Teaching Article:

Over the past couple of years the Holy Spirit has been impressing on my heart this mandate: "Prepare the Church for the Second Coming of Yeshua (Jesus)." This impression has come particularly in the context of using international media to teach on the issues of Israel, the Church, and the End Times.

[By the "Church" here I do not refer to any Christian religious institution; but to the grass roots, international community of true born again, Spirit-filled believers. This group is referred to as the "Body of Messiah" and as the "Bride of Messiah."]

Revelation 19:7-8 – The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

Luke 1:17 – …go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Because Yeshua will come back to Jerusalem, there will be ever increasing spiritual conflict in the end times concerning Israel. So this mandate could also be phrased, "Prepare the Church to stand with Israel in the end times." Just as with Queen Esther, the Church will be tested to stand with the Jewish people against Jihad and anti-Semitism. She will "come to the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)."

What spiritual qualities does the Church need to be ready for the Second Coming?

1. Purity - Since Yeshua is coming for a pure and spotless bride, the people of God must walk in holiness and hold uncompromisingly to the truth of the word of God.
2. Glory - As we experience intimacy with God through Yeshua the Messiah, His eternal glory and power will flow into us and through us more and more.
3. Spiritual Warfare - Since there will be great wars and tribulations leading up to the 2^nd Coming, the body of Messiah must be ready to do our part in prayer and prophecy, as well as practical measures, and be sealed with the protection of the Holy Spirit (Revelation 7:3).
4. Covenant - Biblical faith is not academic or philosophical alone. It is covenantal. Covenant is a two-way eternal divine contract between God and man that demands us to walk in integrity and loyalty.
5. Taking the Land - Yeshua is coming back to reclaim the earth and to throw the devil off the planet. As the people of Israel conquered the land of Israel in the time of Joshua, so will the international Church take possession of planet earth at the 2^nd Coming of Jesus.
6. Government - Those who rise in the first resurrection will rule and reign with Yeshua for a thousand years. Now is the time for us to be developing the character qualities of judgment, authority, discernment, and government so that we will be able to rule with Him.
7. Unified in love - As we love Him more, we will love all those whom He loves. Love leads us to reconciliation; reconciliation to relationship; relationship to cooperation; cooperation to world evangelism and revival.

Prayer Update:

Paul Wilbur in Kuwait and Dubai
This week, Paul Wilbur led outreach and worship concerts in Dubai and Kuwait. Think about that: a Messianic Jew leading outreach and worship in two Muslim nations. In Dubai, there were 4,000 in attendance and the presence of the Holy Spirit was powerful. Paul describes it as a breakthrough in the Middle East. Many came forward to pray for salvation. Join Paul in prayer for much and lasting fruit.

This week also a financial crisis exploded in Dubai with government backed financial institutions announcing that they are unable to meet payments on 60 billion dollars of debt. The announcement created shock waves and sharp declines in a number of European stock markets.

Howard Bass and Beer Sheva   
In the weekend supplement of Maariv, the 2^nd largest Hebrew newspaper in Israel, a large two-page spread appeared on Howard Bass and the attack by the ultra-orthodox on their congregation in Beer Sheva. The article was written in a neutral fashion, which for the Messianic community in Israel is a positive step. Pray for the light and love of Yeshua to shine through their testimony to myriads of readers.

Revival at International House Of Prayer
Our friends at IHOP-KC have been experiencing an amazing touch of God.  Look at the news and videos (www.ihop.org) and encourage yourself that revival is indeed happening.  Let's continue praying that it will happen in Israel!

Daniel Pipes on Islamic Jihad
In the Jerusalem Post, Daniel Pipes commented on the recent meeting between Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey and Ahmadinejad of Iran. There are two kinds of "islamists" today. The first uses violence and terrorism, such as Ahmadinejad. The second, like Erdogan, works within the system to cause gradual political takeover. Turkey is a Muslim country whose constitution guarantees religious freedom. Yet Erdogan has been introducing little by little an agenda of radical Islamic law (shari'a).

Pipes writes: The former kill more people but the latter pose a greater threat. A review of the past three decades, finds that survivors of terrorism rarely capitulate to radical Islam - not after the assassination of Anwar Sadat in Egypt in 1981, nor the 9/11 attacks, the Bali bombings of 2002, the Madrid bombing of 2004, the Amman bombing of 2005, or the terrorist campaigns in Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Terrorism kills and intimidates but rarely overturns the existing order.

However, Islamists, adept at winning public opinion, represent the main opposition in Muslim-majority countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, and Kuwait. Islamists have enjoyed electoral success in Algeria in 1992, Bangladesh in 2001, Turkey in 2002, and Iraq in 2005. Once in power, they can move the country toward Shari'a. As Ahmadinejad faces the wrath of Iranian street demonstrators and bin Laden cowers in a cave, Erdogan basks in public approval and remakes the Republic of Turkey.