Letters from Jerusalem
January 20, 2021
"Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills: Fruitful trees and all cedars;…" PSALM 148:7-9
Blessed greetings, dearest sisters and brothers,
To Him Who sits on the throne and unto The Lamb, may ALL honor and glory and adoration go. And to you His disciples, blessing and love and encouragement and courage and endurance as we walk ahead.
I NEVER intend these opening sentences to sound so grand…but every time I come to this page…to open… I have honestly, such a sense of the weight of Him Whom we serve, that it seems appropriate to stop and worship and bless Him.
It's a rainy cold winter day in Jerusalem and we decided to do some baking to help warm up the apartment. Oh I know that many of you, surrounded by ice and snow would laugh when I told you that it was 4 degrees Celsius which is about 39 Fahrenheit…but I assure you that stones get cold…and they keep the cold…and they RADIATE the cold. In the summer they also get hot and radiate the heat…and… they are also an excellent insulator, meaning that it takes a LONG time before they get hot or cold…BUT right now they are COLD! Stone is such an amazing element and Jerusalem is built up of stones; upon rock;…established by The Rock and for The Rock of ages… it makes for some wonderful meditation.
But returning to the weather. The 'latter rains' that you read about in The Word, came suddenly and dramatically. (I DO love God's 'drama' as opposed to man's!) For the past week or two we have noticed (whenever we are outside) that the almond trees have blossomed…another promise in The Word. In Jeremiah 1:11-12 " Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree. 'Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.'” In Numbers 17 we saw Aaron's rod bud with almonds, the symbol that God use to show that Aaron alone was the one chosen to approach Him. The almonds of Israel are luscious…perhaps smaller than other varieties, but sweet and nutritious-abundant. They bud between the early rains and the latter rains and always signify hope and promise…their appearance brightens everyone. Yearly they would herald the beginning of the international IFI Prayer Conference held in Jerusalem, sadly missed this year, with the first seen branch placed on the podium. The Lord IS The Rock Whose Word can NOT fail. My husband and I were reading in the 'minor prophets' this morning and (it slips my mind which verse in particular) a promise came up and I asked him: "How must that have challenged believers who read that word about Israel for 2,000 years and there WAS no country called Israel?" I know from reading that so many people began to think about the promises as allegorical, or PAST. Think of it…2,000 years, (how many generations is that?) of believers reading the promises about a country that had been destroyed and a people that had been dispersed. The name imposed on the land - Palestine - still brings distraction and discord. More than once over the years I have met believers who actually said to me: 'I didn't know that there still were Jews.' That likely sounds strange but it's true. Yet, here we are. To most of us today, Israel is a FACT and a FACT standing to the testimony of the perfect Faithfulness of God's Word. Yet it should never be taken for granted.
BUT…these stones are COLD today!
Last night our lockdown (the third) was extended for now until 31 Jan. The numbers are grievously high. It is necessary to be within these cold stones - shut in together - for more time, my husband's shop standing closed in the cold rain along with so many others. Several times a day he receives calls; 'Can I come and get my hair cut?' and he answers 'No. We are in the middle of 'seger' (closure). I can not cut hair during the seger.' Some are angry and try to get him to cut their hair anyway.
In the past winters we have been blessed by a kerosene heater; old fashioned perhaps but oh so wonderfully warm and the cost was never a surprise (like an electric bill!): You bought the kerosene and paid the bill before using it. But this year the carrying and pouring of the kerosene into the heater became a problem for my husband and we decided that we would get two (rather old fashioned) oil filled radiators. When we first made aliyah and enquired about heating (which was so different here than anywhere we had ever lived before), we found these to be the most economical and efficient. They have since been largely replaced in popularity by the newer and less economical air-conditioner/heater that is wall mounted and blows hot or cold air. We are happy with these that roll from room to room and are quite a bit easier on the electric bill. Also..since heat rises, these seem to keep us warmer. It's storming huge hail stones right now and these words flood my mind: "Praise the Lord from the earth, …; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills: Fruitful trees and all cedars;…" PSALM 148:7-9
This is the first letter that I am writing in 2021. 'My word' for this year is 'vessel'. Most of us have prayed that we would be a vessel "fit for The Master's use" but I'm already learning that there is far more to understand. We all enter this year aware of tremendous potential for turmoil and the fact that He has called us to enter in through the NARROW GATE… may my vessel carry only what He has determined that it should…for His purposes.
Like nearly every nation on this shaking and reeling earth, our nation is in turmoil and division. Like in every other nation, people are SURE that if their government would just 'handle this pandemic properly' it would just go away or at least we (most of us) could get on with 'life as normal'. So…most of you probably know that we are AGAIN going to new elections (I honestly can't remember if these are the 4th or 5th coming up…I've honestly lost count!) and although they are scheduled for 23rd March it will depend ultimately on the infection rate.
What I see on the street - from my window and before my eyes according to my perspective - is division and confusion - despair and anger…and rebellion. Probably this is similar to what you see from your window: Everything is shaking. I am convinced that it is GOD Who is doing this shaking.
I am still working from home and the challenges are beyond this 75 year old woman who is technically an imbecile and who has ZERO technical vocabulary in English…LET ALONE HEBREW…SO: I had a panic attack today when the other secretar, who is still dealing with the needs of her 12 year old disabled daughter in a full body cast, called me and said (in Hebrew of course) 'Oh no!! The computers are down and we need to change the whole program and work with a technician to do it!' Now…You fully understand that when she says that we need to work with a technician that means that I have to have two telephones and my computer open and respond instantaneously to a lot of mumbled commands in Hebrew that I have no IDEA what they mean. Enter: GOD. The immediate challenge had so set my nerves on end that I FORGOT a planned prayer call with a dear sister. She called, faithful sister! Our call was of necessity short…but she prayed a 'silver bullet prayer' for me (one so right on the mark!) and having spent the last hour working with the computer, I am humbled (humiliated, yes, as well…) but, glory to God, I THINK that it will work. Working from home is more challenging than I would have expected…not least of these being the immediate constant presence of the refrigerator!
I am, OF COURSE, not alone in (ANY) of these challenges…and I KNOW that the one that I described is really a small one in the light of so much suffering… I could easily have described some far hugher. All around me are those trying to work from home with technology that they are just learning…or those seeking to know how to proceed…or NOT working and wanting/needing to. There are families dealing with the tensions of being 'together' more than their nerves can take and others fully not sure how to access resources to feed themselves…others leaning that they have lived beyond their means, and others finding themselves fully alone. And there are so very many sick and grieving and fearful. Maybe everyone isn't challenged by technology and language but surely no 'test' is 'light'…each one is being stretched and yes, many are breaking. And in my street I do see those who continue to reach out and try to help others. 'Human kindness' and even 'religious kindness' are sweet to the taste and comforting to the heart…and yet I suspect that THE TIME IS NOW and that The Lord is testing the metal of the hearts as gold is tried in the fire. “Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry." 2 Sam 22:8/Psalm 18:7
And for us here…Dare I say; He has given us our land according to His promises after 2,000 years and we must take that to heart! Are we?
"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. 'Now this, 'Yet once more ,'indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:25-29
We all are entering 2021 soberly. May we be precious in each other's sight, not taking one another for granted. May we not take ANYTHING or ANYONE for granted for nothing is guaranteed…except His faithfulness.
I look out my window and the rain has stopped for now. Much of the country has experienced floods. In His great MERCY the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) has raised 6 cm and is happily showing great promise of nearing full capacity this winter again. There is snow today on Mt. Hermon. My chicken soup is steaming in the pot…because it is 'the right vessel for the joy.' I fill it up…put it on full flame and put the pressure gauge on, allowing pressure to build up. I will store the leftover soup in it and when it is finished, I will scrub it with a steel scrubbing pad…put it away on the upper shelf in the cold dark back room…and not even thank it. It is a faithful vessel.
May you and I be too.
God bless you and keep you.
OH! You probably all know this…but a sister showed me the way to this song…and it has meant a lot to me during such a time as this. May it encourage you and help your focus to be fixed on Him! Lovingly, your sister here
Only A Holy God
"Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills: Fruitful trees and all cedars;…" PSALM 148:7-9
Blessed greetings, dearest sisters and brothers,
To Him Who sits on the throne and unto The Lamb, may ALL honor and glory and adoration go. And to you His disciples, blessing and love and encouragement and courage and endurance as we walk ahead.
I NEVER intend these opening sentences to sound so grand…but every time I come to this page…to open… I have honestly, such a sense of the weight of Him Whom we serve, that it seems appropriate to stop and worship and bless Him.
It's a rainy cold winter day in Jerusalem and we decided to do some baking to help warm up the apartment. Oh I know that many of you, surrounded by ice and snow would laugh when I told you that it was 4 degrees Celsius which is about 39 Fahrenheit…but I assure you that stones get cold…and they keep the cold…and they RADIATE the cold. In the summer they also get hot and radiate the heat…and… they are also an excellent insulator, meaning that it takes a LONG time before they get hot or cold…BUT right now they are COLD! Stone is such an amazing element and Jerusalem is built up of stones; upon rock;…established by The Rock and for The Rock of ages… it makes for some wonderful meditation.
But returning to the weather. The 'latter rains' that you read about in The Word, came suddenly and dramatically. (I DO love God's 'drama' as opposed to man's!) For the past week or two we have noticed (whenever we are outside) that the almond trees have blossomed…another promise in The Word. In Jeremiah 1:11-12 " Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree. 'Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.'” In Numbers 17 we saw Aaron's rod bud with almonds, the symbol that God use to show that Aaron alone was the one chosen to approach Him. The almonds of Israel are luscious…perhaps smaller than other varieties, but sweet and nutritious-abundant. They bud between the early rains and the latter rains and always signify hope and promise…their appearance brightens everyone. Yearly they would herald the beginning of the international IFI Prayer Conference held in Jerusalem, sadly missed this year, with the first seen branch placed on the podium. The Lord IS The Rock Whose Word can NOT fail. My husband and I were reading in the 'minor prophets' this morning and (it slips my mind which verse in particular) a promise came up and I asked him: "How must that have challenged believers who read that word about Israel for 2,000 years and there WAS no country called Israel?" I know from reading that so many people began to think about the promises as allegorical, or PAST. Think of it…2,000 years, (how many generations is that?) of believers reading the promises about a country that had been destroyed and a people that had been dispersed. The name imposed on the land - Palestine - still brings distraction and discord. More than once over the years I have met believers who actually said to me: 'I didn't know that there still were Jews.' That likely sounds strange but it's true. Yet, here we are. To most of us today, Israel is a FACT and a FACT standing to the testimony of the perfect Faithfulness of God's Word. Yet it should never be taken for granted.
BUT…these stones are COLD today!
Last night our lockdown (the third) was extended for now until 31 Jan. The numbers are grievously high. It is necessary to be within these cold stones - shut in together - for more time, my husband's shop standing closed in the cold rain along with so many others. Several times a day he receives calls; 'Can I come and get my hair cut?' and he answers 'No. We are in the middle of 'seger' (closure). I can not cut hair during the seger.' Some are angry and try to get him to cut their hair anyway.
In the past winters we have been blessed by a kerosene heater; old fashioned perhaps but oh so wonderfully warm and the cost was never a surprise (like an electric bill!): You bought the kerosene and paid the bill before using it. But this year the carrying and pouring of the kerosene into the heater became a problem for my husband and we decided that we would get two (rather old fashioned) oil filled radiators. When we first made aliyah and enquired about heating (which was so different here than anywhere we had ever lived before), we found these to be the most economical and efficient. They have since been largely replaced in popularity by the newer and less economical air-conditioner/heater that is wall mounted and blows hot or cold air. We are happy with these that roll from room to room and are quite a bit easier on the electric bill. Also..since heat rises, these seem to keep us warmer. It's storming huge hail stones right now and these words flood my mind: "Praise the Lord from the earth, …; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills: Fruitful trees and all cedars;…" PSALM 148:7-9
This is the first letter that I am writing in 2021. 'My word' for this year is 'vessel'. Most of us have prayed that we would be a vessel "fit for The Master's use" but I'm already learning that there is far more to understand. We all enter this year aware of tremendous potential for turmoil and the fact that He has called us to enter in through the NARROW GATE… may my vessel carry only what He has determined that it should…for His purposes.
Like nearly every nation on this shaking and reeling earth, our nation is in turmoil and division. Like in every other nation, people are SURE that if their government would just 'handle this pandemic properly' it would just go away or at least we (most of us) could get on with 'life as normal'. So…most of you probably know that we are AGAIN going to new elections (I honestly can't remember if these are the 4th or 5th coming up…I've honestly lost count!) and although they are scheduled for 23rd March it will depend ultimately on the infection rate.
What I see on the street - from my window and before my eyes according to my perspective - is division and confusion - despair and anger…and rebellion. Probably this is similar to what you see from your window: Everything is shaking. I am convinced that it is GOD Who is doing this shaking.
I am still working from home and the challenges are beyond this 75 year old woman who is technically an imbecile and who has ZERO technical vocabulary in English…LET ALONE HEBREW…SO: I had a panic attack today when the other secretar, who is still dealing with the needs of her 12 year old disabled daughter in a full body cast, called me and said (in Hebrew of course) 'Oh no!! The computers are down and we need to change the whole program and work with a technician to do it!' Now…You fully understand that when she says that we need to work with a technician that means that I have to have two telephones and my computer open and respond instantaneously to a lot of mumbled commands in Hebrew that I have no IDEA what they mean. Enter: GOD. The immediate challenge had so set my nerves on end that I FORGOT a planned prayer call with a dear sister. She called, faithful sister! Our call was of necessity short…but she prayed a 'silver bullet prayer' for me (one so right on the mark!) and having spent the last hour working with the computer, I am humbled (humiliated, yes, as well…) but, glory to God, I THINK that it will work. Working from home is more challenging than I would have expected…not least of these being the immediate constant presence of the refrigerator!
I am, OF COURSE, not alone in (ANY) of these challenges…and I KNOW that the one that I described is really a small one in the light of so much suffering… I could easily have described some far hugher. All around me are those trying to work from home with technology that they are just learning…or those seeking to know how to proceed…or NOT working and wanting/needing to. There are families dealing with the tensions of being 'together' more than their nerves can take and others fully not sure how to access resources to feed themselves…others leaning that they have lived beyond their means, and others finding themselves fully alone. And there are so very many sick and grieving and fearful. Maybe everyone isn't challenged by technology and language but surely no 'test' is 'light'…each one is being stretched and yes, many are breaking. And in my street I do see those who continue to reach out and try to help others. 'Human kindness' and even 'religious kindness' are sweet to the taste and comforting to the heart…and yet I suspect that THE TIME IS NOW and that The Lord is testing the metal of the hearts as gold is tried in the fire. “Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry." 2 Sam 22:8/Psalm 18:7
And for us here…Dare I say; He has given us our land according to His promises after 2,000 years and we must take that to heart! Are we?
"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. 'Now this, 'Yet once more ,'indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:25-29
We all are entering 2021 soberly. May we be precious in each other's sight, not taking one another for granted. May we not take ANYTHING or ANYONE for granted for nothing is guaranteed…except His faithfulness.
I look out my window and the rain has stopped for now. Much of the country has experienced floods. In His great MERCY the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) has raised 6 cm and is happily showing great promise of nearing full capacity this winter again. There is snow today on Mt. Hermon. My chicken soup is steaming in the pot…because it is 'the right vessel for the joy.' I fill it up…put it on full flame and put the pressure gauge on, allowing pressure to build up. I will store the leftover soup in it and when it is finished, I will scrub it with a steel scrubbing pad…put it away on the upper shelf in the cold dark back room…and not even thank it. It is a faithful vessel.
May you and I be too.
God bless you and keep you.
OH! You probably all know this…but a sister showed me the way to this song…and it has meant a lot to me during such a time as this. May it encourage you and help your focus to be fixed on Him! Lovingly, your sister here
Only A Holy God
December 11, 2020
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." JUDE 1:3
Loving greetings beloved sisters and brothers in His Light,
The Light of the world and The blessed Hope…may HE Alone be blessed and glorified and lifted up, because He really IS Worthy! And may you be edified and encouraged and blessed because the days are… what they are!
And that's not simple.
I was happy to see the familiar 'Chabad Chanukkiahs' (Chanukkiahs are the 8 branched candelabra with the raised center light that is prominent during the celebration of Chanukah) placed around the city today: I wasn't sure that they were going to be set up, the days being what they are, and indeed LAST year they seemed to be in much disrepair. 'Chabad' is a familiar name to many of you around the world. They are the main Orthodox Jewish 'evangelistic' outreach with 'shlachim' (missionaries) in the most far reaching countries. They are generally full of energy, good works and good will and reach out into the communities to Jew and non Jew alike as representatives, ambassadors, emissaries of Judaism. During the holidays they have many activities to both educate and draw together the Jewish community, both those who are wandering and those who are seeking…they share with open arms and are zealous and honest about it. I remember well when the first Chabad shlachim came to Alaska and we joined with them at least once for a Passover Seder and also Hebrew classes. Many of the young Israelis who travel the world after their compulsory army time, are warmly welcomed for Shabbat meals by the local Chabad in places as remote as Tibet!
AT ANY RATE…they are ALSO known for the giant, communal Chanukkiahs that they light in cities across the globe at Chanukkah.press here to see chabad menorah lighting in Moscow
Chanukkah! The festival of Lights, the time for celebrating the victory of Light over darkness, that 'incidentally' falls so very near the time that the coming of The True Light to Light every man is also celebrated. It is just 'right' that THE LIGHT should be celebrated at the darkest time of the year.
I didn't know what to expect this year really as the lockdowns continue and finances dwindle...activities are generally subdued as are the people…it can be volitile.
But here they are; Chanukkiahs, the 8 branched lamps…a candle lit each night at sunset to remember and represent, and re-tell the ancient story of the multiplication of the oil for the temple lamp…It took 8 days to produce the proper oil, but only one unbroken flask was found when the temple was recovered from the defilement of the Greeks… and yet…the miracle was that the oil multiplied and that the Light continued to burn for the full 8 days while the oil was being prepared according to the prescribed manner. THE MULTIPLYING OF THE LIGHT remains a challenge to us today: One small light…what can we do amidst so much discord, deception and lawlessness? One small Light…He multiplied it before… in the same manner than He fed the multitude with the loaves and fishes…by faith for the glory of God…HIS way!
Sofganiot…the Israeli (used to be) jelly donut, morphed over the past few years into an opulent, designed deep fried pastry…have appeared in all of the bakeries and markets. They are a traditional Chanukkah treat. When we first arrived some 26 years ago, there was ONE kind of sofganiot: an easy to resist jelly donut with a dab of raspberry jam and a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top (that usually disappeared into the donut as it cooled down). Then one year the fillings changed: chocolate, caramel, vanilla…and that was that! Play with tradition and suddenly ANYTHING goes! They are now a designer's delight and a dieter's nightmare.
Unlike Christmas celebrations in the west (or as they USED to be) people don't seem to go overboard with large gifts and Chanukkah gifts are generally given to children only. Being pleased and happy to receive a new pair of sox or some stickers is refreshing and the focus remains the retelling of the story, by song, in the streets and at home.
I haven't written because of the times and the seasons.
You do not need my opinion about ANYTHING. The Lord has not told me to write about my opinion- and there are so many opinions! He did tell me: 'What do you SEE? What you see…write."
But even when I 'see', I dare not write without His anointing…the fear of God is real and strong and I long to NOT share my own words, so I pray that whatever I do share will bring glory to Him. So many voices are currently raised.
So one of the things that I have seen from my seat - in the Middle East in the heart of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel…is a suddenly birthed 'peace treaty' with two Arab nations (others on the way): United Arab Emiratis and Bahrain. I wrote about it in one of my last letters and mentioned that there seemed something 'uncomfortable' to me about it. It seemed to be birthed through a need to stand unified against the Iranian threats and financial/material considerations. I kept thinking of the covenant that God made with Israel…God calling us to be a nation apart…God calling us to make no alliance, no pact with the nations around us…for HIS reasons. I was uncomfortable about this. As I listened to the speeches, there was no mention of God…indeed, He seemed an embarrassment. Science, achievement and enlightenment were the foundations of the agreements between the countries and I heard that in speeches again and again.
At work I got a call from O. 'I need a corona test quickly, with the results in English because I'm traveling tomorrow night.' I've known O since he was a kid and now he is 34. 'Where are you heading?' I asked him, knowing that most destinations are not open to us and very few people are traveling during this past year. 'Bahrain' he answered quickly. 'There is a VERY rich sheik there who wants to buy into Beitar Yerushalym [our most highly 'nationalistic' soccer/football team] and I have to go and negotiate.' I was taken aback. I knew about the decision to buy into our soccer club. Immediately after the signing of the 'peace accords' I had heard that investors had come to discuss 'investing in buildings in Tel Aviv' and other areas around the country. Red lights went off: Leviticus 25:23 "‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me." I remembered a statement by Yasser Arafat many years ago that had sent chills down my spine: 'We will not overthrow them by war…but through peace…' The Word of God flooded my mind…scripture after scripture concerning this land being HIS and not ours…a GIFT from God Himself…our scattering from it; a judgment…our possession of it, a sign of His favor. Indeed the nations are harshly judged over and again (Joel 3:2 …"And I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations. THEY ALSO HAVE DIVIDED UP MY LAND.") …and how much greater judgment will we be under if WE…for MONEY…SELL HIS LAND to our Arab neighbors?!? When an Arab Israeli or a Palestinian Arab is caught by his leadership selling land to a Jew, he is killed; it is a death penalty.
Oh brothers and sisters, this has brought fear to my heart. How lightly we have esteemed God's gift…and to sell it for money!
There is much that we don't understand clearly of God's ways. Over the years I have puzzled listening to God's people argue. I was re-reading an old article- Loving Israel as God Does by Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843) He wrote an amazing article more than 100 years before the re-birth of modern Israel about sharing GOD'S HEART for Israel and the Jews; NOT a popular topic at all back then, BUT GOD had opened the eyes of this one man who would fully seek His Face and he wrote "Should we not give them the same place in our heart which God gives them in His heart? Shall we be ashamed to cherish the same affection which our Heavenly Father cherishes? Shall we be ashamed to be unlike the world, and like God in this peculiar love for captive Israel?"
So with the people, so with the land. Do I pretend to UNDERSTAND this? NO! It is God's choice and God's prerogative, but his covenant with THIS PEOPLE and THIS LAND is intertwined and in the midst of all that is going on in the world and all of the huge issues that we have distracting us…I see God's people poking their finger in God's Eye and THIS makes me fear!
So, the sale went through…50% of the most nationalistic soccer team in Israel was sold in a blink of the eye negotiation to a rich Arab sheik as a gift to his son. Their vision for the team, and part of the agreement, is to make the team half Arab. Now do not get me wrong please! Most of our teams in the country are both Arab and Jewish and there are purely Arab teams as well. Beitar Yerushalym alone stood as it was. There is something very symbolic in this and if I may say, foreboding. Shouldn't OUR affections, also be His? 2 Kings 21:4…"He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.”
The altars in Jerusalem were defiled by the Greek captors in the days of the Maccabees when the Chanukkah miracle took place. It was in Jerusalem and the people were horrified by the defilement…ashamed. It does not seem that we are ashamed now…do we KNOW that we are defiled?: Defiled by choosing the world's gifts and ways over God's gifts and ways?
Light is a POWERFUL thing…probably one of the MOST powerful as it is part of His Name…He IS The Light.
Last night we lit the first light of Chanukkah amidst fighting and infighting…blame and raised voices. Yet another round of elections (don't we need that now??) has been set for early March as blaming continues and everyone has become an authority.
I had HOPED to write to you way before Chanukkah…and ATLEAST before the first light!
Yesterday after work (until the last moment no one knew if there would be a curfew or not) our younger daughter and our 2 Granddaughters came to ride the bus with us and lead us to their apartment…we had not yet been there and they moved several months ago already. Their last rental was destroyed to build more buildings that will be higher priced. M and N (6 and 4) were besides themselves with excitement. As they described their new home to me (again) N piped it with big wide eye…'Tata! Tata! And it has a…a DOOR!' That was the only thing that she could think of that hadn't yet been told. What a joy to be with them and to enjoy dinner cooked by our daughter. 'Maoz Tsur Yeshuati' (literally Stronghold Rock of my Salvation) was sung by the whole family after the candles were lit and I silently prayed 'Yes, Lord Yeshua! Our Rock, our Stronghold! Come! Save!' It was GOOD to be together and shut out the strife and reasonings…too often in The Name of The Lord.
As I have mentioned before, it is now a number of years ago that my heart was pressed to learn His ways in Judgment and I have recorded verse after verse as I read through the scriptures that teach me how recognize and how to walk in days of His judgment. This morning I saw something clearly that I have never seen this way before. As I read in Mark 15, I was struck by the verse 7 "A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising." Barabbas! When Yeshua walked this earth, the 'government' was an occupying force, and corrupt to the core. They were oppressive as well. None the less, Yeshua did not come to fight this battle but He came to bring us into His kingdom…one not build with hands…a kingdom eternal…a kingdom spiritual. Like our revered Maccabis who fought the Greeks, there were Jewish uprisings in the days when Yeshua was here. Barabbas took part in one of these. As I read the familiar verses this morning I began to shake as I watched the people among whom Yeshua had walked and healed and taught, cry out for Barabbas instead of Yeshua. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 I suddenly saw that wrestling in the flesh caused them to be deceived…to want the counterfeit over The Truth - there before them was The King of glory…The King of the Jews… and one of the brave warriors fighting the corrupt government. "But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.“Crucify him!” they shouted." Mark 15:10-12 THE COUNTERFEIT!
Oh brothers and sisters…we live in perilous times!
BUT THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKEST OF PLACES AND HE HAS GIVEN US LIGHT THAT WE MIGHT NOT WALK IN DARKNESS.
As we prepare to light the second candle on our chanukiah tonight, I want to attach a local article that was in our local newspaper today…an 'opinion piece' that was encouraging I thought…printed for the Chanukkah holiday. I share it with you:
This Hanukkah reinforces the power of the Jewish spirit
Opinion: As we light the first candle on this pandemic-hit holiday full of restrictions, we must remember we can still observe traditions and make each other's lives better, something our ancestors in darker periods of history could only dream of
Shoshana Hen | Published: 12.10.20 YNET
On a cold night in 1944, Auschwitz prisoner Yitzhak Cohen from the Greek city of Salonika contemplated suicide. The young man could no longer bear the misery, hunger, hard labor and death that constantly surrounded him. When someone asked him how one could commit suicide in Birkenau, Cohen replied: "You walk up to the electrified fence and hug it." Back in 1944, when Cohen was on his way to the fence, he heard loud singing coming from the building that housed the Sonderkommando, work units tasked with disposing of the bodies taken from the camp's gas chambers. Very quickly he recognized the song as "Ma'oz Tzur", a Jewish liturgical poem sung on the holiday of Hanukkah. Cohen realized it was the first day of the Jewish festival. Through a foggy window, he saw the dancing flame of a little candle, which the Sonderkommando had lit. He froze in place and was unable to go through with the suicide. That Hanukkah candle and the song made him hopeful again. Cohen would eventually survive the death camp and migrate to Israel, where he built a home and raised a family. On Thursday evening, when I will be looking at the first candle of Hanukkah burning on the Menorah on my windowsill, expecting the seven others to follow, I will remember that spark of hope. The first candle is the light of hope and belief in salvation against all odds. The light has followed the Jewish people for thousands of years, even through the harshest of times, and was never abandoned. When there was no Menorah or candle to light, Jews used potatoes, shoe boxes, rubber bands in tree trunks, strings from blankets, machine oil and even scraps of margarine. With the flame from that light rising to the heavens, our hearts burned with hope for deliverance. That is why on this Hanukkah, in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic refusing to leave us be, we will experience again the power of millions of tiny lights. It is no coincidence that the story of the Miracle of Hanukkah revolves around a tiny cruse of oil, which was meant to last one day, miraculously lasted for eight whole days of the festival. A true believer knows, had God wished so, he could have given the Maccabees eight cruses, but instead taught them the valuable lesson on what could be achieved with having a bare minimum. If we want our flame to keep burning, we must invest our time and energy into making it last. With enough effort, faith and determination, a small flame could destroy the darkness. Hanukkah in this coronavirus-hit year will be different, without the usual festivities we have become accustomed to. But we must keep things in proportion. We are far from the atrocities experienced by our ancestors during the Holocaust. We cannot partake in massive parties, meet with our extended families and risk the public's health, while sufganiyot (a round jelly doughnut eaten in Israel and around the world on Hanukkah) should be eaten outside on a park bench or straight out of the oil-stained cardboard box. But, we can still observe the tradition, while adhering to the health restrictions, as hard and upsetting as they may be. Rabbinical scriptures emphasize the tradition of lighting of the candles is the time of introspection, joy, hope and salvation. So, let's turn the tiny lights inside our homes into moments of jubilation for ourselves and think on how we can light the hearts of those who are all alone on this holiday. How will we light up the hearts of the elderly, parents, families who had to go through two lockdowns, teachers, health care workers and those battling the disease? The relatives and friends of those who have succumbed to the virus, which has already taken nearly 3,000 lives? All of them are heroes. We must now stop the infighting and think on how to bring light into each other's lives. If a single candle can save a young man in Birkenau, think of how much good those lights can do for us now.
__________________________________________
Adding a short personal note to this very long letter.
Most of you know that for many years I was part of the Lydia Prayer Fellowship and I do know some of you from there. Some of you may not know that Joan Phillips went home to be with Him recently. I would not have shared it this way if I could have thought who I should contact personally. Please forgive my bluntness.
Now I close this letter, thanking you for taking the time to read it and truly praying that you each are walking in His Light sustained by His Spirit for His glory! May you be refreshed in Him as you celebrate THEN LIGHT that made us brothers and sisters. May you be kept by the power of His Spirit…and blessed with His peace to bring forth fruit for His kingdom.
Lovingly, your sister in Jerusalem
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." JUDE 1:3
Loving greetings beloved sisters and brothers in His Light,
The Light of the world and The blessed Hope…may HE Alone be blessed and glorified and lifted up, because He really IS Worthy! And may you be edified and encouraged and blessed because the days are… what they are!
And that's not simple.
I was happy to see the familiar 'Chabad Chanukkiahs' (Chanukkiahs are the 8 branched candelabra with the raised center light that is prominent during the celebration of Chanukah) placed around the city today: I wasn't sure that they were going to be set up, the days being what they are, and indeed LAST year they seemed to be in much disrepair. 'Chabad' is a familiar name to many of you around the world. They are the main Orthodox Jewish 'evangelistic' outreach with 'shlachim' (missionaries) in the most far reaching countries. They are generally full of energy, good works and good will and reach out into the communities to Jew and non Jew alike as representatives, ambassadors, emissaries of Judaism. During the holidays they have many activities to both educate and draw together the Jewish community, both those who are wandering and those who are seeking…they share with open arms and are zealous and honest about it. I remember well when the first Chabad shlachim came to Alaska and we joined with them at least once for a Passover Seder and also Hebrew classes. Many of the young Israelis who travel the world after their compulsory army time, are warmly welcomed for Shabbat meals by the local Chabad in places as remote as Tibet!
AT ANY RATE…they are ALSO known for the giant, communal Chanukkiahs that they light in cities across the globe at Chanukkah.press here to see chabad menorah lighting in Moscow
Chanukkah! The festival of Lights, the time for celebrating the victory of Light over darkness, that 'incidentally' falls so very near the time that the coming of The True Light to Light every man is also celebrated. It is just 'right' that THE LIGHT should be celebrated at the darkest time of the year.
I didn't know what to expect this year really as the lockdowns continue and finances dwindle...activities are generally subdued as are the people…it can be volitile.
But here they are; Chanukkiahs, the 8 branched lamps…a candle lit each night at sunset to remember and represent, and re-tell the ancient story of the multiplication of the oil for the temple lamp…It took 8 days to produce the proper oil, but only one unbroken flask was found when the temple was recovered from the defilement of the Greeks… and yet…the miracle was that the oil multiplied and that the Light continued to burn for the full 8 days while the oil was being prepared according to the prescribed manner. THE MULTIPLYING OF THE LIGHT remains a challenge to us today: One small light…what can we do amidst so much discord, deception and lawlessness? One small Light…He multiplied it before… in the same manner than He fed the multitude with the loaves and fishes…by faith for the glory of God…HIS way!
Sofganiot…the Israeli (used to be) jelly donut, morphed over the past few years into an opulent, designed deep fried pastry…have appeared in all of the bakeries and markets. They are a traditional Chanukkah treat. When we first arrived some 26 years ago, there was ONE kind of sofganiot: an easy to resist jelly donut with a dab of raspberry jam and a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top (that usually disappeared into the donut as it cooled down). Then one year the fillings changed: chocolate, caramel, vanilla…and that was that! Play with tradition and suddenly ANYTHING goes! They are now a designer's delight and a dieter's nightmare.
Unlike Christmas celebrations in the west (or as they USED to be) people don't seem to go overboard with large gifts and Chanukkah gifts are generally given to children only. Being pleased and happy to receive a new pair of sox or some stickers is refreshing and the focus remains the retelling of the story, by song, in the streets and at home.
I haven't written because of the times and the seasons.
You do not need my opinion about ANYTHING. The Lord has not told me to write about my opinion- and there are so many opinions! He did tell me: 'What do you SEE? What you see…write."
But even when I 'see', I dare not write without His anointing…the fear of God is real and strong and I long to NOT share my own words, so I pray that whatever I do share will bring glory to Him. So many voices are currently raised.
So one of the things that I have seen from my seat - in the Middle East in the heart of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel…is a suddenly birthed 'peace treaty' with two Arab nations (others on the way): United Arab Emiratis and Bahrain. I wrote about it in one of my last letters and mentioned that there seemed something 'uncomfortable' to me about it. It seemed to be birthed through a need to stand unified against the Iranian threats and financial/material considerations. I kept thinking of the covenant that God made with Israel…God calling us to be a nation apart…God calling us to make no alliance, no pact with the nations around us…for HIS reasons. I was uncomfortable about this. As I listened to the speeches, there was no mention of God…indeed, He seemed an embarrassment. Science, achievement and enlightenment were the foundations of the agreements between the countries and I heard that in speeches again and again.
At work I got a call from O. 'I need a corona test quickly, with the results in English because I'm traveling tomorrow night.' I've known O since he was a kid and now he is 34. 'Where are you heading?' I asked him, knowing that most destinations are not open to us and very few people are traveling during this past year. 'Bahrain' he answered quickly. 'There is a VERY rich sheik there who wants to buy into Beitar Yerushalym [our most highly 'nationalistic' soccer/football team] and I have to go and negotiate.' I was taken aback. I knew about the decision to buy into our soccer club. Immediately after the signing of the 'peace accords' I had heard that investors had come to discuss 'investing in buildings in Tel Aviv' and other areas around the country. Red lights went off: Leviticus 25:23 "‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me." I remembered a statement by Yasser Arafat many years ago that had sent chills down my spine: 'We will not overthrow them by war…but through peace…' The Word of God flooded my mind…scripture after scripture concerning this land being HIS and not ours…a GIFT from God Himself…our scattering from it; a judgment…our possession of it, a sign of His favor. Indeed the nations are harshly judged over and again (Joel 3:2 …"And I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations. THEY ALSO HAVE DIVIDED UP MY LAND.") …and how much greater judgment will we be under if WE…for MONEY…SELL HIS LAND to our Arab neighbors?!? When an Arab Israeli or a Palestinian Arab is caught by his leadership selling land to a Jew, he is killed; it is a death penalty.
Oh brothers and sisters, this has brought fear to my heart. How lightly we have esteemed God's gift…and to sell it for money!
There is much that we don't understand clearly of God's ways. Over the years I have puzzled listening to God's people argue. I was re-reading an old article- Loving Israel as God Does by Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843) He wrote an amazing article more than 100 years before the re-birth of modern Israel about sharing GOD'S HEART for Israel and the Jews; NOT a popular topic at all back then, BUT GOD had opened the eyes of this one man who would fully seek His Face and he wrote "Should we not give them the same place in our heart which God gives them in His heart? Shall we be ashamed to cherish the same affection which our Heavenly Father cherishes? Shall we be ashamed to be unlike the world, and like God in this peculiar love for captive Israel?"
So with the people, so with the land. Do I pretend to UNDERSTAND this? NO! It is God's choice and God's prerogative, but his covenant with THIS PEOPLE and THIS LAND is intertwined and in the midst of all that is going on in the world and all of the huge issues that we have distracting us…I see God's people poking their finger in God's Eye and THIS makes me fear!
So, the sale went through…50% of the most nationalistic soccer team in Israel was sold in a blink of the eye negotiation to a rich Arab sheik as a gift to his son. Their vision for the team, and part of the agreement, is to make the team half Arab. Now do not get me wrong please! Most of our teams in the country are both Arab and Jewish and there are purely Arab teams as well. Beitar Yerushalym alone stood as it was. There is something very symbolic in this and if I may say, foreboding. Shouldn't OUR affections, also be His? 2 Kings 21:4…"He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.”
The altars in Jerusalem were defiled by the Greek captors in the days of the Maccabees when the Chanukkah miracle took place. It was in Jerusalem and the people were horrified by the defilement…ashamed. It does not seem that we are ashamed now…do we KNOW that we are defiled?: Defiled by choosing the world's gifts and ways over God's gifts and ways?
Light is a POWERFUL thing…probably one of the MOST powerful as it is part of His Name…He IS The Light.
Last night we lit the first light of Chanukkah amidst fighting and infighting…blame and raised voices. Yet another round of elections (don't we need that now??) has been set for early March as blaming continues and everyone has become an authority.
I had HOPED to write to you way before Chanukkah…and ATLEAST before the first light!
Yesterday after work (until the last moment no one knew if there would be a curfew or not) our younger daughter and our 2 Granddaughters came to ride the bus with us and lead us to their apartment…we had not yet been there and they moved several months ago already. Their last rental was destroyed to build more buildings that will be higher priced. M and N (6 and 4) were besides themselves with excitement. As they described their new home to me (again) N piped it with big wide eye…'Tata! Tata! And it has a…a DOOR!' That was the only thing that she could think of that hadn't yet been told. What a joy to be with them and to enjoy dinner cooked by our daughter. 'Maoz Tsur Yeshuati' (literally Stronghold Rock of my Salvation) was sung by the whole family after the candles were lit and I silently prayed 'Yes, Lord Yeshua! Our Rock, our Stronghold! Come! Save!' It was GOOD to be together and shut out the strife and reasonings…too often in The Name of The Lord.
As I have mentioned before, it is now a number of years ago that my heart was pressed to learn His ways in Judgment and I have recorded verse after verse as I read through the scriptures that teach me how recognize and how to walk in days of His judgment. This morning I saw something clearly that I have never seen this way before. As I read in Mark 15, I was struck by the verse 7 "A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising." Barabbas! When Yeshua walked this earth, the 'government' was an occupying force, and corrupt to the core. They were oppressive as well. None the less, Yeshua did not come to fight this battle but He came to bring us into His kingdom…one not build with hands…a kingdom eternal…a kingdom spiritual. Like our revered Maccabis who fought the Greeks, there were Jewish uprisings in the days when Yeshua was here. Barabbas took part in one of these. As I read the familiar verses this morning I began to shake as I watched the people among whom Yeshua had walked and healed and taught, cry out for Barabbas instead of Yeshua. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 I suddenly saw that wrestling in the flesh caused them to be deceived…to want the counterfeit over The Truth - there before them was The King of glory…The King of the Jews… and one of the brave warriors fighting the corrupt government. "But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.“Crucify him!” they shouted." Mark 15:10-12 THE COUNTERFEIT!
Oh brothers and sisters…we live in perilous times!
BUT THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKEST OF PLACES AND HE HAS GIVEN US LIGHT THAT WE MIGHT NOT WALK IN DARKNESS.
As we prepare to light the second candle on our chanukiah tonight, I want to attach a local article that was in our local newspaper today…an 'opinion piece' that was encouraging I thought…printed for the Chanukkah holiday. I share it with you:
This Hanukkah reinforces the power of the Jewish spirit
Opinion: As we light the first candle on this pandemic-hit holiday full of restrictions, we must remember we can still observe traditions and make each other's lives better, something our ancestors in darker periods of history could only dream of
Shoshana Hen | Published: 12.10.20 YNET
On a cold night in 1944, Auschwitz prisoner Yitzhak Cohen from the Greek city of Salonika contemplated suicide. The young man could no longer bear the misery, hunger, hard labor and death that constantly surrounded him. When someone asked him how one could commit suicide in Birkenau, Cohen replied: "You walk up to the electrified fence and hug it." Back in 1944, when Cohen was on his way to the fence, he heard loud singing coming from the building that housed the Sonderkommando, work units tasked with disposing of the bodies taken from the camp's gas chambers. Very quickly he recognized the song as "Ma'oz Tzur", a Jewish liturgical poem sung on the holiday of Hanukkah. Cohen realized it was the first day of the Jewish festival. Through a foggy window, he saw the dancing flame of a little candle, which the Sonderkommando had lit. He froze in place and was unable to go through with the suicide. That Hanukkah candle and the song made him hopeful again. Cohen would eventually survive the death camp and migrate to Israel, where he built a home and raised a family. On Thursday evening, when I will be looking at the first candle of Hanukkah burning on the Menorah on my windowsill, expecting the seven others to follow, I will remember that spark of hope. The first candle is the light of hope and belief in salvation against all odds. The light has followed the Jewish people for thousands of years, even through the harshest of times, and was never abandoned. When there was no Menorah or candle to light, Jews used potatoes, shoe boxes, rubber bands in tree trunks, strings from blankets, machine oil and even scraps of margarine. With the flame from that light rising to the heavens, our hearts burned with hope for deliverance. That is why on this Hanukkah, in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic refusing to leave us be, we will experience again the power of millions of tiny lights. It is no coincidence that the story of the Miracle of Hanukkah revolves around a tiny cruse of oil, which was meant to last one day, miraculously lasted for eight whole days of the festival. A true believer knows, had God wished so, he could have given the Maccabees eight cruses, but instead taught them the valuable lesson on what could be achieved with having a bare minimum. If we want our flame to keep burning, we must invest our time and energy into making it last. With enough effort, faith and determination, a small flame could destroy the darkness. Hanukkah in this coronavirus-hit year will be different, without the usual festivities we have become accustomed to. But we must keep things in proportion. We are far from the atrocities experienced by our ancestors during the Holocaust. We cannot partake in massive parties, meet with our extended families and risk the public's health, while sufganiyot (a round jelly doughnut eaten in Israel and around the world on Hanukkah) should be eaten outside on a park bench or straight out of the oil-stained cardboard box. But, we can still observe the tradition, while adhering to the health restrictions, as hard and upsetting as they may be. Rabbinical scriptures emphasize the tradition of lighting of the candles is the time of introspection, joy, hope and salvation. So, let's turn the tiny lights inside our homes into moments of jubilation for ourselves and think on how we can light the hearts of those who are all alone on this holiday. How will we light up the hearts of the elderly, parents, families who had to go through two lockdowns, teachers, health care workers and those battling the disease? The relatives and friends of those who have succumbed to the virus, which has already taken nearly 3,000 lives? All of them are heroes. We must now stop the infighting and think on how to bring light into each other's lives. If a single candle can save a young man in Birkenau, think of how much good those lights can do for us now.
__________________________________________
Adding a short personal note to this very long letter.
Most of you know that for many years I was part of the Lydia Prayer Fellowship and I do know some of you from there. Some of you may not know that Joan Phillips went home to be with Him recently. I would not have shared it this way if I could have thought who I should contact personally. Please forgive my bluntness.
Now I close this letter, thanking you for taking the time to read it and truly praying that you each are walking in His Light sustained by His Spirit for His glory! May you be refreshed in Him as you celebrate THEN LIGHT that made us brothers and sisters. May you be kept by the power of His Spirit…and blessed with His peace to bring forth fruit for His kingdom.
Lovingly, your sister in Jerusalem
October 10, 2020
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." PHILIPPIANS 4:8
Greetings sisters and brothers, in The Name of Yeshua, The ONLY answer to every question and need. May He be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged!
I LOVE Philippians 4:8! We used to sing it when I first came to know Him and I still sing it; it tells me HOW I'm supposed to walk through 'such a time as this': the ONLY way that I can walk through in Him with any form of victory… for the days are evil.
This lockdown seems far more oppressive than the last one. I read to my husband (who is profoundly dyslexic) and I have read to him every book that I have that he wants to hear. People are angry and divided and blaming one another and each one is so sure that they know 'the answer'. I am of the opinion that NO ONE KNOWS THE ANSWER and that that indeed is God's plan. He has surely humbled the world, the leaders of the world, made the wisdom of this world foolishness as we rage against one another. Focus! Focus! Focus on Him Who Alone is GOOD!
NEVER…in my wildest imagination would I have thought to see a Sukkot like this one!
Leviticus 23: 33-44 "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles [SUKKOT] for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. ‘These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations…" "Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths [SUKKAH] for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths [SUKKAH], that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths [SUKKAH] when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ ” So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.
When we first arrived in 1994 as new immigrants, 'green off the boat' as we used to say, we were taken by surprise by every turn of events. We were walking downtown during our first experience of Sukkot in Jerusalem (yes, we celebrated when I was a child, but it was just a vague celebration in the synagogue…not EVERYWHERE like it is here!) We were waiting to take a bus home when suddenly people began to line the main road and all traffic stopped. It was October and our language skills were still nil so all we could do was watch and listen. We had NO idea what was happening. Suddenly we heard noise…and music…and a HUGE PARADE began that went on for some 3-4 hours in front of our eyes! People from more than (at the time) 80 nations joined in with different Israeli groups for the Sukkot March…displaying national flags and costumes, throwing candy and souvenirs and flags to the joyful onlookers…singing and dancing, carrying signs that proudly displayed scriptures …oh my we were in shock and dazzled!
Over the past 25 years we have watched this evolve, changing character somewhat, encouraging through times of war and intifada and trials…but none the less THERE encouraging the people steadily, through war AND non-war seasons. When we first came there was only one (I think) group sponsoring the international festival of the Christian Feast of Tabernacles and that was the International Christian Embassy. At the time, they were at the forefront of sharing with the Church worldwide the importance of understanding the Scriptural festivals and who Israel is from God's perspective…in many ways they were a voice crying in the wilderness. In just 25 short years so many groups have formed …so many congresses and convocations and teachers have gathered Christians from all the corners of the earth to 'come and see and partake' in these festivals. Some has become commercial…some distorted…nevertheless they have continued to share with the Church worldwide.
But it is a shock to watch it ALL STOP SUDDENLY!: WITH NO ONE IN THE STREETS.
Our own Sukkah, which was such a joy to me when we lived in the other apartment (We were on the ground floor then and built our sukka under the clothes line), is now just a few flowering leaves added to God's own 'sukkah' of the big tree which overhangs our merepesset (balcony) and some bright plastic grapes and pomegranates. But there are sukkas around…much more simple this year because no one is allowed into them except one's own immediate blood family: And THAT is what totally breaks the Rabbinic tradition of the sukkah being filled to overflowing with guests.
When you read the verses above however, it does NOT break the SCRIPTURAL command! And so, quietly, quietly, sukkas pop up all around the city…on merepessets, in gardens or alley ways…where ever there is a space. They are quiet at night… each one with their own family…some with singing and some without. There are less sukkas for sure. All restaurants and hotels are closed, so there are no fancy decorations. For those of you who have been here before; all of Jaffa Road -King George is CLOSED…NO stores open except for pharmacies and cleaning supplies. YET THE COMMAND IS FOLLOWED.
HOWEVER…it is not without spiritual opposition. The black flag movement under its false banner of 'Democracy' when it is truly 'anarchy' has used this time to raise its ugly head. As around the world, so also here. For this too I have a front row seat in which I have shed tears.
Up until this lockdown they have been confining themselves to burgeoning riots in front of Prime Minister Netanyahu's house/neighborhood or, ofcourse, Tel Aviv. When the lockdown came, a ban was issued against demonstrators gathering in groups of more than 20 and traveling farther than one kilometer from home. (It passed inspite of legal battles stating that the ban against demonstrations was 'destroying democracy and leading to a dictatorship') I'm afraid that it was like trying to cut certain snakes in half and finding the horror of them becoming two.
The fast of Yom Kippur was not even yet over when we heard awful noise outside of our apartment. We live, as I have said, on a very busy and noisy corner of a major road. Shrill whistles plugged into microphones along with horns and drums and monotone screamed chants began…and continued for 5 hours. (very few masks and no 'social distancing') I thought about descriptions of prisoner of war camps from WW 2 (yes, I am that old) and remembered hearing about the blaring noise…the monotone… and it was called torture and it felt like torture. I thought about my small Grandchildren and what their temper tantrums look like when they don't get their way. I was getting angry and prayed and cried out for mercy, but the wearing on my nerves continued. We shuttered ourselves in inspite of the oppressive heat. I put on head phones with worship music and the drum beat pressed through robbing me of any peace. I requested that the body here pray for I knew that my response was NOT pleasing to The Lord, and they did pray and we have had some reprieve several nights…and grace other nights.
LAST NIGHT HOWEVER WAS THE END OF THE LAST GREAT DAY OF THE FEAST …HOSHANNAH RABA… THE GREAT PRAISE… JOHN 7:37-38 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” The evening of the last great day of the feast signals the onset of Simchat Torah (The Joy of the Torah or the Scriptures).
Every Friday night in the square across from our house, men have been gathering to pray since the synagogues are not open. It has been peaceful and we have sat outside and listened to the singing and reading. I wondered what would happen last night…if there would be a clash with the demonstrations. But last night there were no black flags…there was a Torah scroll set out on a white table cloth and the men gathered, in masks, keeping set distance apart and they began to overflow with JOY and STRONG SINGING. The Rabbis had been told that they were to refrain from kissing the Torah scrolls, passing them around, and dancing together and we observed their order…they did just that, but it did not quell their joy, on the contrary, as they kept the rules, they seemed to explode with joy, many dancing ecstatically but separately from one another as the full bodied songs - scriptures and blessings - continued well into the night. Only one man held the Torah which was not passed around. What a peaceful atmosphere settled!
Simchat Torah ends the cycle of reading through the scriptures for the past year and begins the new cycle of reading for this year. Jews around the world begin again with Genesis 1:1 (Be're'sheet) next Friday night. There are many more 'traditions' surrounding Simchat Torah, but I suspect that all of you can catch the vision of having a celebration to rejoice over THE WORD OF GOD! To REALLY REJOICE that we have been given such a gift!!
"In the beginning God…"! GENESIS 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…" JOHN 1:1
OH THIS STRANGE YEAR! OH THIS YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW HIM! TO KNOW HIM WHO ALONE HAS THE ANSWERS. There is a Jewish blessing that begins or ends many prayers, the translation of which says 'Blessed are You O Eternal God King of the universe Who has brought us to such a time as this'. SUCH A TIME AS THIS! HIS PURPOSES….AND HIS WAY OF WALKING THROUGH AND IN THIS TIME! May we all find Him in our needs which are so large…but may HE be magnified in our eyes. May HE ALONE be MAGNIFIED! He is indeed speaking….that Still Small Voice.
Lovingly, your sister in the battle.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." PHILIPPIANS 4:8
Greetings sisters and brothers, in The Name of Yeshua, The ONLY answer to every question and need. May He be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged!
I LOVE Philippians 4:8! We used to sing it when I first came to know Him and I still sing it; it tells me HOW I'm supposed to walk through 'such a time as this': the ONLY way that I can walk through in Him with any form of victory… for the days are evil.
This lockdown seems far more oppressive than the last one. I read to my husband (who is profoundly dyslexic) and I have read to him every book that I have that he wants to hear. People are angry and divided and blaming one another and each one is so sure that they know 'the answer'. I am of the opinion that NO ONE KNOWS THE ANSWER and that that indeed is God's plan. He has surely humbled the world, the leaders of the world, made the wisdom of this world foolishness as we rage against one another. Focus! Focus! Focus on Him Who Alone is GOOD!
NEVER…in my wildest imagination would I have thought to see a Sukkot like this one!
Leviticus 23: 33-44 "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles [SUKKOT] for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. ‘These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations…" "Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths [SUKKAH] for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths [SUKKAH], that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths [SUKKAH] when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ ” So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.
When we first arrived in 1994 as new immigrants, 'green off the boat' as we used to say, we were taken by surprise by every turn of events. We were walking downtown during our first experience of Sukkot in Jerusalem (yes, we celebrated when I was a child, but it was just a vague celebration in the synagogue…not EVERYWHERE like it is here!) We were waiting to take a bus home when suddenly people began to line the main road and all traffic stopped. It was October and our language skills were still nil so all we could do was watch and listen. We had NO idea what was happening. Suddenly we heard noise…and music…and a HUGE PARADE began that went on for some 3-4 hours in front of our eyes! People from more than (at the time) 80 nations joined in with different Israeli groups for the Sukkot March…displaying national flags and costumes, throwing candy and souvenirs and flags to the joyful onlookers…singing and dancing, carrying signs that proudly displayed scriptures …oh my we were in shock and dazzled!
Over the past 25 years we have watched this evolve, changing character somewhat, encouraging through times of war and intifada and trials…but none the less THERE encouraging the people steadily, through war AND non-war seasons. When we first came there was only one (I think) group sponsoring the international festival of the Christian Feast of Tabernacles and that was the International Christian Embassy. At the time, they were at the forefront of sharing with the Church worldwide the importance of understanding the Scriptural festivals and who Israel is from God's perspective…in many ways they were a voice crying in the wilderness. In just 25 short years so many groups have formed …so many congresses and convocations and teachers have gathered Christians from all the corners of the earth to 'come and see and partake' in these festivals. Some has become commercial…some distorted…nevertheless they have continued to share with the Church worldwide.
But it is a shock to watch it ALL STOP SUDDENLY!: WITH NO ONE IN THE STREETS.
Our own Sukkah, which was such a joy to me when we lived in the other apartment (We were on the ground floor then and built our sukka under the clothes line), is now just a few flowering leaves added to God's own 'sukkah' of the big tree which overhangs our merepesset (balcony) and some bright plastic grapes and pomegranates. But there are sukkas around…much more simple this year because no one is allowed into them except one's own immediate blood family: And THAT is what totally breaks the Rabbinic tradition of the sukkah being filled to overflowing with guests.
When you read the verses above however, it does NOT break the SCRIPTURAL command! And so, quietly, quietly, sukkas pop up all around the city…on merepessets, in gardens or alley ways…where ever there is a space. They are quiet at night… each one with their own family…some with singing and some without. There are less sukkas for sure. All restaurants and hotels are closed, so there are no fancy decorations. For those of you who have been here before; all of Jaffa Road -King George is CLOSED…NO stores open except for pharmacies and cleaning supplies. YET THE COMMAND IS FOLLOWED.
HOWEVER…it is not without spiritual opposition. The black flag movement under its false banner of 'Democracy' when it is truly 'anarchy' has used this time to raise its ugly head. As around the world, so also here. For this too I have a front row seat in which I have shed tears.
Up until this lockdown they have been confining themselves to burgeoning riots in front of Prime Minister Netanyahu's house/neighborhood or, ofcourse, Tel Aviv. When the lockdown came, a ban was issued against demonstrators gathering in groups of more than 20 and traveling farther than one kilometer from home. (It passed inspite of legal battles stating that the ban against demonstrations was 'destroying democracy and leading to a dictatorship') I'm afraid that it was like trying to cut certain snakes in half and finding the horror of them becoming two.
The fast of Yom Kippur was not even yet over when we heard awful noise outside of our apartment. We live, as I have said, on a very busy and noisy corner of a major road. Shrill whistles plugged into microphones along with horns and drums and monotone screamed chants began…and continued for 5 hours. (very few masks and no 'social distancing') I thought about descriptions of prisoner of war camps from WW 2 (yes, I am that old) and remembered hearing about the blaring noise…the monotone… and it was called torture and it felt like torture. I thought about my small Grandchildren and what their temper tantrums look like when they don't get their way. I was getting angry and prayed and cried out for mercy, but the wearing on my nerves continued. We shuttered ourselves in inspite of the oppressive heat. I put on head phones with worship music and the drum beat pressed through robbing me of any peace. I requested that the body here pray for I knew that my response was NOT pleasing to The Lord, and they did pray and we have had some reprieve several nights…and grace other nights.
LAST NIGHT HOWEVER WAS THE END OF THE LAST GREAT DAY OF THE FEAST …HOSHANNAH RABA… THE GREAT PRAISE… JOHN 7:37-38 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” The evening of the last great day of the feast signals the onset of Simchat Torah (The Joy of the Torah or the Scriptures).
Every Friday night in the square across from our house, men have been gathering to pray since the synagogues are not open. It has been peaceful and we have sat outside and listened to the singing and reading. I wondered what would happen last night…if there would be a clash with the demonstrations. But last night there were no black flags…there was a Torah scroll set out on a white table cloth and the men gathered, in masks, keeping set distance apart and they began to overflow with JOY and STRONG SINGING. The Rabbis had been told that they were to refrain from kissing the Torah scrolls, passing them around, and dancing together and we observed their order…they did just that, but it did not quell their joy, on the contrary, as they kept the rules, they seemed to explode with joy, many dancing ecstatically but separately from one another as the full bodied songs - scriptures and blessings - continued well into the night. Only one man held the Torah which was not passed around. What a peaceful atmosphere settled!
Simchat Torah ends the cycle of reading through the scriptures for the past year and begins the new cycle of reading for this year. Jews around the world begin again with Genesis 1:1 (Be're'sheet) next Friday night. There are many more 'traditions' surrounding Simchat Torah, but I suspect that all of you can catch the vision of having a celebration to rejoice over THE WORD OF GOD! To REALLY REJOICE that we have been given such a gift!!
"In the beginning God…"! GENESIS 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…" JOHN 1:1
OH THIS STRANGE YEAR! OH THIS YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW HIM! TO KNOW HIM WHO ALONE HAS THE ANSWERS. There is a Jewish blessing that begins or ends many prayers, the translation of which says 'Blessed are You O Eternal God King of the universe Who has brought us to such a time as this'. SUCH A TIME AS THIS! HIS PURPOSES….AND HIS WAY OF WALKING THROUGH AND IN THIS TIME! May we all find Him in our needs which are so large…but may HE be magnified in our eyes. May HE ALONE be MAGNIFIED! He is indeed speaking….that Still Small Voice.
Lovingly, your sister in the battle.
September 28, 2020
"Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way." Romans 14:13
Loving greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach! May we be found in the full peace of His perfect Atonement…in awe of what He has done, resolved to follow Him only and to bring Him glory with whatever days and ways He has given us in this life. May He Alone be blessed and glorified and my you be edified and encouraged.
Twenty four years ago today I hand wrote my first 'big letter'…intended for one friend. Then realizing that I wanted to send the same words to two other friends…and it was SO long…that I photocopied it. It was my first Yom Kippur as an Israeli citizen living in Jerusalem and I was truly overwhelmed with the 'newness' of it all! NOT with Yom Kippur, for I had grown up with the understanding that this was the 'holiest' day in the Jewish year…the day of the Judgment; the day of
the sealing of the Book of life unto another year…or not: Most important, the day of REPENTANCE and of afflicting our souls as a people. From the age of 8 I was expected to join in the full fast. Before that, I could color quietly on the floor with my younger sister or look at books…but quietly…and the sense of revenant awe remains with me to this day: There was the fear of God Almighty. Growing up in a mixed neighborhood in NYC America, and going to a public school, we sort of 'sequestered' ourselves within our home for the day except for my father's synagogue attendance, while the rest of the world swirled around us as usual.
How DIFFERENT Yom Kippur proved to be upon my arrival in Israel! EVERYTHING STOPPED! EVERYTHING!
NO stores were open…no vehicles ran…all transportation ceased and our Airport closed. There was no radio or
television. (it was still before the internet arrived or even cable tv) There was SILENCE…a real sense of a holy hush… UNTIL! Suddenly the streets (we lived in the Gilo neighborhood at the time) were FILLED with yelling, screaming bike riding kids! I was SHOCKED! We immigrated (made aliyah) during the great Russian aliyah, and our neighborhood was pretty much Russian speaking so I thought something like 'Oh! They probably don't know…' . Our neighborhood was ALSO bordered just below us by a Moslem neighborhood which took the opportunity to turn the volume on the minaret loud speaker to 'blasting' and read the Koran and preached some very fiery sermons ALL day. Meanwhile (I kid you not!) we were sharing the apartment with a couple from Australia who were volunteering. They were not Jewish and hadn't much understanding of Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:29, Levit.23:26, Zech 8:18, Hebrews 9…) and the husband was experiencing some severe culture shock (they left soon after)…so he got wildly drunk that day. It was a bit surreal…
I took a piece of paper and began to write.
I have come to find out that the 'bike riding noisy streets' is actually a sort of Israeli thing…that I TOTALLY do NOT understand. It saddens me yearly as I watch the peace shattered. We currently live on a particularly noisy and central corner so I was up all night last night trying to remember to pray for the unruly teens outside.
It was perfect, because The Lord had really been dealing deeply with my heart about the judgmental and critical spirit that came with me into my life in Him and hadn't yet been transformed. This is a set apart time of Repentance. (we as Believers KNOW that we have our precious Redemption sealed by The Blood of The Lamb and that we are not seeking further redemption…BUT REPENTANCE is given to us for sure as a daily gift by The Holy Spirit, so, what a BLESSING to have a day set aside to pray for our brethren…and ALSO to let Him examine our own hearts.)
I had not one nice thought or uncritical prayer to pray for the rowdy noisy crowd outside!
The Lord surely set the tone of the day in my particular home!
My husband and I read out loud and were finishing up 2 Chronicles and then we read through the Book of Revelation this morning. The Word always softens our hearts when The Holy Spirit teaches, eh? Once I left off reading out loud, I had felt led to read through 1 and 2 Corinthians…BUT FIRST…I might as well finish Romans (as it has been part of my daily New Covenant reading). And THERE IT WAS! Romans 14:13…RESOLVE! That is a wonderful word like 'CHOOSE'…my
word for the year! He is just so faithful! REPENT! PRAY! RESOLVE! CHOOSE! YES LORD!
I was blessed with some corporate prayer that our Pastor set up on zoom and then I found an old message preached by a man who was most influential in my life and walk with Him, Campbell McAlpine, of blessed memory. Talk about hammering the nail in the coffin (may it be!) of a judgmental critical spirit…one who has loved her own opinions! PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I HAVE OFFENDED ANY OF YOU!
AS OF THIS MOMENT MY HEART HAS THAT QUIET PEACE THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM HIS REDEMPTION. ISN'T IT WONDERFUL? (as I speak to those who know The Same Lord!)
So…I'm smiling as I write a brief update to you.
Of course, as I said, we have no 'news broadcasts' here today (refreshing) but, yes, we are again in a sort of full lockdown, still being fine-tuned. I know that a number of you (particularly our nurse and doctor friends out there) have followed Israel's walk through the darkness of an enemy that no one on earth knows how to deal with or can see and
has no experience with. At this point our numbers are seriously shocking. These are the things that it looks like will be 'allowed' this time (if we will follow the pretty simple rules): Outdoor exercise…walking and bike riding…walking dogs…taking children to parks (social distanced)… necessary food and supply shopping and medicaappointments …necessities. Considered 'a necessary foundation stone of 'democracy' (which we are so proud of)(sorry…that is sarcastic) is … demonstrations against the government… which have been pretty out of hand. This MAY change tomorrow…along with indoor worship and gatherings (like Yom Kippur in synagogues and Sukkot…) They are effectively cancelled and my fervent prayer is that what has taken place corporately (the services that often become traditions) will cause a REAL understanding and move in the hearts of the people…that there will be a quiet into which GOD can speak.
We have an opportunity that we can't take lightly and oh I am praying that He will use me in real prayer! The prayer that The Holy Spirit initiates for The Glory of GOD.
I am still working from home and I am deeply thankful that I can still work. Eric's shop is closed as hair salons are not allowed to operate for 2 weeks past already. His medical procedure is postponed until after Sukkot at least but the
hospitals are in dire straits so that remains uncertain. I have no doubt that it is certain before The Lord and we have peace about that. Sukkot begins on the 2 of October this year. It will be interesting. I am thankful for zoom and facetime, and whats app video for times of prayer and seeing beloved faces. I was thinking about days past when people left their families by ship to other lands and the great sacrifice of often never seeing one another again…before photographs…before phones and now we even have these sometimes questionable social media avenues that at least allow us to keep in touch. There is much to be thankful for.
AND OH! I ALMOST CLOSED BEFORE TELLING YOU A COMMUNICATION STORY THAT I HAD WANTED TO SHARE.
OUR POSTAL SYSTEM:
OY!
I have described before how we pay our bills at the post office and there is even a 'postal bank'. Our post offices can be rather unique…and oh my they are rapidly changing! When we first came, there were no numbers, no chairs, only lines and people who 'pushed into the line' in a manner unlike anything I had ever experienced.
Well…24 years has changed that. We now have numbers. We have seats. Then we got 'online appointments'. Now, I can get along generally in Hebrew just fine. I don't read Hebrew very well. I do NOT do well with Hebrew websites. The more complicated the worse it gets and I usually just 'don't go there'. Then came Corona. Corona did several things to the postal system here: 1) Many postal workers caught it so there just aren't enough workers 2) The online appointment system became very popular with the technically savvy group.
Several weeks ago I went to pay a bill and was shocked to see so so many people standing outside the post. I would have thought that they were actually obediently social distancing but they weren't …it was just as crowded inside. I took a number to pay a bill. There were 52 numbers ahead of me and two clerks! That DIDN'T include the people who had appointment numbers. I left after an hour deciding to come back on my next day off from work. Needless to say the spirit among the people waiting was NOT EXACTLY NICE! Four days later I was back with 2 bills to pay. I went early in the morning. During my 2.5 hour wait I witnessed so much anger and a real disintegration of the system. One thing I found out is that there are no longer PACKAGE NOTICES!! If you are going to get a package you HAVE to know about it in advance…track it on the internet and when it seems to have arrived you need to go with the tracking number and make them look for it. I had forgotten that a dear sister had sent us some special masks and when I got home that day I thought I had BETTER CHECK ABOUT THE PROGRESS! Sure enough it said that the package had been there for 2 weeks and would be returned TOMORROW! WHOA!!! BACK TO THE POST OFFICE!! Thankfully we received the package, but because I had spent 4 and a half hours at the post office that day I learned something that I must pass on: If anyone sends us anything through the mail,
please let us know so that we can keep an eye open for it. Letters seem to be getting through but if it is a package, please make sure to get a tracking number and send it to us. DO NOT bother insuring anything as Israel does not have insurance agreements with most countries, and that includes the US and England. Also, APPARENTLY if you put our phone number on it they will send us a text message (hum…maybe!)
So I have digressed a bit, but I think of so many of you living around the world…so many in beautiful rural places, quiet and open and it is a very different experience to live in a city depending upon public transportation. So our 'experience' and 'point of view' is different…but we remain ONE BODY joined together through His ONE SPIRIT of
Life, completely Free, and completely Peace and oh how blessed we all are even in the midst of great fiery trials…Because of The Atoning Blood!
May we live our days pointing to Him Who is The only way through…the only Answer. I send you loving blessings,
from a sister sheep in Jerusalem.
(I feel awful adding this as an 'addendum' when it is undoubtedly more important than anything else that I shared…but today is 47 years since the Yom Kippur war according to the Hebrew calendar. Perhaps those of you interested in God's intervention into History would want to google the incredible events.)
ani b'derek אני בדרך
"Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way." Romans 14:13
Loving greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach! May we be found in the full peace of His perfect Atonement…in awe of what He has done, resolved to follow Him only and to bring Him glory with whatever days and ways He has given us in this life. May He Alone be blessed and glorified and my you be edified and encouraged.
Twenty four years ago today I hand wrote my first 'big letter'…intended for one friend. Then realizing that I wanted to send the same words to two other friends…and it was SO long…that I photocopied it. It was my first Yom Kippur as an Israeli citizen living in Jerusalem and I was truly overwhelmed with the 'newness' of it all! NOT with Yom Kippur, for I had grown up with the understanding that this was the 'holiest' day in the Jewish year…the day of the Judgment; the day of
the sealing of the Book of life unto another year…or not: Most important, the day of REPENTANCE and of afflicting our souls as a people. From the age of 8 I was expected to join in the full fast. Before that, I could color quietly on the floor with my younger sister or look at books…but quietly…and the sense of revenant awe remains with me to this day: There was the fear of God Almighty. Growing up in a mixed neighborhood in NYC America, and going to a public school, we sort of 'sequestered' ourselves within our home for the day except for my father's synagogue attendance, while the rest of the world swirled around us as usual.
How DIFFERENT Yom Kippur proved to be upon my arrival in Israel! EVERYTHING STOPPED! EVERYTHING!
NO stores were open…no vehicles ran…all transportation ceased and our Airport closed. There was no radio or
television. (it was still before the internet arrived or even cable tv) There was SILENCE…a real sense of a holy hush… UNTIL! Suddenly the streets (we lived in the Gilo neighborhood at the time) were FILLED with yelling, screaming bike riding kids! I was SHOCKED! We immigrated (made aliyah) during the great Russian aliyah, and our neighborhood was pretty much Russian speaking so I thought something like 'Oh! They probably don't know…' . Our neighborhood was ALSO bordered just below us by a Moslem neighborhood which took the opportunity to turn the volume on the minaret loud speaker to 'blasting' and read the Koran and preached some very fiery sermons ALL day. Meanwhile (I kid you not!) we were sharing the apartment with a couple from Australia who were volunteering. They were not Jewish and hadn't much understanding of Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:29, Levit.23:26, Zech 8:18, Hebrews 9…) and the husband was experiencing some severe culture shock (they left soon after)…so he got wildly drunk that day. It was a bit surreal…
I took a piece of paper and began to write.
I have come to find out that the 'bike riding noisy streets' is actually a sort of Israeli thing…that I TOTALLY do NOT understand. It saddens me yearly as I watch the peace shattered. We currently live on a particularly noisy and central corner so I was up all night last night trying to remember to pray for the unruly teens outside.
It was perfect, because The Lord had really been dealing deeply with my heart about the judgmental and critical spirit that came with me into my life in Him and hadn't yet been transformed. This is a set apart time of Repentance. (we as Believers KNOW that we have our precious Redemption sealed by The Blood of The Lamb and that we are not seeking further redemption…BUT REPENTANCE is given to us for sure as a daily gift by The Holy Spirit, so, what a BLESSING to have a day set aside to pray for our brethren…and ALSO to let Him examine our own hearts.)
I had not one nice thought or uncritical prayer to pray for the rowdy noisy crowd outside!
The Lord surely set the tone of the day in my particular home!
My husband and I read out loud and were finishing up 2 Chronicles and then we read through the Book of Revelation this morning. The Word always softens our hearts when The Holy Spirit teaches, eh? Once I left off reading out loud, I had felt led to read through 1 and 2 Corinthians…BUT FIRST…I might as well finish Romans (as it has been part of my daily New Covenant reading). And THERE IT WAS! Romans 14:13…RESOLVE! That is a wonderful word like 'CHOOSE'…my
word for the year! He is just so faithful! REPENT! PRAY! RESOLVE! CHOOSE! YES LORD!
I was blessed with some corporate prayer that our Pastor set up on zoom and then I found an old message preached by a man who was most influential in my life and walk with Him, Campbell McAlpine, of blessed memory. Talk about hammering the nail in the coffin (may it be!) of a judgmental critical spirit…one who has loved her own opinions! PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I HAVE OFFENDED ANY OF YOU!
AS OF THIS MOMENT MY HEART HAS THAT QUIET PEACE THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM HIS REDEMPTION. ISN'T IT WONDERFUL? (as I speak to those who know The Same Lord!)
So…I'm smiling as I write a brief update to you.
Of course, as I said, we have no 'news broadcasts' here today (refreshing) but, yes, we are again in a sort of full lockdown, still being fine-tuned. I know that a number of you (particularly our nurse and doctor friends out there) have followed Israel's walk through the darkness of an enemy that no one on earth knows how to deal with or can see and
has no experience with. At this point our numbers are seriously shocking. These are the things that it looks like will be 'allowed' this time (if we will follow the pretty simple rules): Outdoor exercise…walking and bike riding…walking dogs…taking children to parks (social distanced)… necessary food and supply shopping and medicaappointments …necessities. Considered 'a necessary foundation stone of 'democracy' (which we are so proud of)(sorry…that is sarcastic) is … demonstrations against the government… which have been pretty out of hand. This MAY change tomorrow…along with indoor worship and gatherings (like Yom Kippur in synagogues and Sukkot…) They are effectively cancelled and my fervent prayer is that what has taken place corporately (the services that often become traditions) will cause a REAL understanding and move in the hearts of the people…that there will be a quiet into which GOD can speak.
We have an opportunity that we can't take lightly and oh I am praying that He will use me in real prayer! The prayer that The Holy Spirit initiates for The Glory of GOD.
I am still working from home and I am deeply thankful that I can still work. Eric's shop is closed as hair salons are not allowed to operate for 2 weeks past already. His medical procedure is postponed until after Sukkot at least but the
hospitals are in dire straits so that remains uncertain. I have no doubt that it is certain before The Lord and we have peace about that. Sukkot begins on the 2 of October this year. It will be interesting. I am thankful for zoom and facetime, and whats app video for times of prayer and seeing beloved faces. I was thinking about days past when people left their families by ship to other lands and the great sacrifice of often never seeing one another again…before photographs…before phones and now we even have these sometimes questionable social media avenues that at least allow us to keep in touch. There is much to be thankful for.
AND OH! I ALMOST CLOSED BEFORE TELLING YOU A COMMUNICATION STORY THAT I HAD WANTED TO SHARE.
OUR POSTAL SYSTEM:
OY!
I have described before how we pay our bills at the post office and there is even a 'postal bank'. Our post offices can be rather unique…and oh my they are rapidly changing! When we first came, there were no numbers, no chairs, only lines and people who 'pushed into the line' in a manner unlike anything I had ever experienced.
Well…24 years has changed that. We now have numbers. We have seats. Then we got 'online appointments'. Now, I can get along generally in Hebrew just fine. I don't read Hebrew very well. I do NOT do well with Hebrew websites. The more complicated the worse it gets and I usually just 'don't go there'. Then came Corona. Corona did several things to the postal system here: 1) Many postal workers caught it so there just aren't enough workers 2) The online appointment system became very popular with the technically savvy group.
Several weeks ago I went to pay a bill and was shocked to see so so many people standing outside the post. I would have thought that they were actually obediently social distancing but they weren't …it was just as crowded inside. I took a number to pay a bill. There were 52 numbers ahead of me and two clerks! That DIDN'T include the people who had appointment numbers. I left after an hour deciding to come back on my next day off from work. Needless to say the spirit among the people waiting was NOT EXACTLY NICE! Four days later I was back with 2 bills to pay. I went early in the morning. During my 2.5 hour wait I witnessed so much anger and a real disintegration of the system. One thing I found out is that there are no longer PACKAGE NOTICES!! If you are going to get a package you HAVE to know about it in advance…track it on the internet and when it seems to have arrived you need to go with the tracking number and make them look for it. I had forgotten that a dear sister had sent us some special masks and when I got home that day I thought I had BETTER CHECK ABOUT THE PROGRESS! Sure enough it said that the package had been there for 2 weeks and would be returned TOMORROW! WHOA!!! BACK TO THE POST OFFICE!! Thankfully we received the package, but because I had spent 4 and a half hours at the post office that day I learned something that I must pass on: If anyone sends us anything through the mail,
please let us know so that we can keep an eye open for it. Letters seem to be getting through but if it is a package, please make sure to get a tracking number and send it to us. DO NOT bother insuring anything as Israel does not have insurance agreements with most countries, and that includes the US and England. Also, APPARENTLY if you put our phone number on it they will send us a text message (hum…maybe!)
So I have digressed a bit, but I think of so many of you living around the world…so many in beautiful rural places, quiet and open and it is a very different experience to live in a city depending upon public transportation. So our 'experience' and 'point of view' is different…but we remain ONE BODY joined together through His ONE SPIRIT of
Life, completely Free, and completely Peace and oh how blessed we all are even in the midst of great fiery trials…Because of The Atoning Blood!
May we live our days pointing to Him Who is The only way through…the only Answer. I send you loving blessings,
from a sister sheep in Jerusalem.
(I feel awful adding this as an 'addendum' when it is undoubtedly more important than anything else that I shared…but today is 47 years since the Yom Kippur war according to the Hebrew calendar. Perhaps those of you interested in God's intervention into History would want to google the incredible events.)
ani b'derek אני בדרך
September 12, 2020
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!" PSALM 103:1
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
May you be blessed with the fullness of His Spirit; what a PROMISE we have! How could we ever complain! May HE Alone be glorified and blessed, and may you be strengthened and encouraged.
Psalm34:1 " I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be imy mouth."
"May you be blessed with courage in the year ahead and may all of your prayers be answered!"
That is the blessing that I settled on as 'the one for this year"…the year 5,781 or תשפ"א in Hebrew. I've
explained in the past how the giving of a blessing is serious business here and I have learned to embrace this as I too believe in His blessings and in this day of great pressure, hardship and complaining, a blessing is like a cool wind on a hot day.
"May you be blessed with health and all that you need in the new year ahead" Was what Tsvia said to me and it took me
by surprise; Is it really Rosh h'Shana ALREADY? Heres was my first reminder that the fall feasts were indeed at the door, so I thought: What do people really NEED in the year ahead that will help their eyes to be open, searching for Messiah? How can I bless the many patients that I speak to day in and day out? And I prayed about it…and even though I KNOW that the hearts of people need to be thankful, I also suddenly I realized that in the year to come, many will need to be courageous: having the courage to press forward, or to stand still, or to sit quietly…because hearts do faint. Thus the blessing that I choose to bless with was formed: "May you be blessed with courage in the year ahead and may all of your prayers be
answered!" The responses of people have helped me to understand that they listen and take this seriously. People thank me deeply and I thank The Lord for giving me this blessing with which to bless others. So I share it with YOU: May YOUR hearts be courageous in Him and may He answer all of your prayers that are in His will and will glorify Him!
Today is Shabbat and inspite of the fact that it is still 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit- better than the 43 degrees 109.4 - last week!) the leaves are suddenly turning yellow and falling to the ground in piles…and today for the first time I see the birds flocking high above. It is breathtaking to me how nature KNOWS IT'S SEASONS no matter what! I try too to learn the seasons that The Lord has set for me…because it is His Nature to have order…I strain to listen. Because it is Shabbat, I try to seriously rest in Him as I consider the pressures of the week ahead. Each country has their own approach, unique situations and perhaps culturally formed points of view. Here in Israel our corona virus cases are soaring along with the number of people dying. The announcement came that we must have another lockdown and that it would hopefully do the least amount of economic harm if it took place during the chagim (the feast days). Tentatively we appear to be looking at a 2 week lockdown but if the numbers don't come down sufficiently, and the health care system is still on the verge of collapse, it will continue for a longer period. I did a check of my groceries. I had stocked up on staples in March/April for the first lockdown. Now I see that I had effectively gotten 6 months worth and it is TIME TO STOCK UP AGAIN! THIS WEEK! NOW! OY! If today were not Shabbat I would be racing out with lists as soon as work ended; but it IS Shabbat, and my heart beat slows and I take a nap and turn my eyes upon Yeshua\Jesus. 'Show me Your perspective, Lord. Help me into Your rest…Your provision.' and yes, He does.
My ears perked up as I listened to the news: It was an interview with a family who has made shofarim (the rams horn shofar being singular and shofarim being plural) for some 10 generations. The interviewer was asking them how the situation has harmed their business economically. 'Quite the opposite, our business is booming!' The interviewer asked how that was possible since there are no tourists and it is mainly tourists who buy shofarim. 'This is sadly true' he answered, 'but an amazing thing has happened! People are afraid that the synagogues will be shut down for Rosh h'Shana and Yom Kippur and they won't be able to hear the blowing of the shofar, so everyone wants one, even the secular!' Now my ears were fully attentive! The interviewer asked 'Well…isn't it just certain people who can blow them? I mean, surely they can't be blown by just anyone.' The answer was simple and my heart began to pound 'ANYONE can blow them and indeed everyone should! We give lessons to those who don't know how and I can teach anyone to play it in less than 10 minutes.' The next question was 'Well, how much do you charge for shofar lessons.' The answer came quickly 'Haas vay h'leela!! (God forbid!) that I should charge any money to teach someone how to blow it!'
SO…WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS? My heart was pounding! Rosh h'Shana is NOT about apples and honey, fish heads and festive dinners, giving of gifts and the reading of prayer books and the new year, because it really ISN'T the new year. According to the scriptures PASSOVER is the beginning of the year! These are all traditions. In Scripture it isn't even called Rosh (head) h'shana (the year)…but it is called Yom Teruah or the day of the blowing (of the shofar). In Leviticus 23:24 we are instructed to have a "Shabbat rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets" Period.
At Passover, we were shut down; shut out of the traditions and shut in face to face with the real meaning of Passover, (may our people NOW come Face to face with HIM!) and we shut our doors and celebrated as with the very first
Passover. Now Yom h'Teruah seems to be being restored! All around our neighborhood I hear people practicing the blowing of the shofar. Signs are up everywhere; 'Do you need to hear the Shofar blown on Yom Teruah? Call this number and someone will come so that you can hear it.'
What does it mean 'To hear the blowing of the shofar'? I can't fully answer that. Surely the sound itself is 'other worldly'. The directions throughout scripture for the blowing of the shofar speak volumes…I could elaborate and give you my ideas; share what I 'see'… We know that the last trump SHALL sound and that we must attune our ears to listen for the sound of His trumpet/shofar.
My earthly Father died on Rosh h'shana and he had one deep wish, which was granted him; He said "I just want to hear the shofar blown one more time." He did. In the hospital a Rabbi came and blew the shofar in the hall. He heard the shofar. He died before it was blown again thatevening. The last trump…
This year the blowing of the shofar won't be an added on nice appendage to our traditions, but the traditions in general will not happen; The Shofar will sound instead…all through the land and not just in synagogues or chosen spots.
What IS God doing?! Again, I will NOT attempt to answer that, but my heart is joyful with anticipation.
I see HIS HAND!
Psalm 62:8 " Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
And I see His Hand as well as we walk through a personal narrow place for which I ask prayer (Please…NOT on line or on email…to Him in your closet where He hears).
I will not go into detail at this time but my husband had some alarming neurological symptoms and was sent for a CT of his head where a large aneurysm was discovered. It is NOT the cause of the symptoms, but is urgent. Because of his age (we are nearly 75) they were prone not to treat it but investigation showed that it is inflamed (thinned out and pressing on another main artery). It appears that very soon he will be having an 'angioplasty' of his brain with both 'coils and stent' inserted. Yes, it is dangerous at his age but it gives him a chance that he wouldn't have otherwise. He has deep peace about doing the procedure and feels that The Lord allowed it to be discovered for a reason. He has committed his life and
the outcome of this procedure into The Hands of The Lord Who knows his times so we ask you to pray. We do not yet know the date.
So…with that…may we ALL be blessed with His courage for the way straight ahead, and may our prayers be pleasing to Him Who always answers!
Since I began writing our latest lockdown is taking shape: Looks like schools close on Wed. and then from 6am Friday morning that is it. Thank you for walking through the streets of Jerusalem with me at such a time as this.
With His Love filling me heart for you…His sis here.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!" PSALM 103:1
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
May you be blessed with the fullness of His Spirit; what a PROMISE we have! How could we ever complain! May HE Alone be glorified and blessed, and may you be strengthened and encouraged.
Psalm34:1 " I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be imy mouth."
"May you be blessed with courage in the year ahead and may all of your prayers be answered!"
That is the blessing that I settled on as 'the one for this year"…the year 5,781 or תשפ"א in Hebrew. I've
explained in the past how the giving of a blessing is serious business here and I have learned to embrace this as I too believe in His blessings and in this day of great pressure, hardship and complaining, a blessing is like a cool wind on a hot day.
"May you be blessed with health and all that you need in the new year ahead" Was what Tsvia said to me and it took me
by surprise; Is it really Rosh h'Shana ALREADY? Heres was my first reminder that the fall feasts were indeed at the door, so I thought: What do people really NEED in the year ahead that will help their eyes to be open, searching for Messiah? How can I bless the many patients that I speak to day in and day out? And I prayed about it…and even though I KNOW that the hearts of people need to be thankful, I also suddenly I realized that in the year to come, many will need to be courageous: having the courage to press forward, or to stand still, or to sit quietly…because hearts do faint. Thus the blessing that I choose to bless with was formed: "May you be blessed with courage in the year ahead and may all of your prayers be
answered!" The responses of people have helped me to understand that they listen and take this seriously. People thank me deeply and I thank The Lord for giving me this blessing with which to bless others. So I share it with YOU: May YOUR hearts be courageous in Him and may He answer all of your prayers that are in His will and will glorify Him!
Today is Shabbat and inspite of the fact that it is still 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit- better than the 43 degrees 109.4 - last week!) the leaves are suddenly turning yellow and falling to the ground in piles…and today for the first time I see the birds flocking high above. It is breathtaking to me how nature KNOWS IT'S SEASONS no matter what! I try too to learn the seasons that The Lord has set for me…because it is His Nature to have order…I strain to listen. Because it is Shabbat, I try to seriously rest in Him as I consider the pressures of the week ahead. Each country has their own approach, unique situations and perhaps culturally formed points of view. Here in Israel our corona virus cases are soaring along with the number of people dying. The announcement came that we must have another lockdown and that it would hopefully do the least amount of economic harm if it took place during the chagim (the feast days). Tentatively we appear to be looking at a 2 week lockdown but if the numbers don't come down sufficiently, and the health care system is still on the verge of collapse, it will continue for a longer period. I did a check of my groceries. I had stocked up on staples in March/April for the first lockdown. Now I see that I had effectively gotten 6 months worth and it is TIME TO STOCK UP AGAIN! THIS WEEK! NOW! OY! If today were not Shabbat I would be racing out with lists as soon as work ended; but it IS Shabbat, and my heart beat slows and I take a nap and turn my eyes upon Yeshua\Jesus. 'Show me Your perspective, Lord. Help me into Your rest…Your provision.' and yes, He does.
My ears perked up as I listened to the news: It was an interview with a family who has made shofarim (the rams horn shofar being singular and shofarim being plural) for some 10 generations. The interviewer was asking them how the situation has harmed their business economically. 'Quite the opposite, our business is booming!' The interviewer asked how that was possible since there are no tourists and it is mainly tourists who buy shofarim. 'This is sadly true' he answered, 'but an amazing thing has happened! People are afraid that the synagogues will be shut down for Rosh h'Shana and Yom Kippur and they won't be able to hear the blowing of the shofar, so everyone wants one, even the secular!' Now my ears were fully attentive! The interviewer asked 'Well…isn't it just certain people who can blow them? I mean, surely they can't be blown by just anyone.' The answer was simple and my heart began to pound 'ANYONE can blow them and indeed everyone should! We give lessons to those who don't know how and I can teach anyone to play it in less than 10 minutes.' The next question was 'Well, how much do you charge for shofar lessons.' The answer came quickly 'Haas vay h'leela!! (God forbid!) that I should charge any money to teach someone how to blow it!'
SO…WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS? My heart was pounding! Rosh h'Shana is NOT about apples and honey, fish heads and festive dinners, giving of gifts and the reading of prayer books and the new year, because it really ISN'T the new year. According to the scriptures PASSOVER is the beginning of the year! These are all traditions. In Scripture it isn't even called Rosh (head) h'shana (the year)…but it is called Yom Teruah or the day of the blowing (of the shofar). In Leviticus 23:24 we are instructed to have a "Shabbat rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets" Period.
At Passover, we were shut down; shut out of the traditions and shut in face to face with the real meaning of Passover, (may our people NOW come Face to face with HIM!) and we shut our doors and celebrated as with the very first
Passover. Now Yom h'Teruah seems to be being restored! All around our neighborhood I hear people practicing the blowing of the shofar. Signs are up everywhere; 'Do you need to hear the Shofar blown on Yom Teruah? Call this number and someone will come so that you can hear it.'
What does it mean 'To hear the blowing of the shofar'? I can't fully answer that. Surely the sound itself is 'other worldly'. The directions throughout scripture for the blowing of the shofar speak volumes…I could elaborate and give you my ideas; share what I 'see'… We know that the last trump SHALL sound and that we must attune our ears to listen for the sound of His trumpet/shofar.
My earthly Father died on Rosh h'shana and he had one deep wish, which was granted him; He said "I just want to hear the shofar blown one more time." He did. In the hospital a Rabbi came and blew the shofar in the hall. He heard the shofar. He died before it was blown again thatevening. The last trump…
This year the blowing of the shofar won't be an added on nice appendage to our traditions, but the traditions in general will not happen; The Shofar will sound instead…all through the land and not just in synagogues or chosen spots.
What IS God doing?! Again, I will NOT attempt to answer that, but my heart is joyful with anticipation.
I see HIS HAND!
Psalm 62:8 " Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
And I see His Hand as well as we walk through a personal narrow place for which I ask prayer (Please…NOT on line or on email…to Him in your closet where He hears).
I will not go into detail at this time but my husband had some alarming neurological symptoms and was sent for a CT of his head where a large aneurysm was discovered. It is NOT the cause of the symptoms, but is urgent. Because of his age (we are nearly 75) they were prone not to treat it but investigation showed that it is inflamed (thinned out and pressing on another main artery). It appears that very soon he will be having an 'angioplasty' of his brain with both 'coils and stent' inserted. Yes, it is dangerous at his age but it gives him a chance that he wouldn't have otherwise. He has deep peace about doing the procedure and feels that The Lord allowed it to be discovered for a reason. He has committed his life and
the outcome of this procedure into The Hands of The Lord Who knows his times so we ask you to pray. We do not yet know the date.
So…with that…may we ALL be blessed with His courage for the way straight ahead, and may our prayers be pleasing to Him Who always answers!
Since I began writing our latest lockdown is taking shape: Looks like schools close on Wed. and then from 6am Friday morning that is it. Thank you for walking through the streets of Jerusalem with me at such a time as this.
With His Love filling me heart for you…His sis here.
July 30, 2020
"…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased and to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Messiah Who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13
"That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’" Isaiah 45:7-8
Greetings DEAR sisters and brothers in Yeshua,
To you who know Him as Precious and follow The Lamb…May each of you be blessed and edified and may HE Alone be glorified and adored…because HE Alone is worthy!
The days are running for sure!
Some of you have kept up with what is happening here in Israel, some have surely enough 'drama' on your own territory, but for those who would like a Jerusalem view from my perspective, I will share what I get to see.
Israel fared very well at the beginning of the plague. We had a long and strict shut down that flattened the curve while numbers were relatively low: then we opened the doors wide! I think that I wrote last time that most people said 'Enough of THAT! Back to 'life as normal'.' But it wasn't to happen that way. The door to 'what was' had closed.
What is commonly called 'the second wave' came as a tidal wave and frustrated people took to the streets. Many people with political motives riled others up…it doesn't REALLY MATTER…but Israel's numbers soared WAY beyond the first wave. For a few weeks the young and strong were saying 'Forget it! We don't know people who are getting really sick… it is (just) the old and weak…' but that has changed as their friends got very ill and people whom they knew started falling to it. More masks appeared…even moving up from the chin to cover the nose and mouth. A middle aged kindergarten teacher from the town of Petach Tikvah (open [door of] hope) sent notes home to parents begging them to be very careful to NOT send children to school who were sick or who had been exposed to corona. None the less, siblings went to the kindergarten who were ill…and the teacher died this past weekend. It is no longer just the old and the weak as 'corona parties' have run rampant with many teens and young adults, who are now ill.
I received a note from a dear 90 year old South American sister who said something very revealing: "We are going through winter here, which is usually beautiful, and brings many tourists, but with this pandemic…. DEFINITELY NOT!! Finding that it has gone all around the world makes one think a lot. We are used to one´s country´s problems - and that is sufficient!" It truly IS worldwide. Very few countries are still being spared…as long as travel remains closed.
Surely every country's experience is different - city or rural- …and every city, town, family, community…NONE are the same. How can we have compassion for one another when our own experience and resulting needs and demands differ so greatly? Again I remember the old proverb of the 10 blind men attempting to describe an elephant as they each touch different parts, believing that it was the full picture of the elephant: Trunk, or leg, tail or ear, etc. How God humbles me in realizing that my own range of vision and experience is so small. May I have HIS compassion!
TODAY IS TISHA B'AV…The 9th of (the month of) Av…a day that lays heaviness…soberness, on the hearts of believing (meaning God fearing) Jews…The day that commemorates the destruction of the temple as described in the Book of Jeremiah, as well as a long list of disasters that have overtaken the Jews (details of which I have shared many times over the years). Indeed, Jeremiah's book of Lamentations ( איכה - eekra - is how it looks in Hebrew and it means 'HOW is it possible that this has happened?' in Hebrew) is read, sung and prayed from last night through tonight with fasting and repentance. At the Western Wall (the Kotel) only 1000 are allowed to pray right now, separated into areas of 20. Normally there would be hundreds of thousands all night, crying out to God. In the past I have seen those in sackcloth and ashes. Many are participating in small groups and or virtually. The rabbis have taught in modern times that the temple was destroyed because of 'baseless hatred' (brother to brother), but this is not what I read in my scriptures …both in English and in the original Hebrew; Disobedience: Lack of the fear of God: Turning to idols: Despising God's Sabbaths: Unfaithfulness: Lying: Greed…on and on…Sin has separated us from our God…and we so easily forget! We forget…I forget!
Another sister wrote to me from a Great Britain; "Thanks and I agree, so for us too we are under judgment, and I spend much of my time repenting for our nation, especially how we treated you, and pleading for mercy on us." I don't have to look far for a 'sign' of His judgment: On THIS DAY that the rabbis teach that the judgment came forth because of hatred, yet we too have 'demonstrations' (riots) and unrest in the streets…even today…prayers in one street and demonstrations in the next!
PSALM 133 (so many of you and us sing this Psalm) "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon,Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore."
So now we live in 'THESE DAYS'. I can tell you what it looks like from here.
The virus as raging. We are thankful for all of the people with strong immune systems who throw it off fairly well - some with no after effects. May we all do what we can to strengthen our bodies as good stewards of the Temple of The Living God, and may we each be found walking in His Peace, physically strong or not…in His mercy and compassion and in His Lowly Spirit of humility.
Like where you are probably, so many are being affected economically. So many places of work have had to close and especially hard hit (or atleast the most vocal about it) here seem to be tourist and entertainment industries (although not only). My husband is a barber/hairdresser and his shop used to take in perhaps 8 clients daily…but now 3 is a good day. Our son in law had divided his time between his locksmithing business and selling things like kippas (Jewish skull caps…yalmukas) and other items in the Old City, mainly to tourists. That business is non-existent. It appears to NOT be effecting computer and phone shops and pharmacies. The Doctor whom I work for is still working by phone (we are working from home and I am thankful to have my job…although tired) and has less patients. There are those who are suffering need, but also those who are showing themselves generous house to house. God is faithful!
I recall a time some 24 years ago already that I was out of work and things looked grim, however He was teaching me to pray and to press into His faithfulness. I was riding the bus to the shuk when a young woman sat down beside me and was sighing and weeping, so, ofcourse I asked her if I could help. Thankfully her Hebrew was as broken (or as 'new') as mine and she said, with a thick Russian accent (to the best of my memory) 'I don't know why we came here! We have NOTHING! We are poor! We should never have come!' I was praying as she spoke and HE gave me these words that I shall never forget because they have sustained me again and again. 'Do you have a roof over your head TODAY?' I asked as I hugged her. 'Da!' she answered nodding her head. 'Do you have food on your table TODAY?' I asked again and again she nodded her head very thoughtfully 'Da!' she answered. 'WELL THEN!' came blurting out of my mouth…' Then you can BE HAPPY TODAY!' I shall never forget her response, as if Light went on…she opened her mouth and stared at me (I am not exaggerating) and stood up…and sat down again and said 'Then I can be happy TODAY! I CAN BE HAPPY TODAY!!' She had total wonder on her face and stood up and sat down several times staring at me! I must admit it took me by surprise and released deep joy into me. Several weeks later a young woman ran up to me in the shuk and grabbed me and said 'Do you remember me?' I had to admit that I did not. 'Never mind' she said…' I just have to tell you that I AM STILL HAPPY TODAY!' and she ran off! And I remembered…HE WAS FAITHFUL TO HER AND SHE STILL HAD A ROOF AND FOOD THAT DAY!
Now I do pray for those who are struggling to keep food on their tables that their needs will be made known and that any of us who have will share with those who have not. I do NOT personally know of anyone in that state but am willing to be expanded by Him to become His hand. We are helping our daughter and son in law and may The Lord make us open handed in every situation.
As you already know, I (NEITHER AN AUTHORITY NOR A PROPHET) believe that The Lord's Hand of Judgment has been opened and the cup has been poured. I see the spirit of anger/rage and anarchy…cursing loosed in the streets…and that speaks to me of judgment. I see plague and need and that speaks to me of judgment. I see 'easy pat answers' without the fear of God and that speaks to me of Judgment…God's Righteous Judgment. As I quoted the verse from Isaiah above: ""That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’" Isaiah 45:7-8 I want to be very careful before I attribute anything of such power either to man or to the enemy… But I have to remind myself that I am NOT HERE TO SHARE MY OPINION and I must be careful to keep to 'what I see' as opposed to what I believe.
In a past letter I shared with you some of my experiences with plagues and I was at first surprised at the response of so many who wondered how I could have seen so many. That took me aback because to me it was 'normal'…it was my life. To recount very briefly, my Dad was crippled from Polio in 1916, my Mom was born during the Spanish flu epidemic in 1916, and my husband's parents were both orphaned in that same epidemic when all of his grandparents died from it. He was from remote Alaska and I was from the middle of NYC. I realize that growing up in densely populated NYC of the 1940s-1960s I was indeed allowed a 'face on' view of rampant devastating diseases. I had both Hong Kong Flu and Asiatic Flu, and the dreaded 'gripp' as a child… measles, chicken pox, mumps…friends who died from polio or were crippled as my Dad was, who were blind from measles and deformed in various ways. I recall vividly the fear that kept us children sheltered by terrified parents as polio and other awful things gripped the streets and schools. I remember the quarantine sign on our door when I had measles and the masks that my mother made out of pillow cases. So I decided to do a 'google study' this week and came up with some amazing facts and photos; facts that I didn't know. I read accounts of plagues from the mid 1800s on and was very surprised to see that conspiracy theories were rife!! During ALL of these plagues masks were used, social distancing and quarantine as the only effective means to check the spread. People were sure that it was government plots and that they were being poisoned and unreasonably limited; These responses were universal! Now THAT I didn't know, because I was a child in the pre-vaccine / antibiotic days. It's a fascinating study to undertake. I will share some links to photographs that you might find interesting…I sure did. Some brought back familiar memories as I saw such things myself.
MEANWHILE…ON OUR NORTHERN BORDER:
The situation is tense and there has been an impressive military buildup as no one is certain how things will play out in these days when the temperatures are pushing into the high 30s Celsius (90s Fahrenheit). With plague raging on all sides of the borders fighting continues.
AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS, ALIYAH (IMMIGRATION ) HAS INCREASED:
God has His ways of bringing His people home. He has His fishers and His hunters when all of His loving call is refused. We are all familiar with Jer.16:16 "Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." and we watch that scripture fulfilled before our eyes…HE HAS HIS WAYS! They are coming! In the midst of the plague…with the threat of war…with the crashing economy and flawed system…none the less they are coming home. We are watching new olim happily arriving and entering the 14 day quarantine with happy faces…oh how I must constantly remind myself to focus on The Bigger Picture: HIM! HIS plan…what HE is doing.
-May we each be found in Him in the part of the path that He has purposed for us.
-May we each be found there in His Peace, satisfied with His provision, doing His will for His glory alone.
=Thank you for taking the time to care about what I am sharing.
I send my love!
Your sister in Jerusalem
"…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased and to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Messiah Who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13
"That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’" Isaiah 45:7-8
Greetings DEAR sisters and brothers in Yeshua,
To you who know Him as Precious and follow The Lamb…May each of you be blessed and edified and may HE Alone be glorified and adored…because HE Alone is worthy!
The days are running for sure!
Some of you have kept up with what is happening here in Israel, some have surely enough 'drama' on your own territory, but for those who would like a Jerusalem view from my perspective, I will share what I get to see.
Israel fared very well at the beginning of the plague. We had a long and strict shut down that flattened the curve while numbers were relatively low: then we opened the doors wide! I think that I wrote last time that most people said 'Enough of THAT! Back to 'life as normal'.' But it wasn't to happen that way. The door to 'what was' had closed.
What is commonly called 'the second wave' came as a tidal wave and frustrated people took to the streets. Many people with political motives riled others up…it doesn't REALLY MATTER…but Israel's numbers soared WAY beyond the first wave. For a few weeks the young and strong were saying 'Forget it! We don't know people who are getting really sick… it is (just) the old and weak…' but that has changed as their friends got very ill and people whom they knew started falling to it. More masks appeared…even moving up from the chin to cover the nose and mouth. A middle aged kindergarten teacher from the town of Petach Tikvah (open [door of] hope) sent notes home to parents begging them to be very careful to NOT send children to school who were sick or who had been exposed to corona. None the less, siblings went to the kindergarten who were ill…and the teacher died this past weekend. It is no longer just the old and the weak as 'corona parties' have run rampant with many teens and young adults, who are now ill.
I received a note from a dear 90 year old South American sister who said something very revealing: "We are going through winter here, which is usually beautiful, and brings many tourists, but with this pandemic…. DEFINITELY NOT!! Finding that it has gone all around the world makes one think a lot. We are used to one´s country´s problems - and that is sufficient!" It truly IS worldwide. Very few countries are still being spared…as long as travel remains closed.
Surely every country's experience is different - city or rural- …and every city, town, family, community…NONE are the same. How can we have compassion for one another when our own experience and resulting needs and demands differ so greatly? Again I remember the old proverb of the 10 blind men attempting to describe an elephant as they each touch different parts, believing that it was the full picture of the elephant: Trunk, or leg, tail or ear, etc. How God humbles me in realizing that my own range of vision and experience is so small. May I have HIS compassion!
TODAY IS TISHA B'AV…The 9th of (the month of) Av…a day that lays heaviness…soberness, on the hearts of believing (meaning God fearing) Jews…The day that commemorates the destruction of the temple as described in the Book of Jeremiah, as well as a long list of disasters that have overtaken the Jews (details of which I have shared many times over the years). Indeed, Jeremiah's book of Lamentations ( איכה - eekra - is how it looks in Hebrew and it means 'HOW is it possible that this has happened?' in Hebrew) is read, sung and prayed from last night through tonight with fasting and repentance. At the Western Wall (the Kotel) only 1000 are allowed to pray right now, separated into areas of 20. Normally there would be hundreds of thousands all night, crying out to God. In the past I have seen those in sackcloth and ashes. Many are participating in small groups and or virtually. The rabbis have taught in modern times that the temple was destroyed because of 'baseless hatred' (brother to brother), but this is not what I read in my scriptures …both in English and in the original Hebrew; Disobedience: Lack of the fear of God: Turning to idols: Despising God's Sabbaths: Unfaithfulness: Lying: Greed…on and on…Sin has separated us from our God…and we so easily forget! We forget…I forget!
Another sister wrote to me from a Great Britain; "Thanks and I agree, so for us too we are under judgment, and I spend much of my time repenting for our nation, especially how we treated you, and pleading for mercy on us." I don't have to look far for a 'sign' of His judgment: On THIS DAY that the rabbis teach that the judgment came forth because of hatred, yet we too have 'demonstrations' (riots) and unrest in the streets…even today…prayers in one street and demonstrations in the next!
PSALM 133 (so many of you and us sing this Psalm) "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon,Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore."
So now we live in 'THESE DAYS'. I can tell you what it looks like from here.
The virus as raging. We are thankful for all of the people with strong immune systems who throw it off fairly well - some with no after effects. May we all do what we can to strengthen our bodies as good stewards of the Temple of The Living God, and may we each be found walking in His Peace, physically strong or not…in His mercy and compassion and in His Lowly Spirit of humility.
Like where you are probably, so many are being affected economically. So many places of work have had to close and especially hard hit (or atleast the most vocal about it) here seem to be tourist and entertainment industries (although not only). My husband is a barber/hairdresser and his shop used to take in perhaps 8 clients daily…but now 3 is a good day. Our son in law had divided his time between his locksmithing business and selling things like kippas (Jewish skull caps…yalmukas) and other items in the Old City, mainly to tourists. That business is non-existent. It appears to NOT be effecting computer and phone shops and pharmacies. The Doctor whom I work for is still working by phone (we are working from home and I am thankful to have my job…although tired) and has less patients. There are those who are suffering need, but also those who are showing themselves generous house to house. God is faithful!
I recall a time some 24 years ago already that I was out of work and things looked grim, however He was teaching me to pray and to press into His faithfulness. I was riding the bus to the shuk when a young woman sat down beside me and was sighing and weeping, so, ofcourse I asked her if I could help. Thankfully her Hebrew was as broken (or as 'new') as mine and she said, with a thick Russian accent (to the best of my memory) 'I don't know why we came here! We have NOTHING! We are poor! We should never have come!' I was praying as she spoke and HE gave me these words that I shall never forget because they have sustained me again and again. 'Do you have a roof over your head TODAY?' I asked as I hugged her. 'Da!' she answered nodding her head. 'Do you have food on your table TODAY?' I asked again and again she nodded her head very thoughtfully 'Da!' she answered. 'WELL THEN!' came blurting out of my mouth…' Then you can BE HAPPY TODAY!' I shall never forget her response, as if Light went on…she opened her mouth and stared at me (I am not exaggerating) and stood up…and sat down again and said 'Then I can be happy TODAY! I CAN BE HAPPY TODAY!!' She had total wonder on her face and stood up and sat down several times staring at me! I must admit it took me by surprise and released deep joy into me. Several weeks later a young woman ran up to me in the shuk and grabbed me and said 'Do you remember me?' I had to admit that I did not. 'Never mind' she said…' I just have to tell you that I AM STILL HAPPY TODAY!' and she ran off! And I remembered…HE WAS FAITHFUL TO HER AND SHE STILL HAD A ROOF AND FOOD THAT DAY!
Now I do pray for those who are struggling to keep food on their tables that their needs will be made known and that any of us who have will share with those who have not. I do NOT personally know of anyone in that state but am willing to be expanded by Him to become His hand. We are helping our daughter and son in law and may The Lord make us open handed in every situation.
As you already know, I (NEITHER AN AUTHORITY NOR A PROPHET) believe that The Lord's Hand of Judgment has been opened and the cup has been poured. I see the spirit of anger/rage and anarchy…cursing loosed in the streets…and that speaks to me of judgment. I see plague and need and that speaks to me of judgment. I see 'easy pat answers' without the fear of God and that speaks to me of Judgment…God's Righteous Judgment. As I quoted the verse from Isaiah above: ""That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’" Isaiah 45:7-8 I want to be very careful before I attribute anything of such power either to man or to the enemy… But I have to remind myself that I am NOT HERE TO SHARE MY OPINION and I must be careful to keep to 'what I see' as opposed to what I believe.
In a past letter I shared with you some of my experiences with plagues and I was at first surprised at the response of so many who wondered how I could have seen so many. That took me aback because to me it was 'normal'…it was my life. To recount very briefly, my Dad was crippled from Polio in 1916, my Mom was born during the Spanish flu epidemic in 1916, and my husband's parents were both orphaned in that same epidemic when all of his grandparents died from it. He was from remote Alaska and I was from the middle of NYC. I realize that growing up in densely populated NYC of the 1940s-1960s I was indeed allowed a 'face on' view of rampant devastating diseases. I had both Hong Kong Flu and Asiatic Flu, and the dreaded 'gripp' as a child… measles, chicken pox, mumps…friends who died from polio or were crippled as my Dad was, who were blind from measles and deformed in various ways. I recall vividly the fear that kept us children sheltered by terrified parents as polio and other awful things gripped the streets and schools. I remember the quarantine sign on our door when I had measles and the masks that my mother made out of pillow cases. So I decided to do a 'google study' this week and came up with some amazing facts and photos; facts that I didn't know. I read accounts of plagues from the mid 1800s on and was very surprised to see that conspiracy theories were rife!! During ALL of these plagues masks were used, social distancing and quarantine as the only effective means to check the spread. People were sure that it was government plots and that they were being poisoned and unreasonably limited; These responses were universal! Now THAT I didn't know, because I was a child in the pre-vaccine / antibiotic days. It's a fascinating study to undertake. I will share some links to photographs that you might find interesting…I sure did. Some brought back familiar memories as I saw such things myself.
MEANWHILE…ON OUR NORTHERN BORDER:
The situation is tense and there has been an impressive military buildup as no one is certain how things will play out in these days when the temperatures are pushing into the high 30s Celsius (90s Fahrenheit). With plague raging on all sides of the borders fighting continues.
AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS, ALIYAH (IMMIGRATION ) HAS INCREASED:
God has His ways of bringing His people home. He has His fishers and His hunters when all of His loving call is refused. We are all familiar with Jer.16:16 "Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." and we watch that scripture fulfilled before our eyes…HE HAS HIS WAYS! They are coming! In the midst of the plague…with the threat of war…with the crashing economy and flawed system…none the less they are coming home. We are watching new olim happily arriving and entering the 14 day quarantine with happy faces…oh how I must constantly remind myself to focus on The Bigger Picture: HIM! HIS plan…what HE is doing.
-May we each be found in Him in the part of the path that He has purposed for us.
-May we each be found there in His Peace, satisfied with His provision, doing His will for His glory alone.
=Thank you for taking the time to care about what I am sharing.
I send my love!
Your sister in Jerusalem
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June 30, 2020
Deut 30:11-13 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’" AND v.17 "But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,…"
1 Timothy 6:11-12 "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." AND 20-21 "O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane an idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith."
Greetings dear sisters and brothers in Yeshua, Jesus, The Lord, The Light, The Living Word, The Truth, The only begotten Son of The Father, The Messiah…salvation has come and we have seen Him and may His glory be seen in us. May HE alone be glorified and blessed and my you be encouraged and edified.
It has been awhile since I have written but I have no doubt that you have had more than enough to read, and I don't DARE write until I feel His prompting. One night in the midst of 'all of this' I woke and sensed The Lord's Presence to turned toward Him and felt Him searching me and pinpointing all of my 'opinions' and making a distinction between 'opinion' and 'observation', and the distinction cut me to the core. I saw how 'opinion' (even 'learned' opinion) has so much judgment in it…but through observation He teaches us and we can learn; an important lesson for me - and a pruning that I pray produces fruit for His kingdom.
1 Chronicles 21:16 "And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
Psalm 17:2 "Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright."
'In the midst', I have a praise report as I know that some of you were praying and please don't feel badly if you weren't. I know that He gives us each the burdens that we are meant to bear along with others.
I had shared with you a problem that we were having with the Israeli tax authority concerning breaches in my husband's bookkeeping at work. The case has hung over us since (I believe) December, and has been weighty. The hearing was cancelled twice due to lockdown, but it wasn't dropped and last Thursday 'the day' arrived. Our accountant knows that I am a believer and he has made it plain that he is 'not'…(yet). He has known us for more than twenty years now and when this whole situation came up he was distraught for us because the penalties had the potential to be huge. During my last meeting with him, I got to share part of my testimony and my belief that The Lord was not only ABLE to deliver, but I was asking Him to show us mercy. The accountant laughed and said 'Listen! These are TAX PEOPLE. They do not have 'mercy'…they care about the numbers only and these numbers are awful!'
I prayed with faithful sisters and others were praying for us. The day before the hearing, the prayer seemed to pierce my heart that 'The Lord would be my Advocate and my Judge and that I would not fall into the hands of man. All of our provision is The Lord's and if He wanted to use it all to give to the government, that was His right as well. Period.' Something in that prayer broke the anxiety in me and I slept like a baby the night before the hearing.
The Tax Authority building had the ability to be more than a bit intimidating! As I entered I inadvertently said 'WOW!'. Just the FEELING there was…hum…power. But I was walking in His Power I trusted and again, I had peace. The many guards were very 'no nonsense'. I showed them my paper and they pushed it aside: 'What exactly is your business!' I realized that they wanted this answer clearly, succinctly and in Hebrew …so…I stammered a bit and they pushed me through to the wrong place. Still, His peace was so absolute that in this HUGE MAZE of buildings I found my way through guarded protected areas saying 'Do not enter' and there I was, in the right place…even with a few minutes to sit and pray. I looked around and understood which room I was to be sent to and waited for my Accountant who appeared on the exact second…I mean…how much into numbers can someone be! He was VERY nervous. I thought the Judge's name was a good name and had prayed for him. I still had peace when we entered the room.
My Accountant began to speak to him, explaining that my husband's shop is so very small and his income even smaller etc. etc. I just sat there and the Judge looked at me curiously and asked me what 'my take' on all of this was. THAT was a major answer for prayer (I had prayed that I could explain for myself) and I was in for the second answer when I asked him if he would be patient with my Hebrew and he told me that I could speak in English if I were more comfortable! Praise God! Then The Holy Spirit took over, as He promised and I don't remember much of what I said, but it was to share the truth about our situation and what had happened . Again, I just had such PEACE as I shared and the words flowed. He asked our ages and where we had made aliyah from and when I told him Alaska, he was thrilled because he had been there. I felt through the time that this man was hearing me and that he had compassion. He asked me for examples of how I was helping my husband to keep the books now and he was pleased with the examples that I showed him. Then he told me that he was going to speak to our accountant in some technical terms and that I could ask anything that I wanted. I kept listening for a 'sum total' and didn't hear one, so when we got up to leave I was anxious to know.
Our accountant walked in front of me and I could see that he was wiping his eyes. He kept repeating 'I never saw anything like that! Never! Never saw such a thing!' I finally said 'Y! How much do we have to pay?' He turned toward me with a look of exasperation and said 'NOTHING! You have to pay NOTHING and I never heard of anything like this. YOU would call it 'mercy'…I call it 'clemency'! FULL CLEMENCY! Want a ride home? ' As I got into his car I said 'Excuse me, but I must thank God .' Which I did.
The ride home was interesting, and although I said no more directly about The Lord, Whom he had just witnessed, I have no doubt that The Lord IS working in his heart…so here you have another Israeli to pray for if you would? Thank you for sharing this wonderful joy!
All of this ofcourse took place with masks, gloves, and social distancing.
Several of you have asked if we were still/ or again/ in lockdown. No. We are in 'belegan'…maybe like you. After all…none of us have ever been here before and no one has the answer…so…to put it delicately, it can get confusing; ESPECIALLY with the mix of all of the media and social media 'expert' opinions, 'scientific studies' etc. etc. What I can tell you is that Israel had done extremely well in keeping our numbers low until everyone was 'let out' and as of today our numbers are almost as high as they were when the lockdown began. (more later)
This is where 'observing' and 'fruit' come in. Galatians 5:22, 23… we have memorized them…sung them… prayed for them: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
All around me…even in the body…I see anger, unrest, opinions. I guess I wasn't surprised to see it in the world, but when I began to see it in the body I took a step back in grief. Then (as I wrote above) The Lord woke me in the night about my own 'opinions' and I began to understand more about how He was looking for 'FRUIT', as a good husbandman does.
Several years ago, while our oldest daughter and family were here on a visit we went to the Bloomfield Science Museum, a wonderful interactive all ages place. One of the exhibits at the time was concerned with the invention of the bicycle, and we stopped to follow it as the kids jumped onto different forms of bicycles, some more than a century old. It was there that we first learned about the 1815 catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia. Apparently it was the largest explosion ever to take place on the planet (quite a claim, but corroborated in all of the articles that I subsequently read) so why had we never heard of this I wondered. It resulted in what is called 'the year without a summer' in 1816…and plunged the earth into a mini ice age which in turn produced famines and floods…as crops across the N. Hemisphere (information from the S. Hemisphere is sketchy) failed, grazing land disappeared, and people began to eat their animals …including cats, dogs, horses. The horses, used for transportation disappeared …thus the development of the bicycle began through necessity. Plagues followed the famines. (I am just touching on some highlights…it is fascinating for anyone who would want to look into it as I have been)
It happened before the days of modern means of communication and for quite awhile no one really knew what had happened…or what was causing the darkness and cold. The news of the volcano only began to be shared by sailors who remained alive to tell. But it devastated the inhabitants of earth for at least 3 years.
I thought about this again suddenly as I received yet another theory from someone concerning our current dilemma …and I thought about the times that God has done something that man could not. Suddenly.
I thought about Pharaoh's magicians who used their powers to duplicate the first few miracles that God performed through Moses…and how they could go only so far and no farther. So…I did another search and looked up spiritual writing from this 1815-18 time period: believers who might have been influenced by this powerful display…hunting for diaries, perhaps people seeking The Lord in the midst. I found that during this time Mary Shelly's famous horror story 'Frankenstein' was written. I found a theological debate concerning trinity. But this was an age when literacy was not a 'right' and communication was not speedy. It just got me thinking about what we, as humans, DO when we totally have NO CONTROL over something BIG that is happening; so often we find we have no control over anything but our responses.
And I wonder how God looks at it and HOW HE WANTS us to look at it. For I have no doubt that THIS IS A HOLY TIME.
Zechariah 8:7-8 "Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east
And from the land of the west; I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’"
One good and amazing thing that has come out of this particular current plague has been a huge increase in aliyah (perhaps you would pray that my sister and family would be among them) as well as returning Israelis (and that that our daughter and family would be among these). There are many better and more informative articles than this one INCREASE IN ALIYAH but as I write this is the one at my finger tips. It is NOT just America that they are coming from but from all across the globe! I watched the wonder on the faces of a planeload of Peruvian olim (new Jewish immigrants) as they arrived. As the phenomenon is being examined, I heard a commentator on the news a couple of nights ago saying that this was like when the immigrants from Russia SUDDENLY began flowing in. At random I just opened to Isaiah 11:12 "He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of JudahFrom the four corners of the earth." one of OH SO MANY verses of promise of SEEING THE HAND OF THE LORD FULFILLING HIS WORD.
That's what I want! I want my eyes and the eyes of my heart TUNED to SEE His Hand in everything that is happening around me…AND to bear His fruit in the midst. For the people are CONFUSED, and ANGRY, and SCARED and HUNGRY (for answers and direction). Their hope and security is crumbling around them and they are not looking to God so they are seeking to BLAME. We have the answer. We are not confused or angry or scared or hungry because we have HIM Who IS The Answer. By the way…many of the religious Jews ALSO see The Hand of God clearly in this.
And then, in the middle of this 'belegan'… we have the Trump peace plan and the possibility of again repatriating (some call annexing) parts of Judea and Samaria. The 'target date' has been tomorrow…1 July, although tomorrow does not look likely at this point one NEVER knows. Many have asked me 'what I think' about this and I can answer honestly: I do not know. I do believe the Bible and I believe that Judea and Samaria belong to Israel. I am not worried about this 'being the wrong time' because there is NEVER a 'right time' in the Middle East…things are ALWAYS volatile and the eruption into violence on a large scale is always a possibility and does not need much prompting. The check that I feel is mostly because we have no idea what is in this 'DEAL' and if there is wickedness in the exchange then it is not God's (as far as I can see). So, I will share with you no 'opinion' and no 'insight'. We will all have to wait and see how this unfolds.
I am still working from home and there is no change in sight. You may remember that I work in a doctor's office so this switch has been rather dramatic for the patients but seems to be working. There is a lot of 'telemed' through whatsapp, which most locals have. I make phone calls and issue prescriptions and lab tests (all done digitally at this point) and channel messages to my boss. It is pretty tiring and costly to me (phones, computer) but I am so happy to speak to the patients and to hear how they are dealing with life as it is, for many full of crisis's. With some we speak about God's purposes in all of this and it is touching to hear how many 'secular' people know that He is calling us to REAL repentance and changing our ways. My husband (barber hairdresser) is working in his shop with very strict guidelines (called 'the purple badge' here) and it is hard for him. But although his clientele is smaller, the social contact has been so important for him. Many of his clients are doctors so he gets plenty of free advice as well!
As I said above, our severe and early closure really did succeed in keeping our numbers low, however when the closure was lifted, the people went wild (as in many places where you are too I am sure). They had had ENOUGH of their rights taken away and their freedoms limited and they were DONE! FINISHED! ENOUGH! So… the numbers have been climbing rapidly and multiplying at an alarming rate. As of today the size of gatherings is being further limited again. Since we live in such a populated area and people are tired of the restrictions it poses a dilemma of sorts for someone like my husband and I. We are almost 75 and I have a very compromised immune system (yes, I really HAVE and DO everything to boost it). I have no FEAR at all of this…I have no fear of death…but I do not want to be stupid or presumptuous. NOR do I want to enter into the WAR that has erupted, even in the body; 'to mask or not to mask!' It seems to me that the FRUIT of this war is not sweet smelling fruit unto life, but deadly fruit. So even though I am working from home I ride the train to the shuk or for other chores and the train is jammed, skin to skin, with people exuding anger; the masked people are angry at those wearing it on their chin (it is a fine here of 500 shekels if you are caught without a mask over nose and mouth) and the unmasked mocking the masked with disdain.
May we be found bearing fruit for the kingdom of God.
As I close this letter, knowing that many of you and many here are in crisis… I look out of my window and I think that my prayer is that we WON'T 'get used to' what people are calling 'the new reality'. I pray that it will break us all away from everything that distracts us. I stand on our merepesset which looks over a very main street as the train stops and I see the same faces…the faces who still need Him … the faces that still don't know His Name and I pray that we will not be the same, but changed into whom He longs for us to become. He is faithful to fulfill ALL of His promises because He CAN'T fail.
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 "For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He."
ANOTHER ARTICLE..
Deut 30:11-13 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’" AND v.17 "But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,…"
1 Timothy 6:11-12 "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." AND 20-21 "O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane an idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith."
Greetings dear sisters and brothers in Yeshua, Jesus, The Lord, The Light, The Living Word, The Truth, The only begotten Son of The Father, The Messiah…salvation has come and we have seen Him and may His glory be seen in us. May HE alone be glorified and blessed and my you be encouraged and edified.
It has been awhile since I have written but I have no doubt that you have had more than enough to read, and I don't DARE write until I feel His prompting. One night in the midst of 'all of this' I woke and sensed The Lord's Presence to turned toward Him and felt Him searching me and pinpointing all of my 'opinions' and making a distinction between 'opinion' and 'observation', and the distinction cut me to the core. I saw how 'opinion' (even 'learned' opinion) has so much judgment in it…but through observation He teaches us and we can learn; an important lesson for me - and a pruning that I pray produces fruit for His kingdom.
1 Chronicles 21:16 "And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."
Psalm 17:2 "Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright."
'In the midst', I have a praise report as I know that some of you were praying and please don't feel badly if you weren't. I know that He gives us each the burdens that we are meant to bear along with others.
I had shared with you a problem that we were having with the Israeli tax authority concerning breaches in my husband's bookkeeping at work. The case has hung over us since (I believe) December, and has been weighty. The hearing was cancelled twice due to lockdown, but it wasn't dropped and last Thursday 'the day' arrived. Our accountant knows that I am a believer and he has made it plain that he is 'not'…(yet). He has known us for more than twenty years now and when this whole situation came up he was distraught for us because the penalties had the potential to be huge. During my last meeting with him, I got to share part of my testimony and my belief that The Lord was not only ABLE to deliver, but I was asking Him to show us mercy. The accountant laughed and said 'Listen! These are TAX PEOPLE. They do not have 'mercy'…they care about the numbers only and these numbers are awful!'
I prayed with faithful sisters and others were praying for us. The day before the hearing, the prayer seemed to pierce my heart that 'The Lord would be my Advocate and my Judge and that I would not fall into the hands of man. All of our provision is The Lord's and if He wanted to use it all to give to the government, that was His right as well. Period.' Something in that prayer broke the anxiety in me and I slept like a baby the night before the hearing.
The Tax Authority building had the ability to be more than a bit intimidating! As I entered I inadvertently said 'WOW!'. Just the FEELING there was…hum…power. But I was walking in His Power I trusted and again, I had peace. The many guards were very 'no nonsense'. I showed them my paper and they pushed it aside: 'What exactly is your business!' I realized that they wanted this answer clearly, succinctly and in Hebrew …so…I stammered a bit and they pushed me through to the wrong place. Still, His peace was so absolute that in this HUGE MAZE of buildings I found my way through guarded protected areas saying 'Do not enter' and there I was, in the right place…even with a few minutes to sit and pray. I looked around and understood which room I was to be sent to and waited for my Accountant who appeared on the exact second…I mean…how much into numbers can someone be! He was VERY nervous. I thought the Judge's name was a good name and had prayed for him. I still had peace when we entered the room.
My Accountant began to speak to him, explaining that my husband's shop is so very small and his income even smaller etc. etc. I just sat there and the Judge looked at me curiously and asked me what 'my take' on all of this was. THAT was a major answer for prayer (I had prayed that I could explain for myself) and I was in for the second answer when I asked him if he would be patient with my Hebrew and he told me that I could speak in English if I were more comfortable! Praise God! Then The Holy Spirit took over, as He promised and I don't remember much of what I said, but it was to share the truth about our situation and what had happened . Again, I just had such PEACE as I shared and the words flowed. He asked our ages and where we had made aliyah from and when I told him Alaska, he was thrilled because he had been there. I felt through the time that this man was hearing me and that he had compassion. He asked me for examples of how I was helping my husband to keep the books now and he was pleased with the examples that I showed him. Then he told me that he was going to speak to our accountant in some technical terms and that I could ask anything that I wanted. I kept listening for a 'sum total' and didn't hear one, so when we got up to leave I was anxious to know.
Our accountant walked in front of me and I could see that he was wiping his eyes. He kept repeating 'I never saw anything like that! Never! Never saw such a thing!' I finally said 'Y! How much do we have to pay?' He turned toward me with a look of exasperation and said 'NOTHING! You have to pay NOTHING and I never heard of anything like this. YOU would call it 'mercy'…I call it 'clemency'! FULL CLEMENCY! Want a ride home? ' As I got into his car I said 'Excuse me, but I must thank God .' Which I did.
The ride home was interesting, and although I said no more directly about The Lord, Whom he had just witnessed, I have no doubt that The Lord IS working in his heart…so here you have another Israeli to pray for if you would? Thank you for sharing this wonderful joy!
All of this ofcourse took place with masks, gloves, and social distancing.
Several of you have asked if we were still/ or again/ in lockdown. No. We are in 'belegan'…maybe like you. After all…none of us have ever been here before and no one has the answer…so…to put it delicately, it can get confusing; ESPECIALLY with the mix of all of the media and social media 'expert' opinions, 'scientific studies' etc. etc. What I can tell you is that Israel had done extremely well in keeping our numbers low until everyone was 'let out' and as of today our numbers are almost as high as they were when the lockdown began. (more later)
This is where 'observing' and 'fruit' come in. Galatians 5:22, 23… we have memorized them…sung them… prayed for them: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
All around me…even in the body…I see anger, unrest, opinions. I guess I wasn't surprised to see it in the world, but when I began to see it in the body I took a step back in grief. Then (as I wrote above) The Lord woke me in the night about my own 'opinions' and I began to understand more about how He was looking for 'FRUIT', as a good husbandman does.
Several years ago, while our oldest daughter and family were here on a visit we went to the Bloomfield Science Museum, a wonderful interactive all ages place. One of the exhibits at the time was concerned with the invention of the bicycle, and we stopped to follow it as the kids jumped onto different forms of bicycles, some more than a century old. It was there that we first learned about the 1815 catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia. Apparently it was the largest explosion ever to take place on the planet (quite a claim, but corroborated in all of the articles that I subsequently read) so why had we never heard of this I wondered. It resulted in what is called 'the year without a summer' in 1816…and plunged the earth into a mini ice age which in turn produced famines and floods…as crops across the N. Hemisphere (information from the S. Hemisphere is sketchy) failed, grazing land disappeared, and people began to eat their animals …including cats, dogs, horses. The horses, used for transportation disappeared …thus the development of the bicycle began through necessity. Plagues followed the famines. (I am just touching on some highlights…it is fascinating for anyone who would want to look into it as I have been)
It happened before the days of modern means of communication and for quite awhile no one really knew what had happened…or what was causing the darkness and cold. The news of the volcano only began to be shared by sailors who remained alive to tell. But it devastated the inhabitants of earth for at least 3 years.
I thought about this again suddenly as I received yet another theory from someone concerning our current dilemma …and I thought about the times that God has done something that man could not. Suddenly.
I thought about Pharaoh's magicians who used their powers to duplicate the first few miracles that God performed through Moses…and how they could go only so far and no farther. So…I did another search and looked up spiritual writing from this 1815-18 time period: believers who might have been influenced by this powerful display…hunting for diaries, perhaps people seeking The Lord in the midst. I found that during this time Mary Shelly's famous horror story 'Frankenstein' was written. I found a theological debate concerning trinity. But this was an age when literacy was not a 'right' and communication was not speedy. It just got me thinking about what we, as humans, DO when we totally have NO CONTROL over something BIG that is happening; so often we find we have no control over anything but our responses.
And I wonder how God looks at it and HOW HE WANTS us to look at it. For I have no doubt that THIS IS A HOLY TIME.
Zechariah 8:7-8 "Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east
And from the land of the west; I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’"
One good and amazing thing that has come out of this particular current plague has been a huge increase in aliyah (perhaps you would pray that my sister and family would be among them) as well as returning Israelis (and that that our daughter and family would be among these). There are many better and more informative articles than this one INCREASE IN ALIYAH but as I write this is the one at my finger tips. It is NOT just America that they are coming from but from all across the globe! I watched the wonder on the faces of a planeload of Peruvian olim (new Jewish immigrants) as they arrived. As the phenomenon is being examined, I heard a commentator on the news a couple of nights ago saying that this was like when the immigrants from Russia SUDDENLY began flowing in. At random I just opened to Isaiah 11:12 "He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of JudahFrom the four corners of the earth." one of OH SO MANY verses of promise of SEEING THE HAND OF THE LORD FULFILLING HIS WORD.
That's what I want! I want my eyes and the eyes of my heart TUNED to SEE His Hand in everything that is happening around me…AND to bear His fruit in the midst. For the people are CONFUSED, and ANGRY, and SCARED and HUNGRY (for answers and direction). Their hope and security is crumbling around them and they are not looking to God so they are seeking to BLAME. We have the answer. We are not confused or angry or scared or hungry because we have HIM Who IS The Answer. By the way…many of the religious Jews ALSO see The Hand of God clearly in this.
And then, in the middle of this 'belegan'… we have the Trump peace plan and the possibility of again repatriating (some call annexing) parts of Judea and Samaria. The 'target date' has been tomorrow…1 July, although tomorrow does not look likely at this point one NEVER knows. Many have asked me 'what I think' about this and I can answer honestly: I do not know. I do believe the Bible and I believe that Judea and Samaria belong to Israel. I am not worried about this 'being the wrong time' because there is NEVER a 'right time' in the Middle East…things are ALWAYS volatile and the eruption into violence on a large scale is always a possibility and does not need much prompting. The check that I feel is mostly because we have no idea what is in this 'DEAL' and if there is wickedness in the exchange then it is not God's (as far as I can see). So, I will share with you no 'opinion' and no 'insight'. We will all have to wait and see how this unfolds.
I am still working from home and there is no change in sight. You may remember that I work in a doctor's office so this switch has been rather dramatic for the patients but seems to be working. There is a lot of 'telemed' through whatsapp, which most locals have. I make phone calls and issue prescriptions and lab tests (all done digitally at this point) and channel messages to my boss. It is pretty tiring and costly to me (phones, computer) but I am so happy to speak to the patients and to hear how they are dealing with life as it is, for many full of crisis's. With some we speak about God's purposes in all of this and it is touching to hear how many 'secular' people know that He is calling us to REAL repentance and changing our ways. My husband (barber hairdresser) is working in his shop with very strict guidelines (called 'the purple badge' here) and it is hard for him. But although his clientele is smaller, the social contact has been so important for him. Many of his clients are doctors so he gets plenty of free advice as well!
As I said above, our severe and early closure really did succeed in keeping our numbers low, however when the closure was lifted, the people went wild (as in many places where you are too I am sure). They had had ENOUGH of their rights taken away and their freedoms limited and they were DONE! FINISHED! ENOUGH! So… the numbers have been climbing rapidly and multiplying at an alarming rate. As of today the size of gatherings is being further limited again. Since we live in such a populated area and people are tired of the restrictions it poses a dilemma of sorts for someone like my husband and I. We are almost 75 and I have a very compromised immune system (yes, I really HAVE and DO everything to boost it). I have no FEAR at all of this…I have no fear of death…but I do not want to be stupid or presumptuous. NOR do I want to enter into the WAR that has erupted, even in the body; 'to mask or not to mask!' It seems to me that the FRUIT of this war is not sweet smelling fruit unto life, but deadly fruit. So even though I am working from home I ride the train to the shuk or for other chores and the train is jammed, skin to skin, with people exuding anger; the masked people are angry at those wearing it on their chin (it is a fine here of 500 shekels if you are caught without a mask over nose and mouth) and the unmasked mocking the masked with disdain.
May we be found bearing fruit for the kingdom of God.
As I close this letter, knowing that many of you and many here are in crisis… I look out of my window and I think that my prayer is that we WON'T 'get used to' what people are calling 'the new reality'. I pray that it will break us all away from everything that distracts us. I stand on our merepesset which looks over a very main street as the train stops and I see the same faces…the faces who still need Him … the faces that still don't know His Name and I pray that we will not be the same, but changed into whom He longs for us to become. He is faithful to fulfill ALL of His promises because He CAN'T fail.
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 "For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He."
ANOTHER ARTICLE..
May 29, 2020
"But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." COLOSSIANS 3:8-17
(long…but well worth the read and meditation!)
Dearest brothers and sisters in the fellowship of Yeshua, The promised Messiah, through the precious Blood of His covenant, BLESSINGS to you in Him this day! May the fullness of His Spirit be again seen through out the body for His glory alone, revealing Him in this lost and dying world.
Today is the high holiday (meaning the second of the three, commanded in scripture, 'pilgrim feasts', when all of Israel's men were commanded to come up to present themselves before Him in Jerusalem, with the appropriate offering. The first feast, Passover, is followed (from the day after the first Shabbat) by the 'counting of the omer' for 50 days until the first harvest…and the first-fruit of that harvest is presented as an offering to The Lord.
"And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ “Then you shall set it before the Lordyour God, and worship before the Lord your God. So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you." DEUTERONOMY 1-11 (also see Deut. 16:9, Leviticus 23:9, Numbers 15:17, Numbers 28:26 and ofcourse Acts chapter 2…realizing that 'pent' in Pentecost means '50' and refers to the 50 days of the counting of the Omer between Passover and Shavuot (which is translated into English as 'Feast of weeks'… Shavuot in Hebrew means 'week'.)
I have waited to write to you through Jerusalem Day, which passed before my eyes on the 22 of May…but 'wait' was, and remains the word that I kept hearing. 'Wait' has become an important word for certain.
Jerusalem Day, usually a day of dancing and singing in the streets, was celebrated in many creative ways, considering that large gatherings are not permitted…yet it was celebrated. Flags decked the homes and virtual learning sessions took place along with virtual and outdoor prayer around the country as people remembered the miracle of the return of Jerusalem from her captivity…oh such a short time ago! We have been back for such a short time…and yet we forget so quickly…surely why we are commanded over and over to 'remember'! Outside our window, large trucks sponsored by the city came by…one had musicians leading in wonderful songs praising God for Jerusalem, (I danced and sang on my merepesset - balcony - as I am sure many others did) and the other truck served as a large screen upon which was projected video clips of past Jerusalem Day celebrations. Young people, keeping 2 meter distance from one another, ran through the streets dancing with the flags and giving large flags to anyone who wanted …it was encouraging as they brought celebration from one neighborhood to another…yet is was sobering.
Today also…Shavuot…it is quiet. In years past there was much noise all through the night (and it was NOT always 'holy noise' for sure as many rowdy young people would take advantage of the time to gather for other purposes) as large groups of people would gather to study The Word or a philosophical subject concerning The Word… many walking past our windows in large groups to the Western Wall of the Temple in the Old City, others gathering at synagogues or homes or out doors. Along WITH the command in scripture (what Shavuot is for and how to celebrate it ) the rabbinical teaching has interpreted this holiday to celebrate the day that Torah was given on Mt. Sinai. Since Yeshua IS THE LIVING WORD AND THE BREAD OF LIFE…I kind of like that. This year most of the learning is virtual…there are many all night discussion groups online and others gather in small groups. Those allowed to go to the Wall were chosen 'by lot' as the number was limited. You know. To one degree or another all of you are also experiencing the pressures upon this earth even though different in each county and area … and I hear so many interpretations and opinions.
Pentecost happened just down the road from me…right…over…THERE! The people gathered as commanded into Jerusalem…into the Temple area to offer the prescribed offerings …to praise The God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob for His abundant provision …RIGHT ON TIME…AT THE APPOINTED TIME…JUST LIKE THE HARVEST…AT THE FULLNESS OF TIME! And THERE and THEN "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." Can you imagine?? ALL in ONE ACCORD in ONE PLACE? Surely someone had their own opinion or was 'righteously annoyed' with someone else? Nope! Only The Lord could do that! "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting."..Yep…THAT HAPPENED! Right HERE … right down the road from where I am living!
Part of the rabbinical tradition during Shavuot is to read the short book of Ruth. Probably because it takes place during the harvest. My husband and I read it aloud last night and spoke about the amazing things in the book of Ruth… that the law FORBADE a person of Moabite descent from entering the congregation of The Lord (Deuteronomy 23:3) and yet who sprang from Ruth but David and The Lord Himself! What GRACE and MERCY He shows…beyond our reasoning and best knowledge and understanding.
So this is what I have been thinking about. ALOT!
Since we have been in the house together so much, my husband and I, we have taken up an old good habit that I loved of reading books aloud. The last book that we decided to re-read you may know, called Anointed for Burial by Todd and DeAnn Burke, written in the 1970s. It documents the mighty move of God that took place just before the Khmer Rouge conquered Cambodia and scorched it into the notorious 'killing fields'. It is a very encouraging-toward -The-Lord book that records the faithfulness and display of God's power and love in extraordinary times and ways.
I decided to find out what had happened to this couple who had been so mightily used of God and I was grieved to find that Todd had turned away from The Lord…apparently a seed of bitterness taking root…God knows…and he died in 2006.
I am deeply thankful for Pastor H... who said again and again; 'Do not follow me or any man! ONLY follow Jesus! ALL MEN CAN STUMBLE AND LEAD YOU ASTRAY BUT ONLY ONE CAN NOT!' The work of God in Cambodia was real…and the fruit was real…and yet the man who was used to lead it was not the one who did the work; GOD did (and we leave the sad outcome of the man to Him as well) Just like that Shavuot some 2,000 years ago; it was a sovereign work of GOD HIMSELF! And we KNOW that as we cry out: DO IT AGAIN, LORD!
I only mentioned the writer of the book above because it sobers me and puts the fear of God in me. In the current situation, I am often saddened and even grieved as I listen to the arguments among people, and believers in particular. I don't often hear 'discernment of the Truth'! I more often sadly hear rebellion, opinions, sowing discord among the brethren…and I cringe and beg God for mercy on my own soul that He will press me lower lower…into Himself…for "Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar." Psalm 138:6 and "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9
I cry out for discernment during these days; these are NOT 'normal' days and is there really one of us who feels they are clever enough to discern what is happening and who is right? May God have mercy on us.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I have been touched by some truly godly BLESSINGS that have gone forth, humble honest touches to the body from the body world wide. Oh there IS grace and peace in dear pockets of places and what SALT it is! It brings me to tears as I hear from dear brothers and sisters filled with His grace and peace and wisdom from seeking Him in the quiet place.
Well…if any of you were able to read through this letter, I congratulate you and pray that my meandering thoughts did not confuse you too badly. I am never sure if I should write, but today I felt that 'push'. May His Holy Spirit fill you afresh and may He take these words as an offering, a small grain offering that He can bless and break and make something of food for someone. May you be encouraged in Him and may this season of your life become treasure for His glory. So lovingly, your sister.
"But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." COLOSSIANS 3:8-17
(long…but well worth the read and meditation!)
Dearest brothers and sisters in the fellowship of Yeshua, The promised Messiah, through the precious Blood of His covenant, BLESSINGS to you in Him this day! May the fullness of His Spirit be again seen through out the body for His glory alone, revealing Him in this lost and dying world.
Today is the high holiday (meaning the second of the three, commanded in scripture, 'pilgrim feasts', when all of Israel's men were commanded to come up to present themselves before Him in Jerusalem, with the appropriate offering. The first feast, Passover, is followed (from the day after the first Shabbat) by the 'counting of the omer' for 50 days until the first harvest…and the first-fruit of that harvest is presented as an offering to The Lord.
"And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.’ “Then you shall set it before the Lordyour God, and worship before the Lord your God. So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you." DEUTERONOMY 1-11 (also see Deut. 16:9, Leviticus 23:9, Numbers 15:17, Numbers 28:26 and ofcourse Acts chapter 2…realizing that 'pent' in Pentecost means '50' and refers to the 50 days of the counting of the Omer between Passover and Shavuot (which is translated into English as 'Feast of weeks'… Shavuot in Hebrew means 'week'.)
I have waited to write to you through Jerusalem Day, which passed before my eyes on the 22 of May…but 'wait' was, and remains the word that I kept hearing. 'Wait' has become an important word for certain.
Jerusalem Day, usually a day of dancing and singing in the streets, was celebrated in many creative ways, considering that large gatherings are not permitted…yet it was celebrated. Flags decked the homes and virtual learning sessions took place along with virtual and outdoor prayer around the country as people remembered the miracle of the return of Jerusalem from her captivity…oh such a short time ago! We have been back for such a short time…and yet we forget so quickly…surely why we are commanded over and over to 'remember'! Outside our window, large trucks sponsored by the city came by…one had musicians leading in wonderful songs praising God for Jerusalem, (I danced and sang on my merepesset - balcony - as I am sure many others did) and the other truck served as a large screen upon which was projected video clips of past Jerusalem Day celebrations. Young people, keeping 2 meter distance from one another, ran through the streets dancing with the flags and giving large flags to anyone who wanted …it was encouraging as they brought celebration from one neighborhood to another…yet is was sobering.
Today also…Shavuot…it is quiet. In years past there was much noise all through the night (and it was NOT always 'holy noise' for sure as many rowdy young people would take advantage of the time to gather for other purposes) as large groups of people would gather to study The Word or a philosophical subject concerning The Word… many walking past our windows in large groups to the Western Wall of the Temple in the Old City, others gathering at synagogues or homes or out doors. Along WITH the command in scripture (what Shavuot is for and how to celebrate it ) the rabbinical teaching has interpreted this holiday to celebrate the day that Torah was given on Mt. Sinai. Since Yeshua IS THE LIVING WORD AND THE BREAD OF LIFE…I kind of like that. This year most of the learning is virtual…there are many all night discussion groups online and others gather in small groups. Those allowed to go to the Wall were chosen 'by lot' as the number was limited. You know. To one degree or another all of you are also experiencing the pressures upon this earth even though different in each county and area … and I hear so many interpretations and opinions.
Pentecost happened just down the road from me…right…over…THERE! The people gathered as commanded into Jerusalem…into the Temple area to offer the prescribed offerings …to praise The God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob for His abundant provision …RIGHT ON TIME…AT THE APPOINTED TIME…JUST LIKE THE HARVEST…AT THE FULLNESS OF TIME! And THERE and THEN "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." Can you imagine?? ALL in ONE ACCORD in ONE PLACE? Surely someone had their own opinion or was 'righteously annoyed' with someone else? Nope! Only The Lord could do that! "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting."..Yep…THAT HAPPENED! Right HERE … right down the road from where I am living!
Part of the rabbinical tradition during Shavuot is to read the short book of Ruth. Probably because it takes place during the harvest. My husband and I read it aloud last night and spoke about the amazing things in the book of Ruth… that the law FORBADE a person of Moabite descent from entering the congregation of The Lord (Deuteronomy 23:3) and yet who sprang from Ruth but David and The Lord Himself! What GRACE and MERCY He shows…beyond our reasoning and best knowledge and understanding.
So this is what I have been thinking about. ALOT!
Since we have been in the house together so much, my husband and I, we have taken up an old good habit that I loved of reading books aloud. The last book that we decided to re-read you may know, called Anointed for Burial by Todd and DeAnn Burke, written in the 1970s. It documents the mighty move of God that took place just before the Khmer Rouge conquered Cambodia and scorched it into the notorious 'killing fields'. It is a very encouraging-toward -The-Lord book that records the faithfulness and display of God's power and love in extraordinary times and ways.
I decided to find out what had happened to this couple who had been so mightily used of God and I was grieved to find that Todd had turned away from The Lord…apparently a seed of bitterness taking root…God knows…and he died in 2006.
I am deeply thankful for Pastor H... who said again and again; 'Do not follow me or any man! ONLY follow Jesus! ALL MEN CAN STUMBLE AND LEAD YOU ASTRAY BUT ONLY ONE CAN NOT!' The work of God in Cambodia was real…and the fruit was real…and yet the man who was used to lead it was not the one who did the work; GOD did (and we leave the sad outcome of the man to Him as well) Just like that Shavuot some 2,000 years ago; it was a sovereign work of GOD HIMSELF! And we KNOW that as we cry out: DO IT AGAIN, LORD!
I only mentioned the writer of the book above because it sobers me and puts the fear of God in me. In the current situation, I am often saddened and even grieved as I listen to the arguments among people, and believers in particular. I don't often hear 'discernment of the Truth'! I more often sadly hear rebellion, opinions, sowing discord among the brethren…and I cringe and beg God for mercy on my own soul that He will press me lower lower…into Himself…for "Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar." Psalm 138:6 and "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9
I cry out for discernment during these days; these are NOT 'normal' days and is there really one of us who feels they are clever enough to discern what is happening and who is right? May God have mercy on us.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I have been touched by some truly godly BLESSINGS that have gone forth, humble honest touches to the body from the body world wide. Oh there IS grace and peace in dear pockets of places and what SALT it is! It brings me to tears as I hear from dear brothers and sisters filled with His grace and peace and wisdom from seeking Him in the quiet place.
Well…if any of you were able to read through this letter, I congratulate you and pray that my meandering thoughts did not confuse you too badly. I am never sure if I should write, but today I felt that 'push'. May His Holy Spirit fill you afresh and may He take these words as an offering, a small grain offering that He can bless and break and make something of food for someone. May you be encouraged in Him and may this season of your life become treasure for His glory. So lovingly, your sister.
May 7, 2020
"Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.” So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.”He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth." ZECHARIAH 5:5-8
Greetings again, truly in the fear of God as I seek to share faithfully with you, brothers and sisters, what I see and what I hear, without interpretation. May I be found faithful and May The LORD BE GLORIFIED. May you be blessed and provoked into His steadfast BEING.
"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love." 1 Corinthians 16:13,14
How truly the areas of the world are DIFFERENT…responses are DIFFERENT…experiences are DIFFERENT… points of reference are DIFFERENT…opinions and assessments are different…BUT THE SAME GOD IS ONE!
We have lived through, beyond a doubt, a Holy pause…as The Lord has searched deeply. The verse that I quoted above from Zechariah seem to me to agree with the verses from Job that I shared in the last letter. I could only say 'I SEE this Lord…Oh Lord, YOU KNOW!' When I was so sick and in the hospital last week, I asked The Lord if He really needed me to witness all of this. His answer was quick and short, direct and nearly audible: "Yes!" As I sat before Him with the verses above I saw Zechariah's gentle obedience: 'Lift up your eyes now'. What he saw was a basket… a lead disc and a woman sitting inside the basket.' He was well…he described it correctly. It was what was required of him. From this I also received instruction. Like Zechariah, I also do not understand but I am commanded to write what I see.
I see the Holiness of The Lord gone forth. I see a Passover like the very first one. I see clean skies and wild animals roaming the streets of major cities around the world with no fear or tension. I listen and hear silence…and the birds. I feel His deep, DEEP, firey searching in my soul. I seek to sit still and listen.
And then as suddenly as it began…it LIFTED…as if He said 'That is that…it is sealed!' … 'WHAT LORD?' No answer. One month solid of a holy pause and searching Spirit, of rising in the middle of the night feeling His fire burning in my soul…hovering…was it MAYBE like the HOLY PAUSE between the Cross and the Resurrection?? Did you ever think about what that must have been like for those who WEREN'T His disciples? Did they care? Did they question? Did they feel anything while GOD HIMSELF worked His Work of Salvation…life from the dead…beyond even our understanding today…bigger than any of us? I do not know what HE has done this time…I only know that HE has done 'something' and that it is HOLY! I do not want to lose the fear of God…the vigilance… I can not work it up myself; His work, His way.
But I do get to share with you the perspective from Jerusalem…from the Middle East…and from the crossroads with Europe as well.
There was a very interesting article in our media: There was an open letter written to Israel from Julian Assange, the infamous author of Wikileaks. He wrote that he was 'shocked' by Israelis response to being 'stripped of their civil rights' and going as sheep to the slaughter. He said that he has always admired Israelis and felt that they were the sharpest people for taking any chance to fight for and stand up for rights and how could WE…of ALL people…have so easily handed over ALL of our civil rights with not so much as a peep, to our government.' Well…what FASCINATED me was the response! It was the same response given to ex US President Barak Obama when he came here and spoke in our Convention center to a hand picked group of college students and educators and called on them for CHANGE! It was his infamous 'Arab Spring' tour and Israel was his last stop. He had been successful in Egypt and other countries, going to the young people and telling them to rise up and overthrow their governments…but here…even these very liberal academics who spoke against our government, did NOT eat the apple. The written answers to Assange went into the hundreds and I read each one, wanting to know what was in the heart of my people. The answers agreed 100% and I have NEVER seen that before. I must sum it up: 'We might fight among ourselves and vehemently oppose policies of our government, but unlike you…WE KNOW THAT OUR GOVERNMENT - like them or not - WANTS ABOVE ALL FOR US TO LIVE! We have fought for our lives together too much to rebel against the leadership in a life or death battle and this is just that; a life and death battle. We are like an army now and we will obey our commanders and we do NOT RESPECT TRAITORS! Who do you think that you are…you who betrayed your own government?' I was overwhelmed by the collective response of the people…and I LEARNED. Over and over I read repeatedly 'Our government wants us to live!' So yes; Israelis handed over their rights, their phones, their freedoms.
Like with you, where ever you liv, there was a huge difference in experience between those who live in cities and those who live rurally. I NEVER thought (or wanted) that I would live in a city again, but here I am because I gave Him full reign to do with me as He pleased…in the center of Jerusalem…with no car, in a small rented apartment up a flight of stairs, on a busy main street…the LEAST ideal place to be 'shut down and locked up.'
Age 74 immune compromised and TRUSTING GOD…We got to watch, front row center. Out age group was NOT allowed out except for necessary medical reasons, and we were fully isolated for 6 weeks. Even now we are not being encouraged to go out unnecessarily and when we do it is with mask and gloves. We were humbled and educated into the most extraordinary grass roots volunteer activity that we have EVER witnessed! Did we have a lot to learn! At first, our only need was for occasional shopping. Young, healthy people both from our kehila and in the neighborhood rose to the task. Bags and baskets were lowered from windows with money and up came groceries and change. NO ONE would accept a shekel for their service!
But then I got sick. And I got sick with an extremely high fever…and that was scary…I did NOT want to go to the hospital at all, but particularly NOT with a high fever! Nor could I rise from my bed to cook. Once the volunteers found out about our new plight…I am simply UNABLE to find words to describe what happened. Meals began appearing at our door…Not one or two but HUNDREDS!!! Home cooked meals, army rations (they eat well!) DELICIOUS meals, cakes, drinks, questions 'Are we kosher?' 'Do we have allergies or preferences?' Phone calls in Russian, Hebrew, English 'What can we do to help? Are you better?' A couple came to our door with big tubs of food and told us that they were doctors at the hospital, could they help? (they were working 24/7 and made time to volunteer!!) I could call at any time.' I was shocked to hear from different places in America of food being dumped because no one was buying….here NO FOOD was dumped or wasted…it was DONATED…GIVEN FREELY…picked, collected, cooked, prepared, delivered, all over the country free of charge, by army, police, young people, scout groups- to Jews, Arabs, Bedouin, homeless…anyone located with a need…dare I say that some of us maybe have never eaten so well…it was a flowing abundance of kindness poured forth: Boxes left at doors to avoid contact: no name…no recognition…caring for one another…that was our experience and humbling to be on the receiving end.
I was trying hard to get a corona test BEFORE going to the hospital so that I would not be mixed in with those who possibly had corona. We had just lost an immune compromised patient who had to go to hospital with a high fever and got mixed in with corona patients and died of it. None the less, I became too ill to wait any longer and I did have the assurance that The Lord was with me. The ambulance came to take me, the drivers, doctor and nurse (Jews and Arabs) were all dressed in the white 'outer space' gear that took them 10 minutes to don before allowing me in the ambulance. Concerned onlookers gathered. The high vigilance was humbling to watch; everywhere it was maintained, and even with strained nerves from great fatigue and the weight of the constant life and death decisions that were being made, compassion and generosity dignified each situation. When I was taken from the ambulance, it was sprayed down and outer clothing of those who helped me was stripped. Inside the emergency ward, as I had feared, I was put in a large area with patients who had either fevers, or shortness of breath. I was thankful to see the pains that had been taken to separate each patient area, so that even though there were 22 in the room, we were isolated and masked. It was obvious that some of those nearby did NOT have corona; There were lung and heart problems as well as anxiety. Most of the people in my large room were over 75. Each of us was immediately given a corona test. All of those entering the area were dressed like spacemen.
When my corona test returned negative and it had been established that I had to be hospitalized, I was sent to a non-corona contagious ward with two people to a room. I had two days where I was alone in my room. I am too tired now to go into as much detail as I would like…but it was like watching a fine professional orchestra, well tuned, skilled and prepared, working in unity. With no visitors allowed the work was doubled. Ramadan began and the Arab staff was confined just as the Jewish staff had been confined during Passover, Yom h'atzmaoot and our two memorial days. There was no grumbling or complaining; This was to preserve life and everyone knew it and accepted it.
A call went out from a young woman living near us: Her mother died of corona…her father was on a ventilator… could someone help with food for the shiva…a mourning time when hundreds gather to comfort the mourners…but everyone was isolated and they had to grieve alone. A strange time; A Holy time… A family with 14 children and another with 9, both sets of parents died…23 new orphans. “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?" Job 38:2 I quote again…often…to my own heart!!
All of the children are learning (probably yours as well) via technology. Our daughter shares with me the daily lessons for our granddaughter (6) from her gan (kindergarten). I was never an Israeli student and these are fascinating (good for my Hebrew as well) and I look forward to each new lesson, song, explanation! N----(3), is not receiving lessons. Her teacher sends a weak, heartbreaking, apology. She and one of her 9 children are hospitalized with the virus. She is so sorry that she can't help the children right now and is confident that they will learn. She tells them that she is praying for them and asks them to pray for her.
I look around me at the numbers coming from Europe, England, France, Italy, Spain…where the virus has been running rampant. Our quick strict measures have thus far made an impact, and helped us inspite of the fact that our tourist industry made us so vulnerable. 'Thank GOD! It is only He Who gives us breath and numbers our days'. Yes, people ARE looking to Him, reading scripture, PRAYING! His Spirit is searching hearts and prayers are melting hearts…MAY IT NOT STOP!
We wonder, as a country, how after all of this drought, davka, this year, we are blessed with so much rain, with cooler weather (thus far) and it pours again and everyone says 'Maybe the Kinneret will fill?' We are 11cm from the top! We have been blessed…and many of us know it. We don't deserve it and all of us know that. AND!! AS OF TODAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS FREE TO BE FORMED AND BY THIS COMING WED. WE SHOULD EVEN HAVE A GOVERNMENT AGAIN, FINALLY!!! WHEW!
I apologize for an inadequate letter… I am still so very tired.
And what is God saying in this? I have read oh so many exhortations, theories, prophecies …. but this I know:
WATCH AND PRAY! HE ALONE IS GOD!
"Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things to profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever."
Psalm 131 - A Song of Ascents Of David
"Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.” So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.”He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth." ZECHARIAH 5:5-8
Greetings again, truly in the fear of God as I seek to share faithfully with you, brothers and sisters, what I see and what I hear, without interpretation. May I be found faithful and May The LORD BE GLORIFIED. May you be blessed and provoked into His steadfast BEING.
"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love." 1 Corinthians 16:13,14
How truly the areas of the world are DIFFERENT…responses are DIFFERENT…experiences are DIFFERENT… points of reference are DIFFERENT…opinions and assessments are different…BUT THE SAME GOD IS ONE!
We have lived through, beyond a doubt, a Holy pause…as The Lord has searched deeply. The verse that I quoted above from Zechariah seem to me to agree with the verses from Job that I shared in the last letter. I could only say 'I SEE this Lord…Oh Lord, YOU KNOW!' When I was so sick and in the hospital last week, I asked The Lord if He really needed me to witness all of this. His answer was quick and short, direct and nearly audible: "Yes!" As I sat before Him with the verses above I saw Zechariah's gentle obedience: 'Lift up your eyes now'. What he saw was a basket… a lead disc and a woman sitting inside the basket.' He was well…he described it correctly. It was what was required of him. From this I also received instruction. Like Zechariah, I also do not understand but I am commanded to write what I see.
I see the Holiness of The Lord gone forth. I see a Passover like the very first one. I see clean skies and wild animals roaming the streets of major cities around the world with no fear or tension. I listen and hear silence…and the birds. I feel His deep, DEEP, firey searching in my soul. I seek to sit still and listen.
And then as suddenly as it began…it LIFTED…as if He said 'That is that…it is sealed!' … 'WHAT LORD?' No answer. One month solid of a holy pause and searching Spirit, of rising in the middle of the night feeling His fire burning in my soul…hovering…was it MAYBE like the HOLY PAUSE between the Cross and the Resurrection?? Did you ever think about what that must have been like for those who WEREN'T His disciples? Did they care? Did they question? Did they feel anything while GOD HIMSELF worked His Work of Salvation…life from the dead…beyond even our understanding today…bigger than any of us? I do not know what HE has done this time…I only know that HE has done 'something' and that it is HOLY! I do not want to lose the fear of God…the vigilance… I can not work it up myself; His work, His way.
But I do get to share with you the perspective from Jerusalem…from the Middle East…and from the crossroads with Europe as well.
There was a very interesting article in our media: There was an open letter written to Israel from Julian Assange, the infamous author of Wikileaks. He wrote that he was 'shocked' by Israelis response to being 'stripped of their civil rights' and going as sheep to the slaughter. He said that he has always admired Israelis and felt that they were the sharpest people for taking any chance to fight for and stand up for rights and how could WE…of ALL people…have so easily handed over ALL of our civil rights with not so much as a peep, to our government.' Well…what FASCINATED me was the response! It was the same response given to ex US President Barak Obama when he came here and spoke in our Convention center to a hand picked group of college students and educators and called on them for CHANGE! It was his infamous 'Arab Spring' tour and Israel was his last stop. He had been successful in Egypt and other countries, going to the young people and telling them to rise up and overthrow their governments…but here…even these very liberal academics who spoke against our government, did NOT eat the apple. The written answers to Assange went into the hundreds and I read each one, wanting to know what was in the heart of my people. The answers agreed 100% and I have NEVER seen that before. I must sum it up: 'We might fight among ourselves and vehemently oppose policies of our government, but unlike you…WE KNOW THAT OUR GOVERNMENT - like them or not - WANTS ABOVE ALL FOR US TO LIVE! We have fought for our lives together too much to rebel against the leadership in a life or death battle and this is just that; a life and death battle. We are like an army now and we will obey our commanders and we do NOT RESPECT TRAITORS! Who do you think that you are…you who betrayed your own government?' I was overwhelmed by the collective response of the people…and I LEARNED. Over and over I read repeatedly 'Our government wants us to live!' So yes; Israelis handed over their rights, their phones, their freedoms.
Like with you, where ever you liv, there was a huge difference in experience between those who live in cities and those who live rurally. I NEVER thought (or wanted) that I would live in a city again, but here I am because I gave Him full reign to do with me as He pleased…in the center of Jerusalem…with no car, in a small rented apartment up a flight of stairs, on a busy main street…the LEAST ideal place to be 'shut down and locked up.'
Age 74 immune compromised and TRUSTING GOD…We got to watch, front row center. Out age group was NOT allowed out except for necessary medical reasons, and we were fully isolated for 6 weeks. Even now we are not being encouraged to go out unnecessarily and when we do it is with mask and gloves. We were humbled and educated into the most extraordinary grass roots volunteer activity that we have EVER witnessed! Did we have a lot to learn! At first, our only need was for occasional shopping. Young, healthy people both from our kehila and in the neighborhood rose to the task. Bags and baskets were lowered from windows with money and up came groceries and change. NO ONE would accept a shekel for their service!
But then I got sick. And I got sick with an extremely high fever…and that was scary…I did NOT want to go to the hospital at all, but particularly NOT with a high fever! Nor could I rise from my bed to cook. Once the volunteers found out about our new plight…I am simply UNABLE to find words to describe what happened. Meals began appearing at our door…Not one or two but HUNDREDS!!! Home cooked meals, army rations (they eat well!) DELICIOUS meals, cakes, drinks, questions 'Are we kosher?' 'Do we have allergies or preferences?' Phone calls in Russian, Hebrew, English 'What can we do to help? Are you better?' A couple came to our door with big tubs of food and told us that they were doctors at the hospital, could they help? (they were working 24/7 and made time to volunteer!!) I could call at any time.' I was shocked to hear from different places in America of food being dumped because no one was buying….here NO FOOD was dumped or wasted…it was DONATED…GIVEN FREELY…picked, collected, cooked, prepared, delivered, all over the country free of charge, by army, police, young people, scout groups- to Jews, Arabs, Bedouin, homeless…anyone located with a need…dare I say that some of us maybe have never eaten so well…it was a flowing abundance of kindness poured forth: Boxes left at doors to avoid contact: no name…no recognition…caring for one another…that was our experience and humbling to be on the receiving end.
I was trying hard to get a corona test BEFORE going to the hospital so that I would not be mixed in with those who possibly had corona. We had just lost an immune compromised patient who had to go to hospital with a high fever and got mixed in with corona patients and died of it. None the less, I became too ill to wait any longer and I did have the assurance that The Lord was with me. The ambulance came to take me, the drivers, doctor and nurse (Jews and Arabs) were all dressed in the white 'outer space' gear that took them 10 minutes to don before allowing me in the ambulance. Concerned onlookers gathered. The high vigilance was humbling to watch; everywhere it was maintained, and even with strained nerves from great fatigue and the weight of the constant life and death decisions that were being made, compassion and generosity dignified each situation. When I was taken from the ambulance, it was sprayed down and outer clothing of those who helped me was stripped. Inside the emergency ward, as I had feared, I was put in a large area with patients who had either fevers, or shortness of breath. I was thankful to see the pains that had been taken to separate each patient area, so that even though there were 22 in the room, we were isolated and masked. It was obvious that some of those nearby did NOT have corona; There were lung and heart problems as well as anxiety. Most of the people in my large room were over 75. Each of us was immediately given a corona test. All of those entering the area were dressed like spacemen.
When my corona test returned negative and it had been established that I had to be hospitalized, I was sent to a non-corona contagious ward with two people to a room. I had two days where I was alone in my room. I am too tired now to go into as much detail as I would like…but it was like watching a fine professional orchestra, well tuned, skilled and prepared, working in unity. With no visitors allowed the work was doubled. Ramadan began and the Arab staff was confined just as the Jewish staff had been confined during Passover, Yom h'atzmaoot and our two memorial days. There was no grumbling or complaining; This was to preserve life and everyone knew it and accepted it.
A call went out from a young woman living near us: Her mother died of corona…her father was on a ventilator… could someone help with food for the shiva…a mourning time when hundreds gather to comfort the mourners…but everyone was isolated and they had to grieve alone. A strange time; A Holy time… A family with 14 children and another with 9, both sets of parents died…23 new orphans. “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?" Job 38:2 I quote again…often…to my own heart!!
All of the children are learning (probably yours as well) via technology. Our daughter shares with me the daily lessons for our granddaughter (6) from her gan (kindergarten). I was never an Israeli student and these are fascinating (good for my Hebrew as well) and I look forward to each new lesson, song, explanation! N----(3), is not receiving lessons. Her teacher sends a weak, heartbreaking, apology. She and one of her 9 children are hospitalized with the virus. She is so sorry that she can't help the children right now and is confident that they will learn. She tells them that she is praying for them and asks them to pray for her.
I look around me at the numbers coming from Europe, England, France, Italy, Spain…where the virus has been running rampant. Our quick strict measures have thus far made an impact, and helped us inspite of the fact that our tourist industry made us so vulnerable. 'Thank GOD! It is only He Who gives us breath and numbers our days'. Yes, people ARE looking to Him, reading scripture, PRAYING! His Spirit is searching hearts and prayers are melting hearts…MAY IT NOT STOP!
We wonder, as a country, how after all of this drought, davka, this year, we are blessed with so much rain, with cooler weather (thus far) and it pours again and everyone says 'Maybe the Kinneret will fill?' We are 11cm from the top! We have been blessed…and many of us know it. We don't deserve it and all of us know that. AND!! AS OF TODAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS FREE TO BE FORMED AND BY THIS COMING WED. WE SHOULD EVEN HAVE A GOVERNMENT AGAIN, FINALLY!!! WHEW!
I apologize for an inadequate letter… I am still so very tired.
And what is God saying in this? I have read oh so many exhortations, theories, prophecies …. but this I know:
WATCH AND PRAY! HE ALONE IS GOD!
"Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things to profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever."
Psalm 131 - A Song of Ascents Of David
March 19, 2020
"The land also shall be left empty by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes." Leviticus 26:43
"… to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." 2 Chronicles 36:21
Shalom! PEACE be to you dear brothers and sisters, His Peace in the midst of all storms…HE IS our ROCK and our strong tower, whether here on earth or home with Him, may His Peace keep us and may the fruit of that Peace bring GLORY to HIM! MAY HE BE BLESSED AND GLORIFIED and may you (and I) be encouraged and strengthened to endure to the end, rejoicing in Him…for His mercy endures forever!
I wish that I could forward to you a video that I saw of Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee) with her waves overflowing the nearby sidewalks! After years of seeing her dry, she is so very near full to the upper redline (just a few more centimeters and the Dganya Dam will need to be opened for spill over). With rain predicted for the rest of this week and snow on Mount Hermon, it is such a glorious witness to the steadfast love of God…His Faithful mercies, His Steadfast Word and promises that endure forever, how can we but praise His Name, even in the midst of plague! As we are facing TOTAL shutdown and I looked over our water supply, I thought how merciful of God to fill the Kinneret!
I have wondered about the untimely, late blooming of our almond blossoms. I am used to seeing them appear the second week of January, just as the Intercessors for Israel annual prayer conference is about to begin. They have been like a herald of God's faithfulness to speak …a sign of 'HIM'…" Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” Jeremiah 1:11 The designs in the Temple were graced with almond buds and blossoms. I always smile seeing them, smelling them in the midst of January and knowing that the Spring lies ahead. Not this year. Where were they? My heart was sad! And now, in the midst of this crisis, they appear, snowy white and fragrant…the promise of the almond in them; full of health and beauty…but so out of season this year. What was that 'saying?' I asked morning by morning, with no reply…as of yet.
And there are other wonderful things to report…even as a result of His Hand heavy upon the earth. On the 5 minute English noon news blurb a couple of days ago, it was reported that 15 years ago (and I do recall this) an ancient catapult stone was stolen from the Tower of David Museum. Two days ago, the man brought it back to the antiquities authority saying that he was scared…that his sin had weighted heavily on him and He needed to be right with God … and just maybe this was the end of the world. (this was reported on our news!)
For nearly 21 years I have worked for two doctors and have learned and seen so much! I have met the most interesting people and have grown to love them. One of our patients came in with an expression of wonder on his face. He said 'You won't believe what I just witnessed in the beit merkhakhat(pharmacy)!' I braced myself …'Ok…what?' I asked. He told me that the man in front of him was quite elderly and he watched as a very large number of prescription drugs were being stacked in front of him…his regular medications. Once the pile was complete the pharmacist gave him the bill and he looked at her and said 'I can't pay that! I don't have it.' She told him that this was no different than every month and they discussed it a bit more. Finally she sighed and said 'Well how much CAN you pay?' He quoted her somewhat less than half. She said 'Ok. Give me that.' he answered with a shocked look, 'Well … I don't have that TODAY!' She asked him when he WOULD have it and he said 'Tomorrow.' She began to put the medications in a bag for him and said 'Ok. Will you bring it to me tomorrow then?' . He answered 'Yes, but…I need some money for TODAY!' She sighed again and said 'How much will you need for today?' He thought a minute and said 'Well…50 shekels should make it.' She reached in her purse and handed him 50 shekels along with his bag of medications and he left smiling.
We were all smiling.
But I was taken TOTALLY by surprise on our election day, which took place as the dramatic events that are now changing our lives began to snowball. I know that many of you have asked about our elections and I have had people write to congratulate us on a Netanyahu win. SADLY, we STILL do not have a government…and I will try to explain that later on, and why (oh God forbid!) we may have to go to a FOURTH round of elections. But for now, one more BEAUTIFUL story… a moment in time: My boss called me 2 weeks ago Sunday morning and told me that he had been confined to quarantine (bee'dood) for 14 days having been to synagogue with 'case #29'! I have shared in the past with you the story of the second Doctor…. He is from a Yemenite background and was actually the first Doctor from the Yemenite community…He is a very special man and the Yemenite Jewish culture is rich! We have been at his children's weddings and bar mitzvahs and I have shared with you the diversity with much wonder. ANYWAY! This was election day…the day before Purim…and Dr. was about to leave me alone in the office when 'one last patient' pushed him back in asking for an urgent prescription. Laughing, he made his way back to his office, and all of the sudden this tall, elderly, well dressed, dignified Mizrachi man (he too was Yemenite, Moroccan or Algerian … MIZRACHI… the eastern Jews, have more passionate traditions as opposed to the more intellectual traditions of the ASHKANAZI Jews) spread out his arms and began to SING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE in a most impassioned way… THE PROVERBS 31 BLESSING over ME!! I was reduced to a pool of oil I'm afraid…just putty…overcome. He looked at me when he finished and said…'Ok?' like maybe I was embarrassed. With tears in my eyes I assured him 'Oh no! Thank you SO much!' Suddenly…he burst forth again…this time a blessing upon the Doctors! That their hands and hearts would be blessed and filled with God's healing…I was witnessing a hidden moment that I felt was holy! But it didn't end! Dr. came out and said to him…'One more please… For the GOVERNMENT!'. Together, these two older dignified men began to dance and to sing a blessing and a prayer for our Government…and I joined in weeping…praying also that the government would be upon His shoulders!
A hidden moment in time…to remember as we watch…
The enemy that we can't see has brought us to our knees and our earth to a standstill! I remember the resolve with which we encouraged one another to be strong and of good courage and stand together during the intifada, (the bloody war in our streets) and the wars with Lebanon and Gaza…when the enemy had a face that we could see! We encouraged one another with the heroes of today and days long past… of David…of soldiers who fought on after they had been pierced through: But this now? AND YET LOOK! THE EARTH WILL HAVE HER SABBATH RESTS! There are NO planes and so few vehicles and the air quality is so quickly clean! As of TONIGHT at 8pm (this is Thursday 19 March now) our public transportation is to be stopped. The only places supposed to be open at this point are medical and food, but we do not know how much longer they can function. The streets are empty. People over 70 (as we are 74) are instructed NOT to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. I did not expect my prayer request concerning my husband's tax hearing to be answered this way…but it was! It was scheduled for this morning and last night it was POSTPONED INDEFINITELY!! After being a week too long (in my opinion) exposed to the virus by riding the train and bus daily to work at a clinic…my boss FINALLY told me on Tues that I should no longer come into work! My work IS considered 'essential' but he felt that my vulnerability would need to cause it to be absorbed in some other way. We have had unseasonable cleansing pouring rains and hail washing the earth and with the fragrance of the out of season almond blossoms…the earth literally is breaking forth in singing, so green and full and free of the burden of all of our filth…and she is KEEPING A SABBATH REST!
We have implemented (so the media tells us) some of the most 'Draconian' rules that any country has dared to implement…and yet we still have no government! Our system is a system of 'coalitions' and any ruling coalition needs to have a government with a minimum of 61 seats. Our final vote tally (if I am not mistaken) was Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud 36 and Benny Gantz's Blue and White party 33 or perhaps 34. BUT, with all of the politicking, Likud has not been able to muster a coalition with more than 59 seats. Blue and White CAN muster more IF they include the Arab block …which offers 15 seats…along with the extreme left wing parties. Forming a coalition with the Arab block which is often VERY anti Israel, has been unacceptable until now…but with an election weary country in the midst of coronavirus shutdown…THE LORD ALONE KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN. Benny Gantz has been tapped by the President to try to form a government within the next 28 days. We have been praying that WHATEVER IS NOT OF GOD WILL BE UNRAVLED BY GOD. (like a tangled ball of yarn). What many mistook for a government was the fact that our Knesset was sworn in. The legislators are sworn in after every election…government or no. Now I KNOW that is confusing…but trust me: We do not yet have a government.
THE EARTH WILL HAVE HER SABBETH RESTS!!
My husband had still kept his shop open on Tuesday and one of his clients came in and said 'Why are you open? You are 74 and have heart disease! You must close NOW!' He is a believer as well as being a medical Doctor and my husband called to tell me and said that our friend also wanted to talk with me. He said to me 'Besides this being medically such a crisis…this is a HOLY TIME SPIRITUALLY!' Now…although I KNEW that, his words arrested me and sank in deeply silencing my noisy heart. I had been thinking about the fact that we are rapidly approaching Passover and the miracle of HOW the people were saved…enclosed in their homes with just the blood of the sacrificed lamb applied to their doorposts, and the following of the instructions that were given to them was what kept them in life as the angel of death descended upon the Egyptians...a plague… passing over the homes of those who stayed inside, obedient and with the blood applied. I had been thinking about Noah and the ark and how so few were saved…only those safely in the ark. As we scurried around to make sure that we had at least some essentials, I thought about THE RISEN LAMB OF GOD…THE MESSIAH CRUSHED AND BRUISED AND CRUCIFIED UPON THE CRUEL CROSS multiplying the loaves and the fish and telling us that HE IS The Bread of Life and that HE IS the same yesterday today and forever. I thought of the 10 virgins and the 5 who had no oil…while the 5 wise ones did and I read in Leviticus 24:2 "…pure oil of pressed olives for The Light to make the lamp burn continually…" while He, Who was crushed and pressed said I am The Light of the world…that PURE OIL WITH WHICH OUR LAMPS MUST BE FULL.
I have one more thought to share as we all enter The Rock…the secret place…under the cloud and pillar of fire. For me, this seems to be a time of stripping away and exposing ANYTHING that isn't pure in His eyes…actions, words, thoughts, intents of the heart. I am praying for the faith that pleases God…the prayers that please God and the walk that pleases God…and I find a lot of filth. My morning meditation verses have brought me to Zechariah 3 and they deeply touched me. Please forgive me for sharing with you such a large portion of scripture…but look how the filth was removed and at the result…and think how our filth is removed through the touch of Yeshua whenever it is exposed!
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by. Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”
Zechariah 3
May we all be able to say…at the end "It is THE LORD!" and He has lead us ALL THE WAY.
May The Lord be glorified and seen through each of us.
Please forgive me for taking so much of your time, but thank you for reading and praying.
Lovingly, your sister (still) here.
"The land also shall be left empty by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes." Leviticus 26:43
"… to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." 2 Chronicles 36:21
Shalom! PEACE be to you dear brothers and sisters, His Peace in the midst of all storms…HE IS our ROCK and our strong tower, whether here on earth or home with Him, may His Peace keep us and may the fruit of that Peace bring GLORY to HIM! MAY HE BE BLESSED AND GLORIFIED and may you (and I) be encouraged and strengthened to endure to the end, rejoicing in Him…for His mercy endures forever!
I wish that I could forward to you a video that I saw of Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee) with her waves overflowing the nearby sidewalks! After years of seeing her dry, she is so very near full to the upper redline (just a few more centimeters and the Dganya Dam will need to be opened for spill over). With rain predicted for the rest of this week and snow on Mount Hermon, it is such a glorious witness to the steadfast love of God…His Faithful mercies, His Steadfast Word and promises that endure forever, how can we but praise His Name, even in the midst of plague! As we are facing TOTAL shutdown and I looked over our water supply, I thought how merciful of God to fill the Kinneret!
I have wondered about the untimely, late blooming of our almond blossoms. I am used to seeing them appear the second week of January, just as the Intercessors for Israel annual prayer conference is about to begin. They have been like a herald of God's faithfulness to speak …a sign of 'HIM'…" Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” Jeremiah 1:11 The designs in the Temple were graced with almond buds and blossoms. I always smile seeing them, smelling them in the midst of January and knowing that the Spring lies ahead. Not this year. Where were they? My heart was sad! And now, in the midst of this crisis, they appear, snowy white and fragrant…the promise of the almond in them; full of health and beauty…but so out of season this year. What was that 'saying?' I asked morning by morning, with no reply…as of yet.
And there are other wonderful things to report…even as a result of His Hand heavy upon the earth. On the 5 minute English noon news blurb a couple of days ago, it was reported that 15 years ago (and I do recall this) an ancient catapult stone was stolen from the Tower of David Museum. Two days ago, the man brought it back to the antiquities authority saying that he was scared…that his sin had weighted heavily on him and He needed to be right with God … and just maybe this was the end of the world. (this was reported on our news!)
For nearly 21 years I have worked for two doctors and have learned and seen so much! I have met the most interesting people and have grown to love them. One of our patients came in with an expression of wonder on his face. He said 'You won't believe what I just witnessed in the beit merkhakhat(pharmacy)!' I braced myself …'Ok…what?' I asked. He told me that the man in front of him was quite elderly and he watched as a very large number of prescription drugs were being stacked in front of him…his regular medications. Once the pile was complete the pharmacist gave him the bill and he looked at her and said 'I can't pay that! I don't have it.' She told him that this was no different than every month and they discussed it a bit more. Finally she sighed and said 'Well how much CAN you pay?' He quoted her somewhat less than half. She said 'Ok. Give me that.' he answered with a shocked look, 'Well … I don't have that TODAY!' She asked him when he WOULD have it and he said 'Tomorrow.' She began to put the medications in a bag for him and said 'Ok. Will you bring it to me tomorrow then?' . He answered 'Yes, but…I need some money for TODAY!' She sighed again and said 'How much will you need for today?' He thought a minute and said 'Well…50 shekels should make it.' She reached in her purse and handed him 50 shekels along with his bag of medications and he left smiling.
We were all smiling.
But I was taken TOTALLY by surprise on our election day, which took place as the dramatic events that are now changing our lives began to snowball. I know that many of you have asked about our elections and I have had people write to congratulate us on a Netanyahu win. SADLY, we STILL do not have a government…and I will try to explain that later on, and why (oh God forbid!) we may have to go to a FOURTH round of elections. But for now, one more BEAUTIFUL story… a moment in time: My boss called me 2 weeks ago Sunday morning and told me that he had been confined to quarantine (bee'dood) for 14 days having been to synagogue with 'case #29'! I have shared in the past with you the story of the second Doctor…. He is from a Yemenite background and was actually the first Doctor from the Yemenite community…He is a very special man and the Yemenite Jewish culture is rich! We have been at his children's weddings and bar mitzvahs and I have shared with you the diversity with much wonder. ANYWAY! This was election day…the day before Purim…and Dr. was about to leave me alone in the office when 'one last patient' pushed him back in asking for an urgent prescription. Laughing, he made his way back to his office, and all of the sudden this tall, elderly, well dressed, dignified Mizrachi man (he too was Yemenite, Moroccan or Algerian … MIZRACHI… the eastern Jews, have more passionate traditions as opposed to the more intellectual traditions of the ASHKANAZI Jews) spread out his arms and began to SING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE in a most impassioned way… THE PROVERBS 31 BLESSING over ME!! I was reduced to a pool of oil I'm afraid…just putty…overcome. He looked at me when he finished and said…'Ok?' like maybe I was embarrassed. With tears in my eyes I assured him 'Oh no! Thank you SO much!' Suddenly…he burst forth again…this time a blessing upon the Doctors! That their hands and hearts would be blessed and filled with God's healing…I was witnessing a hidden moment that I felt was holy! But it didn't end! Dr. came out and said to him…'One more please… For the GOVERNMENT!'. Together, these two older dignified men began to dance and to sing a blessing and a prayer for our Government…and I joined in weeping…praying also that the government would be upon His shoulders!
A hidden moment in time…to remember as we watch…
The enemy that we can't see has brought us to our knees and our earth to a standstill! I remember the resolve with which we encouraged one another to be strong and of good courage and stand together during the intifada, (the bloody war in our streets) and the wars with Lebanon and Gaza…when the enemy had a face that we could see! We encouraged one another with the heroes of today and days long past… of David…of soldiers who fought on after they had been pierced through: But this now? AND YET LOOK! THE EARTH WILL HAVE HER SABBATH RESTS! There are NO planes and so few vehicles and the air quality is so quickly clean! As of TONIGHT at 8pm (this is Thursday 19 March now) our public transportation is to be stopped. The only places supposed to be open at this point are medical and food, but we do not know how much longer they can function. The streets are empty. People over 70 (as we are 74) are instructed NOT to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. I did not expect my prayer request concerning my husband's tax hearing to be answered this way…but it was! It was scheduled for this morning and last night it was POSTPONED INDEFINITELY!! After being a week too long (in my opinion) exposed to the virus by riding the train and bus daily to work at a clinic…my boss FINALLY told me on Tues that I should no longer come into work! My work IS considered 'essential' but he felt that my vulnerability would need to cause it to be absorbed in some other way. We have had unseasonable cleansing pouring rains and hail washing the earth and with the fragrance of the out of season almond blossoms…the earth literally is breaking forth in singing, so green and full and free of the burden of all of our filth…and she is KEEPING A SABBATH REST!
We have implemented (so the media tells us) some of the most 'Draconian' rules that any country has dared to implement…and yet we still have no government! Our system is a system of 'coalitions' and any ruling coalition needs to have a government with a minimum of 61 seats. Our final vote tally (if I am not mistaken) was Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud 36 and Benny Gantz's Blue and White party 33 or perhaps 34. BUT, with all of the politicking, Likud has not been able to muster a coalition with more than 59 seats. Blue and White CAN muster more IF they include the Arab block …which offers 15 seats…along with the extreme left wing parties. Forming a coalition with the Arab block which is often VERY anti Israel, has been unacceptable until now…but with an election weary country in the midst of coronavirus shutdown…THE LORD ALONE KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN. Benny Gantz has been tapped by the President to try to form a government within the next 28 days. We have been praying that WHATEVER IS NOT OF GOD WILL BE UNRAVLED BY GOD. (like a tangled ball of yarn). What many mistook for a government was the fact that our Knesset was sworn in. The legislators are sworn in after every election…government or no. Now I KNOW that is confusing…but trust me: We do not yet have a government.
THE EARTH WILL HAVE HER SABBETH RESTS!!
My husband had still kept his shop open on Tuesday and one of his clients came in and said 'Why are you open? You are 74 and have heart disease! You must close NOW!' He is a believer as well as being a medical Doctor and my husband called to tell me and said that our friend also wanted to talk with me. He said to me 'Besides this being medically such a crisis…this is a HOLY TIME SPIRITUALLY!' Now…although I KNEW that, his words arrested me and sank in deeply silencing my noisy heart. I had been thinking about the fact that we are rapidly approaching Passover and the miracle of HOW the people were saved…enclosed in their homes with just the blood of the sacrificed lamb applied to their doorposts, and the following of the instructions that were given to them was what kept them in life as the angel of death descended upon the Egyptians...a plague… passing over the homes of those who stayed inside, obedient and with the blood applied. I had been thinking about Noah and the ark and how so few were saved…only those safely in the ark. As we scurried around to make sure that we had at least some essentials, I thought about THE RISEN LAMB OF GOD…THE MESSIAH CRUSHED AND BRUISED AND CRUCIFIED UPON THE CRUEL CROSS multiplying the loaves and the fish and telling us that HE IS The Bread of Life and that HE IS the same yesterday today and forever. I thought of the 10 virgins and the 5 who had no oil…while the 5 wise ones did and I read in Leviticus 24:2 "…pure oil of pressed olives for The Light to make the lamp burn continually…" while He, Who was crushed and pressed said I am The Light of the world…that PURE OIL WITH WHICH OUR LAMPS MUST BE FULL.
I have one more thought to share as we all enter The Rock…the secret place…under the cloud and pillar of fire. For me, this seems to be a time of stripping away and exposing ANYTHING that isn't pure in His eyes…actions, words, thoughts, intents of the heart. I am praying for the faith that pleases God…the prayers that please God and the walk that pleases God…and I find a lot of filth. My morning meditation verses have brought me to Zechariah 3 and they deeply touched me. Please forgive me for sharing with you such a large portion of scripture…but look how the filth was removed and at the result…and think how our filth is removed through the touch of Yeshua whenever it is exposed!
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by. Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ”
Zechariah 3
May we all be able to say…at the end "It is THE LORD!" and He has lead us ALL THE WAY.
May The Lord be glorified and seen through each of us.
Please forgive me for taking so much of your time, but thank you for reading and praying.
Lovingly, your sister (still) here.
February 27, 2020
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27
Greetings, dear sisters and brothers, fellow 'living stones' being built into His temple for His glory. May He be seen and glorified and blessed and may you be encouraged and blessed! May we look at Him more and more that we might become clear as windows for Him to be seen…and not us!
I take a moment to scan through the breaking news: 'More than 60 rockets in the south'… 'Corona virus shuts borders'…'Polls are mixed as Israel approaches 3rd election this year'…'Health system near collapse'…'WATER LEVEL OF LAKE KENNERET (Sea of Galilee) RISES TO LESS THAN ONE METER BELOW FULL!' (HUGE collective sigh of relief!) Everybody smiles and breaths deeply…almost.
I got on the train today in the midst of a Biblically scaled downpour. Soaked, along with everyone else, I sloshed my way to click my card, thus paying my fare. 'Sit here' called an older-than-I-man to me. Before I could get to the seat offered to me a younger-than-I Haradi man sloshed on and sat beside the other. I found a seat across from them . The older man smiled broadly and pointed upward speaking to the Haradi man, but loudly he said; 'God is blessing us mightily! He is pouring down His precious water upon us!" I smiled and nodded. The younger man beside him scowled and said something like 'Well…He could pour out a little less as far as I'm concerned!' The older man would have none of it and chastened him with a glorious lecture on the blessings of water from Heaven and the necessity of giving thanks. I listened with joy in my heart, nodding my head, thus encouraging the older man on.
It is an Israeli 'thing'.
It is the Israeli way of public transportation…the place of the lessons…the exchanging of precious stories … wisdom…knowledge and stupidity…strangers remembering that they are all related after all: It all happens on the bus and train. BUT…the key is being able to understand it. My Hebrew is NOT great. I can not read or write well…but my spoken Hebrew is good enough for my work and for the street. My accent is not bad, meaning that people don't switch to English as soon as they hear me and that enables me to join in and understand so many of these precious conversations that would otherwise be nothing but a bunch of unintelligible noise to me. I can become part of these exchanges and feel the pulse of the people around me. These conversations are a window for me into the heart of the people that encourages me to pray for them…may I pray MORE, and MORE EFFECTIVELY, more FERVENTLY.
And yet, with my prayer for people and my nation, I am only more convinced that the key HAS to be true 'revival' IN THE BODY! The pouring out of His Holy Spirit … The Spirit of holiness…of power in prayer and victory over the flesh that makes way for the kingdom of God on earth…believing, but tired hearts longing for Him but hardened to Him through day to day life, to be made again hearts of flesh and tender, broken yet on fire…BUT HIS HOLY FIRE ALONE! THEN what I say may, by His grace, have His anointing. Then…when they SEE Him…oh then they will come.
I myself found Him during such a time. YES there were others who somehow turned away, but it wasn't man that I saw nor the words of man that I heard and that grabbed my heart…it was HIM! And the people in the body at that time were ONLY pointing to Him…so we had to LOOK…and looking…we SAW! Oh may HE do it again! We can do all that we know to do to warm our own hearts…reading The Word, singing The Word, praying The Word, writing The Word, speaking The Word and gathering together around that Word to encourage one another- (for HE IS THE LIVING WORD!) but we can not set our own hearts on Holy Fire. That, only He can do. And for that we must pray.
About a week ago, many rabbis called for the country to meet at the western wall and to pray for God to intervene and drive back the Corona virus plague. Many thousands did show up in the pouring rain of the evening to ask for God's mercy. As I watched the evening news, one of those rabbis who called for the prayer was asked by the reporter 'what they thought that they could accomplish by praying', he smiled gently at the reporter and said; 'The scientists and doctors can search for a cure and prevention…and we must do what we CAN do…and we can pray. Pray we must for we are called to be a light to the nations and the nations are in deep trouble.'
And in trouble, we are. All of us. I don't know if any of you are too young to remember that things (ie; people) weren't always THIS polarized…that there really WERE times in which there was a certain 'right and wrong' that weren't questioned and when it was 'the bad guy' who crossed the lines and not 'the poor misunderstood guy'…and yet…there WAS compassion…not the hardness of heart that there seems to be today in response to the 'other side'…but 'reason' in society as a whole. That is NOT to say that it was idyllic by any means…but it was NOT upside down as it is today.
Some of you, like me, might be old enough to remember 'plagues' and 'epidemics' and 'stories of dark days'.
I do NOT want to step on any toes here or get into any arguments…I see my ' defined task' (in Hebrew the word is 'taf-keed') in these letters is 'what you see… write' and the older that I get the more I have seen and a certain perspective forms as the time gets longer that I have walked this earth.
You know that I grew up in New York City just after WW2. My Dad had had polio when he was 2 and by his own confession he had been spoiled because he survived. I never did see the 'spoiled' side of my dear hard working father who endured so much with a grateful heart. The polio left him badly crippled in the legs, with a deformed back and injured lungs from which he suffered for the rest of his 68 years on this earth. When summers came in New York, a great fear descended upon the parents because of polio, which struck down children all summer long. Parents were terrified and each year there would be more classmates to visit in the 'iron lung' or who would appear in heavy iron leg braces or wheel chairs; it was part of my childhood, and although we children didn't share the fears of our parents, we SAW their fear. In the winter it was 'the grippe' that claimed the lives of countless. Sometimes schools were closed. When I had the measles we were quarantined (as was every family with measles) and I remember the first day that I was well enough to see the tape across our doors and the sign saying that no one could enter or leave the premises until the health department cleared us. Groceries were left outside the front door and my mother made face masks out of old sheets. I remember the cracks in the ceiling turning into snakes and screaming with fear as my fever rose. My sister and I were 'polio pioneers' as we were given the first experimental polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk himself (we had a photo and a button). My father had suffered so much…it was the least that we could do. When the vaccine worked, it seemed as if the world was rejoicing; this terrible scourge had been beaten and the fear could lift and we children could actually go swimming in the summer heat without fear of polio!
Recently I stumbled across a video that made me wonder how I could speak about this. Last Jan. I nearly died from influenza and pneumonia and during that time The Lord opened to me 1 Chronicles 21 and I saw how David stood before The Lord between the death angel and the people of Jerusalem…a perfect intercession after David's tremendous sin resulting in God's judgment against the people of Israel. I was left with many questions and much seeking. Last Jan. was not the first time that I had influenza. Before the flu shots were discovered I had it once as a child and twice as a teen- young adult. People use the word 'flu' lightly for any viral infection, but influenza is no small thing. The video that I stumbled across was no small thing, and I include a link for you…it is powerful and worth watching. It is the documentation of the influenza impacting Bristol Bay Alaska in 1919…the influenza from which my husband's grandparents all died…ALL…leaving his mother and father as orphaned children who met in the orphanage. As a matter of fact, my husband's uncle had been a teenager and told me years ago how everyone in his village had died leaving him and his small sister (my husband's mother) and his future wife (a child at the time) alive. When they were well enough to leave the bodies behind, they walked out of the village, aimless and starving…and they met Jesus on the tundra…Who strengthened these orphaned children and showed them the way to walk to where people were still alive! It was a powerful testimony to me, listening to him speak in the cold Alaskan darkness, a story to me - untold… But he wasn't the first one to tell me about that influenza. My mother was born during it in 1918 in a hospital in NY. I grew up hearing how my Grandmother clutched her newborn baby, praying that she and her baby would live, as death wagons clanged through the streets night and day picking up bodies.
I am not speaking of ancient history, and yet this generation has thankfully little experience with plagues and illnesses of massive proportion…until now.
Our borders are not completely closed, but our health ministry has called upon the public not to travel unless absolutely necessary. Some young people are taking it lightly, but more and more are not as there has not been known before a virus that could spread this rapidly, live for 9 days on inanimate objects (even the sidewalk!) and not show infection for weeks. Great lengths have been gone to to restrain its spread, but should it spread it has the potential to infect virtually everyone…and that would shut down…well…everyTHING!
So I ask (and I am sure you do too) 'What are you saying, Lord?'
I have no doubt that plague is a sign of God's judgment. It is written through out scripture.
I KNOW the 'promises' in Psalm 91 and others, nevertheless I can not take The Word of God as a magic potion…it is The Word of GOD and HE IS GOD! I heard an interview with some Christian tourists who were in the Old City visiting from the US - on last night's news and when asked if they weren't afraid (Jerusalem is FULL of tourists from all over the world including China, South Korea, Italy and all of the most infected countries) they laughed lightly and one said 'If God told us to come we will be fine.' And you and I know this to be true. But there was a lightness in her speech (as in taking it lightly) that stopped me. In South Korea the center of the epidemic has been one of the most charismatic Churches. The precious doctor who became the 'whistle blower' in China …and so sadly died… was a young vibrant Christian - a strong believer walking with The Lord - with an 8 month pregnant wife. God's Word is sure and true but it is not a magic potion and we are dust…flesh and blood and I BELIEVE that He is saying something to us…and my question is 'LORD! HOW DO I PRAY INTO THIS! HOW DO I NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!' Ever so many years ago I remember someone telling me that not a hair on my head would be harmed and I had just been reading about the believers being killed in droves in Africa and there was a discrepancy. I am NOT a 'fear-monger' NOR AM I FEARFUL…but I DO feel that He has made a distinction between HIS KINGDOM and the kingdom of this world and I had BETTER be walking IN HIS KINGDOM WHERE THERE IS NO DEATH, BECAUSE THIS BODY OF FLESH WILL DIE. I stumble constantly (oh Lord of mercy!) but I have LEARNED TO TURN AND LOOK UPON HIM! I stumble and fall (yes, sadly, yes!) but I MUST get up and run to Him and kneel at the cross again… and again… and AGAIN!
Oh sisters and brothers, I DON'T know how it is where you are, but for me today, riding the train where so many were coughing and sneezing and getting off at the shuk with Chinese tourists and standing to buy tomatoes between a young couple of tourists speaking Italian, ALARM BELLS GO OFF and I NEED to know how to pray NOW! NOT that I will be just fine…for if I am in Him and in His kingdom, whether I live or die means little to me…but HOW TO PRAY!:
To pray for our elections on Monday which are alarming…:
To pray for our borders with Hamas and Hizbollah which are boiling…(although this virus may be closing borders all around us that no human sanctions could!)
To pray for our collapsing health system (at least we don't have to pray concerning drought right now)
AND HOW TO PRAY MERCY IN HIS JUDGMENT…
Oh for a heart like King David's who was able to prevail because of his broken humility and his heart that KNEW GOD!
"Let us burn continually as lamps before the Lord pressed down and overflowing with His anointed oil."
**********
Lord, I long for Your Holy Spirit fire to burn continually in me.
**********
"Command the children of Israel to bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light [of the golden lampstand ], to make a lamp burn continually."
"He shall keep the lamps burning in the pure gold lampstand before the LORD continually. [Rev. 1:12-18] "
Leviticus 24:2,4 AMP
1919 Alaska
MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING…AND MAY HIS PERFECT LOVE, THAT CASTS OUT ALL FEAR, BE SO GLOWING OUT OF US ALL THAT WE RADIATE HIS ANSWER; OUR GOD REIGNS!
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27
Greetings, dear sisters and brothers, fellow 'living stones' being built into His temple for His glory. May He be seen and glorified and blessed and may you be encouraged and blessed! May we look at Him more and more that we might become clear as windows for Him to be seen…and not us!
I take a moment to scan through the breaking news: 'More than 60 rockets in the south'… 'Corona virus shuts borders'…'Polls are mixed as Israel approaches 3rd election this year'…'Health system near collapse'…'WATER LEVEL OF LAKE KENNERET (Sea of Galilee) RISES TO LESS THAN ONE METER BELOW FULL!' (HUGE collective sigh of relief!) Everybody smiles and breaths deeply…almost.
I got on the train today in the midst of a Biblically scaled downpour. Soaked, along with everyone else, I sloshed my way to click my card, thus paying my fare. 'Sit here' called an older-than-I-man to me. Before I could get to the seat offered to me a younger-than-I Haradi man sloshed on and sat beside the other. I found a seat across from them . The older man smiled broadly and pointed upward speaking to the Haradi man, but loudly he said; 'God is blessing us mightily! He is pouring down His precious water upon us!" I smiled and nodded. The younger man beside him scowled and said something like 'Well…He could pour out a little less as far as I'm concerned!' The older man would have none of it and chastened him with a glorious lecture on the blessings of water from Heaven and the necessity of giving thanks. I listened with joy in my heart, nodding my head, thus encouraging the older man on.
It is an Israeli 'thing'.
It is the Israeli way of public transportation…the place of the lessons…the exchanging of precious stories … wisdom…knowledge and stupidity…strangers remembering that they are all related after all: It all happens on the bus and train. BUT…the key is being able to understand it. My Hebrew is NOT great. I can not read or write well…but my spoken Hebrew is good enough for my work and for the street. My accent is not bad, meaning that people don't switch to English as soon as they hear me and that enables me to join in and understand so many of these precious conversations that would otherwise be nothing but a bunch of unintelligible noise to me. I can become part of these exchanges and feel the pulse of the people around me. These conversations are a window for me into the heart of the people that encourages me to pray for them…may I pray MORE, and MORE EFFECTIVELY, more FERVENTLY.
And yet, with my prayer for people and my nation, I am only more convinced that the key HAS to be true 'revival' IN THE BODY! The pouring out of His Holy Spirit … The Spirit of holiness…of power in prayer and victory over the flesh that makes way for the kingdom of God on earth…believing, but tired hearts longing for Him but hardened to Him through day to day life, to be made again hearts of flesh and tender, broken yet on fire…BUT HIS HOLY FIRE ALONE! THEN what I say may, by His grace, have His anointing. Then…when they SEE Him…oh then they will come.
I myself found Him during such a time. YES there were others who somehow turned away, but it wasn't man that I saw nor the words of man that I heard and that grabbed my heart…it was HIM! And the people in the body at that time were ONLY pointing to Him…so we had to LOOK…and looking…we SAW! Oh may HE do it again! We can do all that we know to do to warm our own hearts…reading The Word, singing The Word, praying The Word, writing The Word, speaking The Word and gathering together around that Word to encourage one another- (for HE IS THE LIVING WORD!) but we can not set our own hearts on Holy Fire. That, only He can do. And for that we must pray.
About a week ago, many rabbis called for the country to meet at the western wall and to pray for God to intervene and drive back the Corona virus plague. Many thousands did show up in the pouring rain of the evening to ask for God's mercy. As I watched the evening news, one of those rabbis who called for the prayer was asked by the reporter 'what they thought that they could accomplish by praying', he smiled gently at the reporter and said; 'The scientists and doctors can search for a cure and prevention…and we must do what we CAN do…and we can pray. Pray we must for we are called to be a light to the nations and the nations are in deep trouble.'
And in trouble, we are. All of us. I don't know if any of you are too young to remember that things (ie; people) weren't always THIS polarized…that there really WERE times in which there was a certain 'right and wrong' that weren't questioned and when it was 'the bad guy' who crossed the lines and not 'the poor misunderstood guy'…and yet…there WAS compassion…not the hardness of heart that there seems to be today in response to the 'other side'…but 'reason' in society as a whole. That is NOT to say that it was idyllic by any means…but it was NOT upside down as it is today.
Some of you, like me, might be old enough to remember 'plagues' and 'epidemics' and 'stories of dark days'.
I do NOT want to step on any toes here or get into any arguments…I see my ' defined task' (in Hebrew the word is 'taf-keed') in these letters is 'what you see… write' and the older that I get the more I have seen and a certain perspective forms as the time gets longer that I have walked this earth.
You know that I grew up in New York City just after WW2. My Dad had had polio when he was 2 and by his own confession he had been spoiled because he survived. I never did see the 'spoiled' side of my dear hard working father who endured so much with a grateful heart. The polio left him badly crippled in the legs, with a deformed back and injured lungs from which he suffered for the rest of his 68 years on this earth. When summers came in New York, a great fear descended upon the parents because of polio, which struck down children all summer long. Parents were terrified and each year there would be more classmates to visit in the 'iron lung' or who would appear in heavy iron leg braces or wheel chairs; it was part of my childhood, and although we children didn't share the fears of our parents, we SAW their fear. In the winter it was 'the grippe' that claimed the lives of countless. Sometimes schools were closed. When I had the measles we were quarantined (as was every family with measles) and I remember the first day that I was well enough to see the tape across our doors and the sign saying that no one could enter or leave the premises until the health department cleared us. Groceries were left outside the front door and my mother made face masks out of old sheets. I remember the cracks in the ceiling turning into snakes and screaming with fear as my fever rose. My sister and I were 'polio pioneers' as we were given the first experimental polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk himself (we had a photo and a button). My father had suffered so much…it was the least that we could do. When the vaccine worked, it seemed as if the world was rejoicing; this terrible scourge had been beaten and the fear could lift and we children could actually go swimming in the summer heat without fear of polio!
Recently I stumbled across a video that made me wonder how I could speak about this. Last Jan. I nearly died from influenza and pneumonia and during that time The Lord opened to me 1 Chronicles 21 and I saw how David stood before The Lord between the death angel and the people of Jerusalem…a perfect intercession after David's tremendous sin resulting in God's judgment against the people of Israel. I was left with many questions and much seeking. Last Jan. was not the first time that I had influenza. Before the flu shots were discovered I had it once as a child and twice as a teen- young adult. People use the word 'flu' lightly for any viral infection, but influenza is no small thing. The video that I stumbled across was no small thing, and I include a link for you…it is powerful and worth watching. It is the documentation of the influenza impacting Bristol Bay Alaska in 1919…the influenza from which my husband's grandparents all died…ALL…leaving his mother and father as orphaned children who met in the orphanage. As a matter of fact, my husband's uncle had been a teenager and told me years ago how everyone in his village had died leaving him and his small sister (my husband's mother) and his future wife (a child at the time) alive. When they were well enough to leave the bodies behind, they walked out of the village, aimless and starving…and they met Jesus on the tundra…Who strengthened these orphaned children and showed them the way to walk to where people were still alive! It was a powerful testimony to me, listening to him speak in the cold Alaskan darkness, a story to me - untold… But he wasn't the first one to tell me about that influenza. My mother was born during it in 1918 in a hospital in NY. I grew up hearing how my Grandmother clutched her newborn baby, praying that she and her baby would live, as death wagons clanged through the streets night and day picking up bodies.
I am not speaking of ancient history, and yet this generation has thankfully little experience with plagues and illnesses of massive proportion…until now.
Our borders are not completely closed, but our health ministry has called upon the public not to travel unless absolutely necessary. Some young people are taking it lightly, but more and more are not as there has not been known before a virus that could spread this rapidly, live for 9 days on inanimate objects (even the sidewalk!) and not show infection for weeks. Great lengths have been gone to to restrain its spread, but should it spread it has the potential to infect virtually everyone…and that would shut down…well…everyTHING!
So I ask (and I am sure you do too) 'What are you saying, Lord?'
I have no doubt that plague is a sign of God's judgment. It is written through out scripture.
I KNOW the 'promises' in Psalm 91 and others, nevertheless I can not take The Word of God as a magic potion…it is The Word of GOD and HE IS GOD! I heard an interview with some Christian tourists who were in the Old City visiting from the US - on last night's news and when asked if they weren't afraid (Jerusalem is FULL of tourists from all over the world including China, South Korea, Italy and all of the most infected countries) they laughed lightly and one said 'If God told us to come we will be fine.' And you and I know this to be true. But there was a lightness in her speech (as in taking it lightly) that stopped me. In South Korea the center of the epidemic has been one of the most charismatic Churches. The precious doctor who became the 'whistle blower' in China …and so sadly died… was a young vibrant Christian - a strong believer walking with The Lord - with an 8 month pregnant wife. God's Word is sure and true but it is not a magic potion and we are dust…flesh and blood and I BELIEVE that He is saying something to us…and my question is 'LORD! HOW DO I PRAY INTO THIS! HOW DO I NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!' Ever so many years ago I remember someone telling me that not a hair on my head would be harmed and I had just been reading about the believers being killed in droves in Africa and there was a discrepancy. I am NOT a 'fear-monger' NOR AM I FEARFUL…but I DO feel that He has made a distinction between HIS KINGDOM and the kingdom of this world and I had BETTER be walking IN HIS KINGDOM WHERE THERE IS NO DEATH, BECAUSE THIS BODY OF FLESH WILL DIE. I stumble constantly (oh Lord of mercy!) but I have LEARNED TO TURN AND LOOK UPON HIM! I stumble and fall (yes, sadly, yes!) but I MUST get up and run to Him and kneel at the cross again… and again… and AGAIN!
Oh sisters and brothers, I DON'T know how it is where you are, but for me today, riding the train where so many were coughing and sneezing and getting off at the shuk with Chinese tourists and standing to buy tomatoes between a young couple of tourists speaking Italian, ALARM BELLS GO OFF and I NEED to know how to pray NOW! NOT that I will be just fine…for if I am in Him and in His kingdom, whether I live or die means little to me…but HOW TO PRAY!:
To pray for our elections on Monday which are alarming…:
To pray for our borders with Hamas and Hizbollah which are boiling…(although this virus may be closing borders all around us that no human sanctions could!)
To pray for our collapsing health system (at least we don't have to pray concerning drought right now)
AND HOW TO PRAY MERCY IN HIS JUDGMENT…
Oh for a heart like King David's who was able to prevail because of his broken humility and his heart that KNEW GOD!
"Let us burn continually as lamps before the Lord pressed down and overflowing with His anointed oil."
**********
Lord, I long for Your Holy Spirit fire to burn continually in me.
**********
"Command the children of Israel to bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light [of the golden lampstand ], to make a lamp burn continually."
"He shall keep the lamps burning in the pure gold lampstand before the LORD continually. [Rev. 1:12-18] "
Leviticus 24:2,4 AMP
1919 Alaska
MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING…AND MAY HIS PERFECT LOVE, THAT CASTS OUT ALL FEAR, BE SO GLOWING OUT OF US ALL THAT WE RADIATE HIS ANSWER; OUR GOD REIGNS!
February 6, 2020
"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
"Then he said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.'”
"And he said, 'Please, show me Your glory.'” EXODUS 33:13,15-16,18
Greetings, in The Name of Yeshua h'meshiach…The Victor, Who, after all is also CREATOR, and Deliverer and Truth and Light …The Living Word… The eternal Way through all of this that swirls around us. May HE be glorified and blessed! May you also be blessed and encouraged.
This letter has been a BATTLE to even begin. Life has been an increasing battle (I have no doubt that you have noticed and that it is the same for you!) As I finally sat down to begin this letter…the mouse and keyboard for my computer gave up the ghost! I am so completely intimidated by technology that it took a great deal of courage to pronounce it dead, dissect it from the computer (it is wireless…which should speak volumes about my abilities) and bring it downtown where I told the sales girl 'My keyboard and mouse just died. I want another just like this!' I told her in a shaky voice, half expecting to be told that these are antique and aren't made anymore. Thankfully I had prayed and her maybe 19 year old expertise replied 'Sababa!' (which is Hebrew and Arabic street talk for something like: 'cool, great, no problem, what-ever') and in no time at all I was home praying again that 'I could really do this'! As you see PRAISE GOD! It works! I ATTACHED A NEW KEYBOARD AND MOUSE AND MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
The heaviness and reality of the hour that we live in was brought home vividly to me at the shuk today. The shuk was crowded by the time that I got there so went to an Arab vendor whom I have known for many years and trust. 'Where are these clementia from?' I asked him. 'They are NOT from China!' he answered. 'See? Look at the box; Jaffa…they are from Israel!' As I went to the apples I saw that he had written on the sign 'Israeli apples'. I looked at him and said 'I work in a doctor's office and this is serious what is happening now.' I was afraid that maybe he was thinking I was a bit loony. He grew very serious: 'I know!' he answered. 'This is life and death…but you know what? It is God's judgment on the world! How many thousands of years has He sent His prophets to us? And how have we listened?? We haven't!! We cheat and hate and say it is good when it isn't…everything that He told us not to do…oh we agree with our mouths but the day of His judgment is here with the earth!' Our eyes met in spite of the fact that he is an Arab Moslem man and I a Jewish disciple of Yeshua, there was total agreement: 'We get it! God…God Almighty…God Who is real and alive…is not happy with us and we would have to be blind not to see His Hand! And ofcourse, things like plague cross country boarders, political parties, races, religions, economic barriers…we can't say 'YOU' did this and need to repent'… it must be 'Woe to US for we have sinned and not listened and not turned back to Him with our hearts in our hands!'
THIS is the climate that I see here today.
And with THIS report I will begin the letter.
Most of you thought that I would be at the IFI Prayer Conference. I did too. I was hoping to see some of you there although I do not go to visit, for it really is a 'working' (PRAYER) conference. This is the third our of 4 years now that we had a crisis on the one day that I am able to join the conference and, having truly prayed…I can only say; 'Yes Lord'. It seems to me to be enemy intervention, but I have not prevailed and so I must leave it before Him. This year my husband VERY suddenly got extremely ill with a fever of above 102 (39) that wouldn't come down. There was no warning…he was fine and then suddenly shivering under the covers. If he were younger I might have left him sleeping but after consulting the emergency doctor I knew that I couldn't leave him alone…so didn't. Did the enemy win? No… I prayed anyway…just not with my brothers and sisters. All of the messages from the IFI conference are free and easy access to listen to on line RIGHT HERE IS THE LINK. I encourage you to take advantage and listen. At the IFI conferences we pray during the day but in the evening there is a message given concerning Israel by mostly local leaders.
And during the time of the conference, (wouldn't you know it…what perfect timing!) there was finally the unveiling of the 'American Peace Plan'. Here at home, listened with the rest of the country and it was quite dramatic…but one thing kept quietly beating in my heart: 'THE LAND MUST NOT BE DIVIDED!". I heard what America said…I heard what The Arabs said…I heard what the Palestinians said…and I heard what the Israelis said…but I could not forget what I know that GOD has said: 'The land is not yours, but MINE!' The fear of God entered my heart…this is not to toy with. There is a silence in my heart; I don't know what to say other than that. To my great surprise, the bus was quiet the next morning…even while the news was on; everyone was listening but NO one was commenting. That is unusual! That happens when 'things are serious' and no one dares to have an opinion. The look on the faces of the other passengers was serious and stoic…set. It continued at work: no comment.
Years ago I had begun to make a list of scriptures that said that we should not divide the land. It is incomplete, but here is what I had written down should you wish to study them for yourself. Some speak not directly but to the heart of the issue: Leviticus 25:23, Joshua 9:24 (the Gibeonites knew the promise!), Joshua 13, Nehemiah 9:8, Exodus 34:12, Joel 3:1-3, Acts 13:17-19…In a way it reminds me of the commands to husbands and wives (Mat 19:6 and Mark 10:9 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” and yet…it is a hard one to 'keep'…like the commands concerning The Sabbath…and...God forbid we should be legalistic… and there is this verse and that verse…BUT IN MY HEART RESOUNDS THE INTENT OF GOD THAT THIS LAND BEING DIVIDED IS A SIGN OF JUDGMENT AND THAT THIS LAND IS HIS AND NOT OURS OR ANYONE ELSES.
And while this is going on (and yes…violent responses are taking place…a car ramming last night injured 12 soldiers…there was a stabbing attempt against a border officer this afternoon at one of the gates to the Old City) China is brought to her knees by the Corona virus…how itty bitty microscopic. China is brought to her knees and it remains to be seen if the rest of the world will also follow suit. It is certainly worthy or more than 'a pause'! I will NEVER forget (I hope) last year's brush with death when I was in the hospital with influenza and pneumonia and how clearly The Lord spoke to me out of 1 Chronicles 21…the POWER of David's intercession as he stood between the death angel on the very spot that was to become the temple…and PREVAILED over the PLAGUE that God had sent to judge. TEACH ME, LORD, TO PRAY! "THAT I MAY KNOW YOU AND THE POWER OF YOUR RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF YOUR SUFFERING, BEING MADE CONFORMABLE TO YOUR DEATH" remains my prayer…and I have no doubt that it is yours as well.
And AGAIN, my Pastor sent out a wonderful prayer letter which I will attach rather than go on. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS…FOR US…FOR ISRAEL…FOR HIS PURPOSES…FOR THE LORD TO BE GLORIFIED! May The Lord FLOOD you with Himself! Lovingly, your sister here. (no time to read this over…please forgive mistakes)
MY PASTOR'S MESSAGE- PLEASE READ
"
"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
"Then he said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.'”
"And he said, 'Please, show me Your glory.'” EXODUS 33:13,15-16,18
Greetings, in The Name of Yeshua h'meshiach…The Victor, Who, after all is also CREATOR, and Deliverer and Truth and Light …The Living Word… The eternal Way through all of this that swirls around us. May HE be glorified and blessed! May you also be blessed and encouraged.
This letter has been a BATTLE to even begin. Life has been an increasing battle (I have no doubt that you have noticed and that it is the same for you!) As I finally sat down to begin this letter…the mouse and keyboard for my computer gave up the ghost! I am so completely intimidated by technology that it took a great deal of courage to pronounce it dead, dissect it from the computer (it is wireless…which should speak volumes about my abilities) and bring it downtown where I told the sales girl 'My keyboard and mouse just died. I want another just like this!' I told her in a shaky voice, half expecting to be told that these are antique and aren't made anymore. Thankfully I had prayed and her maybe 19 year old expertise replied 'Sababa!' (which is Hebrew and Arabic street talk for something like: 'cool, great, no problem, what-ever') and in no time at all I was home praying again that 'I could really do this'! As you see PRAISE GOD! It works! I ATTACHED A NEW KEYBOARD AND MOUSE AND MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
The heaviness and reality of the hour that we live in was brought home vividly to me at the shuk today. The shuk was crowded by the time that I got there so went to an Arab vendor whom I have known for many years and trust. 'Where are these clementia from?' I asked him. 'They are NOT from China!' he answered. 'See? Look at the box; Jaffa…they are from Israel!' As I went to the apples I saw that he had written on the sign 'Israeli apples'. I looked at him and said 'I work in a doctor's office and this is serious what is happening now.' I was afraid that maybe he was thinking I was a bit loony. He grew very serious: 'I know!' he answered. 'This is life and death…but you know what? It is God's judgment on the world! How many thousands of years has He sent His prophets to us? And how have we listened?? We haven't!! We cheat and hate and say it is good when it isn't…everything that He told us not to do…oh we agree with our mouths but the day of His judgment is here with the earth!' Our eyes met in spite of the fact that he is an Arab Moslem man and I a Jewish disciple of Yeshua, there was total agreement: 'We get it! God…God Almighty…God Who is real and alive…is not happy with us and we would have to be blind not to see His Hand! And ofcourse, things like plague cross country boarders, political parties, races, religions, economic barriers…we can't say 'YOU' did this and need to repent'… it must be 'Woe to US for we have sinned and not listened and not turned back to Him with our hearts in our hands!'
THIS is the climate that I see here today.
And with THIS report I will begin the letter.
Most of you thought that I would be at the IFI Prayer Conference. I did too. I was hoping to see some of you there although I do not go to visit, for it really is a 'working' (PRAYER) conference. This is the third our of 4 years now that we had a crisis on the one day that I am able to join the conference and, having truly prayed…I can only say; 'Yes Lord'. It seems to me to be enemy intervention, but I have not prevailed and so I must leave it before Him. This year my husband VERY suddenly got extremely ill with a fever of above 102 (39) that wouldn't come down. There was no warning…he was fine and then suddenly shivering under the covers. If he were younger I might have left him sleeping but after consulting the emergency doctor I knew that I couldn't leave him alone…so didn't. Did the enemy win? No… I prayed anyway…just not with my brothers and sisters. All of the messages from the IFI conference are free and easy access to listen to on line RIGHT HERE IS THE LINK. I encourage you to take advantage and listen. At the IFI conferences we pray during the day but in the evening there is a message given concerning Israel by mostly local leaders.
And during the time of the conference, (wouldn't you know it…what perfect timing!) there was finally the unveiling of the 'American Peace Plan'. Here at home, listened with the rest of the country and it was quite dramatic…but one thing kept quietly beating in my heart: 'THE LAND MUST NOT BE DIVIDED!". I heard what America said…I heard what The Arabs said…I heard what the Palestinians said…and I heard what the Israelis said…but I could not forget what I know that GOD has said: 'The land is not yours, but MINE!' The fear of God entered my heart…this is not to toy with. There is a silence in my heart; I don't know what to say other than that. To my great surprise, the bus was quiet the next morning…even while the news was on; everyone was listening but NO one was commenting. That is unusual! That happens when 'things are serious' and no one dares to have an opinion. The look on the faces of the other passengers was serious and stoic…set. It continued at work: no comment.
Years ago I had begun to make a list of scriptures that said that we should not divide the land. It is incomplete, but here is what I had written down should you wish to study them for yourself. Some speak not directly but to the heart of the issue: Leviticus 25:23, Joshua 9:24 (the Gibeonites knew the promise!), Joshua 13, Nehemiah 9:8, Exodus 34:12, Joel 3:1-3, Acts 13:17-19…In a way it reminds me of the commands to husbands and wives (Mat 19:6 and Mark 10:9 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” and yet…it is a hard one to 'keep'…like the commands concerning The Sabbath…and...God forbid we should be legalistic… and there is this verse and that verse…BUT IN MY HEART RESOUNDS THE INTENT OF GOD THAT THIS LAND BEING DIVIDED IS A SIGN OF JUDGMENT AND THAT THIS LAND IS HIS AND NOT OURS OR ANYONE ELSES.
And while this is going on (and yes…violent responses are taking place…a car ramming last night injured 12 soldiers…there was a stabbing attempt against a border officer this afternoon at one of the gates to the Old City) China is brought to her knees by the Corona virus…how itty bitty microscopic. China is brought to her knees and it remains to be seen if the rest of the world will also follow suit. It is certainly worthy or more than 'a pause'! I will NEVER forget (I hope) last year's brush with death when I was in the hospital with influenza and pneumonia and how clearly The Lord spoke to me out of 1 Chronicles 21…the POWER of David's intercession as he stood between the death angel on the very spot that was to become the temple…and PREVAILED over the PLAGUE that God had sent to judge. TEACH ME, LORD, TO PRAY! "THAT I MAY KNOW YOU AND THE POWER OF YOUR RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF YOUR SUFFERING, BEING MADE CONFORMABLE TO YOUR DEATH" remains my prayer…and I have no doubt that it is yours as well.
And AGAIN, my Pastor sent out a wonderful prayer letter which I will attach rather than go on. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS…FOR US…FOR ISRAEL…FOR HIS PURPOSES…FOR THE LORD TO BE GLORIFIED! May The Lord FLOOD you with Himself! Lovingly, your sister here. (no time to read this over…please forgive mistakes)
MY PASTOR'S MESSAGE- PLEASE READ
"
January 23, 2020
"You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it." PSALM 65:9
"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." REVELATION 22:1-2
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach. May He be blessed and glorified and may you (and I) be encouraged toward Him for His glory. May you (and I) be TRULY planted beside His River, drinking of the fullness of it and producing HIS fruit for His glory!
Well…the longer I put off writing this letter because there is just too much to write about…the more there IS to write about: It only multiplies daily!
I have not written to you since our torrential rains claimed 7 lives; nor since the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis; not since our electioneering started again intensely for the THIRD time in a year…nor since the 49 (according to Miki Levi - the police spokesman) Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers and assorted dignitaries and heads of state solidified their participation in events marking the 75th year since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp; named The World Holocaust Forum. That began today and perhaps I will begin there and work backwards.
'There will be major traffic disruptions this week, especially on Wednesday and Thursday.' all of the media informed us to a collective groan. 'You are advised to leave vehicles at home (not in tow away zones) and take public transportation if you have to leave your houses.' …'Public transportation will experience delays and disruptions…' (they neglected to add 'and insane overcrowding') I watched as sharp shooters staked out roof tops and popped up from under man hole covers. Security vehicles inspected every corner of the city…and under every rock. At the bus stops the flashing sign read (in Hebrew, Arabic and English) 'The bus lines will experience significant delays and interruptions on the 22 and 23rd. For specific information call *8787'. My boss insisted that I could make it to work, so I called *8787. After about 20 minutes of music (EVERYONE was calling *8787!) an annoyed worker told me that they HAVE no information concerning Jerusalem buses and that I should just stay home. When I gave my boss what information I had gotten he just rolled his eyes and said that he'd pay for a taxi. NOT SO EASY! You see… I work across town. My memories of the visits of US Presidents Obama and then Trump are still quite vivid; walking to work isn't as bad as walking home when I am tired…about 1.5-2 hours each way…and I am older and less agile.
But why are they gathering?
Our President, Reuven Rivlin, hosted them as anti-semitism has been rising at a most alarming rate while the number of Holocaust survivors is dropping rapidly: 'Never Again' and 'Never Forget' seems nearly forgotten and our nation seeks a way to prevent what appears inevitable.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT! (or perhaps drop it!)
I am incredibly thankful and humbled by The Lord's restraining Hand! I had tried my best to write and send this letter yesterday…but interruption after interruption put an end to ALL of my best efforts.
Last night before going to sleep I listened to some of the events and was deeply touched…and learned things that I hadn't known. This morning as I prepared to write, my husband turned the proceedings on and said 'Come and see! You need to see this!' …I had 'INTENDED' to write…but I went and saw and could not stop watching and listening.
As I sat down to work on this letter yet AGAIN…there was an email from my Pastor concerning what I was watching and it was said so much better than I ever could that I will include it and only add one fact that I learned from the conference that sent chills down my spine and I hadn't known: A historian and researcher at Yad Vashem exhibited meticulous notebooks filled with lists, photos, information and even fingerprints! Ofcourse I KNEW about the lists that they kept; the 'inventories'…but I never thought of it in this light: He said how IRONIC it was that the stated intent of the Nazis was to wipe ALL MEMORY of the Jews from the earth…to eradicate their names…their ways… their lives. Instead…preserved IN JEWISH JERUSALEM…are their names, information, even photographs and fingerprints recorded as witness by the Nazis themselves…Oh my! I was overwhelmed by the impact of what I was seeing. God sovereign will: 'They will NOT be forgotten! You will be defeated!' It is as if I am in a dream to realize that, yes, we are a PART of this huge spiritual battle…and I share with you from Jerusalem…restored to the Jews after 2,000 years!
Yesterday, while I was still only thinking narrowly…I confess…about the traffic jams and being 'sequestered' - my own selfish interests, I was waiting in an office across from a woman older than I, perhaps 85. She was speaking English, it seemed as if perhaps she was doing a phone interview with someone in America. I was able to make out both sides of the conversation. She was quite serious and it was her intensity that touched me. She said 'I never thought that I would live to see this day. I never dreamed that such a thing would happen, but it is and ha'Shem (God) has brought it about! Do you understand what we are witnessing?' I understood that she was speaking about this gathering and I was ashamed for my narrow thoughts. I looked at her and realized that she was indeed a Holocaust survivor and began to think about what it must feel like to her; could it be even like Joseph seeing his brothers coming, bowing down to ask for food?
So, these two days have passed with, in my opinion, minimal inconvenience considering the amount of astounding security; I can't imagine HOW they pulled it off, protecting all of these dignitaries and escorting them around the city as well as in and out of the country.
And rather than comment further I will attach my Pastor's letter…it is more important to digest Truth than added words. May The Lord TRULY keep you in His perfect will, tender of heart and before Him for His glory… and me too please Lord! Lovingly, your sister.
A warning to the nations; a wake-up call to the Jewish people, and to the Body of Christ(If you want to read this on the web, click here)
Fifth World Holocaust Forum - The largest diplomatic event in Israel’s history!
The Forum this year will commemorate the 75th liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
It theme is: “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism,”
The peculiar thing about this year’s Forum:
It was hoped that 10 or 15 world leaders would agree to attend. Instead, it has become the largest diplomatic event in Israel’s history.
Delegations from 49 countries, including 41 heads of states, are in Israel at this moment. The US vice president, Mr. Pence, Russia’s president, Mr. Putin, Prince Charles of Britain, French president Mr. Macron, and many other kings and heads of states.
Why is this significant - A warning to the nations
First: We are in a time of growing denial of the Holocaust, and an alarming increase of anti-Semitism in the world. Significantly, the leaders of the nations are acknowledging it.
Second: We are living in the time of Israel’s restoration, and this could be God, calling the nations to warn them before they descend into deeper darkness and further rebellion against God, His people, and His unfolding plan. It will be very destructive, Psalm 2:10-12
Here is why I think this is the case
Last night, on Wednesday, Prominent Holocaust scholar, Professor Yehuda Bauer, delivered the keynote address at a festive dinner held for about 45 heads of states that were present. (Putin and Pence came only this morning on Thursday.)
He claimed (rightly I believe) that the deadliest military conflict in history, claiming anywhere between 70 to 85 million lives, including 6 million Jews, was caused by hatred for the Jews!
He was given eleven minutes to do this, eleven Minutes! They spent far more time eating than listening to what I believe is, a warning from God.
The most chilling part is Prof. Bauer’s quote of Hitler: “Today I will once more be a prophet: If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war” – as we all know, World War I was caused by the Jews, right? – “then the result will not be the bolshevization of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe” Die Vernichtung der jüdischen Rasse in Europa. So, the Jewish capitalists rule the West, and what they want is the victory of Bolshevism. The result will be the annihilation of the Jews.“
And here is the warning: “Anti-Semitism is not a Jewish illness, but a non-Jewish one; it is a cancer that kills and destroys your nations and your countries.” And, this, “…..fight anti-Semitism. Not because of the Jews, but to protect your societies from a deadly cancer.”
The caption for the text in the Times of Israel was: Holocaust scholar’s speech to world leaders: Anti-Semitism destroys your nations
Read more about it here
Will it be heeded? Will the nations respond? Have they read Psalm 2? Will your country respond!
Personally, I believe that although diplomatic activity regarding these things is important, these efforts will never win the battle against Israel-hatred, and antisemitism. It is a spiritual battle that is leading to the final confrontation between the nations and God. We as believers have an important role to play, we are called to stand before the Lord and call upon His name.
"Israel is God’s Spectacle to all the world, by which HIS MERCY SHALL BE MADE KNOWN - a Visible Demonstration in The Last Days - to “the nations of them that are saved,” Rev. 21:24. Israel - The Mystery Nation - carries through into The Revelation Prophecy. THERE appears those who are SEALED IN THEIR FOREHEADS, and “who follow the Lamb, whithersoever He goeth.” Redeemed? Yes. Washed in The Blood of The Lamb? Yes. Saved by Grace through Faith? Yes. BUT the ONLY NATION mentioned BY NAME among the Ransomed Throngs in The Revelation Vision. For these very reasons, we declare that the anti-semitic spirit - HATE THE JEWS - is one of the most deadly spirits in the world." (Rex Andrews, The Mystery of Israel")
We must pray!
But this is also a warning to Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora
In March of 1939, weeks before Britain published the ‘white papers’ (May 1939) effectively slamming shut the doors of Palestine to the Jews of Europe, the Jews of Poland, sent a desperate telegram to London, begging the British to keep the doors of Palestine open!
It went unheeded. You can read about it here.
[I thank God that my grandmother, a dentist in Poland, saw the dangers already in 1933 when Hitler came to power and pushed the family out of Europe. By 1935, her family was already in Palestine. Just four years later, the doors were slammed shut!]
Just as most of the Jews of Europe delayed dealing with leaving Europe for Palestine, so today, millions of Jews are refusing to read the signs of the times and are delaying their decision to come to Israel.
We must pray!
The Body of Christ must wake up!
Instead of being so taken up with their comfort, welfare, and seeking of blessing as their highest goal in life, Christians should awaken to the dangerous times they are living in. Dangerous to their nation, dangerous to the believers, and dangerous to Israel.
Christians must learn to seek the face of God, make the Bible their primary book, and learn to pray with understanding!
While some focus on praying for the political side of these things, I prefer to pray the scriptures. There is no indication that Daniel, for instance, ever used his political ‘connections’ to try to influence the king of Babylon to restore the Jews. He prayed from the Word (Jeremiah). Neither did Esther. Her act was not a political one but an intercessory one. They prayed according to the Word of God, and even risked their lives to do so! So should we, (pray I mean.)
Pray for the gathering of the Jews from the nations. There are many other scriptures and promises regarding God’s gathering of the Jews from the lands where they willingly remain in exile. Take some time, find them, pray them, I urge you. See for instance Ezekiel 39:21-29
Pray for your nation. God’s warnings are not idle threats. Remember the devastation of Germany in WWII. Take a look at the condition of the nations around Israel at this time. See how the cancer of the Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred has devastated their lands.
Psalm 2 is an example, See also Zechariah 12, especially Zech 12:10
Pray for the salvation of Israel Ezekiel 39:21-29, Zechariah 12:10-13:1
Pray for the Body of Christ in the nations. You can find many places in the scriptures that speak of the spiritual condition of Israel; there are great parallels to the condition of the Body today.
Read Malachi. Is the Church offering God worthy sacrifices? Is the Church wholeheartedly serving the Lord in the Word? Is the Church faithful to God’s view of marriage, money? Is the Church faithful to God and serving him wholeheartedly?
Will you pray for the purifying work of the Lord in your own life? In your fellowship’s life - Malachi 3:1-5.
Will you trust the Lord to work in this fiery way in your own life. Do not be afraid to yield to His nail-pierced hands as He works to sanctify you and prepare you for the things ahead.
Blessing from Jerusalem,
"You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it." PSALM 65:9
"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." REVELATION 22:1-2
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach. May He be blessed and glorified and may you (and I) be encouraged toward Him for His glory. May you (and I) be TRULY planted beside His River, drinking of the fullness of it and producing HIS fruit for His glory!
Well…the longer I put off writing this letter because there is just too much to write about…the more there IS to write about: It only multiplies daily!
I have not written to you since our torrential rains claimed 7 lives; nor since the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis; not since our electioneering started again intensely for the THIRD time in a year…nor since the 49 (according to Miki Levi - the police spokesman) Kings, Presidents, Prime Ministers and assorted dignitaries and heads of state solidified their participation in events marking the 75th year since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp; named The World Holocaust Forum. That began today and perhaps I will begin there and work backwards.
'There will be major traffic disruptions this week, especially on Wednesday and Thursday.' all of the media informed us to a collective groan. 'You are advised to leave vehicles at home (not in tow away zones) and take public transportation if you have to leave your houses.' …'Public transportation will experience delays and disruptions…' (they neglected to add 'and insane overcrowding') I watched as sharp shooters staked out roof tops and popped up from under man hole covers. Security vehicles inspected every corner of the city…and under every rock. At the bus stops the flashing sign read (in Hebrew, Arabic and English) 'The bus lines will experience significant delays and interruptions on the 22 and 23rd. For specific information call *8787'. My boss insisted that I could make it to work, so I called *8787. After about 20 minutes of music (EVERYONE was calling *8787!) an annoyed worker told me that they HAVE no information concerning Jerusalem buses and that I should just stay home. When I gave my boss what information I had gotten he just rolled his eyes and said that he'd pay for a taxi. NOT SO EASY! You see… I work across town. My memories of the visits of US Presidents Obama and then Trump are still quite vivid; walking to work isn't as bad as walking home when I am tired…about 1.5-2 hours each way…and I am older and less agile.
But why are they gathering?
Our President, Reuven Rivlin, hosted them as anti-semitism has been rising at a most alarming rate while the number of Holocaust survivors is dropping rapidly: 'Never Again' and 'Never Forget' seems nearly forgotten and our nation seeks a way to prevent what appears inevitable.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT! (or perhaps drop it!)
I am incredibly thankful and humbled by The Lord's restraining Hand! I had tried my best to write and send this letter yesterday…but interruption after interruption put an end to ALL of my best efforts.
Last night before going to sleep I listened to some of the events and was deeply touched…and learned things that I hadn't known. This morning as I prepared to write, my husband turned the proceedings on and said 'Come and see! You need to see this!' …I had 'INTENDED' to write…but I went and saw and could not stop watching and listening.
As I sat down to work on this letter yet AGAIN…there was an email from my Pastor concerning what I was watching and it was said so much better than I ever could that I will include it and only add one fact that I learned from the conference that sent chills down my spine and I hadn't known: A historian and researcher at Yad Vashem exhibited meticulous notebooks filled with lists, photos, information and even fingerprints! Ofcourse I KNEW about the lists that they kept; the 'inventories'…but I never thought of it in this light: He said how IRONIC it was that the stated intent of the Nazis was to wipe ALL MEMORY of the Jews from the earth…to eradicate their names…their ways… their lives. Instead…preserved IN JEWISH JERUSALEM…are their names, information, even photographs and fingerprints recorded as witness by the Nazis themselves…Oh my! I was overwhelmed by the impact of what I was seeing. God sovereign will: 'They will NOT be forgotten! You will be defeated!' It is as if I am in a dream to realize that, yes, we are a PART of this huge spiritual battle…and I share with you from Jerusalem…restored to the Jews after 2,000 years!
Yesterday, while I was still only thinking narrowly…I confess…about the traffic jams and being 'sequestered' - my own selfish interests, I was waiting in an office across from a woman older than I, perhaps 85. She was speaking English, it seemed as if perhaps she was doing a phone interview with someone in America. I was able to make out both sides of the conversation. She was quite serious and it was her intensity that touched me. She said 'I never thought that I would live to see this day. I never dreamed that such a thing would happen, but it is and ha'Shem (God) has brought it about! Do you understand what we are witnessing?' I understood that she was speaking about this gathering and I was ashamed for my narrow thoughts. I looked at her and realized that she was indeed a Holocaust survivor and began to think about what it must feel like to her; could it be even like Joseph seeing his brothers coming, bowing down to ask for food?
So, these two days have passed with, in my opinion, minimal inconvenience considering the amount of astounding security; I can't imagine HOW they pulled it off, protecting all of these dignitaries and escorting them around the city as well as in and out of the country.
And rather than comment further I will attach my Pastor's letter…it is more important to digest Truth than added words. May The Lord TRULY keep you in His perfect will, tender of heart and before Him for His glory… and me too please Lord! Lovingly, your sister.
A warning to the nations; a wake-up call to the Jewish people, and to the Body of Christ(If you want to read this on the web, click here)
Fifth World Holocaust Forum - The largest diplomatic event in Israel’s history!
The Forum this year will commemorate the 75th liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
It theme is: “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism,”
The peculiar thing about this year’s Forum:
It was hoped that 10 or 15 world leaders would agree to attend. Instead, it has become the largest diplomatic event in Israel’s history.
Delegations from 49 countries, including 41 heads of states, are in Israel at this moment. The US vice president, Mr. Pence, Russia’s president, Mr. Putin, Prince Charles of Britain, French president Mr. Macron, and many other kings and heads of states.
Why is this significant - A warning to the nations
First: We are in a time of growing denial of the Holocaust, and an alarming increase of anti-Semitism in the world. Significantly, the leaders of the nations are acknowledging it.
Second: We are living in the time of Israel’s restoration, and this could be God, calling the nations to warn them before they descend into deeper darkness and further rebellion against God, His people, and His unfolding plan. It will be very destructive, Psalm 2:10-12
Here is why I think this is the case
Last night, on Wednesday, Prominent Holocaust scholar, Professor Yehuda Bauer, delivered the keynote address at a festive dinner held for about 45 heads of states that were present. (Putin and Pence came only this morning on Thursday.)
He claimed (rightly I believe) that the deadliest military conflict in history, claiming anywhere between 70 to 85 million lives, including 6 million Jews, was caused by hatred for the Jews!
He was given eleven minutes to do this, eleven Minutes! They spent far more time eating than listening to what I believe is, a warning from God.
The most chilling part is Prof. Bauer’s quote of Hitler: “Today I will once more be a prophet: If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war” – as we all know, World War I was caused by the Jews, right? – “then the result will not be the bolshevization of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe” Die Vernichtung der jüdischen Rasse in Europa. So, the Jewish capitalists rule the West, and what they want is the victory of Bolshevism. The result will be the annihilation of the Jews.“
And here is the warning: “Anti-Semitism is not a Jewish illness, but a non-Jewish one; it is a cancer that kills and destroys your nations and your countries.” And, this, “…..fight anti-Semitism. Not because of the Jews, but to protect your societies from a deadly cancer.”
The caption for the text in the Times of Israel was: Holocaust scholar’s speech to world leaders: Anti-Semitism destroys your nations
Read more about it here
Will it be heeded? Will the nations respond? Have they read Psalm 2? Will your country respond!
Personally, I believe that although diplomatic activity regarding these things is important, these efforts will never win the battle against Israel-hatred, and antisemitism. It is a spiritual battle that is leading to the final confrontation between the nations and God. We as believers have an important role to play, we are called to stand before the Lord and call upon His name.
"Israel is God’s Spectacle to all the world, by which HIS MERCY SHALL BE MADE KNOWN - a Visible Demonstration in The Last Days - to “the nations of them that are saved,” Rev. 21:24. Israel - The Mystery Nation - carries through into The Revelation Prophecy. THERE appears those who are SEALED IN THEIR FOREHEADS, and “who follow the Lamb, whithersoever He goeth.” Redeemed? Yes. Washed in The Blood of The Lamb? Yes. Saved by Grace through Faith? Yes. BUT the ONLY NATION mentioned BY NAME among the Ransomed Throngs in The Revelation Vision. For these very reasons, we declare that the anti-semitic spirit - HATE THE JEWS - is one of the most deadly spirits in the world." (Rex Andrews, The Mystery of Israel")
We must pray!
But this is also a warning to Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora
In March of 1939, weeks before Britain published the ‘white papers’ (May 1939) effectively slamming shut the doors of Palestine to the Jews of Europe, the Jews of Poland, sent a desperate telegram to London, begging the British to keep the doors of Palestine open!
It went unheeded. You can read about it here.
[I thank God that my grandmother, a dentist in Poland, saw the dangers already in 1933 when Hitler came to power and pushed the family out of Europe. By 1935, her family was already in Palestine. Just four years later, the doors were slammed shut!]
Just as most of the Jews of Europe delayed dealing with leaving Europe for Palestine, so today, millions of Jews are refusing to read the signs of the times and are delaying their decision to come to Israel.
We must pray!
The Body of Christ must wake up!
Instead of being so taken up with their comfort, welfare, and seeking of blessing as their highest goal in life, Christians should awaken to the dangerous times they are living in. Dangerous to their nation, dangerous to the believers, and dangerous to Israel.
Christians must learn to seek the face of God, make the Bible their primary book, and learn to pray with understanding!
While some focus on praying for the political side of these things, I prefer to pray the scriptures. There is no indication that Daniel, for instance, ever used his political ‘connections’ to try to influence the king of Babylon to restore the Jews. He prayed from the Word (Jeremiah). Neither did Esther. Her act was not a political one but an intercessory one. They prayed according to the Word of God, and even risked their lives to do so! So should we, (pray I mean.)
Pray for the gathering of the Jews from the nations. There are many other scriptures and promises regarding God’s gathering of the Jews from the lands where they willingly remain in exile. Take some time, find them, pray them, I urge you. See for instance Ezekiel 39:21-29
Pray for your nation. God’s warnings are not idle threats. Remember the devastation of Germany in WWII. Take a look at the condition of the nations around Israel at this time. See how the cancer of the Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred has devastated their lands.
Psalm 2 is an example, See also Zechariah 12, especially Zech 12:10
Pray for the salvation of Israel Ezekiel 39:21-29, Zechariah 12:10-13:1
Pray for the Body of Christ in the nations. You can find many places in the scriptures that speak of the spiritual condition of Israel; there are great parallels to the condition of the Body today.
Read Malachi. Is the Church offering God worthy sacrifices? Is the Church wholeheartedly serving the Lord in the Word? Is the Church faithful to God’s view of marriage, money? Is the Church faithful to God and serving him wholeheartedly?
Will you pray for the purifying work of the Lord in your own life? In your fellowship’s life - Malachi 3:1-5.
Will you trust the Lord to work in this fiery way in your own life. Do not be afraid to yield to His nail-pierced hands as He works to sanctify you and prepare you for the things ahead.
Blessing from Jerusalem,
December 31, 2019
"Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” John 10:22-30
Oh LOVING GREETINGS DEAREST sisters and brothers- beloved, chosen to follow The Lamb and then choosing to follow Him! May you be encouraged toward Him, blessed and edified …and may The Lord…The Light of the world…The only begotten Son of The Father…The Lamb…MESSIAH…The Word made flesh…THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY…THE GREAT I AM…MAY HE ALONE BE GLORIFIED, blessed and comforted in His children today.
Greetings! As the year draws toward a close. Greetings as we choose, TODAY, HIS LIGHT!
The eight candles and the 'shamas', the middle, lifted up 'servant candle', are freshly lined up in our chanukiah waiting for my husband to come home from work; it is the last light of the 8 day celebration tonight! "Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch." The Light of the world, walking in His Temple during the feast of the dedication…the feast that celebrates re-dedication of the temple after its desecration by the Greeks who (among other atrocities) sacrificed un-kosher pigs -("Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses."Deut 14:8 and Levit 11:7 for just two examples) on the holy altar of God. Modern Chanukah celebrated the triumph of the Maccabees over the Greeks, but the most important part to me…and the part that I grew up hearing about most and wondering at was that when the filth was cleaned out of the temple and the Priest went to light the menorah…the eternal lamp…there was only one sealed flask of the prescribed oil… enough for just one night! The oil took a week to prepare…so by faith he lit the one lamp…BUT GOD! WHO WAS RICH IN MERCY THEN AS NOW, MULTIPLIED THE OIL NIGHT AFTER NIGHT…FOR 8 NIGHTS THE LAMP BURNED UNTIL THE FRESH OIL HAD BEEN PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS THAT MOSES HAD BEEN GIVEN BY GOD AND DELIVERED TO THE PEOPLE! Chanukah! The festival of Light…of multiplied Light! And THE LIVING LIGHT WALKED IN THE TEMPLE! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me…" He said during Chanukah in the temple… the temple that was His. What a picture!
But He is STILL walking here…and where you are as well…and STILL reasoning with those who will listen and still speaking to all who will hear. I think about that in the hustle and bustle of the packed train and bus. At least I TRY to think about that…to remember that for THIS cause He came…NOT because we were righteous…but because we are filled with sin and darkness and yet Abba created us for Himself and He still reaches out and loves us.
I looked around at the faces today. The train was PACKED! When I left for work at 6 this morning I was surprised to see the train full. Usually on my way to work it is reasonably empty but today it was jammed and I wondered what was going on. Perhaps they were all going for their flu shots? Influenza is particularly virulent this year. I didn't have much time to wonder because once at work I was surrounded by throngs of sick people who had NOT gone for their flu shot and were now at the doctors with influenza. It was a BUSY day! Coming home, traffic was at a standstill. It took me 45 minutes to get to the train by bus! So many big families…baby carriages and twin strollers crowded the aisles of the train as little ones peered out of the windows with small happy faces. This year, it didn't seem as if as many locals were stuffing themselves with sofganiyot (the traditional oily jelly donut), latkas ( a sort of potato pancake) bunuelos or sfenj (sort of like sofganiyot…a more middle eastern traditional fried sweet dough)… none- the-less, the tasty fares were everywhere as Jerusalem hosted a record breaking number of tourists this year and they wanted to taste it ALL… So our bakeries weren't TOO impacted by the health concerns of the locals.
Large electric Chanukiahs dot the city neighborhoods and at sundown people gather around them as they are lit and sing traditional songs. It is a festive time. We used to have one of these large public Chanukiahs across from our apartment but there was none this year. When we first made aliyah, they were gas lights. I loved watching them lit and their flames flickering in the wind. Now they are electric bulbs. Times are rougher now…people are rougher…and times change all things.
A friend drew my attention to comments made by Israel's IDF (military) Chief, Aviv Kochavi this week as he spoke before the conference at the Interdisciplinary Center in Hertzliya. They were sobering. He spoke of our now open and undercover operations in Syria and around the area against Iran…which have been far more frequent and brazen…"even at the risk of war." He warned Israeli civilians to "mentally prepare" for heavy fire will be directed against our home front"…continuing "I'm looking people in the eye, and saying, there will be heavy fire. We have to recognize this and we have to prepare for this…We have to prepare for this militarily; the civil hierarchies have to prepare for this ; and we have to prepare for this mentally."
Yes Lord. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me…" …'We trust You Lord…through whatever fire we must pass…that You will lead us and that Your rod and Your staff…and Your Voice WILL lead and comfort us…and enable us to walk in a manner that will glorify You!.'
My mind turns to another local news article that I saw '11 Christian men executed in Nigeria by Isis as retribution for the death of their leader…' I thought about those "11 Christian men" who were chosen because they were Christian…and went with Him into the fire…and came out the other side into His Presence. 'Prepare us mentally, Lord, to be part of Your solution and not part of the problem!'.
And time has run swiftly and now it is the eve of 2020!
When we made aliyah, this was definitely a day NOT mentioned! It was a distinction made on the Western calendar - observed in the west…and NOT on the Hebrew calendar/ NOT observed here! If someone said 'Happy New Year' everyone around him frowned in obvious disapproval. We made aliyah during the days of the Russian aliyah, and the secular Russians celebrated New Year (Sylvester) the way that secular westerners celebrate Christmas…yes…it was frowned upon.
Times change.
It seems to me that the major 'foreign languages' that I hear today on the trains and buses are French and English. The Hebrew (and Arabic)/Russian signs have been replaced for the most part (in Jerusalem anyway) by Hebrew (and Arabic) /French / English. Is it the dramatic rise in anti-semitism in the west? Perhaps. With the rise of western immigration, the New Year according to the western calendar has pressed through. I hear of and see signs announcing restaurants celebrating, balloons appear with 2020 written on them…among the western young people on the train I see a 'party excitement' and listen to their plans…somewhat with dismay; is it my age? I think about how He had come into my life just before I was 30 and I am thankful that He gave me direction that these poor sheep do not have yet.
And so I pray.
And I pray to pray…because I don't pray enough and can get 'weary in well doing'.
But my people stand at the door of … what? Eternity for sure…and how can I but pray??
My boss announced to me that he plans to retire this coming October. There are not many places for a 74 year old to find fresh work…and so as the new year lies ahead I am reminded that none of us EVER knows what is ahead. James reminds us of that so well: "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:13-17
HOWEVER…KNOWING THE GREAT MERCY OF GOD…I look ahead to the year before us…for us and for you…and I know that as I ask Him to glorify His Name…I am asking according to His will. If I ask Him to fill me with His Holy Spirit daily…I am asking a good thing…and with THAT RE-ASSURANCE I pray that you and I will walk into this new year with BLESSING!
I truly miss you…your fellowship…and I am thankful for each one of you who prays for Israel and our people… who remembers our family…and who even takes precious TIME to read these letters! May they be a sweet smelling savor for His glory alone! God Bless you and Keep you and make HIS Face to shine upon you…and give you (and me) His Peace.
Lovingly, your sister here
PS. The IFI yearly prayer conference here in Jerusalem is set to begin 20 Jan…IF…by any chance…He is still prodding any of you to come…please do as He says.
"Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” John 10:22-30
Oh LOVING GREETINGS DEAREST sisters and brothers- beloved, chosen to follow The Lamb and then choosing to follow Him! May you be encouraged toward Him, blessed and edified …and may The Lord…The Light of the world…The only begotten Son of The Father…The Lamb…MESSIAH…The Word made flesh…THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY…THE GREAT I AM…MAY HE ALONE BE GLORIFIED, blessed and comforted in His children today.
Greetings! As the year draws toward a close. Greetings as we choose, TODAY, HIS LIGHT!
The eight candles and the 'shamas', the middle, lifted up 'servant candle', are freshly lined up in our chanukiah waiting for my husband to come home from work; it is the last light of the 8 day celebration tonight! "Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch." The Light of the world, walking in His Temple during the feast of the dedication…the feast that celebrates re-dedication of the temple after its desecration by the Greeks who (among other atrocities) sacrificed un-kosher pigs -("Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses."Deut 14:8 and Levit 11:7 for just two examples) on the holy altar of God. Modern Chanukah celebrated the triumph of the Maccabees over the Greeks, but the most important part to me…and the part that I grew up hearing about most and wondering at was that when the filth was cleaned out of the temple and the Priest went to light the menorah…the eternal lamp…there was only one sealed flask of the prescribed oil… enough for just one night! The oil took a week to prepare…so by faith he lit the one lamp…BUT GOD! WHO WAS RICH IN MERCY THEN AS NOW, MULTIPLIED THE OIL NIGHT AFTER NIGHT…FOR 8 NIGHTS THE LAMP BURNED UNTIL THE FRESH OIL HAD BEEN PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS THAT MOSES HAD BEEN GIVEN BY GOD AND DELIVERED TO THE PEOPLE! Chanukah! The festival of Light…of multiplied Light! And THE LIVING LIGHT WALKED IN THE TEMPLE! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me…" He said during Chanukah in the temple… the temple that was His. What a picture!
But He is STILL walking here…and where you are as well…and STILL reasoning with those who will listen and still speaking to all who will hear. I think about that in the hustle and bustle of the packed train and bus. At least I TRY to think about that…to remember that for THIS cause He came…NOT because we were righteous…but because we are filled with sin and darkness and yet Abba created us for Himself and He still reaches out and loves us.
I looked around at the faces today. The train was PACKED! When I left for work at 6 this morning I was surprised to see the train full. Usually on my way to work it is reasonably empty but today it was jammed and I wondered what was going on. Perhaps they were all going for their flu shots? Influenza is particularly virulent this year. I didn't have much time to wonder because once at work I was surrounded by throngs of sick people who had NOT gone for their flu shot and were now at the doctors with influenza. It was a BUSY day! Coming home, traffic was at a standstill. It took me 45 minutes to get to the train by bus! So many big families…baby carriages and twin strollers crowded the aisles of the train as little ones peered out of the windows with small happy faces. This year, it didn't seem as if as many locals were stuffing themselves with sofganiyot (the traditional oily jelly donut), latkas ( a sort of potato pancake) bunuelos or sfenj (sort of like sofganiyot…a more middle eastern traditional fried sweet dough)… none- the-less, the tasty fares were everywhere as Jerusalem hosted a record breaking number of tourists this year and they wanted to taste it ALL… So our bakeries weren't TOO impacted by the health concerns of the locals.
Large electric Chanukiahs dot the city neighborhoods and at sundown people gather around them as they are lit and sing traditional songs. It is a festive time. We used to have one of these large public Chanukiahs across from our apartment but there was none this year. When we first made aliyah, they were gas lights. I loved watching them lit and their flames flickering in the wind. Now they are electric bulbs. Times are rougher now…people are rougher…and times change all things.
A friend drew my attention to comments made by Israel's IDF (military) Chief, Aviv Kochavi this week as he spoke before the conference at the Interdisciplinary Center in Hertzliya. They were sobering. He spoke of our now open and undercover operations in Syria and around the area against Iran…which have been far more frequent and brazen…"even at the risk of war." He warned Israeli civilians to "mentally prepare" for heavy fire will be directed against our home front"…continuing "I'm looking people in the eye, and saying, there will be heavy fire. We have to recognize this and we have to prepare for this…We have to prepare for this militarily; the civil hierarchies have to prepare for this ; and we have to prepare for this mentally."
Yes Lord. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me…" …'We trust You Lord…through whatever fire we must pass…that You will lead us and that Your rod and Your staff…and Your Voice WILL lead and comfort us…and enable us to walk in a manner that will glorify You!.'
My mind turns to another local news article that I saw '11 Christian men executed in Nigeria by Isis as retribution for the death of their leader…' I thought about those "11 Christian men" who were chosen because they were Christian…and went with Him into the fire…and came out the other side into His Presence. 'Prepare us mentally, Lord, to be part of Your solution and not part of the problem!'.
And time has run swiftly and now it is the eve of 2020!
When we made aliyah, this was definitely a day NOT mentioned! It was a distinction made on the Western calendar - observed in the west…and NOT on the Hebrew calendar/ NOT observed here! If someone said 'Happy New Year' everyone around him frowned in obvious disapproval. We made aliyah during the days of the Russian aliyah, and the secular Russians celebrated New Year (Sylvester) the way that secular westerners celebrate Christmas…yes…it was frowned upon.
Times change.
It seems to me that the major 'foreign languages' that I hear today on the trains and buses are French and English. The Hebrew (and Arabic)/Russian signs have been replaced for the most part (in Jerusalem anyway) by Hebrew (and Arabic) /French / English. Is it the dramatic rise in anti-semitism in the west? Perhaps. With the rise of western immigration, the New Year according to the western calendar has pressed through. I hear of and see signs announcing restaurants celebrating, balloons appear with 2020 written on them…among the western young people on the train I see a 'party excitement' and listen to their plans…somewhat with dismay; is it my age? I think about how He had come into my life just before I was 30 and I am thankful that He gave me direction that these poor sheep do not have yet.
And so I pray.
And I pray to pray…because I don't pray enough and can get 'weary in well doing'.
But my people stand at the door of … what? Eternity for sure…and how can I but pray??
My boss announced to me that he plans to retire this coming October. There are not many places for a 74 year old to find fresh work…and so as the new year lies ahead I am reminded that none of us EVER knows what is ahead. James reminds us of that so well: "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:13-17
HOWEVER…KNOWING THE GREAT MERCY OF GOD…I look ahead to the year before us…for us and for you…and I know that as I ask Him to glorify His Name…I am asking according to His will. If I ask Him to fill me with His Holy Spirit daily…I am asking a good thing…and with THAT RE-ASSURANCE I pray that you and I will walk into this new year with BLESSING!
I truly miss you…your fellowship…and I am thankful for each one of you who prays for Israel and our people… who remembers our family…and who even takes precious TIME to read these letters! May they be a sweet smelling savor for His glory alone! God Bless you and Keep you and make HIS Face to shine upon you…and give you (and me) His Peace.
Lovingly, your sister here
PS. The IFI yearly prayer conference here in Jerusalem is set to begin 20 Jan…IF…by any chance…He is still prodding any of you to come…please do as He says.