Pastor Israel Pochtar was called to full-time ministry in 1995…
Have you ever tried walking through your home during a power outage?
Even in a familiar place, everything changes when the lights go out. You slow down. You reach out to feel your way forward. Every step becomes uncertain until a light is switched on.
He never asks us to find our own way through the darkness. Instead, He promises to be our light. He sees every turn in the road, every obstacle, and every destination long before we do. While He may not reveal every detail of the journey, He faithfully leads those who place their trust in Him.
That is exactly what King David discovered. Looking back over his life, he could have spoken about battles won, enemies defeated, or kingdoms established. Instead, he chose to speak about the One who had been with him through every season. In one simple sentence, David expressed the confidence that carried him through years of danger, uncertainty, and waiting:
Adonai Ori (יְהוָה אוֹרִי, pronounced: ah-doh-NIGH oh-REE)—”The LORD is my light.”
Psalm 27:1

David wasn’t writing these words from a place of comfort. He had fled from Saul, hidden in caves, been betrayed by people he trusted, and faced moments when the future seemed anything but certain. Yet through every chapter of his life, one truth remained unchanged: the Lord had never stopped leading him.
That is why David doesn’t simply say that God gives him light. He declares that the Lord Himself is his light. His confidence wasn’t built on understanding everything God was doing. It was built on knowing the God who never abandoned him.
Centuries later, Yeshua stood before the people of Israel and made an astonishing declaration:
John 8:12
These words would have reminded many of David’s psalm. The God who had been David’s light was now revealing Himself through the Messiah, inviting everyone to follow Him. Yeshua wasn’t pointing people toward another source of light—He was declaring that He Himself is the Light they had been waiting for.
That invitation is still extended to us today. We all face moments when we wish God would tell us exactly what tomorrow will bring. We want answers before we make decisions and certainty before we take a step of faith. Yet God offers us something even greater than knowing the future—He offers us His presence. The One who already knows the end from the beginning walks with us today, and His light is more than enough to guide every step we take.
Whatever you may be facing this week, let David’s declaration become your own. Before fear has a chance to speak, remind yourself: Adonai Ori—the Lord is my light. Before uncertainty steals your peace, remember that the God who guided David, led Israel through the wilderness, and revealed Himself through Yeshua is still faithfully leading His people today. His light has never failed, and it never will.
Prayer
“Adonai Ori, You are my light. Thank You for going before me and walking beside me each day. When fear tries to overwhelm me, remind me that Your presence is greater than every darkness I face. Help me to keep my eyes on Yeshua, the Light of the world, and to trust You with every step. Amen.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Pastor Israel Pochtar
Pastor Israel Pochtar was called to full-time ministry in 1995 in Tel Aviv, Israel. For over a decade, he preached to Israelis from all walks of life and served as associate pastor in a Messianic congregation in Joppa (Jaffa) while completing theological training in Estonia and Sweden. In 2005, he founded Beit Hallel (House of Praise) in Ashdod, the city’s first Hebrew-speaking Spirit-filled congregation, which has grown from four families to over 400 members, with additional church plants across Israel. The ministry conducts mass Gospel campaigns and humanitarian projects for Holocaust survivors, new Jewish immigrants, and single mothers. Pastor Israel trains pastors and leaders, speaks at conferences worldwide, and fosters cooperation between Jewish and Arab believing communities in Israel.
