Jerusalem - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Jerusalem

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” (Luke 19:28, NAS)

Jerusalem, my favorite city in the world. And I am not even a Jew. Imagine that.

I find it fascinating when American Jews ask me why I go to Jerusalem so much. I have made 15 trips from the USA since 1987 to the land of Israel. In these later years, I have tried to make it an annual event, as we are committed to doing this. Supporting Israel is especially the main objective for us, to keep a firm stand with them, through the work of Love For His People.

Why does a Gentile, goyim (Hebrew), former Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic Christian, white Caucasian, Southern 63-year-old male from Cedar Falls, Iowa, born in Minnesota (any more descriptions I need to include?) want to go to Jerusalem so much?

Because those who live there are continually in the Lord’s heart (Jesus, Yeshua), and thus being a disciple and believer in Him, Jerusalem, and His People are also in my heart.

It was in Jerusalem where He came to earth, having been sent there from His Father and Holy Spirit; where He lived, was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. And from Jerusalem He then instructed His apostles, messengers, to take His Gospel, the Good News, to the ends of the earth, before He returns for the second time.

And thus this capitol, eternal city of Israel since the days of King David, is very important to the King of all kings, Who is my King too.

“Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. "You are witnesses of these things.  "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:44-49, NASU)

Having established Jewish friends now in the Land, it surely makes my prayer life and desire for protection over them even more fervent. When you have family, you care more. At least that is how I was raised by my good mother and father. Israel is like family to me. The Jews are my friends, and I stand with them at all times.

While in Jerusalem, walking in the footsteps of Jesus is a big deal, even if the actual street level is 15-20 feet down below the current level. Centuries of ruin and captivity have layered the city. Archeological digs all over have proven this city has been the city of the Jews.

In 1917, when the Balfour Declaration was written, the homeland for the Jews once again began to be re-establish. In 1948 the Jews once again proclaimed Israel as their rightful, biblical state; and in 1967 they once again recaptured Jerusalem, never to lose it ever again. Prophetic words, spoken by Messiah Himself, had come to pass. Jerusalem is now eternally in the hands of the Chosen People. His prophesied return is thus getting real close.

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthews 24:3-14, NKJV)

Jerusalem is the center of the world. It is the focus of all attention, whether some like that or not. It will continue to be in the headlines, news clips, social media sites, and all airwaves. The Living God of Israel has chosen to make Himself known among the nations, and Israel, especially Jerusalem, is His main concentration point. His Name will be held in high esteem, as He shows Himself strong on their behalf.

Watch the Jews. Watch Israel. And especially watch Jerusalem. That is where it all will happen in the end. This is where it will all be fulfilled, the completion of His work, the ingathering of the Jews to establish His purposes and ultimate plans.

His eternal destinies will be accomplished and established. No one or nothing will stop Him. Jerusalem – where the King will reside on His Holy Mountain.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

  

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Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 11.03.17 - #328 – “Jerusalem”, Friday, 4:10 pm

  

Israel and the Nations: A Theological Opinion, Part 1 - Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

Israel and the Nations: A Theological Opinion, Part 1

Ron Cantor —  August 4, 2017 

Often, well-meaning, Israel-loving people will say to me, “I am Jewish now. I am grafted in.” I never, ever say anything close to, “No, you’re not Jewish.” I focus more on how grateful I am that they love God and pray for the Jewish people. However, it is interesting that the Church went from saying, “You can’t be Jewish and believe in Jesus,” to, “All believers are Jewish.”

Which is it? What does the Bible actually say? I will make six statements and then seek to back each one up with Scripture, one blog post at a time:

1. Jews who receive Yeshua remain Jews, just as a females remain female or a male remains a male, after coming to faith.
2. Gentile simply means a member of the nations. When a member of the nations comes to faith, he does not become Jewish but continues to be a member of his or her nation.
3. However, Jewish and Gentile believers are equal in the sight of God. Jews are neither favored above Gentiles nor discriminated against, in regards to non-Jews.
4. Salvation is free, but rewards in the kingdom are based on merit, not ethnicity. Intimacy with God is based on the desire and passion of the individual believer, not whether they are Jew or non-Jew, male or female, etc.
5. Jewish and non-Jewish believers make up the One New Man—a mystery that was hidden in times past. Paul calls this the household of God. In this household, the Gentile believers become joint-heirs with Jewish believers—without losing their own ethnicity and without replacing the Jewish people.
6. Ethnicity is important to God, which is why non-Jewish believers do not become Jews or Israelis (Israelites) after coming to faith. They are called to stand in the gap for their nation.

Blog One: Jewish believers are still Jews

The early believers clearly had zero issues with the idea of being Jewish and believing in the Jewish Messiah. The question with which they wrestled was, “Can a Gentile believe in Jesus, without converting to Judaism?” The apostles, through their lives and teaching, give no hint of leaving Judaism. In fact, rumors were being spread about Paul teaching Jewish believers “to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:21). Paul, upon the advice of the Jerusalem apostles, went to the Temple to make a sacrifice so that, “everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.” (Acts 21:24)

Church Fathers turn against Jews

However, the Church Fathers in the second century began to teach that once a Jew comes to faith, he is no longer a Jew. Many were vicious in their accusations against the Jewish people. Peter the Venerable wondered about the humanity of Jews: Truly I doubt whether a Jew can be really human.

Ignatius Bishop of Antioch (98-117A.D.) – Epistle to the Magnesians

For if we are still practicing Judaism, we admit that we have not received God’s favor…it is wrong to talk about Jesus Christ and live like Jews. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity.

They lined up to accuse the entire Jewish nation of killing Yeshua (forgetting that He laid down his life by His own free will for them.) Another, Justin Martyr taught that Christians were the true “Israelite race” and that the Hebrew Scriptures now belonged to the church exclusively. He did not believe you could be both Christian and Jewish. He also taught that circumcision was for judgement (as opposed to being there mark of the covenant of Abraham).

The purpose of [circumcision] was that you and only you might suffer the afflictions that are now justly yours; that only your land be desolated, and your cities ruined by fire, that the fruits of you land be eaten by strangers before your very eyes; that not one of you be permitted to enter your city of Jerusalem.

Apostles continued to live as Jews

However, it was not like this a century before. Paul continued to identify as a Jew, preaching the Jewish Messiah to the Jew first in every city he went. We never see Paul inviting Jews to enter into another religion. To the Jewish leaders in Rome, he shares, “For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain” (Acts 28:20). Certainly the hope of Israel was not a new religion, but the fulfillment of the Hebrew prophets.

We find Jacob (James) the brother of Yeshua, 30 years after the resurrection, praying daily in the Temple. It was said that he was the most respected Jew in Jerusalem from all the sects of Judaism. He was called the “camel-kneed” for the hours that he spent in prayer for Israel. The evidence is clear that he remained a part of the people of Israel till his death.

When Peter preached on Shavuot (Pentecost), he did not present a new religion, but proclaimed to his exclusively Jewish crowd, salvation and forgiveness through Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.

Paul says in Romans that the gift and calling of God to Israel is “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). He says, in Romans 3, that there is “much value” in being Jewish (Romans 3:1-4). Clearly, Jewish believers in Yeshua are still Jewish and part of Israel.

Neither Jew nor Gentile?

What, then, do we make of the oft-quoted Galatians 3:28?

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua.”

Bible teachers have used this statement to say that Jewish believers are no longer Jews. But they miss one major issue. If that is true, then male and females no longer have distinctions, and yet, I have never been able to get pregnant!

So, what then is the point of his passage? That being in Messiah overshadows our other roles and callings. I live in Israel. We have many Jewish immigrants from all over the world. Suppose I brought all the Jewish people together from so many nations and said, “Today, we are not Americans, Ethiopians, Russians or Argentinians, but we are Israelis!” Technically, that is not true. I am still American even though I am also Israeli. But anyone with common sense would understand my intention—that I am focusing on what unites us.

While our roles/callings are important, none of them bring any special favor with Messiah. In other words, God doesn’t reward me for what he made me. He rewards me according to faithfulness to that calling (Matt. 25:14-30)

Any person—Jew, non-Jew, slave, female, etc., can freely come to Messiah. This was a major difference between the Old and New Covenants and what Paul was so excitedly shared with his Gentile audience: “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Eph. 3:12), no matter what your background, race, class, ethnicity or gender.

So, in Galatians 3, he is not saying something negative about Jews, but something positive about non-Jews—that there are no restrictions keeping them from Messiah. As Peter said, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).

In the second part, we will address are second statement: Gentile simply means a member of the nations. When a member of the nations comes to faith, he does not become Jewish, but continues to be a member of his or her nation.

What the New Jubilee Will Bring God's Church - GRANT BERRY CHARISMA NEWS

Members of God's church should look forward to the new Jubilee with gladness in their hearts. (Grant Berry)

What the New Jubilee Will Bring God's Church

9/30/2016 GRANT BERRY  CHARISMA NEWS

"You shall count seven sabbath weeks of years, seven times seven years, and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall sound the horn blasts on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall make the sound of the horn throughout all your land. You shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all the inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee to you, and each of you shall return to his possession, and every person shall return to his family. That fiftieth year will be a Jubilee for you. You shall neither sow nor reap that which grows by itself, nor gather the grapes of your unpruned vines. For it is the Jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You shall eat the produce of the field"(Lev. 25:8-12, MEV).

Recently I was having one of my usual prayer talks with my dear friend and co-worker, Rabbi Robert Wolff of Majestic Glory Ministries, and we were discussing the exact dates of the Jubilee year. Initially, we disagreed on when this period was because Bob was focused on the amazing occurrences that had taken place during this period in other Jubilees. However, as we reviewed it, we both soon recognized that these happenings actually took place at the beginning of the next Jubilee period and not in the Jubilee year itself.

On October 2, as we light the Rosh Hashanah candles, this Jubilee year will come to an end and we will commence the next official Jubilee period (50 years). What will it bring and what is anticipated during this most crucial time on the Earth?

However, before I address this, let me draw your attention to those occurrences that Bob raised in our discussion that actually took place at the beginning of other Jubilee periods.

On December 11, 1917, General Edmund Allenby of the British forces, a believing Christian, dismounted his horse, and humbly walked through the Jaffa Gate to commemorate the taking back of Jerusalem from Islam. In the same year the League of Nations declared the area as a homeland for the Jewish people.

In 1967, exactly 50 years later, at the beginning of the next Jubilee period, Israel took back control of the city of Jerusalem from Jordan. As I often write, when God does something sovereign with His land, there is a reaction in the Spirit. And it was during this same time period that all of a sudden, some 10,000-15,000 Hippy Jews get saved out of the Jesus movement, which marked the beginning and re-emergence of God's first-born children and the re-birthing of the remnant of Israel. Wow! So, having seen from past Jubilee periods that significant shifts take place during these times, what can we now expect from the next Jubilee?

The 4th Wave and the Coming Jubilee

James Goll and Cindy Jacobs, among others, have prophesied recently concerning the coming of the 4th wave, and that it is now upon us. This is a reformation of the church to realign the body of Messiah/Christ, to properly prepare us for God's final plans upon the Earth before the Lord's return. It is spiritual renewal in the strongest sense of the word; it has washing and cleansing in its wings that will cause His church to rise as a great light in the Earth. It will re-establish the authority of God through His body that will enable us to overcome and defeat the strongholds and principalities that are aligned against us in accordance with God's will.

At the heart of the reformation is the reconnection in the Spirit in the One New Man between Jew and Gentile. This is aligned to its apostolic 5-fold governmental authority that was established through Israel's apostles and prophets, with Yeshua/Jesus Himself as the cornerstone of the church (Eph. 2:20). From this core and its restoration, comes the final outpouring of His Spirit upon the Earth.

For what does Scripture tell us here that Israel's spiritual restoration will bring, but resurrection power. Life from the dead! This power of God, which comes from the Father's heart to unite and restore His family, will flow through a renewed and empowered body to effect and change the world for the kingdom of God and bring the last great harvest of souls. The Israel piece and its 5-fold mantle is the final part of the church's restoration. It is the power equation that ignites the rest, that as the wires are reconnected, the fires will be loosed!

The outflow of the 4th wave is the ability to impact what is now being called the seven cultural mountains:

• Religion
• Government
• Education
• Business
• Family
• Media
• Arts & Entertainment

In preparation for this change over the past 15-20 years, God has been raising up new leadership in the church and Messianic bodies that is focused on the 5-fold governmental giftings, so that we may be prepared for what is coming. I don't have space in this article to list them, but most reading are aware of whom I am writing.

These leaders, both men and women alike, are first free from within, cleansed, washed, prepared and are carrying new mantles of God's authority in each of their ministries. Plus, His blessings are clearly upon them. These ministries are paving the way for the rest of His church to reform and it is going to be glorious. So what can we expect?

The 12 Decrees

• A re-united One New Man between the Gentile church and the remnant of Israel
• A new spiritual governmental approach to the kingdom of God upon the Earth through the 5-fold
• The re-emergence of David's tent upon the Earth (24/7 worship and prayer)
• A new focus in the church to move us to prayer
• A new focus on intercessory prayer in the church to train up the watchmen
• Local churches uniting in their communities and states through worship and prayer
• Greater revelation and understanding of the authority of God upon the Earth
• Reformation in total trust and faith in the Lord in the area of finance
• The outpouring of God's Spirit
• Impacting our towns and cities across the United States and throughout the world with the gospel
• The broken off branches of Israel being restored
• The last great harvest of souls

In fact, I'm so excited about this, that we have dedicated our Rosh Hashanah service this year at Messiah's House in Greenwich, Connecticut, and teamed up with the 10-Day Prayer Movement in Connecticut to declare and proclaim the New Jubilee period. Come and join us! For those of you out of town, we will post the video of this meeting on our reconnecting website. Click listen now!

Click here for the flyer and this link for the rest of the 10-Day Prayer Movement meetings through the 10 days of Awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. 

Grant Berry is a Jewish believer in Yeshua/Jesus and author of The New Covenant Prophecy and The Ezekiel Generation. He founded Reconnecting Ministries with the specific focus to help the church reconnect spiritually to Israel and considers it vital to the kingdom of G-d in the last days. His message focuses on the unity, love and healing that the Father wants to bring between Jew and Gentile yet clearly points out the differences and misunderstandings between the two groups. Now is the time to look more carefully into this mystery to make way for healing and reconnection in the Spirit. For more information, please visit reconnectingministries.org. 

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Is Romans 11 the Key to the End Times? - GRANT BERRY CHARISMA NEWS STANDING WITH ISRAEL

Grant Berry believes the church needs to see its connection to Israel in a fresh light. (Courtesy of Grant Berry )

Is Romans 11 the Key to the End Times?

 

1/12/2016 GRANT BERRY  charisma news

As we quickly approach the last days before Yeshua/Jesus returns, the mystery to awaken and restore Israel into the family in the One New Man, becomes tantamount in God's glory plan to establish His kingdom upon the Earth.

In this light, the Holy Spirit is shifting His focus onto a very necessary spiritual restoration in God's family between Jew and Gentile, in order that His end-time plans may actually come about through us. I call this The Reconnection, and the truth is that both groups are intricately linked together into these plans and are actually in great need of one another. Yet presently, the family of God is divided and separate.

As a result, I am beginning a new series called "What Is the One New Man?" In these articles we will explore and re-examine the pertinent Scriptures on the One New Man, as well as issues relating to Israel and the church, and we will interview leaders from both sides of the family to gain a better understanding. However, the main goal here is to help bring the body of Messiah/Christ into a greater unity and depth of understanding of this mystery; not to necessarily see it anymore from either a Gentile or Jewish lens, but rather through the heart of the Father who longs for His family to be one; to be united into His end-time purposes and plans; and to mobilize us into the Frey (John 17:23).

ROMANS 11 – PART 1 

Romans 9-10

To gain a full understanding of Romans 11, we must first read chapters 9-10, which lay a firm foundation for the apostle Paul's prophetic outline between Israel and the church, which also greatly relates to the end times. Romans 11 does not refer to Jewish believers per se, but rather to the rest of Israel (the Jewish people) who are still broken off due to a rejection of the gospel and, as a result, how the Gentiles in the church should relate to them.

Chapters 9-10 speak to us about God's election of promise and mercy for both Jew and Gentile. It is actually through Isaac that our offspring will be reckoned, that when it comes to the acceptance of the gospel, there is no difference between us. Both Jew and Gentile need to accept Yeshua/Jesus through faith, (the Isaac of God), to become children of the promise.

He reached out not only to those from Israel who came through the law, but to all of His children He was to call from the Nations, which God initiated shortly after the cross and resurrection through His Jewish apostles. It was always God's plan to reach out to gather His other children (John 10:16), and Paul quotes Hosea here to confirm God's calling to the Gentiles (Rom. 9:25).

However, this was a major challenge and stumbling block for Israel to accept, because of the law that they were given from God. Because they had learned to pursue it through works and not by faith, to attain a law of righteousness that had little room for the mercy of God, which was to be found in His only begotten Son, who was at the end of the law for all who believed. "Look! I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes in Him will not be ashamed" (Rom. 9:33).

The apostle Paul makes the sovereignty of God clear to us in these chapters: "Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" (9:20) In other words, who are we to question God in the scheme of things? But the religious leaders could not accept this and then led most of Israel astray. God had moved on from the old system of the law, which brought sin into account, into the New Covenant in which His law would be circumcised into our hearts through His Holy Spirit, where we would all know God for ourselves (Jer. 31:31-34).

Any of the Jewish people who accepted Yeshua/Jesus at this time, of whom there were many, helped to establish the new community of believers the world now calls the church. For all believers were now welcome into the kingdom of God, both Jew and Gentile alike. The playing field concerning its entrance had now been leveled. However, this did not wipe out Israel's heritage and covenants, of which believing Gentiles were now associated to through faith. Yeshua/Jesus transferred Israel's authority to the apostles, away from the Levitical priesthood and they took the gospel out to the nations so that all of the other children in the family could be grafted into Israel's covenants and promises. This is our destiny and God's ultimate plan to unite us and make us one.

This can be extremely confusing to us today, some 1,600 years later, in light of the fact that physical Israel is still broken off spiritually, and because the church severed its Jewish roots and heritage through the Roman assimilation (fourth century), establishing Christianity as a separate and distinct religion.

In so doing, the church disconnected itself from the very body it was grafted into in order to represent, and something huge was lost, fully replacing Israel with the church. In reality, according to Scripture, belief in Yeshua/Jesus became the only true and proper extension of Judaism and those of us who now believe in Him from the nations also belong to Israel, because we are grafted into their covenants and promises, and are now supposed to represent her as its commonwealth (Eph. 2:11-22). But we do not replace the natural branch, as ultimately Israel still needs to be grafted in to complete the bride and family of God, which Paul fully outlines in Romans 11 when he addresses their restoration.

Romans 11

Perhaps the apostle Paul had insight from the Holy Spirit as to how the church would turn against the Jews, that he writes this chapter specifically to the Gentile side of the family, "I am talking to you Gentiles" (verse 13). For while Paul made it clear to us about the entrance into the kingdom being the same for both groups and explaining how unbelieving Israel was now broken off, he never lost sight or desire for them to be grafted back in again. In fact, Paul goes as far as to say that he would be personally cut off and even cursed for the sake of his own brethren (Rom. 9:3). Can you imagine this with your own salvation?

However, now that he has imparted this background and laid this foundation, he is able to explain better the path of Israel and how we should relate to them, which he outlines in Romans 11. Please understand, as a Jew, no one had to tell Paul or give him a heart for his own people, as this was just natural for him. Even to suffer at their hands, their stonings and the like, especially with all of the revelation he had received from God concerning Israel, their rejection and their awakening.

But to the Gentiles, now coming into the faith and who were not blood brethren, he penned an outline of instruction from the Father in how to position themselves toward the firstborn in the faith, despite their current rejection, which we will address more fully in part two of this article. In addition, he makes it very clear that God has not forsaken Israel; that they can be grafted in again and he paints a prophetic picture of their future gathering and spiritual reconnection. 

Tune in Wednesday for part two of this article.

Grant Berry is a Jewish believer in Yeshua/Jesus and author of The New Covenant Prophecy and The Ezekiel Generation. He has founded Reconnecting Ministries with the specific focus to help the church reconnect spiritually to Israel and considers it vital to the kingdom of God in the last days. His website is reconnectingministries.org.

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LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FEATURED BOOK

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Buy here: Why Israel? by Steve Martin

Why Israel? Why not? This little booklet consists of messages previously written in my books, which of themselves contain many various themes. I wanted to devote one book to just Israel and the Jewish people, and so this small booklet was compiled.

As you read the following, consider the truth contained in Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, which spell out the commitment of God the Father to choose a people who will be a light to the nations. He chose the Jews, and gave them the Promised Land of Israel. It does not matter what other national governments try to say, do, or accomplish apart from the plans and purposes of the Lord. 

They will fail. His Word is true. It is eternal. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and thus His commitment in keeping His promises made to the Jewish people will be fulfilled. I hope you stand with them in these last days. 

Steve Martin

Founder 

Love For His People, Inc.

Jews vs. Christians: An Us vs. Them Mentality? - SAM NADLER CHARISMA NEWS

Jews vs. Christians is the wrong mentality. (iStock photo )

Jews vs. Christians: An Us vs. Them Mentality?

12/4/2015 SAM NADLER  charisma news

To the Jewish person who is only aware of the issues of history (touched on in my last article), but not of what Yeshua taught, there remains no other conclusion: Christianity is anti-Semitic.

Therefore, when Jewish people are shown the prophecies in Scripture regarding Messiah (Is. 7:14, Is. 53; Mic. 5:2; and more), they cannot imagine that these would refer to Yeshua. After all, they reason, how could Jewish Scripture point to a Jewish Messiah who is the leader of an anti-Jewish religion?

Exception or Rule?

Throughout history there have been many individual Christians who have loved the Jewish people, such as Corrie ten Boom, who sacrificially rescued Jewish people in her home during the Holocaust. Today, many Christians would point to her as a representation of their concern for Jewish people. Unfortunately, however, to the Jewish people, believers such as Corrie appear as the exception, rather than the rule.

The Kiss of Death

Some well-meaning Christian leaders have responded to Christendom's persecution of the Jewish people by affirming: "Let's not offend our Jewish friends any further by preaching the gospel to them." This unbiblical stance perpetuates the false belief that 'Jewish people don't need Jesus,' effectively cutting them off from their only hope for eternal life (John 14:6).

A Hardened Heart

Still other Gentile believers disregard history, the scriptural instruction to "Speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15) and common sense. Rather, they attempt to justify a continued insensitivity to Jewish people. How do they do this? Instead of preaching that salvation is received when one turns from sin to God, a "cultural gospel" is proclaimed for one to turn from his Jewishness, and be converted to "Christianity."

History has handed down to Jews and Christians an "us vs. them" mentality. Thus, Jewish people are often made to feel that being Jewish is a sin, and that once they believe in Yeshua, they should turn their back on their Jewish heritage (forget Passover, Hanukkah and so on). This is confusing and presents a false view of the issues of sin and forgiveness. Scripture is clear that being Jewish is no sin, lest Yeshua be the chief sinner, for He is the King of the Jews.

God's Solution: Living the Truth in Love

If, because of history, Jewish people cannot "see" Yeshua in the Scriptures, and if it is unscriptural to be insensitive to Jewish people in our witness, what then are we as believers to do? Our Jewish friends need to see us as Yeshua's representatives. Our committed love and concern for Jewish people, and all people, is needed in order to overcome the historical horrors that have been said and done "in Jesus' Name." Let us not allow the sad history of the past 19 centuries to be the only witness that our Jewish friends have. Rather, let us become "living epistles" (2 Cor. 3:2-3), demonstrating God's love for Israel. We can help Jewish people look at the Scriptures with "new eyes" and favorably consider Yeshua as Lord and Messiah.  

Satan has done all he can to ruin our Lord's testimony to Israel. Although he has deceived even church leaders regarding God's program for Israel, still the Bible says, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). True believers in Yeshua can, with their testimony, gain victory in the Lord!

I know personally that this victory is real, for years ago, non-Jewish believers simply and sincerely shared Jesus with me. I mocked them at first, because of course I "knew" from history what Christianity is all about. Still, a spiritual seed was planted in my heart, and soon after, I came to believe the truth about Yeshua and was wonderfully saved.

Here are three lessons for our lives from these issues we've looked at through these articles:

Part 1) The Word of God: Scripture is the sole authority for faith and practice.

Part 2) The work of God: The sacrifice of Messiah is the sole necessity for our redemption by faith.

Part 3) The witness of God: Love is the sole testimony for all people, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.

You, too, can make a difference. God has strategically placed you in the lives of your Jewish friends to demonstrate the love of God, so that my people chosen by the Lord will never again say, "Anyone but Him." Instead, may they say with confidence and joy, "No one but Him!"

Dr. Sam Nadler is a Jewish believer in Jesus and has been in Messianic Jewish ministry for over 40 years. Sam is the president of Word of Messiah Ministries, which is bringing the Good News to the Jew first but not to the Jew only, and planting Messianic Congregations in Jewish communities worldwide. To encourage and equip the body of Messiah in our shared calling, Sam is invited to speak in churches across the country and has written multiple books on Jewish evangelism, discipleship and the Feasts of Israel. For more information and resources, or to invite Sam to speak at your church, visit: wordofmessiah.org. 

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The Bible Comes to Life in the City of David ✡ "The Gentile Calls Out to You"

Hear, in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the Gentile calls out to You, that all the people of the world may know Your name. I KINGS (8:43)   אַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם מְכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּן כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אֶת שְׁמֶךָ מְלָכִים א  ח:מג a-ta tish'-ma ha-sha-ma-yeem m'-khon shiv'-te-kha v'-a-see-ta k'-khol a-sher yik'-ra ay-le-kha ha-nakh'-ree l'-ma-an yay-d'-un kol a-may ha-a-retz et sh'-me-kha

Jerusalem Inspiration Upon his dedication of the Temple, King Solomon declares in front of the entire People of Israel, that the Temple must fill a universal role and that Jerusalem would host all those who, “call out to You.” These prayerful words are etched in glass and displayed prominently today on a large monument at the Western Wall, the same site Solomon stood at 3,000 years ago. 'Karmey Chessed' answers the call of those who call out to God in need by providing food, money and medical supplies to those who can't provide for themselves.   Help 'Karmey Chessed' heed the call » Where the Bible Comes to Life The City of David, located south of the Temple Mount, is rich with archeological treasures that map out the stories of the Bible and the Jewish kings.   Watch here » A Twisted Sense of Freedom The announcement of the second Iranian Holocaust denial competition came shortly after the first post-massacre issue of the Charlie Hebdo magazine, which also depicted a cartoon of Mohammed. In a twisted plea towards freedom of speech, Iran boasts of the last competition's winning cartoon.   Read more » Bibi for President 2016 Bumper Sticker Show your support for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu who has been snubbed repeatedly by President Barack Obama. Make a statement on your car to let everyone know who you would want leading the USA as the threat of terrorism spreads. Get a Bibi 2016 bumper sticker!   Get this Great Deal » Jerusalem Photo Trivia Thousands of notes hidden amidst the cracks of the Western Wall, by Yehoshua Halevi. Doesn't the wall ever overflow? What happens to the excess? Do you know? Send me your answer or post it onFacebook.   Guess on Facebook » Thank You Today's Jerusalem Scenes and Inspiration is sponsored by Thomas Salas. Toda Raba!   Sponsor a day » “Thank You For the Teaching” It’s great to hear from you and make new friends from all over the world. Please send mean email and let me know how you are enjoying Jerusalem365 (don’t forget to say where you are from!).   Stay in Touch »   Shalom and greeting to you form Tucson, Az. U.S.. Thank for the teaching I am so elated and so blessed to see what our G-d in doing in the mist of Israel to see the words of G-D's prophets come to past. I love to see God display and reveal HIs love and faithfulness to His people and to show that His Word is true. That He keeps His covenant to a thousand generations. As mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:9. Blessings to you and thank you for the teachings and the inspiring photo's.!!!- Pamela Silvera Blessing from Jerusalem, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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