Shabbat Shalom
Dear Family,
These last two weeks have been some of the most interesting weeks I can remember. Here in the States, we see all the things that are happening in the government and the economy. It is very clear that the new administration in Washington is seeking to make it's mark as soon as possible. The amount of things that have been done so early in the administration is staggering. Most of the people I talk to can't believe that things are happening so quickly. On the other hand, in Israel, we see things taking shape very slowly and in a way that was not expected at all. Netanyahu has finally been asked to form the new government in Israel, but he will by no means have the firm control on the government that everyone was expecting. Things are in such a precarious place that we could very well see elections again in a few months time. We need to be in serious prayer for both of these situations, because one will absolutely affect the other. So much of what happens here in the States depends on if we continue to bless and support Israel. Please pray that the present administration would continue the support that the United States always has had for Israel.
Callie and I are preparing for the move back to Israel. We are sending a shipment of our things over to Israel and we are praying that the shipping goes smoothly. We were blessed by a wonderful foundation that has agreed to cover half the cost of our shipment. Praise God! Please pray that the Lord would continue to provide what we need to settle down there. We are both very excited to start "nesting" in our apartment there, but we want to finish everything the Lord wants for us to finish here. Please pray that the Lord would give us the grace we need in these next few weeks.
I have been struck by the panic that as swept over this country in the last month or so. Everyone from the economists to the politicians are forecasting doom and people seem to be reacting just the way we do when we hear these things.....with fear. More and more, we are looking to these very people who are forecasting doom to save us from what is ahead. The Body seems to have fallen in to this pattern as well and I find myself asking why? Have we forgotten so quickly who has saved us from the filthy place of sin we used to live in? Have we begun to do exactly the same thing the children of Israel did after they came out of Egypt? We are starting to grumble at our trouble, and we are listening to those who would lead us to other gods who, they say, will save us. Instead of praying, and asking the Lord what we should be doing with our money, we are turning on the news to see what they say we should do with it. Instead of saying to the Lord, we will serve you with all of our hearts, no matter what happens, we are saying to Him that we will serve as long as we still have our jobs. We say in our hearts that if He truly loves us, He will let us keep our jobs and the comfort we have.
I am NOT saying this to belittle the hardships that people are in now, but I am asking where our faith has gone. We serve a God that will never allow us to go hungry. If we seek His kingdom first, He WILL add all other things to us. He is a promise keeping God and we MUST start believing it. This is when the rubber meets the road. Do we really believe, or do we just say we believe when we are comfortable? God never promised us a life of comfort, but He does promise that we will have everything we need. This is the time, for our faith to shine through. The world must see that there is a God who watches over the ones who love and serve Him. They must see the peace on our faces that comes from Yeshua Himself. No politician or economist can do for us what He alone can do. Now is the time to believe this and live it.
Bless you all on this Shabbat.
In Yeshua,
Devin and Callie
These last two weeks have been some of the most interesting weeks I can remember. Here in the States, we see all the things that are happening in the government and the economy. It is very clear that the new administration in Washington is seeking to make it's mark as soon as possible. The amount of things that have been done so early in the administration is staggering. Most of the people I talk to can't believe that things are happening so quickly. On the other hand, in Israel, we see things taking shape very slowly and in a way that was not expected at all. Netanyahu has finally been asked to form the new government in Israel, but he will by no means have the firm control on the government that everyone was expecting. Things are in such a precarious place that we could very well see elections again in a few months time. We need to be in serious prayer for both of these situations, because one will absolutely affect the other. So much of what happens here in the States depends on if we continue to bless and support Israel. Please pray that the present administration would continue the support that the United States always has had for Israel.
Callie and I are preparing for the move back to Israel. We are sending a shipment of our things over to Israel and we are praying that the shipping goes smoothly. We were blessed by a wonderful foundation that has agreed to cover half the cost of our shipment. Praise God! Please pray that the Lord would continue to provide what we need to settle down there. We are both very excited to start "nesting" in our apartment there, but we want to finish everything the Lord wants for us to finish here. Please pray that the Lord would give us the grace we need in these next few weeks.
I have been struck by the panic that as swept over this country in the last month or so. Everyone from the economists to the politicians are forecasting doom and people seem to be reacting just the way we do when we hear these things.....with fear. More and more, we are looking to these very people who are forecasting doom to save us from what is ahead. The Body seems to have fallen in to this pattern as well and I find myself asking why? Have we forgotten so quickly who has saved us from the filthy place of sin we used to live in? Have we begun to do exactly the same thing the children of Israel did after they came out of Egypt? We are starting to grumble at our trouble, and we are listening to those who would lead us to other gods who, they say, will save us. Instead of praying, and asking the Lord what we should be doing with our money, we are turning on the news to see what they say we should do with it. Instead of saying to the Lord, we will serve you with all of our hearts, no matter what happens, we are saying to Him that we will serve as long as we still have our jobs. We say in our hearts that if He truly loves us, He will let us keep our jobs and the comfort we have.
I am NOT saying this to belittle the hardships that people are in now, but I am asking where our faith has gone. We serve a God that will never allow us to go hungry. If we seek His kingdom first, He WILL add all other things to us. He is a promise keeping God and we MUST start believing it. This is when the rubber meets the road. Do we really believe, or do we just say we believe when we are comfortable? God never promised us a life of comfort, but He does promise that we will have everything we need. This is the time, for our faith to shine through. The world must see that there is a God who watches over the ones who love and serve Him. They must see the peace on our faces that comes from Yeshua Himself. No politician or economist can do for us what He alone can do. Now is the time to believe this and live it.
Bless you all on this Shabbat.
In Yeshua,
Devin and Callie
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