December 1994 Personal Letter

Dear Friends,

I owe a great deal of thanks once again to the great many of our friends who I know are in constant intercessory prayer about my heart condition. Last week I went into the hospital again and had an angioplasty — an artery “balloon.” This time the doctor found three blockages and was able to flatten them all out so that I feel better than I have in some years.

Considering the fact that my heart trouble developed quite early in life (age 42), I am very blessed to be able to continue the work I do in my white beard years. There is no doubt in my mind at all that it is the fervent prayers of the many righteous. who never forget this important Christian duty, that see me through. You may be assured that, for as long as I am able. I will remain at my work through whatever particular attacks the enemy throws in the way of this ministry. We must be effective, truth to tell. because we certainly get the devil’s attention. Sometimes I think this mortal heart trouble is the least of my problems.

Back when I had my six bypasses, I thought that we would have to curtail at least the part of the ministry that involves Israel tours and location taping over there. But frankly, I seem to thrive on those trips. and we kept a far busier schedule after my operation than before it. The Talmud says that when a person breathes the air of Jerusalem, he grows wiser: I personally think he grows healthier, too!

At any rate, the current report on my condition is very optimistic. It’s quite possible that I won’t have trouble with this artery again for years, if ever, and the angiogram revealed that my heart is really in pretty good shape, all things considered. I’m getting enough circulation to keep the schedule that I prefer, although if the Dallas Cowboys have need of my services, I’ll have to decline. (In reality. I used to teach a Bible study attended by some of the Cowboys and I can tell you that those 300-pounders, when coming before the Lord, are like the rest of us — little children.)

Now the Lord has me teaching a Bible study to millions on a constant basis, and I am more than glad to do it. I really need only my health and your financial support. Now that the Lord and your prayers have taken care of the first, I must seriously ask you, as the year’s end approaches, to think about the kind of ministry we have and how important it is. With your kind giving, we have been able to witness to enormous numbers of people, many of them Jews who never receive any other testimony of Christ at all. And with your giving, we have been able to be a true voice for Israel, telling the truth about what’s going on in the Land at a time when almost all media are biased against the Holy Land. And finally, I think you can see by the House of David series that we are achieving a new level of production values in Christian television that speaks well of the Lord and His message. Many secular broadcasting stations, who take almost no religious programming, run our program in excellent time slots. The cable networks still have us at difficult times but that is primarily because we simply haven’t got the money to buy the better slots.

I’m willing to go on full steam, with the heart trouble that I have. to run this ministry on your behalf. Will you be willing to give me a little extra support at this time? I suppose 95% of the people who watch any given program never think of contributing. Could you kindly pick up the burden for an unsaved neighbor, a prisoner, an unspiritual Jewish friend, or a Christian believer unable to give? This is the time of year when your gift gives you the maximum tax-deduction benefit. Please help us.

Our Hanukkah/Christmas tour is pretty well wrapped up unless you are one of those whom the Lord tells at the last moment to “get up and go,” as He did Abraham of Ur. If that’s the case, grab the phone right now and expect a busy two weeks. We leave on December 12! For those with a little more time to plan, please note that we will have only one Spring tour in place of our usual Spring/Summer tour schedule.

Our 1995 Spring Tour will be April 25. April 30–May 10 for the basic and extended tours, and we will not have another tour until the Feast of Tabernacles in September. People have actually loved going over in April, when the wildflowers are in bloom and the weather is so benevolent in Israel. Also, this tour will allow us to commemorate Independence Day, one of the Holy Land’s most joyous holidays. The tour will feature the Greek island cruise first, followed by our basic Israel tour, as always. The price will be the same as last year, and we hope that all of you who would have come in spring and summer can avail yourselves of this particular tour. Call Christi or Cynthia at (214) 690-1876 or our message center at 1-800-WONDERS for your brochure today.

Thank you again and God bless you.

Your messenger,

P.S. The House of David programs will air into the new year, so please stay tuned. Giving a friend Part I of the series may motivate him to watch Part II on TV. To expedite your order. write “Holiday Order” on your return envelope.