Tom Gilmer: December 2017 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

With thanks for your faithful prayers and offerings, Linda and I wish you a Happy Chanukah (Feast of Dedication, John 10:22), Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

ISRAEL MISSIONARY CANDIDATE: I received a call from Pastor Alexandre asking me to substitute for him at a Friday night session of the Missionary Conference at the Regular Baptist Seminary and to take tracts in English and/or Hebrew to Gilmaria, a student who was planning to visit Israel in the month of December. The Lord touched her heart for Jewish ministry when she attended our NIGHT FOR ISRAEL celebration at the Esperança (Hope) Baptist Church in October of 2015. She enrolled in the seminary the following semester.

SPEECH BY EX-PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL, Fernando Henrique Cardoso: A Federal Representative, who is Jewish, invites me to special events he sponsors, even though he knows I am trying to evangelize him and others I meet at such events. I was able to hear and speak to the ex-president personally. But of greater interest to me was meeting the leader of a Jewish educational organization. He struck up a conversation with me and Jorge Oliveira (who leads the meetings at the new church being formed in São Miguel Paulista). He promised to attend a service at Templo Batista de Indianópolis. I pray he will.

BREAKFAST WITH A RABBI: I was amazed to receive an invitation to have breakfast with the rabbi of the extremely orthodox Chabad branch of Judaism. I presented him my calling card from Trinitarian Bible Society, Friends of Zion, and Templo Batista de Indianópolis (TBI), along with a tract and church bulletin from TBI. I also gave him a tract from Amigos de Sião (Friends of Zion) provided by our friend Dr. Daniel Fried of Hope of Israel. It explains how the new birth, referred to by the prophets as receiving a new heart, helps make a Gentile become a friend of Israel. As we discussed the MESSIAH, he said that many now say that the Chabad branch of Judaism is closer to Christianity than most other Jewish branches of Judaism. He presented a project of Chabad in Israel, which provides food and other basic necessities for needy Jews, including Christian Jews in Israel. Before parting, he said he did not own a New Testament and gladly accepted one with Psalms and Proverbs. He also promised to attend a service at TBI during the month of December. I pray he will!

May the Lord continue to richly bless you.

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

Professions of faith: 1.
Baptism of a Jew who accepted Christ a long time ago.
Interesting Jewish evangelism opportunities.

PRAYER:

Salvation of Jews and Gentiles.
Ongoing projects (church planting, Bible study helps, media outlets, and warehouse for Bibles).
Continued prayer for our daughter Ruth Hammond’s family: healing for son Jonathan.
Linda, healing from shingles.