Prophetic Fulfillment of Modern Israel, Replacement Theology and Jewish Roots - Peter Tsukahira

Jeff interviews Peter Tsukahira, Co-founder of Kehilat HaCarmel on Mount Carmel, Israel. Peter is a pastor, teacher and prolific author of "God's Tsunami" among other books. He shares his testimony of coming to faith and how God called he and his wife Rita to Israel. He also brings great insight to how modern Israel is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy and the significant role that the Christian church needs to play as we move towards the end of days. You can connect with teaching from Kehilat HaCarmel on their YouTube channel.

Transcript

Chris Atkins, One Media : 0:02

Welcome to the Keeping it Israel podcast with Jeff Futers, where Jeff and his guests talk, everything Israel as it relates to Christian faith and the church. If you are a Christian and you stand with Israel, you will be encouraged and challenged by this podcast. And if you're not so sure about the whole Israel thing, you need to learn how your faith connects with Israel, and why standing with Israel matters. Now here's Jeff with today's guest.

Jeff Futers : 0:28

Welcome to the Keeping Israel podcast. My name is Jeff. I'll be your host today. Today, my guest is Peter Tsukahira. And Peter is the co founder of Kehilat HaCarmel or the Carmel congregation in English on Mount Carmel in Isfiya Israel just outside of Haifa. Peter is a wonderful pastor, teacher. He is a prolific author and the book that we will reference today is Peter's book God's Tsunami. And we're going to be discussing a number of things today prophetic fulfillment in modern Israel, a bit about replacement theology, reconnecting with our Jewish roots. Peter just has some incredible insight. So let's listen in to my interview with Peter Tsukahira. Well, welcome to the podcast today. And my guest today is Peter Tsukahira. And Peter, you are the co founder of Kehilat HaCarmel, or the Carmel Congregation outside of Haifa, in Isfiya, I think is the name of the little town. And tell us about yourself. Here I'll give you just a little hitlist. Tell us how you got to Israel. How you came to how you came to Yeshua first, how you got to Israel, and what you've been doing since you got there. Can you do that in a few minutes?

Peter Tsukahira : 1:50

Oh, well Jeff, I'm I'm Japanese American Israeli. And my grandparents were immigrants to the United States from Japan. I was born in Boston, and came to the Lord out of the hippie generation in the early 1970s. Right at the same time as my Jewish girlfriend from New York, and we had met in Boston, where we were students in the same university. And we came to faith in, in Yeshua, in Jesus, in New Mexico, where we were pursuing a hippie lifestyle. The Lord got ahold of us, and just radically saved us because we didn't have any other plans. You know, his plan became the plan. And he told us that we're we were going to get married, that we were going to serve him somehow in ministry, and that we were going to end up in Israel. So way back in those days in the early 1970s, we knew that somehow we were going to be Coming here, so we did get married. And we decided that the best way to to go into ministry was to study. So we went to a Bible school in Dallas, Texas, called Christ For The Nations. It was a wonderful two year program. And the wonderful thing really about it was they had a vision for Israel. And they were they were praying for Israel. And in connection with this, this just beginning Messianic, Messianic body in that country. After that, I wanted to pursue more biblical studies and went out to a seminary connected to a large charismatic church in Southern California. That church was called Melodyland. And they had a School of Theology. So I spent years there and also served on the pastoral staff and really prepared but by that time, the Lord said We should go, we should leave the United States and go to Japan. First. Rita had never gone had never been in Japan. And I, I was not born there. But my father had been a diplomat for the US government. And so I'd grown up there. And so it was kind of like a second home for me. And so we went to, to to Tokyo, we lived and served in Tokyo for a number of years, and learned some Japanese and Rita got to be in touch with the Japanese culture, side side of my life. But we knew that that one day we'd end up in Israel, and the doors opened in 1987. And we by that time, we knew that we would live in Haifa, on Mount Carmel. That was the place that God wanted to plant us and we also knew that we would go as as immigrants and start new lives there. And so that's what we did. And we were planted on Mount Carmel and really struggled as new immigrants so we had no idea what that what that would mean. And it's the big reset button. Your life starts all over again and in a strange culture, a new language, a nation that was struggling for survival, and a nation with different people groups within it also jostling together and and a nation where they were very, very few believers in in Yeshua, believers in Jesus and the believers that were there were scattered there were very few congregations. And they were none on the top of the of Carmel where where we were living So, we were, we were truly new immigrants and starting new lives. And I'm glad we did it when we were a lot younger. It was quite a challenge.

Jeff Futers : 6:14

Now, you said a few things there. And I'm, you know, I'll just pick up on a, I think what I would call a ministry nuance, and that is, you know, you said, in 1970, you came to the Lord and the Lord told you that you would, you know, be in ministry and that you eventually be in Israel. But, you know, God doesn't always immediately transport us to the end goal, does he there's usually a journey involved.

Peter Tsukahira : 6:41

That's, that's right. And, you know, God is very, very wise. And he knows, he knows everything. He knows everything that that he needs to know, which is far more than we need to know. And so he's he's he answers questions. You know, he invites us to, to ask and receive and to understand, but, but he very rarely tells us the whole picture because if we did, if he did I think we'd be scared to death.

Jeff Futers : 7:15

Yeah, that's right.

Peter Tsukahira : 7:17

It wouldn't be good for us to know everything. Yeah. And so we learned to be led, we learned to put our hand in his and to trust Him and to take to take the next step. And that's, that's what our lives have been like, those early years in the 1970s when we came to faith,

Jeff Futers : 7:37

Yeah, that's good. I love that. And we learned to be led, I think is you know, as believers we're kind of like, you know, the military. We're like the privates we we're on a need to know basis, aren't we? Always until we get a little more experience and even then, it's a step at a time. Now you you are the co founder at the Carmel congregation that you and Rita co founded with another wonderful couple. Share just a little bit about that.

Peter Tsukahira : 8:10

Well, when we arrived as as immigrants in 1987, there were a couple other Messianic congregations in our city, but they were in a different part of the city from from where we were living and where we felt that that our call was, and and so we we searched for, for for partners. And after we'd been in in Haifa, for a couple years, we met this couple that had moved from Jerusalem. They were immigrants like us, also, like us a Jew and a Gentile married together, also from the United States. And they had they had moved to Jerusalem and then felt that Haifa, Mount Carmel was the place that they should come and this is David and Karen Davis and they had a vision to start a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for men, the first of its kind in, in modern Israel. They also had a wonderful vision of Jews and Arabs coming off of drugs and into the kingdom of God together. Okay, so, so not only was this the kind of work that no one had ever seen in, in modern Israel, but it was also the idea of Jews and Arabs together. I mean, we were that the country was at war with the Arabs, you know, it was like it was, but but they persisted with that with that vision. And, and we came alongside of them and to, to pray together. And then the first Gulf War came, and in 1991, and we were all severely tested because the missiles from Iraq, landed in our city disrupted everything and so many people, Foreigners and Israelis left. You know, it's like it was a tremendous, it was our first real shooting war, you know, where you have people thousands of kilometers away who want to kill you and they want to kill your family and they would consider it a good day if they can destroy you. I mean, that's war you don't realize how serious the thing is, till we go through it and and we nothing had prepared us for that. And so but after that war, something changed. In all of us. We really felt like we had this baptism of fire, you might, you might say, and right after that in 1991, God spoke to the four of us and said you're going to start a congregation. And we began in the in the rehab facility but soon moved to new facilities and and God's grace has been on it. Since that those those years it's grown and grown and and produced leaders. Now we're moving into our next generation of leaders. Tragically, Karen's husband David passed away several years ago. But but the the the grace of passing on the DNA had had already taken place. All right. And so, so the new leaders that are coming up already, I'm still involved in in a in a central role, but not the central role. And obviously, after these years stepping back and moving into other areas as well of ministry, because now what what God has done in Israel is catching the interest of people around the world. And they're beginning to see this is a this is a renewal a, this is a propheticas well as historic occurrence that has relevance to Christians everywhere. So the interest is continuing. To grow, and so I do a lot of traveling, speaking, writing books and helping the Christian movement worldwide understand the meaning and the significance of this incredible, prophetic event called modern Israel.

Jeff Futers : 12:14

Hmm. I do want to talk a little bit about that. I'll make a passing comment, though. You You talked about 1970. And if I'm doing the math correctly, that's like 50 years ago. How is it that you still look so incredibly young?

Peter Tsukahira : 12:29

Well, actually wasn't 70 was 1973 or 73?

Jeff Futers : 12:33

Well, okay, 47 years ago, but still, how do you look so young?

Peter Tsukahira : 12:39

And, you know, it's, it's just the grace of God and maybe the Middle Eastern sun, you know, and the wonderful I don't know, I mean, we tell jokes about this, but but it's just, I think it's a it's the grace of God. Yeah. And the Lord is Lord has been good. He's got plans that extend far into the Future, but, but also, you know, my mom is 99 and how, wow, okay, so Oh, God gave me some some DNA. I think that that is an advantage.

Jeff Futers : 13:13

Good genes. That's good. Well, listen, you have traveled widely. You have written a number of books and I read you... you... not you. I think Rita handed me your book one day when I was there at the congregation on one of my first visits and and I read God's Tsunami. And I wanted to just talk a little bit about what's been going on in Israel. I mean, you you mentioned, you know, the the testing of war, and the renewal, the renewal that followed and the planting of the congregation, you guys, you know, you talk about that Tsunami language, you've kind of been riding that wave ever since and there's something amazing that God is doing in Israel. Share a little bit about that, because what I encounter here a lot in Canada still are, you know, apathetic churches, churches that don't understand why we should connect with Israel. There's, there's a lot of this still out there. And so I want you to share a little bit.

Peter Tsukahira : 14:14

Well, we're in an incredibly... an incredible day of prophetic fulfillment for the church worldwide. And it's hard to it's hard to describe this just in a few words, because God hasn't done something this big in centuries. And I think the problem about about the Christians everywhere really understanding the significance of modern Israel and the significance of the fact that the gospel is coming back to Jews and Arabs in this land and an indigenous body is rising up where where Jesus is worshiped in his own land among his own people in his own language for the first time in 2000 years. The significance of this is just, is being slow to dawn on the church. Not because this is such a little thing, and people kind of put it aside, and some people think it, it is like that. But really the problem is it's such a big thing. We're not taught in our Bible schools or our seminaries to deal with this scale of a move of God. We're taught to look for revivals, theologies, prayer movements, you know, not when Gods steps in and rearranges you know, the the order of nations. And so this is a this is a deep, deep, big change because it's, it's not just a nation. It's the Biblical nation. It's, it's the this is the people who wrote the Bible, not just the Old Testament, they wrote the New Testament. This is the people that produce Jesus and the apostles and the New Testament writers. It's not just you know, the their profits and you know the log errors and you know of the of the Old Testament, they produce the Bible, and now they're back as a people and a nation. This is a paradigm shift. Maybe the only thing that comes close would be the Protestant Reformation, which was 500 years ago that changed our theology that changed the way we do church to change the way we understand the world. This is a this is a big event, it's gonna it takes a while for it to sink in and for us to get our grip on it. But But what's amazing about it, is that the Bible itself predicts these events and speaks in many ways you know that the the Jewish people and the land okay and God's covenant promise Okay, this is ever the promised land, you know, of the people the land and how he wants wants this Land impact the nation's and the roots of the of the gospel message. This is now being restored. This is a massive restoration of the biblical foundations of Christianity. So it marks a major course adjustment for the Christian movement. And, and it's already begun we're in it now the ship is turning.

Jeff Futers : 17:26

Yeah, the ship is turning and you know, I think there's still work to be done. Certainly a lot of a lot of sentiment out there. And I wouldn't even you know, I wouldn't call it anti sentiment as opposed to, you know, the other term that we hear all the time. There's a lot of that out there as well but I wouldn't necessarily call it anti but there's there's just a lot of either not understanding or or not, I would I wouldn't even say not caring that sounds harsh, but It's there's an apathy there's there's just I think we get so caught up in what we're doing in our communities and and missions and the gospel and, and there's a lot of churches that don't even consider Israel on their radar when it comes to some of those kind of things. Right. Talk a little bit about, about replacement theology about this idea that, you know, that we as the church now are the new Israel and I mean, it's, it's a terrible teaching but but what are the roots of that and how do we overcome that?

Peter Tsukahira : 18:38

Well, you know, Israel produced the prophets and the apostles, Jesus Himself, you know, it was God's choice that he would come to the world out of out of out of Israel. But the gospel soon after the New Testament was was written, move on. powerfully into the Gentile world. And apostles. Of course, as starting with Paul really got this vision from God that this was no longer just for the Jews, who up until that point, had had the temple and the presence of God and they were the nation set apart for God's purposes. But it was revealed in the in the New Testament era that this was for the world and for every nation, and, and the gospel burst out of Israel 2000 years ago. And on the Jewish side, you know, Jesus wasn't accepted by the by the powers that be and we have that that that in the book of Acts very clearly. Okay, so you have you have thousands, actually, it was a big movement of Jews who believed in Jesus, but as soon as the gospel burst out of Israel, and we see those that that that history actually written for us in in the book of Acts. It was it was very soon that the numbers of Gentiles dominated the movement, and of course in Rome and in and in Europe and the church grew and really wanted its own identity, and wanted to break away from its Jewish roots. And on the on the Jewish side, you know, the rabbi's. Were still cursing Jesus, you know, and and not not accepting it because they were stuck in their, in their religious interpretation of the Scripture. So there's this great divide. And so Christianity that grew in Europe just progressed and grew away from its Jewish roots. And sadly, it it even came to the point where they were the early, early Christians persecuted the Jews. I mean, this is the saddest part of Western Christian history. Okay, the Inquisition, a persecutions in Rome The Pilgrims okay in, in the diaspora, because the Jews were scattered as we know as soon after the days of Jesus. And, of course, we can lay a lot of the blame on at the feet of the Catholic movement, which was the Christian movement for many centuries. But then, of course, it was Germany, the cradle of the reformation, maybe the most reformed country in the world at the time that under demonic leadership, came up with a plan to systematically murder all the Jews in the world. And that leads us into the, into the 20th century. So there was this great divide between between Israel and and the church. And it's only been in recent days that this divide is is being healed. And now with the reemergence of Messianic Jews, okay, Jewish people, all over the world who are coming to faith in Jesus, being born again. Okay, being baptized in water, believing that the New Testament is the is the inspired Word of God but also believing that the Old Testament is the inspired Word of God, these Messianic Jews, you know, are are changing the face of Christianity. Because, because Gentile Christians have to deal with, you know, what is what is a Jewish identity and you know, how can how can you be a part of Israel and a part of the church at the same time. So we're we're living in a, in an incredible turning point for the church and it's really only been in this generation. This is this is this is when, with the reestablishment of the State of Israel with the reemergence of Messianic Jewish communities like our own and others, thousands of others now, all over all over the world. The church is beginning to change to reconnect with its Jewish roots, to to, to go back to the the Old Testament scriptures and and reinterpret them not not as the Catholics did not even as the as the Protestant reformers did, but it but in light of the fact that it's it's really all one book and and Jesus didn't carry a New Testament.

Jeff Futers : 23:25

Right, right. No, that's exactly right.

Peter Tsukahira : 23:27

Neither did the Apostle Paul. The Bible that they carried was what we call the Old Testament and some of us hardly even read it Okay, now we realize whoa wait a minute, that's the Bible to the to our the founders of our faith. We've got to look at it in a fresh way and and reinterpret it and re re establish those foundations. So it's a big change for the church because we've gotten very far from the foundations even to the extent where we as a church Christians as a church, we persecuted the Jews. It's, that's astounding. Okay. But but that happened?

Jeff Futers : 24:10

Absolutely. It's it's an incredible irony to me that in a very short period of time, really a couple hundred to 300 years, you know that the Jerusalem Council the big discussion was about do we let the Gentiles in and out 200 or 300 years later the big the big question was, you know, do we allow the Jews to, you know, continue to be Jewish do we do we let them in. And it really is incredible irony. And ah...

Peter Tsukahira : 24:39

But this is, this is this is our day. This is a massive turn. And so I say many Christians missed this. Not because it's so small, but because it's so big no one taught us to look for something this big. Okay, this is really the the turn of the church to the the End Times. This is the world moving into the final things now. Now with this with this turn, the reestablishment of Israel and the reemergence of the Messianic remnant

Jeff Futers : 25:09

Interesting days for sure. You said, you know, you said that, you know, the the apostles and the Apostle Paul as well, you know, they they read the Old Testament, that was the Bible that they that they carried. And I, you know, I tell people all the time, this idea of seeing Scripture with fresh eyes, I think you used that that term, looking at it in it in a new way. And I would imagine that, you know, Peter and John and the other disciples when they when they read the law, when they read the prophets after they met Jesus, they would read it with a whole new perspective, Paul the same? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they would, they would read it to look for to look for Yeshua, to look for Jesus in those words. And I think that we need to do the same thing. But but maybe even more so look at because, you know, we've always talked about the prophecies that have been fulfilled and, you know, Jesus fulfilled all of these 200 and I forget 60 prophecies from the Old Testament are more, but but we need to look at it again and say, okay, but But what if, what if when God spoke to Israel as a as a, as a nation as a people, you know what if those words he said to them, he was actually saying to them and not to the not to us not to the church because we typically contextualize all of that stuff. And and we go, Oh, that's for me. Right. And I, I've challenged people and said, Listen, I don't believe that, that we can't apply some of those promises to the church. That's right. I just believe that we can't do it at the expense of God's intent for the Jewish people at the very same time. Is that is that accurate?

Peter Tsukahira : 27:06

That's right, the New Testament is very clear that the body of Christ is Jews and Gentiles. Paul mo was emphatic on this point. And and that this was together what what God meant meant by his his kingdom. And now that we're moving into these incredible end times, we're realizing the prophetic significance of so many of the words of Jesus, for example, at the end of Matthew chapter 23, you know, he, he was stood in Jerusalem and wept over the people of Israel, you know, and he said, I wanted to gather you the way a mother hen would gather her chicks under her wing, but you are unwilling. And then the next verse is 'see now Your house is being left to you desolate.' And you could...and now we know what that meant. He spoke those words 2000 years ago and from from virtually from that day until now the Jews wandered. Hmm Okay, they are lost than they lost their their land their culture and they wandered for nearly 2000 years now your house will be left to you desolate. Okay, he wept over his own people. Okay? But is he doesn't end with that. In the very next verse, 'for I say to you You won't see me until you say Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' It says so he he's prophesied it's one of the most magnificent prophecies of the Bible. You know, it's it's, it's so it's the scope of it we're only beginning to realize 2000 years after the son of Gods stood in Jerusalem and spoke those words what he meant, wow, okay, I your house is going to be left you desolate... you're gonna wander, you're gonna be outcasts. You're gonna lose your land, you're gonna lose, lose it all okay? But you won't, but you won't see me or you might today we turn it around. You will see when you say Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. So now Israel's back now the Messianic. We welcome him back we say in Hebrew Baruch atah Hashem Adonai, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. So now he's being welcomed back. And we're realizing this. This is we're seeing the outworking of this magnificent plan. Greater, this is the plan of, of humanity is being is being revealed. Now God's plan for humanity, and we're really entering the end time now. Okay, I'm not saying the Lord is coming back tomorrow, but I'm saying he's finishing his work on the planet with this bringing the Jews back, releasing the spirit of faith so that there is a Messianic remnant is beginning to grow. And by the way, he he, Paul, the apostle predicts, that all Israel will be saved. There will be a national movement by the time of the Lord's return.

Jeff Futers : 30:01

Amen, Now explain to me because I know you have all the answers Peter, explained to me, explain

Peter Tsukahira : 30:10

I'm working on it.

Jeff Futers : 30:11

Explain to me why explain to me why in in all my years of Bible College training, you know, all my years of ministry listening to, you know, great teachers have the word of God. Explain to me why somehow Romans 10 and 11 were were mysteries to me until, you know, God spoke to me directly about those two chapters because this is it's an anomaly. But you never hear messages on Romans 10 and 11.

Peter Tsukahira : 30:48

Well, you know, that I also went to Bible school in seminary in the United States and it was a bit a little bit different, but basically, it's it's the same I call it blink theology. We we blink our eyes at the end of Romans chapter eight just for a moment. But when we open them again, and we're already in Romans chapter 11. Because because Paul is so explicit about the regathering of Israel, and what it means, and that, by the time of the Lord's return, he's going to have Jews and Gentiles together as one body. And that when you get to Romans 11, in light of the fact that Israel is back as a nation, and there is a functioning, viable Messianic body in Israel, there are there are Messianic Jews who are, you know, worshiping the Lord in His own language and in his own land. We realized, wow, Paul, that was pretty amazing. Yeah, Paul got it right. 2000 years ago, when he wrote Romans 11.

Jeff Futers : 32:00

And, you know, this, this idea this this move of God that we believe is is happening and will continue to happen in the land of Israel and will eventually spread to the nations. Paul references that too, doesn't he? He talks about the the incredible blessing.

Peter Tsukahira : 32:22

Yes, this this is a is a is a worldwide movement. This is the end of the age, you know, when when the Lord returns and his foot steps down on the Mount of Olives, okay, it's it's the end of the world we know. But it's the end of the world for everyone in the world. It's not just the end of our theology. It's not just the end of our church, okay? And the way we understand end times, it's the end of the world for every single human being. And so God has a worldwide plan. That is He's, he's working, we'll continue to work, but he will bring it to its conclusion. And that's, I think that's what we're coming or we're struggling now to come to grips with. Its, we understand the church in a certain way and because we've inherited good things, as well as things that weren't completely accurate, okay, from the reformers, who also inherited things from the, from the Catholic Church that came before them, some they threw out but others, they kept, okay, a lot, they kept okay. And so, we for the last 500 years, you know, Martin Luther and john Calvin and others, these great pioneers, you know, we've revered their, their understanding and their, you know, their their courage and their their calling, but the truth is, we now have to have to go on because because we have to finish the work. And, you know, there's a there's still a good deal to be finished the Central Asia in terms of the Great Commission just you know, he's given he gave Europe over 1000 years with the gospel he gave given America, North America 300 years with the gospel in places like like Southeast Asia, Central Asia, they're just getting the gospel for the first time. Right, right. And the Arab world just now, okay. It's the conflict of the gospel breaking through. For the first time in history is just happening. I just don't believe God is going to truncate his plan. Okay, he's going to complete his plan. And we're on the verge of the most massive move of biblical faith, Christian faith the world has ever seen. And even if, if, if North America I would say you're in the you're in the battle right now. And so, you know, it's it's time to pray for God... to for God to complete his work not to cut it off.

Jeff Futers : 35:09

Yeah, yeah. Amen.

Peter Tsukahira : 35:11

Because he won't cut it off.

Jeff Futers : 35:12

Yeah, no, that's right. Yeah, God God has His plan whether we get on board or not. I don't I don't know if you've learned that in your in your years. I in my short time I understand God has his plan whether we get on board or not. And I think that ah...

Peter Tsukahira : 35:30

It's better to be on board.

Jeff Futers : 35:32

It's better to be on board. Amen. Amen. Peter, this has been very, very refreshing and insightful. I appreciate so much for taking some time with us. I want to ask you before we're finished here, and we'll maybe have a few more minutes but people are listening from the United States from Canada, other parts of the world and I want to you know, say something to the to the Church today that's outside of Israel about what it is that we can do to support and bless Israel. One of the things that that our ministry is about, obviously is prayer. For for you and for all of the other leaders there in the land of Israel. We feel like we want to tell the people that support First Century that one of our main responsibilities is to hold up the hands of the leadership there in the land of Israel, who are who are doing the work, to to spread the gospel to show the love of Yeshua, what what is it that we can do? How can we best pray for you and for the rest of the leaders in the land there?

Peter Tsukahira : 36:46

Well, first of all, we would encourage all of our brothers and sisters, Christian brothers and sisters in the West and in North America, stand fast in your biblical faith and to remain in it that revelation. And those of you who are through your wonderful ministry are getting this vision of the significance of Israel to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And, you know, in other times I would have said, and come and visit us, but, you know, of course during this COVID-19 crisis, you know, that that's severely curtailed, but we have other other tools like like Zoom, and, you know, the, the, the Messianic body needs help. We're the first believers, most of us ah to build visible congregations in this land in 2000 years, and it's, it's not an easy thing. We face misunderstandings, we face persecutions in some, in some cases. We, we are, are the we're not the mainstream of society, but there's a growing interest and people are coming to faith. And we need prayer support, we need financial support. In better times, we'd say, please come and visit. See for yourself with your own eyes. When, when the travel restrictions are lifted, we look forward to to seeing you here, here again. But this is a revelation that it will roll across the church and will and and you know theologians as well as church planters and people in all areas of ministry are beginning to get involved it's a it's a massive turn for the great ship of the church, you know, as its beginning, it's this is the final lap of the big race. And we're preparing now for the Lord's return. And so we just we're so grateful for Jeff for your your encouragement, and for First Century Foundations. And for your your love for the Jews and the Arabs and the Messianic body here in the land. We really appreciate you and we want to say thank you.

Jeff Futers : 39:11

Well, you, you're welcome. And I feel, you know, still still very new to this in many ways, but I'm grateful for God bringing together Clyde and Marion Williamson and my wife and I, a few years back. And, you know, God had spoken to us as a couple in 19..not 19 in 2008, about Israel, just a real unique experience where I knew we both knew that something was in the future that had to do with Israel. That's really all we knew. And we kind of forgot about it almost until until 2016 when we got approached by Clyde and Marion and so this has been a journey for us as well and we just are so humbled and so honored to be able to connect with folks like yourselves and the other leaders in the land and want to do whatever we can to help to advance the kingdom, you know, they're in the land of Israel. I do believe that this is important work. I've always been a champion of missions. And and to me, this is one of the greatest and most significant mission fields in the world right now. I mean, I know I have tunnel vision and that in that sense, but, you know, we just believe that with all of our hearts and so it's it's wonderful to have you share with us, and we want to continue to support whatever it is you're doing. I know that you do a lot of teaching when groups come to the land there on Mount Carmel. I also know that you're in a red zone right now in Isfiya, and so you're fairly limited in terms of how much you can move around. We want to just, you know, pray very specifically that the virus itself is brought under control in Israel and all around the world we're praying for that. But are you doing any teaching anything that you can invite our listeners to to be a part of via zoom or any of that kind of thing?

Peter Tsukahira : 41:17

Well yes, we post our weekly services which are in, in, in English as well as Hebrew and and Russian but we the English Hebrew version is posted every week. And you can find us on on YouTube under Kehilat HaCarmel. And so those those services are available. The good thing about this Coronavirus, since I can't travel, I've been doing more writing and I've completed a book that has to do with making disciples of the kingdom based on this foundation of the revelation of Israel in modern time. And the book is the working title right now is Equip. And it's about making disciples of the kingdom. And it should be out in in a month or two. Okay, it said, okay, being edited enough, Jeff, I'll be sure to send you a copy of it because I believe it's a it's a new, it's a new look at, at the command of the Lord to make disciples and and why he prioritized that in his teaching again and again.

Jeff Futers : 42:35

Excellent. All right. Well, we'll look forward to that. And, again, thank you so much for joining me and our love to Rita and the rest of the team there. God bless you in your work in Israel, but in particular on Mount Carmel, and we hope to see you again. Yes, it'd be wonderful. To be in Israel this year, but I don't know if that's going to happen. We'll maybe have to say next year in Jerusalem. This has been unique because I'm normally there three or four times, you know, a year, right. And so we've been doing lots of these kinds of Zoom meetings, actually had a meeting with, with Rita on back in the summer. That's right. It's one way but I appreciate your time today. The Lord bless you, and have a wonderful rest of your day.

Peter Tsukahira : 43:28

Thank you so much, Jeff. Lord bless you all.

Jeff Futers : 43:34

Well, thank you for listening in today to my interview with Peter Tsukahira. I hope that you were challenged and encouraged. Peter just has some incredible insights and we will definitely have him on the podcast again. I do want to encourage you to check out their video teaching on YouTube. If you searched Kehilat HaCarmel. You can find them there. Also I'd like to remind you about our 'Miraculous Victories of Israel' documentary series. And if you are interested in God's hand on the Jewish people over the centuries, and why it seems like he seems to intervene on their behalf over and over again throughout history, right down into the modern era then I would encourage you to check out these first three episodes that have just become available. They are on the subject of The Victory Over the Promised Land, The Battle of David and Goliath and the third one is God Saves Jerusalem, which is the story of King Hezekiah and King Sennacherib and his siege of the city of Jerusalem, and God's miraculous intervention. These are incredible documentary series, there are archaeologist interviews, interviews with other pastors theologians, and we are just excited to be able to release them to you. You can find out everything you need to know about getting either a digital download or a DVD copy from the website, miraculousvictories.com, miraculousvictories.com. And we would just really, really encourage you to check that out. All proceeds of these documentaries, of course, will be going towards the ministry of First Century Foundations and helping ministries in the land of Israel. To that end, we also remind you that we are a charitable organization in both the United States and in Canada. And if you would like to help ministries in Israel, like the ministry that Peter Tsukahira is involved in on Mount Carmel, and many others over 70 ministries in the land of Israel, then we challenge you to go to our website, and you can donate there. firstcenturyfoundations.com/donate. Thanks so much for listening in today. God bless you and remember, as Christians, we stand with Israel.