Dear Mishpacha (family),
As I am writing this newsletter, tonight will be the sixth night of Hanukkah and this week has been great. On the second night of Hanukkah the Community of Beit Tehila came together to light our personal hanukkiahs and eat latkes. My wife lit the Hanukkiah in the Sanctuary and then we all went to the Fellowship Hall to eat latkes and have a timeof fellowship. A lot of Christians would wonder why Beit Tehila celebrates the holiday of Hanukkah. One reason our community celebrates Hanukkah is because it is historical. The story takes place around 165 B.C. and it’s all about rededication. As the temple and the altar were defiled by the Greco-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes it had to be rededicated. This evil ruler was all about assimilation and that is the same battle that we all face in the culture in which we live. Our Heavenly Father sanctified us and set us apart to further His Kingdom. We all know that Beit Tehila is not your traditional church, Beit Tehila is being used to help restore and regather the whole House of Israel. You can say that Beit Tehila is all about the Father’s business. Since Beit Tehila was founded, we have always wanted to have relationships with the Jewish people. I am pleased to say that we have great relationships with Jewish people and organizations. Beit Tehila has a yearly tour group that goes to bless the land and build more relationships.
For the past three and a half years I have been a part of the Ministers Connection, that has allowed me to personally have relationships with local pastors and their congregation. It is called divine appointments and I am honored to a part of it. It’s never about me but we represent the Community of Beit Tehila. Another reason why we celebrate Hanukkah is because it is prophetic. The Hanukkah story is going to play out again in the near future. Check out the book of Maccabees and the Olivet Discourse found in Matthew 24.
I know the month of December is a special month because of the holiday of Christmas that celebrates Yeshua’s birth on December 25th. The bible does not give us His birth date but I believe based on some clues in the bible that Yeshua could have been conceived in the month of December and that would put His birth at the time of the Fall Feasts. The season of Winter begins on December 21st and this is definitely a special time of the year. I’m just grateful that it’s not ninety degrees and muggy.
As we go into a new Gregorian year of 2026 I am anticipating a great year for healthy relationships and kingdom opportunities. We need a healthy relationship with the Godhead and with each other. I believe once again that this next year will be about strengthening our friendships and divine appointments. In the bible it says in Exodus 33:11, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend…” the word “friend (H#7453) is the Hebrew word “rea” (ray-ah) and it means the following: An associate (more or less close): – brother, companion, fellow, husband, lover, neighbour. I also believe that the best is yet to come. I take great pleasure and joy knowing that the Beit Tehila Congregation is fulfilling promises and prophecies. Yeshua is not coming back to a beat-up bride that is defeated and full of fear but a bride that is ready and obedient. In I Thessalonians 5:6 Paul says, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober.”
The last words that Pastor Randy spoke to me was “Go Forward” and that’s what Beit Tehila is going to do. Let’s do it together.
~Shalom Pastor Nick