9/29/2026
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice
in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former
rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for
you - the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The
threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats
shall overflow with new wine and oil."
Joel 2:23-24
Give thanks to the LORD for He is good - Hodu L'Adonai Ki Tov! It's Tuesday morning worship watch with Kehilat HaCarmel in Israel, and the team is worshiping and rejoicing in the Lord for all He is doing for Israel and her people. It's day five of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the people have been rejoicing in the Lord, exalting His name. Many have come up to the Feast of the LORD to celebrate His goodness. People are dancing in the street, and more people are going to the western wall to cry out to God for His blessings. People are beginning to hunger and thirst for more of God, and we are praying for opportunities to share the love of Christ with them. We are praying in agreement with the scriptures that all of Israel will be saved!
One comment that was made about the Feast of Tabernacles event held by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem this year is that the worship has been very intimate, not staged, not theatrical as in previous years. Everything this year has been simple, which makes it more worshipful, calling for the presence of the Lord, or I should say honoring His presence that is within us. Aaron Shust was one of the featured worship leaders, and many times he sang with only his guitar in hand, not other accompaniment. It was special. I haven't had the opportunity to watch all the sessions yet, as my week has been very busy, but I am looking forward to relaxing this weekend so I can catch up with all the events.
Since the enemy continues to raise up his ugly head, the war continues and the soldiers of the IDF are still on duty, and sometimes there seems to be no end to the war, but God is using everything that happens to bring something good for His purpose in the lives of the people of Israel. Regardless of the strain and stress that comes with war, these young men and women who make up the IDF continue to stay the course and stand their ground, protecting Israel. They continue to have positive attitudes and hold no animosity against their enemies, especially the innocent people in Gaza who were their neighbors before all this happened almost three years ago. Everyone is anxious for this tension to be over so they can return to their families and lives and begin to rebuild.
Testimonies have already been received of local Israeli citizens thanking the attendees at the Feast for coming, for showing their show of solidarity with Israel. The Jewish people are beginning to realize that Christians truly care about the welfare of the nation of Israel, and we are here to support them, to stand with them, and to speak out on their behalf. With the rise of antisemitism there has been more fear, but the rise of anti-Zionism is growing also, as Christians are being persecuted for standing with Israel.
Today I finished reading the prophet Zechariah's prophecies, and the commentator made this statement: "Anticipating a day when holiness will be the hallmark of God's people is one thing; acting upon that expectation to become more like Jesus Christ in your public and private life is something altogether different. But one without the other accomplishes little as you want for that wonderful time we've been expecting, when His glory shall be seen - the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13)
Until that time when our Savior returns we will stand as one new man, united with our Jewish brethren singing Hodu L'Adonai Ki Tov! Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!
