NEWSLETTER

JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ISRAEL ALLIANCE

Issue 2 volume 2 1 July to 31 December 2008                                          page 1

Shepherd’s newsletter

Is the Church ready to receive Elijah?

All the Promises in the Scriptures (1st and 2nd covenant) are True. We can stand on the Word of God. What God says He will do …He will do.

Mark 11:23-24 (KJV) 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 16:15-18 (KJV) 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Mark 9:23 (KJV) 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

John 14:12-14 (KJV) 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Philippians 4:13 (KJV) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Why would we have doubt in God’s Promises and the healing powers through His agent, The Holy Spirit? The issue lies deep within today’s theology, as many Churches have taught that all these gifts have ceased, or that they are no longer relevant. In these apostate times, we have become the Church of tolerance and unbelief …Laodicea! What does Jesus have to say about that end day Church?

Revelation 3:15-17 (KJV) 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

(Continued next page 2)

Conclusion of The prophetic applications of the Feasts of the Lord  by Laurel

Page 4

Senior Elder Corner

Page 5

JCIA Activities and Announcements.

God's House

The desert blooms in Las Cruces

Shofar Ministry lead by

Frank Smith

     ENJOY

JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ISRAEL ALLIANCE

page 3

SPIRITUAL APPLICATIONS OF THE FEASTS OF THE LORD
by Laurel Hofeldt, Shepherd Women's Ministry

 

National Prayer Breakfast

Mike and Jerry Fellowship

Laura sings

One day at a time

Conclusion

THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE FALL FEASTS

The Feast of Trumpets is known by many different names, a few of which are “the day of the awakening blast,” the “Last Trump,” “Judgment Day,” and the “Coronation of the Messiah.” Having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Shavuot, the believer is empowered for use of the spiritual gifts. The trumpet is a call for war. One must now use the gifts of the Holy Spirit to do spiritual battle, to war against the enemy of our souls that comes to kill, steal and destroy. As the bride of Christ, the believer must take off the old garments of the flesh, and put on the new garments of the spirit (walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit). Just as the prophetic application for the Feast of Trumpets points to a time of “judgment” believers must judge their actions. They must walk in love, in truth and in righteousness. The bride of Christ must use her authority given her by her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and be dressed in her betrothal clothing (the armor of God) - the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:10-13). The bride must be “awake” and alert (have oil in her lamp) - watching and waiting for the sound of the trumpet of the Bridegroom (the “last trump” - I Cor 15:52), the appearing of Jesus Christ, and His judgment of the righteous to receive their crowns/rewards.

DAY OF ATONEMENT - (SANCTIFICATION: CLOTHED IN WHITE - THE BRIDE):

This day is known in Hebrew as Yom Kippur meaning “a covering.” It is the one day in the year that the sacred ceremonial tasks were carried out by the High Priest, alone, to make atonement for sin. The High Priest would have to leave his home and family 7 days before Yom Kippur in order to prepare (Lev 8:33). On the Day of Atonement, he would enter into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, clothed in white linen, to make atonement, first for himself & his family, then for the nation of Israel. He, alone, was responsible for every aspect of this holy service. There were 15 separate sacrifices to perform, along with the lighting of the menorah, the incense and other services. On this day, lots were cast for two goats - one as a sacrifice for the Lord, and one for Azazel (the scapegoat). The scapegoat was cast to its death from a high cliff. A string of crimson-dyed wool was tied to the horns of the scapegoat and around the neck of the goat for sacrifice. On the death of the scapegoat, the crimson wool turned white. Just as the High Priest had to prepare for this service by separating from his home, believers must separate themselves from the things of the world, seek to draw near to the Lord, and to serve Him - a sanctification process. The High Priest would enter through the veil into the holy place to offer incense. Believers must enter into the Holy Place to offer incense (intercessory prayer) in their own behalf and in behalf of His people. For the believer, Jesus Christ-Yeshua HaMaschiach is our High Priest who entered into the Holy of Holies on our behalf, He was the sacrifice for the Lord, and the scapegoat. His shed blood provides atonement for our sins. “Though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow” (Is 1:18). Believers are clothed in the white linen of “righteousness” by the blood of the lamb (Rev 19:8). Yom Kippur is a spiritual picture of a pure and spotless bride adorned in the white linen of righteousness - at one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (At-One-Ment). The bride and bridegroom are now ONE (Echad).


FEAST OF TABERNACLES (INGATHERING OF HARVEST, ENTER ABBA’S REST - DWELLING TOGETHER): This feast portrays a joyful season of ingathering of the harvest, enjoying its fruits. It is a time of rest from labor, and a time of remembrance of the wilderness experience when the Lord was their protection and covering - a time of dwelling in booths. The spiritual application of the Feast of Tabernacles is the believer’s joy in doing the work of the harvest, of seeing many souls being brought into the Kingdom. Just as a home is to provide a safe and secure environment, so too, there comes a time when the believer is at rest in the Lord. His walk with the LORD is such that he knows he is safe and secure in the knowledge and wisdom of the LORD, walking and dwelling with Him as a way of life. His joy will be complete at the end of the age - in that great harvest when the believer will enter his dwelling place, in the New Jerusalem, and rule and reign with the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ - Yeshua HaMaschiach.

Shalom

Laurel

page 4

Senior Elder Corner

My Four Witnesses

Then I started reading and……WHAM!!!! ….There it was!! …. Read “OUT-LOUD”…. The statement became my clue. So with this, Anne became my first witness as that was her recommendation. I continued to read and it all became clear to me. Read your Bible OUT-LOUD. And now, I became the second witness. By reading your Bible out-loud, you can develop more faith in God, because faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and faith comes more quickly when you hear yourself quoting, speaking, and saying the things God said.

Then later, I shared it with the congregation. After this, I was told by a friend that Laurel had discussed reading the Bible out-loud to the congregation two or three weeks at a prior Shabbat, but it so happened that I was not there that particular weekend. Now Laurel became my third witness.

I felt that things were “rocking” along pretty good….. I felt very good about it. Then it happened! A few weeks later I was at Jones Jewelers having a piece of jewelry repaired. They were quite busy in the store, so I sat down in the chair provided, and waited. After awhile the customers began to “thin-out” until I was the only customer there. At this time, I was passed-by by three clerks who did not offer to help. So I just waited. Then came this man, the fourth clerk, and he offered to help me. Well, needless to say, we concluded our business and we chatted for a few minutes …and then it happened! This man had not only helped me with my business at hand, but he thanked me and blessed me and invited me back for coffee and cookies at another time. I thanked him, and since he had blessed me, I thought to myself ---I need to ask this man a question! So I did! I said when you read your Bible, do you read to yourself or do you read it out-loud? His response was….Definitely OUT-LOUD, ….I like to hear the WORD OF THE LORD. He became my fourth witness.

Since then there have been several from our JCIA congregation who have told me that they are reading their Bible OUT-LOUD and enjoying it very much.

Read Your Bible out-loud!

 

Read your Bible OUT-LOUD

Fellowship time

Roy V. Thurston
Senior Elder
 

page 5 C

JCIA Activities and Announcements.

 Raymond and Mona are hosting a Home Bible study on Sunday evenings. They are studying the New Testament teachings of Paul in 1 Corinthians.
 

Judy Snow is facilitating a group and individual’s in Be in Health sessions.

On July 6, six JCIA members graduated from the Emunah class having completed a 24 week course in a prayer, faith, deliverance and spiritual warfare ministry (Blanca Flores, Laurel Hofeldt, Judy Snow, Milo and Yvette Rubio and Anne Wilder).
 

Emunah Graduates

Laurel Hofeldt

 

Blanca Flores

Judy Snow

Milo Rubio

 

Yvette Rubio

 

Anne Wilder

Activities:

 
This year we held Passover in the home (Bell's, Bustamante's Hofeldt's), as is the Hebrew/Jewish custom. Everyone found this to give them a personal touch and a special Passover fulfillment and joy.
 

In April, we preformed and hosted the wedding ceremony of JCIA members, Felipe & Helida Miranda.

Also in April, We held a special Baptism for Milo and Yvette who are powerful witnesses of the Lord.

Morningstar graduated with honors from NMSU. We hosted her Graduation celebration.

Congratulations Morningstar!

In June-July, we received 2 visiting ministries with gifts in healing and deliverance (Ed and Carol Greene and Dr. Bree Keyton).

Coming Events:

Baptism of 10 JCIA Believers at Judy Snow home

NEWSLETTER

JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ISRAEL ALLIANCE

Issue 2 volume 1 1 January to 31 July 2008                                          page 1

Shepherd's comments.
 

Shalom

Stand firm in the Armor of God

WOE is me! A Christian man was criticized when talking to college students and politicians about the God of Abraham-Isaac-Jacob and His Son, Yeshua Jesus Who is the only narrow path to eternal life.. The “learned elite” protested publicly and their loud voice, though only a minority of the citizens of America, attracted the attention of the media. The man was left to bear the scars of their attack. He sought rebuttal for Yeshua Jesus' sake, neither for his own reputation nor self-esteem. He conjured in his mind how he would stand up against the Almighty God's accusers. Noteworthy, in these days, believers will more frequently be called to bear the cross. We must put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and put aside self-righteousness, our defense of self-worth, and our worldly desires. After 9-11, the host of the religious community is in ecumenical agreement that all religions lead to a universal god. Yes, many voices will appear to lead us away from Christ. Did not Yeshua Jesus warns us six times in Matthew Chapter 24 “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” A biblical statement repeated twice is established as fact by two witnesses (Deu. 19:15) but Jesus stating this 6 times   is a "neon light." It commands our attention to these red-letter words.

Now is the time for “you are that man" that must take a stand. Spiritual darkness has approached as storm clouds cover our land. We see apathy in the Body of Christ with unbelief, hardness of heart (stiff-neckedness) and dwindling faith. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).” Who, in the Body of Christ, faithfully reads and meditates on the scriptures daily? Who reads and studies  the weekly Torah/Parasha? Who is prepared to take the Gospel message so that all might be saved and none lost. Did not Yeshua Jesus give us this mandate to be his agents (sokhen)? Mark 16:14-18 (KJV) 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

He sent the Comforter that we may be given power to serve as agents of God. Acts 1:8 (KJV) “8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

A fast-paced world is keeping us too busy with our own agenda to see our spiritual needs and those of our of our brothers/sisters, or the Church. Do we sense God’s will, or our own will? Are we Christ-centered or are we  self-centered/world-centered? Who controls our fleshly body? Is it the Holy Spirit of God or man’s basic self-survival instincts? Are we children of the first Adam (the flesh)  or the second Adam (the Spirit)?

The WORD was God and He became flesh and dwelt amongst us. Feed on this manna and you will have eternal life. It gives you both physical and spiritual sustenance. We must stand firm in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) asserting the Sword of the Spirit until the day of our reconciliation unto the Father. 1 Corinthians 16:13 "watch ye, stand fast in the faith.......

Shalom,
Pastor Fred

Stand firm in the Armor of God by our Shepherd

page 2

Part 2 of  The prophetic applications of the Feasts of the Lord  by Laurel

page 3

News from Israel Boaz and Rena

page 4

Greetings from Asher and Suzie

page 5

Israel News Corner

Betty's House of Judah

More photos of Israel Trip

       ENJOY

page 2

12 JCIA members off to Israel

        

We're Off.......

 .

Larry in New York

SPIRITUAL APPLICATIONS OF THE FEASTS OF THE LORD
by Laurel Hofeldt

In the last newsletter, we wrote about the Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23) and how they apply to us prophetically. In this issue, we will continue with the spiritual application of the Spring Feasts and Shavuot (Pentecost).

SPIRITUAL APPLICATIONS OF THE FEASTS OF THE LORD


The spiritual applications are progressive steps of faith, a process of redemption, justification, and sanctification.

PASSOVER - (REDEMPTION - LIFE - NEW BIRTH): Your position in Christ. Just as the Israelites had to apply the blood of the lamb over the doorposts of their houses in Egypt in order for the death angel to pass over, one must apply the blood of the Passover Lamb (Yeshua Jesus) to the doorpost of their heart. “Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). Therefore, each one of us is under a curse, and deserves death. When we acknowledge this, and repent of past sins, and accept the atoning blood of Yeshua Jesus as payment for our sins, we spiritually apply the blood of Yeshua Jesus to the doorpost of our heart. We are “born again.” Only the blood of Jesus Christ (the Firstborn of the Father) can take away our sin with its inherent death penalty, and give us life. The death angel must pass over us.

UNLEAVENED BREAD - (PURITY, DIE TO SIN): In the Exodus (Passover) story, the children of Israel had to flee from Egypt before their dough was leavened - “And the people took up their dough before it was leavened” (Ex. 12:34). So, too, believers must be quick to flee from Egypt (a type of “the world”). One must flee from sin (leaven). I John 2:15 - “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.....”

FIRSTFRUITS - (RESURRECTION - NEW MAN, WATER BAPTISM): Moses and the children of Israel crossed over the Red Sea 3 days after Passover. They were all “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I Corinth 10:2). Just as Christ was resurrected to new life, so we must be raised to “new life” through the waters of baptism. “He who believes and is baptized, shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).

SHAVUOT/PENTECOST - (CONSECRATION: SET APART - BAPTISM OF HOLY SPIRIT): It is taught by the Jewish sages that Abba Father chose (set apart) the Children of Israel and gave them the 10 Commandments (revealed His Word) on Shavuot. This was a “ketubah” (a marriage contract), in which He betrothed Himself to them, and promised them His love, His protection, and a home (a land). Traditionally, in the Jewish wedding, the bridegroom betroths himself to his bride by bringing her gifts. It is her choice to accept the gifts. The believer accepts and receives of gifts of the Holy Spirit through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit (given authority to act in the name of her husband).

Laurel

(In the next newsletter, we will continue with the spiritual application of the Fall Feasts).

page 3 Column

Uniting the 2 houses through Yeshua

We're in the land milk and honey!

   Baptism on the Jordan

News from Israel

Boaz and Rena

Greetings from Israel  

                                                      Boaz in concert                

Dear Fred, Laurel and all at JCIA

Shalom friends,
We hope and trust all is well with you. Thank you for the wonderful support we received from you whilst in Las Cruces. We loved meeting ya'll and were greatly encouraged. These desert plants can get dry and our visit with you was like an annual rainfall. We were refreshed in the Spirit. Hallelujah!
We want to express our joy and thanks to Abba for His faithfulness and His goodness. He gave us Yeshua, who came, not to keep us from hardship and trouble, but to help us to bear it. Thank you for your love, your prayers and support. Prayer is never lost; a wonderful tool in the hands of friends. It reminds us of the Rod and the Staff, tools in the hands of the Shepherd of Israel, our friend. We learnt a wonderful truth concerning prayer: Focused prayer is a work of the heart. It transforms not only conditions, but also those who are being prayed for and those who are praying.

We are excited to be digging our 3 rd well in the land and trust this is as Rehoboth /Rechovot (open spaces) was for Isaac and Rebecca (Gen. 26). Isaac said this at his 3 rd well: "For now Elohim has granted us ample space, and we can be fruitful in the land" v 22. We loved the place of our first well, kibbutz Kerem Shalom on the border with Gaza! The place of our second well, Biblical Tamar in the Arava (Ir Ovot! where the Hebrews camped in the desert) brought many loved ones into our lives. Our third well is currently surrounded by dunes (lots of sand), beautiful views and families. We will enjoy seeing the children and families grow here.

We are doing well at present. The shofar business is coming along well. We never thought when leaving Africa (South Africa, Cape Town) that the horns from Africa (Kudu, Gemsbok) would follow us to Israel. It is for us a special trade in that we love the sound of the shofar, stirring the heart and soul and knowing it will bless someone in the earth. There is quite a bit of interest in our work from our fellow Israelis. People stop by and ask questions. Many try to blow a few notes. Sometimes it surprises even themselves. The moshav is a great place for us to live. The people care about each other here. They help one another and wish to see each other succeed in this very new settlement.

We enjoyed being with those of your community who could come to the Land recently and trust that they were truly blessed by being here. Israel is not an easy place, but it is always good to come and be blessed by Abba. Thank you again for your goodness to us. We remember you in prayer as the Ruach Hakodesh leads. Please give our love and greetings to all at JCIA.

"All you nations join hands; sound the shofar to Elohim with a cry of joy (be koi rina)... Make music for Elohim; make music for our King, make music ... Elohim reigns over nations ..." Psalm 47.  How comforting to know in these uncertain times. 

Boaz and Rina

SHEFA
Harvesting the Abundance

page 4

.......got-ya

God's land

Rosie on sea of Galilee

Abba Is Always Taking Care…

 A Message From Suzi and Asher

                                                       
Suzi says:

In 2005 I found myself in the Israeli desert with Sunnie who had encouraged me to come with her to Israel for the second time. Why not? I didn’t have other plans, so I packed my suitcase and off to Israel I went…as you know, the desert doesn’t require any fancy stuff…no fancy clothes, jewelry, or makeup…instead I packed jeans, shirts, and a pair of work boots.
My plan was to work in the desert, but my Abba had other plans. God’s purpose for this trip was to introduce me to the man who would eventually become my husband. During my two week stay, Asher and I found ourselves getting to know each other day by day…but in a very different way…not the traditional courting scene…where you dress nicely and go out on a date. Instead, we were both dusty, had dry skin and hair, cracked lips, dirty nails, and we both wore old jeans and work boots as we watered trees and worked in various jobs at Biblical Tamar Park.
During the two weeks I was at the park, I found myself working hard, traveling, and gathering with friends for praise and worship every evening. This led to the opportunity to introduce the New Testament and Yeshua to Asher.
After my time there, I returned back to the United States. Asher and I remained friends for one year, getting to know each other through phone calls and e-mails.
According to our Abba’s plan (and with Sunnie’s help), we met again in Jerusalem, this time knowing that we were together again because Abba decided to bring us together for a purpose: To work with the Sephardic Jews from New Mexico and to help bring them back to Israel.
Asher quickly decided to pack his suitcase this time and come to the United States and continue to establish our relationship. It became clear that we would marry in New Mexico in a church that teaches the Bible based upon the Old and New Testaments.

Asher (as dictated to Suzi) says:

It was amazing for us to see so many people who were involved in our ceremony with so much love and care, not only for us, but for God and Israel. Our wedding was so special. All the loving work and preparation that went into the ceremony and the decorations and the costumes and the food…everything! We thank you also for the kind welcome you provided to all of Suzi’s family. All of it came together to provide an unforgettable time. We want to especially thank Laurel and Fred, Sunnie and Dudley, Keith, Tony and Betty, and all the people that were so happy for us and were part of the wonderful ceremony.
We love all of you and we look forward to the day that we will be worshipping, praying, and studying with you at Judeo-Christian Alliance Church.

Shalom

Asher and Suzie

page 5

"follow me"

 

Israeli produce

Feet on Las Cruces

Sunnie's Israel News Corner

For me, the joys of the JCIA Fall Trip to Israel were in twelves! Every place we went, every site we saw, every experience we shared…all were translated into the faces of twelve travelers (including my own!) from Las Cruces, plus of course, our two dear sisters from North Dakota! Having been to Israel a number of times in the past, I must state that this trip held a special gift for me which is now the first joy that comes to mind among frequent times of re-living memories. That beautiful gift from God is having those faces as the major part of those memories! I can see them all right now as I write…faces bright with excitement boarding our El Al jet out of New York City to Tel Aviv… faces of immense peace as we sailed and sang upon the Sea of Galilee… faces of childlike wonder as we stepped foot upon the many locations where we know that our Jesus, our Yeshua, also stepped…and of course, faces of satisfied tiredness as we finally gathered together in the waiting area before once more boarding a plane to fly home.

Where is home? A common thread among so many travelers to Israel is an intense feeling that Eretz Israel suddenly feels more like home than this geographical place where we live in our own houses and where we have all those belongings that permit us to abide in such comfort. I think most of us would agree that we would be fine living in far less comfort and with far fewer amenities if we could just stay longer in Israel, if we could just help to serve the Jews, if we could just return to that land of constant turmoil across the ocean, if we could just be a continuing part of it. Many of the travelers on this recent trip told me that they did not care whether or not they were in physical safety. While everyone acknowledged that they always felt very, very safe wherever we were, they also claimed that if anything dangerous and unexpected …even life threatening…were to happen, it would absolutely be okay with them. They just want to be in The Land…at any price, even that of their own safety…their own well-being…their own lives! It seems that Home is Israel!

Now that the twelve have walked the streets of Jerusalem, have prayed at The Western Wall, have looked into the faces and shared precious words with our Jewish brothers and sisters both young and old and in between, have eaten the food of the Mediterranean, the next thought becomes not only how to get back to Israel ourselves, but also how to provide for others to share in the same wonderful soul-enriching experiences. It is upon faith that we are free to proceed. Our Father knows the purity of our love for His people and His land and our desire to be with those people and to share with them the thrill of being in that land. He knows our obedience to His commandment to ‘comfort and keep comforting His people Israel.’ (Isaiah 40:1) He also knows our limitations. And we know that He will provide both people to go and the financial means to make it possible for them. So, in the precious Name of Yeshua Jesus, we go forward…Kadima. We have booked the next trip for early May…leaving El Paso May 3, 2008, for a night and day in New York City as we did in the Fall of 2007, and then on to Tel Aviv late at night on May 4th. We have booked sixteen seats this time. With God as our Supreme Travel Agent, we will once again board an El Al jet... (El Al = Up To God)…and be in Israel again. We pray for another twelve from Las Cruces! And God willing, we pray for four from among our friends in North Dakota. Next year in Jerusalem!

Shalom

Sunnie

Betty