Volume 19 Number 2
November/December 2002

"But now in MESSIAH Y’SHUA you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the atoning blood of MESSIAH. For HE HIMSELF is our peace (shalom), who made both one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall…" Ephesians 2:13-14

Y’SHUA Is Our Shalom

In the Messianic community we all come from various backgrounds and personal experiences. Some are Jewish or part Jewish, and some are Gentile. Some of us have had religious education and some have not. What really is important is that we have come to have a relationship with MESSIAH and one another. When HE comes into our life, we become a totally new person. HE joins us together in HIS mish’pa’cha (family). HE pours His love into our hearts by HIS RUACH HAKODESH (HOLY SPIRIT) and HE unites us in a bond of friendship that cannot be broken.

As we come to know Y’SHUA our MESSIAH by meditating on the Holy Scriptures, speaking and listening to Him in prayer, sharing our lives with our Messianic brothers and sisters, and reaching out to unbelievers with HIS good news, then we come to experience HIS peace and joy in our hearts. We are strengthened and encouraged by the hope that HE gives us both here and in the life to come.

Linda and I came to Y’SHUA in the early 1970’s. We married in 1976 and have spent almost 20 years serving our MESSIAH in Israel. What an awesome privilege this has been for us to live and work in HIS land with HIS people. What a joy we’ve had in passing on the GOOD NEWS about HIM to His own flesh and blood relatives, and even to their enemies. HE gave HIS life as an atonement for the transgressions of all people!

We spent over a decade in pro-life ministry in Israel. Y’SHUA saved many children from abortion through our staff. As we shared our faith in HIM, some of our clients came to know HIS salvation. Y’SHUA saves HIS children and brings eternal life!

This month we received a report from Ishai & Anat Brener, our Israeli co-workers, that another baby was rescued and both the Russian immigrant mother and grandmother gave their hearts to Y’SHUA. What a joy for us and what rejoicing among HIS angels who minister to HIS followers. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14

We also were blessed to serve in aliyah ministry in the former Soviet Union. We participated in a few of the sailings from Odessa to Haifa. Tens of thousands of olim (new immigrants) have made there way home by sea on these ships of Tarshish. Y’SHUA has given us a special burden to help bring Jewish people in the West to the land of their fathers. We believe this will happen on a massive scale in the near future. At present we are assisting those Messianic believers who are called to immigrate. Our non-profit corporation is called Makor Chaim, which is taken from Psalm 36:9, "For with YOU is the "Source of Life" (Makor Chaim in Hebrew)…" Rivkah, an Israeli woman living in the San Fernando Valley, came to Y’SHUA last year. She is a gifted evangelist and brought both her family and friends to OR Y’SHUA, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tarzana. Y’SHUA has now called her back to live in Israel and to be part of a congregation there. We are raising support to help her get established again. Other Jewish friends have immigrated recently and need assistance. One family in Europe will be re-locating to Zion in a few months. Y’SHUA is gathering the scattered sons and daughters of Yacov and planting them in the land of milk and honey. As you well know, it takes a lot of chutzpah to return at a time such as this. It has to be the SPIRIT of G-D.

(Zechariah 4:6)

Linda and I, and two of our three children will be returning to live in Yerushalym, in mid-January 2003. We would treasure your prayers and need your support as we continue to labor in pro-life and aliyah ministry. We’ll need to purchase air tickets, rent an apartment and find a good second-hand car. It’s a step of faith to go, but we know that Y’SHUA will be with us all the way. HE gives us HIS shalom in our hearts and this gift of rest keeps us from fearing the unknown that lies before us.

We will surely miss you all, especially our high school youth group, and we want you to know that our place is your place when you come up to the City of the Great King. Y’SHUA willing, we hope to see many of you at the next UMJC conference in 2003. Next Year in Jerusalem! Shana Habaa be Yerushalym!

Blessings in Messiah Y’SHUA to all our friends at Kehilat Ariel,

Ted & Linda, Tikva, Jeremiah & Shira Walker

URL:http://www.kehilatariel.org/current.html

Last Modified December 17, 2002