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Because the vision of JCFI is to raise a greater awareness of Israel in the churches of Johnson County, we want to connect you to some of our friends who work to bless Israel.
This month I have an
update
for you from
Chaim & Ruti Singerman with the Jerusalem Hills B & B !
Good News About the Spread of the Good News!
(Another Story of Salvation)
Two weeks ago I got a call from a Jewish new believer in Yeshua who had been given our name by a friend. They know very few believers and are hungry for fellowship, so they decided to come stay at our B&B next week in order to have some fellowship with us. Their testimony was precious:
A friend gave them a New Testament and they started to read it. After a few days, they realized what it was. (The Christian Book which Jews are not allowed to read.)
"Oh no, this is the book which was always forbidden for us to read. Jews can't read this! It is wrong," the husband said.
"But what is wrong about it?" asked the wife in all honesty.
"I don't know, but IT IS WRONG. We have always been taught it is wrong," replied the husband.
"I know, but what is wrong about it?" she queried again.
They agreed they were taught it was wrong, but also that they didn't find anything wrong in what they read. So they kept reading. Still they found nothing wrong with it. Finally, they decided it was true, and chose to follow it. The husband is now baptized and the wife believes, but having come from a very traditional Jewish religious background, she was not yet ready to get baptized. I recommended they go to a powerful worship conference which we had attended the night before. They went and were so touched by the powerful presence of God, and happy to be with so many believers. After that the wife decided that she was ready to be baptized. I think it will be very soon.
The next day, the husband shared that he has an Ultra Orthodox friend who secretly believes in Yeshua. He asked if it would be alright if the friend could also call us. We agreed and the next day "Tom" called. "Tom" speaks mostly Hebrew, so my son helped me talk to him. My son prayed with "Tom" on the phone and encouraged him to believe for the salvation of his wife and 4 children. As we prayed with him the presence of God came more and more strongly. "Tom" was trying rather unsuccessfully to say something when he paused and said, "Sorry I am stammering around so much. I just so rarely get to talk to believers. It's so amazing to talk and pray with you." My son encouraged him more. Then "Tom" said, "I have already dedicated my life to Yeshua, but I feel like I want to do it again." He asked for help, so I lead him in a prayer, translated by my son and prayed by "Tom." It was such a powerful phone call.
We invited him to come to our congregation. But he is afraid to meet with believers in Jerusalem where he might be seen by other Ultra Orthodox Jews. I told him, we worship every day as a family and that he was welcome to join us at our home. However the idea of being out here at 7:30 am was a bit overwhelming. Religious Jews are supported by the government and do not work. Thus getting up early can be quite a challenge. However, the next day "Tom" called at 7:22 am. "Can I join you for worship by phone?" And so he joined us. We worshipped in Hebrew and some English, which my son translated for "Tom."
Thank you for your prayers for them. There are many difficulties for a religious Jew who decides to follow Yeshua - being cut off from everyone they know, pressure to renounce Yeshua, lack of financial means to support themselves, and many other challenges . They are hungry for God and young in their faith.
Pray for the Singermans and the B & B (www.jerusalemhillsinn.com) !
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Jewish Man Saved from Nazis Repays "Debt" by Rescuing Christians from ISIS
George Weidenfeld was 18 when Christian groups saved the Jewish teen from the clutches of the Nazis. Today, the 95-year-old is "repaying his debts" by rescuing some 2,000 Middle Eastern Christian families from ISIS militants.
Five years shy of his 100th birthday, Lord Weidenfeld can look back on a distinguished life. A current member of the British House of Lords, he enjoyed a hugely successful publishing career and is still a sought-after columnist for Britain's leading papers.
Yet things could have been different. Born in Europe as the clouds of impending doom gathered on the horizon, a young Lord Weidenfeld escaped Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938 on the Kindertransport-a rescue effort that saved tens of thousands of predominantly Jewish children from almost certain death at the hands of the Nazis.
Lord Weidenfeld never forgot the Christian groups who helped organize and fund the Kindertransport. Moreover, Christians also stood ready to shelter and care
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Jewish children arriving in London on Kindertransport
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for the destitute teen upon his arrival in Great Britain.
Seventy-seven years later, he has found a way to show his gratitude and save others in kind. Through the Weidenfeld Safe Havens Fund, Lord
Weidenfeld is funding a rescue mission to save up to 2,000 Christian families in Iraq and Syria from the clutches of ISIS. Called Operation Safe Havens, the first phase of the mission was launched last Friday, when 150 persecuted Syrian Christians arrived in Poland on a privately-chartered plane.
"I had a debt to repay. It applies to so many young people who were on the Kindertransport," he told The Times in an interview. "It was a very high-minded operation and we Jews should also be thankful and do something for the endangered Christians."
Weidenfeld explained that the mission's primary goal is to offer Middle Eastern Christians a safe haven from the atrocities of radical Islam. "ISIS is unprecedented in its primitive savagery compared with the more sophisticated Nazis," he said. "When it comes to pure lust for horror and sadism, they are unprecedented."
Despite Operation Safe Haven's noble aspirations, the mission this week faced criticism for its focus on Middle Eastern Christians, while excluding Muslims who are persecuted by ISIS. Lord Weidenfeld was, however, quick to respond. "I can't save the world, but there is a very specific possibility on the Christian side. Let others do what they like for the Muslims."
Thousands of Middle Eastern Christians have already been murdered as radical Islamic groups sweep the region. Hundreds of thousands more have fled Iraq and Syria as extremists demand they either convert to Islam, pay an exorbitant rate of tax or face execution.
Although Lord Weidenfeld provides the bulk of the funding for Operation Safe Haven, various other Jewish philanthropists have also donated money for the rescue mission.
by Ilse Posselt
And, PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM !
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Bridge of Hope Update...
We Are Growing !
One way JCFI raises awareness of Israel's role today is through building a Bridge of Hope (BOH). A Bridge of Hope is a "bridge" built between a Church or organization of Johnson County and a Congregation, Home Group, Faith-Based Organization, or Individual within Israel. At JCFI we currently have 22 Congregational BOH's and 5 Organizational BOHs that are up-and-running with
MANY in the process. The BOH project is blessing people both in Israel and here in Johnson County as it provides connection through fellowship, prayer support, educational exchange, and more. (Click
HERE
for more info)
We would love to hook you up! I am Skyping almost weekly with those in the Land who are eager to link up in a "sister" relationship with a congregation or organization in Johnson County. Be in prayer for us as we establish new connections with ministries in Israel that desperately need our support and prayer.
If your church would like to know more about becoming a BOH to a congregation in Israel, click HERE or contact me by phone at 817-556-1061 / by email at [email protected].
Let's build a Bridge together as we stand For Israel!
(Eitan Shishkoff leads Tents of Mercy congregation in Israel. Tents of Mercy is a BOH partner with Pastor Jerry Cox and Crossroads Church of Cleburne. I hope you are inspired by these thoughts from Eitan
)
Beloved Intercessors,
The daily news is no place to go for encouragement or hope. Reports of mass murder, beheadings, nations going bankrupt, anti-Semitic assassinations, same sex marriage being endorsed by the U.S. Supreme Court-these are only a few of the appalling events of our day.
How shall we then live?
This question, posed by Peter (2 Peter 3:10-13), remains central and brings us back to our senses. True, the world is getting darker and appears to be coming to an end as we know it. So? What is our alternative to sighing, crying, complaining, and escaping?
During a recent 25 day, 4 nation journey, I was drawn to Moses' commissioning of the twelve spies. Re-reading the account the parallel with our times drew me in. Here was a generation with an historic calling, seemingly insurmountable obstacles to obtain it, and two courageous men who saw the situation through the eyes of faith.
Ours, too, is a generation called to greatness. The rise of an indigenous Jewish movement for Yeshua in Israel signals the soon return of the Messiah (see Matthew 23:39). The prophets foretold this development, linking it to the physical return to the land (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Hosea 3:4,5). The obstacles facing us are well documented. The question is, will we respond as Caleb and Joshua, who focused on the glorious inheritance before them (while not denying the severe problems) or will we be like the ten spies who complained bitterly, resenting their place in His-story?
The words of Joshua and Caleb ring in my spirit. "If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land..." (Numbers 14:8-9). They prioritized for their personal, intimate relationship with God and refused the intimidation of the circumstances they faced. Of Caleb, the Lord said "because he has a different spirit in him and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it" (Numbers 14:24).
I want to be like Caleb. One translation of his name means "like the heart (of God)." What a description! God is not freaked out by current events. He has seen them coming. What He's looking for are the Calebs and Joshuas.
We have basically only two alternatives. One is the reaction of the dismayed spies. They moaned, groaned, and longed for the past. They saw the promised land but were overwhelmed by the anticipated horrors before them. By the way, the never received the milk and honey inheritance they'd been offered.
The other choice is to stand up in the face of evil's tsunami. Isaiah foresaw this when he said "darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Isaiah 60:2,3). It may sound like a cliché, but the unchangeable word of God describes the times we are entering as momentous, glorious, and victorious.
We MUST continue to encourage each other (Hebrews 10:25) as the day of His coming approaches. We know that everything that can be shaken will be shaken (Hebrews 12:26,27). Yet the very next verse gives us the answer to "how shall we then live?" "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and (godly) fear."
Thank you for standing with us, as we desire to stand with you, trusting in His mercies and His purposes.
In loving friendship,
Eitan
Until we are all ONE! (Eph.2:15) !
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The cell phone was developed in Israel by Motorola, which has its largest development center in Israel.
Israel is the world's largest wholesale diamond center; most cut & polished diamonds in the world come from Israel.
Israeli bank notes have braille on them so the blind can identify them.
Hebrew is the only case of a dead national language being revived in all of world history.
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Recom
 mended Reading
This month JCFI encourages you to get a copy of:
by Sandra Teplinksy
by Spangler & Tverberg
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As we work to build a greater awareness of Israel in Johnson County and continue to connect to Believers and Jews in the Land,
we are often ask, "What does that word mean?". So, each month at JCFI we will ad to a glossary of terms to help broaden our Hebrew vocabulary. Please, enjoy this Hebrew Help and
contact us
with any definitions you think we should ad.
This month's Hebrew Help definition is:
Shaliach (shah-LEE-akh)
A person sent with authority to carry out a mission. This person represents and speaks for the one who commissioned him. Other names include apostle, delegate, envoy, emissary, ambassador, and messenger. Plural shlichim ((Matt.10:2 / Mark 6:30 / Luke 22:14)
Previous Month's Definition
Shaalu (shaw-al-loo)
Hebrew word for "pray"; to ask, inquire, to request, to find out
Click HERE
t
o see the entire Hebrew Help Glossary!
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HOW CAN I STAND FOR ISRAEL?
Since the Banquet, many have ask me, "What can I do for Israel?" While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, here are a few suggestions I hope you find useful:
1. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psa.122:6)
"For Zion's Sake I Will Not Be Silent" by Rebecca Brimmer is an excellent guide on
prayer for Israel. Click HERE for more info.
2. Learn more about Israel-related ministries
There are wonderful Israel-related ministries doing a great work to support Israel. Click HERE to learn more about a few of them.
3. Learn more about the Hebraic Roots to Christianity
The Bible often takes on deeper meaning in the context of its Hebraic Roots. The
Ancient Hebrew Scroll project at the CHF is a testimony to this fact. There are
numerous writings about Hebraic Roots. A good place to start is the book by
D. Thomas Lancaster entitled Grafted In.
4. Take a trip to Israel I've been blessed to travel to Israel many times. It has
changed my life. I baptized my daughter, Lauren, in the Sea of Galilee during my trip
there in 2011. She had accepted Jesus as her Savior 3 days before we left. This
should be at the top of any bucket list!
5. Be an Israel contact person for your church
The vision at JCFI is to increase the awareness of Israel within the churches of
Johnson County. Maybe you could support your pastor by volunteering to be the
church's Israel contact person for JCFI.
6. Build a Bridge of Hope
Speak with your Pastor / Church Leaders about building a BOH. Feel free to
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