Psalm 133 tells us that it is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell together in unity. That’s true about any brothers or sisters, but what if David the Psalmist was referring specifically to the relationship between Judah and Ephraim? That relationship was already strained in his days, as the Scriptures tell us, and after the reign of his son Solomon the strain erupted into division of the kingdom, the nation, and the family of Israel. The division continues to this day, only now it takes the form of the rift between Jews and Christians. We are of the same family, of course. We all worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and we look forward to the restoration of all Israel under the reign of Messiah Son of David. So is there anything we can do to heal this division?
Our guests over the next four shows believe there is something we can do. Sister Georjean Allenbach, Beverly Hall, Donna Matts, and Barbara Wilkins were among the participants in the Nations 9th of Av, a gathering of Christians in Jerusalem to join with Jews in observing the 9th of Av on August 10-11, 2019. This unprecedented gathering served as a major milestone in bringing this family back together after several thousand years of adversity. How it happened is the testimony these four prayer warriors share. Be prepared for some challenges, surprises, and encouragement in this series of interview segments!
In keeping with the theme of this interview, David Jones and Barry Philips present a midrash on the topic of Teshuvah and Home, and we hear new music from Mason Clover, as well as an old favorite from Bill Green.
There are a number of topics covered in this show that you might want to investigate further. Here are some links that will be helpful:
Honoring our elders is the continuing theme in the first half of this show. We continue our visit to the Ebenezer Home in Haifa, Israel, the only retirement home in Israel for elderly disciples of Yeshua. David Phillips begins the segment by telling us about the project to build a nursing ward to expand the home’s capabilities. Then we hear from Samantha Lagoy, a volunteer at the home who shares a powerful testimony of how this ministry of love changes the lives of these older saints and those around them.
David Jones and Barry Philips investigate another aspect of love in the midrash portion as they dig into a puzzling portion of the Torah. Love is fundamental in the calling and identity of God’s people, as we hear in the music of Miriam Houtz and Solomon Lopez.
To learn more about the Ebenezer Home, including how you can help in such important work as the Nursing Ward project, visit their website at https://www.ebenezer.co.il/.
The Torah tells us to rise up before the greyheaded and honor the aged (Leviticus 19:32). Honoring the aged is at the heart of Paul’s exhortation on how to relate to our elders:
Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers,the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 NASB)
Honoring our elders is something we often overlook, particularly as they near the end of this life. That is why ministries such as the Ebenezer Home in Haifa, Israel, are so important. As Israel’s only residence for elderly disciples of Yeshua, the Ebenezer Home serves a very special purpose, ministering not only the the elderly saints who live there, but to their families, and to the surrounding community. We will learn much about that purpose over the next two shows as we hear from Johnny Khoury and David Phillips, two of the Ebenezer Home’s Israeli administrators, and from Samantha Lagoy, a resident volunteer.
Our own Elders David Jones and Barry Philips have some important insights to share this week as they discuss the purpose of memorials. Are memorials simply there for us to remember, or are they persistent reminders to take action on the things of importance to our God? This midrash, along with the music of Will Spires and Jimmie Black, connects powerfully with the testimonies shared by our fellow laborers at the Ebenezer Home.
To learn more about the Ebenezer Home, including how you can help in such important work as the Nursing Ward project, visit their website at https://www.ebenezer.co.il/.
Is it necessary to jettison our intellect to believe the Bible? Are there really so many contradictions in the scriptural accounts and in the interpretations of them that we should simply walk away? Caleb Cohen worked through questions like these soon after he graduated from Clemson University and went to work at Eastman Chemical Company. In this second part of our interview with him, Caleb tells us how he found resolution to this profound crisis of faith.
Along with Caleb are our musical guests Will Spires and Kelly Ferrari Mills, and our Elders David Jones and Barry Phillips, who investigate the subject of Spiritual Warfare.
Young people grow up and go to college, and then their worlds change. It’s a familiar story, but each story is unique. What Caleb Cohen experienced at Clemson University is similar to, but very different from, what every young man and woman experience when they leave home. His family lives out a strong faith in Messiah Yeshua, and that faith has been part of Caleb’s life for as long as he can remember. But did his family prepare him for the challenges of a secular university, and for living on his own in another state when he entered the workforce? Listen to his story and find out! Caleb is our guest for the next two shows, and in this program he is joined by musical artists Gregory Brown and Eved Adonai, and by our Elders David Jones and Barry Phillips, who take a look at the 9th of Av and its implications for our eventual reconciliation with Judah.
Did you know Uganda is over twice the size of Pennsylvania? Over 40 million people live in Uganda, and although their country is blessed with fertile land and many natural resources, their lives are made more difficult and cut short by a number of serious problems. One is the devastating plague of AIDS, which impacts a huge portion of the population. Climate challenges (a long dry season), underdeveloped infrastructure, and ethnic and religious diversity also complicate matters, multiplying the challenges Rogers and Betty Kinani face in caring for hundreds of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children at Cornerstone Childcare in their eastern Ugandan city of Budaka.
We conclude our visit with the Kinanis in this program. Pastor Rogers explains more of the challenges facing them each day, such as providing Torah-honoring Christian ministry to a community where Muslims are the majority. Even with these challenges, there are many blessings and victories, as Rogers tells us. There are also many ways to join them in their work, and even to join in a ministry project planned for March 2020!
The music of Solomon Lopez and Jimmie Black punctuate the story of Cornerstone Childcare, and David Jones and Barry Phillips tie things together with their midrash on our identity and connection in a global faith community.
Psalm 133 tells us that it is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell together in unity. That’s true about any brothers or sisters, but what if David the Psalmist was referring specifically to the relationship between Judah and Ephraim? That relationship was already strained in his days, as the Scriptures tell us, and after the reign of his son Solomon the strain erupted into division of the kingdom, the nation, and the family of Israel. The division continues to this day, only now it takes the form of the rift between Jews and Christians. We are of the same family, of course. We all worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and we look forward to the restoration of all Israel under the reign of Messiah Son of David. So is there anything we can do to heal this division?
Recent Comments