CJF Ministries

06/15/2026

The Bible does not speak only about Israel. From Genesis to Revelation, many nations, kingdoms, and cities appear in relation to God’s plans, judgment, blessing, war, exile, and prophecy. Scripture constantly places Israel in the middle of a real world filled with surrounding peoples and empires.

Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, is mentioned many times. Isaiah 17 speaks of Damascus losing its strength and becoming “a ruinous heap.” Jeremiah 49 describes fear and anguish coming upon the city, while Amos 1 condemns Damascus for cruelty and violence. These prophecies remind us that God is not only Judge over Israel, but over all nations.

Egypt appears throughout Scripture as both a place of refuge and oppression. Babylon became the empire that destroyed Jerusalem and carried Judah into exile, but even Babylon itself was later judged by God through the prophets.

Assyria is remembered for conquering the northern kingdom of Israel. Persia appears as the empire God used to allow the Jewish people to return and rebuild Jerusalem under Cyrus. Tyre, Sidon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Cush, Greece, and Rome all appear in different moments of biblical history and prophecy.

The Bible presents God as the Lord over every nation, not only one people group. Kingdoms rise and fall, rulers come and go, but Scripture shows that history ultimately moves according to His purposes.

06/12/2026

One of the more striking claims in Paul's writing is that God's purpose for His people predates their existence entirely. In 2 Timothy 1:9, Paul says that purpose and grace were given to us in Messiah before the ages began. Before Abraham left Ur, before Sinai, before David sat on a throne in Jerusalem, God had already set something in motion.

Abraham came from a family that worshiped other gods in Mesopotamia (Joshua 24:2). Moses argued with God at the burning bush, insisting he was a poor speaker. Gideon described his clan as the weakest in Manasseh and himself as the least in his own household. Paul, writing these words to Timothy, had spent years hunting down the very people he would later serve.

The calling is described as holy because holiness is fundamentally about being set apart. God calls people into a life that belongs to Him. This same thread runs through Israel's story at Sinai, where God declared them a kingdom of priests, a people consecrated for His purposes among the nations.

06/10/2026

We’d like to share an encouraging testimony from one of our workers in Eastern Europe, Dima.

“I recently visited Leonid, who has been attending our congregation for a couple of years. When he first started coming, he often came across as someone who thought, "I already know everything," and "I don't need anyone teaching me about life." But little by little, his attitude changed from "I know it all" to "I'm willing to listen."

We met in the courtyard of his apartment building, and I asked him, "You've been coming to our congregation for quite some time now. Are you genuinely interested in what we're talking about? To be honest, it's hard to tell."

His answer surprised me.

Leonid told me that three or four years ago he decided to start attending a synagogue. "After all," he said, "I'm Jewish, so a synagogue is where a Jew belongs."

He first attended a Reform synagogue, but quickly felt that it was more of a business than a community, so he left. Then he started attending a Litvak synagogue, but there he felt that nobody really cared about him. No one tried to help him become involved. They handed him a siddur and told him to read it, but no one explained what to read, when to read it, or why. After several visits, he became discouraged and stopped going.

After that, he started attending Hesed, but there he found that no one talked about God. Then a Jewish neighbor invited him to our congregation.

"At first I just watched and listened," he told me. "Now, little by little, I'm building my understanding of the God you believe in. Everything is interesting to me. I understand what is being taught. I still have questions and doubts, but I'm moving forward."

His story was a great encouragement to me. Leonid usually sits quietly during services and rarely asks questions, so I had no idea what was happening in his heart.

Please pray that Leonid will take a conscious step of faith toward Yeshua.”

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06/08/2026

The Jewish community of Djerba, a small island off the coast of Tunisia, is one of the oldest and most fascinating Jewish communities in the world. For centuries, it lived in relative isolation, preserving traditions, customs, and even a unique Judeo-Arabic dialect that differed from surrounding populations.

According to local tradition, the first Jews arrived in Djerba after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC. Some believe they brought with them a stone from the Temple itself.

At the heart of the island stands the El Ghriba Synagogue. For much of its history, Djerba's Jewish population lived in close-knit neighborhoods, working as merchants, craftsmen, and religious scholars. Their isolation helped preserve ancient customs, religious practices, and distinctive styles of Torah study that disappeared elsewhere.

The community once numbered several thousand people. However, following the creation of the State of Israel and political changes across North Africa in the twentieth century, many emigrated to Israel and France. Today, roughly 1,000 Jews remain on Djerba, making it the largest remaining Jewish community in the Arab world.

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

Most Christians have at least some knowledge of prophecy and of our Lord’s second coming. The Bible, however, teaches that the ancient Prophet Elijah may also come again. Confirmation of this seldom-heard teaching comes from an unlikely source: ancient Jewish tradition!

Tune to our new podcast&radio series: https://bsk4.short.gy/elijah2

And on the radio stations: https://www.cjfm.org/stations/

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://donate.cjfm.org

06/03/2026

(by Eric Chabot. Eric does outreach at the Ohio State University)

Most recently, I received an email from someone who had questions about the why Jewish people don’t follow Jesus as their Messiah. I have been engaging this topic for several years now. I also grew up in a Jewish community. I came to faith after hearing the Gospel from a Jewish believer. While I am not Jewish myself, I have spent a significant amount of time thinking through these questions.

Why have the Jews rejected Jesus?

From a scriptural standpoint, when we read the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), we see that Israel frequently struggled with unbelief. Their history is marked by God establishing covenants with them, followed by repeated disobedience to the Law (Torah). The prophets were continually sent to call the people back to repentance. So it should not surprise us that there is a pattern of rejection within Israel's history.

It is also important to note that there is no specific passage in the Old Testament that says all of Israel would recognize and embrace the Messiah when He comes. In fact, the idea of a faithful remnant runs throughout Scripture. As Paul explains in Romans 9–11, only a remnant has believed.

Regarding prophecy, the Abrahamic Covenant itself is deeply significant. It includes the promise that the nations (Gentiles) would be blessed through Abraham. In Romans 11, Paul describes a kind of “staged” unfolding of God's plan. A significant portion of Israel's rejection of the Messiah has resulted in blessings flowing to the Gentiles. However, this is not the end of the story. Paul speaks of a future in which the “fullness” of Israel will come to faith (Romans 11:26).

Read the full article by Eric Chabot: https://bsk4.short.gy/jewishmessiah

06/01/2026

Believers are encouraged to bring every request before God, but Scripture makes an important distinction between the prayers that are tied directly to promises God has already given and other prayers that are entrusted to His wisdom, timing, and sovereign purposes.

One prayer God promises to answer is the prayer for wisdom. James writes, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:5).

James is writing to believers facing trials and difficulties. The wisdom he speaks of is God's wisdom for how to respond faithfully when life is hard. When you do not know how to think, act, endure, or honor God in a difficult situation, you are invited to ask Him for wisdom.

God gives generously. He does not withhold wisdom because of our past failures or foolish decisions. Yet James immediately adds that you must ask in faith, trusting God rather than doubting His goodness and His ways (James 1:6–8).

Now compare that with prayers for specific guidance.

Many of us want God to tell us exactly which job to take, where to move, or what decision to make. God certainly guides His people, but Scripture does not promise immediate answers to every such question. Often He leads through His Word, wise counsel, providential circumstances, and sanctified judgment rather than direct revelation.

In other words, we may not always receive the specific answer we want, but we can trust that He will provide the wisdom needed for the next step.

05/29/2026

When Paul says believers are "more than conquerors," he is writing from a list that includes tribulation, persecution, famine, and danger. The conquering happens in the middle of all of it, through the love of the One who cannot be separated from His people.

The word Paul uses in Greek is ὑπερνικῶμεν (hypernikomen), combining hyper, beyond, with nike, victory. It means something closer to overwhelming conquerors, victory beyond measure.

Does this mean none of these troubles will ever happen to us, or that we can eliminate them in this life? No. Paul himself experienced most of what he listed. However we conquer in the sense that none of these things can overcome what God's love has gained for us. Through Yeshua, the believer's place in God's family and share in His glory is already secured.