Monthly Archives: August 2013

August 30, 2013 · 8:25 am

When It Comes To Kids, I’m Easy Pickings

It had been a long financial wilderness for my painting company with no letup in sight. Yes, I had plenty of ladders, brushes, rollers, truck, supplies, and a sprayer, but there was no money for advertising or needed insurances to tackle commercial jobs.

What should I do?

I came up with the idea to give my equipment away to a friend who hoped to start his own painting business. Rick was a hard worker and maybe he could make something happen where I could not. Plus, it seemed biblical to give and not ask anything in return.

Yet, as I readied myself to tell Rick about my plans, the Lord spoke to my heart. “I did not give the burden to Rick. I gave it to you.”

You see, the painting company was started to help feed starving kids in foreign lands, but somehow, in the midst of the agonizing financial trials, I loss sight of the reasons for the company. And if I turned my back on the painting company and all of its problems, I’d be walking away from the burden the Lord placed on my heart.

I made up my mind that day to struggle onward, no matter what it cost me.

So, when I ask you to consider helping the children in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program, I am not handing you my burden. It’s mine. I paid a price for it by eating out of dumpsters and sleeping in cars because of no money. I paid a price for it in prayer and fasting. The burden for these children is mine and it’s too precious to give away.

But if the Holy Spirit touches your heart for these children, consider it a privilege to help them. This is how I now view my burden for these beautiful children.

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Filed under Bridge of Hope, Christianity, Church, God, Gospel For Asia, India, Kingdom of God, Poverty, Prayer

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Gospel For Asia, Kingdom of God, Poverty

August 25, 2013 · 3:44 am

Inside Israel

Once again, it’s time to hear from our sister in Jerusalem about what she is witnessing there as a believer in Yeshua. Put your prayer shawls on and pray for Israel and Sister J. Now here she is …

It seems as if we barely turned around here and, wham! The fall feasts are upon us with Rosh h’shana (the head of the year – the feast of trumpets) just ahead of us. This year it is celebrated on the night of the 4^th of September and the day of the 5^th. I was blessed this morning as I read:

…I also gave them my Sabbaths (the Sabbaths are the holy days including the weekly shabat and the other holy days) to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I Am The Lord Who sanctifies them.

Hallow My Sabbaths and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I Am The Lord your God. (Ezekiel 20:12, 20)

That is the purpose of the sabbaths. It is ALL about HIM.

As you know, our Granddaughter Ana has been with us for the past month so we have been very busy. However, we were not the only ones taken by surprise one day about 10 days ago to see our local supermarket scrubbing down all of its shelves and changing their displays, lining the front with gifts and sales. Suddenly I heard a shofar blowing in the store so I followed the sound − which I love − to the wine and grape juice aisle. There was a rabbi, blowing the shofar to sanctify the fruit of the vine as kosher and clean. A week later I saw the same scene replayed at the meat counter.

It is summer. What is happening? The signs went up and we all scrambled for our calendars. Rosh h’shana? Already? Where did the time fly to?

Rosh h’shana is characterized by the blowing of the traditional rams’ horn − shofar. Added to this, it bears the identity of joy, celebration, meals together, gifts, apples and honey, almonds, new calendars, and preparing the heart for Yom Kippur, when repentance is sought and the book of life is said to be open in heaven. This occurs ten days after Rosh h’shana.

Yearly I argue with Rabbis about WHY the feast of trumpets has turned into the Jewish New Year, when scripture so clearly says that PASSOVER is to signify the New Year. No adequate answer are ever given. I trust God to set it all right in His time but still I am studying scriptures, preparing myself for the inevitable discussions.

Right now on the streets, there is cleaning and tidying up going on everywhere. The shuk display has changed subtly to include pomegranates, dates, figs, grapes of all sizes and colors, honey, apples, and plenty more. These nudge us into preparations. Will we host the large festive meal or will we be invited somewhere? For whom are we to purchase gifts this year? I, personally, begin to ask my yearly question of The Lord: “What special word do you have for me to know You in this year?”

Many years ago He began giving me a single word and having me look for Him in that word through out the year. It took me many years to realize that He was doing this, but yearly I begin to anticipate my new revelation of Him. This past year has been The kingdom of God/heaven.

One other thing characterizes this time period− the roosters crowing. Those of you who have been reading these letters may remember the strange custom that took root during the 2,000 years of dispersion from the promised land when there was no temple and no longer a temple sacrifice given for forgiveness of sins. The rabbis came up with the sacrifice of a chicken in a ritual manner, and a number of small communities continue to practice this. I will describe it as we get closer to Yom Kippur.

My husband is hoping that I will finish up with the computer, so I will quickly fill you in on some personal issues and also mention the situation in the Middle East. Our 7 year old Granddaughter arrived home to her family in California,USA, safely late Thursday night. I was thrilled to hear our older daughter say that it is like we have pushed the re-start button. My times with her in His Word and around two old books: Treasures of the Snow and Rainbow Garden by Patricia M. St. John.

For those of you who have children or grandchildren, ages 6 or 7 up, these two books are gold for calling children to know Him. She was thrilled to memorize verses and earn the right to get a gift from my treasure chest, knowing that the verses, hidden in her heart were her true treasure. And I SPOILED HER no end and I am not ashamed as she is a middle child. I am praying that she will begin to understand what a gift His gift of Life really is. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

Our younger daughter is still quite sick, but HAPPY. They are making plans to move to California from Minnesota to be near to her older sister. Her older sister is a ‘doula’ (birth helper) and she so wants to be with family. They were hoping that they would come home but she is in no condition to travel such a distance. She is on daily intravenous (I.V.) infusions of rehydration and anti nausea meds and full rest. They don’t have a job or a place to live. Ah to be young! Thank you for keeping them in prayer!

The apartment that we have lived in for 19 years is for sale now at a HUGE price. It looks as if we will be able to stay until June/July, the time of year apartments go up for rent and people move here. We have been blessed with an unusually low rent for Jerusalem for these years. I ask for prayer for Him to lead us to the right apartment at the right time for the right price.

‪

‪LASTLY…

I had a friend who had given her life to serving Him in prayer. She was from America but lived here for a number of years, walking the streets and praying. It was a privilege to know her before she went to be with Him. I learned a number of things from her, but one incident that stayed with me over the years has just begun to teach me.

This dear sister told me, weeping, that in the valley below where she lived that witches were sacrificing babies and they would scream awful screams. One evening many years ago, I was there with her and she said to me: ‘There it is! They are sacrificing babies!”

And she began to weep. I listened. As gently as I could I told her that was the sound of cats mating. She had never heard that city sound before and was shocked and relieved. I kept it hidden in my heart but am just learning the lesson that I believe I needed to learn. This was a Spirit filled, praying sister who witnessed a fact but misinterpreted it. She was prayed something that wasn’t real.

Over the years I have longed to pray silver bullet prayers − prayers that hit the mark, agreeing with The Heart of God because The Holy Spirit prays through me. Truth is very important to me. In this day of internet and instant communication, we not only get to view photos, videos, read news reports, and ministry news letters, I have noticed that we tend to believe what agrees with our view, or what convinces us.

Living here I am shocked at the things that I have seen and heard in the media that come across totally convincingly as Truth, but are, in fact, distorted lies. It riveted my attention during our fighting in Jenin a number of years back. We awoke one morning to the world press screaming “Massacre in Jenin” and instantly the world was up in arms. You likely don’t remember, but it made a big impression upon me. The photos of the devastation were splashed across front pages world wide. The only problem was the photos showed a close up view of an area less then one block square. When the larger picture was finally shown, NOTHING around this terrorist hotbed had been touched. The 900 dead and buried alive turned out to be about 20. I DON’T remember the exact details, but it taught me that in this computer age, you can NOT trust photos or words.

Right now, in Syria and Egypt there is large scale fighting with many dead and injured. Yesterday many were killed in a suicide bombing in Bagdad. We were hit by 3 bombs from Lebanon and retaliated. Turkey has unrest as does Jordan. And there is Iran, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and the list goes on. I looked at the photos today of those killed in Syria from chemical attack and I wondered: “Where is the Truth? Are they REALLY dead?”

I ask that because I have SEEN photos of dead caught jumping up and moving later on. Why was it reported that 3,000 had been killed and then revised to around 50? Who REALLY did this? I have my opinion, but what difference does that make? Is it Truth? For that I must hear from The Lord. I will pray for The Lord to reveal the Truth to those in positions of power.

So, what am I getting at? This: It is all about HIM and always has been. We live in dangerous times − spiritually dangerous times. The Truth is HIM and we MUST discern Truth in the midst of so many lies. I believe that a key is to walk very simply and humbly before Him with face turned to Him, trusting Him to lead AND correct us.

But as you form opinions about what is happening in the Middle East, I know that you will base those opinions first on what He has already said in His Word − for that IS TRUTH.

God bless and keep you and make His Face to shine upon you and give you HIS shalom!

Lovingly,

your sis J

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Tagged as Christianity, Church, Gifts of the Spirit, Kingdom of God, Spiritual warfare

August 18, 2013 · 7:28 am

Inside Israel

Dear Brothers and sisters, beloved in Him Who is above all, I greet you, thankful for a moment to write and to update you on certain things…well…perhaps it is selfish as it is I who need to reach out and touch the body and receive the stability that comes through His people. It has been in intense time.

Ana and I just returned from the hospital, my second trip for the day. I share this just to give an impression of the intensity.

Yesterday I got up at 4:30 and had a good time with Him before leaving for work . My boss has been away and I needed to be there for one of my ‘vacation’ weeks. My husband was going to take Ana to her day camp (kaytina) at 8am and I would pick her up at 3:30 on my way home. I arrived at work at 7 and was surprised by a phone call from my husband at 7:40.

“I am having severe chest pain and my blood pressure is high. What should I do?” he asked.

“Where is Ana?” I asked.

He had set her up with some play tasks and she was fine. I caught a cab home, committing the calculations to The Lord in a battle to walk in all that I believe. Although the drive home seemed to take forever, we arrived behind the ambulance which I was able to direct to our door. I supplied necessary information while trying to reassure Ana that all was fine and “would she like to play ‘doctor’’.

Husband was packed off into intensive care ambulance and Ana and I found another taxi to her kaytina. The driver gasped when I told him that I needed to go the congested center of town and then way off to the far west side. I again tried to block all calculations and take on His yoke. The rides seemed to take forever and I finally arrived at the emergency room at 10, having been moving at top speed since 7:40.

Husband was diagnosed with unstable angina. I was so thankful that he hadn’t had another heart attack incurring further damage. He was going to be sent up to cardiology. Ana went home with a friend at 3:30 but by 5 I left to pick her up. One of my husband’s clients is a young almost-doctor – fifth year medical student – and she stayed with us the whole time. When she heard that Ana’s friend lived at the farthest part of town possible, she said that she would drive me there and then take us home. The only catch was that she didn’t know where this address was and neither did I.

I kissed my husband goodbye and asked that he call when he knew what room he would be in and we took off. About an hour later I took a deep breath and said, “Shay’nee, would it be ok if I pray and ask for The Lord in Whom I believe to guide us? And that would be Yeshua.”

We had been driving in circles asking directions every few blocks. “Sure,” she said.

So I took a DEEP breath and prayed a simple prayer, ending In The Name of Yeshua.

She looked at me. “I thought that you were Jewish,” she said.

“Oh. I am. But I believe that Yeshua IS our savior and I am His disciple.”

Hmm!”she answered and the questions began, just like with Mali.

However, almost IMMEDIATELY we found our way and she said, “Wow. I think He answered your prayer!”

Well, I KNEW He did, so we hadn’t much more time to share, but I could only stand thankful that He had opened TWO strong doors this week.

My husband had a tsentur (heart catheterization) this morning. After I dropped Ana at kaytina, and I was able to establish him back comfortably in his room before going to pick her up. He is doing well. They found no new blockages and are putting him on blood thinners. He can come home tomorrow. I didn’t think I could add ONE MORE EVENT into this very special, intense time, but God, in His mercy, enlarges our capacity for Him and prepares us for things to come. He must have apparently said, “Pour it on.” THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

In my last letter I did NOT include a request directly from my husband. In my conviction that I am NOT to mention such things, I would not have, but he directly asked me to ask all of you if: if there is ANYONE who might consider at this time investing in buying a flat – this one – in Jerusalem.”

There. I asked. I know that many many of you would LIKE to, but he is asking if someone feels led and is ABLE to. And I am being obedient to my husband and asking. I believe that I told you that our landlord IS putting this place that we have lived in for the past 19 years up for sale.

A dear friend who is also a writer, gave me her books this past week and as I was reading I thought to share part of something that she wrote. This is from Why Care About Israel by Sandra Teplinsky. I share it as I KNOW that when you take on His heart for Israel, you are part of the battle, and MANY of you have already experienced this:

“Why does Israel draw out the best and the worst in us? The Jewish nation is designed to test and expose the hearts of humanity. Like a threshing floor, she sifts our souls.

Long ago God picked a spot on earth to “put [His] Name forever” (2 Chronicles 33:7; see also 1 Kings9:3). That spot-Jerusalem’s Mount Moriah – originally served for centuries as a threshing floor. (A threshing floor, as you may know, is a place where wheat is sifted from chaff by repeatedly tossing both up in the air.) It was there that God halted a plague sent in judgment against Israel. King David purchased the threshing floor and, at God’s instruction, built an alter on it (see 2 Samuel 24:15-25). Later, on this precise plot of real estate, David’s son Solomon constructed Israel’s Holy Temple. There God’s Gory dwelt, unequaled in grandeur anywhere else on earth. This place is now known as the Temple Mount.

Is the Temple Mount any less a threshing floor in our day then it was when David bought it three thousand years ago? This dry and dusty hilltop sifts nations’ souls through their contests over its control. And little wonder, for here our Jesus will return in splendor to rule and reign – something His enemies are scrambling to prevent. The Temple Mount will prove the ultimate testing ground, the place where Messiah and anti-Messiah, and the followers of both, will someday be exposed. The site could be called Spiritual Testing Ground Zero, rendering Jerusalem and the rest of Israel a test zone surrounding it. A test God wants you to pass – because it is a test of love.

Does this mean everything Israel does is right? Of course not; the test would prove less genuine if issues involving Israel were so simple. Though matters are complex, Israel is ultimately about Him, and if you know Him as the God of Israel, your heart beating with His, you know the Answer…”

I just thought that might confirm some of your thinking during these critical times that we are in. The “peace process” is again underway with its vitriolic humanism setting the agenda and Israel’s God being mocked with nearly every word. Right now, the release of the murders is underway and there are sporadic riots around the city, while the western countries are chastening us sore for building in the country that He gave us. Will we serve man or God? May we all say, “As for me and my house, we WILL serve The Lord!”

Off to bed. May we be strengthened in one another for His Glory. Lovingly, and THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS (younger daughter has been quite sick again and also in hospital for another brief stay).

your sis in the midst,

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August 16, 2013 · 10:40 am

What Can One Child Do?

Here’s the story of one family that was changed because of their son’s involvement in a Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope center. The boy’s father, Rajiv, relates what happened:

After attending the Bridge of Hope center, my son used to come home and say, “This is what my sir said, and this is what our teacher taught us.” Regarding our way of living, regarding our health and hygiene, he would come and tell us. It was kind of exciting! So, when my son says something to me, for example, about hygiene, I am changing.

Some of the things he says about prayer and about Jesus really touch me. Slowly by slowly, I am changing according to what he says to us.

The Bridge of Hope really brought a kind of revival in me spiritually. Basically, I’m an illiterate person. I do not know how to read and write. Many times my son would come and say words he learned at the Bridge of Hope center. “This is what the Word of God says.” So many times when we would do wrong things, the Word of God would speak to us. And because it was the Word of God speaking, we changed a lot.

We have prayer every day in our home for 15 to 20 minutes. My son reads the Bible, and we sing some songs. Now Jesus is the main focus of our life. We cannot leave Jesus and go anywhere, because Jesus is with us and He guides us every day. This kind of spiritual awareness, through my son, I got through Bridge of Hope.

(No Longer A Slumdog by K. P. Yohannan, GFA Publishing, © 2011, page 110-111)

So far, Gospel For Asia has over 65,000 children in their Bridge of Hope ministry. Each child is a bridge to his family, to his neighbors, and to his community, bringing hope to the millions of lost people in India and Asia.

And it all begins with a person, like you or me, sponsoring one child, for $35 per month.

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Tagged as Christianity, Church, India, Kingdom of God, Poverty

August 11, 2013 · 8:38 am

Inside Israel

Our computers went out while I was at work today, meaning that neither Molly (her name is actually ‘Mali’ – short for ‘Malcha’ or ‘queen’) nor I could bury our faces in news or email during our quieter moments. Some of you grabbed ahold of ‘Mali’ when I wrote about her and have prayed for her. She is one of the two young secretaries that I work with from time to time. She has been very depressed since her father died suddenly.

“I started taking an antidepressant drug 2 weeks ago.” She said, with a still-depressed expression. “Do you think that would hinder my job opportunities?”

The conversation turned several corners and I shared a bit more about my past with her and how Yeshua flooded me with His Joy. I didn’t expect what came next (be instant in season and out of season).

“So Who exactly IS this ‘Yeshu’ anyway?” she asked.

“I don’t know who ‘Yeshu’ is (that means “false messiah” and is how He is called by not-yet-believers here) but I can tell you Who YESHUA is.” I said.

To my surprise she began asking me how to pronounce His Name – and then… she said “Who was He? Where was He born? Why did He come?”

Where was He born?? Didn’t she know? I asked her what she had heard about Him and she said “I know NOTHING about Him at all. I have never heard about Him.”

I prayed. Mali does NOT speak English and I was going to have to share with her in Hebrew. I prayed for anointing from Him alone and that my poor language ability would not hinder her or stand in the way. “Why, Mali, He was born right here. He is a sabra and He was circumcised in Jerusalem in our Temple before the second destruction.”

She was so surprised! “What? He was Israeli? What happened?”

I told her that He had never left Israel but spent His full life here – how He preached the way to Life and how He rebuked the rabbis for teaching what was NOT written in the Tenach, but the traditions of men. Then I asked “Mali…do you believe that there is a Moshiach (Messiah or Christ)?”

She answered “Yes, but it ISN’T ‘Yeshu’ because the rabbis say it isn’t.”

I grabbed my small Bible and said “But Mali, the SCRIPTURES describe Moshiach perfectly.”

As I told her about Isaiah 53 she wanted to know if it was “our” prophet or “theirs.” I told her that all of the prophecies about Messiah are ours, just as Messiah is ours and that what the Christians read in the Old Testament is our scriptures. Then He opened the door for me to share my testimony with her. She was glued to every (poorly spoken but I trust anointed) word.

When I met Him, He showed me, also someone who knew nothing of Him, why He came. I told her – “Mali, read it yourself. Take the Tenach, and read, but do this: pray first and ask God IF HE SENT HIS MESSIAH AND IF WE KNOW HIS NAME. Pray that every time you read. DON’T read the commentaries, the Mishna and the like, but read the SCRIPTURES. It is NOT hard to understand and you do NOT need a rabbi to lead you. Ask God’s Spirit to lead you. Don’t take my word for it.”

I told her how when I met Him I really thought that I was the only Jew to believe, but now I know so many, and I told her of the many, many sabras (born here) who believe.

Our time of sharing was almost undisturbed and long enough. I was surprised and blessed by this opportunity and have no doubt that He is answering prayer because He Is The I Am.

My time with you to write is so short and I have only a million or two things that I wanted to share. I began writing what is below 9 days ago and left it to finish, but that has not happened, so I will share it and see if I can add on to it:

______________________________________

I greet you dear brothers and sisters on this first of August. May The Lord be blessed and glorified in all of us and may you be blessed.

Sizzling summer is here and so is our Little GRANDDAUGHTER, so thank you for all of your prayers. (I will share about her more at the bottom) She is scheduled to be with us through the 22^nd of Aug, so this will be a quick update as so much is happening here, but at the same time I have really so many observations that may have to wait until after our visit.

I am sure that you all know that we have, once again, been pressed into the compromising position that is opposed to God’s Word: to give up the land that He promised and He restored, in exchange for peace. A friend of mine here, the wife of a pastor, shared a Word that she had received from The Lord (this is NOT a sister who says that much) and it bore such witness to my soul that I asked her to write it out and I would like to share it with you:

“As I shared with you on the phone today how I was troubled by the wording of these negotiations being called “The Final Peace Agreement” and that it does not fit the Jewish people. The Lord spoke to me early this morning and said, “The Jewish people are not the people of ‘THE FINAL’ – THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE THE PEOPLE OF ‘THE ETERNAL!'” Isn’t that amazing

I looked up in the Webster dictionary for the word “Final” as (an adjective), and look what it says,

1. Not to be altered or undone

2. Relating to a conclusion

3. Being the last in a series, process or progress

4. Relating to the ultimate purpose or result of a process

5. Relating to or occurring at the end or conclusion

The word “Final” as (a noun) is as follows:

1. Something that is final

2. A deciding match, game, heat or trial

3. The last examination in a course.

Then of course, I looked up the Webster dictionary’s definition of “The Eternal”, (as an adjective) and look what it says:

1. Having Infinite duration – Everlasting

2. Relating to Eternity

3. Characterized by abiding Fellowship with God

4. Continued without intermission – Perpetual, seemingly endless

5. Valid or existing at all times; timeless

The word “Eternal” (as a noun) is as follows:

1. GOD

Thank you for allowing me to share all this with you today.

While we spoke on the phone she had shared with me that the word ‘’final’’ brought to mind the nazi ‘’final solution’’ and she had begun to pray, “Lord, this word ‘final’ – it makes my blood chill. What is this ‘final?’ You have the ‘final Word’ so please tell me how to pray. What you see above was spoken into her heart to her great surprise. (This is where I stopped writing)

By now we understand that our Prime Minister took what he believed to be the best of 3 evils that the international community was forcing upon us: we are scheduled to release 104 terrorists. NOT the ‘usual terrorists’ but terrorists with blood on their hands, in other words, they have been directly involved in the murder of non military civilians. We have not done this before. It would be as if we told America they had a choice: agree to give up Texas and California before negotiating with the Mexicans, or agree to stop ALL building, or release the Boston Marathon bombers. (Proportion wise? Thousands of them.)

I am afraid that we are not being led by God, but that once again we are bowing to the pressure of the world instead of bowing low before our God and casting ourselves upon Him. God open our eyes.

It is time for me to prepare dinner but I want to tell you that our younger pregnant daughter is responding to the home care that she is receiving and is stable on anti- nausea drugs which she administers by I.V. herself, checked every 3 days by a home visit nurse. Oh thank you for your prayers for them. And also for our Granddaughter Ana. I ask you to continue both. Ana is just 7 and is finally settling in after the ‘l..o..n..g’ trip with El Al’s unaccompanied minor program. We are having quite an intensive little Bible camp, she and I, and I am praying for her to truly come to Know Him and claim Him as her own to love and to follow, and to have fullness of His Joy. She has battled the same deep sadness that I had from infancy, and our family has known, but HE IS THE VICTOR. Thank you.

I am sorry for this truncated letter. I look forward to a portion of time to really write. It does come with much love. His WORD has been so alive and I long to share.

LOVINGLY,

your sis J

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August 9, 2013 · 11:49 am

“It’s About The Economics, Stupid!”

Yes, we should give to the poor out of our love and compassion, following Jesus’ example. But also, there is a economics reason for giving to the poor.

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you. (Proverbs 19:17 NLT)

Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord… Ephesians 6:7-8)

If you check any prospectus for investment purposes, there will be fine print, disclosing the possibilities of your losing money. Why? Because bad things can happen to even the best of companies, organizations, municipalities, and nations. No investment on earth can ever be guaranteed 100% safe.

But giving to the poor is a heaven-backed investment, guaranteed by God and His word, which He honors above all His name. Plus, the extra benefits of giving to the poor are better than Medicare or any insurance policy:

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble. The LORD protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. (Psalm 41:1-3)

So, if giving to the poor is an economics’ issue with you, you just might want to check out the facts before shaking your head.

And while you’re at it, consider Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope Program, where 100% of your investment helps children in India.

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August 4, 2013 · 8:43 am

Inside Israel

I was witness to an interesting interchange at a ‘tachanat rekevet’ (train waiting stop) yesterday and thought to share it with you.

The train stop was jammed with assorted people, as always, among whom were the usual array of religious (dati) and secular (hiluni), young and old. A young religious woman was sitting with a baby on her lap when I heard some unusually vicious yelling. I looked over and a middle aged secular woman was literally in the face of this young mother and telling her what a ‘waste’ she and those like her were, a drain on the working people. She called them dirty, leaches, a throw back to eastern Europe ghettos. On and on it went, getting nastier and nastier.

The young woman looked up at her with quiet composure and answered her gently. There was another older religious woman standing by who moved closer and entered the conversation, also quietly trying to defuse the yelling woman. Nothing was working. She was getting angrier and angrier. My heart was breaking as I watched this and felt agitated inside from all of the aggressive screaming.

Soon the train came and the group separated to push its way onto the already crowded train. They blended into the crowd and that was that. At the central bus station (tachanat merkezeet) much of the crowd emptied out and I was able to get a seat, along with the older religious lady. We smiled at one another. I commented to her that I had appreciated her ‘ofi’ or character in the face of such nasty shouting, to be able to remain calm, quiet and gentle. She was surprised and said compassionately, “Well, the woman was obviously mentally ill and must have stopped taking her medications.”

Oh my. She had me now. I was truly touched by this compassion and told her so and soon was able to bring it around to the scriptures. We talked about how God commanded us to be kind to one another and how Jerusalem had been judged again and again for the unrighteous treatment of one another. She sighed and said, “Jerusalem! I fear that the nations are again battling to divide her.”

I agreed and told her that I had been reading the 3 Major Prophets over and over again in my mother tongue for the past 6 months and had been praying for our people to truly repent and turn to Him.

“Are you Jewish?” she asked.

I understood what she meant because most Jews do NOT read the scriptures without the commentaries or a rabbi, nor do women regularly read the Prophets or even the men. I prayed quickly and asked Him for wisdom and direction.

“Yes, of course I am Jewish, but because I didn’t grow up here I read all of the scriptures in my own language.”

She wanted to know more about me and when she heard “Alaska,” she was fascinated. I was then able to add how the prophets foretold that we would be brought back from the ends of the earth and that is exactly where we were called from. I was able to tell her that my husband had been a Christian and had been reading the prophets when he understood that, and simply had said, “My family is Jewish, so we have to go to Israel.” And that was that.

The door did not open for more conversation as it was time for me to get off the train, but I pray that I planted within her a curiosity to read The Word itself. I am thankful that she placed in me a hunger to be more gentle, compassionate and at peace when confronted by harsh and cutting words.

I was deeply blessed this week to be able to be in the presence of sisters from many different countries, sisters who pray. How humbling it is to be gathered with sisters who sacrificed to come to Jerusalem because of their love and hunger for Him, to know more about Him and His will. I sat with sisters from Uganda and other African countries, from Hungry, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, many countries in South America and Europe, Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, and so many others. I was overwhelmed by the loving expression of His body gathered. It is such a privilege and holy thing to be able to gather together in His Presence. He is surely encouraged us.

Today my husband and I, along with our dog, went into the Judean hills for a peaceful hike. The same hills where David tended his sheep, where he hid from Saul, where he battled Goliath, and where so much of our history took place.

There is a goat farm there (maybe I mentioned it in a recent letter) where we are able to buy homemade goat cheese and yogurt, fresh eggs and olives. We were also able to pick some wild almonds to bring home to roast. I receive great joy when we go out there – relieved from the tension of the city.

As we rested on the edge of a cliff, I looked down into the valley below and across to the ancient caves, which are grand and mysterious. I felt again the impact of the ancient story that we are all a small part of. Surely we stand at the gateway of a way that we have not passed before (Joshua 3:3-5). I looked down and behind me the dirt path wound peacefully.

I’m just finishing up yet another re-reading of Pilgrim’s Progress and before and behind me was such a perfect illustration of the way we all have: this gift of life. The path, narrow, the way sometimes steep and rocky, even treacherous. The path ahead unknown. It was good to sit there in the ‘largeness’ of it all and remember that The very same God Who led, defended, corrected and answered David was still in full charge of the entire way. Our job is to follow, and having done all to stand.

That was good to remember as the news reports are again more intense. With Syria and Egypt (two of our borders) literally on fire, the wars spill daily onto our soil. None of the other countries around us are at all quiet either and daily reports roll in of 70 killed in a suicide blast in Iraq or Afghanistan, while Tunisia, Turkey and Lebanon continue to boil in their own forms of unrest. And then there is Iran, bent on our destruction. The European Union issued a declaration against any European interaction with Judea, Samaria, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (Biblical Israel!) and there is growing support in England to issue an “apology” for the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which supported the establishment of a Jewish State within the borders of ancient Israel.

It is against this backdrop that we are being propelled again to “peace peace where there is no peace” talks scheduled to begin in America this coming Tuesday. Israelis woke to the horror of the reality that we were being told that “the price” that we were being forced to pay to be allowed to speak to the Palestinians was the release of 104 prisoners. We have released prisoners before, but these prisoners are different: They are ALL murderers. They are ALL people who had their crime been committed in a country that had a death penalty, would have been executed. They are demanding the release of murderers as a precondition for beginning to speak about peace. This has deeply grieved the Israeli people and is currently the main news story as well as the main conversation on the buses. It is a re-opened wound, and once again I see people wearing the “government issued” gold heart with an engraving of the picture of a loved one killed in a terror attack.

Again, I SOOO thank you for your prayers for our family. Our little Granddaughter should be getting on the plane in LA airport in about 5 hours and we are SO very excited. She is scheduled to arrive here on Monday at 1:45 in the afternoon our time and is to stay with us until the 20 August. I cannot tell you how happy we are. Please pray that our times of morning devotions together are alive with His Presence and that her young heart will be open wide to Him.

I have not heard any more from our younger daughter, but I am trusting that she is coming along. Our entire family is an ongoing prayer request and I am so thankful for those of you who pray, and those of you who simply love us too. (NO CONDEMNATION! I know that it is The Holy Spirit Who distributes His burden as He will, so if you forget about us, please don’t feel bad. I KNOW He is reminding someone.)

God bless you and keep you and warm your hearts to seek His Face and to hunger for His Word and Spirit.

Lovingly, your sis J in Jerusalem

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August 2, 2013 · 8:00 am

Pastor Rad

I was praying about some problems here in America three days ago. As I prayed, I was overwhelmed by the size of the problems and the difficulties in changing our attitudes. The problems loomed larger and larger in my mind and began dragging me down into a pit of despair. I wondered, “Will these problems ever change?”

Then, I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “Larry, I’m big enough to handle these problems. Just trust Me.”

Then the following morning, I was praying about some family issues. The problems seemed too big to handle and may take years to resolve, if ever.

Once again, I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “Larry, I’m big enough to handle these problems. Just trust Me.”

This is a four-part series about Pastor Rad and his beliefs that God is big enough to advance the gospel in India and change the nation.

If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel For Asia, click here.

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Filed under Christianity, Church, church planting, God, grace, India, jesus, Kingdom of God, Poverty, Prayer

Tagged as Christianity, Church, India, Kingdom of God, Poverty