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March 15, 2006 15 Adar, 5766 Dear Praying Friends,
Glory to God. Since we were last in touch with you, some dramatic things have taken place in our lives personally and regarding the ministry. In our last letter, I (arni) shared about a personal struggle and asked for prayer. We were so blessed by the number of responses and by the words of encouragement and support that came from friends all over the world. If you remember, I told of how, as a result of a childhood emotional wounding, I have continued to battle with a fear of abandonment even in the face of multiplied encounters, blessings, miracles, and words from our Heavenly Father. Within a week of sending out that letter, the Lord spoke something that has changed my life. Without a doubt the prayers of our many friends made the difference. We are so grateful to the Lord for each person that carries us on his heart. You are a gift from God.
It happened as I awoke on the Shabbat morning following our letter. The Spirit called my attention to a statement I had made thirty-seven years ago at the very beginning of my search for the truth about life. Back then, in the moment my eyes were opened to perceive the deep sickness of the world, I declared, “I want to make a difference. I want to do something that will bring healing and change to the world.” These words were woven into the very cornerstone of my spiritual life. Doesn’t it seem to be a noble desire? It did to me. The Lord has now given me another perspective. We can’t help but make a difference. Everyone makes a difference. It’s not something to try to do. There was no inner explosion in response to this revelation, but rather an understanding that one cannot try to be what he’s been made to be. There is no trying in being. The way to be is just to let go of trying to form the thing (oneself) that has been...is being…birthed by God. The man-centered humanistic world surrounding us perpetually seeks to conform us to some pre-existent human image, while God has conceived something that has never been. The only pattern we have is the life and character of Yeshua. Paul’s words in Romans 12:1-2 hit the mark:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The Spirit showed me that the well-intentioned words I spoke in 1969 had bound me to a life of trying to do what was already done. Though (to my knowledge) all my doctrinal understandings and confessions were in line with the Word, the words I spoke over myself had given me a “trick knee” of sorts that kept me falling from my sure position in the arms of my Father. Here is where this revelation connects to my fear of abandonment. As soon as we depart from the place of being children and get attached to anything beyond the revelation of the glory of God...when we forget that God is the builder and maker and we are just workmen called to simple obedience...as soon as our identity, self worth, acceptance or any like thing is connected with what we do or the outcome thereof...we take on a weight that is not ours to carry and step out of the fullness of His grace. As soon as I let go of my need to accomplish something in this temporal, passing-away world, I was set free. I am reminded of my beginnings when I was first saved. When people asked me what I wanted to be, I had one simple answer...”Like Yeshua.”
Beloved, our walk of faith is about stepping out without knowing where we are going. It’s about starting to build without knowing what the finished product will look like. It’s about saying a word without knowing the effect it will have. It’s about sowing out of obedience to the Spirit without needing to see the fruit. It is enough just to feel God’s pleasure. It’s about being as children. As we walk with God through this life, the ripples of our deeds and expressions will go further and wider than we could ever know or imagine.
Within minutes of renouncing my former words, I was out in the living room surrounded by “toys” (my musical instruments), playing joyfully without wondering what the result of my “playing” would be. I had not done that in years. The fear of abandonment is gone. Praise God!
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God is moving in this way with all of us at Emmaus Way. We are so blessed and grateful. When God gets to digging, things get to shaking. We’d like to ask your prayers for Michael, his wife Michal, and their two teenage daughters. Over the last few months, the Lord has had something like a 24/7 work crew assigned to them. You know how it is. It’s all good...it feels like an eternity...you know it will end...but when??? The issues being healed are deep and life-long. Please hold them up for strength to walk the full course laid out before them without growing weary. In addition to inner workings, they believe that the Lord is leading them to move to, or near to, our moshav around June/July. Please pray for the right place to open up at the right time.
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Next, we’d like to share with you about the three weeks we just spent in Germany. By the way, we figured out that in the past thirty months, all totaled, we were in Germany for six of them. This time we went to Munich/Augsburg, Dresden, and north of Nuremberg. We shared about God’s heart in congregational gatherings, meetings in homes, and a regional youth conference. We met with and ministered to teens, landed nobility, communities of worshipers, and leaders of Germany’s Jesus Freak church.
As we speak about Israel from the perspective of its place in the heart and plan of God, again and again we hear the same response: “This is a message I can hear. It’s not emotional or political. It’s about God more than Israel.” Many sincere brethren in Germany have been turned off by well-meaning expressions they perceive as fleshly emotions or a play on guilt rather than something based on the Word of God.
The youth conference had 140 participants aged 13 to 19 and a leadership team (of about 25) from 20 to 30 years old (with a few exceptions). Everything flowed together beautifully. God had freedom to move. We were deeply impressed by the seriousness of everyone involved. Towards the end of the conference, the Lord spoke a word to arni and one of the adult organizing leaders at the same instant with the exact same words. “The youth need to get in touch with their history.” He was referring to the Holocaust. What happened after that was awesome. The youth really reached out for the Lord and sat silently before Him, wrestling with the issue for hours, with many breaking through. Hose that didn’t break through in the moment were given the assurance that God was pleased with their desire and would speak to them in the coming days.
Germany is at a crucial juncture. Several voices spanning demographic lines attest to the fact that this fourth generation since the war is not in touch with the past. For some, it’s just not part of their consciousness. Others are open but don’t know how to relate to it. There are those that see it as a thing of the past having nothing to do with them and want to keep it that way. But to be disconnected from the past renders a person unable to lay hold of his God-ordained future. Furthermore, if the torch concerning Israel is not passed from the fathers and mothers, if the kids don’t get the burden of the Lord in this area, if the German church loses touch with the Holocaust and Israel, they will lose touch with God’s heart...again.
As we have said in the past, aside from our general burden for souls and specific burden for Israel’s salvation, our degree of investment in the body in Germany is fueled by our understanding that God’s strategic plan to reach the heart of Israel involves the people, and specifically the youth, of Germany. However, we need to add that apart from any purpose, God has given us a very deep love for our German brothers and sisters. So we will continue to write, to pray, to travel, and to labor to prepare a place in Israel to receive the many who will come. Please pray that a flood of love, grace, and tears would flow out of “The Fatherland” to soften the hard sabra soil in preparation for the coming of our Yeshua.
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The completion of construction of our guest apartments, studio/youth room, and Tabernacle appear to be on track for May 1st. This is really exciting. It is such a blessing to have in storage from the Center in Tel Aviv most of the furniture needed to outfit the new facility. We have all the beds, bedding, towels, living room and dining room furniture, and most of the appliances. We yet need to purchase one fridge; one stove top; one oven; three microwave ovens; stacking washer and dryer; some cutlery, cookware and kitchen utensils; three small vacuum cleaners; 120 square meters of acoustic carpet; one air-conditioning system; one air conditioner; light fixtures; window treatments; outdoor furniture; and landscaping. Most likely other things will come up but these are the main items. Our rough estimate to date, including moving expense, comes to about $15,000. Would you please pray about having a part in preparing this place for all God desires to do?
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When we had the facility in Tel Aviv, because it was a prayer house, we were exempt from having to pay city taxes on the space. Each year an official came by to check that the status was unchanged. Around the time we were leaving, the city decided that we were a teaching center and wanted us to pay two years back taxes, which amounts to a lot of money. According to our lawyer, there is nothing in our file to warrant or justify such a shift. On April 6th there will be a hearing on the matter. We are submitting several affidavits from people in the building and others that have come to the Center to attest to our activities. Even though they have no visible case, we’d like to ask for prayer that there would be a righteous decision. We also have the possibility to be repaid for our legal fees and time. We’d appreciate your prayers for this matter, knowing that the enemy will try to disturb and distract us any way he can and steal what belongs to God.
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We cannot close this letter without relating to the current situation in Israel. From where we sit, much is going on and nothing is changing. It occurred to us that the state of our Prime Minister is a picture of the state of our nation. You may know that the Attorney General has chosen to declare Ariel Sharon as being “temporarily incapacitated.” This is so that Ehud Olmert could remain acting PM. If he were to be deemed permanently incapacitated, the acting PM would have to come from the Likud party. We see this as a manipulative and openly dishonest political maneuver. However, we wonder that the Lord has allowed it to give us a message. We can easily throw around this idea without being in touch with how serious the situation is. Ariel Sharon is being kept alive by machines. Only a miracle would bring him back. And so it is with the nation. We are beyond being awakened by normal means. In His mercy God must bring a great shaking in the hope saving some. Please please pray for us, the body of Messiah in Israel. We need to break through into a new realm of being. The ancient wells must be opened. The voice of the prophets can no longer remain silent. May we arise as one Body to stand with true authority against the deep darkness. We are the Bride of the Lamb.
May God bless you from Zion!
Your servants… For the Glory of His Name, Arni and Yonit |