Sarah Liberman




FROM SARAH, OUR SABRA
ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL

Dear Friend,

Greetings to you from the Holy Land. In the past two letters, I examined two components of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20):

  1. Before we can make disciples, we must first become true disciples of Yeshua.
  2. Each of us, no matter our age or position, has a personal role in fulfilling Yeshua’s commission to go throughout the whole Earth and make disciples.

In this third and last installment on the topic, I want to share the final groundbreaking piece of the puzzle that God gave me — that the Gospel is always breaking new ground. I hope it will encourage you to personally seek to fulfill your role in God’s Great Commission.

LISTENING TO GOD

First, I need to tell you about an event that occurred approximately five years ago. Near the end of 2015, while leading worship at a conference here in Israel, I sustained a serious hearing injury. Afterward, I suffered continual loud ringing and hissing sounds in both of my ears. Particularly loud sounds caused me pain, and I could no longer hear very soft sounds.

As a worship leader and singer/song writer, I found this injury devastating. No medical treatment could help me, and after several months, it became clear that nothing was changing. While some of my hearing did return, the sensitivity to sound and the very loud ringing and hissing never went away.

I went to the best specialists and insisted there must be something they could do. I was desperate and fearful of having to live like this for the rest of my life. How could I continue to lead worship when exposure to sound made me suffer? But my doctors effectively said: “Madame, there is the door. Please use it. We cannot do anything for you.”

I plunged into a long season of despair. For three years, I underwent a process of purification in my heart as I struggled to continue, determined not to give up and “die on this hill.” In refusing to stop leading worship, I learned more about the path of pain, suffering, and surrender than I thought possible.

WAITING FOR GOD

Three long years into this desert season, I cried out to the Lord and told Him that I was done. I had lost the ability to hear His voice and write songs — one of the areas of great fruitfulness in my life — and it grieved me. I could not go on with His silence. Finally, I heard God’s voice again.

When I heard the Lord speak to me in the midst of my suffering, it comforted my heart and I prayed this prayer: “Lord, I don’t want to do my plan, I want to do Yours. Tell me, what is close to Your heart?” Instantly, God’s voice replied: “The people of the Middle East are close to My heart. This is where My eyes are looking in the world.” I remember sitting up straight and wondering: “What do I have that I can give to these people?”

MOVING FORWARD BY GOD’S INSPIRATION

Growing up in Israel, we Jews traditionally considered the Arabs the enemy. In school, when we studied the history of the State of Israel’s birth and all the wars that ensued following 1948, the enemy remained the same. As a Believer (“Believer” is short for “believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah”), I did not hate the Arabs. However, to be honest, I also didn’t feel any specific call to them. I knew about reconciliation and Yeshua breaking the wall of partition (Ephesians 2:14), but I never saw a personal path in it for me.

When God spoke to me about the Middle East, I recalled a conference I had attended some years back in South Korea. The organizers had asked me to speak in favor of Israel to counter a strong anti-Israel sentiment among the attendees. Stepping up to the podium, I did not know what I could say that would be meaningful to the thousands gathered.

With God’s inspiration, I found myself telling them the story of Sarah, my Biblical namesake. Sarah had suffered from a common malady: lack of faith. Seeing Abraham’s love for Ishmael and fearful that this love would sway his heart, she devised a scheme whereby Abraham would cast Hagar and Ishmael out of his camp.

Hagar and Ishmael (circa 1883) by Emanuel K. Liska

As this South Korean conference came to mind, so did the realization that I had in my hand the worship songs that God had already given me in Hebrew. I considered translating them into Arabic and producing music videos for them. As I continued to pray over this, God showed me that Abraham’s casting out Ishmael opened the door to a fatherless religion. Because Allah has no son — as the Koran specifies — Islam, therefore, has no father.

My heart broke for what had happened to Abraham’s family, the effect from which the world is still coping today. God gave me compassion and a desire to invite the sons of Ishmael “back to the table” — back to their father Abraham’s tent — so that we could share a meal and be family again. I realized that I — as a Jewish, Israeli woman named Sarah — was uniquely qualified to ask their forgiveness for my namesake’s action.

“THE INVITATION”

Thus was born a groundbreaking worship project called “The Invitation.” It includes young adults, both Arab and Jewish from here in Israel, as well as new collaborations with other Middle Easterners to create Messianic worship songs in Arabic that call Ishmael back to the Father’s house.

This is an evangelistic effort to bring about a harvest and make disciples in this region for the Kingdom of God. (You can read more about it at www.sarahliberman.com.) As I researched salvations in the Middle East, I learned about the rapidly growing impact of online evangelism in this region. Billy Graham’s organization alone has over 2,000 volunteers daily engaging online in Arabic.

The Lausanne Movement recently published an article that describes how “the internet brings leverage of networks and enables contacts to be made to the multiplication of house and cell churches.” This is even more true in a region where openly evangelizing is punishable by prison … or even death.

The Great Commission (between 1851 and 1860) Woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794–1872) for Die Bibel in Bildern, 1860

I believe that this is the time for a Spiritual revival in the Middle East. If you look historically at the Great Commission, the Gospel spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and then westward. Each time Paul tried to go east, the Holy Spirit pushed him westward. (Remember the vision of the man from Macedonia [to the north of Greece] in Acts 16:9.) In New Testament times and beyond, the Gospel spread farther west — throughout Europe, then to the New World. The wave of revival continued westward, and in recent history we see the fastest growth of churches worldwide in the Far East — in places like China, Korea, and India.

If you look at a map, you can trace the path of revival as it wraps the globe on its way back to Jerusalem and project its path straight to the Middle East. The Middle East is the new faith frontier. The new ground for missions work lies where the sons of Ishmael reside.

Genesis 17:18 relates the incredible prayer that Abraham prayed: “Then Abraham said to the Lord: Oh, that Ishmael might live in Your presence.” The name “Ishmael” in Hebrew comprises two words: Yishma and El. The word El means “God” and Yishma means “he will hear.” The traditional meaning of Ishmael is “God will hear.” However, in Hebrew the meaning can also read “he will hear” as in “the person with this name will hear.” In other words, he (the man, not He God) will hear God.

Wrapped into his very name, then, is the promise that he/Ishmael WILL HEAR GOD. I find it extraordinary that God led me down a path that has left me deeply compassionate for those in despair in the desert and who have lost the ability to hear God. I am so excited for this new season of 2021 and stepping into new regions where I never thought God would lead me.

God is all about fulfilling His promises that out of Zion shall come forth the word of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2). Please join me in praying for the salvation of the sons of Ishmael.

Im tirdefu lada-at oto
“Press on to know HIM!”
(Hosea 6:3 NLT),

Sarah Liberman

P.S. Do you have a special experience in making a disciple? Please write and tell me your story. I would love to hear it! *

Zola Tours

Zola Tours: Start Choosing Your Wardrobe!

We’re feeling an exciting momentum — because of you, our reader and viewer. So this month, as you pray about supporting our Bible teaching, please also pray about coming with us in October or next March to the glorious land of our Messiah. Let us bring back hope to Israel’s tourism industry. Its financial famine is near an end. Let’s do our part to fulfill Isaiah 60:10 — “Foreigners will rebuild your walls…”

Our tour manager, Sandra, can advise you — from filling out your initial tour application to what kinds of shoes you’ll need for walking the streets where Jesus walked. Sandra is a seasoned travel professional. To prepare to tour the Holy Land through a Messianic point of view, contact her at 214-696-9760, travel@levitt.com, or levitt.com/tours. She can help you prepare for your journey of a lifetime!

Note: NO price increase!
Fall Tour 2021 options
Uncertainty in Greece due to the coronavirus prevents us from visiting Greece on our Fall 2021 Tour.
Deluxe (Israel)Oct. 18–28$5,288
Grand Petra (Israel & Petra)Oct. 18–31$6,488
Spring Tour 2022 options
Prices include tips, taxes, & fuel surcharge (subject to change).
Deluxe (Israel)March 14–24 (tentative)prices TBD
Grand Petra (Israel & Petra)March 14–27 (tentative)prices TBD
Help Wanted

Part-Time Magazine Editor

Our news magazine editor is getting ready to retire. We are seeking an experienced replacement who is set up to work remotely with contributing writers, proofreaders, and our graphic artist. The ideal candidate will be a strong Believer with good computer equipment and high-speed internet access. Proficiency with the editing functions of Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Reader is a must. Please email your cover letter and resume to Margot’s attention at staff@levitt.com.

A Note from David and Kirsten Hart

Sarah, we are very thankful that you joined this ministry! Your perspective on the Great Commission is encouraging, deeply insightful, and inspiring. Thank you for sharing with us your incredible journey with the Lord and for being so transparent. Kirsten’s mom has lived with a high-pitched ringing (tinnitus) in her ears for decades — a difficult condition to endure. Yet it led you to develop your new-found ministerial calling to the Arab people. We will continue to pray for your healing while you venture into your widened outreach.

This past year has been one of continual change and adaptation. Globally, everyone has dealt with unexpected life changes and adjustments. Our ministry has had to do the same. While Our Jewish Roots (OJR, formerly Zola Levitt Presents) is known for uniquely filming all its teaching and dramatic reenactments in the Holy Land, we had to get creative after the pandemic shut down all travel to Israel.

Our producer Ken Berg and his team have been working tirelessly to keep current with our timely Bible teaching series and uphold our traditional production quality without going to the Holy Land. We hope you are watching our weekly programs since they are a key component of our ministry and were dear to Zola.

Zola Tours just received a tentative “thumbs up” for travel to Israel this fall. Our Israeli land agents have started the ball rolling for booking our itineraries. That’s fantastic news! While we await the official “all systems go” for TV production, we are getting our scripts, actors, camera crew, and props ready. Ken Berg is ecstatic to return soon to his beloved Israel.

TV Production in the Holy Land

While Kirsten and I lead the fall Zola Tours pilgrims, Ken and his production team, along with Dr. Jeffrey Seif, plan to tape a phenomenal, new TV series in the Galilee. Kirsten and I will fit in time to film music videos, interviews, and additional footage for OJR. Your faithful donations are making this on-location Bible teaching possible. Please consider an over-and-above financial gift this month to sponsor our new series in the Galilee where Jesus walked and ministered. The planned sets and dramatic re-enactments with Israeli actors deserve the highest possible quality.

Jeff Seif

Our Jewish Roots TV programs in April

Recent changes in America’s top leadership led us to compare the faith of our nation’s Founding Fathers to that of our Biblical fathers — a fascinating journey. We’d love to know your “take aways” from this timely, new television series. Thank you for watching. Here’s what’s coming up in April.

In Faith of our Fathers, Dr. Jeffrey Seif focuses on the pioneers who endeavored to carve out a modern, yet Godly nation in the New World. In addition, Christian historian David Barton chronicles their monumental efforts to anchor this nation to belief in the God of Israel.

Faith in Our Leaders
Bible heroes like Ruth and David were not perfect but succeeded by placing their hope and trust in God. Firsthand accounts and original source documents portray George Washington as a man of faith who experienced divine guidance and protection on multiple occasions.
The Cost of Faith
Risks accompany a faithful life. Consider the Bible’s Esther and Mordecai. New Englander John Adams helped gather representatives of the thirteen colonies around a set of principles that would become the Declaration of Independence.
The Actions of the Faithful
Living out faith sometimes requires boldness. The Bible chronicles Peter’s actions, e.g. his attempt to walk on the water. Benjamin Franklin called members of the Constitutional Convention to prayer.
The Application of Faith
Narratives about men and women of faith pervade the Holy Scriptures. Most of our Founding Fathers believed in the Bible’s God of Israel. Their deeds and writings testify to putting faith into action.

The production team for Our Jewish Roots works diligently to bring you creative, edifying, and Biblically sound television programing. TV production assistant Clayton Herring provides the detailed descriptions of each program for these newsletters. If you enjoy getting a sneak peek into each month’s programs, would you kindly let us know?

Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim!
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (Psalm 122:6),

David & Kirsten

P.S. The wandering Israelites’ clothing and sandals didn’t wear out (Deut. 29:5). If only the same could be said about ZLM’s computers, printers, TV cameras, and office equipment! Staffers nicknamed their oldest printer Methuselah! Honestly, this is the thriftiest ministry we’ve ever seen. There is zero wasteful spending. Still, generous financial gifts keep our doors open and the broadcasts airing. Thank You! *

Zola Levitt Ministries is ECFA approved and has Charity Navigator’s top rating of 4 stars.

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