July 9, 2026 WEST

In today's gathering, we explored the sobering reality of God's covenant faithfulness and His protective stance toward Israel. Through Ezekiel 35, we're reminded that God doesn't take lightly those who speak against His chosen people or harbor hostility toward them. This isn't just ancient history—it's a call for us today to actively pray for Israel and guard our words. The repeated phrase 'then you will know that I am the Lord' echoes throughout Ezekiel, revealing that even God's judgments serve a redemptive purpose: to bring people back to knowing Him. We also witnessed the beautiful demonstration of faith in Acts 3, where Peter and John didn't just speak healing—they extended their hands to help the lame man stand. This challenges us to ask: are we willing to be the helping hand that pulls someone up after we've spoken God's word over them? The passage reminds us that proximity to Jesus isn't the same as encountering Him. We can sit near the Beautiful Gate for years and still miss the miracle. God is calling us beyond familiarity into genuine encounter, beyond religious comfort into transformative faith that reaches out and lifts others into their healing.