As I've mentioned before, one of the frustrating things about having a ministry that's active in Israel is that there's a lot about it that we can't talk about.

The reason we can't talk about some aspects of our work in Israel is that publicity can sometimes be counterproductive.

At times, in fact, publicity can be downright dangerous. For instance, when Muslim or Druze people become believers in Jesus, their very lives are sometimes at risk. There are people in both of these communities who wouldn't hesitate to kill a family member who professed faith in the Jewish Messiah (or otherwise disgraced the clan)—and they would do it without batting an eye.

These executions are not uncommon in the Islamic world. They are called "honor killings." They happen even here in the US.

This is why we have to be judicious in our publications and on our website about what we reveal about our ministry in the Middle East.

Let me see if I can give you an example without treading on any dangerous ground. One of our workers in Israel has developed a ministry among the Palestinians. He/she travels to the West Bank from time to time and attends prayer meetings and Bible studies among Palestinian believers there. This worker sends us reports that include incredible photos of him/her with groups of Palestinian believers. They obviously have the greatest affection for him/her—and the feeling is mutual.

I look at these photos and I think, "Wow, this is the solution to the whole Middle East problem!" The Lord Yeshua the Messiah has been able to accomplish what governments and administrations have failed at so miserably for all these years! He has brought true shalom between Israelis and Palestinians.

It's hard to believe, I know; but in these photos it's right there in living color—a Jewish Israeli man/woman surrounded by a sea of friendly faces—Palestinian believers. These people love each other. They worship together. They pray together. They are brothers and sisters bound together by their mutual faith in Yeshua the Messiah.

We would love to print some of these reports and photos in our publications. But we can't because these precious Palestinian brothers and sisters would be seen as "collaborators" and traitors by the Palestinian Authority if the photos fell into the wrong hands. The penalty for treason in the Palestinian culture is death. Arafat used to cut the throats of suspected "collaborators" (with no trial or due process of law) and hang their bodies upside down in the Ramallah town square. This is serious business, folks.

So we keep it low-key on this end—and just pray that God will keep on doing what He's doing among the suffering Palestinian people. 

As an aside, we just heard about a Palestinian believer who was critically wounded when he was caught in cross-fire during a military campaign several years ago. His leg was amputated and later he developed kidney failure—so he couldn't work to support his family even if work was available. His small family lives in a shack in a West Bank slum with no running water. They barely have enough to eat. Yet even in the midst of these miserable conditions, this man loves the Lord. Some Jewish believers in Israel send him money when they are able so he can buy groceries and clothes for his children. His wife does her best to keep a clean house—as much as that's possible when you're sweeping a dirt floor. It's an amazing story (and there's a lot more that I can't tell you in this post).

Maybe this sounds strange to some of our readers. Is it possible to be pro-Israel to the core—and yet still have love and compassion for the Palestinian people, especially the believers among them? Yes, I promise you—it is possible.

Our sources tell us that the Gospel is making serious inroads into the Muslim community in the West Bank and Gaza. This growing phenomenon has given rise to an interesting theological question: Is the term "Christian Muslim" an oxymoron?

If you define the term "Muslim" as referring to someone who worships Allah and believes Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet but not the only begotten Son of God, then the answer is yes—it's an oxymoron, an inherent contradiction in terms.

On the other hand, if the term "Muslim" refers more broadly to a culture (rather than to someone who adheres to specific religious beliefs), then the answer is no, it's not a fundamental contradiction.

Here's one of several studies on this topic available on the Internet: click here.

One thing we know for sure: The war between good and evil is heating up and God has His people stationed everywhere—even behind enemy lines.

Let's pray for these courageous Palestinian believers in Gaza and the West Bank—and for the good-hearted people on our staff in Israel who have been moved by their plight and are trying to help them.

Although our emphasis continues to be Jewish evangelism, if you sent a check and marked it "Palestinian outreach," I'm sure we could put it to good use.

Verse for today: "The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed" (Psalm 103:6).