Letters from Jerusalem
November 12, 2019
"Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor." MICAH 4:11,12
"O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed." EZEKIEL 13:4-6
Greetings sisters and brothers, in The Name of Yeshua, Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, the brightness of the image of The Father, our Peace and our greatly anticipated Joy. May HE be glorified and blessed and may you be encouraged and blessed too through Him.
How many times can I say 'What times we live in!' and how can I encourage and share when I know so little? I must go back to what He told me to do from the beginning: 'What you see, hear, WRITE.'
I see and hear horns of war and drums of unrest and dismay. This is what I see and hear all around me etched on burdened faces.
We still have no government. We have not had a government for a very long time and things heat up around us. We are still not sure if we will have to go to a third round of elections, and if we do…will the results be the same deadlock? There is grief and discouragement with the uncertainty.
The air is hot and dry…a drying wind blows. There has not been a November like this since 2010 when the Carmel forest fire disaster stunned the country…and it is hot and dry like that again. I always 'listen' when the weather here is 'strange' because it often speaks of 'strange' events around the corner.
On the bus I was listening to the morning news explaining the re-opening of the Iranian nuclear facility at 'Fordo' and the name jarred me. There was something particularly foreboding about that plant…deep underground, having been hidden from inspectors. The next morning I woke with the name 'Fordo' ringing in my ears and after prayer I went and looked up the meaning:
translation and definition "fordo", English-Persian Dictionary online
fordo
IPA: /fɔːˈduː/; Type: verb;
کشتن
(فقط به صورت اسم مفعول) خسته کردن
(قدیمی)
ازپا درآوردن
مرکز هستهای فردو
نابود کردن
To kill, destroy.
To annul, abolish, cancel.
Fordo has a goal…a purpose that is announced in its name. At the Friday morning IFI meetings, C has been saying that God appears to be calling the nations to the threshing floor…and we are the bait…and it does not feel very comfortable to be bait. Surely the nations around us are boiling. We do not have a government but we have a promise that the government will be upon HIS shoulders, and I believe that.
GOD also has a goal…and purposes that are announced in His Name!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WELL…I wrote the above two days ago…and was EVEN going to tell you about how our bus drivers individualize their buses…but…there is just not time here for 'the urgent' to wait, and we are again in what appears to be the beginnings of a war. I am sure that most of you know by now (thank you social media…not always accurate) but I am also sure that some do not, so I will share with you what I know.
Our south has been under constant increasing 'low level' attack for about a year and a half. Most of your nations would never allow 'just a few rockets a week' or 'weekly violent riots at your borders' or sending of countless incendiary devices over our forests and fields setting them alight to raging fires; an attack here…a murder there…and so many uncovered and diverted!
Apparently the main instigator of most of these attacks has been a charismatic leader of Islamic jihad named Abu Al-Atta. At about 4 am Israel assassinated him as he was planning an imminent attack. Concurrently, IT SEEMS, (these reports are less concrete) we MAY have targeted another Islamic jihad leader in Damascus. The results were and continue to be a barrage of rockets targeting most of our coast into our central region. At this point the battle is escalating and we are targeting strategic sites in Gaza. Schools and businesses were closed today for some 2 million people from the Gaza periphery to targeted areas along the coast and into the center. Tel Aviv was closed down and shelters were opened. Naturally…we are on high alert.
At this point, Jerusalem is quiet.
Jerusalem is the prize.
I will predict nothing…but in just the 25 years that I have been here this is NOT my first time around this block by a long shot!
So…it is time for prayer, because this is HIS people…HIS city and country…HIS plan and purpose and I believe SOO much bigger than my puny understanding of it all. I am thankful for every ray of His light that He shines into me that I might see and understand a bit…but I am finally aware that it is really, only a BIT!
I would like to share with you two updates that my Pastor sent out in his prayer letter and also refer you to a fairly accurate site for local news that is updating live. Many of their articles I do not agree with but they seem like the most accurate English source right now https://www.timesofisrael.com/
I will close my part of this letter here. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYERS INTO THE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR HIS GLORY. MAY YOU (AND WE HERE) PRAY HIS HEART AND NOT OURS. MAY WE GLORIFY HIM AND FINISH THE WORK. Lovingly, your sister here.
"Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor." MICAH 4:11,12
"O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed." EZEKIEL 13:4-6
Greetings sisters and brothers, in The Name of Yeshua, Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, the brightness of the image of The Father, our Peace and our greatly anticipated Joy. May HE be glorified and blessed and may you be encouraged and blessed too through Him.
How many times can I say 'What times we live in!' and how can I encourage and share when I know so little? I must go back to what He told me to do from the beginning: 'What you see, hear, WRITE.'
I see and hear horns of war and drums of unrest and dismay. This is what I see and hear all around me etched on burdened faces.
We still have no government. We have not had a government for a very long time and things heat up around us. We are still not sure if we will have to go to a third round of elections, and if we do…will the results be the same deadlock? There is grief and discouragement with the uncertainty.
The air is hot and dry…a drying wind blows. There has not been a November like this since 2010 when the Carmel forest fire disaster stunned the country…and it is hot and dry like that again. I always 'listen' when the weather here is 'strange' because it often speaks of 'strange' events around the corner.
On the bus I was listening to the morning news explaining the re-opening of the Iranian nuclear facility at 'Fordo' and the name jarred me. There was something particularly foreboding about that plant…deep underground, having been hidden from inspectors. The next morning I woke with the name 'Fordo' ringing in my ears and after prayer I went and looked up the meaning:
translation and definition "fordo", English-Persian Dictionary online
fordo
IPA: /fɔːˈduː/; Type: verb;
کشتن
(فقط به صورت اسم مفعول) خسته کردن
(قدیمی)
ازپا درآوردن
مرکز هستهای فردو
نابود کردن
To kill, destroy.
To annul, abolish, cancel.
Fordo has a goal…a purpose that is announced in its name. At the Friday morning IFI meetings, C has been saying that God appears to be calling the nations to the threshing floor…and we are the bait…and it does not feel very comfortable to be bait. Surely the nations around us are boiling. We do not have a government but we have a promise that the government will be upon HIS shoulders, and I believe that.
GOD also has a goal…and purposes that are announced in His Name!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WELL…I wrote the above two days ago…and was EVEN going to tell you about how our bus drivers individualize their buses…but…there is just not time here for 'the urgent' to wait, and we are again in what appears to be the beginnings of a war. I am sure that most of you know by now (thank you social media…not always accurate) but I am also sure that some do not, so I will share with you what I know.
Our south has been under constant increasing 'low level' attack for about a year and a half. Most of your nations would never allow 'just a few rockets a week' or 'weekly violent riots at your borders' or sending of countless incendiary devices over our forests and fields setting them alight to raging fires; an attack here…a murder there…and so many uncovered and diverted!
Apparently the main instigator of most of these attacks has been a charismatic leader of Islamic jihad named Abu Al-Atta. At about 4 am Israel assassinated him as he was planning an imminent attack. Concurrently, IT SEEMS, (these reports are less concrete) we MAY have targeted another Islamic jihad leader in Damascus. The results were and continue to be a barrage of rockets targeting most of our coast into our central region. At this point the battle is escalating and we are targeting strategic sites in Gaza. Schools and businesses were closed today for some 2 million people from the Gaza periphery to targeted areas along the coast and into the center. Tel Aviv was closed down and shelters were opened. Naturally…we are on high alert.
At this point, Jerusalem is quiet.
Jerusalem is the prize.
I will predict nothing…but in just the 25 years that I have been here this is NOT my first time around this block by a long shot!
So…it is time for prayer, because this is HIS people…HIS city and country…HIS plan and purpose and I believe SOO much bigger than my puny understanding of it all. I am thankful for every ray of His light that He shines into me that I might see and understand a bit…but I am finally aware that it is really, only a BIT!
I would like to share with you two updates that my Pastor sent out in his prayer letter and also refer you to a fairly accurate site for local news that is updating live. Many of their articles I do not agree with but they seem like the most accurate English source right now https://www.timesofisrael.com/
I will close my part of this letter here. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYERS INTO THE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR HIS GLORY. MAY YOU (AND WE HERE) PRAY HIS HEART AND NOT OURS. MAY WE GLORIFY HIM AND FINISH THE WORK. Lovingly, your sister here.
October 20, 2019
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Tim 4:1-3
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach, Who has come and is coming again! May He be blessed and glorified and may we be made fit for His use. May you be blessed and encouraged!
It may seem like a rather out of sorts of a scripture for the dramatic photo above and the joyous one below… and the fact that today is the 'Hoshana Raba' - many praises - the LAST day of the Feast of Sukkot…the last day of the three fall feasts as prescribed in Torah. BUT DON'T LET THAT DECEIVE YOU! (my husband used to say 'Don't distract me! I'm watching the game! This is the last gameof the football season! ' It took me a long time to learn about 'POST season games!') Tomorrow is Simchat Torah, The Joy of Torah; a most wonderful day marking the end of the cycle of reading the first 5 books of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) for the year and the beginning again of the cycle. The end of the book of Deuteronomy is completed and the prescribed reading will begin again with Genesis 1. The prescribed readings are called the parashat h'shavouah or the weekly portion , and they are on each calendar, newspapers, just about everywhere that a date is printed.
Simchat Torah is that wonderful day when the Torah scrolls are brought out of the synagogues and into the streets with singing and dancing. Each congregation brings out their own scrolls and parade them through the streets with blessing and joy (some more some less ofcourse). The Torah…The Word of God…Held high and danced around with reverence and joy. One day The Living Word will be recognized in our midst…
It has been an intense time, this season of seasons. It always is. The city is filled to overflowing with visitors from over 100 nations to take part in the many Christian conferences, meetings, convocations and celebrations connected with the Feast of Tabernacles. Others come on their own just to see. Jews from around the world come to take part. Schools and many work places are closed. Sukkas are built in apartments, courtyards and on the sidewalks. The streets are packed and at the same time so are the nature reserves, the parks and beaches. The country becomes a big 'belegan'…a pot of spaghetti…thrown up in the air and having as much fun as possible. Some of you have marched in the Jerusalem March…a huge colorful and joyful parade through the center of Jerusalem that greatly encourages the citizens who always leave with a wonder that in the midst of it all there really are supporters who love us?!? I have in the past watched the encouragement rise of the faces of spectators whom I stood by…it is tangible.
I was remembering writing from my sukka one year (No, that is NOT a picture of me or my sukka!); the year that I was so deeply impacted by the gift that God had given us in these appointed feasts. It was during the very height of the last intifada and we were weary from terror and blood running in the streets…funerals and grief. NEVERTHELESS…WE HAD TO STOP AND CELEBRATE! I remember sitting in my flimsy sukka with material walls and branches for a roof looking at the stars so high above and suddenly realizing this gift! NO MATTER WHAT, WE WERE TO STOP AND REMEMBER GOD! We are so small and HE IS SO BIG! War? Yes…BUT GOD IS BIGGER! Death? Yes…but HE HAS CONQUORED THE GRAVE!
I recall being in the sukka of a family of dear friends when the first Autumn storm came up. Remember, we live in a desert and the seasons are distinct; No rain…and only rain. Sukkot marks the beginning of the rainy season, so we greet the rain with joy…even when it blows your sukka away…which it did that night! We ran down the street chasing ours while perhaps 50 other families did the same, chasing theirs as the dramatically strong wind brought in the rain. What laughter and joy inspite of a soggy dinner.
But The Lord DOES speak to us through nature, and although the storms are a blessing, several incidents have me pondering. There were a number of drownings…terrible deadly car accidents and the powerful storm pictured above took even the weathermen by surprise. The lightning and thunder dramatically preceded short but intense downpours. But it was a grief to read of the death of a lovely doe eyed 14 year old boy after he and 4 other family members were struck by lightning as they made their way off the beach where they had been. "Asher's mother told reporters earlier that as religious people she and her family understand things like that can happen and the weather can become lethal." There just seemed to be an unusual number of deadly accidents during Sukkot and the other fall feasts this year…and ofcourse…our own precious 4 from our kehila such a short time ago.
'What are You saying, Lord?'
Maybe I'm crazy, but I firmly believe that The Lord is speaking in and through everything. A dear brother once told me that someone said to him 'Everything isn't answer to prayer…some things are coincidences.' He laughed and said 'Well, when I pray I have a lot of coincidences…when I don't pray, hum…not so many.' So, yes…I do see God's Hand everywhere…and His fingerprints comfort me even 'in the midst'.
People have been asking for 'my take' on the situation between the Kurds, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Russia, the US and I could give you my 'opinion' but there are so many opinions and teachings jumping in to fill that void… many are interesting, many are very informed, many add into the mix the fact that we still don't have a government in Israel…and … what does THAT mean… and what if we go to THIRD ELECTIONS??? AND SO ON. I don't have the answer, but I DO pray. I DO see it and I DO watch it and I pray.
Speaking of prayer…it just occurred to me: why have I never sent out an invitation to the yearly ifi (intercessors for Israel) prayer conference?!? I don't know, but I would like to now. Will you pray about coming if The Lord is calling you to? If you are under 30 and feel that He is calling you to intercession on behalf of Israel, there are 'scholarships' available to help with expenses. Here is the link…will you just pray about it? (this is the group that I pray with on Friday mornings. I KNOW that some of you DO come and others have come, but I also know that many others haven't. Here is the information)
IFI PRAYER CONFERENCE JERUSALEM - JAN. 2020
This is a short note summing up an intense and wonderful season. We are off to dinner at our daughter's house shortly. I am bringing two types of kubba with soup, falafel balls, pita, challa, halvah, and a wide variety of middle eastern fair…wish you could all join and taste! Tomorrow (the last day that everything including public transportation is closed) is my husband's 74th birthday…and we will celebrate AGAIN with friends and family! On Wednesday as a gift, we are sending him to London for a week to visit our older daughter and Grandchildren for Noah's 16th birthday! WHEW! If this were the only letter of mine you ever read you might think that we did nothing but celebrate.
And that brings me back to the 2 Tim 4 scripture.
When things are this intense with no let up…we also can not let up our stance of being ready for the battle. NEVER! We can not be unprepared to answer everyman what is the reason for our hope. We can not be unprepared to hear our minute by minute marching orders. We can not slack in prayer. It is life and death!
I watch the young (oh so young!) soldiers and security making their ways through the unbelievable crowds at the shuk and I pray for them to be alert…not to be distracted by their cell phones…or by conversation…or by 'selfies': BE ALERT! LISTEN! WATCH! So it is with us. We have an unrelenting enemy who is watching for us to be distracted. This enemy is real and deadly. Our God is BIGGER! MAY WE BE FOUND WITH OUR EYES FIXED ON HIS…OUR EARS TUNED TO HEAR HIS VOICE ALONE.
BLESSINGS to you all and chag sameach! (Joyful Holyday!) May we glorify Him and finish the work.
Lovingly, a sister in Jerusalem.
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Tim 4:1-3
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiach, Who has come and is coming again! May He be blessed and glorified and may we be made fit for His use. May you be blessed and encouraged!
It may seem like a rather out of sorts of a scripture for the dramatic photo above and the joyous one below… and the fact that today is the 'Hoshana Raba' - many praises - the LAST day of the Feast of Sukkot…the last day of the three fall feasts as prescribed in Torah. BUT DON'T LET THAT DECEIVE YOU! (my husband used to say 'Don't distract me! I'm watching the game! This is the last gameof the football season! ' It took me a long time to learn about 'POST season games!') Tomorrow is Simchat Torah, The Joy of Torah; a most wonderful day marking the end of the cycle of reading the first 5 books of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) for the year and the beginning again of the cycle. The end of the book of Deuteronomy is completed and the prescribed reading will begin again with Genesis 1. The prescribed readings are called the parashat h'shavouah or the weekly portion , and they are on each calendar, newspapers, just about everywhere that a date is printed.
Simchat Torah is that wonderful day when the Torah scrolls are brought out of the synagogues and into the streets with singing and dancing. Each congregation brings out their own scrolls and parade them through the streets with blessing and joy (some more some less ofcourse). The Torah…The Word of God…Held high and danced around with reverence and joy. One day The Living Word will be recognized in our midst…
It has been an intense time, this season of seasons. It always is. The city is filled to overflowing with visitors from over 100 nations to take part in the many Christian conferences, meetings, convocations and celebrations connected with the Feast of Tabernacles. Others come on their own just to see. Jews from around the world come to take part. Schools and many work places are closed. Sukkas are built in apartments, courtyards and on the sidewalks. The streets are packed and at the same time so are the nature reserves, the parks and beaches. The country becomes a big 'belegan'…a pot of spaghetti…thrown up in the air and having as much fun as possible. Some of you have marched in the Jerusalem March…a huge colorful and joyful parade through the center of Jerusalem that greatly encourages the citizens who always leave with a wonder that in the midst of it all there really are supporters who love us?!? I have in the past watched the encouragement rise of the faces of spectators whom I stood by…it is tangible.
I was remembering writing from my sukka one year (No, that is NOT a picture of me or my sukka!); the year that I was so deeply impacted by the gift that God had given us in these appointed feasts. It was during the very height of the last intifada and we were weary from terror and blood running in the streets…funerals and grief. NEVERTHELESS…WE HAD TO STOP AND CELEBRATE! I remember sitting in my flimsy sukka with material walls and branches for a roof looking at the stars so high above and suddenly realizing this gift! NO MATTER WHAT, WE WERE TO STOP AND REMEMBER GOD! We are so small and HE IS SO BIG! War? Yes…BUT GOD IS BIGGER! Death? Yes…but HE HAS CONQUORED THE GRAVE!
I recall being in the sukka of a family of dear friends when the first Autumn storm came up. Remember, we live in a desert and the seasons are distinct; No rain…and only rain. Sukkot marks the beginning of the rainy season, so we greet the rain with joy…even when it blows your sukka away…which it did that night! We ran down the street chasing ours while perhaps 50 other families did the same, chasing theirs as the dramatically strong wind brought in the rain. What laughter and joy inspite of a soggy dinner.
But The Lord DOES speak to us through nature, and although the storms are a blessing, several incidents have me pondering. There were a number of drownings…terrible deadly car accidents and the powerful storm pictured above took even the weathermen by surprise. The lightning and thunder dramatically preceded short but intense downpours. But it was a grief to read of the death of a lovely doe eyed 14 year old boy after he and 4 other family members were struck by lightning as they made their way off the beach where they had been. "Asher's mother told reporters earlier that as religious people she and her family understand things like that can happen and the weather can become lethal." There just seemed to be an unusual number of deadly accidents during Sukkot and the other fall feasts this year…and ofcourse…our own precious 4 from our kehila such a short time ago.
'What are You saying, Lord?'
Maybe I'm crazy, but I firmly believe that The Lord is speaking in and through everything. A dear brother once told me that someone said to him 'Everything isn't answer to prayer…some things are coincidences.' He laughed and said 'Well, when I pray I have a lot of coincidences…when I don't pray, hum…not so many.' So, yes…I do see God's Hand everywhere…and His fingerprints comfort me even 'in the midst'.
People have been asking for 'my take' on the situation between the Kurds, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Russia, the US and I could give you my 'opinion' but there are so many opinions and teachings jumping in to fill that void… many are interesting, many are very informed, many add into the mix the fact that we still don't have a government in Israel…and … what does THAT mean… and what if we go to THIRD ELECTIONS??? AND SO ON. I don't have the answer, but I DO pray. I DO see it and I DO watch it and I pray.
Speaking of prayer…it just occurred to me: why have I never sent out an invitation to the yearly ifi (intercessors for Israel) prayer conference?!? I don't know, but I would like to now. Will you pray about coming if The Lord is calling you to? If you are under 30 and feel that He is calling you to intercession on behalf of Israel, there are 'scholarships' available to help with expenses. Here is the link…will you just pray about it? (this is the group that I pray with on Friday mornings. I KNOW that some of you DO come and others have come, but I also know that many others haven't. Here is the information)
IFI PRAYER CONFERENCE JERUSALEM - JAN. 2020
This is a short note summing up an intense and wonderful season. We are off to dinner at our daughter's house shortly. I am bringing two types of kubba with soup, falafel balls, pita, challa, halvah, and a wide variety of middle eastern fair…wish you could all join and taste! Tomorrow (the last day that everything including public transportation is closed) is my husband's 74th birthday…and we will celebrate AGAIN with friends and family! On Wednesday as a gift, we are sending him to London for a week to visit our older daughter and Grandchildren for Noah's 16th birthday! WHEW! If this were the only letter of mine you ever read you might think that we did nothing but celebrate.
And that brings me back to the 2 Tim 4 scripture.
When things are this intense with no let up…we also can not let up our stance of being ready for the battle. NEVER! We can not be unprepared to answer everyman what is the reason for our hope. We can not be unprepared to hear our minute by minute marching orders. We can not slack in prayer. It is life and death!
I watch the young (oh so young!) soldiers and security making their ways through the unbelievable crowds at the shuk and I pray for them to be alert…not to be distracted by their cell phones…or by conversation…or by 'selfies': BE ALERT! LISTEN! WATCH! So it is with us. We have an unrelenting enemy who is watching for us to be distracted. This enemy is real and deadly. Our God is BIGGER! MAY WE BE FOUND WITH OUR EYES FIXED ON HIS…OUR EARS TUNED TO HEAR HIS VOICE ALONE.
BLESSINGS to you all and chag sameach! (Joyful Holyday!) May we glorify Him and finish the work.
Lovingly, a sister in Jerusalem.
September 24, 2019
"IN THE MEANTIME…" Luke 12:1 Blessings, in The Precious Name of Yeshua h'meshiach…Jesus Christ…Messiah, Saviour, Lord…may He be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged…to keep walking and having done all…to stand in His Peace.
AND…may He be new to us moment by moment…our first-love.
The above 'verse fragment' arrested me in my tracks this morning!
"In the meantime…"
In other words (it seemed to say to me)…while ALL OF THIS is going on…while Yeshua was teaching, rebuking, cleansing, leading, feeding, healing, fasting and praying…"IN THE MEANTIME…(the verse continues)…when an innumerable multitude of people gathered together so that they trampled one another…"
'Well THAT sounds like my life.' I thought.
Sometimes (or more often), I am ashamed to say that is how I feel…as if an innumerable multitude of people gather together seemingly trampling one another. I don't do great with 'overload'…in the natural that is. But Yeshua was NEVER 'in the natural': He walked and lived in The Spirit! HE still does. And The Holy Spirit IS big and deep and wide AND DISCERNING enough to just keep going 'in the meantime'! THANK YOU LORD!
It's the running time before Rosh h'shana…(on to Yom Kippur and into Sukkot) and my natural strength has become small. Thankfully His Strength is freely given…even 'in the meantime'.
I told you that our dear friend J from Alaska is staying with us right now and I enjoy reading her letters sent to friends. She writes with an excitement that perhaps I forget at times and yet she says what I would like to say and maybe have in the past. I sent her on a 'shuk shopping' chore and she wrote these delightful observations:
" After the balagan (confusion) of Tuesday's election, it seems that Israelis are happy to embrace the upcoming haggim (hag=one holiday, haggim= multiple holidays). The next month will see celebrations that include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur (with the 10 Days of Awe in between) and Sukkot. Lots of visitors in the country - both Jews and Gentiles.
The Jewish new year, Rosh HaShanah, begins a week from today at sunset (or an hour before – there is a precise time for it to begin and it is tied in with sunset). Apples and honey – pomegranates (which the trees are loaded with at the moment) are all symbolic of the season. Blessings for a sweet new year. Gifts are exchanged too. And of course there is a big celebratory meal with special prayers that are said on Erev Rosh HaShanah (Sept 29).
In the preparatory phase now. My friend asked me to go to the shuk and buy some of the root vegetables that will keep until the big day. At the last minute she texted and asked me to buy some cucumbers too – the special Baladi ones which are small and crisp with bumpy kind of outside. I have been going with her on Friday mornings to the shuk before the IFI prayer meeting so I knew which vendor she likes to buy the cucumbers from. That was pretty easy…but the rest was rather exciting.
Actually, getting to the stand for the cucumbers was challenging as both aisles were 90% blocked with pallets of fresh produce. I managed to squeeze my way around with the agalah in tow (agalah=trolley that you pull to carry your purchases…can also mean a baby carriage). It was 9 am and there were already quite a few shoppers. AND the shuk wasn’t quite “awake” as there were still delivery trucks, forklifts zipping around and young guys pulling pallet jacks — both empty and full of pallets with produce. Somehow everyone manages to stay out of the way of the guys who are unloading and stocking their stands.
The name of the Jerusalem shuk is Mahane Yehuda which means literally “Camp of Judah” Shopping there towards the end of the week (and definitely Friday morning) is like combat shopping. Usually not so bad early in the morning or earlier in the week but with less than a week till Rosh HaShanah, my friend says it will continue to get more crowded and frantic each day." (Thank you J! I love the way she captures it!)
Rosh h'Shana! Here are the commands from the Tenach (the first 5 books of Moses) that contain the Commandments kept by the Jewish people:
The Scriptural commands concerning Rosh h'shana are as follows:
LEVITICUS 23:24-25
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.”
NUMBERS 29:1-2 (also seen Numbers 10:1-10)
"And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish."
Also, I personally believe that PSALM 81 is a deep revelation of this day…perhaps was written as a worship and meditation for this day (which in Hebrew is called Yom Teruah יום תרועה or literally 'the blowing of the shofar)
verses 3,4:
"Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob."
There are also accounts in Ezra, Nehemiah and the histories of the Kings that describe the keeping of the Fall feasts in joyous detail.
So…why in the world is Yom Teruah now called Rosh h'shana (or the English translation 'head of the year') celebrated as the Jewish New year when the Scriptures clearly tell us that the first day of PASSOVER is to be the 'head of the year' for us?? (See Exodus 12:1-2 for a clear example: "Now The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 'This month shall be the first month of the year to you.'"
I have no idea!
I have mentioned this many times in the past and I confirm it now: I have asked (and argued with) a number of rabbis and have read commentaries and I find no reasonable or convincing answer; TRADITION(!) in this context seems to me to have overruled God's command…but I will leave that one to others as far as the writing of this letter is concerned. Well…yes…I HAVE learned more things about Rosh h'Shana this year; other traditions that I wasn't familiar with before. R (the other secretary whom I work with and whom you have prayed for and oh please continue!) is of North African Moroccan descent (known as Sephardic Jews along with those from Spanish and other middle Eastern countries) and the culture that they brought with them is rich and meaningful and I have enjoyed learning from her many things. (not to mention tasting the delicious goodies!)
When I was growing up in New York, our traditions included going to special services at the Synagogue: The highlight being the blowing of the shofar. I know that many of you have heard the shofar blast, but for those of you who are not familiar with it…well…it is a sound that sends chills of awe down my spine. You can press here to listen to one of many recordings available. (The shofar is blown at around 38 second mark...at the Western Wall upon liberation) In my childhood memories, the holiday was very festive and happy with festive meals, particularly on the evening that begins Rosh h'shana itself (Erev Rosh h'shana). Our families would gather, and both we and our tables were dressed in 'wedding best'. Traditional foods that I grew up with included the head of a fish (to represent the part of the blessing of the people in Deut that we would be the head and not the tail… a fish representing life). There were sweet round challot (challah) representing the full year cycle rather than the weekly long braided challa (shabbat bread), gefilte fish with horseradish along with such a festive feast. We greeted one another by sharing apples dipped in honey along with dates, almonds and raisins, representing the fruits of the 'promised land' (then only a fairy tale to me!) AND…there was a 'shabbat' day of 'rest'.
My father's sister married a Moroccan Jew but we all celebrated together. It' was called 'Jewish'. There were no distinctions made when I was growing up in New York, probably because 'we Jews needed to stick together'…so we did
Until I moved here.
In NY I don't recall any difference between Ashkenazi Jews (those from W. Europe) and Sephardic Jews…but here? it is an ongoing battle of the cultures!
So this year I am learning about the 'simonim' (symbols or signs)of Rosh h'shana from the Moroccan and Tunisian traditions. And just think; here I thought that apples and honey, fish head and nuts were enough? Ha! The festive rosh h'shana plate has TEN places. 1- Rubia (a long skinny green bean with black eyed peas inside) = a blessing for prosperity and sharing. 2) Head (fish or lamb) = a blessing for leadership. 3) Pomegranate = a blessing for doing good deeds 4) Dates = a blessing for peace and meaningful relationships. 5) Fish = Blessing for growing families and many children. 6) Karti (leeks) = A blessing for friends and community. 7) Selek (or beets )= Blessing for freedom and growth 8) Apple= Blessing for a sweet year 9) Gezer (carrots) = blessings for positive judgment 10) Kara (gourd squash)= Blessing for a thankful heart. I have NO doubt that should I read this list to 3 Moroccan Jews there would be a loud lively debate for hours, but this list was…for me… the easiest to comprehend.
AT ANY RATE…the many different traditions brought together through the ingathering of this aliyah that we are part of…the ingathering of the Jewish people after 2,000 years of dispersion throughout the world…have produced a colorful mosaic for sure! Think of it! The children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have spent 2,000 years scattered to the 4 corners of the earth because our sins which were so many, finally filled up the cup of the judgment before God,…BUT! HIS COVENANT … HIS LOVE…HIS MERCY…HIS PROMISES FOR HIS OWN NAMES SAKE… have brought us back / is BRINGING us back / to the land of promise…I still can't grasp it…after 2,000 years! The promises are true and real and each one will be complete…all for God's glory…a plan begun at creation…we get to be a part!
And so I continue to learn from R! Her culture has truly exalted the 'art' of giving Blessings! I shared how my daughter's husband (from an Algerian heritage) gives serious blessings for birthdays. But until working with R I didn't understand the depth of the seriousness with which these blessings are both given and received. Daily, she and I stop to bless one another…our bosses…the patients. It has been humbling as I thought that as a believer I understood 'blessings'. I have found that there is still far more to learn.
And so we are moving ahead to Rosh h'shana and the guests have been invited and the meal planned (although I work on Sunday so 'In the meantime' meant a lot to me!) the shofar and the menorah, the pomegranates and honey are moving front and center, visual reminders of The Lord's commands, blessings and calls to Himself.
We pause as we await a government. Today, coalition talks are taking place between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud) and Benny Gantz (Blue and White) at an attempt to form a unity government. It is messy with tons of opinions, disinformation and speculation flying through the media. We are praying for The Lord's mercy!
Our hearts here continue to ache for the families who have so recently lost loved ones…the body of Messiah here wounded and grieving…praying that SOMEHOW the grief can 'pause' and they too can receive a blessing…like a stepping stone on which to stand firm. Thank you for continuing to pray for them…particularly Little 2.5 year old who needs His choice of home…not to mention healing. Also for her uncle, a special young man just out of the army…that his faith would fail not. Thank you.
Now may The God of ALL grace fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in HOPE by the power of The Holy Spirit. May The Lord be glorified! May you be blessed as the year turns from 5779 to 5778 on the Hebrew calendar. And blessed may we bless. Lovingly, your sister here
"IN THE MEANTIME…" Luke 12:1 Blessings, in The Precious Name of Yeshua h'meshiach…Jesus Christ…Messiah, Saviour, Lord…may He be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged…to keep walking and having done all…to stand in His Peace.
AND…may He be new to us moment by moment…our first-love.
The above 'verse fragment' arrested me in my tracks this morning!
"In the meantime…"
In other words (it seemed to say to me)…while ALL OF THIS is going on…while Yeshua was teaching, rebuking, cleansing, leading, feeding, healing, fasting and praying…"IN THE MEANTIME…(the verse continues)…when an innumerable multitude of people gathered together so that they trampled one another…"
'Well THAT sounds like my life.' I thought.
Sometimes (or more often), I am ashamed to say that is how I feel…as if an innumerable multitude of people gather together seemingly trampling one another. I don't do great with 'overload'…in the natural that is. But Yeshua was NEVER 'in the natural': He walked and lived in The Spirit! HE still does. And The Holy Spirit IS big and deep and wide AND DISCERNING enough to just keep going 'in the meantime'! THANK YOU LORD!
It's the running time before Rosh h'shana…(on to Yom Kippur and into Sukkot) and my natural strength has become small. Thankfully His Strength is freely given…even 'in the meantime'.
I told you that our dear friend J from Alaska is staying with us right now and I enjoy reading her letters sent to friends. She writes with an excitement that perhaps I forget at times and yet she says what I would like to say and maybe have in the past. I sent her on a 'shuk shopping' chore and she wrote these delightful observations:
" After the balagan (confusion) of Tuesday's election, it seems that Israelis are happy to embrace the upcoming haggim (hag=one holiday, haggim= multiple holidays). The next month will see celebrations that include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur (with the 10 Days of Awe in between) and Sukkot. Lots of visitors in the country - both Jews and Gentiles.
The Jewish new year, Rosh HaShanah, begins a week from today at sunset (or an hour before – there is a precise time for it to begin and it is tied in with sunset). Apples and honey – pomegranates (which the trees are loaded with at the moment) are all symbolic of the season. Blessings for a sweet new year. Gifts are exchanged too. And of course there is a big celebratory meal with special prayers that are said on Erev Rosh HaShanah (Sept 29).
In the preparatory phase now. My friend asked me to go to the shuk and buy some of the root vegetables that will keep until the big day. At the last minute she texted and asked me to buy some cucumbers too – the special Baladi ones which are small and crisp with bumpy kind of outside. I have been going with her on Friday mornings to the shuk before the IFI prayer meeting so I knew which vendor she likes to buy the cucumbers from. That was pretty easy…but the rest was rather exciting.
Actually, getting to the stand for the cucumbers was challenging as both aisles were 90% blocked with pallets of fresh produce. I managed to squeeze my way around with the agalah in tow (agalah=trolley that you pull to carry your purchases…can also mean a baby carriage). It was 9 am and there were already quite a few shoppers. AND the shuk wasn’t quite “awake” as there were still delivery trucks, forklifts zipping around and young guys pulling pallet jacks — both empty and full of pallets with produce. Somehow everyone manages to stay out of the way of the guys who are unloading and stocking their stands.
The name of the Jerusalem shuk is Mahane Yehuda which means literally “Camp of Judah” Shopping there towards the end of the week (and definitely Friday morning) is like combat shopping. Usually not so bad early in the morning or earlier in the week but with less than a week till Rosh HaShanah, my friend says it will continue to get more crowded and frantic each day." (Thank you J! I love the way she captures it!)
Rosh h'Shana! Here are the commands from the Tenach (the first 5 books of Moses) that contain the Commandments kept by the Jewish people:
The Scriptural commands concerning Rosh h'shana are as follows:
LEVITICUS 23:24-25
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.”
NUMBERS 29:1-2 (also seen Numbers 10:1-10)
"And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish."
Also, I personally believe that PSALM 81 is a deep revelation of this day…perhaps was written as a worship and meditation for this day (which in Hebrew is called Yom Teruah יום תרועה or literally 'the blowing of the shofar)
verses 3,4:
"Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob."
There are also accounts in Ezra, Nehemiah and the histories of the Kings that describe the keeping of the Fall feasts in joyous detail.
So…why in the world is Yom Teruah now called Rosh h'shana (or the English translation 'head of the year') celebrated as the Jewish New year when the Scriptures clearly tell us that the first day of PASSOVER is to be the 'head of the year' for us?? (See Exodus 12:1-2 for a clear example: "Now The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 'This month shall be the first month of the year to you.'"
I have no idea!
I have mentioned this many times in the past and I confirm it now: I have asked (and argued with) a number of rabbis and have read commentaries and I find no reasonable or convincing answer; TRADITION(!) in this context seems to me to have overruled God's command…but I will leave that one to others as far as the writing of this letter is concerned. Well…yes…I HAVE learned more things about Rosh h'Shana this year; other traditions that I wasn't familiar with before. R (the other secretary whom I work with and whom you have prayed for and oh please continue!) is of North African Moroccan descent (known as Sephardic Jews along with those from Spanish and other middle Eastern countries) and the culture that they brought with them is rich and meaningful and I have enjoyed learning from her many things. (not to mention tasting the delicious goodies!)
When I was growing up in New York, our traditions included going to special services at the Synagogue: The highlight being the blowing of the shofar. I know that many of you have heard the shofar blast, but for those of you who are not familiar with it…well…it is a sound that sends chills of awe down my spine. You can press here to listen to one of many recordings available. (The shofar is blown at around 38 second mark...at the Western Wall upon liberation) In my childhood memories, the holiday was very festive and happy with festive meals, particularly on the evening that begins Rosh h'shana itself (Erev Rosh h'shana). Our families would gather, and both we and our tables were dressed in 'wedding best'. Traditional foods that I grew up with included the head of a fish (to represent the part of the blessing of the people in Deut that we would be the head and not the tail… a fish representing life). There were sweet round challot (challah) representing the full year cycle rather than the weekly long braided challa (shabbat bread), gefilte fish with horseradish along with such a festive feast. We greeted one another by sharing apples dipped in honey along with dates, almonds and raisins, representing the fruits of the 'promised land' (then only a fairy tale to me!) AND…there was a 'shabbat' day of 'rest'.
My father's sister married a Moroccan Jew but we all celebrated together. It' was called 'Jewish'. There were no distinctions made when I was growing up in New York, probably because 'we Jews needed to stick together'…so we did
Until I moved here.
In NY I don't recall any difference between Ashkenazi Jews (those from W. Europe) and Sephardic Jews…but here? it is an ongoing battle of the cultures!
So this year I am learning about the 'simonim' (symbols or signs)of Rosh h'shana from the Moroccan and Tunisian traditions. And just think; here I thought that apples and honey, fish head and nuts were enough? Ha! The festive rosh h'shana plate has TEN places. 1- Rubia (a long skinny green bean with black eyed peas inside) = a blessing for prosperity and sharing. 2) Head (fish or lamb) = a blessing for leadership. 3) Pomegranate = a blessing for doing good deeds 4) Dates = a blessing for peace and meaningful relationships. 5) Fish = Blessing for growing families and many children. 6) Karti (leeks) = A blessing for friends and community. 7) Selek (or beets )= Blessing for freedom and growth 8) Apple= Blessing for a sweet year 9) Gezer (carrots) = blessings for positive judgment 10) Kara (gourd squash)= Blessing for a thankful heart. I have NO doubt that should I read this list to 3 Moroccan Jews there would be a loud lively debate for hours, but this list was…for me… the easiest to comprehend.
AT ANY RATE…the many different traditions brought together through the ingathering of this aliyah that we are part of…the ingathering of the Jewish people after 2,000 years of dispersion throughout the world…have produced a colorful mosaic for sure! Think of it! The children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have spent 2,000 years scattered to the 4 corners of the earth because our sins which were so many, finally filled up the cup of the judgment before God,…BUT! HIS COVENANT … HIS LOVE…HIS MERCY…HIS PROMISES FOR HIS OWN NAMES SAKE… have brought us back / is BRINGING us back / to the land of promise…I still can't grasp it…after 2,000 years! The promises are true and real and each one will be complete…all for God's glory…a plan begun at creation…we get to be a part!
And so I continue to learn from R! Her culture has truly exalted the 'art' of giving Blessings! I shared how my daughter's husband (from an Algerian heritage) gives serious blessings for birthdays. But until working with R I didn't understand the depth of the seriousness with which these blessings are both given and received. Daily, she and I stop to bless one another…our bosses…the patients. It has been humbling as I thought that as a believer I understood 'blessings'. I have found that there is still far more to learn.
And so we are moving ahead to Rosh h'shana and the guests have been invited and the meal planned (although I work on Sunday so 'In the meantime' meant a lot to me!) the shofar and the menorah, the pomegranates and honey are moving front and center, visual reminders of The Lord's commands, blessings and calls to Himself.
We pause as we await a government. Today, coalition talks are taking place between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud) and Benny Gantz (Blue and White) at an attempt to form a unity government. It is messy with tons of opinions, disinformation and speculation flying through the media. We are praying for The Lord's mercy!
Our hearts here continue to ache for the families who have so recently lost loved ones…the body of Messiah here wounded and grieving…praying that SOMEHOW the grief can 'pause' and they too can receive a blessing…like a stepping stone on which to stand firm. Thank you for continuing to pray for them…particularly Little 2.5 year old who needs His choice of home…not to mention healing. Also for her uncle, a special young man just out of the army…that his faith would fail not. Thank you.
Now may The God of ALL grace fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in HOPE by the power of The Holy Spirit. May The Lord be glorified! May you be blessed as the year turns from 5779 to 5778 on the Hebrew calendar. And blessed may we bless. Lovingly, your sister here
September 12, 2019
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it" Psalm 139:1-6 Very warm greetings with love, in The Name of Yeshua. All honor and glory to Him, but oh how He loves His own and it is an honor to write to you and to ask that He would bless and encourage each one of you. May He Alone be glorified and blessed!
Shalom! He really paused me and had me think of each one of you…not of what I am writing, but of you who are being written to…and yes…it stopped me in my tracks to worship Him. Truly may He be glorified!
It is the month of Elul and in the morning I hear the shofarim (rams horn) being blown both is synagogues and homes; the call to 'heshbone nefesh' or taking an account of one's soul…the month of searching. We as believers, are blessed to pray daily with The Lord "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:22-24) but my people do things according to 'set times' and 'cycles', and this month of Elul is a month for laying the soul bare before The Lord. On the train and on the bus each morning I watch many praying through Psalms or a 'sidur' (prayer book for the season) with the intensity that says 'Elul' is here.
Along the street that leads to my work, the pomegranates (rimonim), grapes (anavim), and figs(tenimim) are ripening quickly. It dazzles my eyes so I begin to count for you…bay leaves, olive trees, rosemary, almond trees, mulberry trees, banana and date, olive and lemon trees…flowering trees all around, wild parrots flying above…I can barely take it in on this one street: the streets of Jerusalem…my home…am I dreaming? Morning by morning I re-read the prophecies and see them fulfilled with my eyes and understand that it is a 'deposit' and that ALL of The Word will indeed be fulfilled…because He IS Faithful!
The shuk is loaded with colorful fruits, spices, vegetables and nuts, holiday wares are making their way on to tables; new table cloths, all sorts of special gifts. The aroma is sweet and spicy and the colors…beyond description. In my own preparations I am trying to carefully pace myself and plan ahead…pray! There will be many festive meals, guests, gifts to give…all while working, and my energy levels are 'older'. It is a wonderful, hectic time. It is an ancient time… I am enclosing a partial list of scriptures that both command and speak about these 3 fall feasts (rosh h'shanna (trumpets), yom kippur (atonement) and sukkot (tabernacles) at the end of the letter. It is worth reading through…pondering and praying and wondering how a people, EVEN AFTER A 2,000 YEAR DISPERSION, can yet keep these. Surely The Lord is displaying part of His secret things!
He is faithful even when we stand before impossible elections (again!). This coming Tuesday…the 17th, Israel votes again. I don't need to tell you how upside down the world is. It is evident. I have NO idea what will be… EXCEPT …GOD WILL HAVE HIS WAY! And in THAT fact we must find Him and His rest…as you in the midst of your respective country crisis'!
When the store across the street from us went bankrupt, no one knew what would happen. Thankfully a chain from the Be'er Sheva region in the south of the country, took it over and we have been enjoying the change…watching carefully. We are here now 25 years and this is the FIRST TIME that I have met an English speaking cashier and she is a curiosity to the 'industry' and a delight to me! 'We have just started amazing one day discounts if you join the new store club!' Yehudit announced to me last week. When we first came and I understood NOTHING, I lost out on a lot of sales by NOT joining (free by the way!) the last store. You just wrote your name down and got a card and wham bang… discounts were yours! I lost out on that one. 'GREAT!' I told Yehudit. 'I won't miss out this time, sign me up!' She turned to the cash register and said 'Give me your phone number!' Which I did and which she inserted. With the press of a button she sent me a 'registered' message and then said 'Now follow the link and insert the free app' UH…that's where I looked at her. No paper in the mail…no card. I held up my old, simple, Nokia phone for her to see: 'No smart phone.' I sighed. She literally looked astonished. 'Well you need to get one.' She joined the choir of voices informing me that I was NOT being 'plugged in'. 'SOON YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BUY GROCERIES HERE WITHOUT ONE.' She informed me. 'Soon it will all be automatic check out only with a smart phone.' Silently I thought 'Only until the system collapses …and the mark comes in amidst the anarchy, chaos and confusion.'
I've asked myself if I'm getting 'too weird'…a bit 'extreme'…'paranoid'…you know…roll your eyes.
No…I don't have a smart phone that can leave the house (I have one for photos and yes I have whats up and instagram because I get photos…but only in the house…it doesn't have an internal internet hook up and to be totally honest? I could EASILY love it!...maybe I do). And no…I don't have a credit card either…other than a 'gift card' that was given to me which I buy groceries with and am forever grateful for. I am a nut. But I know me (a little anyways). I'm easily deceived…a really dumb sheep if you will…I have an addictive personality…I WANT The Holy Spirit to give me all of the discipline and leading that I need to be 'master' over these things, but part of that has been His wisdom over my VERY WEAK AND FOOLISH FLESH to 'help me out' by just abstaining. I know…I'm weird. I don't deny it and it is CERTAINALLY NOT for EVERYONE and I am NOT saying 'don't have a smart phone or credit card' I even occasionally borrow use of one from those whom I love (thank you!!).
And that is what they said at the bank AGAIN this week! ('You NEED a smart phone geveret!' (lady)
Here, by law, our pay checks MUST be deposited into the bank and then we can withdraw them. It really used to be easy. My pay check, which I earned, recorded in the bank for tax purposes, but none the less, mine to take out (plus a few fees ofcourse). You would go to a teller with your bank card and receive your cash. Simple! Then the machines came in. Recently the tellers also 'went out'…no more tellers. A 'technical bank support' person roams the area to see which inept person can't maneuver the machine. The Lord has apparently volunteered me for that role (the inept person). Once again I typed in the amount that I needed to take out to pay the rent and the machine informed me that less than half of that amount was available for me to take out. Up came the 'technical assistant.' She asked me for my 'smart phone' so she could make me an appointment to enter the bank. I handed her my trusty Nokia. (Roll eyes!) Many maneuvers later she returned to me with a number and told me that I would have to wait for about an hour (penalty for not making appointment via the app.). I had a book (yes…paper). When my turn finally came the nice lady told me that I only had a small amount in the bank and that the 'automatic withdrawal ' had taken place this morning. 'Hold it! I don't HAVE automatic withdrawals!' She rolled her eyes with calculated an 'I'm being patient old lady' look. It took me awhile to figure out that she (with all of this technology) had opened my husband's work account by mistake. She couldn't tell me WHY I couldn't have my money, but she would issue me a special 'ishure' (certificate of approval) and the 'technical assistant' would put it into the machine for me. MEANWHILE…I got 'the talk' that 'soon there would be no money and if I did not have a smart phone I couldn't, well, pay bills, buy food etc etc etc. ' I got the message thank you.
I got it again at the post office today while I watched all of the smart phone people swipe their phones to record the appointment that they had made on line…while I waited with my embarrassing paper number. Thankfully also my paper book.
I don't know about your country.
Our country is high tech…intense…and tiny, so that with a very small population policies can be very quickly be enforced. I KNOW that smart phones are incredibly helpful…really incredibly. I am not sure WHY I have resisted this so firmly, but the fact that I DON'T have one to use means that I can see daily and up close what I can no longer do. To park a car here…you must use one of the 'smart park' methods. To buy tickets, make appointments at post office or hospital or phone company or doctor…you name it…smart phone app. I honestly think that I have inadvertently taken a position that I didn't anticipate: I am a person without a smart phone in a - perhaps - 'experimental country?' - are we here part of an experiment?? I don't expect that a country as large as the US could as quickly bring the entire population in line with such massive changes. Our country is used to 'suddenlies'. When there is a crisis there is no TIME to sit down and discuss all of the innuendoes of what a change will mean…you just 'do it.' We have become used to living that way.
I had the privilege of living in a 'microcosm' society before…and it impacted me then. In our tiny remote Alaskan village where we raised our family, there were only about 50 year round families. From that small population group we had a school with teachers, a government, a policeman, a court etc. Every able minded adult had to take on some real responsibility that had repercussions. I had been born and raised in NYC and it is NOT like that in a large population area. The effects of policies made took far longer to have any real impact, and the ability to avoid the impact was always an option.
A dear sister approached me at kehila (our fellowship) on Shabbat and said with a sigh 'Well, it doesn't feel as if things are 'back to normal' yet.' What came out of my mouth surprised me when I said 'It WON'T get 'back to normal' and it isn't supposed to! The Lord spilt His very precious seeds into the ground for a dear purpose and He does not want us to continue just as we were. We MUST be changed! The cost has been too great.' THANKFULLY she is a mature sister and wasn't offended by my too-passionate outburst. She said 'Wow! You are right. I didn't think of it that way.'
As I continue to pray and wonder at the taking of these 3 truly golden vessels for The Lord, and a tiny new one, it was my lot this week to offer translation equipment to those who need translation from Hebrew. A couple whom I hadn't seen before needed translation and as I spoke with them I explained to them that our fellowship had been through the traumatic loss of 4 of our members very recently and that our pastor was away as well … sort of apologizing that 'things were a bit 'different'. The man said 'We have lost two children…'. I was stunned. 'Was it recent?' I asked as I reached for the woman, who began to weep. 'One was 12 years ago…' he hesitated…' and one just now. They were both accidents.' It knocked the breath out of me. 'I see He has brought you.' and indeed He had! They had been just walking around as tourists in Jerusalem and so lonely for some believing fellowship. They sat over coffee to pray and a dear sister from the congregation approached them and began to chat (you can almost always tell a tourist…but she was led of The Spirit!). She was an answer to their prayer and directed them to the fellowship where God is teaching us something of grieving that we don't yet fully know.
I am so impressed that God is Able, Willing and Faithful!
He has been …always…over all of these centuries…through it all.
I hope that some of the verses below might inspire some of you and maybe be a refreshing to those of you who are well versed in the holidays (hagim) that The Lord has given.
It is time to go and begin dinner, but I send you my love and pray that God will be glorified in you and in me… and that all of Israel will indeed soon be saved. Lovingly, your sis
ROSH H'SHANA:
Numbers 10:1-10
Numbers 29:1
Psalm 81:3-4
Levit 23:24
(trumpets not rosh h'shana)
bear with us as I KNOW that Passover SHOULD
BE the 'beginning of the year' (or 'rosh h shana).
But as it stands today, Trumpets is… He can and will set it right)
YOM KIPPUR:
Levit 16:29
Levit 23:26
Zech 8:18
Hebrews 9
SUKKOT:
Deut 31:10-14
Levit 23:37-43
Zech 14:16
Neh 8:13
Jn7:2-37
Deut 16:13
Deut 32:10
1 Kings 8:2
2 Chron 5:3
Ezra 3:1-4
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it" Psalm 139:1-6 Very warm greetings with love, in The Name of Yeshua. All honor and glory to Him, but oh how He loves His own and it is an honor to write to you and to ask that He would bless and encourage each one of you. May He Alone be glorified and blessed!
Shalom! He really paused me and had me think of each one of you…not of what I am writing, but of you who are being written to…and yes…it stopped me in my tracks to worship Him. Truly may He be glorified!
It is the month of Elul and in the morning I hear the shofarim (rams horn) being blown both is synagogues and homes; the call to 'heshbone nefesh' or taking an account of one's soul…the month of searching. We as believers, are blessed to pray daily with The Lord "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:22-24) but my people do things according to 'set times' and 'cycles', and this month of Elul is a month for laying the soul bare before The Lord. On the train and on the bus each morning I watch many praying through Psalms or a 'sidur' (prayer book for the season) with the intensity that says 'Elul' is here.
Along the street that leads to my work, the pomegranates (rimonim), grapes (anavim), and figs(tenimim) are ripening quickly. It dazzles my eyes so I begin to count for you…bay leaves, olive trees, rosemary, almond trees, mulberry trees, banana and date, olive and lemon trees…flowering trees all around, wild parrots flying above…I can barely take it in on this one street: the streets of Jerusalem…my home…am I dreaming? Morning by morning I re-read the prophecies and see them fulfilled with my eyes and understand that it is a 'deposit' and that ALL of The Word will indeed be fulfilled…because He IS Faithful!
The shuk is loaded with colorful fruits, spices, vegetables and nuts, holiday wares are making their way on to tables; new table cloths, all sorts of special gifts. The aroma is sweet and spicy and the colors…beyond description. In my own preparations I am trying to carefully pace myself and plan ahead…pray! There will be many festive meals, guests, gifts to give…all while working, and my energy levels are 'older'. It is a wonderful, hectic time. It is an ancient time… I am enclosing a partial list of scriptures that both command and speak about these 3 fall feasts (rosh h'shanna (trumpets), yom kippur (atonement) and sukkot (tabernacles) at the end of the letter. It is worth reading through…pondering and praying and wondering how a people, EVEN AFTER A 2,000 YEAR DISPERSION, can yet keep these. Surely The Lord is displaying part of His secret things!
He is faithful even when we stand before impossible elections (again!). This coming Tuesday…the 17th, Israel votes again. I don't need to tell you how upside down the world is. It is evident. I have NO idea what will be… EXCEPT …GOD WILL HAVE HIS WAY! And in THAT fact we must find Him and His rest…as you in the midst of your respective country crisis'!
When the store across the street from us went bankrupt, no one knew what would happen. Thankfully a chain from the Be'er Sheva region in the south of the country, took it over and we have been enjoying the change…watching carefully. We are here now 25 years and this is the FIRST TIME that I have met an English speaking cashier and she is a curiosity to the 'industry' and a delight to me! 'We have just started amazing one day discounts if you join the new store club!' Yehudit announced to me last week. When we first came and I understood NOTHING, I lost out on a lot of sales by NOT joining (free by the way!) the last store. You just wrote your name down and got a card and wham bang… discounts were yours! I lost out on that one. 'GREAT!' I told Yehudit. 'I won't miss out this time, sign me up!' She turned to the cash register and said 'Give me your phone number!' Which I did and which she inserted. With the press of a button she sent me a 'registered' message and then said 'Now follow the link and insert the free app' UH…that's where I looked at her. No paper in the mail…no card. I held up my old, simple, Nokia phone for her to see: 'No smart phone.' I sighed. She literally looked astonished. 'Well you need to get one.' She joined the choir of voices informing me that I was NOT being 'plugged in'. 'SOON YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BUY GROCERIES HERE WITHOUT ONE.' She informed me. 'Soon it will all be automatic check out only with a smart phone.' Silently I thought 'Only until the system collapses …and the mark comes in amidst the anarchy, chaos and confusion.'
I've asked myself if I'm getting 'too weird'…a bit 'extreme'…'paranoid'…you know…roll your eyes.
No…I don't have a smart phone that can leave the house (I have one for photos and yes I have whats up and instagram because I get photos…but only in the house…it doesn't have an internal internet hook up and to be totally honest? I could EASILY love it!...maybe I do). And no…I don't have a credit card either…other than a 'gift card' that was given to me which I buy groceries with and am forever grateful for. I am a nut. But I know me (a little anyways). I'm easily deceived…a really dumb sheep if you will…I have an addictive personality…I WANT The Holy Spirit to give me all of the discipline and leading that I need to be 'master' over these things, but part of that has been His wisdom over my VERY WEAK AND FOOLISH FLESH to 'help me out' by just abstaining. I know…I'm weird. I don't deny it and it is CERTAINALLY NOT for EVERYONE and I am NOT saying 'don't have a smart phone or credit card' I even occasionally borrow use of one from those whom I love (thank you!!).
And that is what they said at the bank AGAIN this week! ('You NEED a smart phone geveret!' (lady)
Here, by law, our pay checks MUST be deposited into the bank and then we can withdraw them. It really used to be easy. My pay check, which I earned, recorded in the bank for tax purposes, but none the less, mine to take out (plus a few fees ofcourse). You would go to a teller with your bank card and receive your cash. Simple! Then the machines came in. Recently the tellers also 'went out'…no more tellers. A 'technical bank support' person roams the area to see which inept person can't maneuver the machine. The Lord has apparently volunteered me for that role (the inept person). Once again I typed in the amount that I needed to take out to pay the rent and the machine informed me that less than half of that amount was available for me to take out. Up came the 'technical assistant.' She asked me for my 'smart phone' so she could make me an appointment to enter the bank. I handed her my trusty Nokia. (Roll eyes!) Many maneuvers later she returned to me with a number and told me that I would have to wait for about an hour (penalty for not making appointment via the app.). I had a book (yes…paper). When my turn finally came the nice lady told me that I only had a small amount in the bank and that the 'automatic withdrawal ' had taken place this morning. 'Hold it! I don't HAVE automatic withdrawals!' She rolled her eyes with calculated an 'I'm being patient old lady' look. It took me awhile to figure out that she (with all of this technology) had opened my husband's work account by mistake. She couldn't tell me WHY I couldn't have my money, but she would issue me a special 'ishure' (certificate of approval) and the 'technical assistant' would put it into the machine for me. MEANWHILE…I got 'the talk' that 'soon there would be no money and if I did not have a smart phone I couldn't, well, pay bills, buy food etc etc etc. ' I got the message thank you.
I got it again at the post office today while I watched all of the smart phone people swipe their phones to record the appointment that they had made on line…while I waited with my embarrassing paper number. Thankfully also my paper book.
I don't know about your country.
Our country is high tech…intense…and tiny, so that with a very small population policies can be very quickly be enforced. I KNOW that smart phones are incredibly helpful…really incredibly. I am not sure WHY I have resisted this so firmly, but the fact that I DON'T have one to use means that I can see daily and up close what I can no longer do. To park a car here…you must use one of the 'smart park' methods. To buy tickets, make appointments at post office or hospital or phone company or doctor…you name it…smart phone app. I honestly think that I have inadvertently taken a position that I didn't anticipate: I am a person without a smart phone in a - perhaps - 'experimental country?' - are we here part of an experiment?? I don't expect that a country as large as the US could as quickly bring the entire population in line with such massive changes. Our country is used to 'suddenlies'. When there is a crisis there is no TIME to sit down and discuss all of the innuendoes of what a change will mean…you just 'do it.' We have become used to living that way.
I had the privilege of living in a 'microcosm' society before…and it impacted me then. In our tiny remote Alaskan village where we raised our family, there were only about 50 year round families. From that small population group we had a school with teachers, a government, a policeman, a court etc. Every able minded adult had to take on some real responsibility that had repercussions. I had been born and raised in NYC and it is NOT like that in a large population area. The effects of policies made took far longer to have any real impact, and the ability to avoid the impact was always an option.
A dear sister approached me at kehila (our fellowship) on Shabbat and said with a sigh 'Well, it doesn't feel as if things are 'back to normal' yet.' What came out of my mouth surprised me when I said 'It WON'T get 'back to normal' and it isn't supposed to! The Lord spilt His very precious seeds into the ground for a dear purpose and He does not want us to continue just as we were. We MUST be changed! The cost has been too great.' THANKFULLY she is a mature sister and wasn't offended by my too-passionate outburst. She said 'Wow! You are right. I didn't think of it that way.'
As I continue to pray and wonder at the taking of these 3 truly golden vessels for The Lord, and a tiny new one, it was my lot this week to offer translation equipment to those who need translation from Hebrew. A couple whom I hadn't seen before needed translation and as I spoke with them I explained to them that our fellowship had been through the traumatic loss of 4 of our members very recently and that our pastor was away as well … sort of apologizing that 'things were a bit 'different'. The man said 'We have lost two children…'. I was stunned. 'Was it recent?' I asked as I reached for the woman, who began to weep. 'One was 12 years ago…' he hesitated…' and one just now. They were both accidents.' It knocked the breath out of me. 'I see He has brought you.' and indeed He had! They had been just walking around as tourists in Jerusalem and so lonely for some believing fellowship. They sat over coffee to pray and a dear sister from the congregation approached them and began to chat (you can almost always tell a tourist…but she was led of The Spirit!). She was an answer to their prayer and directed them to the fellowship where God is teaching us something of grieving that we don't yet fully know.
I am so impressed that God is Able, Willing and Faithful!
He has been …always…over all of these centuries…through it all.
I hope that some of the verses below might inspire some of you and maybe be a refreshing to those of you who are well versed in the holidays (hagim) that The Lord has given.
It is time to go and begin dinner, but I send you my love and pray that God will be glorified in you and in me… and that all of Israel will indeed soon be saved. Lovingly, your sis
ROSH H'SHANA:
Numbers 10:1-10
Numbers 29:1
Psalm 81:3-4
Levit 23:24
(trumpets not rosh h'shana)
bear with us as I KNOW that Passover SHOULD
BE the 'beginning of the year' (or 'rosh h shana).
But as it stands today, Trumpets is… He can and will set it right)
YOM KIPPUR:
Levit 16:29
Levit 23:26
Zech 8:18
Hebrews 9
SUKKOT:
Deut 31:10-14
Levit 23:37-43
Zech 14:16
Neh 8:13
Jn7:2-37
Deut 16:13
Deut 32:10
1 Kings 8:2
2 Chron 5:3
Ezra 3:1-4
September 3, 2019
"And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 KINGS 6:15-17
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiakh*. May He be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed and edified. May He take this small offering for His glory alone and the edification of those to whom it is sent…with love.
Elul is the last month of the modern Hebrew calendar. The month of Elul will end on the 29th of September this year, ushering in Rosh h'Shana (the day of the blowing of trumpets, now celebrated as the new year), followed closely by Yom Kippur (the day of atonement - repentance - the most solemn day in the Hebrew calendar of fasting and prayer) and then the wonderful 7 day feast of Sukkot (feast of tabernacles)… Autumn ('stav' in Hebrew) is upon us with the fall feasts rushing in! How suddenly summer ends…
School began here in Israel on the 1st of September (yes, Sunday is our 'Monday' because Saturday is our Sabbath (shabbat) and being that today (Tuesday) is my day off from work, I smiled with joy as my husband and I walked our 5 and a half year old Granddaughter to 'gan ho'veh' (or 'advanced kindergarten' for those who get to 'go again'). Our daughter was taking 2 and the half year old to gan, which she began on Sunday - one excited little cookie! 'All in our places with sunshiny faces' was all I could sing as we made our way along with the throngs of parents and grandparents taking all of those little shiny excited faces to their respective schools or ga'nim (kindergartens). I was totally absorbed in watching M on her scooter chattering joyfully to me when I tripped over part of our notoriously choppy sidewalks and fell smack on my knees, injuring my pride terribly but thankfully otherwise not doing anything serious. 'Oh Tata! Tata! Are you ok? You scared me!' (M couldn't say Sav'ta when she was tiny and Tata stuck) 'I'm fine!' I assured her as we continued on and I introduced myself to the ga'ne'net (teacher) so that we could get through security to pick her up. Isn't the love of a child amazing? (To you parents…it gets WAY better when you are grandparents believe it or not!) May we BE like them…that tender, simple and honest love to our Abba God!
Resting my knee is a good excuse to be writing today instead of running errands. Thank You Lord.
The past couple of weeks have been 'belegan' here in Jerusalem. The last two weeks of summer vacation there is no kay'tin'ah (sort of summer 'day camps' that most children attend. They are specialized and can be just 'play' or sport or art or science, language or history…you name it… all sorts of age classified enrichment activities). As you know, our economy here is different than in the west, a huge portion of this tiny country's resources go to very necessary defense, so it is pretty rare for a family to be able to survive even simply on one paycheck…most parents honestly HAVE to work…not to get ahead, but to survive. HOWEVER…the last two weeks of summer, 'someone' needs to be home with the children (if retired grandparents aren't available), and most vacations are taken then. Consequently the streets of Jerusalem have been PACKED with large families (religious families are particularly large…as I have said, our son in law is the oldest of 14). The time is spent getting school supplies and being out on 'te'oo'lim' ('trek' or 'trip', outing). The lite rail and all buses were packed way beyond capacity as families enjoyed museums, parks, the zoo, the Old City, shops and restaurants. Our dear friend J is staying with us for awhile and I have so enjoyed reading her updates (although she has been here on and off for many years, she always sees things with new eyes and I can't help but borrow from her beautifully written 'letters'): She mused about large families dressing their children in identical clothing and I hadn't thought about that for awhile but I always think of them as big gardens. The pansies are planted here and the daisies are there…then there are the sweet peas. I think it really solves many problems: First, like school uniforms, it solves the fashion problem; 'Here's your 'dress' for the year girls' and each one gets what Ima (mama) picked out. You surely can see your whole family in a crowd without losing any easily. And when they are all on sale it's a win win situation for the family. Often though it is a bolt of material that is on sale, and one pattern.
I've often wondered at the resilience of the people of this country; how it continues 'life' in the midst of all of the stresses, threats and challenges. There is a 'philosophy' or a 'culture' that has been planted in the people…perhaps a survival skill. I heard so many stories about how people survived in the death camps of the Holocaust. I was told by a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto about the schools that they set up, about how, inspite of starvation, slavery, degradation and death everywhere, they 'set up a functioning society' with 'phony money' to use to keep themselves from being penniless and …to keep an order…concerts preformed by those who could sing or make instruments from garbage. Humor and other forms of entertainment…doctors…teachers …continuing their trade so that they could encourage one another to 'life'. To think about it sets me aback; this way they kept themselves from despair and from degradation.
Our borders are heating up. I know that I say that to you often, but things erupt here 'suddenly'. On Sunday we had a 'skirmish' with Hizbollah in Lebanon sending residents of the North into shelters and sealing off the roads. It did not erupt into 'the war' …yet. There is MUCH background fighting going on and as our Prime Minister has openly announced often, he (we) will not compromise Israeli security and will strike at all threats. We have been doing that (missions and raids)… in Syria and Lebanon and in other places. Iran has been playing a 'chess game' against Israel using other counties as pawns since they have no border with us…but their 'proxies'…Syria and Lebanon do share our borders and Iran has been based there. It has been a 'game of cat and mouse' so to speak as Israel identifies threats (sophisticated weapons and deadly projects) and eliminates them. Drones and drones heavily armed with highly destructive 'smart' weapons have entered the arena. To admit it, Iran has to expose their presence (which is illegal)…so it has been covert. But it has been intense and building. Added to this toxic mix is Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Isis in Gaza and in the Sinai…infiltrating Judea and Samaria - our heartland - called by the world media 'the West Bank'. With continuing active riots on the Gaza border every Friday, our southern population is frayed but not Afraid
"Be strong and of good courage"…"DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID" are probably THE most oft repeated COMMAND given through out the scriptures…particularly the Torah (the first 5 books of Moses) when the fleshly REASONS to fear were ABUNDANT! In my 44 years of reading and re-reading through the Scriptures I am strongly struck by the 'irony' of this command…perhaps it is one of the PILLARS on which our faith rests: YES…the giants are there! YES the Sea is before you and the Egyptian army behind you…YES the inhabitants of the land are fierce and we are as grasshoppers in our own eyes and probably theirs…YES there is no water and YES there is no food and YES we are surrounded by armies far larger than we are and YES! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE…BUT!…LOOK UP! THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US! as Elisha told his servant when the Syrian army was coming down upon them.
I listen to some who seem to feel that faith in our God is a 'get out of jail free' ticket and we will be always physically well and safe but in Luke 21, Yeshua says something very interesting that bares understanding…(and the context of the whole chapter is helpful!) "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls." (Luke 21:16-19) …SOME OF YOU WILL BE PUT TO DEATH…BUT NOT A HAIR OF YOUR HEAD SHALL BE LOST. May our values be His…our perspective; HIS.
We (as a part of the body of Messiah here) have been through fire lately in the loss of 4 beloved members … Eliyahu Ben Haim and the three members of the Rosetsky family. These were all people walking in the will and the ways of The Lord and living completely for Him (aside from 2 month old Itai…who had as yet done not right nor wrong)…and they ARE 'safe' with not a hair of their head being lost. His ways are not ours…His thoughts not ours…but it is a wake up call for sure. One sister remarked to me last shabbat that 'We weren't yet back to normal' and I said 'I don't think that we are SUPPOSED to be 'back to normal.' A very precious sacrifice was placed on the altar and I believe that He wants us all changed by what we have witnessed.'
We don't know what lies ahead, but we are NOT 'afraid'. We are told to fear ONLY GOD and we believe that. Our upcoming 're-elections' are scheduled to be held on 17th of Sept. Lord knows what lies ahead…we don't. But one thing we know (both you and us) is that the ONLY safe place in this world in 'IN HIM.' Our pastor is faithful to remind us time and time again to turn our faces to Him! Run into Him! Look to HIM! THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!
My boss returned to work yesterday. The fires in Alaska are coming under control. Today the news is the Hurricane in the Bahamas…Iranian threats and preparations…Autumn is upon us and we are each a day older. My years are running into one another and I surely never expected that…did you? May we ALL be found IN HIM IN (HIS) PEACE! May His Word be a living two edged sword in each of us. May we be dangerous to the enemy for His sake. May we be kept from deception…Oh may we be humble in the fear of The One True God, The Lord of heaven and earth! May we be purified for His glory. Lovingly, your sister here.
*Small note. Lately transliterators have been writing 'kh' instead of 'ch' to indicate the sound that is like 'clearing your throat'. For years it has been written 'ch' but we know that in English 'ch' is pronounced like the beginning of 'child' and that leads to much confusion. I am joining the pack, so I spelled (Messiah) Meshiakh instead of Meshiach.
"And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 KINGS 6:15-17
Greetings with grace and mercy in The Blessed Name of our Lord, Yeshua h'meshiakh*. May He be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed and edified. May He take this small offering for His glory alone and the edification of those to whom it is sent…with love.
Elul is the last month of the modern Hebrew calendar. The month of Elul will end on the 29th of September this year, ushering in Rosh h'Shana (the day of the blowing of trumpets, now celebrated as the new year), followed closely by Yom Kippur (the day of atonement - repentance - the most solemn day in the Hebrew calendar of fasting and prayer) and then the wonderful 7 day feast of Sukkot (feast of tabernacles)… Autumn ('stav' in Hebrew) is upon us with the fall feasts rushing in! How suddenly summer ends…
School began here in Israel on the 1st of September (yes, Sunday is our 'Monday' because Saturday is our Sabbath (shabbat) and being that today (Tuesday) is my day off from work, I smiled with joy as my husband and I walked our 5 and a half year old Granddaughter to 'gan ho'veh' (or 'advanced kindergarten' for those who get to 'go again'). Our daughter was taking 2 and the half year old to gan, which she began on Sunday - one excited little cookie! 'All in our places with sunshiny faces' was all I could sing as we made our way along with the throngs of parents and grandparents taking all of those little shiny excited faces to their respective schools or ga'nim (kindergartens). I was totally absorbed in watching M on her scooter chattering joyfully to me when I tripped over part of our notoriously choppy sidewalks and fell smack on my knees, injuring my pride terribly but thankfully otherwise not doing anything serious. 'Oh Tata! Tata! Are you ok? You scared me!' (M couldn't say Sav'ta when she was tiny and Tata stuck) 'I'm fine!' I assured her as we continued on and I introduced myself to the ga'ne'net (teacher) so that we could get through security to pick her up. Isn't the love of a child amazing? (To you parents…it gets WAY better when you are grandparents believe it or not!) May we BE like them…that tender, simple and honest love to our Abba God!
Resting my knee is a good excuse to be writing today instead of running errands. Thank You Lord.
The past couple of weeks have been 'belegan' here in Jerusalem. The last two weeks of summer vacation there is no kay'tin'ah (sort of summer 'day camps' that most children attend. They are specialized and can be just 'play' or sport or art or science, language or history…you name it… all sorts of age classified enrichment activities). As you know, our economy here is different than in the west, a huge portion of this tiny country's resources go to very necessary defense, so it is pretty rare for a family to be able to survive even simply on one paycheck…most parents honestly HAVE to work…not to get ahead, but to survive. HOWEVER…the last two weeks of summer, 'someone' needs to be home with the children (if retired grandparents aren't available), and most vacations are taken then. Consequently the streets of Jerusalem have been PACKED with large families (religious families are particularly large…as I have said, our son in law is the oldest of 14). The time is spent getting school supplies and being out on 'te'oo'lim' ('trek' or 'trip', outing). The lite rail and all buses were packed way beyond capacity as families enjoyed museums, parks, the zoo, the Old City, shops and restaurants. Our dear friend J is staying with us for awhile and I have so enjoyed reading her updates (although she has been here on and off for many years, she always sees things with new eyes and I can't help but borrow from her beautifully written 'letters'): She mused about large families dressing their children in identical clothing and I hadn't thought about that for awhile but I always think of them as big gardens. The pansies are planted here and the daisies are there…then there are the sweet peas. I think it really solves many problems: First, like school uniforms, it solves the fashion problem; 'Here's your 'dress' for the year girls' and each one gets what Ima (mama) picked out. You surely can see your whole family in a crowd without losing any easily. And when they are all on sale it's a win win situation for the family. Often though it is a bolt of material that is on sale, and one pattern.
I've often wondered at the resilience of the people of this country; how it continues 'life' in the midst of all of the stresses, threats and challenges. There is a 'philosophy' or a 'culture' that has been planted in the people…perhaps a survival skill. I heard so many stories about how people survived in the death camps of the Holocaust. I was told by a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto about the schools that they set up, about how, inspite of starvation, slavery, degradation and death everywhere, they 'set up a functioning society' with 'phony money' to use to keep themselves from being penniless and …to keep an order…concerts preformed by those who could sing or make instruments from garbage. Humor and other forms of entertainment…doctors…teachers …continuing their trade so that they could encourage one another to 'life'. To think about it sets me aback; this way they kept themselves from despair and from degradation.
Our borders are heating up. I know that I say that to you often, but things erupt here 'suddenly'. On Sunday we had a 'skirmish' with Hizbollah in Lebanon sending residents of the North into shelters and sealing off the roads. It did not erupt into 'the war' …yet. There is MUCH background fighting going on and as our Prime Minister has openly announced often, he (we) will not compromise Israeli security and will strike at all threats. We have been doing that (missions and raids)… in Syria and Lebanon and in other places. Iran has been playing a 'chess game' against Israel using other counties as pawns since they have no border with us…but their 'proxies'…Syria and Lebanon do share our borders and Iran has been based there. It has been a 'game of cat and mouse' so to speak as Israel identifies threats (sophisticated weapons and deadly projects) and eliminates them. Drones and drones heavily armed with highly destructive 'smart' weapons have entered the arena. To admit it, Iran has to expose their presence (which is illegal)…so it has been covert. But it has been intense and building. Added to this toxic mix is Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Isis in Gaza and in the Sinai…infiltrating Judea and Samaria - our heartland - called by the world media 'the West Bank'. With continuing active riots on the Gaza border every Friday, our southern population is frayed but not Afraid
"Be strong and of good courage"…"DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID" are probably THE most oft repeated COMMAND given through out the scriptures…particularly the Torah (the first 5 books of Moses) when the fleshly REASONS to fear were ABUNDANT! In my 44 years of reading and re-reading through the Scriptures I am strongly struck by the 'irony' of this command…perhaps it is one of the PILLARS on which our faith rests: YES…the giants are there! YES the Sea is before you and the Egyptian army behind you…YES the inhabitants of the land are fierce and we are as grasshoppers in our own eyes and probably theirs…YES there is no water and YES there is no food and YES we are surrounded by armies far larger than we are and YES! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE…BUT!…LOOK UP! THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US! as Elisha told his servant when the Syrian army was coming down upon them.
I listen to some who seem to feel that faith in our God is a 'get out of jail free' ticket and we will be always physically well and safe but in Luke 21, Yeshua says something very interesting that bares understanding…(and the context of the whole chapter is helpful!) "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls." (Luke 21:16-19) …SOME OF YOU WILL BE PUT TO DEATH…BUT NOT A HAIR OF YOUR HEAD SHALL BE LOST. May our values be His…our perspective; HIS.
We (as a part of the body of Messiah here) have been through fire lately in the loss of 4 beloved members … Eliyahu Ben Haim and the three members of the Rosetsky family. These were all people walking in the will and the ways of The Lord and living completely for Him (aside from 2 month old Itai…who had as yet done not right nor wrong)…and they ARE 'safe' with not a hair of their head being lost. His ways are not ours…His thoughts not ours…but it is a wake up call for sure. One sister remarked to me last shabbat that 'We weren't yet back to normal' and I said 'I don't think that we are SUPPOSED to be 'back to normal.' A very precious sacrifice was placed on the altar and I believe that He wants us all changed by what we have witnessed.'
We don't know what lies ahead, but we are NOT 'afraid'. We are told to fear ONLY GOD and we believe that. Our upcoming 're-elections' are scheduled to be held on 17th of Sept. Lord knows what lies ahead…we don't. But one thing we know (both you and us) is that the ONLY safe place in this world in 'IN HIM.' Our pastor is faithful to remind us time and time again to turn our faces to Him! Run into Him! Look to HIM! THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!
My boss returned to work yesterday. The fires in Alaska are coming under control. Today the news is the Hurricane in the Bahamas…Iranian threats and preparations…Autumn is upon us and we are each a day older. My years are running into one another and I surely never expected that…did you? May we ALL be found IN HIM IN (HIS) PEACE! May His Word be a living two edged sword in each of us. May we be dangerous to the enemy for His sake. May we be kept from deception…Oh may we be humble in the fear of The One True God, The Lord of heaven and earth! May we be purified for His glory. Lovingly, your sister here.
*Small note. Lately transliterators have been writing 'kh' instead of 'ch' to indicate the sound that is like 'clearing your throat'. For years it has been written 'ch' but we know that in English 'ch' is pronounced like the beginning of 'child' and that leads to much confusion. I am joining the pack, so I spelled (Messiah) Meshiakh instead of Meshiach.
August 22, 2019
"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come." LUKE 19:13
Greetings DEAR brothers and sisters, in The precious Name of Yeshua h'meshiach - Jesus The Messiah. May HE be blessed and glorified, and may you each be deeply grounded, encouraged and blessed.
(Begun several days ago - 20.08.19)
At this moment, while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem, … I could not stretch my strength further today and travel to Modein tonight to join with brothers and sisters together at the grave of our dear sister and brothers, Sophi, Rodrigo and baby Itai. It is 'the shloshim' or 30 days and a time for 'closing' of the early days of grieving. Many believers (and many air force soldiers) are gathering together as I write, to strengthen the family at the grave site. I am there in heart. It was also Rodrigo's birthday…
At the same time…while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem…huge fires are raging in both parts of Alaska that were my home; in the Valley area and also in Bristol Bay. The village that my husband was born in, a remote village of some 65 people, is on fire and in danger of being completely destroyed. It is so remote that there are no fire fighting facilities and residents are attempting to beat it back….
At the same time…while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem…my boss of 21 years had a heart attack today. Thankfully it was a light one and he has already had catheterization…but it was emotionally intense and puts the future of the Doctor's office where I work in question.
And that was just 'today…at the same time…in the middle of Jerusalem!' (20 Aug, 2019)
There is a temptation to be thrown off kilter (atleast for me)…to do more than 'observe all of this and pray'…but to become fully involved with every cell of my being. It got me thinking about the Indonesian tsunami that happened in 2004 which killed some 230,000 people: I remember being stunned by a report that the power of the massive movement of all of that water had shifted the earth on its axis. If you are interested, there is much scientific data. A cursory google search just now turned up this rather easily read report…
"The devastating earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean on 26 December was so powerful that it has accelerated the Earth's rotation, geophysicists have declared. They estimate that the shockwave shortened the period of our planet's rotation by some three microseconds.
The change was caused by a shift of mass towards the planet's centre, as the Indian Ocean's heavy tectonic plate lurched underneath Indonesia's one, say researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. This caused the globe to rotate faster, in the same way that a spinning figure-skater accelerates by tucking in her arms.
The blast literally rocked the world on its axis, add Richard Gross and his NASA colleagues. They estimate that Earth now tilts by an extra 2.5 centimetres in the wake of the jolt.
Day rate
The shortening of Earth's day is no cause for consternation, particularly in light of the huge humanitarian crisis sparked by Sunday's events. The death toll from the tsunami that lashed coasts across the Indian Ocean has now passed 100,000.
“I would be stunned if there was any change in the rotation rate that would necessitate addition or subtraction of a leap second.”
But the change will nonetheless be relevant to physicists charged with keeping the world's official time, which since 1967 has been based on a battery of around 250 highly accurate atomic clocks in 60 labs throughout the world. These labs report to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures near Paris, which sets the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)."
So…those of you who have been commenting on 'time speeding up' are scientifically correct.
But back to 'the temptation'. It seems to me that 'the temptation' is to 'spin off center'. Atleast for me it has been… to be caught up in the intensity of all of this emotion. Surely Jesus wept! I am DEFINITELY NOT saying 'not to be emotionally involved' since it is The Lord Who gave us compassion and emotions… The same Lord gave us balance and COMMANDED us to follow HIM. I can't follow Him very well if my eyes are elsewhere…even on the waves that are about to encompass me.
With this thought in mind, I found myself laughing about this on the train today. The Jerusalem bus drivers are notorious for using passengers like bowling balls. You know: look in your mirror and there they are! Passengers! Lined up for a perfect STRIKE! Step on the brakes and swerve quickly…how many can be knocked over at once? Yes, I am exaggerating for humor's sake, but it really feels as if we are bowling balls sometimes. Today the train played a similar trick. Usually the drivers brake slowly but perhaps the brakes were sticky today and WHAM! Every time there was occasion to brake, we all went flying. Keeping babies, packages and old people balanced was a challenge!
Physically, I lose my balance more easily these days, and I DON'T want to lose SPIRITUAL balance!
"Occupy till I come." The Lord admonished in the parable in Luke 19. In John 15-17 and SO many other places He tells us that we are IN the world but not OF the world…and that was spoken in Israel…to Israelis first…so…HOW AM I TO WALK…in the streets of Jerusalem….when my own personal world is turning upside down…experiencing an axis tipping tsunami…and my country (at the same time) is actively (like swatting an infestation of mosquitoes at this point) fighting wars on each border (Gaza, and also north and west of us there are daily military skirmishes), is having NASTY FILTHY elections…AGAIN… I see the streets filthy and people worn with fatigue and cares of this world…
"Occupy till I come."
It's that old Israeli army saying again about standing on your spot and guarding that ONE SPOT assigned to you: h'a'zek b'ma'amad'. Hold on! Stand your ground! Hold on to The Lord…AND hold on to 'the vision' meaning…what He wants me to do at any given moment…like…CLEAN THAT TOILET FOR ME …NOW! Don't put it off…don't do a half job…but keep doing what I have given you to do FOR ME…even if it is just being faithful to wash the dishes!
You are probably rolling your eyes and saying 'Well…duh! OFCOURSE!' but it hasn't been that easy, and yet I see that it really IS what He is calling me to do…perhaps not others, but I can only speak for myself here. He keeps telling me to 'Walk past the graves…even as HE DID!' He walked right OUT of them! His eyes were on His Father (and mine) and HE AROSE TO GIVE US ETERNAL SALVATION WITH VICTORY! Keep my eyes on Him when people look at me and ask me about what we believe…or reject me and get angry for the same. Keep my eyes on Him when my boss has a heart attack and that is it; the 21 years of work may just be over NOW…BUT…I have committed my care and feeding to Him and that is settled! Eyes on HIM! To keep my eyes on Him when the tiny remote village so key in my family history just might fade into the past before my eyes…EYES ON HIM! When the bank tells me that if I don't make an appointment via an 'app' (sorry guys…I'm in technological rebellion perhaps) I can not cash my paycheck (deposited by law) or do any other banking business…the world is changing SO QUICKLY…and yet He is giving me NO SLACK to fret or become indignant or to go anywhere for help (like hide under a rock) but to HIM.
The changes aren't letting me catch my breath…and here is a good one … make that two!
One thing that I have lacked for so too long (yes, that is 'so too' meaning WAY too long by far!) has been a steady prayer partner. I am all for 'closet prayer' and enjoy it daily, but I have been unable to get out at night when our prayer meetings take place aside from IFI on Fri morning, and then I am there for such a short time. The Lord has brought a DEAR close friend to stay with us for awhile and we have been able to pray DAILY together. It made me realize how I was starved for a prayer partner…true fellowship before the throne. THANK YOU LORD!
And…while I am giving thanks…J
Thank you for praying for my trip to England and my time of sharing my testimony with my family.
Our oldest Grandchild, had been to a Bible camp in California while they lived there, and for the second year since they are in England, he chose to go back to the camp. This time…he gave his heart to The Lord!! I have received a few messages from him and ofcourse am praying … ROOTED, GROUNDED, FRUIT BEARING, SUBMITTING TO GOD AND RESISTING THE DEVIL, LOVING THE WORD AND RIGHTLY DIVIDING IT AS THE WORD OF TRUTH…AND NOT BEING DECEIVED OR TURNED ASIDE. I believe, that HE Who has begun a good work in him, will perform it until that last day! And even in THIS I must keep my balance.
Thank you for your prayers for me, my family, and for this country, which IS central in the Heart of God and pivotal in the last days…as from the beginning. I am sending my Pastor's prayer notes from our congregation prayer meeting for Israel. May The Lord be blessed and Alone may He be glorified and adored. May you be encouraged and blessed. Lovingly, your sister here.
Every Wednesday evening we gather for intercession for the restoration of Israel.
The following is shared with you to help you in your own praying and interceding.
These are prayer directions rather than prayer points.
We want to leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group to pray as you are led.
If you would like to receive these Prayer Directions regularly, or
If at any time you want to be removed from the list, please write us at:
ofer@israelprayercenter.org
****
Dear Fellow Intercessor and Pray-er: This blog is meant to be a teaching tool, rather than just a list of prayer points. We sincerely pray and hope that you will be enriched by it and provoked to a deeper walk with God. Too, we pray that it will aid you in your own growth as a believer and an intercessor.
****
The Temple and the time of our visitation!
This past week, Israel observed the 9th of Ab. On the Jewish calendar, it is the date of the destruction of both temples, the first in 586 BC, the second in 70 AD. The cause for the destruction of the second temple, given by the sages, is “unjustified hatred,” that is hatred between people, without a cause (which led to unspeakable deeds during the siege of Jerusalem.)
But the scriptures tell me a different story.
Luke 19:41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
Luke 19:42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Luke 19:43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
Luke 19:44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Had we known the time of our visitation! He walked among us, and we knew Him not. We did not esteem him and turned our eyes from Him and rejected Him. O’ how tragic for us!
The Point, the Main Point, the Only Point — one can say— is Yeshua! This is our controversy with God, this is our stumbling block, yet He is the Corner Stone of the House of God.
Yeshua was judged by the chief priests and elders on the issue of the destruction of the Temple. See Matt. 26:59-61, and was taunted at the cross for this saying, See Matt. 27:39
Yet He did not say “the temple of God,” but “this temple” meaning His body (alluding to the crucifixion and His resurrection.)
Yet, He IS the Temple of the Living God (See Rev 21:22), And Israel’s future is much more glorious than she can imagine, for her future goes far beyond just another physical temple, but a union with Messiah. See Ezekiel 37:25-28, I especially like the Hebrew of vs. 27, “My dwelling place shall be upon them!
God's goal is to make the earth (the New Earth and New Heaven,) a dwelling place for God with man. One day the whole earth will be God’s dwelling place with His people Psalm 72:19
Yet we are blind, and on this day we felt it more keenly than on other days. For we long for His Glory and Presence.
The Body of Messiah is the embodiment of the dwelling place of God in our nation. We are being built to be a holy dwelling place of God. See Ephesians 2:20-22 We are the House of the Son. Hebrews 3:4-6
For most of us looking at the body of Messiah can be discouraging, we see the need, we see people, we see human natures, we see problems, we see strange teachings, we see flesh. But we were led to look at the builder rather than the building and were greatly encouraged to pray.
The House of Israel Praying for the leadership and for the elections
In 1973, Moshe Dayan, the then defense minister, was so pessimistic as to the outcome of the Day of Atonement war, that he vocalized his fear that the “Third Temple” – a reference to the State of Israel itself -- was in danger. It was a fear he was to repeat several times in the most difficult hours of the war.” 1
More probably, Dayan meant “the third house.” He was a very secular man and an avid lay archeologist, and therefore, referred no doubt to the Zionist project as the third house. Israel is back in the Land for the third (and I believe the last) time.
What led to that near disaster, was the lack of good, balanced, and humble leadership who could navigate Israel to safe shores. We have a similar situation now; much wrangling and infighting fed by egos, lust for power, zealotry (from the right-wing parties) are a danger to the country, not only in the area of security, but also socially, and in every other way.
"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come." LUKE 19:13
Greetings DEAR brothers and sisters, in The precious Name of Yeshua h'meshiach - Jesus The Messiah. May HE be blessed and glorified, and may you each be deeply grounded, encouraged and blessed.
(Begun several days ago - 20.08.19)
At this moment, while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem, … I could not stretch my strength further today and travel to Modein tonight to join with brothers and sisters together at the grave of our dear sister and brothers, Sophi, Rodrigo and baby Itai. It is 'the shloshim' or 30 days and a time for 'closing' of the early days of grieving. Many believers (and many air force soldiers) are gathering together as I write, to strengthen the family at the grave site. I am there in heart. It was also Rodrigo's birthday…
At the same time…while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem…huge fires are raging in both parts of Alaska that were my home; in the Valley area and also in Bristol Bay. The village that my husband was born in, a remote village of some 65 people, is on fire and in danger of being completely destroyed. It is so remote that there are no fire fighting facilities and residents are attempting to beat it back….
At the same time…while I am here in the middle of Jerusalem…my boss of 21 years had a heart attack today. Thankfully it was a light one and he has already had catheterization…but it was emotionally intense and puts the future of the Doctor's office where I work in question.
And that was just 'today…at the same time…in the middle of Jerusalem!' (20 Aug, 2019)
There is a temptation to be thrown off kilter (atleast for me)…to do more than 'observe all of this and pray'…but to become fully involved with every cell of my being. It got me thinking about the Indonesian tsunami that happened in 2004 which killed some 230,000 people: I remember being stunned by a report that the power of the massive movement of all of that water had shifted the earth on its axis. If you are interested, there is much scientific data. A cursory google search just now turned up this rather easily read report…
"The devastating earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean on 26 December was so powerful that it has accelerated the Earth's rotation, geophysicists have declared. They estimate that the shockwave shortened the period of our planet's rotation by some three microseconds.
The change was caused by a shift of mass towards the planet's centre, as the Indian Ocean's heavy tectonic plate lurched underneath Indonesia's one, say researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. This caused the globe to rotate faster, in the same way that a spinning figure-skater accelerates by tucking in her arms.
The blast literally rocked the world on its axis, add Richard Gross and his NASA colleagues. They estimate that Earth now tilts by an extra 2.5 centimetres in the wake of the jolt.
Day rate
The shortening of Earth's day is no cause for consternation, particularly in light of the huge humanitarian crisis sparked by Sunday's events. The death toll from the tsunami that lashed coasts across the Indian Ocean has now passed 100,000.
“I would be stunned if there was any change in the rotation rate that would necessitate addition or subtraction of a leap second.”
But the change will nonetheless be relevant to physicists charged with keeping the world's official time, which since 1967 has been based on a battery of around 250 highly accurate atomic clocks in 60 labs throughout the world. These labs report to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures near Paris, which sets the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)."
So…those of you who have been commenting on 'time speeding up' are scientifically correct.
But back to 'the temptation'. It seems to me that 'the temptation' is to 'spin off center'. Atleast for me it has been… to be caught up in the intensity of all of this emotion. Surely Jesus wept! I am DEFINITELY NOT saying 'not to be emotionally involved' since it is The Lord Who gave us compassion and emotions… The same Lord gave us balance and COMMANDED us to follow HIM. I can't follow Him very well if my eyes are elsewhere…even on the waves that are about to encompass me.
With this thought in mind, I found myself laughing about this on the train today. The Jerusalem bus drivers are notorious for using passengers like bowling balls. You know: look in your mirror and there they are! Passengers! Lined up for a perfect STRIKE! Step on the brakes and swerve quickly…how many can be knocked over at once? Yes, I am exaggerating for humor's sake, but it really feels as if we are bowling balls sometimes. Today the train played a similar trick. Usually the drivers brake slowly but perhaps the brakes were sticky today and WHAM! Every time there was occasion to brake, we all went flying. Keeping babies, packages and old people balanced was a challenge!
Physically, I lose my balance more easily these days, and I DON'T want to lose SPIRITUAL balance!
"Occupy till I come." The Lord admonished in the parable in Luke 19. In John 15-17 and SO many other places He tells us that we are IN the world but not OF the world…and that was spoken in Israel…to Israelis first…so…HOW AM I TO WALK…in the streets of Jerusalem….when my own personal world is turning upside down…experiencing an axis tipping tsunami…and my country (at the same time) is actively (like swatting an infestation of mosquitoes at this point) fighting wars on each border (Gaza, and also north and west of us there are daily military skirmishes), is having NASTY FILTHY elections…AGAIN… I see the streets filthy and people worn with fatigue and cares of this world…
"Occupy till I come."
It's that old Israeli army saying again about standing on your spot and guarding that ONE SPOT assigned to you: h'a'zek b'ma'amad'. Hold on! Stand your ground! Hold on to The Lord…AND hold on to 'the vision' meaning…what He wants me to do at any given moment…like…CLEAN THAT TOILET FOR ME …NOW! Don't put it off…don't do a half job…but keep doing what I have given you to do FOR ME…even if it is just being faithful to wash the dishes!
You are probably rolling your eyes and saying 'Well…duh! OFCOURSE!' but it hasn't been that easy, and yet I see that it really IS what He is calling me to do…perhaps not others, but I can only speak for myself here. He keeps telling me to 'Walk past the graves…even as HE DID!' He walked right OUT of them! His eyes were on His Father (and mine) and HE AROSE TO GIVE US ETERNAL SALVATION WITH VICTORY! Keep my eyes on Him when people look at me and ask me about what we believe…or reject me and get angry for the same. Keep my eyes on Him when my boss has a heart attack and that is it; the 21 years of work may just be over NOW…BUT…I have committed my care and feeding to Him and that is settled! Eyes on HIM! To keep my eyes on Him when the tiny remote village so key in my family history just might fade into the past before my eyes…EYES ON HIM! When the bank tells me that if I don't make an appointment via an 'app' (sorry guys…I'm in technological rebellion perhaps) I can not cash my paycheck (deposited by law) or do any other banking business…the world is changing SO QUICKLY…and yet He is giving me NO SLACK to fret or become indignant or to go anywhere for help (like hide under a rock) but to HIM.
The changes aren't letting me catch my breath…and here is a good one … make that two!
One thing that I have lacked for so too long (yes, that is 'so too' meaning WAY too long by far!) has been a steady prayer partner. I am all for 'closet prayer' and enjoy it daily, but I have been unable to get out at night when our prayer meetings take place aside from IFI on Fri morning, and then I am there for such a short time. The Lord has brought a DEAR close friend to stay with us for awhile and we have been able to pray DAILY together. It made me realize how I was starved for a prayer partner…true fellowship before the throne. THANK YOU LORD!
And…while I am giving thanks…J
Thank you for praying for my trip to England and my time of sharing my testimony with my family.
Our oldest Grandchild, had been to a Bible camp in California while they lived there, and for the second year since they are in England, he chose to go back to the camp. This time…he gave his heart to The Lord!! I have received a few messages from him and ofcourse am praying … ROOTED, GROUNDED, FRUIT BEARING, SUBMITTING TO GOD AND RESISTING THE DEVIL, LOVING THE WORD AND RIGHTLY DIVIDING IT AS THE WORD OF TRUTH…AND NOT BEING DECEIVED OR TURNED ASIDE. I believe, that HE Who has begun a good work in him, will perform it until that last day! And even in THIS I must keep my balance.
Thank you for your prayers for me, my family, and for this country, which IS central in the Heart of God and pivotal in the last days…as from the beginning. I am sending my Pastor's prayer notes from our congregation prayer meeting for Israel. May The Lord be blessed and Alone may He be glorified and adored. May you be encouraged and blessed. Lovingly, your sister here.
Every Wednesday evening we gather for intercession for the restoration of Israel.
The following is shared with you to help you in your own praying and interceding.
These are prayer directions rather than prayer points.
We want to leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group to pray as you are led.
If you would like to receive these Prayer Directions regularly, or
If at any time you want to be removed from the list, please write us at:
ofer@israelprayercenter.org
****
Dear Fellow Intercessor and Pray-er: This blog is meant to be a teaching tool, rather than just a list of prayer points. We sincerely pray and hope that you will be enriched by it and provoked to a deeper walk with God. Too, we pray that it will aid you in your own growth as a believer and an intercessor.
****
The Temple and the time of our visitation!
This past week, Israel observed the 9th of Ab. On the Jewish calendar, it is the date of the destruction of both temples, the first in 586 BC, the second in 70 AD. The cause for the destruction of the second temple, given by the sages, is “unjustified hatred,” that is hatred between people, without a cause (which led to unspeakable deeds during the siege of Jerusalem.)
But the scriptures tell me a different story.
Luke 19:41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
Luke 19:42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Luke 19:43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
Luke 19:44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Had we known the time of our visitation! He walked among us, and we knew Him not. We did not esteem him and turned our eyes from Him and rejected Him. O’ how tragic for us!
The Point, the Main Point, the Only Point — one can say— is Yeshua! This is our controversy with God, this is our stumbling block, yet He is the Corner Stone of the House of God.
Yeshua was judged by the chief priests and elders on the issue of the destruction of the Temple. See Matt. 26:59-61, and was taunted at the cross for this saying, See Matt. 27:39
Yet He did not say “the temple of God,” but “this temple” meaning His body (alluding to the crucifixion and His resurrection.)
Yet, He IS the Temple of the Living God (See Rev 21:22), And Israel’s future is much more glorious than she can imagine, for her future goes far beyond just another physical temple, but a union with Messiah. See Ezekiel 37:25-28, I especially like the Hebrew of vs. 27, “My dwelling place shall be upon them!
God's goal is to make the earth (the New Earth and New Heaven,) a dwelling place for God with man. One day the whole earth will be God’s dwelling place with His people Psalm 72:19
Yet we are blind, and on this day we felt it more keenly than on other days. For we long for His Glory and Presence.
- We cried out to God to remove this blindness to the real cause of our destruction
- We pressed our Savior to wait no longer for the revelation of Himself to His people.
- We acknowledged the depth of the problem, Luke 13:35
- We asked the Lord to kindle a burning desire in the heart of Israel a burning to know the Truth
- We asked the Lord to pour out His Spirit and open our eyes to see the One Whom We Have Pierced
- We stood on this sure promise: They shall see Me!
- We expressed our faith in His Work and ability to bring the whole nation to a deep conviction of this Loss of all Losses! Of His Son.
- We prayed for the deep conviction that will come upon the nation and the cleansing that will follow Zech. 13:1
- We stood on the promise of Jeremiah 29:13 We prayed for that wholehearted seeking
- We prayed for those in the Land who have heard bits of the gospel, that the Holy Spirit will fan the coals to a full flame of knowledge and of salvation
The Body of Messiah is the embodiment of the dwelling place of God in our nation. We are being built to be a holy dwelling place of God. See Ephesians 2:20-22 We are the House of the Son. Hebrews 3:4-6
For most of us looking at the body of Messiah can be discouraging, we see the need, we see people, we see human natures, we see problems, we see strange teachings, we see flesh. But we were led to look at the builder rather than the building and were greatly encouraged to pray.
- We expressed our faith and trust in His ability to achieve the completion of his building
- We expressed our confidence in His Faithfulness to His building
- We offered ourselves up as stones to be hewed by His chisel (the cross), and to be made fitting stones.
- We prayed that the Body would be built on the Word of God (Eph 2:20)
- We prayed for the Word to rise in His Body (Acts 12:24)
- We prayed for the Body to be built according to the “pattern” (Yeshua the Corner Stone)
- We prayed for the younger generation of believers, who face an onslaught of temptations and information in a way never imagined before.
- We asked God for a profound work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of these young people
- We asked God for conviction, cleansing by the blood of Messiah and for a baptism in the [real] Holy Spirit
- We prayed for the pastors in the Land - Fire, Holiness, anointing to preach the Word, Faith, support, grace, vision, hope, encouragement, prayer-life,
- Some in our group confessed to fitting Yeshua into their life rather than yielding to Him as King and Master. Those in the group that prayed that way committed themselves to follow the Lord wherever He would lead them.
The House of Israel Praying for the leadership and for the elections
In 1973, Moshe Dayan, the then defense minister, was so pessimistic as to the outcome of the Day of Atonement war, that he vocalized his fear that the “Third Temple” – a reference to the State of Israel itself -- was in danger. It was a fear he was to repeat several times in the most difficult hours of the war.” 1
More probably, Dayan meant “the third house.” He was a very secular man and an avid lay archeologist, and therefore, referred no doubt to the Zionist project as the third house. Israel is back in the Land for the third (and I believe the last) time.
What led to that near disaster, was the lack of good, balanced, and humble leadership who could navigate Israel to safe shores. We have a similar situation now; much wrangling and infighting fed by egos, lust for power, zealotry (from the right-wing parties) are a danger to the country, not only in the area of security, but also socially, and in every other way.
- We prayed for God’s mercy on the Land, to give us a balanced (maybe a unity) government.
- We asked the Lord to protect us from the zealots and those who would lead Israel to disaster.
- We asked for a government that would fight corruption, end the extortion of the religious parties and is the government of the whole nation, not just parts of it.
- We expressed our faith that it is God who brought us back to the Land and therefore asked Him to give our people hope.
- We reminded the Lord that His promises encompass every area of life for the restored people of Israel: security, peace, well being, no famine (poverty), no corruption in leadership, care for the orphans and widows and all those who are weak and powerless.
- We cried for the Grace Israel needs but does not deserve, for the glory of His name.