The Year Of Release

My wife Carole and I have been blessed and active members of Cary Church of God located at Cary, North Carolina for the past eleven years. Our church, who for over twenty years, has sent approximately 200 missionaries per year to Ecuador every summer. They have constructed numerous churches, dispensed free medicine, ministered in prisons and schools, shared the Gospel in neighborhoods and conducted large crusade meetings. These anointed outreach trips were initiated and led by Pastor Richard Dial who is now with the Billy Graham Association.

Under the leadership of our current Pastor, Patrick Jensen, Cary Church of God has declared the year 2016 "The Year Of Release." This declaration, approved by church members, is patterned after Deuteronomy 15:1-11. Part of the Cary Church of God Resolutions for 2016 state: "That As A Year Of Release, We Will Dedicate Our Financial Resources To The Nullification Of Our Own Debt" and "That As A Year Of Release, We Will Not Harden Our Hearts To The Cry Of The Poor And Those In Need."      

As a result, Cary Church of God is dedicated in 2016 to reducing and cancelling debts and then allocating these increased resources to helping the poor among us. They are also encouraging their membership to do the same.

Carole and I for many years have helped the poor in Israel through the Bridges for Peace Ministry. We will continue this outreach along with participating in the Cary Church of God's Year of Release Ministries. Already, our Lord God in the last month of 2015 has released us from an ongoing debt. As we approach a new calendar year, let me encourage all of you to pray about and consider participating in similar ministries as we serve The Lord with a grateful heart.

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

Frank

"Make Israel Envious"

Last week's message illustrated a critically important movement of God in Israel where Jewish people are recognizing and accepting Jesus as their Messiah. Testimonies are even being made available on Israel's second largest media outlet and responses have been extremely high. Additionally, an article today on the Israel Today web site was titled "Orthodox Rabbis bring Jesus home for Christmas," which is being referred to as a miracle. Praise The Lord!

What can we as Gentile Christians do or can we  be part of this movement? Yes, we can! Romans 11:11 says, "Salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious." Of course, this is not the only reason salvation is available to Gentiles, but it is one and it is important.

How has the Christian Church responded to this call for action from our Lord God? Not very well. In fact, Gentile believers in Jesus have done more to provoke the Jews to anger than to envy. All we have to do is study the Spanish Inquisitions, the Crusades, the Pogroms in Europe along with the Holocaust.

What is the primary cause of these actions by the Church? Probably, the primary reason is the teaching of Replacement Theology in the Church for the past two thousand years. This false Theology teaches that the Church has replaced Israel as God's people. The Apostle Paul clearly corrects this false Theology twice in Romans 11 - verse 1, "Did God reject His people? By no means" and verse 11, "Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all."

Possibly, you are thinking this is a heavy message for Christmas Eve, but let us think together for a moment. Christmas is a message of God's love in giving His Son to become our Savior. In similar manner, we can share God's love with the Jewish people and show them the respect and gratitude due them. This would be a worthy goal for all of us in the new year.  

Yes, all of this could "provoke them to jealousy" leading to salvations  in Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Hallelujah!

Christmas Blessings!

Frank
    

The Birth Of A Savior

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ The Lord." Luke 2:11.

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. 

What a wonderful and glorious time of the year as we are celebrating the most important birth in history of the Son Of God and Savior Of The World. It is crucial to remember that the existence of the Son of God did not start with His birth in Bethlehem. He is spoken of as The Son before He became a man in Isaiah 9:6. Micah 5:2 also states that His "Goings forth has been from of old, from everlasting." John states that, "He was in the beginning with God," John 1:2.

There are more than three hundred separate predictions about the Messiah in the pages of the Old Testament and when pieced together like a puzzle it is apparent that Jesus is The Messiah. Yet, the vast majority of God's original Covenant people do not recognize Jesus as their Messiah. Why? Romans 11:8 states, "God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day." However, this is a temporary situation and is starting to change through a mighty movement of God. 

The second largest internet hook-up in Israel is publishing Hebrew testimonies about Jesus on their front page each day. Reports indicate that 95% of Israelis log onto the internet each day. Walla, Israel's media giant, is producing twenty four interviews with Jews who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah. A well known actress is conducting the interviews. Reports show that visitors to the web site and their comments have been enormous. For more information, check the following Hebrew web sites. www.igod.co.il and www.messiah.co.il Please remember to pray for this important movement of God in Israel.

My Prayer For You . . . Have An  Anointed And Blessed Christmas! 

Frank

    

Supporting Israel

Christians United For Israel (CUFI) is a ministry that has supported Israel since 2006 and has 2.5 million members. CUFI was founded by Pastor John Hagee and is probably the most pro-Israel organization in the world. 

CUFI proclaims, "The Jewish people have a right to live in their ancient land of Israel and that the modern State of Israel is the fulfillment of this historic right." CUFI also states, "They will stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel and will speak out on their behalf whenever and wherever necessary until attacks on their people stop."

Pastor Victor Styrsky, speaking on behalf of CUFI, shared last month at the Holocaust Remembrance Day gathering in Jerusalem. During his speech in which he was moved to tears, he compared modern day Christians who participate in the movement to boycott Israeli goods with World War II European Christians who remained silent during the Holocaust. In contrast, Christians today who join CUFI or Bridges For Peace, that was mentioned in last weeks message, are doing their part to help build Israel's future together with the Jewish people.

Hanukkah began at sundown last Sunday night and is referred to as the "Festival of Lights." It is a story of God's people overcoming in the face of overwhelming adversity. Our Lord God provided light in the absence of light so His people could overcome their enemies.

There is a theme biblical verse, Psalm 36:9, for the celebration of Hanukkah, "In your light we see light."  This verse has the basic meaning to say that every little light penetrates the darkness. We can and should let God's light shine through us at all times. 

Happy Hanukkah!     

Frank

"Aliyah"

This calendar year, especially Jews and Christians alike, have been looking for signs from God concerning the end of times as we know it. Included has been the end of a Schmitah Year and a start of a Jubilee Year. The last two years have also included a cycle of Blood Red Moons and Solar Eclipses.

Probably the greatest sign of the Biblical Age in which we live is the return of the Jewish people to their homeland Israel. This actually has been happening for many years but is accelerating and increasing each year. This return of the Jews to Israel is commonly referred to as Making Aliyah. In The Word of God there are over 700 Scriptures predicting this event. Additionally, Romans 11:26 says, "All of Israel will be saved" with the understanding this will occur upon the return of the Jews to their homeland.

Bridges For Peace is a ministry with two main goals - Assist the Jewish people throughout the world helping them to return to their homeland and helping them get settled and acclimated upon their return. They are currently very concerned about the following situations:

Ukraine - This is a war zone! The Jewish people need housing and food while they wait to get permission to leave, this is not an easy task. The Jewish communities in the Ukraine are also constantly threatened.

France and Western Europe - Almost every Jewish family is planning to leave as anti-semitic attacks are increasing. The atmosphere is similar to the mid 1930's which was a time of intense Jewish persecution.

I watched the movie Fiddler On The Roof again this week. The story revolves around a poor Jewish farming family living in a small Jewish community in Russia. It centers around a Jewish father attempting to "arrange" for the marriage of three daughters and it is quite humorous. However, suddenly Russian officials appear to confiscate their house and land. Is this about to happen again in Europe and Russia?

Jewish families throughout the world need our prayers for protection and also that The Lord will make a way for them to return to Israel. Bridges For Peace needs our prayers and financial support as they are a key part in this process. I have personally financially supported them for 25 years. Bridges For Peace can be reached at bridgesforpeace.com.

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

Frank