A Call to Prayer for the President - Ron Cantor MESSIAH'S MANDATE

A Call to Prayer for the President

Ron Cantor —  August 23, 2018 

Dear friends, I submit this to you for your discernment. If it does not bear witness, then please disregard.

I cannot think of another time, in my life, where people on the left and on the right are so sensitive when it comes to politics. We see this more so on the left, with the rise of Antifa, who beat up a Bernie Sanders supporter recently, because he was carrying an American flag.

Furthermore, the party of “tolerance” has proven to be anything but—with Jimmy Kimmel saying that a Christian baker “looked gay” (imagine a conservative saying someone “looked gay”) and black conservatives being told by Starbucks-drinking, Bernie-loving, white lefties what they should believe. Amazingly, Kanye West is easily forgiven for storming the stage at an awards event to proclaim that Beyoncé, not Taylor Swift, deserved the award, but is condemned for saying a few nice things about President Trump.

But last night, as I lay in bed thinking about the President and his demeanor, I was reminded of a Bible story. Now, I understand why many folks have a fierce loyalty to President Trump. He has taken up our cause and told the liberal elite that we simply don’t care what they think. I remember his first speech at Trump Tower. Except for the part about Mexico sending their rapists, I was inspired. Finally, someone who simply didn’t care about being politically correct.

Nevertheless, because of his past—especially with me as the father of three daughters—it was hard for me to see God’s hand in his candidacy. In the end, I voted for him (there was no possibility of me voting for Hillary Clinton!). To my delight, his polices have been great for America.

The question is: At what point is the rhetoric too much? At what point does “Pride lead to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.” (Proverbs 16:18) At what point does his longing for vengeance come back to bite him?

My concern is that the President enjoys division too much to seek some sense of unity. He seems to thrive on conflict. In fact, he seems to thrive on it to the point that when things have been going well for him, he takes to twitter to look for a fight.

I believe that God elevated him to this office and is using him. He has all but defeated ISIS and reversed most of President Obama’s disastrous regulations on business, thus stimulating the economy. His tax cuts have put more money in our pockets and caused unemployment to plummet. He has restored our friendship with Israel and certainly brought God’s favor on the nation by recognizing Jerusalem and moving the US Embassy. He has given many Americans, who were intimidated by the “PC” police, courage to speak up. And, it looks like we will have two conservative Supreme Court Justices in his first two years. From a policy standpoint—he has been terrific.

But, let’s get back to the Bible story. God was judging Judah through the Assyrian King Sennacherib. However, the king became arrogant and God had to judge him. My concern for President Trump is that he feels indestructible. He has been a better friend to evangelicals than other presidents who actually were evangelical.  But he has done nothing to try and heal the divisions in our country—and, in fact, he seems to enjoy widening them.

I hang with unbelievers. I try and befriend those who don’t agree with me. While most on the left cannot point to even one thing that President Trump has done to make their life worse (in terms of his policy), they are so fearful of him that they live as if World War III is about to break out. For them, this is a real concern.

Clearly, this is not all President Trump’s fault—not by a longshot! The media has lied to the American people.  While, I am an evangelical conservative (in principle), I try to be unbiased when it comes to news. CNN and MSNBC go out of their way to stir up hatred against the President and anyone who supports him. They knowingly twist the truth.

A good example is what they did with Rudy Giuliani’s verbal typo recently, when he said, truth is not truth. I went back and listened to the interview. It was not the best choice of words—since truth actually is truth—but I understood instantly what he meant. He meant that when you have two accounts of the same conversation, it just takes one person to lie—James Comey—to trap the President on perjury. And, if I knew that, then certainly the geniuses in the mainstream media knew it as well.

But the President does have some responsibility here. Just read his twitter feed.

So, why I am writing this? This is a call to prayer, not condemnation. Let’s step up our prayer for President Trump. Let’s pray that he has a genuine experience with Jesus. Let’s pray for humility, with his strength, to overcome arrogance. Let’s pray that he would have a heart for all Americans, not just those who voted for him.

President Trump often judges people based on who has been good to him, voted for him or given him credit and on his bad list, those who have opposed him. A just leader cannot be constantly thinking about how to get back at his enemies. And, please, do not fall into the lie that he is simply a novice at politics. He beat 16 other Republicans. He won the election. He has been President of the United States for two years. He has met Putin, Netanyahu, the King of Jordan, Kim Jung-un and all of Europe’s leaders. If he was a novice before, he certainly isn’t one now.

I am going to commit to praying for him, every day, to have an encounter with Jesus—to not rely on the strength of his own personality, but on the Lord. Will you commit with me? I am going to seek to bless him every day!

Midterms are coming up. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Democrats regain the House, they will seek to impeach him. If they succeed, then it is unlikely that they will get two-thirds (67 votes) of the Senate to remove him. Still, it will not be good for the country. I believe that President Trump can be just as strong as he has been, while projecting a deeper sense of humility that would come from a born again experience. I believe this would move the heart of God and bring some sense of healing to the nation. Let’s pray. Even if you don’t agree with me, it still would be good for us to unite in prayer fro President Trump.

Footnote: Just after writing this I heard Pastor John Kilpatrick issue a call to pray for President Trump because of the spiritual assault coming against him, to remove him from power. I bear witness with his warning, but would only add, that we should not only pray for his protection but also for a deeper level of humility—for it will be as armor against the coming onslaught.

The Most Powerful Site in Jerusalem that Almost No One Sees - Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

The Most Powerful Site in Jerusalem that Almost No One Sees

Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

One of the most amazing sites in Jerusalem is also one that is overlooked by more than 99.9% of tourists, and sadly, even educated tour guides don’t realize its significance. Millions of tourists pass through this site every year. In fact, I would guess that less than 1% of 1% realize that when they are in the Upper Room, they are actually standing in a building that became the first Messianic Synagogue.

The very first Jewish believers did not see a need for a synagogue of their own. They all continued to go to the traditional synagogue—the only place to hear the Scriptures read on a weekly basis—and then, they met together on the first day of the week (believed to be Saturday evening, not Sunday—a work day in Israel). These meetings were held in homes, and they also met daily in the Temple Courts as well. (Acts 2:46)

However, persecution grew intense in sixties. It is believed that Yaakov (James), despite being one of the most respected Jews in Jerusalem, was martyred through a conspiracy led by the Pharisees in 62 CE. The Book of Hebrews encourages the Jewish believers to stand strong in the face of persecution. (Heb. 12:1-4)

Messianics Flee Jerusalem

Then in the late sixties the Zealots, a Jewish sect seeking independence from Rome, rebelled. The Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem and prepared to raze it to the ground. The Messianic Jews were warned my angel to escape according to the historian Eusebius[i]. They remembered the words of Yeshua.

 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” (Luke 21:20-21)

The Second Coming was just around the corner they assumed. They fled across the Jordan River. After Jerusalem was destroyed and the Zealots were thoroughly defeated, the Messianic community returned to Jerusalem.

An Amazing Discovery

Now, this is where our story get’s interesting.

In 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, a shell exploded near the traditional site of King David’s tomb (we now know that is not his tomb) and the site of the Upper Room. In 1951 an Israeli archeologist, Jacob Pinkerfeld, was tasked with repairing the damage. In doing so he discovered the original floor of the building and an alcove. Bargil Pixner, the renowned Benedictine monk, Biblical scholar and archaeologist, writes,

“Similar niches at similar heights above floor level have been found in ancient synagogues and were presumably used to house an ark for Torah scrolls.”[ii]

In other words, this room, the Upper Room, was actually an ancient synagogue. The question is, was it always a synagogue and if not, when did it become a synagogue? Some claim that the Roman General Titus spared the area during his conquest in 70 CE. However it is more likely—since we know that the entire city was destroyed—that it was rebuilt into a synagogue after the 70 CE war. We know that in the time of Yeshua, forty years prior, it was not a synagogue, but merely a room.

Pinkerfeld concurred that this was indeed a synagogue, unlike Churches that faced the east, the building was oriented toward the Temple or where the Temple once stood. Pinkerfeld was correct; it was a synagogue, but his conclusion that it could not be a church, or for our purposes, a gathering of Yeshua believers, because it did not face east is erroneous. Churches didn’t begin to face east until the second half of the fourth century according to Bixler.

Not Facing the Temple, but…

Bixler claims he erred also in his assumption that the building was facing the Temple. It was an obvious assumption, but when actually measured, the niche or the alcove that was discovered is slightly off. Instead of facing the Temple, it faces a most interesting place.

Just think for a minute. You have returned to Jerusalem. The city is in ruins. The year is 72CE or 73CE. The Temple is gone! Please understand the significance of this. The Temple was the center of Jewish life and religion. Even in the lives of first century Messianic Jews the Temple was very significant. The believers met there for worship and teaching, as well as for outreach (Acts 3-4, 5:25). This must have been a huge blow. In addition, the Second Temple was the most amazing structure of its time. It was a marvel and a wonder. And now it was in ruins.

The writer of Hebrews warned of this when he said that that which “is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Heb. 8:13) Scholars have wrongly assumed he was speaking of the entire Old Covenant, when in fact he was referring to the sacrificial system—as a few years later the Temple would be burned to the ground.

A Self-Imposed Curse Forces them Out of Traditional Synagogue

So, without a Temple, the Messianic Jews return to the other highly significant place—the Upper Room as their headquarters. Facing rejection from Traditional Jews, they rebuild it into their own synagogue. In just a few years, the Pharisees, under Gamaliel II, will add a ‘blessing’ to the Amida—prayed three times a day—that calls all Messianic Jews heretics and curses them[iii]. In fact, while we know the Messianic Jews returned in 72-73 CE, it is possible that they did not build their synagogue until this self-imposed curse became a part Amida, and forced them out of the synagogue.

A Most Awesome Orientation

But when it came time to orient the niche, they concluded not to point it in the direction of where the Temple once stood, but rather in the direction of its replacement.

In fact, the synagogue’s orientation is toward what is presently the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which, at the time the synagogue was built, was believed to be the site of Jesus’ tomb and of his crucifixion at Golgotha.[iv]

How powerful is that! Without a Temple, the source of sacrifice and forgiveness, they rightly discerned that the new source of everlasting forgiveness and redemption was Golgotha. But should it point towards the place where he was crucified and uttered the words, “It is finished,” or towards the place of His resurrection, where the proof of redemption lie? How about both? He was buried where he was crucified.

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. (John 19:41)

More Proof!

If we needed any more proof that this building was the first Jewish synagogue erected for the exclusive use of Messianic Jews, we have it in the form of suppressed graffiti that Pinkerfeld found under the later floors (he removed several floors to get to the original). The graffiti was only later published and claims that the building was erected in the first century:

One graffito has the initials of the Greek words which may be translated as “Conquer, Savior, mercy.” Another graffito has letters which can be translated as ‘O Jesus, that I may live, O Lord of the autocrat.’[v]

The fact that the words are in Greek is evidence that it was later used by Gentile Christians after all Jews were barred from the city in 135 CE. This was in response to the last Jewish rebellion. The Roman Emperor Hadrian expelled all the Jews and turned Jerusalem into a pagan city. He even built a Temple to Venus on the place where Yeshua was crucified.

But how did these Gentiles know for sure that this was the place of the Upper Room and the first Messianic Synagogue?

Though Hadrian banned all Jews from Jerusalem in 135 CE, Christians not of Jewish ancestry could and did live in Jerusalem from Hadrian’s time on. Eusebius even preserves a list of the Gentile bishops of Jerusalem.[vi]

The clear evidence supports the idea that the Messianic Jews returning from a self-imposed exile after the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, built the first Messianic Synagogue in the former Upper Room and oriented it to face Golgotha—the place of Yeshua’s execution and resurrection.

[i]  Early Christian History, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF EUSEBIUS PAMPHILIUS (c. 265 – 339) BISHOP OF CESAREA, IN PALESTINE, Written In A.D. 325, Book III, 5:4

[ii] http://www.centuryone.org/apostles.html

[iii] The amidah is comprised of 18 benedictions. The newly re-formed Sanhedrin, under Gamaliel II, grandson of the Gamaliel from Acts 5, added a nineteenth that stated, “For the heretics let there be no hope. And let the arrogant government be speedily uprooted in our days. Let the Nazarenes (name for Jewish believers) and the minim be destroyed in a moment. And let them be blotted out of the Book of Life and not be inscribed together with the righteous. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who humblest the arrogant.” Messianic Jews could not pray this prayer and the pray had its intended consequence—the Messianic Jews left the traditional synagogue.

[iv] http://www.centuryone.org/apostles.html

[v] http://www.centuryone.org/davtomb.html

[vi] https://www.gci.org/Jesus/golgotha (an article worth reading!)

My God Fights for Me!—Lessons from a Shepherd Boy - Ron Cantor MESSIAH'S MANDATE

My God Fights for Me!—Lessons from a Shepherd Boy

Ron Cantor —  July 17, 2018

Manipulation is like witchcraft. We manipulate to get what we want, when we don’t trust God. David had two opportunities to take matters in his own hands. Two times the demonized King Saul was delivered into his hands. Once, at En Gedi—incidentally, one of the beautiful places in Israel (and yes, we go there on our tour!), and then later at the Desert of Ziph.

In the first event, David and his men were in a cave, when Saul went in to relieve himself. “Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” (1 Samuel 24:4) David could have reasoned, “Samuel already anointed me to be king. Saul knows this.” Jonathan, in the previous chapter, already told David:

“You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” (1 Sam. 23:17)

His men urged him to kill Saul saying,

“This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” (1 Sam. 24:4)

Bear, Lion, Giant, Saul

But David had learned, long before, that God was big enough to fight his battles. Long before he killed the giant with one blow, he had defeated the bear and the lion, while protecting his sheep. With Goliath, he rejected Saul’s armor and chose to rely on the arm of the Lord. Listen to zeal of David as he confronts the giant:

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head…the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel…it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Sam. 17:45-47)

“But Ron, in all those cases, David did kill his attackers.” This was different. David had a massive conflict of interest. In the other incidents, he was protecting others. In this case, David would benefit from killing Saul—he would most likely become king. He did not want to become the ruler through his own actions.

In the other case in chapter 26, David says to Abishai:

“Don’t destroy [Saul]! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.” (1 Sam. 26:9-11)

Promotion Comes from Heaven

This is a lesson for all of us. I have seen people seek to manipulate their way into positions of power. God will not bless that. For years, when I have felt God calling me to something, I would simply pray: If this is your will, you can open the door. I would quote Psalm 75:6-7:

For exaltation comes
not from the east nor from the west,
nor even from the desert.
For God is the Judge:
He lowers one and lifts up another. (TLV)

I’ve come to learn that “the hand of the Lord is powerful” (Joshua 4:24) and that nothing can stop God’s will other than my own disobedience. I can rest, knowing the promotion comes from Him and not from man.

A Test

When I first became an associate pastor 1994, another leader came on staff at the same time. He had his heart set on being the next senior leader. And for some reason, he was convinced that I was his competition. He would go out of his way to seek to publicly embarrass me. Others felt the contempt he had for me.

Finally I had enough. I was going to confront him. I had my speech planned out. “What, are you two?” was going to be part of it. I would put him in his place! But before I unloaded on him, I sought council from a mentor.

“You could do that, if you want,” he told me. “Or you could take the high road and begin to pray and fast for him.” Not what I wanted to hear. But it was the right advice.

As I humbled myself and began to pray for this man, he was removed from the equation. Many years later, he came back to the congregation and asked for forgiveness and our relationship was restored. My point is that God fights our battle. I did not need to confront him. I needed to focus on God. Yes, there are times for speaking the truth in love, but only after we have made sure that we have God’s heart for the person we are confronting.

Pray and Wait for God

This is a lesson that I have kept with me for 25 years. If God has called me to something, He will open the door. When I felt that I was to go to Africa and preach in 2008, I began to daily ask God to open a door. Within a month Daniel Kolenda, a former student, invited me to attend a Reinhard Bonnke campaign in Nigeria. On my last day, a pastor invited me back to preach. A year later, I led a group of 18 Israelis to Nigeria, where we preached the gospel with signs and wonders.

On the other hand, in 1987 the Lord spoke to me that he was going to give me a Honda Accord. My father, who refused, at the time, to help me because of my faith in Yeshua, came home with a Honda Accord that he bought for my sister. I knew that was my car. My sister didn’t like it and he was going to return it (he was friends with the salesman). At that point I should have kept my mouth shut and watched God work. Instead, I offered to take the car. He said no—adamantly. But then changed his mind and gave me the car. But it would have been a much better testimony if I had just trust God to do what He said.

So, if God was able to take David—who was being chased by Saul for roughly a decade and had to constantly be on the run or Saul would kill him—and preserve him and make him king for 40 years, surely He can fulfill the call on your life. Just don’t manipulate to get position. Rather, position yourself in prayer and wait on the Lord.

Middle East Update Iranian Revolt | Syrians Flee to Israel Border - Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

Dear Steve Martin, Three interesting things have happened or are happening, in regards to Iran. 1. Pro-Israel Iranians Israeli media recently reported on a story of pro-Israel Iranians who were in Russia for the World Cup. An Israeli reporter was interviewing fans of both the Moroccan and Iranian teams before Iran’s win over the North African state. To his shock, one Iranian fan said: “What you saw in there—those are the people of Iran. Not what you see on T.V. We love you and I know you love us.” Another fan said, in broken English, that he is hoping for peace between all nations, saying it doesn’t matter where you are from. A third fan expressed his love for Israel saying, “my best friends are Israeli.” You can watch the clip here. The commentator is speaking Hebrew, but the interviews are in English. 2. Bibi’s video Imagine the Ayatollahs of Iran congratulating Israel on a sport victory. Normally, it is Iranian Judo participants who (because of pressure) won’t even participate in a match against an Israeli. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu took to YouTube to congratulate the Iranian people on their performance in the World Cup, noting the difference between the radical leadership of the country and the citizens of Iran.

3. New protests Iranians are protesting in the streets against their government. We must hold them up in prayer. They are tired of their government wasting billions of their dollars on regional proxy wars in Yemen and Syria, all for the sake of Islam. Iranians have been dealing with out of control inflation and unemployment that has gone through the roof, leaving over 30 percent of their millennial population out of work. They have given millions to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, to the Yemini rebels and to Hezbollah, who is taking more and more control over Lebanon. More shocking are the chants of “Death to Palestine,” “No to Gaza, no to Lebanon,” and “Leave Syria and think of us.” Other shocking chants include, “We don’t want the ayatollahs” and “Death to the dictator.” These Iranians are risking their lives for freedom. Of course, all this strain is part of President Trump’s strategy of putting extreme pressure on the Islamic regime through crippling sanctions. Iranian currency has lost 50% of its worth in the last six months. But the people are not mad at Trump; they are mad at their irresponsible government. Humanitarian catastrophe on the Syrian Border Syrians run to Israeli Border As the Russian-backed Assad forces in Syria roll from town to town, Syrians are fleeing to the border with Israel. How ironic that a nation of people that has been told all their lives that Israeli is filled with savage Jewish imperialists, now see Israel as their only refuge from the crazed dictator. They have set up a tent city in the Golan Heights in the demilitarized zone between the countries, hoping the Syrian forces will respect the UN cease fire zone. The number, which is growing each day, is up to 270,000. The number has doubled in a just a few days! My friend Dalton Thomas posted the picture below on June 29th, when the number was just 120,000.

The Syrian rebel forces have built a good relationship with the Israeli Defense forces over the years and hope that if push comes to shove, Israel will protect them. Israel Takes in Six Injured The IDF rescued six injured Syrians. These are orphaned children—orphaned because their parents and siblings have been killed by the Assad’s forces.  “In a unique and complex medical operation by the Bashan Division, six moderately to severely injured Syrian were received and treated last Friday night, including four children. According to reports from the Syrian side, the families of the children were killed in bombings during the fighting in Syria, and the children were rushed to Israel to receive treatment.” —Israeli Defense Forces Humanitarian Aid The IDF just sent food and supplies into Syria to help these refugees. “The operation lasted ‘several hours,’ the army said, in which some 300 tents, 13 tons of food, 15 tons of baby food, three pallets of medical supplies, and 30 tons of clothes and shoes were delivered to the refugees.” —TimesofIsrael Let’s be in prayer… That Israel fulfill her destiny to be a blessing to the nations. That God would send angels to protect the Syrians on the Israeli border. That the IDF would have wisdom in how they respond to Iranian/Syrian aggression. That the Iranian revolution would lead to freedom and revival in the Islamic stronghold. For the safety of the Israeli Jewish and Druze communities on the Golan Heights. How your Gift will Impact Israel When you support Messiah’s Mandate, you are supporting Tiferet Yeshua congregation in Tel Aviv that is sharing the good news of Yeshua, discipling Israeli believer, raising up leaders and serving the needy. We continue to see growth as God fulfills his promise to remove the blinders from the Jewish people in the end-times. Just go to www.standwithmmi.org and take your stand for Israel. Let’s believe for revival in the Israel and the whole Middle East! Until all Israel is Saved (Rom. 11:26),

Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate, Tiferet Yeshua Congregation, Tel Aviv

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The Coming “Greater Riches” Revival Israel's acceptance leads to "life from the dead" - Ron Cantor Messiah's Mandate

The Coming “Greater Riches” RevivalIsrael's acceptance leads to "life from the dead"

Ron Cantor —  March 30, 2018

A man gives an investor $5,000 and tells him to put it in a safe place where he can make a profit. The investor promptly goes to the horse races and randomly gambles away the $5,000. But somehow, no matter how hard he tries to lose it, he keeps doubling it! By the end of the day, he has $500,000.

This is precisely what happened when Israel rejected the gospel. Israel was called to be a light to the nations. However, despite receiving a massive Jerusalem revival (Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4, Acts 21:20), the leadership rejected the gospel. In the natural, this should have hurt the efforts to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. But, in fact, “to provoke [Israel] to jealousy, salvation has come to the nations.” (Romans 11:11)

Paul’s Argument

God gave Paul insight into His plan. Remember the investor—through doing the wrong thing, he made an amazing profit. That is what Israel did. By doing the wrong thing, revival came to the nations. Paul then argues, if Israel, by rejecting the gospel, caused a massive awakening in the nations, what happens when Israel fulfills her God-ordained plan of following the Messiah? In other words, if the investor, through disobedience made a profit, how much more profit will he make when he truly invests the funds? Paul tells us:

“But if [Israel’s] transgression means riches for the world, and [Israel’s] loss means riches for the nations, how much greater riches will [Israel’s] full inclusion bring! … For if [Israel’s] rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will [Israel’s] acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:12-15)

Six Million or Six Hundred Million

Charles Simeon, who was one of the founders of the London-based Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People in the early 1800s, once got into a theological discussion regarding what some felt was too much emphasis on Jewish evangelism. Simeon had seemed so carried away with the future of the Jews that a friend passed him a slip of paper with a question, “Six millions of Jews and six hundred millions of Gentiles—which is the most important?” Simeon had the answer already. He wrote back, “If the conversion of the six is to be life from the dead to the six hundred, what then?”

Simeon understood that the final revival—the “Greater Riches” revival or “Life from the Dead” awakening depended on Jewish acceptance of Jesus. It is the Jewish acceptance that will release the greater riches that Paul speaks of. And, of course, if greater riches are promised, we must ask ourselves, what are riches? If someone is going to give you something greater than x, you need to know what x is.

Greater Than What?

Paul tells us that riches are what were poured out on the nations in the first century: “if [Israel’s] transgression means riches for the world…” So whatever was coming, it was greater than the grace that Paul had when he spread Yeshua throughout the world—it will be greater than the book of Acts where we see:

• the dead raised (Acts 20:10)
• the sick healed (Acts 14:9)
• miraculous escapes from prison (Acts 16:26)
• the gospel preached in power (Acts 8:4-8)
• and so much more!

I believe as we come to the end of the fullness of the nations, we are already seeing the beginning of this “Greater Riches” revival.  There seems to be an overlapping, as one season comes to an end and a new one begins. We are seeing the beginning of Jewish awakening and greater riches being poured out on China, India, Nepal (which now has the fastest growing church in the world!), Argentina and other places.

Why should the nations pray for Israel?

1. Because through Israel, the gospel came to them. (Acts 1:8)
2. Because of Israel’s unbelief, the gospel prospered amongst the nations. (Rom. 11:11)
3. Israel’s acceptance will result in greater riches and life from the dead! (Rom. 11:12, 15)

Buckle your seatbelts!

Billy Graham and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit - Ron Cantor MESSIAH'S MANDATE

Billy Graham and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit A Story You Have Probably Never Heard Several years ago I was preparing a message called, "A History of the Holy Spirit." I came across this story about Billy Graham from a book called, A Personal Look at Billy Graham, the World's Best-loved Evangelist, by Sherwood Eliot Wurt, It is one of the most powerful Billy Graham stories I have read. In 1946 he had an experience with the Holy Spirit that changed his life and ministry.  I made this short video, sharing this amazing story. I hope you are blessed by it. I strongly sensed God's presence as I was sharing. Watch until the end, because I pray for you to be filled afresh with His Spirit.  WATCH VIDEO Here is an excerpt from that book: During his visit to Britain in October 1946, a meeting was arranged at Hildenborough Hall in Kent where Billy was to be introduced to Christian leaders before his evangelistic tour of cities in England, Ireland, and Wales. He arrived in time for the closing service of a youth conference, at which the speaker was Stephen Olford. Olford, born of missionary parents in Angola, had planned to be an engineer, but a motorcycle accident in England brought him face to face with God while he was recovering in a hospital. He attended St. Luke’s College and served as World War II chaplain to His Majesty’s Forces, who were leaving for the Dunkirk action. Later he became an itinerant evangelist. At Hildenborough Hall Olford preached a fervent message on the text: “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spirit.”1 When he had finished, he seated himself and rested his head in his hands. He became aware of someone nearby and looked up to see Billy Graham standing over him. “Mr. Olford,” said Billy, “I just want to ask one question: Why didn’t you give an invitation? I would have been the first one to come forward. You’ve spoken of something that I don’t have. I want the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life too.” Billy told his biographer John Pollock, “I was seeking for more of God in my life, and I felt that here was a man who could help me. He had a dynamic, a thrill, an exhilaration about him I wanted to capture.” They arranged to meet in Wales where Billy was scheduled to preach in a town named Pontypridd, eleven miles from the home of Olford’s parents . In a room in a stone hotel in Pontypridd, Stephen and Billy spent two days together. Billy told Stephen. “This is serious business. I have to learn what this is that the Lord has been teaching you.” The first day was spent, according to Stephen, “on the Word  and on what it really means to expose oneself to the Word in the quiet time.” They spent the hours turning the pages of the Bible, studying passages and verses. Billy prayed, “Lord, I don’t want to go on without knowing this anointing You’ve  given my brother.” That night Billy preached to a small crowd. The sermon was “ordinary,” according to Stephen, and “not the Welsh kind of preaching.” Billy gave an invitation, but the response was sparse. The next day they met again, and Stephen began concentrating on the work of the Holy Spirit by declaring, “There is no Pentecost without Calvary,” and that we “must be broken” like the apostle Paul, who declared himself  “crucified with Christ.” He then told Billy how God completely turned his life inside out. It was, he said, “an experience of the Holy Spirit in His fullness and anointing.” He explained that “where the Spirit is truly Lord over the life, there is liberty, there is release — the sublime freedom of complete submission of oneself in a continuous state of surrender to the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit.” According to Stephen, Billy cried, “Stephen, I see it. That’s what I want.” His eyes filled with tears — something rare with Billy. It seems he had no appetite that day, only taking a sip of water occasionally. Stephen continued to expound the meaning of the filling of the Spirit in the life of a believer. He said it meant “bowing daily and hourly to the sovereignty of Christ and to the authority of the Word.” From talking and discussing, the two men went to their knees praying and praising. It was about midafternoon on the second day that Billy began pouring out his heart “in a prayer of total dedication to the Lord.” According to Stephen, “all heaven broke loose in that dreary little room. It was like Jacob laying hold of God and crying , ‘Lord, I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me.’ ” They came to a time of rest from prayer. Billy exclaimed, “My heart is so flooded with the Holy Spirit!”  They alternately wept and laughed, and Billy began walking back and forth across the room, saying, “I have it! I’m filled. I’m filled. This is the turning point of my life. This will revolutionize my ministry.” Said Olford, “That night Billy was to speak at a large Baptist church nearby. When he rose to preach, he was a man absolutely anointed.” Billy’s Welsh audience seemed to sense it. They came forward to pray even before the invitation was given. Later when it was given, Olford said, “The Welsh listeners jammed the aisles. There was chaos. Practically the entire audience came rushing forward.” Stephen drove back to his parents’ home that night, deeply moved by Billy’s new authority and strength. “When I came in the door,” he said later, “my father looked at my face and asked, ‘What on earth has happened?’ “I sat down at the kitchen table said, ‘Dad, something has happened to Billy Graham. The world is going to hear from his man. He is going to make his mark in history.’ ” The heavenly reservoir had overflowed. A close colleague of Billy’s before Pontypridd, Chuck Templeton, heard the young preacher after that experience. Astonished, Templeton remarked that Billy’s preaching had taken on “a certain magnificence of effect…fascinating…really impressive.”

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