.
What’s Ahead For Israel? Sadly, anti-Israel sentiment, warfare and terror, as well as global anti-Semitism, will likely escalate in 2015. Realities are building up to apocalyptic events culminating in Yeshua’s return. You probably are aware of the tetrad blood moons occurring this year and next, historically signaling dramatic shifts in Israel. At the same time, the good news is that more and more Israelis are softening to the Good News. God is also shaking Islam. Multitudes of Muslims are and will be turning to Him.