2017: A New Apostolic Age for Israel and the Church - ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

We are in the midst of a new apostolic age for Israel and the church. (Revive Israel )

2017: A New Apostolic Age for Israel and the Church

2/3/2017 ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

At the turn of the year 2017, during our conference in Brazil, as we were praying, I sensed the Spirit of the Lord saying in my heart to "return to a new age of the acts of the apostles."

We have, for decades, looked to the book of the Acts of the Apostles as the pattern for ministry. As far back as 1984, we felt the Lord leading us to restore a Messianic Jewish apostolic team. At Revive Israel, we held Acts 1 as our leading vision to finish what the first apostolic team in Jerusalem started. 

At Ahavat Yeshua, we held Acts 2 as our leading vision for the congregation in Jerusalem. At Tiferet Yeshua, we have seen the promise for the greater Tel Aviv area to be saved according to Acts 9 and to become a sending congregation like Antioch in Acts 13. At Tikkun International, we seek a cooperative unity with other apostolic networks based on the joint meeting of apostles and elders in Acts 15.

Most restoration-oriented ministries look to the book of Acts as a model for their work.  But I perceived this word to "return to a new age of the acts of the apostles" to mean something quite different: not just a pattern, but an "age"—as mentioned in I Corinthians 10:11—"to us upon whom the end of the ages has come."

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was poured out in approximately the year A.D. 33. The apostle Paul reportedly was beheaded in approximately A.D. 67. The city of Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70.

While John continued to live and write until approximately A.D. 90, the explosive work done during the time of the book of Acts was already finished. While apostolic revivals have certainly continued around the world, there was a relatively short window of time shortly after A.D. 30 and before A.D. 70 in which all of the "action" of the book of Acts took place.

What was the "end of the age" for Paul and the other disciples? In their generation, it was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. There would be another "end of the age" at the Second Coming (presumably in our generation). There was a previous "end of the age" at the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and another before that in Noah's time (2 Peter 3:5-10). There will be yet another at the end of the millennial kingdom (Rev. 20-21).

Yeshua, Peter, Paul and John—they all relate to a double "end," one in their own generation and the one about to occur soon (Matt. 24:3). For this reason, there is an overlap of prophecies when speaking of the end times. The first age of the apostles occurred right before the "end of the age" in their time. This new age of the apostles will happen right before the "end of the age" in our generation. Both involve the destruction of Jerusalem.

The first apostolic age took place shortly after Yeshua's ascending into heaven from earth. We are in the period shortly before His descending from heaven back to earth. A unique factor in these two time periods is the overlap of the international ecclesia and the Messianic community in Israel. Before A.D. 33 there was no ecclesia. After A.D. 70 there was no Israel. During that one generation, both the ecclesia and the remnant were in position. For the first time in 2,000 years, the coexistence of the two has come back into place.

We don't know exactly how to count the present window of opportunity. Did it start in 2000 and will end at 2040? Does it start now in 2017 and end sometime in this generation? I don't know.

However, the conditions of the book of Acts are lining up again as never before in history. The alignment between a revivalist, apostolic ecclesia in all the nations and a revivalist, apostolic Messianic remnant in Israel is now for the first time taking place. There was no opportunity for this alignment to take place in previous generations.

This is a speeding up of time for the nations, for Israel, for the church, for communications, for revelation, for revival, for persecution, for the completion of the great commission of Acts 1:8, for the outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh according to Acts 2:17, and for the restoration of all things as stated in Acts 3:21. The year 2017 represents a breakthrough, a "restart," for the apostolic and apocalyptic prophecies to take place. 

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

Leaders are readers! Subscribe now and get 3 magazines for the price of 1. Get Ministry Today, Charisma and SpiritLed Woman all for $24. YES - Sign me up!

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Click Here to draw closer to God!

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

Jonah's Major Prophecies: The Parallel Path Between Israel and the Church - ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

We serve the dual restoration of Israel and the church.

Jonah's Major Prophecies: The Parallel Path Between Israel and the Church

1/2/2017 ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

Jonah delivered two major prophecies. The first is recorded in 2 Kings 14:25—to enlarge the borders of Israel.

It was a message of victory and power. He seemed to be very motivated to deliver this kind of prophecy.

The second was recorded in the Book of Jonah to bring repentance and revival to the nation of Assyria—a Gentile nation, often seen as an enemy of Israel. Jonah very much did not want to bring this message. It was counterintuitive and contrary to his motivation and orientation. He said no to the Lord.

He had to overcome his own resistance to the message. When he did (with the help of a big fish), the message brought revival to the whole nation. The message about repentance was based on his own personal testimony of a miraculous "death and resurrection" experience. That was a form of pre-gospel message. He fulfilled an image of Yeshua (Matt. 12:40).

An entire nation came to faith. This was an initial stage of the future international Gentile church. It was a predecessor to Paul's preaching to the Gentiles and establishing churches around the world.

In addition, the moral reformation in the nation of Assyria changed the whole society. They became the most powerful nation on the earth and dominated the history of the Middle East for the entire 8th century B.C. They became a great kingdom power on earth.

Repentance, revival, testimony of Yeshua's future death and resurrection, Gentile church, kingdom authority, changing history ... all of that resulted from one message. Jonah's two prophetic messages were parallel, but the message to the Assyrians had more effect than the one directed to the Israelites. The message that required death to pride and ego produced more than the one of victory and power.

People are usually more motivated to deliver the types of messages that fit our idea of victory, but often it is the message that requires denying oneself and one's ambition is what has the greater results for the kingdom of God. Even Yeshua had to pray "not My will, but Yours" (Luke 22:42b) at Gethsemane before the crucifixion. Ultimately, that self-denying obedience produced much more fruit than His healing revivals before the cross.

We may also see in these two types of prophecies the two parallel paths of Israel and the church. The disciples of Yeshua wanted to "restore the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6) in the first century. However, Yeshua instead sent them out to the Gentiles "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8c). Perhaps, like Jonah, they didn't want to "give" the kingdom to the Gentiles.

Thank God, today we have the opportunity to do both. We serve the dual restoration of Israel and the church (Rom. 11). Both are coming to their fullness as we approach the coming kingdom of Messiah on earth. 

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

God's Destiny for Arabs and Jews Paves the Way for This - ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

The destiny of Christian Arabs and Jews lies along the same path. (Wikimedia Commons)

God's Destiny for Arabs and Jews Paves the Way for This

11/29/2016 ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

Each time we meet with Arab Christian leaders, whether locally here in Israel or in the context of global gathering, there are new levels of revelation about God's destiny for Arabs and Jews.

At the recent gathering in Jerusalem, one of the Arab pastors pointed out there were only four people in the Bible who were given names before their birth: Ishmael, Isaac, John the Baptist and Yeshua.

He saw a parallel between Isaac and Yeshua and therefore, a parallel between Ishmael and John the Baptist. In other words, the destiny of the Arab Christian community was to pave the way for end-times revival, the Messianic remnant in Israel and the Second Coming, in a similar way to which John prepared the way for Yeshua's first coming.

Focusing on the Positive

There were many sins and mistakes in the personal biographies of our forefathers, including Hagar and Ishmael along with Abraham and Sarah. Despite these sins and mistakes, God still has a destiny for the Jewish people and also for the Arabs. We have a great challenge to look past the negative histories of our peoples in order to find God's positive destiny for each.

Even the thought that the Arab peoples have a positive destiny is scandalous to some of us as Jews; perhaps in a similar way that the destiny of the Jewish people is scandalous to some Christians and Arabs. The destiny of Ishmael and the Arab peoples is connected to the Jewish people because of the Messianic covenant that came through Isaac. Messianic Jews and Arab Christians need one another.

Predestined Plan

Ishmael was circumcised into the Abrahamic covenant even before Isaac was born. God promised to bless him and named him before his birth because He had a predestined plan for him. One Egyptian pastor shared with me that Ishmael (and therefore the Arab peoples today) was destined to be Isaac's protective "big brother." Ishmael was strong, warrior-like and prosperous.

Today's Arab Christian leaders are beginning to see a divine calling to help the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and to recognize God's covenant purpose for the nation of Israel. Let us remember that in every nation, God's destiny is not found in the unbelieving majority but in the believing minority. This is true for Europe, for Asia, for America, for Africa, for the Arabs and the Jews.

The Arab peoples have a positive destiny that was foreordained by God. That destiny is not found in Islamic extremism or politics, but in the Christian Arab community, the born-again, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing remnant found in each nation. We are in covenant with them through our mutual faith in Yeshua, and we believe they will stand with us and our nation in the difficult times ahead. 

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

Israel: The Missing Piece in End Times Theology - DAN JUSTER/FOR REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

The Book of Zechariah says than in an amazing time of repentance after the battle, Israel will "look upon Him whom they have pierced." (reviveisrael.org)

Israel: The Missing Piece in End Times Theology

11/18/2016 DAN JUSTER/FOR REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

Eschatology is the study of the last days and the age to come.

A consensus has developed in the doctrine of eschatology in the Christian world. Today, we could almost call these points truisms, though not all are aware of them.

Here is the general consensus: The last days began with the coming of Yeshua and continued to progress with his death, resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Shavuot). The kingdom of God has come, but its full manifestation will come with the second coming of Yeshua.

Cataclysm and Intervention

The "last of the last days" now refers to the events that will take place shortly before the Second Coming of Yeshua. This time will include a difficult trial for God's people as they are resisted by the powers of darkness. In Jewish thought, this time is called the birth pangs of the Messiah (Sanhedrin 98). Classical Jewish eschatology generally tracks with the church on the issue of a great trial at the end of this age. I call this view "Cataclysm and Intervention."

However, at the end, God's people will be delivered, and we will enter into the age to come. This broad consensus is even reflected in the Roman Catholic catechism, which states:

"Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the 'mystery of iniquity' in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.

"The church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil."

What About Israel?

Our teaching is very much in accord with this consensus, but we believe it is missing the end-times piece connected to Israel and the Jewish people. Concerning Israel, the Hebrew Scriptures constantly give reference to a final battle (Joel 3, Isaiah 25-27, Ezekiel 38, 39, and so many more) linked with the Jewish people in Israel. Let's examine just one.

Zechariah 12, 14 – Here, we read of the invasion of the nations and the battle for Jerusalem. This leads to an amazing time of repentance after the battle, and Israel looks upon Him whom they have pierced (12:10), which classically is looked at as Israel turning to Yeshua. At the end of this great battle, the nations all turn to God and worship Him annually in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

Thankfully, we are seeing Israel and the Jewish people become a general consensus in the church's end-times theology in our day—just as they were a central focus for the Hebrew prophets as they spoke of the events of the end times. 

Dan Juster is an author and advocate of Messianic Judaism. He has served in the Messianic Jewish movement since 1972. He is the founder and director of Tikkun International, a network of congregations and ministries in the United States and abroad dedicated to the restoration of Israel and the church.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

More Prophetic Words Connecting the Bible to Secular Israeli Leaders - ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters file photo )

More Prophetic Words Connecting the Bible to Secular Israeli Leaders

10/12/2016 ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

Last week, I began sharing some prophetic keys I have learned from studying Jewish history, Rabbinic thought and current events here in Israel. Here are the rest:

1. Reading the Prophets. David Ben-Gurion, visionary and leader of Modern Zionism, read the Bible, particularly the prophets. He held Bible studies weekly in his home. He taught the Bible, but he made this mistake: He interpreted the Bible through a Communist viewpoint, as a kind of a socialist work. However, he was right to encourage the reading of the prophets, and to not just read the Bible, but try to live it. I believe that because he took inspiration from the Scriptures about restoring the nation of Israel, God chose him to be the first Prime Minister of Israel.

2. Pre-government Preparation. During the time of the British Mandate, prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, Ben-Gurion also realized that one day we were going to have a government, but we weren't ready yet. We needed to build an organization that could function like a government so that we'd be ready to have a nation when the time came. He set up an organization called the "Histadrut," and it began to function like a government until it later became one.

I believe that is a prophetic word for the church. The Ekklesia is supposed to be two things, not just the people who have been gathered out of the nations to become the body of Christ, but the word Ekklesia also means the governing body or coalition. As believers, we are here not just to run the church but act as our own "Histadrut" or pre-government. We are being prepared now to run Yeshua's government when He returns.

That's why we believe in apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, in elders and deacons, and in the structure of the church, because we are in training. A government isn't run by one person, but by a whole group of people. That's what discipleship is all about; getting ready to run one of the positions of His government.

3. Military Preparation. Ben-Gurion also knew that when we declared the new State of Israel, within 24 hours every nation in the Middle East was going to attack us. We were not ready. We didn't have any weapons or soldiers. We didn't know how to fight. So he turned over all of his other functions, held a training seminar, and formed a military in a year and a half.

I believe this is a prophetic word coming out of the body of Messiah in Israel. We are heading towards the greatest war in the history of mankind. We are moving into a period where all the nations of the world are going to attack Israel, Christians, and do everything they can to stop the second coming of Yeshua. I'm not saying you have to start to learn to shoot, but we do need to learn to pray and to prophesy, to understand the Scriptures and declare the Word of God.

4. Confrontation of the Nations. Binyamin Netanyahu, our Prime Minister, goes to the United Nations and confronts them, unlike any other world leader I've seen. He tells the U.N. they are making decisions against the land and people of Israel, even though we have a mandate from God to be here. He quotes the Bible and he rebukes them for immorality and humanistic thinking, boldly confronting the nations of this world.

There is something about the nation of Israel and its very existence that is in confrontation with the U.N. I believe we are going to begin to confront the nations of the world with the truth of God. This is one aspect of Israel's calling, and now that the body of Messiah is connected to Israel, we have a prophetic message to give to the world.

5. Exposing Radical Islam. More than any other world leader today, Netanyahu understands that radical Islamic terrorism is the worst evil this world has ever seen, and we need to fight it. People are being murdered at an unprecedented rate and nobody is really fighting it other than Israel. There is an alignment coming out of the nation of Israel, and you have the choice either to succumb to radical Islam or to fight against it.

The church doesn't necessarily need to take up weapons. But it needs to be able to speak the truth and call it what it is: a murderous, Antichrist spirit. When you send people all over the world to murder everyone who disagrees with you, you are breaking the Ten Commandments. That cannot be the God of Israel and we need to actively oppose it. 

6. Establishment of the Throne of David. In Hebrew, there is no word for prime minister. Instead, he is the head of the government of Israel. Do you remember all the prophecies about Yeshua when He was born? He would sit on the throne of David and rule over the tribes of Jacob. When Yeshua comes back, He will sit on David's throne and rule the world from David's throne forever.

What is a throne? A throne is a chair. The prime minister has a chair that represents the government of Israel, the authority of David being restored in the land of Israel. Right now, Netanyahu as the prime minister of Israel sits in that chair. I'm not saying Netanyahu is the Messiah. I'm not even saying he's born again. But positionally, structurally, authoritatively he sits in the position of the throne of David.

We believe in a literal fulfillment of the prophecies of the kingdom of God coming on Earth. But until there was modern Israel and a government in Israel, how could you believe these prophecies? For 2,000 years much of the church did not really believe in the second coming, but instead in the second appearance. They believed that Yeshua is going to appear, come half way down, rapture away His bride, and then leave again! But the Bible says He comes back once—all the way back to the Mount of Olives! The fact that we have a nation here with a government, and its capital in Jerusalem, Yeshua can now is return and reign over the Earth from Jerusalem.

7. Physically Inheriting the Land. Lastly, one of the things that the head of the Israeli government does is to guarantee that we can live here and settle in the land: that we have the right establish homes, build farms, have an economy and raise our children. It is amazing how much this idea is hated by so many around the world.

Does the Bible say that when Yeshua comes back the saints will inherit the Earth (Matt. 5:5)? The way God promises that His kingdom will come to this Earth is through promising it to the Jewish people, in the land of Israel. If it doesn't happen here, it can't happen on the rest of the earth. However, the fact that Jewish people are living here is a sure sign that Yeshua is coming and we will inherit the Earth.

The majority of Christians have misbelieved for the last 2,000 years that we will live for eternity in heaven, leaving the Earth to the Antichrist, without a physical resurrection. That's all wrong teaching. But if the Jewish people never come back to the land of Israel, then that would probably be true. The covenant rights of the Jewish people to live in Israel guarantee the rights of Christians to inherit their own land and nation. 

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries, and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem, and Tiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff, and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. Together with his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, they have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew, and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

The Shared Hope of Reconciliation and Restoration in the End Times - ARIEL BLUMENTHAL/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

The Global Gathering in Munich, Germany, in 2015 (YouTube)

The Shared Hope of Reconciliation and Restoration in the End Times

 9/15/2016 ARIEL BLUMENTHAL/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

The Bible has a lot to say about the resurrection from the dead—both Yeshua's and ours—at the end of the age.

To bring the dead to life in full glory is something the whole creation is yearning for (Rom. 8:18-23). We will be raised in a resurrection body that is as different from this one as the fully mature wheat plant is so much more "glorious" than a simple grain of wheat.

This new, heavenly body is imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual. Yeshua Himself is the resurrection. He is God's "firstfruits of the harvest from the dead" (John 11:25; 1 Cor. 15:23-44).

What could possibly be compared to this incredible hope, this awesome power that is at the core of our faith? What would it mean to say that something is actually like the resurrection from the dead?

Actually, there is one place in Scripture where such a comparison is made, as it describes the restoration of gospel faith among the Jewish people.

Life From the Dead

In Romans 11:12 and 11:15, the apostle Paul essentially says the same thing two different ways. The majority rejection of Yeshua by the Jewish people in the first century is described as "transgression," "failure" and "rejection." But in the mystery of God's plan, because of His covenant faithfulness, even this terrible hardening and judgment of Israel results in amazing "riches" and "reconciliation" for the nations (Gentiles).

Then, as Paul looks into a prophetic time tunnel toward the end of the age, foreseeing the time of Israel's restoration and "acceptance," he declares that this can only signal a "how much more" period of riches and reconciliation for the world that is–in its awesome power and drama—akin to "life from the dead," a kind of resurrection!

Beloved, this is exactly what we have been experiencing. As Israel—the Jewish nation—has been gradually restored over the last 130 years, both physically and spiritually through the gospel of Yeshua, we have witnessed the greatest expansion of worldwide Christianity since the first century. Missions, church growth, Bible translations and various prayer movements have been expanding at an exponential rate. All of this is the how much more of verses 12 and 15.

We Live in an Amazing Time of Restoration

Over the last several years in the Gathering movement, we have been experiencing this special grace for "the reconciliation of the world." As Asher Intrater has written over the last two weeks (Part 1, Part 2), this has even come to touch very deep issues in the 4,000-year-old relational dynamics within the Abrahamic family in the Middle East. Last week, he and I and several others from Israel went to London to spend three days in worship, prayer and fellowship with many leaders, especially from Egypt. Our focus was not on reconciliation, but on coming together to worship the King. But as we did so, the Spirit moved powerfully, especially among the youth, to bring us to yet a deeper place of reconciliation, unity and a sense of shared destiny (Eph. 3:6).

Only a few years ago, if you had told me that we would have such meetings with so many Egyptian leaders, and that together the Holy Spirit would lead us into prophetically removing strongholds that have plagued our peoples and region for thousands of years, even from the time of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac, I would have said you were crazy! But it is happening!

We are living in this amazing time of the restoration (and reconciliation!) of all things spoken about by the holy prophets (Acts 3:21), like Isaiah's promise for Egypt, Assyria and Israel, as it begins to be fulfilled through a remnant from each nation (Is. 19:23-25).

All of this is a kind of "warm up" for the next Global Gathering that will take place in Jerusalem Nov. 7-11. We expect to see several thousand from the Far East, many hundreds from the Middle East, and many more from around the world as we gather at the Jerusalem Arena.

As in every gathering, our focus will be to joyfully worship Him in song, dance and proclamations. How exactly will the Holy Spirit lead? We don't know, but we are full of expectation, and we invite you to come and join. For more information about this next Gathering, click HERE! 

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

The Joint Destiny Arab Christians and Messianic Jews Share - ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

The ultimate destiny for Arab Christians and Messianic Jews is the same. (Flickr )

The Joint Destiny Arab Christians and Messianic Jews Share

 8/31/2016 ASHER INTRATER/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

In the 1980s, there were a series of meetings between Arab Christians and Messianic Jews to express our unity as believers in Yeshua. In the 1990s, after the First Intifada and Gulf War (1991), Arab Christians and Messianic Jews in Israel began to deal with some more difficult issues in the light of political crises.

By 1995 some of the Arab Christians began to express their identity as "Palestinians," including their opposition to Israeli policy. Some of that identification led to more sensitive communication on the part of the Messianic Jews toward the Arab Christians; yet at the same time, it brought some difficult polarization on political and prophetic issues.

Reconciliation Should Lead to Cooperation

In the early 2000s, after many years of reconciliation conferences, some of us began to search for a better approach. We asked the question, "What happens after reconciliation?" After all, we are already reconciled by our faith in Yeshua. We realized that the next stage after reconciliation is cooperation.

After much prayer, we discerned that the first area of cooperation should be Muslim evangelism. We sought to support Arab Christians who were involved in evangelism to Muslims (and were doing so at great risk to their lives). These include many unknown and secret evangelists. They are heroes in our eyes.

In recent years, we have been entering a new depth in our relationships. Jerusalem Pastor Bassam Adranly has become a key leader here in Israel. David Demian, Egyptian-born Canadian leader of the Global Gathering movement, spent much of the last decade traveling throughout Chinese world, gathering a large number of Chinese Christians to pray for reconciliation between the "sons of Isaac" and the "sons of Ishmael."

As David brought many Arab and Chinese Christians, so did Marcel Rebai, who has spent many years in the Messianic community in Israel, help gather both European and Arab leaders. He has uniquely been a link of reconciliation between all three communities. With this emphasis on reconciliation, along with the prophetic praise and worship style of the Global Gathering conferences, I believe that we are entering a new era for relationship, worship, dialogue and cooperation between Arab/Middle Eastern Christians and Messianic Jews.

During one of the meetings in preparation for the 822 Conference in Jerusalem in November 2014, our brother Majdi (Egyptian pastor based in Jerusalem) expressed with tears, humility and courage, his desire as an Arab Christian to be symbolically "married" as a bride to us Messianic Jews as the bridegroom figure.

Majdi's proclamation brought an opening in the Spirit. I came forward as a representative Jewish believer. We embraced and cried together. At that point we Jewish believers began to confess our sins in a deep way, recognizing our pride today, and all the way back to the rejection of Yeshua 2,000 years ago. At that moment, it was as if a spiritual bomb went off in the room. David screamed, fell on the floor, and began to intercede.

There was a spontaneous outburst of tears and intercession from everyone in the room: Arab, Jewish, Asian, European ...

At the main assembly at the 822 Conference and a year later at the Global Gathering in Munich, David called the Arab and Jewish believers to the stage. The group of Messianic leaders knelt down on the stage and expressed a similar measure of confession and repentance. David and Bassam then led the Arab Christians in a response of commitment and covenant toward the Jewish brothers. They publicly made a "Ruth" vow: that "your people would be my people" and "your God will be my God" (Ruth 1:16).

For the Arab Christians to make this commitment not only to Yeshua as the Messiah, but also to the Jewish people, as Ruth did, represents to me a significant shift in the body of Christ. It was a re-alignment of historic proportions, because it was linked to international Christians from Asia, Africa, Europe and America as well. We realized that the "Ruth Paradigm" was not to be a rare and exceptional calling for a minority of Christians, but the primary and normative position for the body of Christ.

We are looking forward to participating in the next Global Gathering here in Jerusalem on November 7-11. Ariel, Marcel, Mike Niebur and myself will be attending another pre-Gathering event in London from Aug. 29 - Sept. 1. We will be joined by about 40 Arab/Middle Eastern leaders, as well as some core representatives from the International Team, especially from Asia. Please keep us in prayer, and we invite you to come and take part in this move of God in our day.

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries, and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem, andTiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff, and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!

Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

Moral Compass by Mati Shoshani (Revive Israel)

By Mati Shoshani  REVIVE ISRAEL

Being a follower of Yeshua requires communicating our personal version of the message of salvation. In addition, our calling, both personally and collectively, is also to be a moral compass to society, by voicing our values, standards, and understanding of “right and wrong.”

Isaiah chapter 40 speaks of a need to prepare the way of the Lord, of changing the terrain to allow for his coming. The passage is quoted in Mark chapter 1 – as John the Baptist’s call for a moral revolution becomes the precursor to the appearance of Yeshua.

Yeshua himself was a man calling for a moral revolution. He often criticized the legalistic discussion of ritual commandments, yet emphasized the values and morals behind the words of the Torah. An example of this is found in Mark 10 where Yeshua sets a higher standard of morality as it relates to the covenant of marriage.

As an Israeli Messianic Jew, I ask: who’s deciding on our society’s morality and ethics? Is it us, the followers of Yeshua, or others? If we look at some of the most important questions to our society – godliness, financial integrity, ownership of the land, marital standards – it’s clear that we are not those setting the tone on these topics.

We are required to tell people what we believe, when an issue involving moral values comes across our path. This does not always require sharing the gospel, although it might in certain cases. It means that we clearly state that we believe that something is wrong, or right. It is as simple, and hard, as that.

The people of Israel are hungry for moral content, for a clear image and vision of the goals we need to aspire to as a society. We have that content, through the Bible, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit, and I believe it’s time we penetrate society with our message.

By Mati Shoshani | Tags: compass, ethics, morality, revolution, Torah | No Comments