Repentance from dead works.

Dead Works - Definition

The first of the elementary truths in Hebrews 6 is repentance from dead works. The writer does not say repentance from sin, but from dead works. The Bible speaks of three kinds of works: the works of the flesh, the work of the devil, and the work of God. There is only one work which lives and lasts forever and that is the work of God. What, then, is a dead work?

A dead work is anything a Christian ever does which is not initiated by God. If it is not initiated by God it will not be energised by God, and if not energised by him, will produce nothing for his glory.

Before a person becomes a Christian they are reliant on themselves, their own talents or abilities, or dependent on others. However, when God in his wonderful grace saves, we are totally dependent on him. What a simple but vital truth this is. How many mistakes and heartaches could be avoided if this truth were applied. Wrong plans, wrong financial decisions, wrong relationships and many wrong activities could be prevented by seeking God’s will and doing it.

Jesus is ‘the author and finisher of our faith’. If we ever want him to finish anything we do, we must ensure he begins it. Dead works can never produce life. One day Moses left the palace and saw an Egyptian and an Israelite fighting. With false zeal Moses slew the Egyptian and as a result had to flee the country. From a wrong motive King David ordered a national census of his troops which resulted in 70,000 men dying. As a result of impatience, Abraham married Hagar with Ishmael as the result.

If we ever want Jesus to finish anything we do, we must ensure he begins it.

Jesus, the Perfect Example

The Lord Jesus never did a dead work because in everything he did he was completely reliant on his Father, God. He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the son also does” (John 5:19).

Jesus would neither be pushed by people or by circumstances. When he attended a wedding at Cana, with the embarrassing situation of the hosts running out of wine, his mother Mary said to him, “they have no more wine”, to which he replied, “why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” What did Jesus mean? He was saying that his Father had not yet told him to act.

A few minutes later the time did come and he performed his first miracle, not when Mary tried to push him but when God initiated his action. Later his brothers, who at that time did not believe in him, tried to persuade him to go to Jerusalem where all the crowds were gathering. Again he said, “The right time for me has not yet come”. He did go to Jerusalem - not when his brothers decided, but when God decided.

Why did Jesus not hurry to Bethany when he heard that his good friend Lazarus was sick? Did he not care? Of course he cared, but the circumstance did not dictate his action - only the revealed will and timing of God.

Repentance

We must ask ourselves, therefore, whether there are any dead works in our lives or whether we are doing anything which God did not start. Our activities, when initiated by him, will have his blessing, his power, his peace and the fulfilling of his purposes.

I suppose one of the most common dead works is worry or anxiety. I remember some years ago how the Holy Spirit convicted me of this particular dead work. I was involved in a national outreach programme and was facing many difficulties. I thought I was being very spiritual and ‘taking the burden’. I was meditating in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything…” The Lord showed me I was not taking the burden - but was worried to death. I had trespassed from the realm of God-given concern to anxiety. I had to repent and confess my sin of disobedience. If God says, “do not be anxious about anything” and I am anxious for something, I have sinned.

We must ask ourselves whether there are any dead works in our lives, or whether we are doing anything which God did not start.

There is only one way to get rid of sin and that is by confession, so I confessed my sin to the Lord. He forgave me and quickly brought the answer to the situation. Repentance is a change of mind and a change of attitude which leads to a change of action. For example, are you worried about anything? If so, you have been thinking wrongly, perhaps thinking you could solve the problem by yourself. A change is needed which involves the acknowledgment that without him we can do nothing, leading to a change of action as the psalmist exhorted, “Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass” (Ps 37:5, NKJV).

The word ‘commit’ means ‘to throw or to roll’. How wonderful it is to throw to him that situation which caused us to worry and trust him to resolve it. There is a wonderful promise in Proverbs 3:6, “In ALL your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” All our ways: our personal life, marriage, children, relationships, work, service, everything - acknowledge him…he will direct.

Questions

1. How would you define a ‘dead work’? Give some biblical or personal examples.
2. What action should be taken to ensure that God initiates everything we do?
3. Can you think of any 'dead works’ in your life and what should you do now?
4. In what ways is Jesus the perfect example of doing the works of God?

This article is part of a series. Click here for previous instalments.

A new series on the ‘elementary principles’ of Hebrews 6:1-2.

We begin a series about the basic requirements of the Christian life, as set out by the writer to the Hebrews. It is a timely reminder of the necessity for a proper grounding in the principles of life in Christ.

True Salvation

One of the reasons why there are unnecessary problems in the life of some Christians is because certain foundational truths have not been established. If the foundation of a building is weak those weaknesses affect the superstructure. Cracks will appear and things will come out of alignment, all detracting from the strength of the building. So it is in a Christian’s life.

Some years ago after living and ministering in New Zealand, we returned to England. My son, who was then 12 years of age, soon discovered there was a difference in the standard of education between New Zealand and England. For example, he had done no language study, apart from English, and found himself in a class where the students had already had about two years teaching of French and Latin.

Three years later we attended a parent-teacher evening and in conversation with the French master, he said, “I cannot understand your son, Stuart. He is clever and does well in his exams, but from time to time he makes the most elementary mistakes.” We reminded him that he had missed the initial teaching of the basics of the language. Although he had learned much, because the foundational teaching of the language had not been properly laid, the defects were manifested.

Before foundational truths can be established it is important to ensure that a person is a true Christian. Many people call themselves Christians, but are not. Therefore, it may be a good investment of a few minutes to check up on the reality of our profession of faith. Although this may seem a strange introduction to this series, I believe there is a precedent for it. At the end of Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, in which he had encouraged. taught, and corrected, he asks them to do something: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; text yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test” (2 Cor 13:5).

One of the reasons why there are unnecessary problems in the life of some Christians is because certain foundational truths have not been established.

He gives a clear definition of what a Christian is; someone with Christ in them. So the first question to ask ourselves is, ‘am I in the faith? Is Christ in me?’ He did not ask others to examine us, but made it personal. Here is a check-list of biblical references to help in this self-examination.

A person who has a right relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ knows it without any shadow of doubt. This assurance is given by the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom 8:16) and as John puts it, “Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart” (1 John 5:10).

John Wesley, the great preacher, used to say to his congregations, ‘make sure you have the witness'. You are not a Christian because someone says that you are, but because you have that inner knowledge given by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes people have come to me and said, ‘can you help me, I have never been sure whether I am a Christian or not.’ My response has been, ‘yes, I do want to help you, you are not.’ A true Christian knows.

Another proof is that there has been a change in your life. Something has happened. Paul puts it this way, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17). A true Christian has a desire to obey God. John puts it bluntly but clearly, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him’, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3, 4). The Lord Jesus made this challenging statement, “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 7:21).

Another evidence of the reality of Christian experience is that we love other Christians. Before one becomes a Christian there is little or no desire to be with people who want to worship God, read the Bible, pray and talk about Jesus. They are not, ‘one of us’, and we are not ‘one of them’. However, when the miracle of salvation takes place there is a change of attitude which leads to a change of company! Again John says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14).

The Apostle Paul gives a clear definition of what a Christian is: someone with Christ in them.

So, what is the result of the examination? Do you have the assurance of the Holy Spirit? Has there been a change in your life? Do you live to do the will of God? Do you love other Christians? Every true Christian will be able to say with Paul, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Tim 1:12).

If, however, you failed the test and sincerely desire to know God as your Father and Jesus Christ as your Lord, obey the word of God. Acknowledge your need. Agree with the Bible when it says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6) and, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

Remember the cry of the tax collector in Luke 18:13, “God have mercy on me, a sinner”. If we have one good word to say for ourselves we are not candidates for God's salvation, because he is only the Saviour of sinners. Look to the Lord Jesus. He is the only Saviour. He is the only way to God. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The first step to salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus. Believe what is true, that Jesus is the Son of God, who loves you, died for you and took the punishment for your sins at the Cross. Jesus who, “died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3). Receive him as your Saviour.

Having acknowledged your sin and repented, believing he died for you and rose again, ask Jesus to come in to your life, yielding it totally to his Lordship, knowing, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God. Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God” (John 1:12). Now confess him as Lord, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9).

Now look at the record, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11,12). We move on now to the foundational truths.

The first step to salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus. Then, having acknowledged your sin and repented, believing he died for you and rose again, ask Jesus to come in to your life, yielding it totally to his Lordship.

Foundational Truths

The Lord Jesus told a story about two house builders. One built his house on a rock and when the storms and floods came his house stood firm. The other built his house on sand and his house was completely demolished when the deluge came.

As the storms and winds of adversity face the church of God it is imperative that Christian lives are solidly laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and on the truth of God's word. It is a sad fact of life that many Christians remain in the kindergarten of faith and never move on to maturity.

The writer to the Hebrews emphasises this point. He was writing to Christians who had just come through severe times of persecution and were on the threshold of even greater opposition. After declaring the glorious wonders of the Lord Jesus Christ, greater than angels, greater than Moses, “the apostle and High Priest of our confession. Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed him”, he pauses to express a certain fear. That fear was that some who had been truly born again would fail to go on to maturity.

One of the reasons for their immaturity was a failure to have certain truths established in their lives. He wants them to get beyond the ‘milk bottle’ stage. He complains that instead of their being able to teach others they themselves still need to be taught the elementary truths. In chapter 6 of Hebrews these truths are described in the New King James Version as repentance from dead works; faith toward God; the doctrine of baptisms; of laying on of hands; of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

The purpose of this short series is to teach these basic truths to ensure that they have been established in your life so that you can go on to maturity.

First published as a mini-book in 1992 by PWM Ministries, entitled ‘The Biblical Basis of First Principles’. Edited for online publication May 2018.

Peter Sammons reviews ‘Heaven’s Dynamite’ by Mike Endicott (2003, Terra Nova).

Author Mike Endicott has a noted ministry in the field of Christian healing. At 128 pages this is a gentle but persuasive thesis, encouraging us to understand that gifts of healing are still for today.

Crisis of Confidence

The beginning of the book consists of testimonies – in the form of encouraging ‘thank-you’ letters - to the reality of miraculous healing. Endicott goes on to reflect on the “crisis of confidence” amongst so many Christians in Jesus’ ability and willingness to heal today. Yet the world of the 1^st Century Church was not so different to our modern world:

The apostles ministered, as we do, in a multi-spiritual choice culture, where truth claims competed for attention. In such a challenging environment they were not afraid to put themselves in the firing line, and to express complete confidence in the power of God to heal, save and deliver as they preached the cross.

Endicott expresses sorrow that modern Christians have too small and timid a view of God. With low expectations, we are not disappointed at low ‘results’ in terms of healing, or even of salvation for the masses! Endicott is convinced that these gifts are for today, and his own ministry bears out his confidence:

Believers have a clear mandate from the Lord to heal the sick. Jesus’ instructions to the twelve were: ‘As you go, preach this message. The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead. Cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons’ (Matt 7:10). The command to the disciples to heal the sick was never revoked, but was reiterated and reinforced.

This is a gentle but persuasive thesis, encouraging us to understand that gifts of healing are still for today.

Dynamite?

Why the title? Several times in the book Endicott expresses the firm conviction that when we move in faith, “heaven’s power explodes” in salvific action. “By his grace, says Endicott, “when we begin to move in expectancy, heaven explodes. Why? Because the preached word was, and still is, accompanied by miracles”. Endicott enthuses:

The power of God is moving amongst us even today. Every Christian, born again of the spirit of God, baptized and filled with the same Holy Spirit, has in himself or herself the power of the new creation; the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. To affirm that truth is not arrogant. On the contrary, it is to acknowledge that it is all by grace – the free gift of God.

So as we raise the expectancy of sufferers by declaring, like the apostles, the power and authority of Jesus, and as we persist in proclaiming the gospel of salvation, we shall see more of heaven’s ‘dynamite’. The Greek word ‘dunamis’ means power, and our God has the power to heal now – today! Miracles happen!

This is a really helpful introduction to the realities of healing in the name of Jesus. As a gentle and relatively easy read, this book does not ‘tax’ its readers, but it does provoke thought, prayer and excitement.

A minor quibble; it would have been helpful to have explored in more depth the difficulties we encounter on those sometimes inexplicable situations where healing either does not happen, or happens not in the way we expect. With that minor reservation, because this is a real issue that many have encountered, this is still a book that I am happy to recommend. Healing is still for today! Praise God!

‘Heaven’s Dynamite: God’s Amazing Power to Heal the Sick’ is available from CPI for £8.99 including P&P in the UK. Also available on Amazon.

Why evangelical Christians support Israel

As whipped-up Palestinian rioters cry out for Jewish blood in their days of rage against ‘occupation’ of their land, we should be praying that these dear people, for whom Christ died, would instead call on the blood of Jesus for their redemption.

This is their only hope – and ours too for that matter. As Israel is tempted to quake in fear of the vicious international hatred being vented against them, may they too cry out for help from Elohim who sent his beloved Son to die as a sacrificial Lamb to atone for the sins of all who put their trust in him. The doorposts daubed in lamb’s blood back in Egypt later became a wooden cross where God himself took the punishment we deserved.

In this battle over war and peace, the hordes of hell are being unleashed against the Anointed One and his people. But the Prince of Peace – not the diplomats or politicians – has the solution.

Christian Support is Vital

As believers the world over celebrate Pentecost (Shavuot) on Sunday, I think it is highly significant that a Jerusalem Post writer has credited evangelical Christians (or Christian Zionists as they are also known among Jews) for the current political breakthrough which has seen President Trump move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to the ‘city of the Great King’.

“It is evangelical Christians who are standing with Israel today in ways that Nehemiah could never have dreamed about,” wrote Tuly Weisz on 12 May.¹

In this spiritual battle, the Prince of Peace – not the diplomats or politicians – has the solution.

We’re talking about their influence on the President as well as their love for the Jewish people who gave us Jesus and the Bible including almost the entire New Testament.

Weisz had asked Christian participants of a Jerusalem conference why the embassy move was so important to them. “The answer they gave is that it is foretold in the Bible,” she wrote, citing Old Testament examples of Cyrus and Nehemiah. Meanwhile Israel’s Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett said the move represented a new era in which the international community’s relationship was based on reality and fact, not fantasy and fiction.²

Gentiles and the Gospel

It’s worth noting that those 3,000 who joined the first disciples on the Day of Pentecost in response to Peter’s sermon were Jews and proselytes from all over the known world (Acts 2:5).

An indication of the significant role Gentiles would play in spreading the good news of Israel’s God came with the healing of the centurion’s servant at the start of Jesus’ ministry. The Roman officer had humbly sought the Saviour’s help, only requiring him to “say the word” as he felt unworthy to receive him into his home.

And so the Gospel – to the Jew first (the leper who preceded this incident in Matthew 8) – was now also offered to the Gentile. We hear much about amazing grace, but Jesus was amazed by this man’s faith. The only other time he is recorded as having been amazed was by the lack of faith in his home town (Mark 6:6).

Faithful Gentiles have made an extraordinary mark on the world.

I wonder too if our Lord was also prophesying of a day when faithful Gentiles would make an extraordinary mark on the world.

The beach near Capernaum, where the Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant. Picture by Charles Gardner.In Yorkshire alone in recent centuries (I am biased because I live there) I can immediately think of three men who changed the world through their faith in Jesus – William Wilberforce from Hull, a co-founder of the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people who successfully campaigned for the abolition of slavery, Barnsley’s Hudson Taylor, to whom millions of Chinese Christians owe their salvation, and Bradford plumber Smith Wigglesworth, who raised 14 people from the dead as he helped to pioneer the modern-day Pentecostal movement which had such a profound impact on 20^th Century Christianity.

The Power of Prayer

In honouring the Jewish people in both word and deed, we are simply building on the foundation laid by the Apostles. But we mustn’t forget the importance of prayer – after all, a ten-day prayer meeting had preceded that great initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

In terms of the recognition – and restoration – of Israel, the importance of prayer from men like Rees Howells and his Bible College students at Swansea in Wales cannot be underestimated. They had prayed many long hours at the time of the UN vote in 1947 before victory was secured.

In South Africa, although the government stubbornly refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself, many Christians are on their knees praying for the peace of Jerusalem. Farmer friends from where I grew up have just emailed me, saying: “We are extremely excited with the USA’s ambassadorial move to Jerusalem and continue to pray for this beautiful capital as well as for the region. What a privilege to witness what the prophets were only able to see in visions.”

In honouring the Jewish people in both word and deed, we mustn’t forget the importance of prayer.

Those nations who oppose Jewish aspirations are in for a big shock. For they will come to nothing, as Isaiah predicted long ago (Isa 60:12). Even the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign received a bloody nose with victory for Israel’s entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest despite their efforts.

Eyes on Jerusalem

It is significant of course that the United States should take the lead in recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, just as they had done back in 1948 when President Harry Truman was the first to recognise the new-born state. Apparently he took just eleven minutes to do so, but “later regretted that he waited so long”, according to US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.³

In fact, there will come a time – perhaps in the not-too-distant future – when Jerusalem will become the capital of the world (see Zechariah 14:9, 16).

Israel will soon be blessed with a Royal visit from Prince William, second-in-line to the British throne. But at the Second Coming of Jesus, which is surely also not far off judging by the signs (see Matthew 24, Mark 13 & Luke 21), they will welcome the King of Kings and Lord and Lords (Rev 19:16).

Come, Lord Jesus!

References

1 Time to start crediting the Christians. Jerusalem Post, 12 May 2018.

2 Jerusalem News Network, 16 May 2018, quoting the Washington Post.

3 JNN, 14 May 2018, quoting Arutz-7.

Frances Rabbitts reviews ‘Jerusalem: The Covenant City’ (DVD, Hatikvah Films, 2002).

This feature-length (115 mins) film from the Hatikvah Trust is now a little dated in its presentation, but remains a good cinematic overview of the “unique, eternal and prophetic destiny” of God’s own city, Jerusalem. Presented by Lance Lambert, the documentary is split into two parts – the first looking at the past (just over an hour) and the second looking at the present and the future (just under an hour).

With such a vast period of history – nearly all of it - to cover, the presentation is necessarily concise. However, Director Hugh Kitson does sterling work in weaving together an array of historical events with Scripture references into one coherent narrative, with no sense of rushing. Newcomers to the topic will receive a wealth of information and insight – and those with more experience will be encouraged with the film’s perspective.

Part I: The Past

Part I starts with the question, so popular with the media, ‘what makes Jerusalem unique?’ Contrary to popular opinion that her significance derives from her importance to three world faiths, we find that it actually owes to God’s declaration of ownership over her.

We are then treated to a fly-through of Jerusalem’s biblical history, beginning with Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah, through David, Solomon, the descent of Israel into idolatry, the first exile and the first return. Lance then spends some time on the prophecies of Daniel about the coming of Messiah and space is made for viewers to reflect on the work of the Cross.

Newcomers to the topic will receive a wealth of information and insight – and those with more experience will be encouraged with the film’s perspective.

The film then moves through Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, the second destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of 70 AD, then considering the ‘times of the Gentiles’, including the Ottoman occupation and the centuries of Jerusalem’s decay as an imperial backwater. It concludes with an outline of the history of the return, from the early settlers through to the making of modern Israel.

Here archive footage becomes available and Scripture is interwoven with old photographs and film footage of both the 1948 and 1967 wars.

Part II: Present and Future

The second part starts with moving shots of modern aliyah - stories of Jews returning from around the world. Attention then moves to the decades of contention that have plagued Jerusalem since her unification in 1967 – the bills and declarations, the peace accords and the intifadas. Examples and footage are included here which may well either be new to many, or have long been forgotten.

Here the main narrative is supplemented with interviews with political leaders on the subject of the Jewish claim to Jerusalem, and mention is made of Arab historic revisionism and Western media bias.

Looking to the future, Lance notes that true peace will only come to Jerusalem when Jesus returns. Lance explains the spiritual battle raging over Zion today, with further reference to the Book of Daniel, and then looks at the prophetic milestones we are to expect ahead of Jesus’ return, mostly through straightforwardly reading Scripture. The film ends on a high note of hope in Messiah’s return.

Lance explains the spiritual battle raging over Zion today and then looks at the prophetic milestones we are to expect ahead of Jesus’ return.

Scripture from Start to Finish

Obviously there is a limit to the amount of detail that is possible to achieve in a film with such a huge historical scope, however, Hatikvah does an excellent job. In fact, it feels as if the whole film is made up of Scripture from start to finish, and there is a wonderful focus on Jesus throughout. Though it leaves c.15 years unaccounted for, having been made in 2002, its prophetic teaching remains remarkably relevant, while its biblical/historical accounts are timeless.

An excellent and encouraging introduction to the topic that would be perfect for small groups and Christians with little knowledge of the subject.

Jerusalem: The Covenant City can be purchased from Hatikvah Films for £12 or on Amazon (also available to stream online from £3.19).

Latest updates from outreach in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Before Christmas, we published a report about missionary work being done amongst Iraqi Kurds and refugees on the Nineveh Plains. We were able to send some money to aid this work, thanks to your support, and we anticipate a fuller report soon.

In the meantime, the following update provides a sneak preview of the spiritual fruit being borne in this region, amidst trials and tribulations we can barely imagine.

Teaching on Israel…in Iraq!

“You crossed a red line.” These were the words of my dear friend and interpreter, Z, after the meeting that night. I have previously been warned never to mention Israel and the Jews in Iraq. “The walls have ears”, I was told. As the Lord would have it, I spoke extensively on Israel, her history, the present and the future, as spoken by the prophets.

“Man, my spirit soared as you mentioned Israel, it was like I was on air hearing these words”, Z said. “We have shackled the Scripture regarding this subject. People are fearful. Your words were what we needed to hear. No-one was arrested and we can now have the strength to speak openly as believers. The time of being fearful is over.”

That night we had a packed meeting where many were left standing. More Syrians came than had been anticipated. We just could not cater for the people who arrived over and above the list of names we had. We have also been asked to help a new list of the latest arrivals in Erbil. We will try to move as the Lord leads.

Refugees from Nineveh Plains Cities and Syria

Our outreach in this region focuses on three groups, thanks to the contacts the Lord has given us: Muslims in towns on the Nineveh Plains, Muslims nearer the border with Iran and refugees living in camps in and around Erbil.

During our trip we have been meeting with Syrian Kurds who have fled the chaos of civil war, as well as Nineveh Plains refugees.¹ Even as I was addressing the refugees at one camp, more were arriving from Syria. The situation is overwhelming. And what do you say to exhort those who have languished for years now in the camps, confined to small rooms?

I have previously been warned never to mention Israel and the Jews in Iraq.

The believing community on the Nineveh Plains comes under extraordinary attack, particularly from the Orthodox Church. One Christian man was arrested five times earlier this year by the Nineveh Plains Militias for preaching the Gospel. He had been reported by the Church as “speaking against the priests”. It’s just like the days of the early Church!

One of his arrests afforded him the opportunity to speak to one of the security members. He spoke about the distinctions between the Quran and the Bible. At 3am the next morning his phone rang. It was the man he had witnessed to. “I can’t sleep since you spoke to me”, he said. “I’m phoning to tell you I believe all you told me is the truth.”

Meeting in SmilaneIt is important to realise that the Orthodox Christian community is decimated and will soon disappear. It is part of the fabric which has held society in this region together for centuries - heaven help the people once it is erased. As one believer says:

[The orthodox clergy] no longer mention the blood of Yeshua, probably to appease Muslims who say Issa never died. So there is no salvation, there is no hope. We see or hear from no-one like you. Someone who has compassion and is able to exhort from Scripture. More than anything these people need the Bible to be opened up and explained.

Please thank everyone who helped you. Thank them from the bottom of our children’s hearts.

Ministering to Muslims and Muslim-Background Believers

We have also been on the Nineveh Plains meeting Muslim converts in Mosul and elsewhere. We were invited to visit some Muslim villages which suffered from ISIS atrocities - the leaders wanted us to come and talk about the Bible.

In one Kurdish village, we met with senior members including the Mullah to discuss the teachings of Messiah and biblical prophecy that concerns them. We then gave the Mullah a new Bible in the Sorani dialect, recently translated. He asked me to pray before we left. I've not experienced such emotion in praying for anyone before.

Late that evening a Muslim convert called us to come and see two young men coming to get Bibles. That was not the only night: men kept coming asking for Bibles. How many in the West would respond this way?

Young men kept coming asking for Bibles. How many in the West would respond this way?

We have also been approached recently by a Muslim involved in the clearance of land mines along the Iran-Iraq border. Many of his workers have been killed. He heard that one of the widows is on our list for food distributions so he came to thank us:

I want you to thank all the Christians who have donated to you for us. Tell them we appreciate it more than they know. When you have no food even a plate of food is a blessing. They don't expect the world - they are just grateful for whatever you've given them.

Our country needs to hear the message of Jesus, the message of love. You are doing a good work here. We welcome you as family.

God Looks at the Heart

A similar message of thanksgiving and encouragement came when we made an extraordinary visit to two Kurdish villages in the Zagros Mountains, in an area where no outsiders have been – only Kurds. “There was one person came to our village, but you are the first one to come up here to these two villages", said IB, as we sat discussing Scripture.

In the Zagros mountains.I had the unique opportunity to speak to them about the words of the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 19. At one point, our young interpreter remarked, “God looks at our heart, not the outside.” His father had previously received a Bible - I wondered if he had heard this from him.

Later on, we were met at the municipal offices, where widows of the Peshmerga (the Kurdish military) had gathered for our food distribution. They were all called into the hall and I was asked to address them. I spoke about God putting a burden on my heart for the Kurdish people, especially them. They have suffered much and the world doesn't care. But there is a people who do, I told them - they are the people of Messiah, believers in Jesus. These are the people who had sent money to help provide for their needs. I was moved by their response - they were really very grateful.

That day we said our goodbyes with much joy, promising if possible to see each other again. Is God working among the Kurds? Absolutely - they are hearing his voice.

Mark van Niekerk

Notes

1 The refugee crisis in this part of Iraq is partly caused by the Syrian civil war. There has been a massive influx of Syrian refugees, particularly since 2013, and four permanent camps now exist in Erbil, holding about 40% of the refugees. Read more here. The other cause of the refugee crisis is internal. ISIS’ capture of Mosul in 2014 caused half the city to flee to surrounding towns and villages on the Nineveh Plains, and from there to Erbil. ISIS has now been pushed back, and some refugees are beginning to return to their homes. Read more here.

Editorial Comment

This outreach in Iraqi Kurdistan owes to the efforts of a number of missionaries, linked to an Israeli Messianic group called Voice in the Wilderness and supported internationally. Our contact, Mark van Niekerk, is a South African missionary.

Our thanks to all those who contributed to our winter appeal, and to those who have been praying for this amazing outreach effort. We hope to bring you a fuller report soon.

There’s a solution to the murder and mayhem on our streets

Plans have been revealed for the launch of a new party to ‘break the mould’ of British politics. But we don’t need a new party. We need a new heart, awakened by the Spirit of God from dreams of a man-made paradise in which we all sing from same the secular ‘hymn sheet’ where nothing is absolutely right or wrong.

This kind of thinking has only ever produced a nightmare scenario of violence, lawlessness and utter selfishness.

Britain has been hit by the terrifying news that the streets of London have now become more dangerous than those of New York. And in the Middle East, the Syrian Government would appear to have unleashed chemical weapons on its own people, killing 200 and wounding 1,000 more – mainly women and children. And Russia responds by calling this a fabrication.

A little further south, on the border of Gaza, rioters provoke the Israeli Defence Force with a so-called ‘March of Return’. Some would have us believe this is a legitimate protest at Israeli brutality and oppression, and for the right of refugees (and their descendants) to return to the Jewish state. But what is the truth?

Self-Inflicted Crisis

Well, the protestors deliberately chose the Jewish feast of Passover to mount their frustration, no doubt particularly mindful of the imminent 70-year celebration of Israel’s re-birth as a nation.

Actually, the refugee situation affecting the Palestinian people is a crisis of their own making, resulting from fierce opposition to the creation of modern Israel by her surrounding Arab states who immediately set upon the newly-born nation with the full force of their armies (like the dragon depicted in Revelation 12), warning Arabs living there to flee the country so they wouldn’t get caught up in the impending invasion.

The refugee situation affecting the Palestinian people is a crisis of their own making.

Israeli leaders, however, tried to persuade their Arab residents to stay, but to no avail – hence creating a totally unnecessary humanitarian crisis. And those who promised their swift return in the wake of Arab victory refuse to take any responsibility for their welfare. They are simply used as political pawns enabling anti-Semites to point the finger of blame at Israel for almost everything wrong with the world.

Palestinian protesters at the Gaza border. Stringer/Xinhua News Agency/PA ImagesMalcolm Powell, who was 12 at the time of Israel’s re-birth (in 1948), recalls reading and hearing at the time “that the Israelis were touring the Arab Muslim villages with loudspeakers urging them to remain, and to ignore orders to flee from the Muslim countries about to attack the new state.”

And while these self-inflicted refugees are estimated to have numbered some 800,000,¹ little is discussed in media circles about the 846,000 Jewish refugees forced out of Arab countries at the same time, who lost land and property equivalent to four times the size of Israel² - not to mention the many Holocaust survivors from Europe who had lost everything.

Land for Peace?

Quite apart from the refugee issue, Gaza was very much part of Israel until the world’s politicians managed to persuade former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to pull out of the enclave in a ‘land for peace’ exchange.

But ever since the 2005 withdrawal, terror group Hamas has used Gaza to launch a constant volley of rockets into Israeli territory, where frightened residents have hardly had a moment’s peace in more than a dozen years. They have also been subject to the constant fear of terrorists tunnelling under their homes with the intention of taking hostages and killing civilians.

Little is discussed in the media about the 846,000 Jewish refugees forced out of Arab countries in 1948.

Welsh photographer Grace Fryer has just opened a month-long exhibition depicting the suffering of children in Israeli communities close to the Gaza border.³ Some of those pictured are totally traumatised and unable to live normal lives. Grace witnessed mortar and rocket attacks herself when visiting the area as a child and returned as a student photographer in May 2016 to help others understand what these people are suffering. What sort of peace is this?

Truth Turned Upside-Down

Wherever you look in world politics, truth is being turned on its head. In my country South Africa, for example, Palestinians are being depicted as “the crucified, hanging body of Jesus today”.⁴ This was part of a ‘Good Friday statement’ by the Economic Freedom Fighters political party which ACDP (African Christian Democratic Party) leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe has described as “insidious, inflammatory, highly offensive and blasphemous”, adding:

Jesus was a Jew. Jerusalem has belonged to the Jews for over 3,000 years, from the time King David first established it as a city of Israel…I encourage persons not wanting to be deceived to research the truth for themselves and, if given the opportunity to travel to Israel to see the vibrant democracy that she is, to do so!

He further rounded on the “hypocrisy” of Palestinian leaders “who would rather spend the billions of dollars they receive from the international community to fund a mission to destroy Israel instead of investing in the health, education and economic development of their own people.”

What is the Problem?

We could all do with following the wisdom of legendary author GK Chesterton who, in response to a question from a major newspaper – “What is the problem with the world?” – is reputed to have submitted a brief handwritten note to the editor, saying: “I am. Sincerely yours, Chesterton.”⁵

We are the problem! We are all sinners, but there is a remedy for our sin, and his name is Jesus, who died on a cruel cross to take the punishment we deserved. Trusting in his death brings us life, health and peace – and, yes, it is also a recipe for changing a world gone wrong.

As Rev Meshoe put it, “Jesus’ death on the cross was an expression of the highest form of love; he gave his life for the salvation of all mankind. Palestinians are not being crucified.”

The answer to the problem of “I am” is the great “I AM” – the name God applied to himself and which Jesus also owned, as suggested by his many divine claims, such as: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The answer to the problem of “I am” is the great “I AM”.

The Ultimate Answer

As for the streets of London, where more than 50 people have been murdered in the first three months of this year, the ultimate answer to the problem is just the same as outlined above. And for a helpful illustration, reference what has been happening in recent weeks just down the road from where Rev Meshoe has been speaking so courageously in the South African Parliament.

A huge prayer rally called It’s Time drew up to 150,000 people to Cape Town. It was the biggest recorded event in the city’s history, but when the organiser assured police there would be no incidents, the police chief laughed at him, explaining that 10,000 had attended the Mitchells Plain venue only a fortnight earlier and there had been 48 stabbings and over 100 robberies.

What’s more, he added, those attending the prayer event would have to park up to 4km away and walk through some of the district’s most dangerous areas.

But at the de-briefing following the rally, held to confess the country’s sins, the same police chief reported, with tears in his eyes, that not one single incident – no assaults, no robberies, nothing – had been recorded!⁶

Stop blaming everyone else for all the problems around you, and start to build a new world by dealing with your own sin. Jesus said something similar, telling his listeners to take the plank out of their own eye so they could see clearly to take the speck out of someone else’s eye (Matt 7:3-5). But don’t try doing it by yourself; only Jesus can help you!

Notes

1 Hancock-Watts, C. Understanding Gaza. ASSIST News Service, 11 April 2018.

2 Leaflet promoting The Hope photographic exhibition – see www.fathershouse.wales

3 The exhibition, opened on 12 April, is being held at the Theatre Clywd Education Gallery, Mold, North Wales.

4 Gateway News (South Africa), 3 April 2018.

5 Mohler, RA, 2018. The Prayer that Turns the World Upside Down. Nelson Books.

6 Joy Digital, 9 April 2018.

Ex-gangster’s amazing story screened in Israeli cinemas

The spiritual restoration of the Jewish people, for which evangelical Christians have been praying for centuries, has taken a decisive step forward, in my view.

And the timing could not have been more apt – with Israel’s imminent 70^th anniversary, now to be accompanied by the US Embassy move to Jerusalem along with the visit of Prince William, marking a watershed in their physical restoration.

As we learn from anecdotal evidence, and from a recent survey which found that 20% of Jewish millennials believe Jesus is the Son of God,¹ it is quite clear that the new generation of Jews are taking Jesus seriously and are open as never before to claims of his being their Messiah.

They are now responding in droves to hi-tech evangelistic efforts from within their own state, with an organization called One for Israel (among others) reportedly making huge strides in reaching their people. Their website is filled with testimonies of Jews who are now following Yeshua, and their various videos have attracted a staggering 55 million views, 15 million of them from Israelis!²

A New Spirit

Indeed, Jesus is even now the focus of an award-winning Israeli movie! Sadly, I understand it met with failure at the box office and was pulled from theatres after just two weeks. It nevertheless represents a major shift as, for the first time in the history of modern Israel, a faith-based film on Yeshua the Messiah has been produced and premiered in the land.

A New Spirit was first shown in December 2017 at the famous Tel Aviv Cinematheque to an audience of hundreds of enthusiastic moviegoers. Billboards and posters advertising the film were also plastered on the streets of Jerusalem and surrounding cities.

The new generation of Jews are taking Jesus seriously.

It tells the story of former gangster Yacov Damkani, who fled to America where he was introduced to Yeshua as his Messiah and discipled in singer Keith Green’s community. His life was turned completely upside down and, three years ago, his testimony came to the attention of acclaimed film-maker Doron Eran while producing a documentary on the Messianic community. Doron felt it had the makings of a Hollywood movie, as he shared with Shira Sorko-Ram (as featured in February’s Maoz Israel Report).

He did not, however, anticipate the controversial nature of his subject – he has since been accused of being a missionary and betraying his people. He does admit to being a “student” (of the New Testament) and the actors have clearly also been impacted.

Imri Biton, who plays the lead, responds to criticism by saying: “Look what Yeshua did for Yacov. He was a gangster. When he believed in Yeshua, he became a new person. These Messianic Jews are telling their own truth. As a professional actor, I can join them.”

Misinformation and Fear

Doron believes the Government has unwisely allowed the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) to take control of the nation’s soul. “It is a religious dictatorship”, he says. “They are brainwashing our nation.”

He knew nothing of Yeshua before he met Yacov. “I didn’t know that he lived as a Jew and died as a Jew. I was told he was a Christian…”

Yes, it is tragic that both religious Jews and their Christian counterparts (who believe more in form than faith) have conspired to spread such misinformation.

The inspiration for the movie, Yacov’s book Why Me?, has been distributed free of charge to young Israeli tourists in New Zealand for the past 16 years as part of a programme called HIT (Hosting Israeli Travellers) which encourages Christians to host young Jewish tourists at little or no cost. HIT has now been extended to Australia and several other countries.

For the first time in the history of modern Israel, a faith-based film on Yeshua the Messiah has been produced and premiered in the land.

Commenting on the poor box office take-up, a Jewish friend explained:

I am not surprised Israelis didn’t venture into theatres showing a movie that would have been anathema to their parents and society in general. The audience for this movie would have been largely young people who would have been greatly influenced by comments from parents and other relatives the pre-advertising would have provoked. I believe it will have a greater market audience outside of Israel, even with subtitles, and many Israelis might later watch it in private.

I know Israel is the only place where I have experienced feeling intimidated. And as soon as my friends knew I believed in Jesus, I was no longer welcome in their homes, nor would they speak to me. It is okay to be a Gentile believer, but a Jewish believer is looked upon as a traitor. For the movie, I believe that if they will put it up for free on YouTube, asking for donations only to cover production costs, it might still make an impact!

Great Awakening to Come

Many Old Testament prophecies speak of a two-fold return of God’s chosen race – first to the land and then to their Lord. The first stage, though far from complete, has been witnessed before the eyes of the world as exiled Jews from every corner of the globe have resettled in Israel, especially since the re-birth of the modern state 70 years ago.

The second stage began, significantly, around the time of the re-unification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967 as so-called Messianics recognised that Yeshua was indeed their Messiah and started meeting together in congregations all over the country. The movement has since grown substantially and they have made an impact on the nation out of all proportion to their still relatively low numbers.

Even some Arabs are recognising what is happening. Saleem Shalash, an Arab pastor in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, is reported as saying: “The Bible says God will bring the tribes of Israel back together in this place, and suddenly revival will spring from here.”³

Indeed, the small spring in the desert that bubbled up around 50 years ago is threatening to turn into a fast-flowing stream. The prophet Zechariah, quoting the Lord and speaking of things to come with respect to the Messiah’s reign, wrote: “I will remove the sin of this land in a single day” (Zech 3:9). This suggests a sudden large-scale awakening.

Surely we are not far from that blessed day when they look upon the One they have pierced (Zech 12:10) and welcome him back in the name of the Lord (Matt 23:39). Certainly, it seems that many will have already looked upon the transforming Spirit of Yeshua depicted on screen (whether online or at the movies) – perhaps a foretaste of greater things to come!

Watch the trailer for 'A New Spirit' by clicking here.

References

1 A Jews for Jesus survey featured in the Jerusalem Post, 1 November 2017. The study surveyed 599 Jews born between 1984 and 1999.

2 This figure includes only Facebook and YouTube views, not TV etc (source: One for Israel).

 3 Israel Today magazine, December 2017.

Two meditations for Holy Week.

Reading the Gospel accounts of the last week in the earthly life of Jesus, there are two points that I want to offer for meditation. The first concerns what is known euphemistically as Jesus’ ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem and the second focuses upon his last meal with his disciples.

Riding on a Colt

Matthew records the instruction Jesus gave to his disciples to go to the village ahead where they would find a donkey with her colt. They were to bring them to him for his entry into Jerusalem. Matthew quotes a verse from Zechariah, “See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech 9:9 and Matt 21:15).

I often wondered why Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I could understand his choice of a donkey as a sign of his humility; but why choose the foal of a donkey. It was one of my colleagues in the Issachar Ministries team who pointed to a verse in Exodus that I had not previously noticed. It says, “Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck” (Ex 34:20).

A little research reveals that the donkey was the only animal in God’s creation whose firstborn foal had to be redeemed by offering the sacrifice of a lamb. Donkeys were very important for transport. They carried heavy loads and were usually willing workers. They were certainly very important in an agricultural community: in fact, so important that the owner had to give thanks to God for the firstborn foal before it could be used. The strength of this command was enforced by the instruction in Exodus 34:20.

Of course, Jesus knew this command! But this was the very reason why he chose to ride on the foal rather than the donkey. Here we see Jesus, having deliberately set his face to go up to Jerusalem, with the full knowledge of the murderous intent of the religious authorities to end his life, he now chooses to ride on the foal of a donkey. The foal had not yet been redeemed, hence it was still with its mother. But in this action, Jesus himself was redeeming the foal.

Here was Jesus, the Lamb of God, offering himself as a sacrifice for the sin of the world, symbolically redeeming the foal on his way to the cross.

For the One I Love

The incredible humility and determination to go through with the terrible events that he foresaw show something of the amazing character of Jesus. But, added to this, his incredible love is shown a little later in the week when he met with his disciples to share a last meal with them. This is the second point in this meditation.

One of my lasting memories of the late Lance Lambert whom I was proud to call my friend, was on one occasion when my wife and I shared a meal in his Jerusalem home with him and his sister. It was a Friday evening, a Shabbat meal. At one point in the meal Lance took a piece of bread, dipped it in the cup and gave it to me, and similarly to Monica, saying to each of us a little expression of love. He explained that in many Jewish families it was the custom for either the father of the family or the mother of the family to do this, particularly if they had guests as an expression of love.

Lance said it was a particularly poignant practice for the mother to do this for one of her children who had been away and was now back at the family table, or one who had been sick and now was recovered. She would say “This is for the one I love”. Her love was being expressed particularly for the one who had a special need, or to show joy at the reuniting of the family around their table.

At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and broke it and gave a piece to each of his disciples – a symbolic act through which he was giving himself to them and showing his indescribable love. Judas, the man who would betray him was also there and it is surely one of the most poignant acts of Jesus to give bread to the man who was going to be responsible for his betrayal into the hands of his enemies (John 13:26).
The act of giving the bread dipped in the cup symbolising his blood, was highly significant for each of his disciples.

But the most amazing act of Jesus at the Last Supper was surely to dip the bread in the cup and give it to Judas, who was to betray him, conveying the message (whether spoken or unspoken): “This is for the one I love”.

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Will we watch with him?

This week can we too watch with him, for one brief hour, in this his time of victory through life laid down (John 12:24-25; Rom 12:1)? Let us join these beautiful, ancient olive trees, who once watched their Lord and Maker, so hard-pressed, give all for us: that we might lay down our lives too, for him, much fruit to bear, and by his death, receive new life in him.

GETH-SEMANE – garden of the olive oil press

O Garden, Garden, Gan Gat-Semenah, was this sight just for you, to keep?
Your Lord in such dire straits, alone, His friends asleep?

Did you watch with Him one brief hour, while He did seek to flee
From His afearéd choice. “Avi, my Father, take this dread cup away from Me!
Yet not My will, O Lord of Mine, but Yours be done”.

O Garden, full of Tears, and witnessing such awe-some things,
Oil so hard-pressed, now poured out, Your Master held by satan’s rings.
Trees that He planted, olive-healing for His blinded sheep,
You witness such deep pain and agony, His death-door openings.

Was ever garden formed for this, to wait like Miriam for her heaven's sword?
Mirror of Gan Eden, broken, yet through great love, to be restored?
Ancient trees, all-giving, and like Father, watching in His perfect time
For Jesus - come to weep His life full out, to give in all-surrender, and
In suffering now, His learned obedience, laid down His will before His Lord.

We, too, do need this breaking, willingly, no sentient feeling
Only - our will surrendered too with heavy tears before the King.
Our hiding place, security, is found alone in Him. Cross-bound, alone;
And broken, willingly, like Him we too may learn obedience through
Our suffering - “Thy will be done”. Ourselves now to this Love unknown,
Embraced and held, in our reflecting all-surrender, we must bring.

This garden will again be new, restored to pristine beauty now,
And man, like olive trees that watched the victory of their Lord, will bow
The knee to Him. His sweat, like blood - expression of His love
Out-poured in prayer, His life laid down - will bear the promised fruit.
And we, brought back to Eden, fruit of His fruit, no longer sleeping-mute,
Will give Him all our thanks and praise, for death and life hard-won by Him,
And yes, for His long-suffering, our very life in Him, and to complete our vow.

Gan Gat-Semenah, Good Friday