Restoration!

The message of Restoration continues unabated in Bulgaria! Yesterday we ministered first in Christian Centre Sofia, where I again had opportunity to sing my song "Two by Two" and illustrate for the people the two sticks of Ezekiel 37, becoming ONE in the Father's hand. They received this message with joy and were on their feet dancing and singing! We blessed the children under the tallit (right) and following the service both of us had opportunity to pray with the people and most of the congregation came forward for prayer. The pastor of this congregation strongly supports Israel, but now I believe they will understand how they are also a part of Israel!

When evening came we were taken across the city of Sofia to a totally different area, and ushered into a very small building where we had one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of our lives. Both of us felt we were given a rare opportunity to glimpse the Restoration work that YHVH is doing in the earth right now in our time, and it was a fulfillment of the parable in Luke 14:16-24: "Then he said to him, 'A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at suppertime to say to those who were invited, 'Come for all things are now made ready.' But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' And another said, ' I have bought five yoke of oxen and I am going to test them. I ask you to excuse me.' Still another said, 'I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. And the servant said to the master, 'It is done as you have commanded, and still there is room!' Then the master said to the servant, 'Go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house might be filled! For I say to you that none of these men who were invited shall taste my supper.'

Irena and Stefan, the precious couple who invited us to minister in their Reformed Eastern Orthodox Church, had invited about 20 people to come for the Sunday evening service and hear about the Hebrew roots of their faith. We wondered what the Lord could be doing in this small place, in a church that has been Orthodox in the past, but has a priest (pictured at right with his family) whose heart is now filled with a longing to bless the Jewish people! As the evening progressed we became more and more awed by the Presence of the Ruach (Holy Spirit) and the work that He is doing here. Many of the people originally invited did not come. So who were the 55 people John counted who did come? It turns out many were Jewish people. Some of them told me they were from Jewish families who were forced to confess Christianity in past generations. And many were literally "street people" - the homeless and the poor, the lame and those suffering with addictions. Just as in the parable, the Servant had gone into the streets and invited all who would come fill His hall, when those in the Church remained apathetic and asleep!

On the altar of this church was a lit menorah and two flags: one of Bulgaria and one of Israel. When I went to the piano to worship I sang the great old hymn "Holy, holy, holy" in English and they sang in Bulgarian. Then we sang "Kadosh" all in Hebrew and I explained to them that we were able to join in worship in ONE language because as Zeph. 3:9 tells us, "For then I will restore to the people a pure language." Those whom the Father is drawing into His hall to be made ready for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb are also learning to worship Him in His one pure Hebrew language!

When I taught this group of people they entered in with great hunger and enthsiasm and began to embrace one another in total UNITY of spirit, in one accord! The priest came forward and delivered a message of the history of the Jewish people, from their captivity in Babylon through their persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes, to the Spanish Inquisition, the Russian pogroms and the Holocaust! He called this small gathering of people to unite themselves with Judah as one family in prayer and blessing for one another. Then all came forward to share the Body and Blood of Messiah and the priest called John and me forward to lift the bread and the cup and say the Hebrew blessings! The Kabod of the LORD filled this place and when John prayed over the people at the end, we know that miracles were taking place, not only of physical healing, but also of salvation for those who did not yet know their Messiah! And in fulfillment of a prophecy that has been spoken over Bulgaria as a "healing for the nations," a Russian woman embraced me in sobs and said, "I am Russky...you are American. Hate! Hate!" And I consoled her and said, "I love you and you love me." It is a beginning!

Already our dear friend Lyubka has begun to organize a Hebrew Roots conference for youth and adults in Varna, Bulgaria for summer 20121 The foundation is being laid. We thank you for your continued prayers as we travel tomorrow to Budapest, Hungary where we will minister in three churches, spreading again the message of the Restoration of all Israel (Romans 11:25)!