March 2009 Newsletter
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Janie DuVall, Associate Producer
I have worked for Messianic Vision for 18 years, helping to find guests and to produce the programming — first for the radio show and then, starting in 1995, for our television show, It’s Supernatural!, as well.
I was raised in a Reformed Jewish home in New York City. Soon after receiving Jesus as my Messiah in the 1970s, I began listening to Sid Roth’s radio program, Messianic Vision. Sid’s show quickly became one of my favorites. I was drawn by Sid’s hunger for God and his desire to walk in the miraculous. My relationship with God grew as I listened.
During this time, I graduated from the Aaron Copeland School of Music in New York City with an undergraduate degree in music. Then I went to Pat Robertson’s Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where I received a master’s degree in television communications. In the late 1980s, I worked for The 700 Club.
My husband and I were married in 1988 and we settled in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I had no idea that Sid’s ministry was based there. Three weeks after my husband and I returned from our honeymoon, a friend contacted me about an opening at Messianic Vision. During the interview, Sid asked me what I knew about radio. “Nothing,” I replied. “My background is in television.” Sid hired me anyway and I started by doing data entry. Shortly after that, I began to produce the radio program.
As a child I had appeared on television in various programs and commercials (with Roy Rogers, Kate Smith, and others), so television was “in my blood.” I felt strongly that Sid should be on television. I knew his program was too good to be limited to radio.
In 1995, a supporter called Sid and said, “I have donated $25,000 to a television studio to cover the cost of your production. Go start a show!” In 1996, those first programs began to air. We have now taped over 500 episodes of It’s Supernatural! and we broadcast internationally on Christian networks such as TBN and Daystar and on secular stations.
Over the years, people would ask me, “Where do you find those guests?” I have to say, it really is supernatural. The timing is always perfect. For instance, I may be going through something personally, and then “coincidentally” a particular book or CD comes to our attention that has the answers I need. And I know that if I’m searching for those answers, so are many of our viewers and listeners.
We also contact publishers requesting books we would like to review. Some people send their materials directly to us. And some guests are recommended to us by people we highly respect.
As you can imagine, we receive a lot of materials and the sorting process is very labor-intensive. Only a small portion of what we receive is suitable for the program. We want to feature testimonies and resources that will be nothing short of life-changing. Will this particular interview inspire people to walk in miracles and the supernatural? Will it build their faith so that they can be healed? Will it help their loved ones to want to know the God we serve? Will it help set people free? Will it open their eyes to all that God has for them? Will it glorify God by giving people His heart for the Jew and Israel?
Even if the potential guest can fulfill most of these requirements, he or she must also be a person of character, someone who walks in humility and the fruit of the Spirit.
After we select a guest and record the radio interview, we write a format for the television interview. We also try to get video footage and pictures that will enhance the TV broadcast. An example would be “before” and “after” pictures of a person who was dramatically healed. In some cases, an outside production company creates a re-enactment of the guest’s testimony to add to the program.
While this whole process is time-consuming and demanding, the rewards are great. The biggest joy is to hear from the viewers who were healed, set free or saved by watching It’s Supernatural! or listening to
Messianic Vision!
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Joyce George, Assistant Guest Coordinator
The first time I heard of Sid Roth was when he came to speak at my church in London, Kentucky many years ago. I bought the little book that told of his life as a young Jewish boy, and I never forgot his story. At that time, he had a radio program that was broadcast in the area and I tried to listen whenever possible.
Many years later, I watched his television program, It’s Supernatural! I loved it! But what touched my heart more than the miracles was when he talked about the Jewish people, even though I did not
personally know one Jewish person.
The first book I ordered Messianic Vision was about the Jewish feasts and how to celebrate them. As the years passed, I tried to make sure that I watched the program even if I had to re-arrange my schedule. Later, I was able to watch on the Internet. Many times as I prayed, the Holy Spirit would speak to me about the Jewish nation.
After many hours of intercession, my husband and I sensed God leading us away from the Kentucky area. We actually came to Brunswick, Georgia to search out the place because I knew Messianic Vision was based here. We drove through the little seaside town on a Sunday afternoon and decided it wasn’t a place that would offer much in employment. Little did I know the plans that God had in store.
A year later, and with God’s direction, we came back to Brunswick. I began to look for a job, but no doors were opening for me. I looked in the phone book to see where Messianic Vision was located. The thought of working in a ministry that believed in the supernatural power of God and was willing to broadcast it to the world was “above and beyond what I could even ask or think.” So this was the level of my faith, “I will call them and see if they need any volunteers.” At that time, they did not, but they said I could send in my resume.
A few weeks later, I received a call inviting me to interview for a part-time position. It was an answer to prayer. Then I became full-time and was asked what type of work I preferred to do. I said I was happy to do whatever they needed because I knew by the Spirit of the Lord that this was a place where God’s heart was being poured out to the lost people with the emphasis on His chosen ones, the Jews. I opened the mail, answered the phone, made copies of prayer requests and always looked forward to those morning prayer times when we interceded for the needs of our Mishpochah (family).
One day, Sid asked if I would be interested in reviewing the products that people submitted who hoped to be a guest on It’s Supernatural! Since reading has always been my passion, I knew God was truly up to something, and yes, after several months, that dream became a reality.
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Searching for the right guests to be on our programs involves an extreme amount of effort. We seek first and foremost to be led by the Holy Spirit in making a decision. Many details are involved in checking testimonies, finding documentation for miraculous healings, and even finding witnesses who can verify the testimonies. We must also know that the guests’ products are doctrinally sound. Other questions we consider are: Is it something that moves us? Would we buy this for ourselves or for our friends and families? Would it change someone’s life? Many questions must be answered correctly before that final decision is made. It is never one person’s decision, but several, and it is imperative that we all agree because there is “safety in a multitude of counselors.”
Thirty-some years ago, God burned a Scripture from Romans 11:15 in my heart, “For if their [the Jewish people] being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” I knew that someday God would bring me into a place where He is bringing life from the dead for His Jewish people. That is what this ministry and Sid is all about — bringing the life of Yeshua (Jesus) into the dark souls of humanity and especially to his own people, even as Paul the Apostle desired to do two thousand years ago.
Dear Mishpochah,
When I was a new believer, I was a rarity. I knew of no Messianic Jewish synagogues or even many other Jewish believers.
Because of my uniqueness, I was in big demand and traveled the nation sharing my testimony. At the end of my talk, I would give an altar call and then pray for people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in unknown tongues. I also prayed in tongues hours every day.
At my meetings, I gradually moved into praying for healing and the impartation of the anointing and stopped praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I still spoke in tongues, but not as much as in the early years.
I noticed the same thing that happened to me is happening to most Spirit-filled believers. Even in Charismatic churches, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is usually confined to the back room.
The “hottest” churches in America today are known as “seeker sensitive.” In other words, they are sensitive to nonbelivers. This means no “emotionalism,” no “tongues,” and no falling from being overcome by the Spirit.
They justify their actions by quoting 1 Corinthians 13:10, “But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” They say that since the perfect has come (the Bible or Jesus), tongues has passed away (1 Corinthians 13:8). However, this cannot be true since verse 12 says when the “perfect” comes we will “know everything.” I confess—I know only in part. What about you? I believe the “perfect” will be the Second Coming of Jesus.
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Other churches do not allow tongues in a service because it is controversial. The Charismatic and Pentecostal churches are watching the success of the “seeker sensitive” churches and are slowly de-emphasizing tongues. In fact, a high percentage of those who attend Spirit-filled churches do not even speak in tongues!
Tongues in a service is not a choice, but a commandment! “Do not forbid to speak with tongues” (1 Cor. 14:39). “Whenever you come together, each of you has a … tongue…” (1 Cor. 14:26). This I know. The first church was birthed at Pentecost, acting like drunk men on new wine, publicly speaking in tongues. I would not have a worldwide media ministry today if I had not prayed in tongues for hours every day.
This I know. The devil does not want you to speak in tongues! Why? Because you pray “perfect” prayers (Rom. 8:26-28), you edify yourself (charge your spirit 1 Cor. 14:4) and you praise God well (1 Cor. 14:17). When you pray long periods of time in unknown tongues, rivers of living water bubble up, releasing a flow of revelation, strength and power.
It’s time for the Holy Spirit to be let out of the back rooms. It’s time to be more God sensitive in services than seeker sensitive.
The shaking is coming sooner than most think. Believers must have greater intimacy with God than with their church or they will not stand.
A move of God is hitting young people. They will not be satisfied with lukewarm Christianity. They will need role models who are radical for Jesus. Many among this great harvest of youth will be Jewish.
I am dedicated to equipping you to bring in this next great—and perhaps last —harvest before Jesus returns.
What are you going to do about this challenge? Do you want more new wine in 2009? I know what I am going to do. I’m going to drive the devil nuts by praying in tongues for one hour … right now!
P.S. Because of your generosity, I expect 2009 to be our greatest Jewish harvest in history! This month is Purim, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman in the book of Esther. Shortly, the devil will try again to murder all the Jewish people. As Mordecai said to Esther, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
Shalom and Love,
Sid Israel Roth
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.