A Prodigal Son Story Analogy

Part of this week's message is taken from an editorial on the Israel Today Website that reviewed the Parable Of The Prodigal Son and then applied it to the relationship between Jews and Christians - very thought provoking.

In this parable of Luke 15, the older brother is not very happy with his father as he warmly welcomes home his rebellious younger son with a homecoming celebration. The older brother pointedly shows his father he had served him faithfully his whole life and had never received from his father such a celebration.

How does all this apply to events of today? Could we form the analogy of the older brother representing the Jewish people and Jesus in the parable illustrating how they would react when our Lord God brought in the Gentiles to the family? The Jewish people follow God's commandments believing they lead to righteousness while Gentiles claim to be forgiven and righteous by faith in Jesus.

However, our Lord God has intervened and miracles have happened and are happening in the relationships between Jews and Gentiles. Jews and Christians are learning to trust one another realizing they are serving and worshiping the same God and are mutually working towards the restoration and protection of Israel who has realized Christians are their best friends. Our Lord God is about to have a glorious celebration for both believing Jews and Gentiles at the Marriage Supper Of The Lamb. Revelation 19:7-10. Praise The Lord!

"How Good And How Pleasant It Is For Brothers To Dwell Together In Unity." Psalm 133:1 

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank 

  

The Lord Of Israel

Jewish people in Israel today are regularly talking about the imminent arrival of the Messiah. Our Lord God seems to have hidden His face from the Jewish people for a time, but now He is making Himself known for the sake of His name. He also promised a great restoration for His people and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through them.

What are the signs that the Jewish people are pointing to? What prophecies have been fulfilled during our life time? The following are four prophecies that have been fulfilled right before our eyes . . .

Israel Being Made A Nation In One Day

"Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day?" Isaiah 66:8

Yes, Israel was born in one day on May 14, 1948.

Winning Wars Against Huge Odds

"But thus says The Lord: 'Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.'" Isiah 49:25.

In all of its major wars since its founding, Israel has faced overwhelming odds and has been victorious each time.

The Jewish People Returning To Their Land From All Over The World

"For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land." Ezekiel 36:24

Since 1948, a total of 3.6 million people have made Aliyah or moved back to Israel from 90 countries.

The Ruin Cities Being Rebuilt And The Fruitfulness Returning To The Land

"But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel." Ezekiel 36:8. 

Approximately 240 million trees have been planted in Israel since 1948. Today Israel produces 95% of its own food requirements.

Our Lord God said that first He would regather the Jewish people to their land and then He would restore them spiritually. This appears to be happening in these days and times in which we live. "However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual." 1Corinthians 15:46

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank 

Repentance

Pastors all over the United States are calling for repentance in light of the recent decision by the Supreme Court changing the Biblical definition of marriage. Additionally, many church leaders and members are looking forward to September when the fourth blood red moon occurs on the Feast of Tabernacles and the seventh year of the Shmitah ends. All of this is resulting in many believing a time of Godly judgement is about to happen. The prophet Joel prophesied of signs in the heavens, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of The Lord." Joel 2:31

As an Elder in our former church in Charlotte, North Carolina we were taught before we prayed for a church member to ask them if they needed to repent of any sin. Additionally, church services started with all attendees kneeling in a short time of repentance and then it was time to worship The Lord.

In this regard, we can learn much from the Jewish people who are entering the time of Elul. This period of time on their calendar is marked by much heart searching and repentance. During Elul there are forty days of repentance leading up to Yom Kippur (Day of Antonement) which starts this week. These forty days are a time of repentance between man and God and between one another. Elul is also the time historically when Moses spent his second forty days on the mountain praying for God's compassion and forgiveness after the sin of the people with the golden calf. Moses was successful in his appeal for forgiveness.

Let us all follow the example of Moses and the Jewish people and spend the next forty days in a time of earnest prayer and repentance. "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank 

   

Doing What We Can

In these days and times in which we live, if we are not prayed up and are not functioning close to our Lord and His direction for our lives, we can easily become discouraged. We might think, what can I do, I am just one person. As a word of encouragement for all of us, our message this week will show examples of people individually and corporately who are as the title says, "Doing What We Can."

The horrendous civil war in Syria has claimed 230 thousand lives. However, Lord George Weidenfeld, a Jewish man 95 years young, who is an honorary vice president of the World Jewish Congress, is determined to save Christian lives in Syria. Christians in Syria are very endangered, four years ago numbered 1.1 million but now 700 thousand have fled Syria. Lord Weidenfeld has a goal of rescuing 2,000 Christian families. For him, it is personal. In 1938 as a teenager he was taken from Vienna to London where the Plymouth Brethren took him in and provided for him. He is trying to return the kindness!

We have all heard of the devastating earthquake in Nepal. Shortly after the disaster, the Israeli Defense Forces sent a 747 jet plane carrying medical personnel, medical equipment and search and rescue teams to the area. The medical personnel set up a field hospital to provide emergency and ongoing medical treatment to the wounded. They were able to treat 1,500 patients, perform 85 operations and deliver 8 babies.  

On a lighter side, when David Barashi heard about the earthquake, he filled a suitcase with wigs, face paint and a red clown's nose and boarded a plane for Nepal. Barashi went to Nepal to bring some joy to children and adults injured in the natural disaster. He was accompanied by Yaron Goshen and three other clowns. Asked how do Israeli clowns cope with the stark reality of an earthquake, Barashi says, "We make each other laugh." 

Yes, each of us can Make A Difference. In fact, we are expected to function in this manner. Jesus, when asked by a Pharisee what is the greatest commandment, responded, "You shall love The Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37,38.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank