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March 17, 2005 6 Adar II, 5765 Dear Praying Friends and Tent Pegs*,
At the end of last year we had a forty-day period of seeking the Lord for breakthrough in a number of areas of our life and ministry. The Spirit responded by taking the fire of God deeper and deeper into the darkness of our souls and separating us further and further from the cares and deceits of the world. It was an amazing time. Three weeks ago the Spirit led us into another season of pressing in for breakthrough. For 21 days (which ended today) we were on a Daniel fast and met every day at 8 AM and 3 PM to cry out to Heaven and storm the dam that is stopping the flow of God’s provision and blessing to the Kingdom of God worldwide, to the Body in Israel, and to us in particular. We are eagerly awaiting the salvation of the Lord. Violent, aggressive prayer against the Goliath standing in our way characterized the first half of these days. Following came quieter, more introspective times of the Holy Spirit revealing things in our hearts that might also block the way to a free flow from the Throne. We sense that things are moving. In the midst of all this, the Lord healed a very precious relationship that had been broken for some years. Miraculously a wall that had just risen up...just fell down.
We have yet to see any movement in the financial realm. It has not been easy walking through this. We are ending our second month without having funds to pay rent. There has been no word from the Lord clearly explaining what the reason is for the current situation. We have a sense of a few things but nothing that has been confirmed. While we trust in our Father’s sovereignty, we are not comfortable being unable to fulfill our commitments. Thankfully there is grace from the owning Christian foundation, but the burden is heavy unto unbearable. The need is not just for a “little” extra to cover a momentary lack, but rather for the opening of a whole new well of significant depth. In the last months the numbers of our contributors has more than tripled. Praise the Lord! Though this is a great encouragement, it just scratches the surface of the need. One fact that keeps us from being crushed under the weight is that from the beginning, the establishment of the worship center was neither our idea nor doing and has always been beyond our ability to maintain. Will it be as it was at the purchase? Does the Lord have one source, or will a host of friends rise to the occasion? We dare to say that this is a unique facility ministering to the heart of God. It is out of the box and extravagant in the order of the broken alabaster vial of costly perfume that was wasted on the Lord’s feet. How the many cried out, “What about feeding the poor?” But the Lord told them, “Let her be. She has done a great thing for me.” We are hearing of ministries all over the world that are suddenly in deep financial crisis. The “word on the street” is that the devastation left by the tsunami has diverted much funding that was meant to support the work of the Kingdom. Have we been overrun by human compassion and forgotten the Lord? This is a hard question. The battle with the humanistic Greek spirit and the ways of the world is subtle and deadly.
Here is the bottom line of our internal quandary with this whole matter. If we know that God built the house, that He is blessed in it and that the work is far from finished, shouldn’t we simply rest in God’s faithfulness to care for that which is His? We also know that for the lack of one person to stand in the gap He sent destruction on His own people. Who truly knows the mind of God and can understand His ways? With our own eyes we see the effect of the Worship Center bringing change and blessing to individuals, congregations, communities, and nations. It is His doing; we are just the doorkeepers.
It seems to us that our struggle for survival is a picture of what is taking place in Israel and around the world. The overall comatose state grows deeper by the minute. Concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state, in our opinion, human compassion has overtaken reason, reality, and spiritual truth. God is most definitely allowing it to bring an ungodly, reprobate Israel to our knees in the wilderness. Nonetheless, it is still giving the land of Israel to a people sworn and dedicated to our destruction. Forget about the Scriptural perspective on giving away God’s land. Giving an enemy the key to one’s front door is insane. This is a day of the unimaginable. Our expectation is that His glorious light will follow this present darkness. But let us not miss the signs. The USA and Canada are issuing passports to their citizens born in the city of Jerusalem without noting the country as Israel. In fact, the Canadian government is recalling all passports reading Jerusalem, Israel, for re-issue. Jerusalem is about to be internationalized. We are at the hour when day will turn into night in a flash. The darkness is moving forward nearly unopposed.
The only “weapon” able to carry us through is worship. Our hearts must be free of the world and caught up in the Presence of the Lord. The Tabernacle in Tel Aviv is a prototype and a hub already giving birth and vision to other such places. It is not just for ourselves and our lives that we appeal for prayer for help. The work is a big thing in the hands of little people that won’t make it without a miracle. * * *
Our time in Germany was tremendous. New and deep relationships were formed. We had opportunity to share with leaders in Berlin and Leipzig. The Spirit stirred up words on the essential importance of community, true unity, dwelling in the Presence of the Lord, and ministering to Him. It was amazing to behold a crashing hammer and a desperate call being received as gentle. The people were so receptive and open. The main thrust of our trip was a series of meetings with the Youth Church of Christ Church in Berlin. The short report is that the meetings were like none other we have ever had. A fountain of life is gushing up in the midst of this group of young Germans that may be the very birthing place of the Fourth Generation movement we have heard the Lord speak of. Overall, there was a perhaps slight but significant change in the thrust of our ministry. Instead of bringing a word about Israel, we were conscious of bringing a word from Israel. A next step in consideration is a worship conference for the youth in Berlin led by a team from Israel.
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Just after returning from Germany we had a gathering with a group of Rainbow/hippie seekers. Most of you are aware that for several years we have been connecting with this group of twenty-somethings at various festivals in the Land. Honestly, what has happened is almost too remarkable to believe. Last January and the year before, we (along with Dugit Ministry) hosted gatherings with Inuit from Northern Canada that were attended by a wide range of interested Israelis, including a contingent of the Rainbow folks. Last week there was no special attraction. The invitation was come to our place for an evening of music and fellowship. About forty pre-believing Israelis from all over Israel showed up at a MESSIANIC COFFEEHOUSE and hung out from 9ish till 2 AM. It really worked. We sang songs together of longing after God and played our hearts out. Playing music together is a uniquely bonding experience. They can’t wait to come back, so we are thinking of doing it monthly. The love of God has opened up a big door into a community of seekers numbering thousands. And some of them are after us to take them upstairs into the Tabernacle so they can worship there!! The floodgates are opening. There is no question in our minds that this breakthrough is in part the result of years spent hidden away ministering to the Lord in the Center.
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May God bless you from Zion!
Your servants... For the Glory of His Name,
Arni and Yonit |