We're Bringing a Bit of Israel to Kansas

Come join us as we share about what's really happening in Israel

In some ways life in Israel is similar to life in Kansas City: we go to the grocery store (overlooking the Dead Sea); we worship with other believers (from Russia, Australia, Canada, and South Korea); Tom studies the Word (in Hebrew); and we keep our ears open for sirens (for bombs and not tornadoes). This August we’ll be sharing about the reality of life in Israel and why it should matter to the Body of Messiah.

Join us on either 

Wednesday, August 21st,

 or Saturday, August 24th, at 6:30pm, 

 as we share photos, videos and stories 

about what’s really going on in Israel. 

We’re very excited about reconnecting with our friends and partners; it’s been a year since we were last in Kansas City. Please pray for our time in the States -- that our meetings will be life-giving and hearts will be stirred to partner with us at Remember Jerusalem.  We need a financial miracle in order to continue our work in Israel!

In addition to sharing each night we’re also having a small silent auction. We’re bringing back Judaica, photographs, first century oil lamps, calendars & more!

Each night begins at 6:30pm 

@ Mike & DeAnn Blake’s 

20825 West 94th Street

Lenexa, KS 66220. 

We will share at 7:30. 

Silent auction bidding closes at 8:45.

In addition to these two nights, Tom is teaching at a local congregation, Kingdom Living, on 

Saturday, August 17  . 

If you can’t come to any of these nights, or would like to meet with us individually, please contact us, we’d love to get together with you!

Contact us by emailing leah@remember-jerusalem.org

Emmylou looks forward to meeting you!

Up Close at the Trial Location

John 18:28-29 says, "Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out to them and said, 'What accusation do you bring against this Man?'"

Take a look at the actual location in this video with Tom:

In case you missed the first half of the teaching, here it is:

Archaeological evidence shows that we do know the most probable place where Yeshua was sentenced to death -- at a rarely visited area just outside the walls of the Old City.

On the Balance Between Relevance and Holiness

As one who used to highly encourage the importance of being relevant in order to reach people with the message of Jesus, over time I have walked away from that emphasis.  Why?  While on the surface it may seem to be a more useful on-ramp into the Kingdom to be relevant to the lost people of this world, this perspective too often lacks something desperately needed in our world:  more people of G-d living in holiness.  You might say, “Those ‘holiness people’ are not able to relate to the rest of the world and live in their own religious bubble.”  But is being “holy” the same as being religious? To be holy means to be “other than” or “set apart”.  So how are we to be in this world but not of this world?  How are we to be set apart without living in a “religious bubble”?  How can we know whether we are being holy or religious?

I want to suggest that the evidence for living a life of holiness is the demonstration of the power of G-d in your life.  Being religious does not necessarily lead to the manifest presence of G-d in our lives.  Walking in holiness leads to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Think of that miraculous healing you experienced or witnessed.  Think of the time when that man of G-d spoke into your life as if he knew the deep things of your heart.  We have the opportunity to be used by G-d to be a vessel for the outpouring of His Spirit to others.  To bring more people into His Kingdom we need more people of G-d living “holiness” that is demonstrated through the power of the Holy Spirit.     

Where is the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?  Where is the power of the Holy Spirit in my life?  May we all be called to a higher standard of holiness so that our Father will deem us worthy to demonstrate through us His Kingdom on the earth as it is in Heaven.

The Trial of Yeshua

Archaeological evidence shows that we do know the most probable place where Yeshua was sentenced to death -- at a rarely visited area just outside the walls of the Old City.

Join Tom as he explains the archaeological proof in part 1.

Things you look for in toothpaste...

I'm not talking about the 'Liquid Calcium' promoted on this tube, or the 'Maximum Cavity Protection', although those things are great. I'm referring to the words in yellow: כשר לפסח. Kosher L'Pesach = Kosher for Passover. Important details to look out for when you live in Israel.

Great is your faith

On the 15th of July our Hebrew-speaking kehilah, קהילה (congregation/community), had a time of blessing the new babies. Since Emmylou's birth at the end of February four more babies have been born in the small community and two of the other families were present for this time of prayer and rejoicing. Standing in front of so many believing Jews who live in Israel was a bit incredible. To have a child in Jerusalem is a blessing, and so is the opportunity to raise her, and Cassidy, with an awareness of their spiritual family roots. The importance of the Jewish people changes when it leaves the pages of the Bible and enters into every day life. They are not spiritual beings but friends with whom we break bread and laugh and pray. 

That morning Eddie passed the microphone from each mother and we prayed for our daughters (Hallel and Eliyah and Emmylou). Without much time to prepare the one thing that was pressed upon my heart was Emmylou's identity: She is grafted into this family of Jewish believers, to be a help, not a hindrance, and ultimately she is a child of the Most High. 

Why did I pray this? After all, her name has so much meaning. I could have prayed into her role as a warrior, or the goodness of the Father to give us another child after the absence of our sons. But in the situation, surrounded by people who have given up so much to live in the land of their fathers and to hold firmly to their Jewish Messiah I was overwhelmed with the desire to call her into her role as a Messianic Gentile. It's an important role, a calling worth pursuing. 

As if to prove my point Asher taught on faith and referenced Matthew 15:22-28,

And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O L-rd, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "L-rd, help me!" But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she said, "Yes, L-rd, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. 

Asher admonished us to pray with the passion and trust of the Canaanite woman. For us, as Gentiles, it's a powerful message. This Canaanite mother recognized Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah, connecting him with King David even though her background was not Jewish. Acknowledging Yeshua as the Son of David is a powerful statement for anyone to make.

Yet even when Yeshua tells her that He's come only for 'the house of Israel' and not her she presses Him further. She acknowledges she is not Jewish but does not let this stop her from pursuing His healing. She persists in asking for His "crumbs" (because anything from His table is better than nothing!) and He is clearly moved. He not only heals her daughter but describes her emunah, אמונה (faith/trust), as great. 

This teaching seems a perfect fit for the blessing of Emmylou Achinoam, and our whole family for that matter. There aren't many stories of Yeshua interacting with Gentiles, but this one (and the centurion who recognized Yeshua's authority) shows us that He hears the cries of our hearts, especially when we know our identities within the Body. Knowing our roles as Gentiles, or Jews, brings about greater power and unity within the Body of Yeshua. We are not all the same and that is okay. In fact, that's the way He designed it!

Last Saturday we stood with our Jewish brothers and sisters, heard their prayers for our daughter (thanks to our friend Simcha's translation) and we rejoiced together as "one new man", Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2 -- Go ahead, read the whole chapter).

10 Years and counting

Last night we sat in our living room, finishing off our triple chocolate cake from Kadosh Cafe and watching the candles burn down in our olive wood candlesticks.  As our daughters slept Tom and I talked only briefly about the highs and lows of the last ten years of our marriage -- they seemed pretty obvious. Instead we talked about the possibilities of our future. In some sense this seems futile; we know that our lives are not our own. But in recognizing that He is the One who holds our future then we know that anything is possible. 

Mike Bickle argues through Song of Songs that we should seek two things: to pursue our inheritance and to be Yeshua's inheritance. It's a complicated dance: running after the desires of our hearts, all the while keeping our hearts set on His face. When we attempt this we see the greatest struggles and the greatest victories. It's definitely the reality for us right now. We are excited by the reality that we live in Jerusalem and yet struggle being in a foreign land. This tension creates reliance upon the One who brought us here, and we look for His leading every day in order to make the most of this life. It's not easy, we're not always successful, but we know one thing very well: In our shortcomings, struggles and doubts He pours out grace. I think He allows these complicated situations so we will realize just how big He really is.

O the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of G-d! How inscrutable are his judgments! How unsearchable are his ways! For, 'Who has known the mind of the L-rd? Who has been his counselor?' Or, 'Who has given him anything and made him pay it back?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
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