“Look upward, and let us weep! O God, You have given us a mighty weapon and we have permitted it to rust.” This cry of Charles Spurgeon is mine. Is it yours? How do we respond to a renewed call on our lives to be a people of prayers!

The month of December is the darkest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time we search for ways to light our home. Candles abound and we look forward to the Festival of Lights and Dedication (Hanukkah). We are reminded of the Great Light that appeared to the world. John 12:46 “I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me should not remain in darkness.”

This past Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I joined the Jerusalem Messianic leaders for our seventh annual prayer summit. We’ve held these gatherings in a number of places; this time we met at a retreat center in Kiryat Yearim. Kiryat Yearim is the place where the ark of the covenant was brought from Beit Shemesh, and here the ark remained till it was brought up by David to Jerusalem, its final resting place.

Let’s begin by reading Matthew 25:14-30: 14 “‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

This month begins with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish celebrated New Year, and with it we prepare for a new year of expansion. The Feasts of the Lord are a wonderful time for community growth. Many people, that most weeks do not frequent a Synagogue, will find themselves taking part in the High Holy Days prayers. Many Synagogues invite their neighbors to join them for prayers. Just the other day we received an invitation from one of the Synagogues in our neighborhood to join them. They were extending a welcoming hand to the surrounding community and highlighting what made them unique. …