Jewish believer added to Netanyahu's team! - ONE FOR ISRAEL

Dr. Erez Soref, President of ONE FOR ISRAEL  Shalom! Our Prime Minister has dropped more than one bombshell lately: we were shocked to see in the news that a Jewish believer has been appointed to Netanyahu's team as Deputy Social Media Advisor! Just as we have been taking stock of the progress of the Body of Messiah in Israel from such small beginnings, it is very encouraging to see a believer reach such a position of influence.  As we grow in numbers and maturity, our prayer is that more and more Israeli believers will faithfully represent Yeshua in all aspects of society. "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone." (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Our campus here at Israel College of the Bible is an ideal venue for seminars and conferences on subjects that affect the whole Body of Messiah. On Tuesday, Samuel Pfeifer, director of a Christian psychiatric hospital in Switzerland and author of many books on Christian counseling, came to share with us on the subject of one of his books: "Supporting the Weak". The first lecture was entitled, "How can we integrate modern psychiatry and biblical soul care? Opportunities and limitations," and the second was on the practicalities of supporting the weak - how to create hope and understanding in our congregations. The day of training was held for pastors, ministers, former students in counseling, teachers at our Bible college, and anyone involved in pastoral ministry here in the land.  We praise God that the Body of Messiah is getting equipped and trained, and going from strength to strength. Pray For Netanyahu's New Adviser: Jewish Believer, Hananya Naftali "I am just a normal guy who made his own decision to follow Jesus," explains Hananya Naftali. But the appointment of a Jew who loves Jesus to the office of Deputy Social Media Adviser was shocking enough to end up on the front page of the Jerusalem Post. Hananya's appointment will not go uncontested, and he needs our prayers. Continue reading... How To Share Jesus With Israelis You Meet If you watch our Israeli testimonies, you will see that many times, their interest in Yeshua (Jesus) was piqued while they were traveling overseas. They met Christians, like you, who caused them to consider who Yeshua really was, and then started to investigate the matter for themselves. Perhaps you have come across Israelis where you live? What is the best way to share Jesus with them? Here are some tips from us. Continue reading...   FOLLOW US:

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ONE FOR ISRAEL - A Ministry Headquartered in Netanya, Israel,North American Office - 300 State St., P.O. Box 93000, Southlake, TX 76092-9998

A Messianic Believer Debunks the False Premise of a Character-Changing God - ERIC TOKAJER CHARISMA NEWS

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

A Messianic Believer Debunks the False Premise of a Character-Changing God

1/12/2017 ERIC TOKAJER  CHARISMA NEWS

Thirty years ago, as a brand-new believer in Yeshua (Jesus), I was shocked to hear some of the things that I heard come from pastors during sermons. I cannot count the many times I heard the expression "G-D of the Old Testament" vs. "G-D of the New Testament," as if there were two different G-Ds.

The Old Testament G-D was a mean, spiteful ogre who delighted in destruction and punishment. The New Testament G-D was filled with grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. This comparison was almost never complete until the pastor further went on to say the Old Testament G-D was the "G-D of the Jews," while the New Testament G-D is the "G-D of the church (Gentiles)."

As a Jewish believer, these words caused me to cringe inside and lit a desire within me to stand up and shout, "What about Numbers 23:19? It says: "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He spoken, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

Or James 1:17? "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no change or shadow of turning." Or how about Hebrews 6:17-18? "So God, wanting to show more abundantly the immutability of His counsel to the heirs of promise, confirmed it by an oath. So that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us."

For a believer, the unchanging nature of G-D is the reason we can have complete confidence in the Bible and the G-D of the Bible. If G-D can change at whim, then we cannot have any confidence in Him or His Word. After all, if two thirds of the way through the Bible G-D can totally reject His nature and His People, turning from tyrannical to benevolent, from hate-filled to loving, and from punishing to forgiving, then what surety do we have that He won't change His mind again?

One of the main causes that leads Christians to accept the completely false premise of the "G-D of Old vs. G-D of New" scenario is the completely false understanding brought about by the "G-D of Jews (Old Testament) vs. G-D of Church/Gentiles (News Testament) doctrine.

A simple reading of the Bible would let us know that G-D has always been concerned with and also always existed as the G-D of the Jew and the Gentile. In effort to keep this a blog and not a book, let's just look at one proof that is often overlooked. This proof is that three of the "Old Testament" prophets were sent by G-D to bring a message not to Israel, but to a Gentile nation.

The first and most well-known is Jonah who was sent (against Jonah's will) to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian City in what is modern-day northern Iraq, and was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Why would the Old Testament G-D of the Jews send a prophet to preach repentance to Gentiles? 

Prophet No. 2 is Obadiah, who prophesied to Edom, and who, while related to Israel physically through Esau, was not part of the nation of Israel, the Jewish people. Obadiah's prophetic book is short, but it is clear that it was spoken to a Gentile nation concerning their actions toward and against Israel. Once again, why would the Old Testament G-D of the Jews send a prophet to a Gentile nation?

The third prophet is Nahum, who also prophesied to Nineveh some time after Jonah and before the complete fall of Nineveh. Nahum's message to this Gentile nation was that included in Nahum 1:3, "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will in no way acquit the guilty. In gale winds and a storm is His way, and clouds are the dust of His feet." And Nahum 1:7 says, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; and He knows those who take refuge in Him." These passages share with the Gentile nation the truth about both G-D's judgment and His mercy and grace.

When we take into consideration just these three prophets who were directed to share a message of grace and forgiveness to Gentile nations previous to the coming of Yeshua, the only conclusion available is that G-D did not change two-thirds of the way through the Bible, but that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is also impossible to conclude anything short of G-D's love for all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles from Genesis through Revelation. 

Eric Tokajer is executive director of The Messianic Times and author of With Me in Paradise, Transient Singularity and OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry.

For the original article, visit messianictimes.com.

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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.

Where Should the Church Stand Regarding Israel?

      Where does the church stand in regards to Israel? (Wikimedia Commons)

Where Should the Church Stand Regarding Israel?

 9/11/2015 GRANT BERRY  charisma news

Note: This is the second of a two-part series on the reconnection of Jews and Gentiles in the end times. For part one, click here.

Isn't it interesting that whenever God shifted His focus from one part of the family to another that it always comes as a surprise to each group (see Colossians 1:26,27; Romans 11:25-27), and it is not easy to admit being wrong.

In each case, however, God began to shift His body with the revelation that was necessary at that time, which He is also doing now, as both mysteries can be clearly seen in Scripture. Yet before each shift there was an apparent blindness to the call, which the revelation subsequently lifts. And to be perfectly honest, the church is all over the place in how they view Israel in the end times and are in need of a greater revelation and understanding from the Messianic side of the family to help them see the fullness of God's plans to establish His kingdom upon the earth.

Let's not forget that it took the apostles some time to recognize that the fulfillment of the mystery of the gospel to the Nations through Messiah/Christ was now upon them. Just as it is now taking time for the church to recognize that we are also at the door of the mystery to unveil Israel spiritually and restore it to faith, but also our role and participation in God's plan to bring it to pass.

Where Is The Church Regarding Israel?

So where is the church now concerning this shift, it is mostly still divided. Interestingly though, along similar lines to those in the church who are holding to more conservative and liberal interpretations of Scripture. With those from the charismatic and Pentecostal denominations along with a mix of evangelicals opening up more and more towards the restoration of Israel and those from the liberal side of the church where church growth has been shrinking rapidly, still holding to the teachings of replacement theology.

The early church spurred these teachings on, as it was breaking away from its Jewish roots and they believed the church had superseded Israel and fully replaced them spiritually. However, there are also some conservative churches that still hold onto replacement theology, or fulfillment theology as noted by theologian N.T. Wright and there are also some liberal churches that are holding to Israel's election. 

This is also evidenced in our reactions and responses to the Israeli/Palestinian crisis, with one body leaning in support of the Palestinians and the other in support of Israel. The latter hold to the truths and fulfillment of God's covenants in Scripture in regard to Israel's spiritual unveiling and pending restoration (Deuteronomy 30:4-6; Ezekiel 36:22-28; Jeremiah 31:37), while liberal viewpoints continue to cave into man's humanistic values.

For while we should keep both Israelis and Palestinians in prayer for salvation and how they are treated, the land rights to Israel belong to God, who has unquestionably given it to the people of Israel (Genesis 13:14,15; 17:7,8; Ezekiel 37), with Israel's physical restoration in biblical prophecies already being fulfilled. Honestly though, who are we in the scheme of things to question God (Romans 9:20)? But, in light of Israel's current spiritual condition, not everything they do is necessarily correct and they find themselves in an extremely challenging situation that, ultimately, only God Himself can solve.

So when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, let us understand that it is only when Yeshua/Jesus returns to us that there will be everlasting peace in Israel. Until Satan is locked up he will always wage war against the kingdom of God, of which Jerusalem is at its center.

However, praying for Jerusalem's peace is not always about blessing, but rather praying for the complete and utter fulfillment of God's word to awaken His people and restore the earth to Himself. This requires a great deal of wisdom and discernment, but also a much greater dependency on the Holy Spirit to guide us into effective and fervent intercession that will help to get the job done.

Could the Israel reconnection be the final piece that actually divides the church? I would not want to be one of those who opposes Israel when Messiah/Christ returns. Pray God for this part of the church that their blindness would be lifted. Could those holding to a continued separation between Israel and the church be bordering the arrogance that the apostle Paul spoke of in Romans 11, thinking like the Pharisees that they have had God to themselves?

These are strong words, but they are written in a spirit of love for us in the church to re-align ourselves with our Father's plans. Yeshua/Jesus is very close to the door and we are still in a time of mercy for us to come into repentance and get it right (Romans 11:32).

For He is intricately linked to both His Jewish and Gentile children and our unity now is essential for all of this to take place. Let us not forget His name is The Lion of the Tribe of Judah and He is coming back to a Jewish city to establish a Jewish monarch upon the earth, of which, His children from the Nations are grafted into its commonwealth. Pray to God that we would never forget our humble beginnings and who we are grafted into.

Pray also for the church that is opening up towards Israel that they would come into a fuller understanding, seeing this time more through our Fathers eyes and lens, rather than our own, and not funding the wrong groups. For there is still a lot more for us to learn, as we fully embrace our Jewish brethren.

It is not just about blessing Israel, but fully reconnecting to them spiritually as family. For God has already re-formed the Jewish branch of the olive tree with many thousands of Jewish believers like myself throughout the U.S. and Israel, and in other nations who are in great need of the church's support and love to fulfill their own destiny, which is to be a light back to our own people.

Like Aaron and Hur, who lifted up the arms of Moses so they could succeed in battle, pray that we in the church would properly connect and support our Jewish brethren first. And, that through our intercession for the rest of Israel, we would start to see this covenant people as the Scripture tells us they will be, and not as they are currently.

Isn't that what faith is all about? (Hebrews 11:1)

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.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

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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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