CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL, MAHARASHTRA

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1 CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL, MAHARASHTRA Follow us on Facebook Christian Friends of Israel, Maharashtra 23 rd Kislev st Dec 2018 (Hear O Israel, The L- RD Your G-D, The L- RD is One) Duet. 6:4 Quarterly Newsletter - The Winter Edition (Oct-Dec 2018) Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords... Isaiah 54:2 Dear Friends in YESHUA, Shalom Aleichem, in the name of the Prince of Peace (Sar Ha Shalom), our L-RD and Saviour YESHUA HA MASHIACH. It has been a long time between our last newsletter and this one. Many events have taken place in this ministry. Below is a summary of the larger events that we have conducted : 1. Evening Seminar at Miraj : On 19 th of May, 2018, CFI (M) conducted an evening Seminar of two Sessions, on Israel and the Church at Richardson Leprosy Hospital in Miraj, along with the newly opened Chapter of CFI (M) at Miraj, under Pastor Rajesh Nand. Miraj is a small town that is 40 Kms from Kolhapur. The evening Seminar was attended by about 150 grown ups including over 25 Pastors. These servants of GOD had come from local Miraj and the surrounding areas outside Miraj, including our dear Associate CFI Pastor, Anil Sonule of Kagal, who came with his family and some Church members. On the next day, 20 th May, being the Feast of Pentecost (Shavuot), the CFI(M) team fanned out into FOUR different Churches, in Miraj and the outskirts. Pastor Rajesh and his wife Victoria did a great job, in all the well coordinated events, along with the local Israel loving brothers, Pastor Shashi, Pastor Bunty, Pastor Thomas Bhore and Pastor Ashish Kacchi. We highlighted in each of these Churches, that this Feast of Pentecost, is in fact, the Jewish Feast of Shavuot (Feast of Pentecost). That this day was indeed the Birthday of the Church. The L-RD poured out HIS HOLY SPIRIT on 120 people, on this Feast of Shavu ot (Pentecost). Simultaneously our other CFI family members, Pastor Vinod Jadhav of Daund, Pastor Yoseph Pawar of Loni Pune, Pastor Sham Kate of Hadapsar Pune, Pastor Sanjay Alhat of Ghorpadi Pune and Pastor Anil Sonule of Kagal, all taught on this Feast of Pentecost (Shavu ot) at the same time. Some of the photos from the Miraj events are seen below : 2. Full Day Seminar at Pimpri, Pune : On 1 st September, CFI (M) along with Church of the Living God Pune, conducted a Full Day Seminar on the subject of Israel and the Church. The venue was the Restoration Christian Church India, at Pimpri. This was attended by about 140 people, including 15 Pastors. Pas Sonny Chandra, Bro Reggie Aaron and Pas Nicky Chandra spoke in the three sessions. Bro. M.A. Lawrence introduced the ministry of CFI (M). It was a blessed Seminar, with several of those who attended expressing their commitment to pray daily for Israel and also a desire to learn more on this subject. Some of the photos are on the next page : 1

2 3. Feast of Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) : On 2 nd and 9 th September, CFI (M) was invited by Good News Herald Family Church, Pimple Gurav Pune to teach on the Feast of Rosh Hashanah and the Christian connection. We did this for two Sundays as back to back sessions. On 2 nd September Pastor Nicky Chandra taught on the Feasts (Moadim G-D s appointments) being the Feasts of our G-D. He highlighted the Messiah, contained in the first four feasts which have been fulfilled in the first coming of our L-RD JESUS CHRIST (YESHUA). On 9 th September, Pastor Sonny Chandra expounded on the Feast of Rosh Hashanah. He explained the Christian connection and how the Apostle Paul spoke on this subject as connected with the Rapture. He also explained as to how the L-RD YESHUA used the system of the ancient Jewish marriage details while talking about HIS ascension to Heaven and the plan to return to take HIS people to HIS Father s house. People were deeply blessed and immediately Pastor Felix Akindunni invited us to teach on the next Feast (of Sukkot Tabernacles). Some of the photos are here below. Associates of CFI (M), i.e. Pastor Vinod Jadhav of Daund, Pastor Yoseph Pawar of Loni Pune, Pastor Sham Kate of Hadapsar Pune and Pastor Anil Sonule of Kagal, also simultaneously conducted teachings and celebrations of the Feast of Rosh Hashanah on 9 th September, in their respective Churches. 4. Full Day Seminar at Nala Sopara, Mumbai : On 15 th September, CFI (M) was invited by Amaris Travels P. Ltd and Rays of Life Church, Nala Sopara (Mumbai) to conducted a Full Day Seminar on the subject of Israel and the Church. Pastor M.A. Samuel of Rays of Life Church is a senior Pastor with over 10 Churches under him. Evg. Selvam Ramakrishnan who is the Managing Director of Amaris Travels P Ltd., conducts tours to the Holy Land and encourages all those travelling to the Holy Land to attend these Seminars with CFI (M), as it helps prepare them and set the right context for the Israel trip. The Seminar was attended by about 250 people, including about 15 Pastors. Pas Sonny Chandra, Bro Reggie Aaron and Pas Nicky Chandra spoke in the three sessions. Sis. Ritu Chudhary introduced the ministry of CFI (M). The feedback fron the Seminar was very positive. Pastor M.A. Samuel has given us an open invitation to come whenever we desire, to conduct the Level 2 Seminar with his network of Churches. Some photos of the event are below. 5. Feast of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) : On 22 nd September, CFI (M) and Jesus Loves Fellowship (JLF) Loni, Pune jointly observed the Feast of Yom Kippur, at JLF Loni. This Feast is the holiest day in Israel, with all life virtually coming to a standstill on that day. It was a blessed time of celebration. Sis Ritu Choudhary shared the Word, which was a CHRIST centered focus on the Feast of Yom Kippur. 2

3 Simultaneously, this day was observed by our CFI family members, Pastor Vinod Jadhav and their church at Daund and by Pastor Anil Sonule and their Church at Kagal. Some photos are below : 6. Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) : CFI (M) was invited by the Church of the Nazarene Wadgaonsheri, Pune and by Good News Herald Family Church Pimple Gurav Pune to celebrate and teach upon the Feast of Sukkot. Pastor Nicky Chandra shared the Word at Church of the Nazarene, while Pastor Sonny Chandra share the Word at Good News Herald Family Church. The message was focused on the fact that the Feast of Sukkot is seen as an event of the past but also has a future prophetic angle, based on Zechariah 12 to 14, which points to a time when the L-RD will sit in Jerusalem, with living water flowing and then all the Nations of the World will come to Jerusalem to worship The KING and to celebrate the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). It was a tremendous blessing with many reduced to tears, and stirred up, to carry the future prophetic message of the return of the L-RD YESHUA as the KING of Kings and L-RD of Lords, to their friends and relatives. Some of the photos are here below. 7. Inauguration of the Pentecostal Faith Mission Church, Daund : CFI (M) was invited for the inaugural service of the Prayer Hall which is under construction of our partner and associate in Daund, Pastor Vinod Jadhav of Pentecostal Faith Mission Church. It was a wonderful time with over 400 people present. Pastor Sonny Chandra ministered the Word of G-D and then prayed along with the other Pastors who were present for the Prayer Hall, which is still under construction. However, since that Service the Church has started holding Services at this new premises. 8. Inaugural Regional (Marathi) Seminar - अमर वत इस त र यल आण म डळ (पह ल मर ठ स म न र) 22 ऑगस ट 2018) : ख र च चन फ र ड स ऑफ इस त र यल मह र ष ट र य थ ल प. ज स फ पव र आण प. प रश त खव ड य ( CFI Team members Pune) य न, 22 ऑगस ट 2018 र ज क ठ र ब पट स ट चर च, य थ प र द श क भ ष त ल मर ठ मध य पह ल स म न र घ तल. य मध य अमर वत ज ल ह य त ल 12 प ळक उपस थ त ह त. य स म न रल 150 ल क च उत तम प रत स द म ळ ल. इस त र यलच भ तक ळ, वर तम न क ळ आण भव ष य क ळ त य च बर बर म डळ च न त य वर ह स म न र आध र त ह त. प. प रश त आण प. ज स फ य न त न भ ग मध य श कवल. त य च बर बर स म न रच य श वट इस त र यल स ठ व ष श प र र थन करण य त आल. अश प रक रच श क षण म ळण य च अन क च पह ल च व ळ ह त. प. गवई म हण ल, ह शक षण अत शय उत तम आण म डळ च य उन नत स ठ फ यद य च ह त. प. प रश त ग यकव ड ज य न ह स म न र आय ज त क ल ह त त म हण ल, ह तर खर स र व त आह आण अन क म डळ य न ह य श क षण च गरज आह क ह प ळक न ह य श क षण त य च य म डळ मध य घ ण य च इच छ दर शव ल. The above photos are of the first ever CFI (M) regional language Seminar on Israel and the Church, held at Amravati, which was attended by approximately 150 people. It was a great blessing to those who attended. Several attending Pastors from the surrounding areas, including 3

4 Nagpur have asked for such seminars, to be conducted (of course, in Marathi), in their interior areas; and we are faced with this problem: the labourers are few. We now have to pray to the L-RD of the Harvest, to raise up SPIRIT filled labourers. We believe, HE will, Amen!. THE WORD OF LOVE IN THIS SEASON Psalm 81:10 I am the LORD, thy GOD Who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.. With much love, the L-RD reached out to HIS people, Israel. The Bible records the disobedience of Israel, the L-RD s broken heart over Israel, the warning of punishment, the prophecies of the disobedience, the prophecies of the punishments that would come, (and did come), including the World Wide scattering of the Chosen People (Children of Israel), and the prophecies of their last day restoration back into the Promised Land, (the ALIYAH), never to be uprooted again. At this stage (the prophecies say), there will be new blessing released upon Israel the opening of their eyes and eventually, their recognizing/ identifying of their MESSIAH (Zechariah 12, 13 &14). The Church correctly reads this MESSIAH, as being the L-RD JESUS CHRIST (YESHUA). The Church of today, is blessed to see this scenario slowly but surely unfolding. The process started crystalising from 14 th May 1948 (rebirth of the Nation of Israel); shaping, reshaping, and getting strengthened. Their rising and shining (Isaiah 60:1), and the fulfilling of so many extra-ordinary prophecies, including the prophesy of the Redeemed Israel feeding the World (Isaiah 27:6:.) and rebuilding the waste land/ cities and vineyards etc, and the prophecies of their never again being pulled out of the Promised Land (Amos 9:14 etc), the opening of the graves, the L-RD s SPIRIT in them, the great Army (Ezekiel 37:1 to 14 the Valley of Dry Bones), prophecy vision with interpretations, yes all these prophecies are suddenly being fulfilled, right in front of our eyes! Our earlier generations only read about these; they generally did not understand many of them. Some of our generations didn t believe that these prophesies would ever be fulfilled and a vast majority of our earlier generations, never believed that the Jews will ever come back into the P/L. But, these prophesies are the Word of G-D! They had to, and are at last, being fulfilled. The key is, the L-RD s timing, not ours! And, all this is happening, right in front of us. OUR GENERATION IS BLESSED, TO SEE, READ (THE BIBLE), interpret/ understand it, and recognize that indeed, IT IS HAPPENING! Amen, Amen, Halleluyah! For this is the Fig Tree that JESUS talked about, now back to life Born Again Israel. And in the Promised Land; ERETZ ISRAEL!! At the end of this Calendar year 2018, where around the World, the Church at large is preparing for the Christmas Season and remembering the birth of the L-RD JESUS CHRIST we, CFI (M) (Christians Friends of Israel, Maharashtra) salute the Jews (all over the world) and the Jewish Nation. We say, Israel, our elder brother, The L-RD JESUS loves you. We, the Church, have wronged you over the centuries. IT WAS A SINFUL ERROR! But HE, the L-RD JESUS, loves you. We, the Church have been horrific in so many of our actions. The Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust, and the unending anti Semitism surfacing time and time again, the Crusades, etc; they were horribly wrong and sinful. We ask for forgiveness. Please accept our apologies. With our folded hands we ask for forgiveness. But, please don t reject the L-RD YESHUA, on account of the sinful acts of the Church. The L-RD JESUS LOVED AND LOVES YOU. HE WILL COME FOR YOU (Is 35:4). We at CFI (Mah) and CFI International, love you, O Israel, G-D s chosen. At the start of this season, when we remember the birth of the LORD YESHUA (JESUS CHRIST), we, reach out to you. We join Ruth the Moabite, saying to you, O Israel, YOUR G-D IS OUR G-D; YOUR PEOPLE ARE OUR PEOPLE, Amen! We are brothers, indeed, two sides of the same coin, Amen. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Upcoming events to be prayed for : 3 rd to 10 th December : Feast of Hanukah. The salient points of the Feast are : (a) Hanukah means Dedication. (b) This eight day feast commemorates the Re-dedication of the Second Temple at Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean (Jewish community) revolt against the Syrians/ Greeks, i.e. the victory of the Maccabes in approximately 165 BC, over the Syrian Army, (c) It is also known as the Feast of Lights. Eight candles are lit, over eight days, i.e. one each day, (d) According to the Talmud, the wicks of the Menorah miraculously burned for each of the eight days continuously, although there was only enough sacred oil, for one day. That Feast is a memorial for this miracle, (e) JESUS (YESHUA) celebrated the Feast of Hanukah. Please see John 10:22 & 23, where HE declares HIMself as the Messiah, (f) YESHUA said HE is the light of the World (John 8:12). Co-relate to Revelation 1:12 & 13 - we see YESHUA in the Menorah! Many Christian Congregations around the World are commemorating this Feast, in their Churches and Prayer Groups. 4

5 30 th December : Evening of Prayer for India and Israel. Venue is the Church of the Nazarene, Last Bus Stop, Wadgaonsheri, from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. Please do join us as we collectively Worship the L-RD and intercede on behalf of our Nation and for Israel, 27 th January 19 : Is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Historically, on 27 th January 1945 the death Camp of Auschwitz was liberated. In the Holocaust, 6 Million (60 Lakh) Jews were ruthlessly murdered by the Nazi regime only because they were Jews. The Nazis also killed 11 Million other people. CFI (M) will be holding simultaneous services in our various Branches to commemorate this day. We also request the Pastors of Churches, to please commemorate this day in your Services and specially pray for Israel and the Jewish people all over the World, during your Services on 27 th January. Let s declare our oneness with them. 23 rd February 19 : Full day Seminar on Israel and the Church at Nala Sopara, Mumbai. This will be jointly hosted by the Palghar Zilla Pastors Association along with Amaris Travels Pvt. Ltd., Please do join us for this Seminar, if possible. Please do remember us in your prayers. Stop Press Sudden Rise of Anti Semitism in Europe and USA, is in the News!! We are all aware that in the last few months, the ugly face of Anti Semitism has been appearing all over Europe and in USA. In Europe in particular, it seems to be the natural spill over of almost 3 Million Moslem refugees entering European countries. Similarly, we are aware that on 27 th October 2018, an armed Christian gunman entered a Synagogue on a Shabbat morning in Pittsburg, USA and gunned down 12 Jews who were praying, yelling, that all Jews are pigs and animals who must be killed!! During the last one week, BBC and CNN have been carrying news items/ commentaries following a survey by some independent source that between 70 to 80% of today s generation (Christians) between the ages of 20 to 40 have never heard of or are not even aware of the Holocaust. That, among the Moslems, virtually none had ever heard of the Holocaust; and those that had heard of it, totally deny that it ever actually happened. Among the Christians in India (Catholics and Protestants) almost 90% of the same age group seem to be ignorant of this fact of history. In the urban/ educated sector, it seems, a cold awareness exists, as a Second World War tragedy. Most Christians in India dismiss the Holocaust as a misadventure of Adolf Hitler.. That s it! The less educated/ uneducated seem to be totally unaware of this historical fact. One reputed interviewer, on BBC, on the subject of the Holocaust and Anti-Semitism highlighted the reasons for this being, (1) Almost no preaching on the subject, in the Churches, (2) A sub-conscious revulsion against the Jews, as being JESUS killers, (3) Very successful propaganda spearheaded by the Islamic world, who are controlling many reputed news channels around the World, in different degrees, (4) A total lack of actual study of Scriptures prophetically concerning Israel, the last days and the return of the L-RD JESUS CHRIST to the Promised Land, (A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF CHRISTIANS HARDLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS WILL RETURN TO ISRAEL TO ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM OF G-D IN JERUSALEM) and the well established Anti-Semitic attitude in a vast majority of Christians. This is a very important point of prayer for all Christians all over, particularly in India, where the Holocaust Memorial Day, observing the tragic event, has an almost zero profile in the Church calendar. Web-Site of CFI (M) Please do visit our website Prayer Requests and inquiries about the ministry can be logged in at the Web-Site. We wish all of you a very blessed Season of Christmas. Till March 2019 (Hebrew month of Adar A, 5779), when the next newsletter is expected, on behalf of CFI Maharashtra, in the name of our L-RD and Saviour YESHUA HA MASHIACH - Blessed be ADONAI, G-D of ISRAEL The G-D of Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya akov - Amen! ברוךאתהייאלוהנומלךישועהעולם With greetings and blessings, Shalom Aleichem, Pastor Sonny Chandra 5