The Jerusalem Prayer List – February 22, 2012

by Joseph Shulam

I am writing from Belo-Horizonte, Brazil.  We just finished a four day conference in the Teaching from Zion Ministry here in Belo-Horizonte, Brazil.  Several from Netivyah in Israel participated in this conference, Dr. David Stern and his wife, Victor Escorgniard, Marcia my wife and I, and Barry and Beth Shulam.  The attendance was the best in six years.  We had more than 550 people registered and many local Disciples of Yeshua who came without registration.  We had people from several South American countries, and from the United States, and all the way from Hong Kong that came specially to participate in the conference.  The message of this conference was Restoration of the roots of our faith and the emulation of the First Century Church in our life and congregations and the reconnection of the church to Jerusalem.  I can say that all the teaching was exceptional and wonderfully inspirational.  Every speaker gave his best and the younger speakers out did the more seasoned and experienced teachers.  I am sure that you could probably find soon some of the teaching on YouTube.

I apologize that for the last three weeks I have not written the Jerusalem Prayer List.  The truth is that Marcia and I have been on the GO and every three days we were somewhere else and teaching just about every single day.  There was just no time to seat down and collect my mind and write something.    If I would list all the places that we visited and all the topics of teaching that I did give the list for sure would cross a Rabbi's eyes.  After being released from the Jamaica Hospital in New York City, we traveled to L.A.  We visited a few days with Danah and Noaam and I spoke in two churches and gave a Sabbath Seminar.  From California we went to Nashville, Tennessee, to see Barry and his family and speak in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, at the North Boulevard church.  The next stop was New Jersey to be with a wonderful new church with the name of Love and Truth.  This was the first time that we visited this church and the reception that we received and the hospitality was just magnificent.  In New Jersey we had the privilege of visiting the family of one of my students who is originally from Lod in Israel.  There is no greater pleasure for a teacher to see his disciples prosper and grow and stay close to Yeshua.  This dear brother has gone through great health difficulties and his faith has only strengthened.  From New Jersey we took the AmTrack train to Union Station in Washington D.C. There we were picked up and taken to Virginia to speak in another wonderful Korean American Church and their hospitality was also wonderful and with great encouragement to us personally and for Netivyah and Israel.  From D.C., we traveled to Athens, Georgia, to spend a few days with one of the first congregations that supported us for more than 40 years.  In Athens also we were received by dear brothers and friends with a very warm good old southern hospitality.  The two days that we were in Athens were also very full.  I gave a teaching for the Old Ladies class, and I know that they don't like it when I say this, but facts are facts, what can I say.  May be I should say the Mature and Beautiful Ladies Class.  I suppose it would be good for me to learn to be a little more diplomatic, but at my age the chances are very slim that I would change.  It was really good to reconnect with the Campus View church in Athens, Georgia, and I do hope that they will at some later stage resume their support of the Lord's work in Israel and participate more actively.

After Athens, Georgia, we left the United States for Brazil.  Our first stop was Curitiba, in the State of Parana.  There was a very happy occasion to be a part in the dedication of a Torah Scroll in the Congregation Sar-El that we have a hand in starting ten years ago.  It was the dedication of a Torah Scroll and the 10 year anniversary of that congregation.  From Curitiba we took a flight to Vitoria, where our brothers and sisters there received us very well, and it was a real joy to see those kids who were in High School when I baptized them 14 years ago, now building families, married, working in good jobs, and being faithful to the Lord and to the vision of Restoration.  After Vitoria, we took a flight to Belo-Horizonte for the participation in the 6th Annual Conference of Disciples of the Messiah who seek the Restoration of the First Century Church.  So, as you can see there was not much down time to seat down and write this prayer list.  I am sure however, that all of you continued to pray for us and for Netivyah and for the sick and for the salvation of Israel and the World.

I know that writing such a travelog is a kind of boring thing, but it should also demonstrate to you that I am well and back to form after the 48 hours in the Jamaica Hospital in New York City.  I must say that the Jamaica Hospital in New York City was a good experience for us because it was a demonstration of the scope of the Body of the Messiah.  When the Body of the Messiah works it is the most wonderful spiritual institution in the world.  For me during those 48 hours in the hospital the Body of the Messiah worked and it worked in concert with modern Technology.  Barry, my son, had the idea to write on Facebook, Twitter, and send an e-mail to my whole mailing list asking people to pray for me.  I think that Barry, Danah, and Marcia, were much more worried and concerned for my situation than I was.  Actually I was not worried at all, just as soon as I arrived in the hospital I was given heavy medication and a morphine injection.  I went to sleep and they all stayed awake and continued to worry.

Thank you all who prayed for me and for my health.  I heard that there were a few people in Brazil that wrote in Facebook that people should not pray for me, that it may be time for Joseph Shulam to die and make the world a better place.  Well, I am glad that there are some people that think that way, because it give me a chance to disappoint them and pray for them.  I wish them and all who think that way a long life and spiritual prosperity and a true conversion and a renewal of their faith so that they can for real become disciples of Yeshua our Lord and be born again in the spirit of God.  The Malbim a great Rabbi who lived some centuries ago in Romania and Moldova said:  “If you are a Rabbi and you don't have some enemies in your congregation than you are not a Rabbi.”  He also said: “If you are a Rabbi and everyone in your congregation is your enemy than you are not a Mench (a man).”  So, take courage boys and keep seeking God's Truth from His Word and the guidance of His Spirit that will lead you to all truth.  God willing, I plan to be around for many more years and keep on doing what I am doing now, preaching and teaching the truth from God's Word and working for the Restoration of the Body of the Messiah.

The news from Israel is that the building project is progressing very fast and we are about to receive the final approval and building license because we are finishing and fulfilling all the requirements.  This makes our fund raising for the building very crucial and urgent.  On this trip in the USA and in Brazil many people who are not rich have extended themselves and have given generously for the building and the Food Distribution in Jerusalem.  The total will be approaching 80,000 US dollars.  We praise the Lord for the generosity of our brothers and sisters, but we have a long way to go.  What I would like to ask each of you is to talk to your preachers and elders and organize a special contribution of Stand with Jerusalem for our building project.  I would also like to repeat the story from Seoul, Korea.  Where two years ago during a teaching seminar, a very old sister that was walking bent over, walked up to Dr. Song, and handed him $ 1000 US dollars.  She said that she did not have much money, but if 1000 people each give 1000 dollars the money for the building will be raised.  The next morning we received a few thousands of dollars from close friends and dear brothers.  The little old lady infected people who her initiative and with her generosity and with her courage to walk up in front of the church and give this money for Jerusalem.  At that time I only spoke of this building project in terms of praying for the court in Israel to approve the building licenses, and we were not even beginning the fund raising for the building.  So, take courage dear brothers and sisters and give what you can.  I know that God is impressing on someone's heart as I am writing this prayer list now to give a much more significant amount of money, but any amount will be blessed and be a blessing to Jerusalem.  If anyone needs material, more facts, more details, please don't hesitate to look at our web page and also don't hesitate to write us and ask for information and we would be more than happy to provide you what you need.  The easiest way to make a contribution to Netivyah is through PayPal in the internet.  You can find the way of doing it through our web page: www.netivyah.org

However, you can make the contribution by a regular check from your checking account and mail it to Netivyah (Netivyah, P. O. Box 8043, Jerusalem 91080, Israel) or you can write us an e-mail and give us your details, including address and phone number, and we will send you the information how to make a bank transfer from anywhere in the world.

I realize that some of you are in shock that I am so forthcoming in asking for funds.  I have actually very seldom spoken or written in this kind of bold way asking for financial support.  If this was only about a building of stones and cement, I would not be so bold or even ask.  But, this building is not about the building as much as it is about our right to be equal citizens with equal civil rights and be accepted and recognized by the law as such.  This building project is in order to open the doors of democracy and equality and the rights of our children to be Jewish Disciples of Yeshua our Messiah in the future of the State of Israel and the Body of the Messiah.  This building project is a stepping stone for the preparation of the return of the Messiah as King of Kings and Lord of Lord.  If we cannot have the right to build just because we believe that Yeshua is the Messiah where would the future of the redemption of Israel be, where would our freedom to be equal citizens before the laws of Israel be?  Where would the only democratic state in the whole Middle East be without freedom and equality before the law?  Where will you be if you don't at least pray for the future of your Jewish brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel?  Please, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but also pray for the peace of your Jewish brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel.  May the King come into our hearts in Jerusalem soon!

I heard that Ruby's mother who is well past 90 years old is in the hospital in Oklahoma City.  We have been praying for Ruby's health for a long time and we know that it is hard for Ruby to take care of her own self, but now it is doubly hard for her to go back and forth to take care of her mother. Please pray for Ruby and her mother.

Please continue to pray for Tim Tucker who is in Finland.  I visited Paulo in Brazil and he is improving so much, we need to keep praying for him.  We also need to continue praying for the Ishiida family in Japan.  Although there is a great improvement in the way Mr. Ishiida is functioning and able to get around better, he still needs our prayer and so does Mrs. Sadako, and her grandchild.

I ask you to pray for Neri a premature baby that was born in Israel.  We pray for the Lord to give life to this baby and to use him as he grows and becomes strong for His own Glory.  I also ask you to continue to pray for my Daughter Danah and for Noaam my grand-daughter, and for Ilana, Ahuva, Leah, Sarit, Marcia my wife, Zvi and Sara, all in Jerusalem.

I would also like for you to pray for our brothers and sisters in Brazil.  I am praying that the Lord will give brothers and sisters here to desire and the hunger to seek peace and unity and cooperation with one another.  Those who don't seek peace and are willing to sacrifice for peace with brothers in the faith will out that the Lord's principles of “Measure for Measure – Mida keneged Mida” works.  They will find out that those who don't work hard to maintain and seek and pressure peace actively will have the wars and the enmity and divisions will come from within their own house.  I would hate to see the enemy find a place to hold and shake congregations from within.  All of us have enough trouble and battles with those who are outside the vision and the Body of the Messiah we don't need more battles with our own dear and beloved brothers and sisters anywhere.  Let us all pray for this around the world.  We need each other and we need to have relationship with brothers and sisters and we need to practice turning the other cheek and walking the second mile first of all with those who are our brothers and sisters.  We need to sacrifice for peace and cooperation in and with the Body of the Messiah and work for the Unity of God's family, and work hard.

God bless you all and keep you safe and under the cover of His wings,

Joseph and Marcia Shulam

from Brazil right now and next week from Jerusalem, with God's help.

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