How I became a part of the astonishing spiritual renewal in Asia all began with the prayers of a simple village mother.

Achyamma’s eyes stung with salty tears. But they were not from the cooking fire or the hot spices that wafted up from the pan. She realized time was short. Her six sons were growing beyond her influence, yet not one showed signs of going into the ministry.

Except for the youngest — little “Yohannachan” as I was known — every one of her children seemed destined for secular work. My brothers seemed content to live and work around our native village of Niranam in Kerala, South India.

“O God,” she prayed in despair, “let just one of my boys preach!” Like Hannah and so many other saintly mothers in the Bible, my mother had dedicated her children to the Lord. That morning, while preparing breakfast, she vowed to fast secretly until God called one of her sons into His service. Every Friday for the next three and a half years, she fasted. Her prayer was always the same.

But nothing happened. Finally, only I, scrawny and little — the baby of the family — was left. There seemed little chance I would preach. Although I had stood up in an evangelistic meeting at age 8, I was shy and timid and kept my faith mostly to myself.

I showed no leadership skills and avoided sports and school functions. I was comfortable on the edge of village and family life, a shadowy figure who moved in and out of the scene almost unnoticed.

A Welcome Wake-Up Call

Then, when I was 16, my mother’s prayers were answered. A visiting missionary team from Operation Mobilization came to our church to present the challenge of faraway North India. My 90-pound frame strained to catch every word as the team spoke and showed slides of the North.

They told of stonings and beatings they received while preaching Christ in the non-Christian villages of North India. Sheltered from contact with the rest of India by the high peaks of the Western Ghats, the lush jungles of Kerala on the Malabar Coast were all I knew of my homeland. And the Malabar Coast had long nourished India’s oldest Christian community, begun when the flourishing sea trade with the Persian Gulf made it possible for St. Thomas to introduce Jesus Christ at nearby Cranagore in A.D. 52.

Other Jews already were there, having arrived 200 years earlier. The rest of India seemed an ocean away to the Malayalam-speaking people of the southwest coast, and I was no exception.

As the missionary team explained the desperately poor condition of the subcontinent — tens of thousands of villages without any hope — I felt a strange sorrow for them. That day I vowed to help bring the love of Jesus Christ to those mysterious states to the North. At the challenge to “forsake all and follow Christ,” I somewhat rashly took the leap, agreeing to join the student group for a short summer crusade in needy parts of North India.

My decision to go into the ministry largely resulted from my mother’s faithful prayers. Although I still had not received what I later understood to be my real call from the Lord, my mother encouraged me to follow my heart in the matter. When I announced my decision, she wordlessly handed over 25 rupees — enough for my train ticket. I set off to apply to the mission’s headquarters in Trivandrum. {eoa}

K.P. Yohannan, founder and director of GFA World (Gospel for Asia) and Metropolitan of Believers Eastern Church (BEC), has written more than 250 books, including Revolution in World Missions, an international bestseller with more than 4 million copies in print. He and his wife, Gisela, have two grown children, Daniel and Sarah, who both serve the Lord with their families.

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Amnesty International recently issued a report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. The allegation is a critical issue because Israel is increasingly being accused of being racist.

If the accusations are true, Christians who support Israel are thus supporting racism. We must understand if this is true or not.

What is an apartheid state?

“Apartheid” is an Afrikaans word that means “apartness” or “separateness.” It describes the former legal system in South Africa that enforced racial segregation and discrimination of the black majority by a white minority government. However, significant international and domestic opposition brought this racist system to an end, and in 1994 Nelson Mandela became the first black president.

Why is Israel accused of being apartheid?

The accusation of apartheid regarding Israel is false. However, before we look at the facts to refute this, let’s consider what is behind the charge.

While classic antisemitism blames Jewish individuals for the world’s ills, a new antisemitism blames the Jewish collective—the Jewish State—and is called anti-Zionism. This anti-Semitic movement demonizes Israel, questions her right to exist and calls the world to act through boycotts and sanctions.

It’s a dangerous campaign, and if they succeed in making Israel look so bad that the international community believes it needs to take action, the future of the Jewish state could be threatened. Israel’s enemies have found a politically correct and sophisticated way to follow the South African apartheid precedent and force Israel to be dismantled.

This campaign is making headway in the United Nations, other international bodies, left-wing organizations and college campuses. Every March, universities in over 150 cities worldwide participate in activities to mark “Israeli Apartheid Week.” The event calls for boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel until “apartheid policies against the Palestinians” end. The week has become known for its antisemitism and a dangerous atmosphere for Jewish and pro-Israel students.

Facts about Israel and the Arabs

When discussing Israel’s treatment of the Arabs, we must first differentiate between the three groups of Arabs who live in very different situations.

Israeli Arabs: 20% of Israel’s population is Arab. They are Israeli citizens with full rights and opportunities as such. Every country has its minorities, and every minority struggles to have full rights—it’s just a part of life. The Israeli Arab minority, however, has an extra challenge that complicates their lives, and that is the security situation. They are part of the larger Arab world, some of which is in a state of war with Israel. Most are Muslim, and Muslim jihadist groups outside of Israel are using mosques to radicalize them and urge them to attack Israel from within.

Nevertheless, most Israeli Arabs are loyal and appreciative of their life as Israelis. They vote, have Arab representatives in the Knesset and have a party that has been part of a governing coalition. They serve in Israel’s foreign service and on the Supreme Court. They are not required to serve in the army, but a growing number of them are volunteering anyway. Despite their challenges, they have full rights as Israeli citizens and more opportunities to excel than they would in most Arab countries.

Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank: These Arabs live in the area known as the “West Bank,” and the Oslo Peace process established the Palestinian Authority government that rules over their population centers. That plan included negotiating their full statehood and sovereignty, but the process stalled and for the most part is dead. Therefore, Palestinian Arabs do not have a state, even though they have a government.

Their government leaders have pocketed billions of dollars sent to aid their people. Their capital city of Ramallah reflects great affluence with magnificent mansions and nice shopping centers. However, their government has kept Palestinians in refugee camps in the West Bank with high poverty and unemployment levels—a travesty and unjust situation—the blame for which should be laid on their own leaders and not upon Israel.

Palestinian Arabs in Gaza: The Palestinian Arabs in Gaza are a little different because they overthrew the Palestinian Authority government and put into place a terrorist organization to rule over them—Hamas. Hamas could have built a beautiful city like Singapore or Hong Kong or a luxury resort on the Mediterranean coast with the money flowing into Gaza. Hamas leaders have had every opportunity to build a life for their people. Instead, they have spent all the money that was supposed to help the Palestinian people on weapons and building underground bunkers and tunnels to destroy Israel.

Today most Palestinians would like to leave Gaza.

When addressing the injustices and hardships of the Palestinian Arabs, we must place blame where blame is due—on their own corrupt leaders. When it comes to Israel’s treatment of the Arab people, one need only to look to her Arab citizens to see Israel is clearly not a racist, apartheid state. {eoa}

Dr. Susan Michael is USA Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and host of the Out of Zion podcast. Subscribe today to listen to her Israel Answers series on the Out of Zion podcast. Plan to travel to Israel on ICEJ Tours.

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Historically, the people of God have always fared well amid adversity. The history of both Israel and the church has demonstrated how safety and prosperity took away their zeal.

This resulted in them falling away from God (1 Kings; 2 Kings; Rev. 2:2-5; 3:17). As much as we don’t like to hear it, God often allows adversity in our lives to motivate us to cling to Him and seek Him.

During these extremely difficult times as it relates to the pandemic as well as global economic and political unrest, we should trust God to reveal His glory greater than ever before. This biblical principle is shown in Isaiah when he prophesied that when darkness covers the earth, the glory of God will be seen upon His people (Isa. 60:2).

The following are seven biblical models of kingdom advancement in adversity:

1. The Red Sea model of deliverance. When God led the children of Israel out of the bondage of slavery, they found themselves trapped between the army of Egypt and the Red Sea. During this huge crisis of faith, God told Moses to “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exod. 14:13, NKJV). Consequently, God delivered them by parting the Red Sea so they could cross over on dry land and drowning the Egyptian army when they attempted to do the same thing. This great deliverance enabled the Jews to eventually cross into the Promised Land of their inheritance one generation later. Often, our greatest hardship allows God to demonstrate His mighty power for our deliverance and victory!

2. The Abrahamic model of liminality. Abraham’s first test was one of liminality. Liminality is a state of transition between one stage and the next, especially between significant stages in one’s life when one transitions out of a place of comfort and stability to another place not yet manifested. God tested Abraham this way when He told him to leave his country and his family for a land God had yet to show him (Gen. 12:1; Heb. 11:8). Of course, Abraham’s obedience to this strange command secured an inheritance in the Promised Land for his descendants (Gen. 17:5-8). Hence, Christ followers should embrace stages in their lives when they have to transition by faith from a place of comfort to a place not yet revealed before God can bring them into their inheritance.

3. The Noahic model of blind obedience. Noah spent decades building an ark after God warned him concerning events that were not yet possible in his contemporary ecosystem (a deluge of rain causing a universal flood). Consequently, he became a social outcast while constructing a boat to save his household (Heb. 11:7). His blind obedience resulted in Noah saving his whole household and becoming a sort of “second Adam” called to bear fruit, multiply and have dominion (Gen. 9:1-2).

4. The Exodus/Acts model of multiplication in persecution. When the children of Israel multiplied in Egypt, Pharaoh responded by oppressing them. However, this devious scheme backfired because the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied (Exod. 1:8-14). Acts also illustrates this principle when the church continued to expand and multiply despite great opposition and persecution (Acts 3-5; 8:1-4).

We also witness in contemporary times how the church is expanding during persecution in nations like China, Iran, India and beyond. Thus, the persecuted church often produces devoted Christ followers willing to risk their lives for kingdom advancement and gospel proliferation.

5. The David versus Goliath model. When David defeated Goliath, David modeled the principle of trusting God for victory despite having a huge natural disadvantage (1 Sam. 17). Consequently, God curses those who trust in the arm of flesh and blesses those who trust in Him even in times of drought and natural adversity (Jer. 17:5-8). In these days of hyperinflation, the prospect of World War III, and political polarity, God will honor the faith of those who put their trust in Him for ultimate victory.

6. The Jesus model of death and resurrection. Jesus taught His disciples that a man has to lose his life to save it (Mark 8:35).

He illustrated this attitude of self-denial when, in the garden of Gethsemane, He told His father, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, NIV). Consequently, after Jesus’ execution by crucifixion, God demonstrated His greatest cosmic act of power when He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light by raising Jesus from the dead (2 Tim. 1:10). The apostle Paul also had to experience the sentence of death to learn how to trust God, who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:8-10).

Thus, sometimes the church experiences a victorious resurrection after what seems to be a great defeat or death of their ministry.

7. The Pauline model of supernatural strength in weakness. As Paul matured in his faith, he learned to turn his natural weaknesses into supernatural advantages through humility. He discovered that he could experience strength in Christ when he was weak. Therefore, he bragged about his weaknesses more than his natural strengths so that the power of Christ might rest upon him (2 Cor. 11:30; 12:5). God actually allowed a messenger of Satan, “a thorn in the flesh,” to follow Paul around to buffet him (2 Cor. 11:17-12:10). He stopped praying to God to remove this thorn in the flesh after Jesus revealed to him that His grace is made perfect through his weakness (2 Cor. 12:8-9). Consequently, instead of complaining during hardship, Christ followers should embrace suffering and opposition as an opportunity to manifest the power of God through their weakness. {eoa}

Dr. Joseph Matterais an internationally known author, consultant and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition. Dr. Mattera is the author of 13 bestselling books, including his latest, The Purpose, Power, and Process of Prophetic Ministry, and is renowned for applying Scripture to contemporary culture. To order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter, go to .

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Some of us may be walking in situations in life where people are not receiving our witness, and it may not be just because of God’s glory not being manifest. It may be because we’ve been walking unwisely. If we haven’t been walking in wisdom, then we’re going to have a difficult time getting people to listen to us. Sometimes we keep casting our pearls before swine. This is unwise, and it doesn’t help. Messiah Yeshua said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6, NASB).

Also, if you believe you’ve been walking in stubbornness and pride, which has been keeping people from receiving your witness, I encourage you to repent right now. If your own behavior has been in the way of the glory of God being manifest in your relationship so that He can be proved to your sphere of influence, ask the Lord to forgive you, and then know that it’s done.

Right now I speak increase over you. I declare, in the name of Jesus, that you’re going to walk in wisdom from this point forward, and you’re going to walk in such a way that the people around you will have to take notice of the supernatural wisdom that’s on your life.

The Holy Spirit is our portion, and we can live in victory in this world, displaying God’s glory and supremacy to all those around us, even to those who don’t like us and reject us. I declare right now in the name of Jesus that by God’s Spirit you’re going to walk in a higher realm of supernatural glory than you’ve ever walked in before, proving to the world that the Lord is God, just as Elijah did.

Despite everything I’ve said, I want to make room for the fact that with the Lord a day is like a thousand years to us, and sometimes things are not made right immediately. That’s why Jesus said many who will be last will be first and many who will be first will be last. Sometimes God’s glory will not fall upon injustice and idolatry until the end of the age, but we should still pray for God’s glory to fall, for Him to destroy evil, and for Him to be exalted in and through our lives so people will recognize His goodness, glory and power in us.

That is why Jesus said the Father’s will for our lives is that people would see His goodness upon us and look up and give Him glory. It’s that we would be like lights on a hill. So I want to encourage you to keep praying even when injustice and mountains that need to be moved have not moved yet. One thing I know for sure is that God wants to prove Himself to you, whether your external reality is brought fully into balance right now or not. Because of God’s eternal perspective, we can’t guarantee when it will happen, but one thing we should believe and contend for is that we will know Yeshua’s victory in and through our lives and that we will walk in such power that our presence will penetrate people undeniably, even if they won’t admit it.

Jesus walked in this type of power. When the soldiers arrived to arrest Him and asked Yeshua if He was Jesus of Nazareth, Yeshua said, “I am,” and they all fell to the ground. (See John 18:1-6.) They still arrested Him, but the glory of God was undeniable. So I speak over you increase so that you will walk continually in an ever-increasing way in the resurrection, power and glory of God. Whether people recognize it or not, I pray that it will be real to you and that you will live in that glory and experience His victory.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but that doesn’t mean you will lose your victory in the process. If our victory is dependent on circumstances, we’ll never have victory.

Stephen was stoned to death with a smile on his face. Those around him said he looked like an angel. He saw Jesus as he was being stoned, and he experienced God’s glory in the process (Acts 7:54-60). Stephen’s circumstances didn’t determine whether he had victory. He had victory because he knew Yeshua, and Yeshua proved Himself to Stephen even in the midst of the chaos. I believe that as you earnestly seek God’s face first in your life, He will do the same for you. {eoa}

The preceding is an excerpt from Rabbi Kirt Schneider’s book The Key to Answered Prayer (Charisma House, 2022). For more information, or to order the book, visit .

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider is an international evangelist who serves as rabbi of Lion of Judah World Outreach Center. He is the host of the international television broadcast Discovering the Jewish Jesus () and the author of The Book of Revelation Decoded, Self-Deliverance, Do Not Be Afraid, and Awakening to Messiah. He and his wife, Cynthia, live in Ohio.

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On April 6, 2022, I headed down to a beach I rarely visit but is known as a historic well of revival in Southern California.

One of the last times I visited Pirate’s Cove was during the COVID lockdown. My friend, Jessi Green, with Saturate Global, was hosting a revival meeting there on August 7, 2020. On that day, many people were baptized in the Pacific Ocean just like so many new believers were in the height of the Jesus Movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

On my latest visit to Pirate’s Cove, the day before launching my next online School of Revival, I thought I would enjoy a secluded, mid-week quiet time with God. To my surprise, when I walked down the stairs toward the parking lot, I noticed it was filled with media trucks, tents and people bustling around. Then, when I got to the overlook, I saw that the cove had been turned into a movie set. My curiosity led me further to investigate.

When I got to the sand, it felt like I was transported to the early 1970s. I was surrounded by hippies!

When the crew broke for lunch, I approached someone to learn more about what they were filming. I knew I was in a significant well of revival where legendary Lonnie Frisbee baptized people during the Jesus People Movement and wondered if this movie was going to re-tell his story. It turned out I was talking with one of the film’s directors and writers, Jon Erwin. Erwin was so kind to stop and chat with me for a bit. He told me the movie they were shooting, titled Jesus Revolution, does in fact include Lonnie.

Growing up in Southern California in the Vineyard movement led by the late John Wimber, I often heard stories about a hippie evangelist named Lonnie Frisbee who had helped birth the Jesus People Movement and had influenced the early Vineyard. One story stood out: Mother’s Day in 1980 Frisbee was invited to speak at the Anaheim Vineyard for the first time. He welcomed the Holy Spirit to come in power.

It is said that when he lifted his hands up in a V-shape, people fell out in the Spirit in the same direction as his hands. Something broke open that day and there was a radical release of the Holy Spirit that has shaped our movement to this day. I consider myself so blessed to have grown up in and continue to live in the momentum and ripple effects of one hippie preacher’s “yes” to be yielded to the Holy Spirit. I was thrilled to discover his story would be featured in a major movie.

As I was talking with Erwin, Greg Laurie walked up, and Jon introduced me to him. Laurie is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and played a significant role in the Jesus People Movement himself. He was greatly impacted by Frisbee and had also been present at many of the historic baptisms that took place at Pirate’s Cove. I found out later that the movie is largely based around Laurie’s story.

Before I left that day, I gave Jon and Greg copies of one of my books on the Azusa Street Revival because it tells the story of other deep apostolic wells of revival here in Southern California. When Jon received my book, he noticed that the subtitle of Ignite Azusa: Positioning for a New JESUS REVOLUTION had the exact name of their movie in it! I hadn’t realized that at the time I gave him the book. Before I left, Jon invited me to come back the next day to be an extra.

So, there I was, a Southern Californian revival historian at a well of revival simply in awe of what was unfolding before my eyes. When I returned the next day, now as an extra, I saw Jonathan Roumie, who plays Lonnie Frisbee in the film (and Jesus in The Chosen). He was doing a recreation of the baptism scenes. As they filmed, I could feel the presence of God on the set.

It felt authentic as if people were really getting baptized. I prayed, God do it again! Let the synergy of these anointed saints re-digging this well of revival catalyze a new Jesus Revolution in our day!

It was amazing to see how God brought together just the right people at just the right time to recover this important and often misunderstood story. The timing of this film is prophetic especially in a time where cancel culture has become more prevalent. Lonnie’s contribution to the body of Christ needs to be shared. It provides hope for us that God can and will use anyone, regardless of their faults, who gives a yielded yes to be led by the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful that this film is celebrating his legacy and honoring his impact to the body of Christ.

Seeing this revival story captured on film feels significant. Could it be a divine prophecy that once again God wants to move through this generation in an incredible way? Might God be stirring up a new Jesus revolution in our day?

He did it once before; He can do it again. Maybe, just maybe, if we have eyes to see, we might even recognize that it’s already begun. {eoa}

Jennifer A. Miskov is Founding Director of School of Revival and Writing in the Glory

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In March 2020, I continued to hear the same warning echo in my spirit: The food supply is next.

I wrote in an article on about how the next sign of the times would be something that looks more like a famine. Prophetically, I saw a contamination coming to some of the food supply that would result in shortages in some areas, as well as sickness and deaths. I saw people rushing to order online, putting strain on the overall food supply.

We have since seen all of this. But what we could see next is even more troubling. Industry watchers are now agreeing food shortages are inevitable due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

On my Praying the News podcast, we looked at a prophetic warning I offered two years ago, as well as how the nations are responding to a potential famine-like food crisis and a 2015 prophetic word from the late prophet John Paul Jackson.

Reports of potential famine abound. Listen to President Biden’s thoughts from his recent trip to Brussels.

Meanwhile, leaders from the G-7, which includes the U.S., Japan, Canada, the U.K., France, Germany and Italy, as well as the European Union, pledged to do everything they can to address the issue, as well as provide Ukraine with a “sustainable food supply” in this crisis.

Throughout the pages of the Bible we see famines, so this should come as no surprise. Jesus said in Matthew 24:5-8, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled. For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

We are in the beginning of sorrows. What is the beginning of sorrows? It’s the time preceding the Great Tribulation. It’s a sign that indicates His return is near.

CNBC offered a special report on the Doomsday clock and doomsday preppers last week. Listen to the report.

In reality, the Doomsday preppers can actually contribute to the food shortages by stockpiling. Prophetically speaking, we do need to be prepared. We need to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

In 2015, John Paul Jackson prophesied about a Revelation 6 type of famine in the United States. Listen to this prophetic word about a famine and two pandemics.

Through the pages of the Bible, we see God give strategies for surviving through a famine. God gave Pharaoh a dream of seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, then gave Joseph the interpretation and a wise strategy to save the world.

So, how do we pray?

— Pray for the church to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, so everything else we need will be provided for us (see Matt. 6:33).

— Pray for the food supply chain to run smoothly, with no contamination and no disruption.

— Pray that creative innovations would emerge to reduce the impacts of food contamination.

— Pray for God’s miraculous intervention so the oil and the flour do not run dry. {eoa}

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In this week’s blog, I am going to write about something that may challenge your beliefs concerning one of the most foundational doctrines held by those who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel. I am saying this in the opening paragraph for two reasons: first, in hope that you the reader will take the time to consider what I am sharing in light of the entirety of the Holy Scriptures, and second, in hope that you will read the entire blog before making any conclusions about the blog.

Let me set the stage for this teaching. Every year, those who observe Passover gather around their tables for a Seder meal. For those who may not know what a Seder is, it is a meal in which all of the foods shared are used in object lessons to share the story of the exodus from Egypt. While each part of the meal is important to the story, it is the telling of the story that is the reason for the meal. One of the commandments G-D gave to Israel in Exodus 13:8 was to tell the story to our children:

“You are to tell your son on that day saying, ‘It is because of what ADONAI did for me when I came out of Egypt'” (TLV).

For Jewish people, the story of the exodus is the story of how a family became a nation. The children of Israel went into Egypt, and the nation of Israel left Egypt, and the story doesn’t end until the Israelites are led by Joshua into the Promised Land.

However, for Messianic Jews and others who believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Passover story doesn’t end at the Red Sea or at Mount Sinai. It continues beyond the crucifixion, which took place on Passover, and even beyond the resurrection, which took place within the week of Unleavened Bread and during the time of the First Fruits offerings. The story of the Passover continues for us until the moment that Yeshua leads us into our Promised Land, known as heaven, or the world to come.

This is important because for too many of us believers in Yeshua, when we tell our children of our exodus, we end our story way too soon. When we share with our children about our redemption, we take the time to explain how just as the children of Israel applied the blood of the lamb to the doorposts of their houses, we apply the blood of the Lamb (Yeshua) to the doors of our hearts. We even tell them that our immersion (or baptism) is symbolic of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea.

Then we tell our sons and daughters that once that has happened, once we have applied that blood to our hearts through faith in Yeshua, then we are saved forevermore, no matter what. That belief would be fine if we stopped telling the story once the “Red Sea” is crossed.

However, the problem with that statement is that the story of the exodus doesn’t end with the crossing of the sea; it continues through the wilderness journey. The story of the exodus includes the truth that many thousands, and maybe millions, of Israelites who had applied the blood to the doorposts of their homes didn’t make it to the Promised Land. While they had the faith to apply the blood to their doorposts, and even though they crossed the Red Sea, their faith in G-D didn’t continue.

It was with this understanding in mind that Yeshua spoke the words we read in Matthew 24:13 (TLV):

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Our Messiah spoke these words in a sermon He was preaching about the end times, in which He says in Matthew 24:10-12 (TLV):

“And then many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one other. Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.”

Notice that Yeshua states that many will “fall away.” In order to fall away from the faith, one must have entered into faith. Just as those who applied the blood to the doorposts of their homes physically but didn’t make it to the Promised Land, today, we can spiritually apply the blood to our hearts and still not endure to the end and be saved.

You see, while it is true that Yeshua’s blood paid the price so that all of us could be saved, in order to be saved, we must endure to the end. Or said another way: many people are willing to do what it takes to leave Egypt, but far too many are not willing to do what it takes to make it all the way to the Promised Land.

The Book of James said it this way:

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can such faith save him?” (Jas. 2:14, TLV).

And it was to born-again believers in Galatia that Paul wrote proclaiming that those who do these things will not inherit G-D’s kingdom.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, witchcraft, hostility, strife, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, just as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit God’s kingdom” (Gal. 5:19-21, TLV).

So this year, as we share the story of the exodus, let’s share the whole story, including the words, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” {eoa}

Rabbi Eric Tokajer is author of With Me in Paradise; Transient Singularity; OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry; #ManWisdom: With Eric Tokajer; Jesus Is to Christianity as Pasta Is to Italians; and Galatians in Context.

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When Charlotte Holmes went to her doctor for a routine checkup, she got quite a shock. They told her, “Either you’re having another stroke, or you’re about to have a heart attack.”

Her blood pressure had spiked to 234 over 134. Before long, Charlotte was having an out-of-body experience that turned heavenly.

“They called a code and they come running in. I was above my body. I could see them doing chest compressions. I could see them, all the nurses around. I could smell the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever smelled. And then I heard music. And when I opened my eyes, I knew where I was. I knew I was in heaven.”

In 2019, Charlotte Holmes was having a routine checkup with her cardiologist when her blood pressure spiked to 234 over 134. “My heart doctor said, ‘You’re not going home. We’re going to put you in the hospital. We’ve got to get that blood pressure down. It’s got to come down. You’re in a — you’re in a — having another stroke or you’re going to have a heart attack.’ They put me in a room and started an IV just to, you know, try to get that blood pressure down.”

Charlotte’s husband, Danny, stayed with her while the hospital staff tended to her. “Immediately, you know, they called this code and they — everybody started rushing in,” Danny says. “They just started working on her. And my feeling was, you know, I thought, ‘Boy, I’m wondering if I’m even going to be able to bring her home.'”

Charlotte began describing things to Danny. “She started talking about the flowers,” says Danny. “Well, I looked around and I knew there was no flowers in that room. That’s when I knew she was not in this world when that was going on.”

Then Charlotte’s heart stopped. For the next 11 minutes, she was clinically dead. “I was above my body. I could see Danny standing in the corner,” she says. “He had backed up. I could see them, all the nurses around. And then I opened my eyes. I looked around at the beauty. I could see the trees, I could see the grass. And everything was swaying with the music. Because everything in heaven worships God. I can’t convey to you what heaven looked like, cause it’s so above what we could even imagine, a million times.”

Charlotte says she was led into heaven by angels. “There is no fear. It’s like pure joy. When the angels take over, there is no fear. When you are going home, it’s pure joy.”

She says she then began to recognize deceased family members. “I saw my mom. I saw my dad. I saw my sister. I saw family members standing behind. I saw saints of old. See, they didn’t look old. They didn’t look sick. None of them wore glasses,” Charlotte recalls. “They looked like they were in their 30s. But yet it says in the Scriptures, ‘We will be known as we were known.’ I know them. There, in their new bodies, they looked wonderful.”

What Charlotte saw after that, however, shocked her. {eoa}

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its inflation estimates for March last week. Consumer inflation was 8.5% for the last 12 months, the highest in more than 40 years.

When energy and food prices were excluded, core inflation was 6.5%, the highest in nearly 40 years.

Annual producer inflation was estimated at 11.2% for all goods and 9.2% when energy and food prices were excluded — both a record high. Since producer prices lead consumer prices, expect the currently higher producer inflation to cause higher consumer inflation.

Inflation is caused by ill-advised policies, either excessive increases in government spending (fiscal policy) and/or excessive increases in the money supply (monetary policy) by the Federal Reserve (Fed). With the American Rescue Plan ($1.9 trillion) and the infrastructure bill ($1.2 trillion), the administration passed more than $3 trillion in new spending in 2021. The Fed has increased their balance sheet by about $4.5 trillion over the last couple of years. Both fiscal and monetary policy increases are unprecedented.

Do not accept the argument that current inflation is primarily the result of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Consumer inflation was 1.4% and producer inflation was 1.9% when President Biden took office. In the last report before the invasion, consumer inflation was 7.9% and producer inflation was 10.3%. Current inflation is caused by excessive fiscal and/or monetary policies.

Current inflation is neither fading nor transitory, but it is a serious challenge. It hurts consumers and producers, especially low and middle earners. It needs to be addressed by lower federal spending, pro-growth policies and a hawkish monetary policy. But the administration appears to still want to increase spending.

The Fed is at least saying the right things now, but some doubt they will follow through with strong actions. The Fed is seriously behind the curve. Paul Volcker, chairman of the Fed from 1979-1987, was able to fight double-digit inflation by moving interest rates above the inflation rate. He caused a severe recession but with the controlled inflation and growth-friendly policies of the Reagan administration set the economy on a growth and prosperity trajectory. The federal funds rate is currently 0.5% and the prime interest rate is 3.5%. Inflation is 8.5%. We have a way to go!

It is difficult for the typical world citizen to discern fact from falsehood. Much of the information presented as news is disseminated with an agenda in mind. Too often, a person’s opinions and beliefs are dependent on their favorite source of news, regardless of whether it is based in fact. Bad information can create bad decisions with unwanted consequences.

But kingdom citizens should be different. We have just celebrated Easter. As we meditated on the sacrifice, suffering and humility of our Lord and Savior, we came to a greater appreciation of God’s love for us. His voluntary sacrifice moves those willing to accept Him as Lord and Savior from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God, from sin to righteousness, from death to life, from despair to hope, and from defeat to victory.

Our new King is the King of kings, the Creator of the universe. He promised that He would not leave us as orphans (John 14:18). The disciples were saddened because Jesus had told them He was returning to the Father. They loved Him and didn’t want to see Him leave.

Jesus told them that it was to their advantage for Him to go. If He didn’t leave, the Holy Spirit would not come to them. But when He went, He would send the Helper to them. Can you imagine the import of what He told His disciples? Many had been with Jesus more than three years. They had eaten their meals with Him, slept with Him, celebrated with Him and laughed with Him.

He was their teacher. They were convinced that He was the Messiah. They had seen the miracles and felt His love. Yet He was telling them that it was to their advantage that He leave.

“But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:6-7, NASB).

When the Holy Spirit came, the disciples moved from being with God to God being in them. Jesus is in the Father, and we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in us.

“On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20, NASB).

Fact-checkers, who are far from unbiased, have been a frustration to many in these tumultuous times. Several men and women of God, as well as others, have had their social media posts flagged, shadow banned, or even their accounts closed because their posts did not agree with some liberal fact-checker. Although sad for the individuals impacted, the greatest loss is for the people that needed to read or hear those words.

Every born-again, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christian has been given a divine fact-checker. We just need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He will not only bear witness to truth but will lead us into all truth. He never makes a mistake, but we must be in tune with Him.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13a, NASB).

Let us use the time between Easter and Pentecost Sunday to reconsecrate ourselves to the Lord and to hearing His voice. What would our lives be like if we were always in tune with the Holy Spirit? How many mistakes could be avoided if we always recognized truth? What could be accomplished if we were guided into all truth?

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14, NASB). {eoa}

Dr. James Russell is a professor of economics at Oral Roberts University.

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Critics of the Bible attempt to debunk it by denying any miracle story it contains. They have given special attention to trivializing the amazing story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt.

In fact, a funny story illustrates their failure to do so. In it, a pastor was speaking about the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, when a skeptic felt the need to tell him that the water in the Red Sea was really only six inches deep; therefore, the parting of the waters was not a miracle at all.

At that news, the pastor grew even more excited and proclaimed, “Oh, what a miracle! The Egyptian army drowned in six inches of water!”

While these critics point out the lack of evidence affirming this miraculous deliverance, I find proof in the fact the Israelites began celebrating the miracle of the Exodus as soon as they left Egypt. They knew what had happened, and their remembrance of the event became an annual weeklong feast they have been celebrating for 3,500 years now.

The God Who Sets Us Free

The exodus event is engraved in the DNA of the Jewish people. It was the watershed moment in their history when they were delivered from the bondage of slavery and set free to serve their God (Ex. 8:1). It is as if God had taken them from death into life and gave them a hope and a future as a nation.

After the Israelites entered Sinai, this God began to reveal Himself to His people and associated Himself with that redemptive event when He said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Ex. 20:2). This is the God of Israel—the God of the Bible—He frees His people from bondage and slavery so that they can serve Him.

This is your God too. Whatever your need is—the problem that has overcome your life and made you a slave to it—you serve the God who set His people free, and He can do it for you too. Jesus already paid the price for your redemption with His own blood. He became your Passover Lamb, and all you must do is apply His blood to your life and walk into freedom with Him.

A Greater Miracle

The Exodus event was so pivotal for the people of Israel that God commanded them to remember and celebrate it forever—throughout all their generations. It must have been quite a shock when the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah said that one day, something even greater than the exodus miracle was going to happen:

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jer. 23:7–8, NKJV)

Jeremiah was prophesying that one day, God would miraculously bring the Jewish people back to the Land He had given them, from every country in which they had been in exile. This event would be so miraculous it would actually overshadow the exodus story. This second watershed moment is happening in our day. After 2,000 years of exile, the Jewish people are returning to their ancient homeland and reestablishing a national home: the State of Israel.

Jeremiah specifically mentions their return from the north. I remember in the 1980s when the Jews of the north—the former Soviet Union—were not allowed to leave. They were forbidden to practice their religion or to even learn about Israel. Those who wanted to immigrate to Israel were instead imprisoned and called “refuseniks.”

We prayed for them and held rallies around the world, calling for their release. We knew God would deliver them, but we did not know if it would be in peace or if they would have to flee for their lives. Many Christians in Europe even prepared safe houses for Jews escaping the Soviets.

Thank God they were able to leave in peace; in 1989 the Iron Curtain fell, the doors swung open, and Jews were allowed to leave. Since then, over 1 million Jews have emigrated from the former Soviet Union and moved to Israel. Jeremiah had seen this day 2,500 years before it happened.

You, too, serve a mighty God who is sovereign over the universe He created. No miracles are too big for Him. He is the God who sets His people free, and He can do it for you too.

Whatever your need, bring it to the God of Israel, the God of the Bible who sets His people free. As Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27, NIV).

Dr. Susan Michael is USA Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and host of the Out of Zion podcast. Text “zion” to 72572 to receive an alert each Friday with her Shabbat Shalom devotional and end your week with a little inspiration and peace.

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