by donfinto | Mar 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
#LifeVerse 4: “His master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:34-35
Scorching scripture! Turned over to torturers if we refuse to forgive others!
Jesus had told the story of a man who owed millions. He could not pay the debt, and begged for mercy. His master forgave him the entire debt, but that man refused to have mercy on one who owed him an almost insignificant debt. The first master found out about his lack of gratitude and his obstinate refusal to forgive, came back to him, had him jailed and tortured “until he should pay back all he owed” – an impossibility because of the magnitude of the debt.
We are the man who has forgiven multiple millions. God has had mercy on us through Jesus. Our debt is forgiven. But now our role is to forgive all those who sin against us – the big debts and the smaller daily annoyance-type debts.
If we refuse to forgive, according to Jesus’ words, we will be turned over to the torturers (Nightmares? Health issues? Demonic assaults?).
But how do we forgive?
Not with our emotions, but with our wills in the name and power of Jesus. “In the name of Jesus, I forgive ___.” We do not even check our emotions to see if we felt like doing or saying those words. We rest in His forgiveness and release those who have sinned against us, however great or small the offenses.
I learned about this scripture when learning how to release/forgive my dad whom I never really knew, and the woman whom he later married, but the message is far deeper than forgiving past grievances. This is a day-by-day release of the insignificant offenses from everyone around us.
I do not care to be turned over to torturers. I intend to keep forgiving!
Forgiveness is a basic ingredient of a life filled with joy and peace.
I heard Guy Cohen from Acco, Israel, the other day. He said, “Don’t invite Jesus into your mind, but into your heart!”
I thought, “Correct. Paul said, ‘With the heart man believes. He did not say, With the mind.” The mind gathers information, but the heart must take the step of faith.
Blessings!
Don Finto
by donfinto | Mar 29, 2014 | Uncategorized
Several years ago a prophetic brother told us we were to be producing “weapons of mass instruction.”
The “Your People Shall Be My People” book is now translated into Farsi and Arabic!
The Farsi translation was released last year and can be read or downloaded from the Internet without cost. The translator came to us through an Iranian brother now living in the Ukraine.
Through this same Iranian brother’s contact, the request came from Arabic-speaking pastors for the book in their language. That translation has now been completed and is ready for publication.
In the revision of the book, we have included additional information about the revival among Muslim background believers in the Arabic speaking countries.
In both cases we have raised the funds for the translations and the publications. If the Lord stirs you to contribute to the distribution, please see below.
Pray that we will fulfill that prophecy we received several year back!
Thank you!
Blessings,
Don Finto
DONATIONS
All gifts are tax-deductible. You may give by either mailing a check to the address at the bottom or through our website: http://calebcompany.org/web/give
Equipping God’s People with His Heart and Purpose for Israel and the Nations
by donfinto | Mar 5, 2014 | From Israel, Speaking Life, Update
“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
Let me give you a nice “holy land laugh!”
When Tod and I arrived (with Micah and Steve Allen), our phones were not working, because of a new ruling about foreigners’ telephone accounts in Israel. So we had to wait to get new Sim cards for the phones. As a result we could not get in touch with friends,nor they with us. On the day I got my phone updated, I sent out a short email to let some of our friends know that we were in the country for a few days.
The note I thought I wrote was very simple. “Tod and I in the country until Saturday. We had to get new numbers. Mine is …; his is….”
Just as I pushed the send button, I noticed that Spell Check had changed “Tod” to “God,” reading “God and I in the country until Saturday. We had to get new numbers. Mine is … his is…”
It was late at night; I had blind-copied everyone, so I could not even remember who all I sent it to, so I simply thought, “Oh, well,” and laughed myself to sleep, in anticipation of the emails I would get the next day!
Here is a sample:
From John and Una Gere, Wow! Can we give out God’s phone number to anyone, or is private!!!!! I remember His old number was JER333 (call unto Me and I will answer thee…..)
Gabriel Leonhard: I’m so glad that you brought God with you! 🙂 and Micah too…
Shira Sorko_Ram: Dear Don, I have ALWAYS wanted God’s direct line! Thanks for His and for yours!
Israel Pochtar: Wow… amazing to hear you’re here in the land with God J How did you get his personal number?:)
Have a blessed day! And laugh a little!
Don Finto (@donfinto)
by donfinto | Feb 17, 2014 | Uncategorized
Have you read Ezekiel 37 lately?
I just prayed my way through it.
Oh, yes, there is a hint of the fulfillment when Judah returned from Babylon, but there was much more. Ezekiel speaks of a time when the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah, based in Jerusalem, will become one.
That promise is happening through the return of the Jewish people from the nations – without regard for whether they were from the northern tribes or from the southern kingdom.
But Ezekiel gave another promise. The breath (that’s the Spirit) of God will be blown into the regathered Israel. If He can perform the miracle of bringing the Jewish nation together again after centuries of being dead, then He can perform the miracle of breathing His Spirit into Israel!
I read through the chapter and then put my hand on the book and looked up to God. “Remember what You said? I’m standing here, along with thousands of intercessors all over the world, watching to see when and how You will do this.
I trust You to fulfill Your Word!
Blessings,
Don Finto
by donfinto | Feb 17, 2014 | Uncategorized
A SERMON OUTLINE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
Luke 24:27
On resurrection morning, Cleopas and his friend were walking along talking about Jesus and all that had recently transpired in Jerusalem. Jesus came up and began walking with them, but they did not recognize him.
“What are you discussing together as you walk along?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they responded, then began to process with him all that they had heard.
“We had hoped that he was the One who was going to redeem Israel.”
Luke says, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
Now that’s a sermon outline I would like to have – Jesus referring to the Hebrew Scriptures that refer to Him!
When Cleopas and his friend arrived in Emmaus, Jesus acted as though he would leave them, but they urged him to stay with them.
So he went in with them. Not until he “broke bread” with them, did they recognize him. “Then their eyes were opened.”
Lord, open our eyes that we may see!
Blessings,
Don Finto
