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December 2010
“I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For [the believers in] Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” (The Apostle Paul in Romans 15:25-27)
Dear faithful friend of The Joshua Fund:
First, we have great news to celebrate: the fires in northern Israel are finally extinguished, and for this let us thank the God of Israel. “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations chapter 3:22-23).
Now the recovery efforts begin. The Joshua Fund believes it is vitally important the followers of Jesus Christ be part of these aid efforts, to bless Israel with unconditional love and unwavering support. Last Friday, we begun funding initial relief efforts to care for those Israelis who are suffering as a result of the fires, and we will continue to do so in the days and weeks ahead. Please be praying for our team as they go about this important work, and please consider investing in this work financially. We’ll keep you posted on what we’re doing.
Second, I want to thank you so much for your generous support of The Joshua Fund already this year! While many of you are doing okay, or even well, through these difficult economic times, I know some of you have lost your jobs, or are struggling in other ways to make ends meet. I want you to know how grateful I am to all of you. The lives of thousands of Jews and Arabs in the epicenter have been touched with the love of Jesus Christ, and many saints in the epicenter have been blessed and encouraged.
The enormous challenge we face now is getting ready for what is coming. As you know, the stakes are very high. Will Israel launch a military strike against Iran in 2011? Will Iran launch first? What will Hezbollah and Hamas do? None of us knows what the future holds. We may eventually be headed for a major regional war, but I continue to pray for peace, and I urge you to join me. In the meantime, I believe the Lord is telling The Joshua Fund team to continue caring for the poor and to accelerate our preparations for a possible war.
I am so glad to report that since 2006, The Joshua Fund has consistently and significantly invested in blessing Holocaust survivors, the elderly, single mothers, homeless people, widows, orphans, and other needy Jews, Muslims and Christians in the epicenter; in training and encouraging pastors and ministry leaders in the epicenter; and in educating and mobilizing Christians around the world to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We couldn’t have done this without you, and we are deeply grateful.
Fourth, that said, there is so much more to do. Here are our top priorities in 2011:
- DOUBLING THE SIZE OF THE WAREHOUSE – We are prayerfully considering buying a 20,000 sq. foot warehouse in Israel. Currently we’re renting a 10,000 sq. ft. facility. Please pray. I’ll keep you posted.
- OPENING MORE FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTERS – Lord willing, we hope to double the number of food distribution centers in Israel from 7 to 14. We are also preparing to purchase more vehicles and equipment to distribute aid, and to hire more staff to help us with relief distribution. Please pray for the Lord’s wisdom and clear direction.
- PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S LOVE – Lord willing, we will invest in a wide range of other important projects “to bring the good news to the poor…bind up the brokenhearted…and proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,” as the Lord commanded through the Hebrew prophet in Isaiah 61:1-3. This includes supporting Christian radio ministries in Iraq and the West Bank, Bible training conferences for pastors in the region, a “Prayer & Vision Trip” to Israel in May 2011, and the 2011 Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem on May 15-16 to teach more people about God’s everlasting love for Israel and all the people of the Middle East. (www.epicenterconference.com.)
In Matthew 24-25, our Lord Jesus tells us some of the ways He wants us to serve Him in the last days – feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, care for the suffering, teach the Word of God, proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and help the Church be ready for His return. He calls us to do this with unconditional love and unwavering support, and with gentleness and respect. (See our year-end report here.)
This is the mission of The Joshua Fund. Thank you so much for standing with us. May the Lord bless you and your family!
Yours to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus,
Joel C. Rosenberg
Founder and President
The Joshua Fund
As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we gratefully welcome your support. All financial gifts are tax-deductible in the U.S.A, and TJF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). If you would like to make a contribution to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund, please make your check payable to “The Joshua Fund” and send to:
The Joshua Fund
18940 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009
Or you can give securely on-line at:
www.joshuafund.net
DESIGNATED GIVING: If The Joshua Fund is successful in raising our financial goal for a specific project for which you have designated your donations, all excess funds for that project will be applied to related projects or to the general fund of TJF.
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