In Touch Quarter 2 - 2016
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2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • No 187 Christian Friends of Israel UK<br />
<strong>In</strong>stead of the thorn-bush<br />
will grow the juniper<br />
Isaiah 55:13<br />
INSIDE<br />
BRIEFING & PARLIAMENT LOBBY DAY - SPECIAL REPORT<br />
HEBRAIC STUDY - HOW TO KEEP THE TESTAMENTS CONNECTED<br />
YOM HASHOAH - HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY<br />
REPRESENTATIVE PROFILE - SOUTH WEST<br />
HEBREW WORD STUDY - FEAR OF THE LORD<br />
EVENTS & RESOURCES<br />
Education • Advocacy • Aid
Shadow and<br />
Reflection<br />
Jacob Vince<br />
About us<br />
CFI-UK seeks to bless Israel by<br />
means of practical and moral<br />
support, and to serve the Church in<br />
teaching about God’s purposes for<br />
Israel and the Hebraic heritage<br />
of our faith.<br />
CFI also produces a monthly Prayer<br />
Letter, an audio Middle East News<br />
Report and distributes the Haverim<br />
Hebraic teaching CDs/MP3s.<br />
Please send for full details of<br />
projects in Israel and also of the<br />
many teaching resources available.<br />
As an educational charity,<br />
we carry a variety of<br />
resources relevant to our<br />
purpose. We do not<br />
necessarily endorse every<br />
view expressed by our<br />
guest writers or authors<br />
of these resources.<br />
Published by:<br />
CFI Charitable Trust<br />
PO Box 2687<br />
Eastbourne<br />
BN22 7LZ<br />
Tel: 01323 410810<br />
Fax: 01323 410211<br />
Email: info@cfi.org.uk<br />
Websites: www.cfi.org.uk<br />
www.keshercourse.org.uk<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk<br />
twitter.com/cfi_uk<br />
Registered Charity<br />
No. 1101899<br />
Registered Office c/o<br />
Caladine, Chantry House<br />
22 Upperton Road<br />
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF<br />
Company No: 0498515<br />
VAT Registration No: GB678780275<br />
Front Cover Image:<br />
The Juniper Tree<br />
For a reason known to God alone, he decided to reveal himself to humankind<br />
in a specific manner. He wanted to enter the world in human form and in<br />
order to do so needed a family, nationality, history and country.<br />
Having first set out the parameters in the<br />
Law (Torah), he then foreshadows the<br />
coming of his Son through the Prophets.<br />
This is then recalled and reinforced<br />
though the Psalms or writings (Luke<br />
24:44), and finally its outworking is<br />
shown through the eyewitness record of<br />
the Apostles (Acts 2:42), which reflects<br />
him. So in the context of Jesus, Israel<br />
could be said to foreshadow and the<br />
Church to reflect. <strong>In</strong> Hebrews it refers<br />
to the law as a shadow (Hebrews 10:1)<br />
and the sanctuary a copy and shadow<br />
(Hebrews 8:5). <strong>In</strong> the apostle Paul’s<br />
second letter to the Corinthians, the<br />
Church is referred to as reflecting Jesus<br />
(2 Corinthians 3:18). The outcome, if<br />
one takes away Israel or the Church, is<br />
that Jesus simply becomes a cardboard<br />
cut-out, a one dimensional<br />
character, who can be<br />
manipulated however we<br />
like. Only a threedimensional<br />
person has a<br />
shadow and a reflection.<br />
Now, in a largely Gentile<br />
Church, everyone is content<br />
with the ‘universal’ Jesus.<br />
However, it is vital to always<br />
set this against the ‘distinctive’ Jesus.<br />
This confirms Jesus as Jewish. He was<br />
circumcised (Luke 2:27), orthodox (Matt<br />
9:20) and even arguably followed some<br />
intertestamental Jewish practices (John<br />
10:22; Luke 22:14-20).<br />
It is also important to see the ongoing<br />
distinction made concerning the Jewish<br />
people. We know that Paul writes to<br />
the Galatians that there is neither Jew<br />
nor Gentile, male or female, slave nor<br />
free man. But he then spends most of<br />
his letters showing how to deal with<br />
the distinction. Male and female are<br />
different but are there to complement<br />
or bless one another in relationship.<br />
Equally, Jew and Gentile are designated<br />
as different, but also there to bless one<br />
another. God’s intervention in the world<br />
established a personal relationship with<br />
Abraham in covenant terms. But this<br />
Without the<br />
shadow we<br />
do not see<br />
God in all his<br />
fullness<br />
was not only for Abraham’s benefit,<br />
to his ethnic line and a few converts to<br />
Judaism, it was to be a blessing for the<br />
entire world. It should be seen as what<br />
Kendall Soulen calls the ‘blessing of<br />
difference’, in his seminal book ‘The God<br />
of Israel and Christian Theology’.<br />
<strong>In</strong> the main, Christendom has<br />
been very critical of Israel’s role in<br />
foreshadowing the Messiah, whilst at the<br />
same time ignoring how poorly we have<br />
been fulfilling our role of reflecting the<br />
Messiah.<br />
As mentioned earlier, a person without<br />
a shadow is simply one dimensional.<br />
Without the shadow we do not see<br />
God in all his fullness. Likewise, a<br />
person without a reflection is equally<br />
one-dimensional, so if the<br />
church doesn’t give a very<br />
clear reflection, or reflects<br />
only part, then how can we<br />
expect anyone to see God in<br />
all his fullness and unfolding<br />
purposes?<br />
<strong>In</strong> the foreshadowing,<br />
God reveals himself very<br />
specifically as a covenantmaking<br />
and keeping God.<br />
If he doesn’t keep his covenants with<br />
Israel then where are we in light of his<br />
new covenant? This was also made with<br />
Israel, as the apostle Paul reminds us in<br />
his letter to the Romans (Romans 9:4).<br />
This is the covenant into which Gentiles<br />
are engrafted (Romans 11:17). What is<br />
more, in the foreshadowing, God reveals<br />
himself as one who makes promises and<br />
keeps promises.<br />
The Church so easily misappropriates,<br />
ignores or re-defines the Law, Prophets<br />
and Psalms; whilst Israel finds it difficult<br />
to see the continued unfolding in the<br />
apostles. If we did a better job in our<br />
reflecting then maybe things would<br />
be different. As is always the case with<br />
Scripture, we must be doers as well as<br />
hearers (James 2:22), thinking on these<br />
things and putting them into practice<br />
(Philippians 4:9).<br />
2 IN TOUCH • 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.cfi.org.uk
SPECIAL REPORT<br />
Briefing and Lobby Day<br />
This year’s Briefing was an<br />
excellent foundation for the<br />
Lobby event in Portcullis<br />
House in the afternoon. The whole<br />
day was chaired by CFI’s Chief<br />
Executive Jacob Vince and Professor<br />
Eric Moonman, Co-President of the<br />
Zionist Federation. It was attended<br />
by up to 200 people, some travelling<br />
over night from as far away as<br />
Glasgow, and a coach full coming<br />
from Norwich.<br />
We also had CFI Area Reps from<br />
Essex, Norwich, North and North East<br />
Wales as well as David and Julia Soakell<br />
and staff from the CFI office. Those<br />
attending came as supporters both<br />
of CFI and of the Zionist Federation.<br />
All were impressed and challenged by<br />
those who spoke in preparation for the<br />
Lobby of Parliamentary Members and<br />
Speakers.<br />
Itamar Marcus of the Palestinian<br />
Media Watch spoke clearly and concisely<br />
about monitoring the Palestinian<br />
Authority (PA) through the window<br />
of Palestinian Media in sport, culture,<br />
poetry, entertainment, music and video,<br />
TV sermons, book reviews, crossword<br />
puzzles, children’s pages, school books<br />
and social networks. He showed how<br />
the PA seem to be creating teenage<br />
terrorists, and how this affects both<br />
the English-speaking world and the<br />
Arabic world. He showed examples of<br />
demonisation of Jews, claiming Zion is<br />
Satan and that they target children in<br />
attacks; also the hero worship of martyrs<br />
who have killed innocent Jewish citizens<br />
and then have sports tournaments and<br />
schools named in honour of them. He<br />
explained that the continuing trend of<br />
paying terrorists a salary – even though<br />
this was reportedly stopped – has been<br />
traced. The funding now goes through a<br />
different department. He also suggested<br />
that individuals in Palestinian areas are<br />
being taught how to stab, in what has<br />
become known as the Knife <strong>In</strong>tifada,<br />
claiming thirty lives between Sept 14 th<br />
and Jan 28 th , and injuring 291, through<br />
113 stabbings and 39 shootings, as well<br />
as 22 car rammings.<br />
Gillian Merron vice President of the<br />
Board of Deputies of British Jews and<br />
the acting Israeli Ambassador to UK,<br />
Eitan Na’eh, both expressed their deep<br />
appreciation of all present and of those<br />
who support Israel and the Jewish<br />
people in ways such as advocacy. Each<br />
of the speakers generously answered<br />
questions from the floor. They were<br />
rewarded with an appreciative round of<br />
applause for the tremendous amount of<br />
relevant information communicated.<br />
The group then walked on through<br />
Westminster, had photos taken in the<br />
Square, and went on to Portcullis<br />
House, and then some went to individual<br />
meetings with their constituency MPs.<br />
Many had good conversations with their<br />
MPs and shared concerns about EU<br />
money, the increase of violence in Israel,<br />
media reporting, and other issues. The<br />
large afternoon meeting was addressed<br />
by over a dozen MPs from across all<br />
parties and by two House of Lords Peers<br />
as well as Jerry Lewis - a journalist with<br />
Israel Radio.<br />
Issues addressed covered the new<br />
stance on BDS, actioned recently<br />
by Matthew Hancock, the decline of<br />
Labour MPs supporting Israel in the<br />
new parliament, the turning down of a<br />
new desalination plant (to be built by the<br />
Israeli Government) by the PA because<br />
they thought of it as ‘dirty money’,<br />
the need to use social media better in<br />
support of Israel, and the growing trends<br />
to use terrorist martyrs as role models<br />
in Palestinian schools and sports events.<br />
Most of the speakers encouraged UK<br />
voters to use their democratic rights<br />
to challenge MPs and to “hold them<br />
accountable”, to quote Luciana Berger<br />
– Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree.<br />
And as Paul Charney of the ZF said,<br />
Israel’s enemies are “relentless and<br />
organised” so we must continue to<br />
make voices for Israel heard and make<br />
a difference.<br />
Parallels from the recent worsening<br />
environment around Israelis, anti-<br />
Semitism and continuing hatred towards<br />
Israel could be made with the story in<br />
Exodus when Moses led the Israelites<br />
out of Egypt with Pharaoh’s army in<br />
hot pursuit. The scriptures say “Don’t<br />
be afraid …. The Lord will fight for you”<br />
(Exodus 14:14). Please pray about<br />
these issues and see the specific prayer<br />
pointers on the prayer page of the CFI<br />
UK website (www.cfi.org.uk).<br />
Itamar Marcus of the Palestinian Media Watch<br />
The Briefing held at the Emmanuel Centre<br />
Jacob Vince and Professor Eric Moonman of ZF<br />
Arriving at Westminster for the Lobby<br />
The meeting at Portcillis House, Bob Blackman MP<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • IN TOUCH 3
James Whitman<br />
serves as president<br />
of The Centre for<br />
Judaic-Christian<br />
Studies (JCS)<br />
As my title indicates, we’re starting a<br />
new series called, Reading the Bible for<br />
all it’s worth! My prayer is that each<br />
instalment serves as a treasure hunt<br />
for you, a quest to uncover riches that<br />
lie just below the surface. This month<br />
I want to show you the substantial<br />
benefits of keeping the two Testaments<br />
connected. And give you some tips on<br />
how to do just that.<br />
The Christian Bible has two<br />
major divisions described with the<br />
venerable word Testament: the Old<br />
Testament and the New Testament.<br />
When I ask believers what the word<br />
means, few can tell me and even<br />
fewer can answer how they came to<br />
carry that designation. My purpose<br />
is not to criticise but to show that<br />
this disconnect in our thinking is an<br />
opportunity to know God more. Here<br />
is a brief overview of the relevant<br />
history.<br />
Church father Jerome, famous for<br />
translating the entire Bible into what<br />
became the accepted Latin version<br />
known as The Vulgate (AD 405),<br />
coined “Old Testament” for the Jewish<br />
Scriptures and “New Testament” for<br />
the Christian Scriptures. Why did he<br />
make that choice? The process began<br />
when the Hebrew word for covenant<br />
(berith) was translated by the Greek<br />
word (diatheke) long before Jesus was<br />
born. That use continued with the<br />
apostolic writings. So far, so good,<br />
because the subtle range of meaning<br />
associated with covenant was able to<br />
retain its biblical, Hebraic context.<br />
The problem came when Jerome<br />
made a choice to translate every Greek<br />
use of diatheke in his New Testament<br />
with the Latin term testamentum<br />
(even though he used multiple words<br />
to translate diatheke in his Old<br />
Testament). Keep in mind that all<br />
translation work involves an element<br />
of interpretation as a necessary part of<br />
the process. Unfortunately, Jerome’s<br />
interpretive impact confined the word<br />
to a legal context (think, last will and<br />
testament) with a distinct connotation<br />
to the Greco-Roman world. And it<br />
Reading the Bible for all it’s worth! PART 1<br />
How to keep the<br />
Testaments connected<br />
We encourage our four children to think carefully and ask clarifying questions. This morning my<br />
thirteen-year-old son Nathaniel asked me why the Bible ended; why it’s no longer being written.<br />
That’s a line of inquiry that deserves a thoughtful response, don’t you agree? Before telling you what<br />
I told him, let me share a big idea that forms the background to my answer.<br />
severed the biblical ideas embedded<br />
in the concept of covenant from their<br />
Jewish roots, specifically as related to<br />
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob<br />
and his interaction with people.<br />
Thankfully, translators have since<br />
repaired this oversimplification in<br />
the text (for an obvious example,<br />
compare Luke 22:20 in the KJV and<br />
NKJV). However, there remains a<br />
misunderstanding that persists at<br />
the core level of how we describe the<br />
Word of God, which can even affect<br />
our view of who he is and what he is<br />
all about. For many Christians, there is<br />
a vague, unspoken and unintentional<br />
disconnect between the Testaments.<br />
Why? Because in the non-Jewish, legal<br />
way of thinking associated with the<br />
We need to reject the<br />
prejudice that sets the<br />
Testaments in opposition<br />
to each other<br />
word testament, God seems to change.<br />
<strong>In</strong> other words, he acts one way in the<br />
old and another in the new. May it<br />
never be!<br />
Over the years, we have helped<br />
many people experience increased<br />
intimacy with God by teaching them<br />
how to view the Holy Bible as a<br />
whole—as The Book of the Covenants,<br />
both old and new. Let me give you<br />
three benefits followed by some tips on<br />
how to be intentional as you read and<br />
hear.<br />
THE FIRST BENEFIT of keeping the<br />
Testaments connected is that it helps<br />
you grasp the Bible as one continuous<br />
story—about the God of salvation and<br />
the salvation of God.<br />
Paul helps us get into the mindset of<br />
the early church; all covenant history<br />
is anchored to a promise that God<br />
Almighty gave to Abraham (Galatians<br />
3:29, Genesis 12:1-3). The heart of the<br />
Father, evidenced by the heart of his<br />
promise, is to bless—relentlessly—the<br />
work of his hands. Everything from<br />
that encounter with Abraham forward<br />
derives its meaning from the same<br />
divine commitment, including the new<br />
covenant foretold by Jeremiah and<br />
inaugurated with the blood of Jesus<br />
(Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 26:28).<br />
Jesus taught us that the object of our<br />
worship and prayer is “our Father”<br />
because he knew that the Holy Bible<br />
is the story of God. When the Father<br />
is the centre of attention, and we<br />
understand it as one continuous story<br />
about him, then the Spirit breathes<br />
new life into the creedal text, “For I<br />
the LORD do not change” (Malachi<br />
3:16). We come to the stunning and<br />
humbling realisation that God is being<br />
faithful to his Word, even if we are not.<br />
THE NEXT BENEFIT of keeping the<br />
Testaments connected is that it helps<br />
you read the Bible from the left to the<br />
right. Nothing supports faith quite like<br />
covenant history. From the beginning<br />
of the Bible we can watch the seed<br />
grow, bear fruit, and produce more<br />
seed. From the seminal promise to<br />
Abraham emerges a covenant with<br />
him, Sarah, and their progeny. From<br />
that emerges a covenant embracing<br />
Israel and their progeny. From that<br />
emerges a covenant embracing King<br />
David and his progeny. From that<br />
emerges the final covenant embracing<br />
Jesus and his progeny. What<br />
Abraham, Moses, David, and our<br />
Prophets understood was that what<br />
came before them was the LORD at<br />
work—fulfilling His original promise.<br />
For that reason, they eagerly looked<br />
forward to the coming of the Messiah.<br />
Jesus, the Jewish Messiah and the<br />
world’s rightful King, was able to live<br />
a Spirit-filled life of joyful obedience<br />
by drawing strength from his Father’s<br />
covenant faithfulness witnessed to in<br />
His unchanging Word. We mature the<br />
same way. As we grow in confidence<br />
of God’s help in the present because<br />
of his decisive actions in the past, his<br />
Spirit breathes new life into the creedal<br />
text, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday<br />
and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).<br />
4 IN TOUCH • 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.cfi.org.uk
ANOTHER BENEFIT of keeping the<br />
Testaments connected is that it helps<br />
you read the Bible from the right to the<br />
left.<br />
Nothing informs our faith quite like<br />
covenant history. One activity I like to<br />
do with students in a seminar setting is<br />
open the Bible to the New Covenant as<br />
presented in Hebrews chapter 8. I then<br />
ask them to list the items in the text<br />
for which they need a basic working<br />
knowledge of Jesus’ Bible, our Old<br />
Testament. A simple exercise with<br />
significant results. The inspired writers<br />
of the ‘Christian<br />
Scriptures’ used<br />
Hebraic nouns and<br />
verbs to explain God<br />
the Father, and His<br />
Son, to Jews and non-<br />
Jews alike. Once you<br />
recognise this, you will<br />
see it from Matthew to<br />
Revelation.<br />
We need to reject the prejudice that<br />
sets the Testaments in opposition to<br />
each other. Just as the Exodus is the<br />
grand archetype of biblical salvation,<br />
so both cross and resurrection offer a<br />
new exodus in Jesus. All the redeemed<br />
of the LORD throughout the ages can<br />
proclaim the creedal text, “for us there<br />
is one God, the Father, from whom are all<br />
things and for whom we exist, and one<br />
Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are<br />
all things and through whom we exist.”<br />
(1 Corinthians 8:6)<br />
Although Old and New Testament<br />
terminology can cause a disconnect,<br />
it’s not going to change nor do I think<br />
it necessarily should. What we have is<br />
an educational opportunity, a chance<br />
to both define our terms and unpack<br />
the meanings. Here are two tips that<br />
can renew our minds and equip us to<br />
help others to do the same.<br />
Tip 1: When you hear or say the word<br />
testament, think covenant; translate it<br />
back to the biblical ideas embedded in<br />
covenant.<br />
Tip 2: When you hear or say the words<br />
old and new applied to testament<br />
(covenant), translate them to something<br />
like first and final, or original and<br />
renewed.<br />
For years I have encouraged<br />
Christians to think of the Holy Bible<br />
as the Book of the Covenants, Volumes<br />
1 & 2. It’s not a perfect solution, but<br />
it gets us closer to the actual covenant<br />
history (promise fulfilment) that the<br />
Word of God narrates and illustrates.<br />
Now back to my son’s question with<br />
which I opened this article. Here is the<br />
distilled version of our conversation.<br />
On the one hand, the Bible had to reach<br />
a point of completion—a time when no<br />
more writings were added—because<br />
new covenant salvation, as evidenced<br />
by Messiah Jesus’ death, resurrection,<br />
and Holy Spirit outpouring, was the<br />
Father’s ultimate goal. That being said,<br />
be mindful that we cannot wholly<br />
grasp the breadth, length, height and<br />
depth (Ephesians 3:18) of His promise<br />
to bless without taking<br />
the Bible and the history<br />
as a whole.<br />
On the other hand, we<br />
need to be fully aware<br />
that the story of God<br />
– as told in the Bible –<br />
continues to be written<br />
onto the pages of history<br />
by each believer and<br />
every believing community as they<br />
experience his salvation and respond<br />
with the obedience of faith. Today is<br />
our opportunity to prove the promise<br />
of the Father, just like the covenant<br />
faithful who have gone before us.<br />
Our apostle Paul says it this way:<br />
“You are a letter from Christ delivered<br />
by us, written not with ink but with the<br />
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of<br />
stone but on tablets of human hearts.”<br />
(2 Corinthians 3:3).<br />
Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop<br />
The God Who Comes Down Revd Desi Maxwell<br />
Revd Desi Maxwell lectured for twenty years at Belfast Bible College, before seeking to bring the<br />
classroom to the living room through “Xplorations”, the ministry he cofounded and directs with his wife.<br />
He has studied at Haverim Schools of Discipleship, and was introduced to CFI-UK through Dwight Pryor’s<br />
warm recommendation of him as a gifted teacher with his own unique presentation of the Messiah in all<br />
the Scriptures, along with promoting a deeper understanding of the Biblical text by creating an awareness<br />
and understanding of its Jewish background. This DVD has two 30 minute documentaries.<br />
Session 1: ‘The God Who Comes Down’, we travel nearly the full length of Israel tracing the Biblical story of the God who came<br />
down on the mountain, in the tent, in the temple, in the flesh and in the Spirit.<br />
Session 2: ‘The World’s Longest Running Love Affair’, we explore the relationship of the Jewish people and the Torah. We are<br />
drawn into an ongoing relationship that is full of passion.<br />
D135 // DVD // £11 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
The Gospel & the Revelation Dr Ron Herms<br />
This is a set of three lectures in the Haverim series that were given by Dr Ron Herms at a seminar held on<br />
23 rd May 2015 at the Centre for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, Ohio, USA.<br />
Disc 1: Early Jewish Apocalyptic and the Book of Revelation<br />
Disc 2: The Gospel in the Book of Revelation<br />
Disc 3: Conflict and Social Setting in the Book of Revelation<br />
Dr Herms is Dean of the School of Humanities, Religion and Social Sciences at the Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, California.<br />
Prior to joining FPU, he served at Northwest University. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Dr Herms’ qualifications include a<br />
Ph.D. in New Testament Theology from Durham University.<br />
CDS130 // CD // £13.50 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • IN TOUCH 5
HEBREW WORD STUDY<br />
Melissa Briggs MA,<br />
Hebrew University of<br />
Jerusalem, has been<br />
teaching Hebrew in<br />
the UK for more than<br />
five years.<br />
What we fear controls us and holds us back from living in<br />
the shalom and freedom that our Heavenly Father desires<br />
for us. A fear of failure can hold us back from venturing out<br />
into a new calling. A fear of spiders or dogs can hold us back<br />
from enjoying the great outdoors. A fear of commitment can<br />
hold us back from marriage. A fear of rejection can hold us<br />
back from building new relationships.<br />
The Hebrew word for fear, yirah רְ , אָ ה is the יִ same word<br />
whether the object is a fear of God, man, death, enclosed<br />
spaces, or something else. The word yirah and the root verb<br />
from which it originates, Yare יָ , רֵ א appear hundreds of<br />
times in the Hebrew Scriptures.<br />
We all have an innate drive to fear something. It is<br />
impossible to be truly fearless. The question is whether our<br />
fear is rightly directed; and the Scriptures are very clear who<br />
alone is worthy of our yirah, “You shall yare only the LORD<br />
your God; and you shall worship him and swear by his name”<br />
(Deuteronomy 6:13). We worship what we fear<br />
by giving it prominence and power in our<br />
lives (Revelation 14:7).<br />
Everyone should fear God because he is<br />
indeed fearful! “‘Should you not yare me?’<br />
declares the Lord. ‘Should you not tremble in my<br />
presence?’” (Jeremiah 5:22). But with what type<br />
of yirah can we approach him? Does our fear<br />
need to be a quaking before him as our Judge?<br />
Or can we confidently approach his throne of grace with<br />
humility in a respectful, awe-filled admiration because he<br />
has become our salvation?<br />
Perhaps the key to being able to take hold of the positive,<br />
beautiful aspects of fearing God—the reverent awe—is<br />
found in the Psalms,<br />
“Serve the Lord with yare, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the<br />
Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when his wrath<br />
is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in<br />
him” (Psalm 2:11-12).<br />
If we “kiss the Son” (Psalm 2:12) by entering into a<br />
relationship with God the Father through his Son Jesus<br />
the Messiah, then the penalty for our sin has been paid<br />
through Jesus’ atonement. We are no longer deserving of<br />
punishment, but instead we are given the right to be called<br />
children of the Living God! (John 1:12).<br />
When the object of our yirah is the Lord and we are in a<br />
right relationship with him, then that yirah becomes a<br />
beautiful treasure (Isaiah 33:6). But when the object of our<br />
yirah is death, man, or anything else, then it brings us dread<br />
and torment. Ungodly fears can overwhelm or overtake us<br />
if we let them fester.<br />
Yirah<br />
The fear of God<br />
Have you ever stopped to consider what it is that you truly fear? When I did so several months ago, the<br />
length and content of my list was a serious red flag. Fear was an area in my life that God wanted to deal<br />
with and I was eager for his help.<br />
We all have an<br />
innate drive to<br />
fear something<br />
רְ אָ ה<br />
As our fear of God grows, other fears rightly lose their<br />
power in our lives. If we really understood God’s power<br />
and authority, then we would understand that we do not<br />
need to fear anything else beside the Almighty, “The Lord is<br />
my light and my salvation; whom shall I yare? The Lord is the<br />
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).<br />
We can turn to God for help with all our fears.<br />
“But the Lord your God you shall fear; and he will deliver you<br />
from the hand of all your enemies.” (2 Kings 17:39)<br />
“Whenever I am afraid I will put my trust in You.” (Psalm 56:3)<br />
“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your<br />
truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may yare your name.”<br />
(Psalm 86:11)<br />
Perhaps a good litmus test to how much we properly<br />
fear the Lord would be our attitude towards sin. Are we<br />
complacent about sin in our lives or do we recognise its<br />
affront to God’s holiness? Are we seeking his<br />
help in fleeing from it or are we enjoying it?<br />
The more we learn of his character and of<br />
the cost of his sacrifice on our behalf, then the<br />
more urgently we should desire to allow him<br />
to deal with sin in our lives. If we see God’s<br />
grace as license to continue in sin, then we are<br />
missing the point of the Gospel and do not<br />
have proper fear of him.<br />
The fear of the Lord is a well-spring of life and goodness to<br />
those who take hold of it.<br />
“The yirah of the Lord leads to life and he who has it rests satisfied,<br />
untouched by evil.” (Proverbs 19:23)<br />
“The yirah of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”<br />
(Proverbs 9:10)<br />
“The yirah of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.” (Psalm 19:9)<br />
“<strong>In</strong> the yirah of the LORD there is strong confidence, and his<br />
children will have refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)<br />
“And by the yirah of the LORD one keeps away from evil.”<br />
(Proverbs 16:6)<br />
The wonderful news is that we are not stuck with our<br />
misplaced fears. Even if they have been plaguing us for<br />
years, God desires his children to be set free. Behind every<br />
ungodly fear is a lie and our enemy is the “father of lies”<br />
(John 8:44). We can ask God to help us uncover the lies<br />
and to replace them with biblical truth. The central key to<br />
dealing with unhealthy fears is to put all of our fear onto our<br />
trustworthy, faithful God.<br />
“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world<br />
revere him.” (Psalm 33:8)<br />
6 IN TOUCH • 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.cfi.org.uk
David Soakell<br />
Holocaust and Heroism<br />
Remembrance Day<br />
Yom HaZikaron laShoah velaG’vurah,<br />
Holocaust and<br />
Heroism Remembrance Day,<br />
otherwise known in Israel<br />
and abroad as Yom HaShoah<br />
), is observed as Israel’s יום השואה)<br />
day of commemoration for the six<br />
million Jews who perished in the<br />
Holocaust as a result of the actions<br />
carried out by Nazi Germany, and<br />
for the Jewish resistance in that<br />
period.<br />
<strong>In</strong> Israel it is a National Memorial<br />
Day. <strong>In</strong>augurated in 1953, this day<br />
was ‘anchored’ by a law signed by<br />
the then Israeli Prime Minister David<br />
Ben-Gurion. <strong>In</strong> the UK however,<br />
this commemoration happens in<br />
January as hundreds of events for<br />
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) take<br />
place in libraries, schools, cinemas,<br />
museums, galleries etc. National<br />
Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK -<br />
a Government initiative - was brought<br />
into being in the year 2000, to recognise<br />
that the Holocaust was a tragically<br />
defining episode of the 20 th Century and<br />
a universal catastrophe for humanity.<br />
Through the work of Christian<br />
Friends of Israel Jerusalem, we minister<br />
to thousands of Holocaust Survivors<br />
in Israel. When any of these survivors<br />
come to CFI’s Distribution Centre in<br />
Jerusalem, the staff take the time to<br />
visit and record their stories and help<br />
financially. Here in the UK, many of<br />
CFI’s Area Representatives took on the<br />
initiative to promote, host and speak<br />
at HMD events. Although we could<br />
not put into print everything that went<br />
on, we hope these few stories bless and<br />
encourage you, and maybe inspire you<br />
to get involved with HMD in 2017. I<br />
would just like to say personally, a<br />
massive “Thank You” to all our Reps<br />
who took the time to organise HMD<br />
events throughout England, Scotland<br />
and Wales.<br />
As I mentioned in one of my Watching<br />
over Zion reports, anti-Semitic incidents<br />
in London alone soared in 2015 with<br />
483 anti-Semitic crimes being recorded<br />
during the 12-month period. Along<br />
with this, the magnitude of emotional<br />
trauma that the Jewish people endured<br />
throughout the Holocaust period is still<br />
etched upon their memories, never to<br />
be forgotten. Having lived through<br />
the horrible catastrophe many came<br />
to Israel with their hearts completely<br />
broken. And yet today, Israel is not<br />
merely surviving – they are changing<br />
the world for the better. Israel yields<br />
awesome pioneering technologies and<br />
some of the world’s most profitable<br />
business opportunities. This is why<br />
some of the biggest names in the world<br />
– businesses like Microsoft, Motorola,<br />
<strong>In</strong>tel, HP, Siemens, IBM, Philips, AOL<br />
and more - choose to invest in Israel.<br />
There is so much more that I could<br />
tell you about Israel, including the fact<br />
that Israel is not only a world leader in<br />
high tech, life sciences and computers<br />
but also in green technology involving<br />
agriculture, water treatment and solar<br />
power. However Israel herself was<br />
literally reborn from the ashes of a<br />
time in history which no one should<br />
CFI Area Rep Dave Walker at a Holocaust event<br />
in the West Midlands<br />
ever forget ~ the Holocaust. And that<br />
era – possibly the darkest period in<br />
history – must never ever be forgotten,<br />
nor compared as equal to, especially in<br />
these days of rising anti-Semitism.<br />
Preserving the memory of the<br />
Holocaust is indeed important today.<br />
Once again as in past years, Christian<br />
Friends of Israel were involved with<br />
Holocaust memorial events in many<br />
areas in the UK including: London,<br />
North Wales, Brentwood in Essex,<br />
Sheffield, Stoke, Middlesbrough,<br />
Sunderland and Cradley in the West<br />
Midlands.<br />
Here are just a few highlights: <strong>In</strong><br />
Stoke an event arranged by Jennifer<br />
Neville on January 21 st included<br />
יום השואה<br />
Yom HaShoah<br />
readings about the Danish Jewry and<br />
saw film tributes given. I was the main<br />
speaker and challenged the audience<br />
about looking for hope in the despair,<br />
reminding the attendees that from<br />
the ashes of the Holocaust the nation<br />
of Israel was miraculously reborn in<br />
three years after the tragic murder of<br />
six million Jews, growing to a nation<br />
of six million today. The remembrance<br />
concluded in the laying of stones, a<br />
very Jewish way of remembering lives<br />
lost. Julia Soakell looked at the need<br />
to remember HMD each year and that<br />
we must all encourage individuals,<br />
churches and the younger generation to<br />
be educated about the horrors and the<br />
need for truth to be spoken out.<br />
With this in mind, the inaugural<br />
event for CFI’s new and youngest rep,<br />
Kristie King took place in Sheffield,<br />
hosted by the Bushfire Church. Julia<br />
Soakell writes, “The drama presented by<br />
Kristie and the Sh’ma Kingdom Dancers<br />
brilliantly portrayed the anguish of a<br />
Czech family, making the heart breaking<br />
decision to send their children on the<br />
Kindertransport during the war years,<br />
and was a fitting and poignant tribute<br />
to the life and work of Nicholas Winton.<br />
A fascinating interview by Kristie with<br />
Sue Pearson, a Kindertransport survivor,<br />
was shown and an address from Steven<br />
Jaffe (Board of Deputies of British Jews)<br />
reminded the gathering of over 120 people<br />
that the Amalekites of the Old Testament<br />
had no reason for attacking Israel, much the<br />
same as today when Israel and her people<br />
and borders and very life are often attacked<br />
without reason. He reminded the audience<br />
– Jews and Christians and non-believers -<br />
that we should not be afraid, that we must<br />
fight falsehood with truth and hate with<br />
love and turn prayer into action.”<br />
Speaking on the spiritual dimension<br />
of Amalek, Steven Jaffe stated, “Amalek<br />
wished to show denial of God and His<br />
power. <strong>In</strong> Deuteronomy 25:18, Amalek is<br />
described as a people ‘who had no fear of<br />
God’”. The struggle between Amalek<br />
and Israel is the eternal struggle of<br />
good versus evil - a spiritual battle.<br />
Some rabbis see it as an internal battle<br />
within every one of us. But it’s also a<br />
moral and physical battle in our world<br />
continued overleaf<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • IN TOUCH 7
continued from 7<br />
CFI Area Rep Kristie King (with case) and the<br />
Sh’ma Kingdom Dancers at Sheffield<br />
today. As people of faith – Jews and<br />
Christians – we are challenged by the<br />
Shoah, by its vastness, its rawness.<br />
From the speeches of Hitler it is clear<br />
to me that faith and rejection of faith<br />
stand at the very centre of the Shoah.<br />
The Torah says of Amalek that they<br />
“had no fear of God” (Deuteronomy 25:18).<br />
Listen now to Adolf Hitler: “The Ten<br />
Commandments have lost their validity.<br />
Conscience is a Jewish invention, it is a<br />
blemish like circumcision.” “The heaviest<br />
blow which ever struck humanity was<br />
Christianity; Communism is Christianity’s<br />
illegitimate child. Both are inventions of<br />
the Jew.” Like Amalek the Nazis defied<br />
God and were merciless in attack –<br />
selecting the old, the infirm, the disabled<br />
and the children first for slaughter.<br />
God’s commandment regarding Amalek<br />
is therefore so relevant to what we are<br />
doing here today. We must remember<br />
Amalek – the Torah says you will not<br />
forget.<br />
<strong>In</strong> Brentwood, CFI’s Area Rep<br />
for Essex, Moira Dare-Edwards,<br />
also had very successful Holocaust<br />
events. Moira writes, “The Holocaust<br />
Commemoration Exhibition held at<br />
Brentwood Town Hall from January<br />
21 st till 23 rd , open to the General Public<br />
and schools, featured the lives and<br />
stories of two “ordinary” people who<br />
saved Jewish people before and during<br />
the Second World War. Groups from<br />
local schools and beyond came to hear<br />
Holocaust Survivors speak movingly<br />
about the Kindertransport which<br />
rescued children from Nazi dominated<br />
Europe and brought them to the UK.<br />
Two of the survivors speaking at<br />
the meeting arrived in the UK this<br />
way, one of whom was on the last<br />
transport organised by Sir Nicholas<br />
Winton. Young people from years 5<br />
and 6 to years 10 and 11 also spent<br />
time in the exhibition area, gleaning<br />
information about Sir Nicholas Winton<br />
and the Dutch Ten Boom family<br />
from structured worksheets and an<br />
interactive approach which included<br />
making comments on how they might<br />
have felt had they experienced this<br />
ordeal and lasting separation from their<br />
families. Every group was genuinely<br />
interested and engaged wholeheartedly<br />
with what they saw and heard. From<br />
the youngest in year 5 to the older<br />
students, all listened intently and<br />
showed real enthusiasm, focus and<br />
commitment to the whole experience.<br />
It was most inspiring to be involved.”<br />
Moira continues, “On Saturday<br />
evening the exhibition was transferred<br />
to a local school hall where later there<br />
was a Meeting of Commemoration<br />
including a dramatic presentation by<br />
Susan Sandager who beautifully and<br />
accurately portrayed Corrie Ten Boom<br />
in ‘Corrie Remembers’, followed by a<br />
Candle Lighting Ceremony with the<br />
local Jewish Community in memory<br />
of the 6 million who died in the<br />
Holocaust. This was in the presence of<br />
Sir Eric Pickles our local MP and our<br />
Mayor, Councillor Mark Reed.” The<br />
events were organised by Moira Dare-<br />
Edwards, her team, and supported by<br />
Tikvah Chadasha Synagogue.<br />
HMD event in Brentwood with front left Steven<br />
Jaffe then Otto Deutsch, holocaust survivor from<br />
Southend then Area Rep Moira Dare-Edwards.<br />
Back row from left Jack and Gill De Metz, Jewish<br />
orthodox friends who brought Otto.<br />
Corrie Ten Boom<br />
Remembered<br />
Ricky Newby<br />
I<br />
finally had Susie Sandager<br />
(as Corrie) here from the USA<br />
during late January, after<br />
nearly 18 months of planning and<br />
preparation, during which she did<br />
six presentations which were all<br />
warmly received and people were<br />
very challenged.<br />
It was an amazing experience to<br />
see her capture the actions and voice<br />
of our dear Corrie, as she was in the<br />
late seventies, reminiscing about her<br />
experiences of helping Jews to escape<br />
during the Second World War and<br />
beyond. The church or hall was set<br />
to look like Corrie’s front room with<br />
various bits of furniture, carpet, flowers<br />
etc. taken from people’s homes which<br />
gave it authenticity.<br />
When Susie Sandager came back<br />
after the presentation as herself to<br />
answer questions it was such a surprise<br />
to many people, and then she briefly<br />
talked about her work with Jewish<br />
people in New Mexico. The tour<br />
started off at Brentwood Holocaust<br />
Memorial Day under the auspice of<br />
Moira Dare-Edwards where we had<br />
over 200 hundred people including<br />
many Jews. This was followed by<br />
Tony Pearce’s church in Golders Green<br />
and then on to Portcullis House in<br />
Parliament, hosted by David Burrowes<br />
MP and Holocaust Memorial Trust,<br />
with over 125 folk including some MPs.<br />
Other venues included Christ Church<br />
Horam, Enfield Baptist Church and a<br />
church in Romford. Many folk came<br />
up afterwards and said how much they<br />
were challenged about how we treat<br />
Jews and latterly Israel, and I must<br />
confess I shed a tear every time I saw<br />
the production. So all in all it was very<br />
worthwhile and I thank all the people<br />
who helped at each venue.<br />
8 IN TOUCH • 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.cfi.org.uk
CFI-UK Strategic Prayer Conference <strong>2016</strong> Report<br />
The One Enthroned<br />
in Heaven By Ruth Henderson<br />
I<br />
had the privilege of attending our Strategic Prayer<br />
Conference at Windmill Farm Conference Centre,<br />
near Oxford, hosted by David and Sandra Greer.<br />
We were very encouraged by the number of people who<br />
were able to gather for these precious 48 hours together.<br />
There were between 70 and 90 people, depending on which<br />
day, who came from across the UK and some as far afield as<br />
Jersey, Holland and even Israel.<br />
There was a very “friendly and informal family<br />
atmosphere”and several commented that they felt that they<br />
“belonged”. The majority were in twin room accommodation<br />
in order for this many to attend, and this added to the sense<br />
of fellowship experienced. People were very appreciative of<br />
all the information they were given to help with their prayers,<br />
this was evident from the participation in small groups and<br />
use of the ‘roving microphone’ in the larger group. Several<br />
commented on the leading of the Sung Worship in particular,<br />
that it was not just a time to sing songs, and the comments<br />
interspersed amongst the songs were greatly valued.<br />
Our theme – ‘The One Enthroned<br />
in Heaven’ from Psalm 2, helped us<br />
to focus on the sovereignty of God<br />
in our constantly changing world,<br />
giving us confidence that God is<br />
in control. <strong>In</strong> our prayer times we<br />
highlighted many different areas:<br />
Israel related issues, the Church<br />
concerning Israel, praying for<br />
the UK, CFI Trustees, staff, Area<br />
Representatives, the new Church<br />
Link initiative, and Christians in<br />
the Middle East. The Evangelical<br />
Sisterhood of Mary also led a<br />
very helpful session. We are most<br />
conscious of the vital importance of seeking our Lord on the<br />
matters before us.<br />
The central location of the conference enabled a large<br />
number of new people to attend (a show of hands indicated<br />
as much as three-quarters) and we know of the formation of<br />
one Israel prayer group as a result of attendees meeting up at<br />
this gathering.<br />
One of the highlights for me each year is the Biblical<br />
meditation, this year we focussed on Psalm 139. Psalm 139<br />
verses 5 and 6, stood out for me:<br />
“You hem me in behind and before,<br />
and you lay your hand upon me. Such<br />
knowledge is too wonderful for me,<br />
too lofty for me to attain.”<br />
Windmill Farm Conference Centre<br />
Clanfield, Bampton, Oxon, OX18 2SN<br />
David Greer addressing the conference<br />
Small groups united in intercessory prayer for CFI and Israel<br />
Windmill Farm accommodation soon filled up!<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • IN TOUCH 9
CFI UK AREA REPRESENTATIVE PROFILE SOUTH WEST INTERVIEW by CFI’s David Soakell<br />
This second quarter of the <strong>2016</strong> <strong>In</strong><br />
<strong>Touch</strong> Magazine continues with the<br />
CFI Area Representative profile.<br />
This time David Soakell interviews<br />
our South West of England Area<br />
Reps – Martin & Julia West.<br />
So Martin & Julia, can you tell us<br />
something about yourselves and why you<br />
felt you should become Area Reps for<br />
CFI?<br />
“I was recovering from illness in<br />
the summer of 2011 when I heard the<br />
unexpected call to be Area Rep for the<br />
South West of England. <strong>In</strong>itially Julia<br />
didn’t want anything to do with this new<br />
role as she felt she didn’t know enough<br />
to be a Rep, but when in September we<br />
went to the Annual CFI UK Conference,<br />
we were both publically welcomed as a<br />
Rep couple. Since then, she has learned<br />
how to be in the spotlight for CFI and has<br />
become passionate in encouraging others<br />
and teaching.”<br />
So what does being an Area Rep involve<br />
for you?<br />
“We inherited the South West role<br />
from Don and Dawn Fallon, who did such<br />
an active programme of events that we<br />
knew it would be hard for us to follow.<br />
So we have had to find our own shape<br />
of doing things for CFI. Although we<br />
sometimes mention the CFI Projects and<br />
Advocatory campaigns, our main focus is<br />
on <strong>In</strong>forming and Educating Christians at<br />
large. Because of the unspoken (usually)<br />
Replacement Theology there is a woeful<br />
ignorance about modern day Israel, lack<br />
of interest and care of the Jewish people<br />
and a blindness to our Hebraic Roots.<br />
Before we became official Reps we were<br />
already running DVD courses at various<br />
locations; using such series as the Kesher<br />
Course, Text in Context and Behold the<br />
Man. We continued once a week with a<br />
DVD discussion group, using material<br />
from Desi Maxwell, John Garr and others,<br />
the main focus being on Hebraic Roots of<br />
our faith. Wherever we can, Julia and I<br />
seek to encourage the formation of new<br />
DVD groups across the region.<br />
There are so few churches in the<br />
South West where representatives of<br />
CFI can visit or where sermons can be<br />
given in support of Israel. So far we<br />
have counted one church in each of the<br />
areas of Cornwall, Somerset, Bristol and<br />
three churches in Devon. To get over this<br />
problem of access, we have for the last<br />
three years or so, been hosting quarterly<br />
CFI day conferences. We have been<br />
blessed with contacts and meeting various<br />
possible speakers on our walk of faith,<br />
especially when we visit Israel.<br />
After considering where to host most<br />
of our Regional Conferences, we chose<br />
Exeter as it is central to our catchment<br />
area of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.<br />
We have had such a flow of good quality<br />
teachers passing through, for example<br />
Desi Maxwell or Roy Thurley, that people<br />
have driven for one & half hours from<br />
places like Bristol and even for two hours<br />
from Penzance or Southampton to attend.<br />
We look forward to our next Teaching<br />
& Prayer Conference on 16 July, <strong>2016</strong>,<br />
with Rosie Ross and friends from Israel,<br />
on the subject of ‘Repairing the Breach’<br />
(of Britain’s treatment of Israel). If you<br />
would like to know more, then do contact<br />
us on martinjulia.4cfi@yahoo.co.uk.”<br />
Wow, that’s sounds like a busy schedule.<br />
Of course, all our Area Reps fulfil their<br />
roles in different ways and all are unique,<br />
but what would you say are the highlights<br />
of your role and what are the challenges?<br />
“It is always very special when we<br />
see people making the connection with<br />
Israel and the Hebraic Roots, catching<br />
God’s true heart for the Jewish people<br />
and church. It has been a real delight<br />
and privilege to facilitate meetings with<br />
so many gifted teachers. Julia and I<br />
work voluntarily by faith in a number of<br />
different ministries and so up to now we<br />
haven’t had the time to do much in the<br />
way of visiting churches, except that we<br />
do try and facilitate a speaking tour of the<br />
region at least once a year. Do pray that<br />
we would have more consistent helpers on<br />
our team and for visiting speakers who<br />
have the time to do a tour of the South<br />
West, a much needed area!”<br />
So, what would you say to someone<br />
considering being an Area Rep?<br />
“‘Don’t despise the day of small<br />
beginnings’! We recommend starting with<br />
one or two home discussion groups that<br />
go through some DVD series (see CFI<br />
website shop) and after a while you’ll be<br />
in the position to encourage and initiate<br />
others to start such groups. Getting<br />
friends to pray regularly in support of<br />
your work is important. Consider having<br />
some books from CFI to sell and/or make<br />
a display stand; which are useful when<br />
joining other events, if opportunity arises.<br />
We find the inexpensive teaching Booklets<br />
by CFI unique and popular to sell,<br />
condensing the facts on your fingertips!<br />
Shalom, Martin.”<br />
CHURCHLINK<br />
Christian Friends of Israel in the UK needs you!<br />
We are developing a unique Church Link team around the country<br />
to support the CFI vision and to encourage people to read our<br />
literature, sign up to receive updates and pray with us. We seek<br />
to inform the Church of her Hebrew heritage and to continue<br />
to bless the people and land of Israel. Age is no barrier but<br />
communication will be mostly via email. You will support your<br />
CFI Area Representative, promoting exciting forthcoming events<br />
and provide access to up-to-date CFI material by distributing in<br />
your local church, fellowship or meetings (with the blessing of your<br />
leadership). It’s a small but vital role to increase awareness.<br />
Please contact julia.soakell@cfi.org.uk to apply.<br />
10 IN TOUCH • 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.cfi.org.uk
Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop<br />
The Christian, Israel and the hope of world revival Michael Eaton<br />
Many people hold differing views on Israel. It is therefore vitally important to read and understand<br />
what the Bible actually tells us about God’s plan for this unique nation.<br />
<strong>In</strong> this small book the auther leads us through the teaching of Romans 9-11 in a simple and down-toearth<br />
manner. He explains how Israel, although presently in a state of unbelief, has a special place in<br />
God’s redemptive plan.<br />
Michael Eaton is a highly respected international theologian, preacher, Bible teacher and author,<br />
having written books for several different publishers.<br />
B477 // 61 pages // BOOK // £6 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
ISRAEL Land of God’s Promise Murray Dixon<br />
Israel is the most misunderstood nation on the planet. The Jewish people are the most consistently<br />
persecuted in all of history – ancient and modern – why? Can the Church afford to pursue its<br />
historically notorious treatment of the Jew and the nation of Israel? This reprinted book offers clarity<br />
where confusion abounds. The author compels us to examine Church history and Jewish history in the<br />
light of God’s Word.<br />
Following ordination in the New Zealand Anglican Church Murray Dixon ministered as a parish<br />
pastor and then as an air force chaplain before pioneering Prayer for Israel in New Zealand with<br />
his wife. For 20 years they led prayer tours to meet the Body of Messiah in Israel and served in an<br />
itinerant teaching ministry to the Body of Christ.<br />
B189 // 281 pages // BOOK (reprint) // £14 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
SIGNS - The Significance of Biblical Prophecy Neil Mackereth<br />
“This is a refreshing book on biblical prophecy written in a very straightforwrd way. It very clearly<br />
shows the fulfilment of many prophecies in our day. The author is not dogmatic, but extremely<br />
convincing. I felt, as I read the book, that his background in communications and signals has given him<br />
the right credentials to write this book for the benefit of the Church. The book is easy to read and well<br />
worth the time spent.” (Review by Fiona Lindsay)<br />
Neil Mackereth is a retired Brigadier with a background in communications and administration. He<br />
and his wife currently serve on the leadership team of Winchester Vineyard Christian Fellowship.<br />
B476 // 208 pages // BOOK // £11 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
ISRAEL - The <strong>In</strong>gathering Goes On Esther Lever<br />
This book is not only about the adventures of Esther Lever, as she seeks out the Jews of the East, and<br />
those from Central Asia, as well as those from the ends of the earth. It bears testimony to God’s heart<br />
and to his faithfulness to his word, in regathering his scattered people Israel, who have been dispersed<br />
to the four corners of the world (Jeremiah 31:10).<br />
The adventures that Esther shares with us, in this her second book, will encourage and challenge each<br />
one of us as to what it means to be a fisher of men as an obedient servant of the Lord. Time and again<br />
we will see how God sovereignly arranges for her to find and then meet with Jewish people to share<br />
with them a simple message of hope that their God has not forgotten them.<br />
B478 // 179 pages // BOOK // £12 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
Has God Finished with Israel? Rob Richards<br />
The role of the Land and People of Israel has continuously been neglected by most of Christendom.<br />
It has also been said that Israel is the missing link in Systematic Theology. The result is that the<br />
Church has often not only perpetrated an anti-Judaic polemic but has also failed to understand the<br />
significance of ‘covenant’. This reprinted book contains the key to understanding God’s continued<br />
purposes for both the Jewish people and the Church. Rob Richards’ book is one of the most significant<br />
works written on the subject.<br />
Rob Richards has a background in the City of London as a broker at Lloyd’s of London, and<br />
looks back on many rich experiences in the ministries that were to follow. He trained at St John’s<br />
Theological College, Nottingham and served as curate in Weymouth.<br />
B41 // 207 pages // BOOK (reprint) // £12 (incl. UK p&p)<br />
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 2 nd <strong>Quarter</strong> <strong>2016</strong> • IN TOUCH 11
CFI UK Events <strong>2016</strong><br />
Advance Notice: Date for your Diary<br />
We are pleased to announce the date, venue, subject and main speaker for our<br />
31 st CFI Annual Conference (preceded by a CFI UK Area Representatives’ training day).<br />
Our main guest speaker planned is Revd David Pawson, author of many books including<br />
Israel in the New Testament, with an additional session by Pastor Werner Oder, sharing<br />
his unique testimony as the son of a Nazi war criminal, who became a friend of Israel.<br />
The selected conference title is: ‘Israel and the New Covenant’<br />
An exhibition will include the CFI UK bookstall and stalls of other local ministries.<br />
Please put the date in your diary now and look out for the forthcoming brochure.<br />
We look forward to welcoming you and please encourage your friends to attend.<br />
31 st CFI UK Annual Conference, Sat 17 th September <strong>2016</strong><br />
Victoria Baptist Church, Eldon Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1UE<br />
Speakers: Revd David Pawson and Pastor Werner Oder<br />
Werner<br />
Oder<br />
David<br />
Pawson<br />
National events where CFI UK will be exhibiting in <strong>2016</strong><br />
CHRISTIAN RESOURCES EXHIBITION<br />
(ExCeL London) 17–20 MAY<br />
STAND G14