Tuesday, January 24, 2012

King David




I had an amazing opportunity this last week to share God's love and plan for Israel and the Jewish people with over 200 K-5th graders. I wanted it to be memorable, so I showed up at their AWANA meeting as King David. I asked the worship leader to ask them questions about King David, then I walked on stage behind her. They were excitedly pointing at me to try to let her know the one she was talking about had just shown up! King David spoke to them about why he had fought Goliath. It was because Goliath had insulted the God of Israel. He told them how he had been a shepherd before he had been a king, and how concerned he had been whenever one of his sheep got lost.  He shared how Yeshua, another King of Israel, had said He had come for the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel, and how concerned He must be over His lost sheep as well. I reminded them that Yeshua was coming back to take up his throne and I asked where? Many called out the answer "Jerusalem!" I was glad so many knew that! David told them Yeshua is the King of Israel and God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I asked them if they were happy they had Him in their hearts and knew they would see Him in heaven someday. They all nodded happily. Then I reminded them that there were Jewish children all over the world who didn't know their Messiah. I asked them to bow their heads and pray with me (David) and they did...for the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel, for the peace of Jerusalem (which is one of God's prayer requests), and for Israel. Then David blew His Shofar. They loved that! It was such an honor to introduce kids that age to a concept that it's likely they would rarely have the chance to hear of otherwise. David made sure to tell them that no matter how many people might say God is finished with the Jews and with Israel, it wasn't true. He reminded them that there are promises given in Scripture over and over again about the wonderful plans God has for Israel. May we all be as little children as we look in hope for the day that Jerusalem's Peace, the Messiah of Israel, sits on His throne in her midst.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Hi! My name is Nancy Santiago. I'm a Messianic Jew, a Jewish Believer, a lover and follower of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua ha Mashiach.
I have been running into so many non-Jewish believers who are curious about the Jewish roots of their faith. They ask questions about what it means to be grafted into the root of Israel, and about the Biblical Feasts that point to the Messiah.  I often refer  them to  Romans 11:17-20 and specifically to the verse that states to non-Jewish believers "You do not support the root, but the root supports you."
I have found, even in my own walk, that to know the Jewish roots of my faith in the Jewish Messiah strengthens and supports what I believe. I think that one of the reasons the church at large is so blown about by every wind and doctrine is because it has forsaken the Root that supports the faith.
Everything from anti-semitic teaching to replacement theology to a refusal to share the gospel with the Jews is responsible for this loss of a strong root undergirding the body of Messiah.
So, my plan for this blog is to share some of what the Lord has shown me in regards to His heart for Israel and the Jewish people, and His heart to see His body at large come into its fullness through accepting being part of the Commonwealth of Israel by being grafted into the olive tree of Israel and sharing, with the Jews, the "nourishing sap of the olive tree".  Til next time...shalom!