Showing posts with label Chosen People Ministries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chosen People Ministries. Show all posts

Monday, January 9, 2017

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: A big, untold story - online videos of Jews explaining why they believe Jesus is the Messiah

yeshua-videos

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

A big, untold story: online videos of Jews explaining why they believe Jesus is the Messiah have been viewed more than 23 million times. Here’s the latest. (Update)

by joelcrosenberg
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." -- the Apostle Paul (Romans 1:16)
With so much bad news in the U.S., Israel, Russia and around the world these days, I thought it might be good to kick off 2017 with some very good news.
Here, then, is an update to a column I published on September 22, 2015 about "a big, untold story" that "the media isn't reporting" but is very much "worth examining."
"Millions of Jews have begun a quest to find the Messiah," I wrote at the time, based on conversations with key Messianic Jewish ministry leaders in the U.S. and Israel. "For reasons I cannot fully explain, Jews are suddenly searching for answers to the deepest and most important questions concerning life and death and God and atonement and eternity, in numbers unprecedented in history. Some are searching through the Hebrew Scriptures for answers. A stunning number are actually reading the New Testament, most for the first time. They are searching on Google for information about the Messiah. They are even watching a new series of videos by Jews who claim to have found the answers. The videos — some of which have gone viral — were produced and posted on a new website called www.imetmessiah.com."
The numbers as of September 2015 were nothing short of astonishing. "More than 10 million people have watched these [English-language testimony] videos just in the past few months," I explained, while "more than 900,000 Hebrew speakers have watched the Hebrew-language versions of these videos in just the past four months."
Since then, however, the videos have continued to go viral and are surging beyond anything I would have imagined.
Eitan Bar, a native Israeli and a devoted follower of Yeshua, heads a team that is producing the videos and helping to develop digital evangelism strategies for two ministries, One For Israel (based in Israel and led by Dr. Erez Soref) and Chosen People Ministries (based in the U.S. and led by Dr. Mitch Glaser). Recently, I asked Eitan if he had updated figures.
Eitan's online report also includes numerous encouraging quotes by Jews who have been watching the videos and either started their own spiritual journeys to figure out who Jesus (Yeshua) is or who have actually become His followers.
A few examples:
  • “Finally, I have reached the destination I was looking for, for years! …I considered myself to be an atheist for a long while, resisting any kind of explanation of God. Until, I came across your video about who Jesus is, that you did in Jerusalem. My jaw dropped. So I decided to keep away from your videos so not to fall for it. But, like a cat who is drawn to the taste of cream, I wanted more. Everyday I would visit your websites to watch more and more of your video teachings. I found truth and endless love that I never came across in Judaism. Thank you so, so much!” -- a Jewish woman in her 40s who lives in central Israel
  • “I found Yeshua on YouTube, through one of your advertised videos about the falsehood of the rabbinic oral law. I felt that I had to check what it is all about and found a whole new world!! Yeshua changed my life and I’m thankful to Him and to you because of it. I feel that my life was saved. All the information in your videos is so rich in content, pleasant to watch, and the way you explain things is so good that I came to that moment in my life of understanding who Yeshua really is. I thank you from the depth of my soul! I want more Jews to know the truth, which is that Yeshua is the Messiah who we’ve been waiting for all along!” -- a young Jewish man who works in Jerusalem
  • “First, I have no words to thank you (Eitan) and Moti for the articles and videos. I saw your video-ad on YouTube a year or two ago, but when I realized that it’s all about “Christianity” and “Jesus”, I switched it off. Lately, I came across your videos once again, and it grabbed me so I decided to read the prophecies in the Old Testament. I was surprised to find out they all point to Yeshua . Then I wanted to find out about the lifestyle of Messianic Jews – how do you live your lives – only to realize that it’s not about what we do, but about what’s inside, the change is inside the heart.  …I found our Messiah and two days ago gave Him my heart." -- an Orthodox Jewish man
As a Jewish follower of Yeshua myself, I am thrilled to see the Lord using these websites, videos and social media to spread the Gospel so broadly and so rapidly throughout Israel via Hebrew and throughout the English speaking world.
While surely many Gentiles are watching the English language videos, many Jews are watching them, too. What's more, we can be confident that the vast majority of those watching the Hebrew language videos are Jews. This suggests the possibility that in a world of about 14.5 million Jewish people worldwide -- and about six million Jews in Israel -- more Jewish people have been exposed to the Gospel of the Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, in the last two or three years than in any other two to three year period in human history.
Would you be praying for each and every person that has watched, that the Lord would be drawing him or her to His heart? Would you be praying for all the people that work for these and related ministries for continued boldness, wisdom and discernment, and the Lord's spiritual and physical protection? Also, would you share these videos on your Facebook pages, and through Twitter and other social media so that they are seen by even more people in 2017? Might you even consider giving financially to such ministries?
Thanks so much -- may the Lord bless you and your family as you give Jews and Gentiles the opportunity to hear the Gospel for themselves and make their own personal decision for or against Yeshua!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GOSPEL:
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joelcrosenberg | January 9, 2017 at 10:09 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6vl

Friday, October 30, 2015

Is The World Turning Its Back on Israel in Fulfillment of Prophecy? - TROY ANDERSON CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Palestinian protesters

Palestinian protesters. The rise in attacks against Israeli citizens began last month following rumors that Israel was planning to take over the Temple Mount. (Reuters)

Is The World Turning Its Back on Israel in Fulfillment of Prophecy?



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As the world turns against Israel, Chosen People Ministries President Mitch Glaser is calling on Christians to speak out against the eruption of violence, efforts to weaken the nation's sovereignty and other disturbing developments in the "apple of His eye." 
Glaser's request comes amid a "wave of terror" in Israel that has left more than 110 people wounded and 10 killed, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The recent series of attacks against Israelis is the "direct result of incitement by radical Islamist and terrorist elements, calling on Palestinian youth to murder Jews," Israeli officials say.  
"We need to stand up and say it's immoral for people to murder and maim innocent individuals," Glaser says. "What rationale can anybody have for killing a toddler? We need to raise our voices, affirm what we believe about Israel and ask our government to declare that the current violence is wrong and should be stopped."
In an effort to stop the violence, Glaser is asking believers to sign a petition to urge U.S. Secretary of State Kerry to help put a stop to the violence against Israelis. The petition, available at everystateforisrael.com, urges Kerry to demand that the Palestinian Authority do everything in its power to "stop these random acts of personal terrorism against Israeli citizens." It also asks the U.S. government to put a stop to the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that is currently being sent to the Palestinian Authority.
"People are talking about this as the beginning of the Third Intifada," Glaser says. "We are definitely not there yet, but if everybody is not careful, it could erupt."
The world, it seems, has largely turned against Israel in recent years, biblical experts say, pointing to the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal, the push for a United Nations' vote to create the Palestinian state, worsening anti-Semitism and now a wave of terrorist attacks that began on the Temple Mount in east Jerusalem. 
In recent weeks, dozens of Israelis have been deliberately run over, shot, stabbed and hacked to death. In large part, this is because Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas "has joined ISIS and Hamas in claiming that Israel threatens the al-Aqsa mosque," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday in a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The rise in attacks against Israeli citizens began last month following rumors that Israel was planning to take over the Temple Mount. Recently, the Palestinian Authority submitted a resolution to the U.N. seeking to claim the Western Wall as a Muslim holy site. The proposal refers to Jerusalem as "the occupied capital of Palestine."
"Israel totally rejects the shameful resolution on 'Occupied Palestine' adopted (Wednesday) at the plenary of the 197th Session of UNESCO's Executive Board," an Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said. "The resolution aims to transform the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious confrontation and its adoption is a disgrace for UNESCO's Executive Board. The Executive Board has joined the pyromaniacs seeking to set fire to the most sensitive sites to humankind."
This convergence in events, Glaser says, could be signs of the beginning of fulfillment of Zechariah 12:3, a biblical passage that foretells how all nations will turn against Israel in the last days: "And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it."
Zechariah 12:9 indicates Jesus Christ will return at some point to "save His people and destroy the enemies of Israel," Glaser says.
"We understand that has not yet been fulfilled, but it will be fulfilled and probably today we are beginning to see the fulfillment," Glaser says. "Clearly, the Bible says Israel will become a nation, the Jewish people will be back in the land, which has already happened, enemies will surround Israel and the Lord will return to conquer those nations and save Israel. So, yeah, I think it's right in front of our face."
Sid Roth, host of It's Supernatural!, says he's preached from these same Scriptures for 35 years.
"I know I will be alive to witness three events," Roth says. "First will be the violent anti-Semitism against Jews worldwide. Second, this will trigger a massive return of the Jewish people to Israel as the Scriptures predicted. Third, the greatest spiritual awakening in history will occur in Israel, including creative miracles the world has never seen.
"This, in turn, will spark the greatest Gentile revival in history. Israel will survive, but I am concerned for the nations that are trying to divide the land of Israel. Joel 3 says God's end-time judgment on the nations will be for 'dividing up His land!'"
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, the New York Times best-selling author of The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah, says end-time prophecy presents a scenario in which the "entire world is focused on Jerusalem, and is set against the nation of Israel."
"The fact that 2,000 years later, the world is overwhelmingly set against Israel and ultimately focused on the issue of Jerusalem is amazing," Cahn says. "The issue of Palestine, which threatens to surface at the United Nations, will only increase the world's pressure being placed on Israel.
"Israel is right now experiencing a massive wave of violence within its borders. The situation is volatile. This wave of violence began in September when fighting broke out on the Temple Mount. The day it all began was Sept. 13, Elul 29, the day of the Shemitah, a Hebrew word that can be translated as 'the shaking.'"
Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries and author of Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs, says political leaders are blinded to the real issues regarding Jerusalem—helping explain why there will not be peace until the Messiah comes.
"The big issue is truly a religious one," Biltz says. "As more people realize this, the greater the turmoil will be. Prophecy says the Messiah will reign from Jerusalem, as it will be the place of His throne, and Jerusalem will be the capital of the world. The nations are driven like madmen with rabies against all that is godly. Jerusalem is to be a light to the nations and the nations will have none of it."
Concerning Jerusalem, the Bible says in Zechariah 2:8, "For thus says the Lord of Hosts: He has sent Me after glory to the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye."
"All the nations trying to divide Jerusalem and delegitimize Israel's sovereignty are poking God in the eye," Biltz says. "God will shake His hand over them in judgment so the remnant of these nations may be joined to Him and His people Israel. When the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel is aroused, it is time to take heed."

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Monday, June 22, 2015

Will American Christians Ultimately Stand By Israel?

Will American Christians Ultimately Stand By Israel?


Israel and American flags
Will American Christians ultimately stand by Israel or shun it? (iStock photo )
Standing With Israel
Support for Israel and the Jewish people is wavering among many Christians today.This is too bad, because for the first time in recent history, Jewish attitudes towards Christians and the gospel are changing—for the better!
Many Jewish people, including some of my own not-yet-believing family members, now understand that true Christians are the best friends of the Jewish people. One of my family members told me the other day that he was surprised to find out how many Christians support Israel, hate Anti-semitism and love the Jewish people.
This is really good news for Jewish evangelism as my people are beginning to have a more positive view of Jesus and His followers. So, it is critical that we encourage believers in Jesus to stand with Israel—for the right reasons.
For many years, there was strong support for the Jewish people, especially in light of the Holocaust and all the excitement surrounding the formation of the modern state of Israel. But, our younger generation did not live through these events. This is why we need to understand what the Bible has to say about God's plan and purposes for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel.
So, take a moment with me now to examine the role of the Jewish people in the plan of God and especially how the Jewish people will play a critical role in the return of Christ and establishment of the Kingdom. For if the Jewish people do not play a role in God's plan, then why would Jewish evangelism be important? After all, there are only 15 million Jewish people in the world.
However, if God's mighty hand still rests upon the Jewish people, then reaching Israel for the Messiah Jesus takes on a new and strategic spiritual importance.
The Apostle Paul understood the ongoing role of Israel in God's plan of redemption when he penned these words, "For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?" (Rom. 11:15).
The future of Israel and the Jewish people is bright, but we must understand the very foundation of God's promises to understand why this is true.
The Promise
Let's begin by looking at the key biblical promise which outlines God's plan for the Jewish people found in  Genesis 12:1-3, often called the Abrahamic Covenant, as we can only begin to understand God's plan and purposes for the Jewish people by understanding the nature of this covenant.
I divide the passage into two parts:
"Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Gen. 12:1-3).
God makes a total of eight promises to Abram. In verses 1-2, God told Abram he would be given a land, become a great nation, that he would be personally blessed and his name made great and finally that he would be a blessing to others.
In verse 3 there are three additional promises to the Gentiles. First of all, those who are not physical descendants of Abram will experience God's blessing—for blessing Abram and his children.
Secondly, those who curse the descendants of Abram would themselves be cursed. It is important to note that the Hebrew word used for curse in the first instance literally means, "to make light." The second word, translated curse refers to the usual term for judgment often used in both Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. The play on words should not be missed. Those who devalue or make light of Israel's role in the plan of God or somehow demean the role of the Jewish people will then actually experience the very same curse God promised to the Jewish people that they would receive for disobedience to the Torah.
Thirdly, God would use the Jewish people to bring blessings to the world.
This elevates the importance of properly understanding what it means for the Jewish people to be chosen by God for His purposes. It is a serious issue for Jewish people who are themselves chosen, but also important for non-Jews as this passage describes the ongoing benefits and repercussions from the way in which Gentiles treat the Jewish people.
An Unconditional Covenant
The covenant is unconditional as there are no time limits or conditions tagged to the promise. It would be easiest within our space constraints to focus on two of the promises:
1. The first promise: A people. God miraculously created a people from the aged loins of Abraham and Sarah. If Israel is anything at its core, it is a people, or community, bound by ethnicity and covenantal purpose.
Fundamentally, to be Jewish is to be part of a people that God created for His holy purposes. We are a community— created by God for Him and for one another. God has promised He would preserve His people until those purposes were fulfilled. The Bible makes it clear the Jewish people have not been destroyed because God will not be diverted from fulfilling His plan for the chosen people and for the world.
2. The second promise: The land. Clearly, the Jewish people are not the only group of people that has been dispersed from its national boundaries, but the Jewish people may be the only people created as a nation prior to receiving their national boundaries. It is important to understand that God chose Israel before they emerged on the international scene as a nation. In fact, Israel had no prior existence before the Abrahamic Covenant and would have had no existence outside of the direct intervention of the One who created the heavens and the earth, determined the boundaries of nations and holds the hearts of the kings of nations in His powerful hand.
We should not think it odd at all that in the midst of creating the Jewish people as a nation, and all of the unique and special revelation this included, that God would also literally determine the specific boundaries of Israel's national existence in Genesis 15:17-21, and these boundaries have yet to be fulfilled!
And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants 
I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites."
It is also important to remember this land deed passes from Abraham to his son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob, as noted in many passages, but Genesis 35:9-12 is a good summary of God's unfolding plan and promises to the descendants of Abraham.
Then God appeared to Jacob again ,when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him,"Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I will give this land."
The Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant
Yet, these promises of nationhood and of a land created for that nation only become spiritually meaningful in light of God's promise to bless, use and enter into a relationship with the people He created through Abraham and Sarah.
The promised spiritual restoration of the Jewish people is the key that unlocks the fulfillment of God's promises.
It is God Himself who will one day take responsibility for spiritually re-engaging His wayward chosen people. This was promised even before the Jewish people entered the Promised Land for the very first time.
"And there you will serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them (Deut. 4:28-31).
In 1983, Ronald Reagan said this of Israel: "Since the foundation of the State of Israel, the United States has stood by her and helped her to pursue security, peace, and economic growth.  Our friendship is based on historic moral and strategic ties, as well as our shared dedication to democracy" (Remarks at White House meeting with Jewish leaders).
 This end-time repentance and turning of the Jewish people to the Messiah is fundamental to their once again being blessed by God and being used by Him to fulfill the purposes for which Israel was created and chosen.
This end-time turning of the Jewish remnant to Yeshua (Jesus) is further described by the prophet in Zechariah 12:10.
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."
At that time, the Jewish people will become the Israel God always intended and receive the fullness of covenantal blessings promised to our forefather Abraham. The Jewish people will then be characterized by shalom as they will have peace as a people: peace in the land of promise, peace with the God who made the promises and peace among the nations to whom they were called to shine the light of God's presence and commands.
President Harry Truman said this of Israel: "I had faith in Israel before it was established, I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization." (As quoted by the Jewish Virtual Library)
 The Apostle Paul confirms that the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled one day—future to our present day in fact! He writes, "Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness" (Rom. 11:12).
Conclusion
The church in general, and especially Gentile believers, should understand the significant role non-Jews have in God's plan as founded on the Abrahamic promises. Gentiles are participants in the Abrahamic Covenant in that they are spiritual descendants of Abraham (Gal. 3:6-9). This does not mean that Gentiles become Jews upon receiving Yeshua as this is passed through physical lineage beginning with the patriarchs. However, Gentiles do become the spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham by faith as God's blessings have come to "those far off" (Eph. 2:11-13) through the mediation of the Jewish Messiah.
The Abrahamic Covenant implies at least two major responsibilities non-Jewish believers in Jesus have towards the Messianic Jewish community and to the Jewish people in general.
First of all, the Church, knowing God's covenantal faithfulness, must support the Jewish people and pray for the Jewish people.
Secondly, the Church must accept the mandate found in Romans 1:16 and 11:11 and bring the Gospel to the Jew first by making the Jewish people jealous. We cannot allow Jewish evangelism to become the great omission of the Great Commission.
Together then, Messianic Jews and Gentile followers of Yeshua, bound together through the Messiah and the Abrahamic Covenant, must work together as partners with God in progressing towards this great day of covenantal fulfillment.
I pray that we may all recognize the role God has given to the Jewish people today!
Mitch Glaser is the president of Chosen People Ministries. For the original article, visit chosenpeople.com.
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Sunday, June 7, 2015

Millions Watch Testimony of Jewish Believer in Yeshua

Mottel Baleston

Millions Watch Testimony of Jewish Believer in Yeshua

Sunday, June 07, 2015 |  Ryan Jones  Israel Today

An online evangelism effort by local Israeli Messianic Jews has become something of an Internet sensation over the past month after the video testimony of an Jewish man who came to faith in Yeshua (Jesus) went viral.

Mottel Baleston’s was just one of the latest in a series of video testimonies titled “I Met Messiah” produced by the Israeli Messianic group One For Israel in cooperation with Chosen People Ministries.
But Baleston’s testimony apparently touched a nerve, and by the first week of June well over five million people had viewed the brief video explanation of how he had many years earlier come to faith as a young man in Brooklyn.
Growing up, Baleeston was acquainted with a large number of Italian Catholics, leading him to believe that Jesus must be Italian. In the video he explains how “the understanding that [Yeshua is] actually Jewish was a shock. And then to hear that the New Testament was written by Jews, I couldn’t believe it. …when I open it, I’m reading a story written by Jews about Jewish people.”
What followed as a natural progression for a young man seeking spiritual truth. “As I came to faith that Yeshua - that Jesus was the Messiah, it was clear that that was the most Jewish thing I could do,” he recalled. “This is the One who was promised in our Bible.”
The most tear-jerking part of the testimony is when Baleston recounts convincing his father to attend a lecture by an author he knew to be a believer. Baleston was happily stunned when both he and his father raised their hands when asked by the speaker for all Jewish believers in Yeshua to identify themselves.
One For Israel director Eitan Bar told Israel Today that Baleston’s testimony had opened a lot of doors. By press time, it had been shared over 175,000 times on Facebook and had a “reach” (number of personal profiles on which it was viewed) of well over 15 million on the largest social network.
“It sparked discussions among many Jewish groups,” said Bar. “I myself got into discussions with Orthodox Jewish Rabbis from the USA and France about Yeshua!”
Bar concluded that he felt “like we are changing the direction of Jewish evangelism. After 1,900 years the Gospel is finally ‘going forth from Zion’ (Ps. 14:7).”
Check out Mottel Baleston’s testimony: Messiah
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Messianic Judaism Gaining Momentum in Israel

Messianic Judaism Gaining Momentum in Israel

Messianic Judaism
Worship time at Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation (Barry Rubin)
In recent decades, Messianic Judaism, a movement of Jewish people who have accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah and continued to embrace their Jewishness, has been steadily growing—especially in the United States.
Jews have been coming to faith in Yeshua for centuries, increasingly so after Israel became a reality again in the late 1800s with the Zionist movement. After the Holocaust, when Israel became a nation again in 1948, the number of Jewish believers in Yeshua has been increasing worldwide, almost in lock step with Jewish immigration to Israel.
But what is the state of Messianic Judaism in Israel itself?
Because Israel is in an extremely dangerous area of the world, surrounded by Arab countries that have threatened its extermination, Jews there live with a certain amount of anxiety. When would the next Intifada take place? Which country would declare its desire to push Israel into the sea? When would Hamas rockets fly again?
Living with those concerns, the people have become cautious about "outsiders," especially after nearly two millennia of "Christian" anti-Semitism. Thus, Christian missions to the Jews of Israel often have been met with suspicion. Yet some have been successful, especially if they are sensitive to and supportive of Messianic Judaism.
There are historic Anglican Jewish missions from the United Kingdom. King of Kings (kkcj.org) is a congregational ministry of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. The Caspari Center (caspari.com) is a Scandinavian Lutheran mission to the Jews. Christian Witness to Israel (cwi.org.uk) sponsors Grace and Truth congregation in Rishon L'Tzion. They also publish books, as does Keren Yeshua.
Modern Jewish missions are also active in Israel. Jews for Jesus (jewsforjesus.org) has a new center in Tel Aviv. The Christian Jew Foundation (cjfm.org), not only does missionary work, it also supports a number of national pastors. Chosen People Ministries (chosenpeople.com) has centers in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and congregations in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ariel. Maoz (maozisrael.org) is an Israeli organization that publishes books in Hebrew and supports Israel while helping Jewish people meet their Messiah. There are others as well, but, as with most overseas missions, indigenous works have had the most success. Nowhere is this truer than in Israel.
The primary evangelistic work in Israel is not through missions. It is being done through local Messianic congregations. The larger ones are in Tiberias, K'far Saba, Netanya, Jerusalem and Joffa. There are 150-plus congregations in Israel with as many as 15,000 Messianic Jewish believers, of whom about 60 percent speak Russian as their first language.
The growth in the number of congregations has increased over the last 20 years, just as it has in the United States and other countries. Nearly every year, another indigenous congregation or two springs up, and as more and more Jews from around the world return home, this will only increase.
Israel is a small country—about the size of New Jersey—so these congregations are easily noticed by their fellow Israelis. More and more, Israel is increasingly aware that there are Jews who trust Yeshua as the Messiah and savior, much as it was in the New Testament era.
These Messianic Jewish congregations are now led by Israelis, even though they may have a mix of Jews and Gentiles. Most services are in Hebrew (sometimes Russian, Amharic, French or Spanish). The music too is indigenous, as is the style of worship —very Israeli. The melodies have a distinctly Middle Eastern tone to them. Most meet on Saturday when Jews generally hold worship services. These congregations of Yeshua-followers are clearly Jewish.
Messianic Jews are gaining more acceptance in Israel. Instead of being perceived as threats to the Israelis, due to prejudices going back 2,000 years, they are recognized as friends, fellow citizens, and an active part of Israeli society. In part, the groundwork for this was laid by the benevolence work of groups such as Chosen People Ministries (chosenpeople.com), The Joseph Storehouse (www.visionforisrael.com), the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America's Joseph Project (mjaa.org), and other similar works.
Israelis, who have been especially challenged during the wars with Lebanon, Hamas and the high taxes used to pay for defense, are grateful to Messianic Jews, sometimes in spite of themselves, for food, clothes, medicine and other supplies. They need our help. This is a very tangible expression of the love of Messiah. Messianic Jews are being trusted enough to allow them to materially assist Israel during her most difficult times.
It is known that there are many Messianic Jews serving in the army—mostly the children of immigrants from the United States and Europe—who were raised in Israel. This shows unity with the people, so much so that the funeral of one Messianic Jewish soldier killed in the last war was well attended by Israel's leaders. The newspapers noted that he was a Messianic Jew, part of a congregation in the Haifa area.
A television special featuring interviews of members of the Christian Moshav, Yad Hashmonah, was widely watched. It included a Messianic Jewish family celebrating Shabbat, etc., giving a very good impression of Messianic Jews in Israel. No longer are followers of Yeshua seen as people to stay away from. Now, they are embraced as fellow strugglers in Israeli life.
Over the past centuries, because of all the atrocities done to Jews in the name of Jesus, Jewish people have avoided having anything to do with Him, His followers, or His teachings. It was too costly, too risky. And in Israel, where people are more vulnerable to attacks, this is acutely so. But Messianic Judaism is changing things. Now, Israelis are more open to talking about Yeshua and considering his claims to Messiahship.
The congregational leaders in Israel need connections with pastors in the West. Many would appreciate prayer, fellowship and sometimes even financial support for special projects.
Western pastors have a lot to give to Israel's Messianic leaders by way of training and guidance, as well as prayer. Most Israeli pastors do not have much formal training and would benefit from partnering with non-Israeli pastors. Most Israeli pastors are pioneers and need more seasoned spiritual mentors to guide them.
Encouragingly, the perception of Messianic Jews is undergoing a steady transformation in Israel these days—from one of mistrust and outright loathing to recognition and acceptance. Knowing the love of Yeshua in the Messianics' hearts, the bridge between them and Orthodox Jews is getting shorter all the time. Doors to hearts once closed are beginning to open wide.  

Rabbi Barry Rubin is the president and publisher of Messianic Jewish Publishers and Resources/Jewish New Testament Publications. He is also the Rabbi of Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Inside Israel - Chosen People Ministries April, 2014


Largest Tunnel Found from Gaza into Israel

Israeli security forces have uncovered the largest tunnel yet discovered leading from Gaza into southern Israel. This tunnel, the fourth discovered in the past eighteen months, reaches hundreds of meters into Israeli territory and is up to twenty meters underground at some points. Tunnels such as this one have been used to smuggle weapons into Israel, as well as enabling people bent on violence and destruction to be able to enter the country. (Jerusalem Post)

Praise God that the Israeli Defense Forces found the tunnel and can prevent it from being used for future acts of violence and aggression against Israel's citizens.

Israel's Embassies Close for Global Strike

Workers at Israeli embassies and consulates have gone on a global strike after a two-year dispute for better wages and working conditions. This means that Israel will not be represented in any global gatherings or forums, its ambassadors in 102 countries will not be working, visas will not be issued, new immigrants will not be processed, and employers who wish to bring in foreign workers will not be able to do so. High-profile visits from leaders might be cancelled as well, such as Netanyahu's major visit to South America and the Pope’s visit in May.

Pray for a quick and fair resolution to the issue of compensation for Israel's diplomatic workers.

Connections Made at Banquet for Holocaust Survivors

A short-term missions team recently came to serve with Chosen People Ministries' staff in Israel. A banquet was organized for sixty Holocaust survivors, most of whom are atheists, although they knew that our staff and volunteers are believers. The short-term missions team greeted the guests, talked with them at their tables, and led an uplifting time of music - both Jewish traditional melodies and songs about the Lord. Even though many on the team did not speak Russian or Hebrew and the Holocaust survivors knew only a precious few words in English, it was an amazing evening of ministry. Holocaust survivors are becoming older and frailer, so Chosen People Ministries seizes every opportunity to share with them about the Messiah.

Abbas Says "No" to Peace Talks

During a recent meeting with President Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas openly rejected Secretary of State John Kerry's framework for continued peace talks. He said "no" to three core issues that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says are crucial for peace - "no" to recognizing a Jewish State of Israel, "no" to a Palestinian Right of Return that would drastically alter Israel's demographic balance by allowing in millions of those who claim to be descendants, and "no" to seeing a commitment to the end of the conflict and an end to the Palestinians' demands of Israel. Israel has refused to release the fourth and final set of terrorists held in Israeli jails, which was a previously agreed-upon condition for starting the peace talks, unless Abbas agrees to extend the talks further. (Times of Israel)

Please pray for these leaders, who need the Lord's wisdom and direction.

Arab League Denounces Israel

After a two-day summit of the Arab League in Kuwait, Arab leaders stated that they will never recognize Israel as a Jewish State. They also blamed Israel for the lack of progress in the Middle East Peace Process. The League's announcement directly rejects one of Prime Minister Netanyahu's key points in the peace talks; Netanyahu believes there cannot be peace without such a recognition. Netanyahu has performed goodwill gestures for the peace process by releasing many known Palestinian criminals and terrorists, although he has not stopped the controversial building of settlements in the West Bank. (Haaretz)

Please pray for divine wisdom and clarity in this complicated situation regarding the peace talks.

Palestinian Authority Budgets Support for Terrorism

Despite having a massive debt of 4.8 billion dollars, the Palestinian Authority has promised to continue financially supporting terrorism by helping the families of terrorists. Families of terrorist "martyrs" will receive part of 74 million dollars that was pledged towards the cause by an official of the Palestinian government. Families of those killed in the course of carrying out attacks on Israel and their supporters abroad will receive full financial support. Due to the Palestinian Authority's considerable debt, it is speculated that international monetary aid is being used to support terrorists' families. (Israel National News)

Please pray against such incentives for terrorism, which reward those who seek to harm and kill others.

Record-Breaking Shabbat Dinner Planned

In an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record, a free Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner for 1,000 people is being planned. The dinner will be for Israelis, new immigrants and public figures. The aim of the group organizing the event is to bring spirituality to Tel Aviv, which is a very secular city and the center of economic and cultural happenings in Israel. The largest Passover Seder on record was held in Nepal with over 1,000 Israelis. (Israel National News)

Please pray for more than spirituality... pray for people to move towards belief in Jesus the Messiah!

Israel to Provide Security Drones to Brazil

An Israeli firm has won the contract to provide 900 security drones for the World Cup soccer games in Brazil this summer. These unmanned drones are highly advanced and will provide intelligence gathering for the police. The firm has provided such drones for other highly-attended international events, as well as to the U.S. Navy. (Israeli National News)

Praise God that Israel has developed this cutting-edge technology for protection and safety.

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