Israel began as a nation of shepherds. As Samuel and Keila Wearp explain, Abraham was a shepherd, as were David and Deborah. It shouldn’t be a surprise that shepherds are still important in Israel today as the Jewish people reclaim the land God gave them. What may be surprising is who these shepherds are, and the importance of their work for the future of Israel. That’s an important part of this second part of our conversation about the Wearps’ Sheep Shearing expedition with their ministry, Rising Sparks.

The restoration of Israel is a work in progress, which means the final redemption of Israel and the whole world is still a work in progress. Barry Phillips and David Jones have a few thoughts about how God is proceeding with that work, and the way He invites us all to participate. That’s the topic not only of their midrash, “Stones, Children, and Builders,” but also of the music shared by Samuel and Benjamin Wearp and the Exodus Road Band.

To see pictures of the Rising Sparks Sheep Shearing Expedition, visit https://bneyyosefna.com/samuel-keila-wearp-sheep-and-sovereignty-part-2/.

To learn more about Rising Sparks, visit https://risingsparks.com.

Check out Samuel’s devotional guide to prayer for Israel: The Dire Straits of Redemption: A 21-day Journey to Transform Jewish and Christian Relations 

There are also opportunities to support, learn about, and serve Israel and the Jewish people through Samuel and Keila’s other ministry connections:

• Blessed Buy Israel – https://blessedbuyisrael.com
• Ten from the Nations – https://tenfromthenations.org

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

What is involved in repentance? The Hebrew word usually translated as repentance is teshuva, As Barry Phillips and David Jones explain, the Hebrew packs more meaning into this word than we realize. 

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

In the Bible we read about sheep as a metaphor for people. That’s nice and poetic, but there is a reason God put that metaphor in His book – a reason connected to His land and people of Israel. Samuel and Keila Wearp have learned about that through hands-on experience! These newlyweds had a working honeymoon in Israel, where they led a team of Christian volunteers in an expedition to shear sheep on a farm in the Biblical heartland of Judea. It was the first adventure of their new ministry, Rising Sparks. We learn about it in this four-part conversation, but before we hear about their work in Israel, we get to hear Keila’s story!

Tending sheep, like tending a garden, is an occupation that can teach us about our connection with our Creator. Barry Phillips and David Jones investigate that connection in their midrash, “Adam As A Type of Priest.” Will Spires has been singing about this connection for many years, as we hear in the musical selections for this show.

To see pictures of the Rising Sparks Sheep Shearing Expedition, visit https://bneyyosefna.com/samuel-keila-wearp-sheep-and-sovereignty-part-1/.

To learn more about Rising Sparks, visit https://risingsparks.com.

Check out Samuel’s devotional guide to prayer for Israel: The Dire Straits of Redemption: A 21-day Journey to Transform Jewish and Christian Relations 

There are also opportunities to support, learn about, and serve Israel and the Jewish people through Samuel and Keila’s other ministry connections:

• Blessed Buy Israel – https://blessedbuyisrael.com
• Ten from the Nations – https://tenfromthenations.org

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

Do we need to go through God's judgment? Is there something we could do, or should do, to get us ready to meet our Maker while we are still living out the life He has given us? These are some of the deep questions Barry Phillips and David Jones ponder about Elul, sixth month of the Hebrew calendar when we should examine ourselves and get ready for the Fall Feasts.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

If the joy of the Lord is our strength, why is life such a struggle? David Jones and Barry Phillips have some thoughts about that. Maybe it's not so much a matter of seeking out joy, but of bringing joy to others.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

Israel is receiving a lot of attention these days. That's what happens when the God of Israel moves to a new phase of fulfilling His promises to restore and bring final redemption to Israel. It seems, though, that not everyone is pleased with how He is fulfilling His promises. Perhaps they would be happier with the restoration of Israel if the Jewish people weren't part of it.

That sounds ridiculous, but there are voices, even among Christians and Hebraic followers of Yeshua, who oppose the Jewish people, the Jewish state, and the Jewish nature of God's covenant nation of Israel. Some try to cloak their opposition as anti-Zionism rather than antisemitism, but the foundation of such opposition is still dislike and even hatred of the Jews. Why is that? 

This is what David Altman addresses in this conversation. As he explains, there are two converging streams of Jew hatred: Amalek, which seeks annihilation of the Jewish people and nation; and Jeroboam, which is jealous of the status and blessing God has bestowed on the Jewish people, and seeks to usurp it. So how do we know which stream is which? And is it possible to overcome this opposition and bring reconciliation?

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

Do we trust the Holy Spirit? If so, why do we want to do His work for Him? As Barry Phillips and David Jones explain, we tend to do that when we try to correct others in ways that seem good to us, but might not be what our Heavenly Father prefers.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

What does it mean to produce fruits worthy of repentance? What happens if we don't produce fruit like that? Do we stay on God's angry list until we do? These are questions David Jones and Barry Phillips investigate in this conversation.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

Is there a point to being obedient to God? What benefit do we gain in the here and now if we do what God says? Frank Houtz and David Jones share some surprising answers to those questions in this conversation.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/

Christians owe a debt to Jews. The knowledge we have of God has come through them. That's why heroes of the faith like Dietrich Bonhoeffer did what they did to protect Jews and oppose those who sought their destruction. That is the topic of discussion in this concluding part of our conversation with David Altman.

It is the Jews who gave the Torah to the world. That's a good thing since the Torah contains the teachings, instructions, and commands of God. Why, then, do Christians regard the Torah as a strange and burdensome thing? That's one of the questions David Jones and Barry Phillips explore in their midrash, "Keeping ALL Commands." But honoring Torah is actually obeying our God, which is an expression of our relationship with Him. That's one of the messages we hear in the music of Teshuva.

Thanks for listening to Reunion Roadmap! We have more resources available on our B'ney Yosef North American website at https://bneyyosefna.com/

If you like what you've heard, considering partnering with us by one of the options available at this link: https://bneyyosefna.com/donate/