Israel (MNN) — Believers in Israel are clinging to Gospel hope while grappling with the reality of terror inflicted by Hamas. Pastor Tes Kahasi serves the Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod. He says Hamas is sanctifying death, especially as evidenced by the kidnapping and murder of civilians. News of the murder of hostages Shiri Bibas and her children has affected his entire community.
“Everybody was upset, including me, including everyone else,” he says. “Even, I have an eight year old son. Everybody cried, and everybody was very angry about it.”
Pastor Kahasi points to Jesus, or Yeshua, as the source of hope for his nation. He quotes Psalm 121:1-2, where David cries, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?”
The Psalmist ultimately finds his answer not in the hills themselves, but in their Maker.
“My help comes from the Lord,” he concludes, “Maker of heaven and earth.”
As in America, the tendency for followers of Christ in Israel is to watch events unfold through the lens of secular media. They come away from their newsfeeds full of fear.
“There are a lot of questions, but when they are coming to the church, the only thing that we are talking about is hope in Yeshua,” Kahasi says.
Where there is division, he says the spirit of evil is the only power that can act. But through Christ, God’s spirit of unity can be poured out on a people in great need of peace. In Hebrew, “Prince of Peace” is translated as “Sar-shalom.”
“Sar-shalom is a minister of peace. So our minister of peace is Yeshua,” he says.
Please pray that Israeli believers would look to Jesus for help and strength, and pray that many unbelieving souls would lift up their eyes to the God of Israel. Pray that believers would root themselves in the Word of God; and for the majority of Israelis who are far from the Lord, Pastor Kahasi asks for prayers that they would be saved.
“We know your prayers are very effective, so we need your prayers,” he says. “God bless you.”
Featured image courtesy of Unsplash
