Adversity Brings Opportunity by Moishe Rosen, Founder

Transcription

1 Adversity Brings Opportunity by Moishe Rosen, Founder Now that I am 77 years old, I think it is safe to say that my lifelong belief that I would die young was an illusion. When I was 15 I knew I wouldn t reach 20. When I was 20 I knew I wouldn t make it to 25, and so on. Some might think it was a morbid illusion, but the idea that I didn t have very long to live always pushed me to take advantage of as many opportunities as I could. Well, I missed my opportunity to die young. I ve even missed the opportunity to die semi-old, though I ve had some close calls. But in February of 2007 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bones. So, unless God intervenes, my latest illness is terminal. I may or may not be here next year, but in any case, this illness has become an occasion for me to seek out opportunities. Maybe you are facing illness or adversity and are looking for similar opportunities. Here is a bit of what I m learning. to gain perspective. Do you remember being a kid on a road trip, continually asking, Are we there yet? or, Are we almost there? Maybe later on you found yourself on the receiving end of such questions, which are almost always asked with impetuous impatience. We need perspective, not only at 2009 to gain perspective. beginnings, but also at the end of things, as well as in-between, so that we might patiently understand the rate of travel. Adversity has us asking questions to help us determine what is ahead, and what we should do about it. Adversity points out where we have been, and challenges us to realize where we are at. When God asked Adam, Where are you? it was not because the Almighty Creator had failing sight or suddenly forgot the geography of the Garden of Eden. No, He was asking Adam to take stock and gain perspective regarding his spiritual condition. In the face of adversity, be it physical or spiritual, God asks us where we are not because He doesn t know, but because He wants us to gain perspective, to see if we are where we should be. to appreciate all we ve been given, as well as the Giver. I, for one, was certainly dealt a better life than I feel I deserved. I ve had a lot of goodness, a little pain until now, when the pain is not so little as well as a lot of joy and a little regret. I can truly say to God, Giving myself to You was the best deal I ever got. The life that You ve given me in return has been bountiful and beautiful. But it s important for me not to focus my attention merely on the quality of life I ve received, but on the Giver of life who loved and gave Himself for me. Remembering His goodness in the midst of suffering makes it easier to look forward to the goodness that awaits and lasts forever, far beyond the reach of sickness and suffering. But in the meanwhile... to enter into suffering with Christ. Jesus didn t suffer less because of His perfection. He endured more pain than anything that is expected of me or you. Satan s weapon of pain is almost, but not quite, devastating. But we can endure the burden of agony by (continued on page 2)

2 (continued from page 1) folding our soul into Him who endured and overcame. Pain rips us open and we find that we can accept the entry of others into our lives with new openness and vulnerability. to seek reconciliation. I always knew that the Lord expected me to seek reconciliation with some people sooner or later. But since later might come soon, I d better move now. As I pack my spiritual baggage for this journey, I don t regret much that I have done, but I do regret much that I have not done. So I have been calling and writing to people whom I ve neglected. Adversity is an occasion to tell and receive blunt truths. I ve also put off dealing with some people because in order to be righteous, I need to be blunt. For example, a Christian friend borrowed money from me. I don t ordinarily lend money; I would rather simply give it, because I hate to be put in a position of being my own collection agency. But this person would not allow me to give the money, so with much reassurance of repayment, I loaned it and have not been repaid. Now I need to tell my friend bluntly to either pay back the loan, or else accept my forgiveness for keeping the money that I wanted to give in the first place. This is also a time for me to hear blunt words from others who encounter some of my difficult ways. I recently had a small quarrel with a good friend, just because I insisted on picking up the check for a meal. I ve got to admit, it was pride that led me to insist on picking up the check. I didn t think of my friend s feelings, or how I ought to defer when others would also like to be generous. Which brings me to the next opportunity. to show love. It s not just a matter of saying, I love you, or sending a cardboard greeting card in February. We can do many things to demonstrate our affection. I have been avoiding one friend who asked me to read a manuscript. Up until very recently, I ve not been able to read because of a cataract. But I recently had such a successful surgery that now I can enjoy reading more than ever. Still, it takes time and concentration, both of which I have in limited supply. But I know the loving thing is to read and comment on at least the first couple of chapters of my friend s book. Who knows? Once I start, I might read it all the way through. That s one way I can show love. As lovers of Y shua, we should be giving ourselves to one another. Maybe some young people I know might need a grandfather in their lives. At 77, I ve had some experience at that and can give myself to others that way. And while traveling down the streets in my power wheelchair, I like to give smiles to whoever I see. Sharing resources is another way to show love. I enjoyed making out my will. Yes, my wife gets most of it, though it is far less than it was this time last year. But making a will was an occasion for me to remember people and institutions I love and want to support. Even if you don t have much, pretend like you have a million dollars. Sit down and ask yourself how you can provide for those who depend on you, and what you have to give to those you love. to strengthen the character of our souls through spiritual exercises. I m constantly finding something in the Bible that I didn t see before. (Or maybe I saw it before and recently forgot it because of the pain medication!) It is good to continue discovering things in God s Word. I ve also found that I m enjoying prayer more than ever. Which brings me to the next opportunity. to confer blessings on others. If we have been blessed of God, and God has given us much, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we can transmit that blessing to others. I ve invited certain Christians to bring their children to me to be blessed, but the blessing is not restricted to children. Mark Levitt is the son of one of my closest friends, Zola Levitt, who went to be with the Lord in Mark was left with the full responsibility of carrying on Zola s ministry. I wanted to bless him as the leader of that ministry, recognizing him as God s choice for the task. And so I anointed Mark as a symbolic recognition that he is the head of Zola Levitt Ministries, and David Brickner joined me. to be a witness. This is the most important opportunity of all. If you want to pray for me, pray that my death might correspond to my life. Throughout (continued on page 3) TM WE EXIST TO MAKE THE MESSIAHSHIP OF JESUS AN UNAVOIDABLE ISSUE TO OUR JEWISH PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. JEWS FOR JESUS INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: 60 HAIGHT STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA jfj@jewsforjesus.org; HOME PAGE: jewsforjesus.org; ALSO WORKING IN: AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY, ISRAEL, RUSSIA, SOUTH AFRICA, UKRAINE and THE UNITED KINGDOM EDITOR: RUTH ROSEN; ART DIRECTION: PAIGE SAUNDERS; DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION: DAVID YAPP; VOLUME 10:5769, JUNE

3 ENCLOSED please find one of our broadsides (gospel tracts), written by Moishe Rosen, who created this form of gospel literature in the late 1960s. We hope this broadside will be a fun reminder for you to pray for our summer witnessing campaigns in New York City, London and Paris. We will be handing out hundreds of thousands of broadsides like this one! Please pray for: Moishe, that God honors his request to use the rest of his time on earth well, and that he will die in a manner that is in keeping with the way he has lived; also that God will ease Moishe s pain and comfort his loved ones during this difficult time (continued from page 2) years of ministry, God directed me and gave me enough courage to attempt difficult things; He gave me the strength to be an overcomer. He took Jews for Jesus from being a small group with a curious slogan and made us into an international witness to Jewish people everywhere. I marvel at what God has done; it has meant so much to me to be part of it. Now, I hope for the courage to die in a way that will put the seal on the meaning of my life. HAPPY FATHER S DAY! May all you Dads be blessed by our Heavenly Father. The other day my wife told me, Don t dig your grave before you re ready to lie down in it! So even though I am getting ready, I m not going to resign from life. Please don t mourn me before I m gone. But I would appreciate your prayers, as I take to heart a verse that applies to the young and healthy, as well as to the old and infirm. That is, So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). all of God s people to be brimming with hope in Jesus, and to offer that hope to others with confidence and compassion (p. 4-5) our upcoming summer outreaches, including the New York City Summer Witnessing Campaign; witnessing campaigns in London and Paris, and Massah the family of Jews for Jesus friends and supporters, that God will sustain them (and us), through these days of economic hardship Heather s ministry to the young Jewish believers in the Midwest, that it would continue to help the next generation to find God s purpose for their lives (p. 8) God to enable us to have the staff and volunteers needed to continue to make His gospel known around the world 3

4 HaTikvah by Avi Snyder, European Director HaTikvah Are you familiar with the word in the title of this article? HaTikvah is the contemporary Hebrew for the hope. It is also the title of the Israeli national anthem. Ironically, these days don t seem very hopeful to many Israelis, or to many others for that matter. These are perilous times. War in the Middle East. The global economic crisis. The threat of a nuclear Iran. The world is gripped by a storm, and the storm is not likely to abate any time soon. Though we might see occasional, momentary breaks in the weather, the Scriptures tell us that the storm will ultimately rage out of control. All around us, men and women will be reduced to utter despair and absolute hopelessness. We believers in Y shua (Jesus) have the only genuine word of hope in the midst of this storm. We don t need a global crisis to remind us of that truth. I remember visiting a young Jewish woman named Leslie some years back. She was dying. The doctors told her that she had perhaps another month to live. As I sat at her bedside in the hospital room, she asked, Can your Jesus heal me? If He wants to, I said. But you know, that s such a minor miracle. Leslie was startled. How is that a minor miracle? she asked. Because you re still going to die someday, and so will I. But there s another miracle, a major miracle, that Y shua always performs, provided we ask Him. What miracle is that? she asked. He ll forgive our sins and give us the gift of eternal life. I went on to explain how Jesus the Messiah died for our sins and then rose from the dead, just as Moses and the prophets had promised. And then I told her, If you ask Him to forgive you, He will. And then, if you ask Him to heal you, perhaps He ll grant you another 40, 50 or 60 years to live for Him here. Or, perhaps He won t, and you ll die We have an anchor for our souls.... We have Y shua, the true HaTikvah, and the only Hope. in a short while. But if you die soon, I ll be jealous. Again, she was startled. Why would you be jealous? she asked. I managed a faint smile. Because you ll see Him before I do. Leslie prayed and entrusted herself to the Lord. Jesus chose not to heal her and, after a month, she was with Him. Why am I telling you this? Because when Leslie needed hope, all she got were platitudes, protests or empty promises from well-meaning, grieving non-believers who knew their words carried no weight, but who had nothing else to say. It took a believer in Jesus to give Leslie a genuine word of hope. When I consider the current storm our world faces, I think of Rav Sha ul, the Apostle Paul, on the deck of a sinking ship on his way to Rome. Others had exhausted every human measure in their efforts to rescue themselves so that... all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. (Acts 27:20). At that point Paul offered a genuine word of hope:... you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.... Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me (Acts 27:21, 22, 25). All around us, men and women are desperately clinging to ships that they hope will bring them to a safe harbor: the ship of political solutions; the ship of economic upswings; any ship that might deliver them from the storms of their private lives. They need to know that all these ships will ultimately sink, but they needn t perish if they put their trust in the Lord. We Jews for Jesus have a hope. We have an anchor for our souls. We have a rock and solid ground upon which we can stand, and against which no tempest can prevail, no matter how fierce the sea, wind and waves. We have Y shua, the true HaTikvah, and the only Hope. And our people need to hear.

5 Promises of Hope The Bible pulls no punches in describing the state of hopelessness that our sin causes. But neither is it stingy in making promises to those who take hold of the hope God has offered. Below is a small sprinkling of the promises that God has made to us in His Word. He tells us how He will bless us for putting our hope in Him, and He tells us about the hopes we can have in what He will do. Old Testament Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:24) Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy. (Psalm 33:18) For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O LORD my God. (Psalm 38:15) O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. (Psalm 130:7) For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 23:18) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) New Testament And again, Isaiah says: There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope. (Romans 15:12)... since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit. (Colossians 1:4-6a) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)... that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men... that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-13)

6 JEWISH FACTOIDS:THE YARMULKE OR KIPPAH People often ask us the reason behind the traditional Jewish yarmulke (skull cap), also called a kippah (Hebrew for covering). The following information comes from a catalogue that sells a variety of kippot (plural for kippah): The prevailing view among rabbinical authorities is that this custom has taken on the force of law (Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chayim 2:6). From a strictly talmudic point of view, however, the only moment when a Jew is required to cover his head is during prayer (Mishneh Torah, Ahavah, Hilkhot Tefilah 5:5). The sources for wearing kippot (Jewish skullcaps) are found in the Talmud [rabbinical commentary, also known as the Oral Law]. In tractate Shabbat 156b it states, Cover your head in order that the fear of heaven may be upon you. As well, in tractate Kiddushin 32a it states, Rabbi Huna the son of Rabbi Joshua never walked 4 cubits (2 meters) with his head uncovered. He explained: Because the Divine Presence (Shekhina) is always over my head. While there is a minority opinion that wearing a kippah... is a Torah commandment, most... agree that it is merely a custom. Reasons given for wearing a kippah today include: recognition that God is above humankind; acceptance of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) and identification with the Jews. Some have a custom of wearing two head coverings, typically a kippah and a cap on top, for Kabbalistic reasons; the two coverings correspond to two levels of intellect, or two levels in the fear of God. The High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Kohen Gadol, also used to wear a woolen kippah under his priestly cap (Talmud Chulin 138a). 6

7 Ruth s Ramblingsby Ruth Rosen Since Moishe wrote the cover article for this month s newsletter, I hope you don t mind if I take the column usually reserved for Moishe s Musings. I wanted to write to you, not so much as the Jews for Jesus Newsletter editor, but as Moishe s daughter. I think Moishe was pleased that David Brickner asked him to open his heart to you about some of what he is experiencing these days but at first he hesitated a little regarding the article. It might seem odd, but he couldn t help wondering, What if I write about dying and my life lasts longer than I expect it to? Well, I think he realizes that if God should prolong his days, you ll rejoice with us, and not wonder why he is still around. But there was another hesitation that I don t think he d mind my sharing with you: his sensitivity to the feelings of my mother and the rest of our family. He was concerned about how we might respond to the article, but also how we might feel when others respond. I m sure that many of you know from personal experience what we are going through, and your responses would be based on that understanding. Still, for any who might wonder how to be supportive during this time, I offer the following ideas on supporting those who are terminally ill, as well as their family members. 1. Statements usually help more than questions. When dealing with terminal illness, what seems like a simple question: How are you? or How s your dad? does not lend itself to a simple answer. It can take a lot to respond, especially if many people are asking. Unless you are asking a close friend or relative who you know is prepared to give a meaningful answer, you might find it better to tell of your support, rather than asking questions to show you care. I know that I feel much more supported if people tell me they are praying than if they ask questions. I m comforted when they acknowledge that this must be a difficult time, and that our family is in their thoughts and prayers. Such statements are meaningful, easily received and don t require a response that might be painful to give or repeat. Along the same lines Letting people know they are not expected to respond also helps. This is especially true if you send a note. Your note can really bring comfort and cheer when you make it clear that no reply is necessary. I don t mean to say that a person wouldn t wish to reply, and you might well receive a response. Still, when you offer comfort or support, it means a lot when the receivers realize they are not expected to do anything in return. 3. If you want to share a Bible verse, it s nice to write out the verse or passage rather than giving the reference for the reader to look up. Unless they are prepared to look it up at the very moment of receiving your card or note, the verse might go unseen. 4. Prayer is always welcome and effective, but advice or products may not be. Some people have asked if they can send various remedies for my father while others don t ask, but simply send. We appreciate their generosity and concern, but it is very doubtful that he will use the products. I can t speak for other people, but I know that in our family, we would rather not have to explain why we prefer not to receive such products. 5. When you are with someone who is experiencing the pain of a terminally ill loved one, try to respond with equilibrium if the person becomes teary or begins to cry. We can t always control the time and place that our emotions come out. It s helpful to be with people who will not be flustered or terribly distressed by a few tears, or sentences that get choked with emotion. If our feelings seem to cause great pain or distress to a friend, we find ourselves needing to comfort that friend, rather than receiving comfort. The common thread in these ideas is that when you want people to feel supported, comforted and cared for, it helps when they can be free to receive what you have to offer without making an effort in return. Again, they may respond, but may also feel relieved that they don t have to. Finally, I want to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank those of you who have already been praying for my father and our family, as well as those who will do so after reading his article. We appreciate you more than words can say! 7

8 Israel Yarden has been meeting with a woman named Ruth, a contact from last year s Tel Aviv Behold Your God campaign. Ruth is from an Orthodox background and has been searching for the truth for a long time. Yarden studied the Scriptures with her and Ruth began to see that the only way one can be forgiven is through our Messiah, Y shua. She began attending church and now wants to be baptized. Ruth is very passionate about her new faith and shares the gospel with unbelievers in her community. Please pray for her faith to continue to grow and be strengthened. Peter has been meeting weekly with Amit, who has been curious about Jesus ever since his ex-girlfriend shared the gospel with him. He recently prayed with Peter to receive the Lord and has been attending church regularly, growing in his walk. Please pray for Amit to have courage and wisdom as he tells his family about his decision to follow Jesus. Chicago Heather Blecher reports, Mishpocago (the name of our Midwest Young Adult Ministry) is really taking off! In addition to our ladies Bible study there is now also a men s Bible study; we have a blog; we have a prayer pushke (collection box) where people can deposit their requests at our events; and we have added prayer and worship nights to our regular event rotations. Recently, 26 Jewish believers in Y shua attended our fellowship event some drove more than three hours to be there! The group even led the Chicago branch s annual Passover Seder/Banquet this year. Next month, several of our young adults will be involved in evangelism with Jews for Jesus in New York City, for our Summer Witnessing Campaign, while others will be on Massah in Israel. Please pray for God to continue strengthening this group of young adults as they enjoy fellowship with one another, but also look for ways to serve the Lord. Montréal Karl desouza reports, Aaron is a Sephardic Jewish man who contacted our Montréal Outpost in mid He recently prayed to receive the Lord. After our meeting, I privately prayed he would have that peace from God in Messiah that surpasses all understanding. Later that evening, Aaron called me up and specifically told me how he had peace after our meeting. Praise the Lord! Please pray for Aaron, his family, and for me as I minister and encourage him in Messiah. Boston Oded Cohen reports, Avram (who prayed with me in December to receive the Lord) continues to grow in his faith. Mike, who was baptized last fall, is also growing rapidly in his faith and is very much involved in his church. After taking a seminar on witnessing, he and his wife Tanya went out with other church members to share their faith at a shopping mall. Mike is now preparing to lead evangelistic outreaches at his church. He is very bold; he recently visited the synagogue he used to attend and afterwards asked his Jewish friends some probing questions while also sharing what he believed. Please pray for Mike and Tanya to be mightily used by God, and also pray for salvation for Mike s family. Also from Oded, I received an from a seminary student who has been faithfully sharing with his Jewish friend, Max. We all met at a coffee shop and I shared my testimony with them. We connected well. Max has many sincere questions so many, that he was concerned about offending me. I encouraged him to freely ask whatever was on his heart. We looked at Isaiah 53; he was not aware of the prophecies of a suffering servant Messiah. He found it very interesting, but still cannot grasp how it might be true. However, he is excited about exploring the Scriptures, and he looks forward to getting together again. Pray for Max s salvation. Kiev Anatoliy Emma reports, During my visit with Alla and Vladimir I did not think they were very open to the gospel. I visited a second time, and then gave the couple the address of a local Messianic congregation. How startled I was to learn, ten months later, that Alla began to visit the congregation right after I met with her! She had been attending the congregation ever since, and had repented and received Jesus as the Lord. Please pray for the spiritual growth of Alla and for salvation for her husband, Vladimir. 8