The Jewish roots of Christianity

Home » Levitt Letter » Newsletters » July 2013 Personal Letter


Highlighting: OFF ON

Myles & Katharine Weiss

Dear Friend,

Shalom from a Messianic Leaders Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Besides fresh spiritual updates from key Israeli leaders, we are able to “take the pulse” of the movement. Diagnosis: the patient is alive and well, in an advanced state of hope born of restoration, watching for redemption!

In spite of dismal news elsewhere, those of us who know Yeshua are filled with expectation. We also stay aware of the good news from around the world. Connecting with other Jewish Believers—and with gentiles who look positively on that Jewish remnant—brings us tremendous joy. Like our ZLM community, these Believers are committed to living out the two key commandments that Yeshua left in Matthew 22:37–39:

Love the Lord God above all, through loving our Messiah.

Love our neighbor as ourselves, through the empowerment from our Messiah.

Rest assured that Katharine and I are not immune to the accolades from viewers who tell us how much they treasure Zola Levitt Presents. We often hear, “I missed Zola and then Jeff; but I love your fresh approach and the obvious affection you two share for each other.” Many profess, “I have been watching Zola Levitt Presents for ‘x’ number of years, and the program was instrumental in my/my friend’s/my family’s life.”

More significant are the praises regarding Jesus, not Zola, Jeff, Sandra, or us: “I saw the Lord in Ruth, Acts, or The Stones Cry Out” … “I met with God through your TV outreach.”

Some snapshots from this gathering:

A Messianic psychiatrist is an amateur astronomer who dreams of showing the world how the “heavens declare the glory of God.” Suggested title: “The Stones Cry Out … and the Stars Answer!”


Heidi Baker

High-profile Christian leaders around the world proclaim their Jewish ancestry. Considering God’s emphasis on the Gospel’s Jewishness, many leaders asked what their heritage could mean. These testimonies encouraged the Believers. Heidi Baker, missionary to impoverished Mozambique, has a Jewish grandfather. Nicky Gumble, who founded the Alpha Movement, also has Jewish heritage.

An African-American pastor from Michigan, delivered out of the “Nation of Islam,” has joined multi-ethnic Believers to sound the alarm against jihad in the heartland of America. A Muslim in Kiev, Ukraine, was powerfully saved after intercession and prayer… by Hitler’s goddaughter, who is a fully committed Christian!

I am convinced that Yeshua is returning soon. As that day approaches, no doubt the darkness will increase. However, we can fully expect the Lord’s light to increase upon us who believe and embrace this amazing season.

Last month, Katharine and I were in the Dallas television studio working on some wonderful new programs. They are in the editing stage to include interviews with genuine, credible voices of our day. We were privileged to film one of Jack Kinsella’s last interviews. Jack, who died in March, edited The Omega Letter, a strong, prophetic newsletter. He also contributed to Hal Lindsey’s TV program. Our loss is Heaven’s gain. His life touched many, including mine. Something he said stuck with me: “We have moved from looking for the signs of the times to living in the times of the signs.”

Isn’t that true? Think about the significant changes that have taken place just since the Six-Day War of 1967 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Israel is always the “time clock of the Ages,” and the prophetic pace is picking up. The wars that Israel was dragged into resulted in victory and complexity. Believers and agnostics alike have testified to the awesome presence of angelic hosts during these conflicts. God’s mercy caused Israel’s triumphs.


Arie, our able Messsianic tour guide, and wife, Esther, in Jerusalem

In 2011, when we produced the Ruth series in Israel, Arie Bar David gave us his insights into Jewish life. Arie is a Sabra, a native-born Israeli. A gifted musician, Bible teacher, and unique tour guide, he loves Yeshua.

In the evening, he shared some of his life with Katharine and me. Our eyes brimmed with tears as he related the goodness of the Lord in the Land and war tales of supernatural deliverance. During the 1973 war, Arie led a platoon in the Sinai desert. The Lord appeared as a light, guiding him and his men to safety during a brutal campaign. When Arie “followed the light,” a shell would hit where he and his men had been standing. This continued until they could defend their position. Some ultra-religious soldiers, but not believers in Yeshua, reluctantly admitted that Arie accomplished what man could not. After the war, the Chief Rabbi came to ask about it. The men pointed to Arie and responded, “Ask him.” They all knew that a higher Light had led Arie Bar David. Arie has no doubt that the Light was Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Ohr Ha’Olam—Jesus the Messiah, the Light of the World!

As the Lord’s light increases in our day, we can expect a spiritual revival in the Church and an awakening in the culture. How can it be otherwise? His Kingdom is drawing near. Wherever He is, so is His character, His goodness, the fruit of His Spirit, and the hope of eternity.

I keep meeting Believers who were part of the “Jesus People” outpouring in the late 1960s and early 1970s. While the darkness of Hinduism and drugs caught many impressionable wanderers, a significant number of young people were “born again” to follow Yeshua. The modern Messianic movement began at that time. Many courageous Jewish pioneers abandoned hippie lifestyles for spiritual frontier lives in Israel. Theyare today’s leaders in the Body of Messiah. God transplanted people like “Our Man in Haifa,” Eitan Shishkoff, and his wife. They now live fruitful lives with tremendous Messianic influence.

And something else is new. In our ministry’s June Personal Letter, I mentioned the “fatherlessness” of that movement. We now understand that missing spiritual component. This next wave of His Spirit will include a multigenerational element of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren … nurturing each other to serve the Lord together. Yeshua is coming for a family, a Temple, a Body, and a Bride.

The key is relationship. Recently, an Israeli minister seized an opportunity to expand his voice in connection with our work. He got in touch with me first, saying, “Myles, before I say ‘yes’ to this, I want to know that it is okay with you, because relationship is more important to me than opportunity!

My heart leapt as I witnessed the growth in the Body. This simple but mature statement spoke volumes. It is a sign that we can become that Bride whose gown (and heart) is without spot or wrinkle. We can learn to be motivated by the Spirit of the Lord, not by selfish ambition and personal advancement.

One of our conference speakers, a key leader based in Jerusalem, prayed a commissioning over the attendees. The prayer’s essence was a significant new understanding of the Messianic Body’s role in Israel. The future leadership of the Church universal is now coming from Jerusalem to the nations. This is a subtle but profound change. As in the beginning of the Church Age, the Body of believers in Yeshua is going to be influenced more and more by the Jewish (and Christian “one new man” of Ephesians 2:15) leadership in Israel.

Get ready for more exciting times!

To really grasp this, I exhort you to join us in Israel. You will be changed for the better forever. God will orient your heart to His City, His Land, and His people. He will place a spiritual compass in you that will engage you in His Word until He comes.

Bonus: Rosemary Schindler (r) joins our tour management team for the Fall Tour! Yes, that Schindler family; our longtime friends. She carries the mantle of Oskar Schindler in awakening the Church to its debt to the Jewish people. She is a veteran tour manager, and will be assisting Katharine and me for this 30th Anniversary Tour. This is THE time to join us. We will have special speakers and surprise “extras.” I encourage you to be in the Land with us this fall!


The Lion’s Gate, Jerusalem

Our 2013 Fall Tour options:

Greece and Israel
September 24 – October 8
Israel only
September 29 – October 8
Israel and Petra
September 29 – October 11
Greece, Israel, Petra
September 24 – October 11

Spring Tour 2014

Israel only
March 16 – March 25
Israel and Petra
March 16 – March 28

Please call our Zola Tours department at 214-696-9760 or visit www.levitt.com/tours to learn more. We do all the “heavy lifting” of arranging itineraries, beautiful hotels, and Messianic guides and pastors to make this the trip of a lifetime! Katharine and I would be honored to show you the Land of Covenants.

Whether or not you join us in the Holy Land, you can enhance your understanding of the Church in history and the present-day implications of the acts of the Apostles. Watch Zola Levitt Presents each week as we continue our eight-part series Acts: Then and Now … the Story Continues. You will hear solid teaching and learn from leaders how the Body is faring in Israel. The series also exposes our viewers to some of the key ministries in Israel. Watch for these programs:

To Hear Something New
On Mars Hill in Athens, Myles teaches about what Paul encountered while bringing the Jewish Gospel to the Greek world. Dr. Dan Juster (r) explains the theological connection between Jewish and Greek thought.
The Word Goes Forth from Zion
Out of Paul’s Corinthian letters come timeless instructions on how to live together in a vibrant faith community. Myles interviews Asher Intrater (r) and his son on the faith life of the contemporary Messianic community.
The One New Man
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul immortalizes unity of the Spirit between Jews and Greeks (non-Jews) in Messiah.
The Price He Paid for Us
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Myles discusses the blood of the sacrificed Lamb. Interviews with local Believers underscore the price to follow Jesus in Israel today.
Upon This Rock
Matthew 16 proclaims the identity of Messiah. Tents of Mercy ministry has provided former Soviet immigrants with humanitarian aid and “living water.”

Until then, please Sha’alu Shalom Yerushalayim… Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.

Your brother in Him,
Myles
Myles

P.S. As you can see from this letter, we have only begun to accomplish all that we sense is in the heart of God. Please consider making a generous donation to help us expand our TV projects and continue our high-quality programming. We’d like to produce an on-location series that illustrates the ways that Joseph foreshadows Jesus as Messiah. Also high on our list are interviews with significant leaders in Israel. All of this requires funding, and we depend on you for it. We ask God’s blessings on your understanding and partnership.

Featured Products

Donation

Donation

“Here is my donation for July. I praise God for the intergenerational Jews and gentiles who work together. Please continue fostering work in this area.”

A Christian Love Story

“A Christian Love Story” study booklet

The beautiful story of the wedding customs of Israel in Messiah’s time and how He fulfilled these traditions in calling out His bride, the Church. A striking and inspiring example of scriptural logic and elegance.

Jewish Heritage Calendar

Jewish Heritage Calendar

Beautiful and useful, this lovely Jewish calendar provides the dates of all the biblical feasts and sabbaths. Learn the names of the months, the Holy Days and all the rest through the English phonetics like in our monthly Hebrew Lesson in the Levitt Letter.

Ruth: Your People Shall Be My People

“Ruth: Your People Shall Be My People” video

We follow the famous love story verse by verse, and watch as Israeli actors re-enact it in their native Hebrew language. Myles and Katharine Weiss explain the biblical characters’ journey from darkness to destiny.

Share This Page