The LORD is making it clear to us that even as we learn to love Israel just as He loves her, He exhorts us not to forget Ishmael. Ishmael, even in Muslim tradition, is the father of the Arabs and ancestor of Mohammed. What we too often overlook is that God four times says that Ishmael is blessed. His name means “God hears.” God still hears Ishmael crying in the wilderness and longs to reconcile with him and bring him back into the camp.
We in the United States were reminded of life’s fragility this week. The explosions in Boston and outside Waco literally blew people down like grass. Lives dried and faded like flowers. Let us look toward eternity, when the true King will finally be revealed to all and will rule in power, truth, justice and compassion.
After his resurrection, Jesus met two men on the road to Emmaus, and he expected them to already understand through the Scriptures that Christ was meant to suffer and die. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” We would all have loved to be there on the road to Emmaus that day, walking with the resurrected Jesus himself as he detailed the different prophecies that concerned his death and resurrection. Still, the New Testament writers do a good job of filling us in.
Pastor Ali grew up Muslim but not religious. Once married and with children, he found that he was in a cycle of alcoholism and rage. He beat his wife every day, he says. He was ashamed but couldn’t help himself.Eventually his friends advised him to go seek Allah’s help by going on hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca.
Here is the next generation of worshipers and intercessors willing to press into God for His will to be done in the Middle East. These are young men and women willing to share in one another’s culture. Jews dancing to Arabic music. Arabs singing in Hebrew.
Last weekend was the annual Elav youth conference in Tel Aviv. Thank you to those who prayed for the conference and for me. The LORD moved mightily among the young people in attendance. These young Israeli and Palestinian believers were open to the Spirit in a new way, at least from my experience at the two previous conferences.
Tass joined the Palestinian Liberation Organization at 17 because Yasser Arafat was his hero. Tass was trained as a sniper. His job was to take out Israeli unit commanders.
The sun has gone down in Jerusalem and so begins the middle of the LORD’s Feasts, which goes by the name Shavuot. As Christians we often refer to this as the Feast of Pentecost. During my study time, I was impressed with some of the potential applications that could fall within the realm of this unique feast.
On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Ashur. Ashur will come to Egypt and Egypt to Ashur, and Egypt will worship with Ashur.
On that day Isra’el will be a third partner with Egypt and Ashur, a blessing here on earth; for Adonai-Tzva’ot has blessed him: “Blessed be Egypt my people, Ashur the work of my hands and Isra’el my heritage.” — Isaiah 19
This year on May 27, the House of Prayer & Exploits in Nazareth is hosting their annual Global Day of Prayer gathering. This is a prayer gathering — on Pentecost — where Arab and Jewish believers in Yeshua as the Messiah and King of Israel gather to worship and pray together. 