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April 12, 2005 3 Nisan, 5765
Dear Praying Friends and Tent Pegs*,
As Yonit was deciding to refuse conventional medical treatments that bring sure destruction to healthy parts of the body in the hope that the cancer would also be affected, the rock on which we came to rest was found in being obedient to the way we believed God to be leading us, and not in the hope of physical healing. We needed to be able to stand in the face of whatever might come without second thoughts about our choices. We see this as true as well concerning the fate of Emmaus Way.
We are very grateful to the Lord and thank you so much for all the prayer and support we have received over these last days. Though the storm is like none other any of us have ever walked through, the peace of the Lord remains tangible in our midst. It is a miracle of grace that we are all standing upright. This moment of uncertainty requires extraordinary discipline to look neither backwards nor forwards. We ask your prayers for all the members of the team. Our sense is that the present process of purification is getting close to completion. (How’s that for wishful thinking?) God have mercy. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
The combination of the cost, size, and nature of the facility add up to a burden too great to humanly bear. However, as of yet, we have neither heard word from the Lord nor received new directions or instructions indicating that we are to make any basic changes in the operation of the Worship Center. For a moment, in all honesty, the thought of relocating to a simpler set-up held some attraction. But within a day the Spirit of the Lord strongly impressed upon us in no uncertain terms to not let go of what God had called into being.
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We have just presented a proposal to the Board of Esther House involving staff salary reduction and moving our offices to smaller, less costly quarters. If also favored with a rent reduction, it could reduce our costs by around 20%. As much as this is, a 20% savings is worthless if the other 80% is not there. Thus far we have received a number of dear and generous contributions, but nothing yet that tips the scales. We continue to be drawn to the principles expressed in the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the widow giving her mite. God multiplies living seeds sown in the obedience of faith. No heartfelt prayer is without impact and no gift is too small to make a difference. Having said that, we ask you to stand with us in prayer that a benefactor would come forth. When Israel was established as a State, it was funded largely through the generous giving of Jewish philanthropists around the world. The size of the response to the need for funds to support the Center, from the subscribers to this letter and our postal mail, leads us to believe that some such endowment may well be part of God’s plan for us.
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As is not surprising in the midst of such a fire, the anointing at the Center and on the call to the Lord’s heart seems to have increased. A group of thirty or so seasoned intercessors from the nations came by last week, fired up and ready to go. Their leaders thought to spend a season praying for various needs in the Land. Time in the Tabernacle did not seem to be where they were headed. As I (arni) began sharing with them about ministering to God, within minutes tears began to flow. The Presence of the Lord rested heavily upon us and the Spirit of the Lord drew them to their faces in worship and communion for the next hour or so. It is always amazing to behold what happens in this set-apart place. People are infused with a revelation of the cry of God’s heart, “Could you not watch with Me for an hour?”
The other day the Spirit impressed me to not think of the Worship Center as a “Tabernacle of David,” but that first and foremost it is an alabaster box, broken and poured out. We believe this is a crucial part of the revelation God is giving His Body in this hour. Many in Israel and the nations are catching the vision of continuous praise. But as far as we can gather, that which exists in Tel Aviv, a dedicated place wasted on Yeshua (with nothing horizontal ever going on in the room) may be unique in the entire world. We think it would be a pity and a loss if this alabaster box needed to be sold for some other purpose. He is worthy that such a waste would be poured out at His feet. Please stand with us for the continuation of this precious offering to the Lord.
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The Lord has spoken to our hearts and confirmed through various sources that we (arni and yonit) are to take the message and call entrusted to us out to the Nations. The Lord has impressed us with five elements that need to be in place in order for the Presence of the Lord to find entrance and be able to remain. They can be seen as sections of a pipeline connecting God’s heart and provision with His Body on the earth. If any are out of sync, the “water” will not reach its destination. The first is about first love and ministering to the heart of God. This needs to be both the highest and foundational motivation for all we do. The second centers around the inability of the Body/church to deal with the last-days spiritual battle with the form and function it has known (in the West at least) to this day. Unless the wineskin is changed, the new wine cannot be poured out. God must be set free to be how He is. He does not want to be required to always let us know beforehand what He plans to do at our gatherings. The third is about worship as being the highest level of warfare. As we focus on God rather than the enemy, it is His light that comes against the darkness. Next is being rightly aligned with His heart and strategic placement concerning Israel. If we do not understand, acknowledge or receive His protocol regarding this chosen people, at best, we cannot come into the fullness of the apostolic and prophetic anointing, and at worst we are under a curse. The last section centers on the relational and interpersonal foundation of spiritual authority. Outside the framework of true new covenant living, the purification necessary to stand in the face of the coming glory cannot take place. These messages have been learned, tested and proven in our 30+ years of walking with the Lord and refined in the fire of raising up a community and Worship Center in Tel Aviv. Please pray with us for the doors to open for this word to reach all the places the Lord would send it.
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Awesome things are happening with the New Age Rainbow/seeker community in the Land. For the past two years we have been part of ground-breaking involvement in Israel’s yearly Woodstock-like festivals in openly declaring the Name of Yeshua before thousands of young people. Each year God has taken things “one step” further. This year looks like it will be no exception. The organizers of the Shantipi Festival have agreed to invite our good friends from Tubingen, Germany to perform (worship) on the main stage. Our sense is that the Lord is ready to release healings and miracles through these prepared vessels. There is also discussion about holding seminar-type discussions between Jews and Germans about life in the shadow of the Holocaust. Do please pray for all this to come to pass. It is time!!!!
On a personal level, relationships with individuals from this community continue to develop. Music is the medium God is using to connect us to the heart of the New Age stream. A number of us are currently rehearsing to accompany a believing friend for a concert slot in the next festival over the Passover holiday. The Holy Spirit has opened wide the door to be able to share about Yeshua as we hang out and play together. How the Lord has prepared the way!
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This is an unprecedented moment approaching an unprecedented move of the Spirit of God. Halleluyah!
May God bless you from Zion!
Your servants... For the Glory of His Name,
Arni and Yonit |