As most seem to be, the month of June was busy and flew by. We joined a three day gathering of King of Kings Ministries North American staff and friends in the Dallas area, were able to visit some long-term friends on the way up and also on the return trip, and Michael has been incredibly busy with the King of Kings Ministries annual audit. The Lord opened doors for two opportunities to share in new venues this month – delightful times of teaching, fellowship, questions and answers, with new and old friends. Israel continues to consume the news – it seems only trumped (pun intended) by the Presidential debates. I’ll leave the comments to the pundits, but there is no doubt we need a righteous man in the White House. Iran continues to be a serious threat and the recent alliance between North Korea and Russia will not bear good fruit. As a good friend reminds me, it’s an exciting time to be alive. Received this word of encouragement earlier this month, and hope it both brings a smile to your face and also brings encouragement. John Wooden was one of the all-time great college basketball coaches, and led UCLA to 10 national titles in 12 seasons, from 1964 to 1975, including seven straight from 1967 to 1973. I was in the stands in Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus for many of those games. He was a man of great character and died in 2010.

 

 

ISRAEL UPDATES

 

CEASEFIRE???

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has once again flown to Israel in a misguided attempt to broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. The administration’s repeated efforts to pursue diplomatic solutions with Hamas reflect its willfully naive misunderstanding of the organization’s radical ideology and commitment to the genocide of the Jewish people. Blinken’s persistent pushing of ceasefire proposals rests on the flawed premise that Hamas can be a legitimate negotiating partner interested in ending the bloodshed and pursuing peace. This is simply untrue. Hamas is a terrorist entity that rules through fear, indoctrination and brutality. Its leadership actively welcomes Gazan casualties as a means to demonize Israel and rally support for its extremist cause. Entertaining the notion that Hamas has any concern for human suffering or governing responsibility is delusional. Rather than chasing the mirage of fruitless diplomacy with terrorists, the United States should be giving its unequivocal support to Israel’s mission to degrade and destroy Hamas’ military wing. The path to ending this conflict lies in Israel achieving a decisive victory over Hamas’ forces, not in misguided ceasefire plans. The Biden administration should be providing full military aid, shielding Israel from biased global institutions, and boldly affirming Israel’s inviolable right to self-defense against the scourge of Hamas’ terrorism. In other words, the United States should stand firmly with Israel’s right to keep God’s land.

<[email protected]> 17 Jun 2024  

Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, yeshiva students currently get a ‘pass’ by the government from conscription into the army. Officially speaking, their enlistment is “postponed” as long as they study in a yeshiva (Jewish religious education institution) and do not work for a living. For this reason, they often stay in a yeshiva at least until they can get a full exemption from army service, which is currently set at the age of 26. But as the nation of Israel remains under threat, and all other eligible Israelis serve and risk their lives, many in Israel say it is not fair that tens of thousands of yeshiva students get to skip army service every year. How did this all begin and why is it still an issue after 75 years of Israel’s statehood? To answer the question, we’ll need to go back to 1948. When Israel was established as an independent nation in 1948, the country’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, agreed to exempt 400 yeshiva students per year, but not more. In 1968, the number increased to 800 as the population increased. After the political earthquake of 1977, when the Likud party under Prime Minister Menachem Begin took control, the number of exemptions expanded dramatically as this was one of the conditions for the ultra-Orthodox parties to join his government. Today, the total number of yeshiva students who are not serving in the IDF is estimated at over 63,000. The problem is very complicated, and there are legal precedents that go back to the 1950’s. Bottom line: with Israel’s coalition government, the threat of the ultra-Orthodox parties to ‘pull out’ of the current coalition, which would necessitate new elections in Israel in the middle of this war, is both very real and very concerning. They (the ultra-Orthodox) have done it before, and forced Israelis to the polls. As you might imagine, the issue is not only divisive for Israeli’s, but pulls morale down in the IDF and creates further cracks in an already fragile Israeli society.

 

 

JUNE IN THE US

In June, I (Michael) was priviledeged to speak about current events in Israel, roles in the Kingdom of God, and combating anti-Semitism to two wonderful groups of friends: a great group at New Heights Baptist Church in Summit, MS, and at The Kingdom Group’s monthly men’s unity breakfast facilitated by dear friends and ministry partners Elmo and Therese Winters, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both teaching times were followed by stimulating questions & answers, and preceeded by some great food and fellowship. Additionally, Patricia and I joined other North America based King of Kings Ministry leaders and spouses in the Dallas area for a few days of fellowship, teaching, relationship building and prayer. We met new friends in all three venues, and were impacted by outpourings of love and prayers.

 

ANTI SEMITISM IN AMERICA TODAY

 

Today’s antisemitism, seen in synagogue shootings, protests and attacks on college campuses, the taking of hostages at a synagogue in Dallas, and through the growing presence of antisemitism on social media, is no longer merely latent. To a large degree, tensions in the Middle East have exacerbated this growing antisemitism. However, we would be mistaken in thinking this “oldest hatred” did not exist prior to October 7 or before Israel became a modern state. After October 7, it did not take long for antisemites to begin targeting Jewish people in the United States, Germany, England, and across the globe. It is apparent their hatred of Jewish people was not new, and the events of October 7 simply sparked what was already there, causing it to rise to the surface. Really, the opposite should have been the case. It is also remarkable how quickly Hamas sympathizers swept the atrocities committed by the terrorist organization on October 7 under the rug. Jewish people worldwide are now the objects of anger and contempt by these same sympathizers. It seems as if any Jewish event on campus and in various communities is subject to the wrath of radical and violent advocates who believe their mission is to remove Israel “from the river to the sea.” This terrible surge of global antisemitism needs to be stopped. First, by our prayers, followed by action. The roots of antisemitism remain deeply woven into our culture and those of many Western countries, as well as those nations part of the Arab world. Yet, the problem goes deeper than this! The root of antisemitism is profoundly spiritual. God’s covenant choices create controversy. The enemy uses the controversy to create conflict. God chose the Jewish people to be His people and to accomplish His purposes (Genesis 12:1–3). Jews are to be a blessing – and have been. Gentiles ‘role’ is to provoke Jews to jealousy (Romans 11:11 ff). The enemy hates God, our Messiah, the Bible, the State of Israel, and our Jewish people. As believers in Yeshua (Jesus), we must support Jewish people globally, even if we have political disagreements with the modern State of Israel. Affirming God’s chosen people is a personal duty for all Believers and requires our standing against antisemitism. In light of God’s far-reaching purposes for the global Jewish community, we have no option other than to find ways in this hateful environment to oppose antisemitism wherever we see it today.

 

PARTNER WITH US IN PRAYER

 

• release of the hostages and conclusion of the war in Gaza
• safety as Israel prosecutes war against Hezbollah in Syria and enemies in Judea & Samaria
• a strong US and allied position against the Iranian terror regime & nuclear threat
• grace and courage to stand against rampant anti-Semitism in America and the world
• needed resources for the work of ministry – and Divine healing to manifest

PARTNER WITH US IN FINANCES

 

There are a few NEW options if you are prompted to partner financially in ministry with us: If you don’t need a tax deduction, you can send funds to us via the INTERNET directly thru PayPal. Use [email protected], which is Michael’s account. Send as a friend, and there is no cost to you or us. If you don’t need a tax deduction, you can send funds to us by check, payable to Michael Bryan, and mail to Michael Bryan, PO Box 255, Magnolia, MS 39652. Tax-deductible donations by CHECK can be made payable to Isaiah 61 Ministries and mailed to: Isaiah 61 Ministries PO Box 255 Magnolia, MS. 39652 You will receive a printed receipt at year-end and our eternal gratitude. Tax-deductible donations via the INTERNET can be made thru the KKCJ website, www.kkcj.org. Engage the “Give” tab at the top of the page, select “Staff Support,” and select “Michael Bryan.” We are grateful to receive a partial salary from King of Kings Community to help with the work of ministry, and as God opens new doors for us, we know He will supply the needed resources to enable us to minister from America to Israel and to the Nations. May God continue to bless you as you continue blessing us and Israel.

 

We love and appreciate you, pray for you and covet your prayers for us.  May the Lord richly bless you and yours!  Michael & Patricia

 

 

FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM