Quick Update on Isaiah 2 Initiative
Dear Friends,
I was writing a letter to our advisory board of pastors about the progress of the Isaiah 2 Initiative when I realized that you might also enjoy to hear of how the favor of the Lord has been extended for this effort. Almost everyday I ask the Lord to give me favor with believers and unbelievers alike. I begin my day expecting the favor of God.
I don’t expect this because I am special or better than anyone else, and I certainly don’t deserveI deserve the opposite—I expect it because it is promised to those who follow Him. His hand of blessing and favor on my life—
“You will be blessed more than any other people.” (Deut. 7:14)
“You surround them with your favor as with a shield.” (Ps. 5:11-12)
Even in Israel, an environment that can be hostile to believers, we can expect favor. The early believers lived in a far more hostile environment and the book of Acts speaks of them, “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:47) “Moses sought the favor of the Lord,” (Ex. 33:12) we read in the Torah.
Let me encourage you to pray for favor, expect favor and enjoy the favor of the Lord.
Here is a quick update.
This past month and a half has been amazing. Much love, favor and blessing have come our way. It seems that the Lord has truly birthed this vision and is far more excited about this than even we are. I truly believe that taking the good news FROM Israel, as Israeli emissaries, is connected to the eternal mandate of God upon Israel as a nation. These young men and women who go out from here to reach the nations will bring a blessing not only on the themselves, but it will release grace and favor for all of us in Israel.
Yesterday I went to the Nigerian Embassy. I was put in touch with a Nigerian woman in the embassy who is a pastor’s wife. She put me in touch with the consulate. When I walked in, I noticed what I hoped was a bible on his desk, which he hid under papers as I sat down. He was a little cold at first, not knowing who I was or why I was there.
Finally I said, “Are you a Christian?” He said, “Yes” as a smile formed on his face and he warmed up. When I told him that we, as Jewish believers, were taking the gospel to Nigeria to fulfill Is. 2:3 (the law will go forth from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem) he lit up. Soon I had his cell number and a commitment to get all of our team members visas to enter Nigeria.
Yesterday I also got the final price on airfare to Nigeria. It was under $1000, a good $200 cheaper than a month ago. I made a reservation for 20 people. We have to pay by September 30th to keep these prices.
Today I returned to Ethiopian Airlines to pick up the tickets for our August Advance Team trip to Nigeria. Freddie Intrater and I will be traveling to several cities and working with Mike Moses to finalize plans for December. The woman helping me had helped me before. She seemed very cold. As she was finishing she asked me why I was going. I explained that we were Jewish believers in Yeshua. She said, “You believe in Yeshu.”
The word Yeshu sounds like Yeshua but it is an acronym that the rabbis of the first centuries after Yeshua created to replace his real, Jewish sounding name. The acronym stands for May his named be cursed forever. I explained this to her and for the first time since I had spoken to her she smiled. “That is really interesting,” she said. Then she asked more questions and told me that she had been to Dugit, an Outreach Center led by my close friend Avi Mizrachi. It is in the same building were she works. I was able to briefly explain the plan of salvation.
“Mr. Cantor, my name is Minty,” she said after a year and half of coldness. I told her I would bring her a copy of my testimony book. Please pray for her salvation.
And please pray for Freddie and I as we leave Israel on the 19th of August for a week of ministry and preparations in Nigeria.
Pray that all the finances will come in for this trip.
Pray that God’s grace and favor would be upon us wherever we go.
Pray for protection as there has been unrest in the northern regions of Nigeria with Islamic fanatics. Fortunately the government is not afraid to deal with it.
Pray for a strong anointing as I minister on August 19th in Abuja (the capital), August 22ndGombie (the area where the outreach will be held) to the pastors in the region on the subject of Israel and Jewish Roots and then August 23rd in a local church in Gombie. in
Pray for unity on the Nigerian team under the direction of Rev. Mike Moses.
Thank you so much dear friends for standing with us in this effort through your gifts and prayers. We are so grateful that God has called many of you to partner with us as we seek to fulfill our small role in the Messiah’s Mandate. We still need about 50% of our budget to come in ($35,000), please agree with us for supernatural provision! Thank you!
Committed to the Messiah’s Mandate,
Ron
Messiah’s Mandate International, Tel Aviv, Israel www.messiahsmandate.org <> roncan@mac.com “Raising up leaders for the coming Israeli Revival”
Support Address Tikkun Int’l c/o Messiah’s Mandate PO Box 2997 Gaithersburg, MD 20886
