I would like to call your attention to a ministry in need of our prayer and financial support.  I visited a Messianic
congregation in Tel Aviv, Israel when I was there over this past summer.  Dugit (Adonai Roi Congregation) are an amazing group of servants spreading the gospel through a land where it is dangerous to do so.  Below is their mission statement, and you can read more about them here and download their PDF ministry flyer here.
Dugit is an evangelistic outreach center located in the heart of Tel Aviv. Staff members are available to meet with anyone who stops by, answering their questions and ministering the Life of Yeshua as they are led of the Holy Spirit.

Dugit also provides coordination for evangelism efforts in Tel Aviv for visiting church groups from all over the world. Instruction is provided on outreach methods suitable for Israel and Israelis before taking the group into the streets. The center is designed as a comfortable meeting place where people may gather to fellowship with other believers and also provides a resource for believers and non-believers who are searching for information about Messiah.

Donations can be made via paypal here 

It’s almost Christmas!  December through February is arguably my favorite time of year.  The air is crisp and people seem a tad friendlier (unless you’re shopping) and you get to see family and friends.

Thinking about the holidays had me thinking about today’s modern view of Christmas, and how it’s celebrated.  Christmas is supposed to honor the day of the birth of Christ, to celebrate the incarnation.  But we know for most Christ’s birth is not more than a footnote, if that.  Christmas has become the birthday party Christians prepare for in excitement, only to be completely contented in the guest of honor failing to show up.  How many of us would throw a celebration in honor of someone, and yet be completely happy and have a good time when the celebration takes place absent of the one it was prepared for?  That’d be crazy!  Yet Christmas has become that to many…
Fun has taken place of the Son!  When I have a family of my own, I hope to deeply encourage the true spirit of Christmas with traditions that bring the focus back around to who it should be!  Maybe a birthday cake each year that the kid’s can see who the day is for, and a traditional family reading of the Christmas story.

I marvel also at how Satan has manufactured so many things to completely distract society from any recognition of Christmas as a day to honor our King.  He has Santa Claus’ and the Easter Bunny ready to progressively alter the focus more and more each year.  His best weapons are those that seem to “bland out” everything that should have more importance.