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 …

Greetings Dear Sisters and Brothers in The precious Name of Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ. May He be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed and edified.

John 14:27 is such a familiar verse.  Many of us embraced it in the very beginnings of our walk with Him…a great and precious promise it reads:

”Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,

give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

And John 16:33:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

But just because it is familiar, it is no less profound.  As a matter of fact, it has taken front and center stage in my heart lately.  The fact that He was speaking these words as He was ALSO telling the disciples of VERY HARD things to come has been a great comfort to me as I confront the enemies of Peace in my heart, from both within and without.  His Peace has become more real then ever to me (as in attainable) and I find myself running after it and thirsting for it moment by moment.  There are SO many WONDERFUL promises for His Peace all through the Word…I want them all!

I thought about that as I looked around the train the other morning on the way to work.  I guess it was Friday morning as I catch the 5:55 a.m. train then to stop at the shuk for some fresh produce before Shabat and then run over to IFI prayer meeting to join in on the first half hour before again running off to work.

On Friday morning at that hour the train is pretty empty and so I was looking around at the car.  Just such a short time ago these train cars were brand new, and they HAVE been kept up well, especially considering how many PEOPLE they transport daily, except for the windows.  The windows are large, shatter-proof, possibly bullet-proof, glass. Yet nearly every one has been shattered by stones thrown regularly as it passes through the eastern side of our capital, Jerusalem.  Some of the windows sport a sign in Hebrew, Arabic and English that says: “We are sorry for the inconvenience.  This window will be replaced as soon as possible.”

Others sport a star in the corner made by a marker pointing out that, yes, it is cracked and needs to be replaced.  As I counted, I saw that probably 70% of the windows were marked for replacing.  I ran my fingers over the one that I was sitting beside.  It had obviously been hit by a large rock.  I could feel the disruption in the glass and was thankful for the technology that enabled the use of such a strong substance, none the less, some HAVE been injured in these regular incidents.

I thought about the peace of God again, and am thankful that I can honestly say that I do not have fear about these things.  I trust The Holy Spirit to lead me in the path that He has for me – either way He chooses.  I also see that one of the major aims of terror is to inflict fear and wear down the heart and will of people. Thank You, Lord, for The PEACE of God that passes all understanding and that keeps our hearts and minds in YOU.

I think of His Peace too as my poor, tortured neighbor stomps out her rage at us over our heads.  What a GIFT His PEACE is for us.

AND I think about His Peace again as I see the great divide forming across the earth, country to country. The hatred and rage between the left and the right politically and the way it is working itself out.  It was very interesting to see a replay of our elections in the UK.  It does seem as if a strange, but apparently failing, manipulation of the media, particularly the press, has been going on.  It appears to me that the rage and abuse of one side only drove the other side into a place quiet enough so that the pollsters couldn’t get a view of what people were REALLY thinking.

I know that I heard that over and again here from those who planned to vote for Netanyahu for well thought out and real reasons. They did not want to take the verbal abuse and mockery thrown at them by the opposing side and so said nothing.  Apparently the UK has seen something similar.  Whatever it is, it is embarrassing to hear our opposition working overtime, fueled by pure rage, to already bring down our newly forming government.  It is exhausting and sad, BUT FOR HIS PEACE.

And in the midst…in the midst of war on each of our borders, and in the midst of awful things being spoken about us and to us, THE LORD IS BUILDING HIS TEMPLE, HIS BODY IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL!  Yes He is…and it is glorious!  I guess it is because His ways really ARE far about our ways and His thoughts also so much higher!

It will be JERUSALEM DAY next Sunday: a day that I love.  Knowing the Scriptures makes this day all the more special.  Each year there are threats of hatred by those who hate that Jerusalem is again Israel, but this is God’s work and God’s hand. And we know that God is not beloved by the world nor are His plans. So it is a great privilege to be able to choose to stand with His plans and purposes for this land and people.

It may NOT appeal to our flesh always, but isn’t that what walking with Him is all about: choosing His way, His Word, His Heart, His choices. And so this city will celebrate the GIFT of Jerusalem!  There will be dancing in the streets and all the way down to the Western Wall.  Perhaps some of you remember the day that once again, after 2,000 years, the entire people were allowed to enter her gates, to come into her midst and to go to the Western Wall of the temple to pray.  One day HE will be revealed as Who He IS to the entire people…maybe today!

To see the story of the reunification of Jerusalem, click here.

God bless you,

your sis J