Very soon we will enter the week of passover observance. And so it was on the eve of the cross Jesus gathered with His disciples in the upper room to observe passover; a traditional feast they had each participated in countless times. It was a recognition of God’s covenant with His people. They would break bread and take the cup to remember the miraculous salvation of the Hebrews from the angel of death and thus the oppression of Pharaoh.

It was a covenant that would soon be updated! For it would, in just a brief moment, be eclipsed by the a bold pronouncement from Christ Himself: “This is MY BODY…this is MY BLOOD”! The new covenant was now replacing the old.

Sin once forgiven for a moment, now forgotten for eternity through the Lamb – our sin debt paid in full.
Now the Angel of Death would pass over us. The red crimson blood was placed on our forehead, upon our heart and the sting of death banished from all who find shelter in the shadow of His mercy.
Next week Passover begins. Our Jewish brothers and sisters will gather to reflect on the faithfulness of Yaweh to deliver His people.

For it is through the line of David that we as gentiles find our salvation.
And because of this they’ve become the most persecuted people since the call of Abraham and the birth of a new nation. Today I can’t help but be drawn to the plight of Israel. I sense God’s longing to bring them home to Himself. I sense time is fleeting and we must be praying for the salvation of Israel.
Have you ever noticed how so much political unrest and deep hatred centers around Israel?  She is a democratic nation surrounded by enemies on all sides.  Yet, even so, she continues to thrive and prosper.  We would be wise to remember God’s covenant with His people, for it has no expiration date.  We are commanded to pray for Israel (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. – Psalm 122:6).

The symbolism is profound and has deep meaning. Don’t miss it! God leaves nothing to chance.
Jesus was the Messiah who fulfilled every prophecy and now stands as the Lion of Judah!
He has come to save His covenant people and we have the enormous benefit of being the orphaned child, adopted, upgraded and placed at the same table with His chosen.
Thank you Jesus!

In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s as war was breaking out in Europe, there were many American’s who desired to remain neutral.  Although concerned for the suffering of our allies, World War One had caused the bulk of our country to become weary of war.  Within the country we were still in recovery from the Great Depression.  We certainly had our own problems without taking on another overseas conflict.  We would watch from a far with concern.  We would help Great Britain by FDR’s Lend Lease program.  But that’s it…let’s not get involved.

Isolationism.  That was our mindset.  What happens over there, as concerning as it may be, will not effect us over here.  Not until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor did that change.  And boy did it change!  The rest is history…

Recently I’ve been troubled by the Western Church’s isolationism toward Israel.  What happens over there, even though we are concerned, certainly won’t effect us over here.  Right?

I believe we are seeing a gradual shift in politics and world sentiment that will set up prophetic events…potentially in our lifetime. 

As the world becomes more and more anti-Israel, we will begin to see obvious signs of God’s supernatural intervention and protection of His covenant people.  So what do we do?

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.  Psalm 122:6-9

As you watch the news…as you see the rockets firing…as you hear & see the hatred – pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  If it were not for God’s covenant people, we as gentiles would not know salvation – for salvation flows through her veins to us.  Remember what Jesus said in John 4:22 – “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews”.  Not FOR the Jews but FROM – “springs” from or “through”.

So…where is the Church?  Why is she silent?

This past spring, my son and I visited Haiti for the first time.  Jake is 14 years old and I knew this would be a powerful moment in his spiritual growth.  One day our team visited a village surrounding a Voodoo temple.  As we walked into the village I quickly felt oppression in my spirit and could see it in the eyes of the people.  Although we were not there long, Jake picked up on it.  He become very disturbed, pleaded with me to leave…NOW!  Once we got back on the bus we had a great teachable moment.

I shared with him as I do with you now: evil rarely shows it’s hand.  It has the ability to cloak itself and most often can only be discerned through the Spirit.

It disguises itself in robes of light and takes on the look of righteousness.  And that is the darkest, ugliest and most disturbing of all.  For it’s true purpose is to attack the church and tear her apart from within – limb by limb.  This evil turns us against one another through gossip, backbiting, slander, and all around grumbling and fighting in the church.  All the while causing us to forget WHO we are and WHAT we are called to be.

As God’s prophetic timetable ticks towards midnight – the church is fighting, bickering or just too self consumed to notice.  And evil, the same we openly felt in the voodoo temple, now concealed – lulls the sleeping giant into an isolationism of our own making.  That same evil that longs to destroy God’s covenant people of Israel has it’s eye on the Church.

Brother’s and Sisters, it’s time we wake up and start acting like the Body of Christ…the one for which our Lord gave His life.

So I encourage you to be aware and keep your eyes open to what our Hebrew brothers and sisters are enduring – and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Let’s not be isolationists – but help carry this burden and fulfill our scriptural command.  Talk about it in your families and be aware that the prophetic time table is ticking…faster and faster every day, month and year.  Be aware that we may see God’s hand in this lifetime. Then – turn your heart towards Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith!  All these things must be fulfilled – and then you will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.

Even so – come quickly Lord Jesus!