We are in California with Danah and Noaam our daughter and granddaughter. It was very nice visit with our family, but it was also very nice to have an opportunity to share Good News from God's Word with people who are interested and anxious to learn. My health is good. I feel good after a few days of recovery things are back to normal with my health. The Lord willing, tomorrow we continue our trip in the United States and fly to Nashville. On Sunday I shall be with the North Boulevard church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I shall preach in both services on Sunday morning and again on Sunday night. The topic for Sunday morning will be an interesting one, “Are you willing to be a donkey?” There is much to learn from the different donkeys in the Bible, and I have given whole seminars on the issue of donkeys. William Foxwell Albright the great scholar and archaeologist called our Biblical fathers, “Donkey Caravaniers.” Donkeys play an important role in the Scriptures and it is no accident that Yeshua came into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Everyone needs some means of transportation, everyone needs someone to carry him into the pages of history. The donkey who is humble but willing to serve both kinds and prophets, merchants and patriarchs. Jose Feliciano wrote in one of his songs: “Nobody wants to play second guitar behind Jesus, everyone wants to be the lead singer in the band.” The Lord's Body is drastically in need of people who are willing to be donkeys who are willing to serve humbly because this is their calling from the Lord. Today the churches have ten different titles for preachers who specialize in one aspect of the Lord's work. The churches have pulpit preachers, and involvement preachers, and family preachers, and religious professionals, and workers in the religious industry, and more and more, but there is not too many donkeys who are willing to carry the Messiah through the gates of our cities and especially call on Him to come back to to New Jerusalem.

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By Joseph Shulam – 33,000 feet in the Air, American Flight 0001

On the road again, just like Willie Nelson! The last 72 hours have been dramatic. We left Tel-Aviv on Flight LY 0001 and half way through the flight in the mid-atlantic ocean, I started to feel bad with sever upper-back pain and some chest pain, cold sweat, and general feeling bad. The El-Al stewards called for a doctor and a very nice doctor with a portable heart monitor came, hooked me up, get the medical kit of the airplane and checked me. His conclusion was sever. He ordered an ambulance to be waiting for me at the door of the airplane when we landed. So it was! As soon as we landed the JFK police and medics with two ambulances were waiting for me. We were rushed into the ambulances and taken to the Jamaica Hospital in Queens, NY. E.R. Procedures and some very fine Pakistani and Indian doctors took good care of me, and their first diagnosis was that I had a blood clot probably traveling through my aorta or in my lungs. The reason for this was because I had a hard time breathing. Barry, our son, got on an airplane and came to New York City to help me, and especially Marcia. My first cousin Nissim and his wife rushed to the Hospital too. Every one was ready to help. Barry sent a message to my whole mailing list and started a prayer chain. It was amazing how effective this prayer chain became. I really believe that there was divine healing going on as soon as thousands of people all around the world started to pray for my healing. We got messages from South Africa, Korea, Japan, Israel, Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, Finland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Bulgaria, and even from some Arab countries. People mobilized and prayed for my healing. Although I was really feeling bad and had strong pain in my chest and back and upper abdomen, I knew that God is going to heal me. As the doctors started the more serious tests, and the prayers started to go up from all around the world, my feeling started to improve dramatically. By 11:00 p.m. I was already feeling much better and ready to run out of the hospital, but the doctors said that I could not fly anyway since the airline has put a message on my docket that I had a medical emergency. So, I had no choice and stayed in the hospital. The next day from early in the morning the test continued, but so did the wonders of our Lord and the Kingdom of God. In the morning the director of engineering of the whole hospital came to see me and pray with me. He heard it from his sister-in-law who heard it from someone else. David Sedaca from Chosen People Ministry came to pray with me. One of the chief doctors of the hospital came and said that one of the trustees and board-members of the hospital called him and told him to take good care of me and do their best. The doctor wanted my permission to share the medical information with this board member. Richard Glicksteing came to see me in the hospital. My phone, Barry's phone, and Marcia's phone did not stop ringing. Marcia and my whole family is so grateful to all of you who have been praying for my healing. The whole thing was not an easy experience, and I was stuck, and connected to pipes and lines, and monitors, but all the time I felt the hand of the Lord over me. The medical evidence came out inconclusive and the scans and echo and stress tests came out good. I really believe that God intervened. I also believe that when the Body of the Messiah is working and being what it ought to be, and stressing the unity of the whole Body of the Messiah across denominational lines and across continents and across races the power released is truly capable to move mountains. Thank God for His mercy and grace, and healing powers, and above all thank God for creating such a wonderful brotherhood that knows how to love, and care, and pray, and serve the King and His Kingdom.

We should all wake up and harness the power that God has given us to pray for each other and to mobilize across the whole globe and pull the strings of heaven to change the world to renew the church, to revamp the vision, and to take back what selfish religious spirits and false teaching, and division, party-spirit, gossip, backbiting, false accusations, and ignorance of God's Word, have taken from the Lord's Body. Let us all work for the Restoration of the church, the restoration of Israel, the restoration of the Kingship and Kingdom of God. I thank you all for pulling for me in heaven and praying for my quick recovery. There is no lasting damage to my heart, or lungs. I am going to take it just a little bit easy in the next few days, but I am now full of energy and a new zeal to do the will of God. My family thanks all of you who prayed for my healing. I know that many of you think that I am special, but the truth is that all of us are special and we ought to really pray for each other and for healing and learn to knock, knock, knock, on heaven's door every day for everyone that we know needs God's mercy, grace, and healing. The power of God is there, available to all and for all, we need to tap into it more often and for more good causes and with more good deeds for each other. The Lord's church can and ought to put to shame every wordly charity and ministry and wave high the name of Yeshua not as a religious symbol but as Good News for humanity. We ought to be Good News ourselves. When we step into a place, even E.R. In the hospital, even when we are sick ourselves and feeling bad, in a few minutes doctors and nurses ought to say, Good News has come. I am not talking to bring a bible and tump on it and start preaching, I am talking about smiling and saying a good word to the sick around you, to the nurses who attend you, and thank you to the doctors who are treating you. Say something good and encouraging to all when you enter the room, any room and all rooms, people will be happy to see you and serve you. Well, enough preaching. Thank you all and keep praying for Marcia and I, our family, and the work of Netivyah and Roeh Israel congregation in Jerusalem, and for every place that we will visit on this six weeks trip in the United States and Brazil.

Please pray for Ms. Hannah Kovner who is going to travel to Holland on Sunday to minister with TWR Netherlands for a week. Please pray for David and Martha Stern who will also be traveling and joining us in Brazil. Please pray for Victor E., who is also going to be traveling to France and joining us in Brazil. Please pray for Barry and Beth Shulam who are going to join us in Brazil. Please pray for our dear brothers all around Brazil who will be participating in the conference in Belo-Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Please pray for the whole Marcelo Guimaraes family that is leading the conference. Please pray for our brotherhood in Brazil. We have dear brothers and sisters in Vitoria, ES, in Curitiba Parana, in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Salvador of Bahia, Amazonas, Uberaba, Porto Alegre, and other places. The vision of Restoration is spreading and growing and we all need to mobilize and act like an army ready for battle protecting and spreading the Good News that has been intrusted to us. This is true not only in Brazil, but all around the world. Like Pharaoh's dream during the days of Joseph in Egypt, the seven fat years are coming to an end, and the seven lean years are around the corner, it is time now to prepare for those seven lean years, and I am not talking about finances, wheat, or barley. I am talking about the church of our Lord and the future of faith in the God of Abraham, and in Yeshua, on the face of the Earth. We start by praying for each other and for each other's ministries and families. We continue by learning to sacrifice for each other, start with time, continue with money, and turn to much more serious sacrifices for God's people, for the Kingdom and for the King.

Please continue to pray for all the sick people whom you know. Some of the ones that I know and agree to have their name mentioned are:

In Israel: Ahuva, Leah, Ilana, Sarit, Zvi D., Zvi and Sara, David S., David K., Merav in Jerusalem, Marcia S., Neryah.

In the United States: Liz J., Ruby L.,

In Finland: Tim Tucker, Sister Anna.

In Japan: The Ishiida family, the S. Abe, Mrs. Sadako, Ms. Watanabe.

In Brazil: Paulo A.

I am sure that you know more people and my list is not so long now. Please when you pray for the sick add all those whom you know to the list. I ask you to pray for the progress in our building project. We are seeing progress every week and it is wonderful, but with each consultant, and engineer, there is big expenses involved. We need to mobilize as many people as possible and if each will give what he can there will be enough for the building. This is really a test of our faith and faithfulness. This is not just a question of a building in Jerusalem it is a question of the place and future of the Jewish Disciples of Yeshua our Messiah in the land of Israel. This building has implications far above and beyond the issue of space, and cement, and comfort for a group of Jewish Disciples of Yeshua in the 21st Century. Please pray about it and ask God what your part will be in this great challenge. Netivyah has been faithful for many years and with a little it has done much. We have a very dedicated crew of young people working and sacrificing for the Kingdom of God. We are doing radio broadcasts every day, feeding the poor and needy of Jerusalem both Jews and Arabs, we are publishing books and material that are both special and of high standard, we are being Good News in a city and land full of bad news. I think that it is important for you to be a part of God's Work in Jerusalem. We will be landing in L.A. California, in just a few hours. Noaam our grandchild in California is going through some medical tests today. Please lift her up in your prayers and pray that all the test will come out negative. Pray for all those whom you know that need work and financial support and social help. In Israel, we pray for Jonathan, Laural, Victor, David L., Manalush, Shaul, Sonia, and Ammikam. Netivyah is doing all that it can and any funds that we have we put to use to help, but it is all limited and only God can provide help for everyone. I will stop now and wish you all a wonderful Shabbat and a good rest and refreshing. Joseph Shulam

Revival is a popular term in some evangelical circles. The essential meaning of Revival is that someone was alive, he died or is dying, and he needs revival. Revival is not for people who were never alive or for those who are still strong and living and functioning well. So, the majority of the evangelicals who are using the word “Revival,” like “We are going to have Revival in our church,” are actually confessing that they are dead or dying and in need of revival. The word Revive in Hebrew appears 21 times in 20 verses. The root meaning of the word is to give life or bring back to life. The major places that use this term in relationship to the people are post-exilic that is during the period of Ezra and Nehemiah. During this period the Jewish people who were exiled to Babylon for seventy years are beginning to return to Judea and to Jerusalem. During these seventy years they were outside the land of Israel and God's face was hidden from them as Ezekiel the prophet says in chapter 39:21-29. For this reason the Jews in Exile (Diaspora) were in need of revival and Ezra says it in these words: “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 9:8-9)

If you exchange the word "Revive" in the above text to the word “Restore” you will see that it makes more sense in the context of the English translations. In other words the word “revival” is a synonym with “restore.” The same is true with the passages in the book of Psalms. Now if I look at the passages in the book of Psalms I see that in the use of the word “Revive” the text often mentions the means of the Revival that the Psalmist is seeking. Let us look at some of these passages from the Psalms:

Psa. 85:6, “Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” We see here that God is doing the Reviving and that revival enables the people to rejoice in Him.

Psa. 119:25, “My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.” The Word of God gives us the prescription for Revival. If we want to be revived we need to find in God's Word the instructions for Revival so that we can do it according to His Word.

Psa. 119:37, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.” Looking at worthless things is a way to keep revival away from us.

Psa. 119:40, “Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.” Revival from God comes in His righteousness and in the hunger and longing for God's precepts.

Psa. 119:88, “Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.” God’s lovingkindness is a part of the instruction for revival and the results of that revival according to God's lovingkindness is the ability to keep God's testimony - what He has spoken from His mouth. This point is very important for the western church. The result of God's revival is not building the private empires of the churches, but the ability to keep God's testimony the ability to do God's commandments. Psa. 119:107, “I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.”

This passage is just like Psalm 119:25. Please note that most of these passages are taken from Psalm 119 - the longest Psalm and a very Messianic Psalm that is often times not studied by Christians enough.

Psa. 119:149, “Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.” Without God's justice there can also be no revival - A church that does not care about Justice, social, political, personal, and spiritual justice, can never have a real authentic and true revival. Only a church that has the heart of God and a heart for God and for His people and cares to fix the injustices of our modern Society can have a real revival. One reason that the Western Church is dying is because for years and years the church ignored the issues of justice and especially social and racial justice and did keep their mouth closed on all these issues and even when the government took away the right to pray in school and the right to read the bible in schools and the ten-commandments from the court houses.

Psa. 119:154, “Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word.” Revival is intimately connected with redemption. If people are not redeemed by the Lamb of God they are dead in their trespasses and revival will not help them.

Psa. 119:156, “Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to Your judgments.” The Revival is a matter of God's judgments and a part of His character of mercy and longsuffering. When we pray and ask for Revival we are not asking for something that is extra or strange to God's nature. We are asking for Revival because it is according to His judgment. We must comply to God's will and celebrate His justice and His lovingkindness and that will bring God's revival and make it a daily experience for God's saints. You can see this in Psalm 143:11, “Revive me, O LORD, for Your name's sake! For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.”

There are other passages that speak of God's revival of His people. I shall not exhaust all the teaching on Revival and Restoration of our relationship with God and with each other. I will only say to all of us who seek and want revival from God for His people. We have to see that Revival is synonym to Restoration. Both Revival and Restoration have requirements from us. Anything less than obedience to God's commandments and walking in His path and seeking His righteousness and Justice and acceptance of His lovingkindness. These rules taken from God's Word are not only useful for churches and communities, but they are also useful especially for individuals who feel the need to revive their faith and their relationship with the Almighty God and Yeshua our Messiah. You can start by praying for your personal revival and restoration of healthy relationship with God the Almighty. I am praying for my own life and for our congregation in Jerusalem to have revival and restoration of relationships between all our members and also with God Himself and the Messiah.

In Netivyah we have started the process of re-printing the Commentary on the Jewish Roots of the Book of Acts. On our web page we have made a button for pre-purchase of the two volumes for 100 dollars US and the shipping will be free only until the books come off the press. As soon as the books will actually be printed the price will still be 100 dollars and shipping will be at least an additional 20 dollars. So, if you are interested in the commentary of Acts and want to save 20 dollars please go to our web page and pre-order. Our web page is: www.netivyah.org

The Lord willing, Marcia and I, shall be traveling to the United States next Monday night. Our first stop will be California.

The schedule in California is:

On January 21st, From 10:00 – 14:00 hours I will be teaching a special seminar in the CrossPoint Church (Student Center) 6950 Edison Avenue, Chino, California 91710. The topic of the teaching will be based on my book, “Hidden Treasures” - the Jewish way of understanding the First Century Scriptures.

On January 22nd, I shall be attending the Culver Palms Church of Christ, 9733 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034 – (310) 202-7667. I will be only doing 10 minutes of communion presentation and than later that night speak in a home group.

On January 27th, the Lord willing, Marcia and I will fly to Nashville, Tennessee, and on Sunday the 29th, in the morning service, I shall be teaching in the North Boulevard church of Christ, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The topic will be: I want to be a Jackass, with a capital J. On Sunday evening I shall speak again in the North Boulevard church in Murfreesboro, TN.

On February 1st and 2nd, We will fly to New Jersey and speak in Love and Truth Church in Fort Lee, N.J.

On February 4th - 5th, we will be in Virginia – teaching. The church is a Korean American Church and if you are interested to know where and when – please write me an e-mail.

On February 6th, the Lord willing, we will fly to Atlanta, Georgia and drive to Athens, GA. On February 7th – 8th, I will be teaching in the Campus View church of Christ, on Lumpkin Avenue, Athens, Georgia. I shall be teaching from 13:30 – 15:30 on both days and again on Wednesday night service in the same location. The topic of the mini seminar in the afternoon will be, “Introduction to Paul's letter to the Galatians.”

On February 9th, the Lord willing, we will fly to Brazil. We will help dedicate a Torah Scroll in the Sar-Shalom congregation in Curitiba and from there fly to Vitoria to be with the Rechovot Congregation, and from Vitoria to Belo-Horizonte to participate in the Yearly Conference at the Har Zion Congregation. In this conference there will be participating Dr. David Stern and his wife Martha, Barry and Beth Shulam, Victor Escogniard from Jerusalem, and Marcia and I, with all the Brazilian brothers and sisters and many leaders from Brazil and other countries of South and Central America, and Portugal.

As you can see our cup is very full and the challenges are very big. We ask for your prayer and help on this trip. We are asking you to pray for our health, and for the message that we carry with us -the message of Restoration and Reconciliation between Jews and Christians, and between the different Christian denominations that need to revive and restore their faith for the truth and the unity of the Body of the Messiah.

During this year Netivyah needs to raise 1,500,000.00 U.S. dollars for the restoration of our building and the enlargement of our auditorium and addition of an extra floor. We need this remodeling because we can't function without more space for both the worship for the food distribution service and the youth activities all need more space and more useful space. I ask you to please continue to pray and to present this need before the Lord and if possible before the church or fellowship were you attend. They can go to our web page and learn more and see who we are and what we do: www.netivyah.org

Our sister Liz Johnson from Georgia needs your prayers. She has been in the hospital and now is at home but in serious need of God's grace of healing her body. Ruby our dear sister in Oklahoma is in pain and needs God's healing and has been waiting for God to heal her for many years. In Jerusalem we have the older generation of our congregation that all need God's grace of healing: Ahuva, Ilana, Leah, Miriam, Sarit, Sara, Zvi, David S., David K., Zvi D., and Marcia. We also have Merav of Jerusalem, and Tim Tucker in Finland, and Mr. Ishiida and Mrs. Sadako in Japan. We also pay for the health of our children and grandchildren in the United States. All these and many others are in need of your prayers of intercession and healing.

Kol HaYeshua Radio – is in need or fresh, young, and dynamic, producers for the radio programs. We need to refresh and renew our programs and make them more attractive for the younger set of Israeli listeners. Please pray for Kol HaYeshua. Please pray for Ms. Hannah Kovner who is going to Holland next week to promote Kol HaYeshua Radio with Trans World Radio. Pray for her success and effectiveness and for her health and safe travel. Netivyah often sends members of the board to places to represent and promote Netivyah's ministry. Last summer we sent Elhanan and Julie to Finland, and Yuda to Brazil.

The Food Distribution Service under Yuda's leadership is doing just great. Yesterday was the first day that the new people that the Social Services have enrolled came to receive food stuff from our service. Yuda said that it was not easy to receive and service several the representatives of 80 new families who came in one day to receive the provisions that we provide. The Fax machine worked all morning long yesterday. The Social Services from different part of the city sent the completed forms of the new families and Yuda had to scrutinize these forms one by one and add them to the list of recipients of food. We understand well the problem that existed in Jerusalem during the time of the Apostles when the Hellenistic Widows complained that they are not getting their fair share from the food distribution. It is not an easy thing to administer needy people whom you are trying to serve with a smile and a whole lot of good will and joy. Please continue to pray and support the Soup-Kitchen – the Food Distribution Service. The statistics are that last year we received ear-marked funds for the Soup-Kitchen of 75,000 dollars and spent for groceries only more than 250,000 dollars. The difference came from Netivyah's General Fund.

Please Pray for Israel. Israel is the doing something about Iran's Nuclear Program and they are doing it with good and wise sense, both in the Cyber Space, and on the ground. The sanctions that Europe is just dilly dalling with and the United States is trying to impose on Iran are not very effective. Israel is brave country with good security services and one of the most morally upright militaries in the whole wide World. Israel needs God's blessings and protection.

Please don't forget to pray for Jerusalem! Thank you dear brothers and sisters for your love, prayer, and support.

Joseph Shulam