Category Archives: Israel

March 2, 2014 · 9:04 am

Inside Israel

Greetings from “shut-down” Jerusalem, dear sisters and brothers. May The Lord be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged.

A strong south wind blew throughout the night. The name given to that wind, which comes off of the desert is Sharav. It often fills the air with yellow sand and intense dry heat. Sometimes a “mud-like rain” is mixed with it. Today the wind blows cold dry air and then later it changes to hot dry air. It always brings with it a strange atmosphere and the air is always thick. That is very appropriate today.

At approximately noon today, the lite rail stopped working until 8 p.m. this evening. Schools sent the children home early and many shops did not open. What caused this to happen today? This is how one of the local websites announced it:

Jerusalem Under Siege: Mass Haredi Protests Set to Begin. Hundreds of thousands of protesters, blockades throughout the city, and no school — these are all of the challenges that stand before the Israeli Police because of the huge Haredi protests against the draft law going into effect on Sunday. The heads of the Haredi communities have called on the hundreds of thousands of followers to join in the protests.

It is very complicated.

In the past I have tried to explain some of the differences between the many different streams of Judaism. I have compared it to Christianity with its different denominations, different streams within each denomination, and then differences from one pastor’s teaching to another. It can be very frustrating when an Israeli Jew will say, “Well the CHRISTIANS believe…” and then goes on to quote a Greek Orthodox, or Catholic Priest or a Mormon. So it is with Judaism, and today a “million man march” is scheduled to take place shutting down our already stressful city.

Now a little history, theology and speculation are in order:

There has always been a religious sector of Judaism, which does not engage in physical conflicts, but instead in prayer and study of the Torah. This group in the past has enjoyed state subsidies. But over the last few years the number of students or scholars has swollen and this life style has become a financial burden for our society. There has been much arguing and debate and mudslinging – mostly by the left. It finally was decided that there must be a quota of how many are really called to be set apart in this way. Therefore the rest must perform some form of national service.

This was being slowly introduced, but the left decided that it wasn’t enough. This sector of government recently added the pressure of jail time for those who don’t show up for draft and also mandatory combat army instead of the option of national service. The status quo has held through the years and, contrary to what some say, many religious people DO go to the army and then join the work force.

The rock met the hard place and rather then progress and results, we have a stand off. As I said, it is a VERY complicated issue. But as I sit in my front row seat at our apartment, thousands of Haredi people (they are distinguished by their black and white clothing, men in tall hats with side curls and beards, etc.) make their way to the center of the city. A verse of scripture crosses my mind:

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10:2

I remember Ofer exhorting us last night to pray for the Haredi that if they are now zealous WITHOUT knowledge, what will they be when their eyes are open. Perhaps you will also take this opportunity to – first and foremost pray for Haredim to come to HIM. (This is the background that my son in law is from…and so I pray for him and for his family).

There is need for prayer so that this does not turn violent, nor harden the two sides even more extremely into wider positions…AND…for a just and righteous solution. Surely God has His plans and they are always best for all. I just went out on my ‘merepeset’ (balcony) to pray and the scene below me was powerful. Thousands upon thousands of orderly families, small children with name tags and phone numbers on them, quietly but determinedly swiftly walking, some singing and dancing, 10, 20, 50 abreast toward the center of town. They also look like an army. Check out ynet news for possible updates here.

It is all a part of, if not a significant expression of, the spiritual intensity of the season.

If you are reading this letter, then you already KNOW that Israel is not just another country. You have understood that God owns the deed to this land and that He takes very seriously what happens to His possession, the place where He chose to put His Name, the place where He described and marked out the boundaries and borders.

Our Prime Minister is scheduled to leave today for the US where he will meet with President Obama on Thursday. Obama is also scheduled to meet the Palestinian leader, Machmude Abbas, in the coming weeks. I don’t know how many of you are aware of the intensity of this current peace process, which is being pushed upon us, but I do think that most of you are aware of the implications. I fear for America if she continues along this path of dividing Israel. I ask for prayer for Prime Minister Netanyahu that he will stand firm in the face of humanly unbearable world pressure, particularly to divide Jerusalem.

Our Prime Minister seems to stand alone in his opinion of the threat Israel faces from Iran and has continually angered the international community by bringing it up again and again and again. Then there is the Syrian war on our northern border, with Hezbollah stationed in Lebanon. There has been a steady increase in the number of missiles landing in Israeli borders and vigilance is necessary and high. Egypt, on our southern border, remains unstable and now Ukraine is also in turmoil. We have many Israelis with ties to both Ukraine and Russia.

As I said, “Tensions are high.”

It is a GOOD TIME to be fixed in The Lord, standing firm on The Rock and looking away unto Yeshua. Please pray for the church in your own country as well as for the situations here. Although many of the churches in the west understand what’s going on, many do NOT. May His discernment be our rear guard and our present filter on all that we hear and think.

God bless you and encourage you. I send much love.

Your sis,

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Filed under Christianity, Church, Gifts of the Spirit, Israel, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Prayer, spiritual warfare

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Israel, Jerusalem, Prophecy, Spiritual warfare

February 23, 2014 · 8:22 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 …

Beloved sisters and brothers in Yeshua, I greet you in The precious Name of our Lord, may He be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed today.

Well…where would I begin. I have missed all of you in this season of personal change and challenge. Nothing has been comfortable for me, but I strive to rest in the new realities of my life. This is NOT an attempt to sound spiritually squeaky clean, because I am NOT. But I do want to be transparent as I try to share what is going on, since many of you have been praying for us and I so thank you for your prayers.

In other times of my life, it seemed easier to blend His Life in me with the daily situations. Oh, I am NOT saying life was easy by any means because we all have our mountains. But my surroundings always gave me a corner of comfort for myself. I have been so blessed to live in such beautiful regions where it was peaceful and there were beautiful things to look at. I have always had a chair with my Bible beside it, which added to the peace. Ah, the seasons of life! How GOOD He was to give me such blessings, and how GOOD He is to take it away now.

As I write this, there is the piercing scream of a shop alarm going off. It has been going for over an hour across the street from us. Although it is Shabat, on this main road the din of traffic is only drowned out by the loud groups of people enjoying the sunshine, children playing, and teens blaring music.

We were blessed by the young people from my fellowship (kehila) who came to help my husband paint while I visited our children in America. This past Shabat, one of them, Tsaki, said to me, “I really loved your new apartment when I stood out on the merepeset(sort of balcony). It is RIGHT in the middle of everything and you can pray for the whole city. I choked! Tsaki and his family live in a beautiful, quiet, rural yeshuv (village).

I answered in my head, “Well I have plenty of opportunity to pray for the whole city as I ride the packed trains and buses to my stressful job every day.”Thank God, the words did not come out of my mouth. But his words burned their way into my heart adding another “nail in a sure place.”

I walked out onto my merepeset later on and looked down. There were 3 young guys getting drunk. Across the railroad tracks was the newly widowed neighbor, standing, lost in his grief. “Yes Lord,” I answered. “Make me willing to embrace all of this change that I didn’t want, that isn’t comfortable. Give me a new heart to pray for all of these LOUD people. Heal me, Lord, from this tremendous aversion to noise.”

Noise! I told you that I was born in New York soon after the end of WW2. I remember listening to radio dramas from that time period, maybe I was 6 years old. I had 2 favorites: Flash Gordon was one, but the other was Sergant Preston of the Yukon with his dog King. It began with a wolf howl and the sound of the wind and for a space of time it drowned out the noise of the city for me. I determined that SOMEDAY I would escape the noise and live where I could hear the wind and the wolf howls.

I don’t know how old I was when my Mom traded her trusty carpet sweeper in for a modern noisy vacuum cleaner, but that was life changing for me. Even as a teenager I would put my hands over my ears and scream at the top of my lungs because the noise grated on my nerves so badly. If I were growing up today there would definitely have been a label for me. My extreme aversion to noise directed my feet OUT of the city to the Northwest as soon as I was old enough to leave.

So you see, The Lord has been so good to me with His dealings. Slowly, slowly molding and changing me toward HIS will and Image as I could bare it. “But Lord! I STILL can’t bare it!” I grumble.

“MY grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” He answers gently.

And you HAVE to have a sense of humor.

“Bare fruit for the kingdom,” He says.

The ceilings in 3 rooms leaked badly at first. Now there is only one place that leaks and that’s when our upstairs neighbor flushes her toilet. We finally hooked up the washing machine to do a MUCH needed load of wash and the washer was apparently broken in our moving. My computer crashed. (Thank GOD for a sis who hears from The Lord who GAVE me this laptop while on my trip.) Speaking of laundry: the clothes line is out the back window, but I’m short and can’t reach it. When the washer DOES work, it will have to go in the bathroom and empty into the tub. The kitchen is the tiniest I have ever had, but it is convenient to turn around from the sink to the stove or frig without taking a step. But there is no place to put 40 years worth of active cooking ware or even 2 plates. Then the drains backed up and the door lock broke while my husband was outside in his breakfast clothes with the dog and a cup of coffee.

I am VERY set in my ways. Who knew? HE did. Thank You Lord!

“Change” was the flash word for Mr. Obama and change he has wrought. The middle, far and near east are a broil with anarchy and blood in the streets. The piece…uh…peace negotiations are bringing us dangerously close to the edges of God’s Patience and His Plan. And in the midst of it, God, the Lord God Almighty, The Eternal I AM, The Way, The Truth, The Light, The Word, The Door ,The Shepherd, The Baby, The Lion, and The Lamb who went to the cross for me, has taken time out to change me, and it ain’t pretty. But it is GOOD.

It is comforting to know that although the changes going on in the flesh are bringing bloody manifestations of the kingdoms of darkness and the flesh, that The Patient King of the eternal kingdom IS building His kingdom and if He is working so much in me, I have no doubt that many of you are also under His anvil.

I stood at the crowded train station last week grimacing at the thought of the sardine can ride I was facing. They had just announced yet another “hefetz ha’shood” (unidentified package that would require bomb squad disposal) and after about a 20 minute wait, the train would be a nightmare when it came. As I watched the people mulling around, 2 young pigeons caught my eye. In the midst of it all, the young male bird was trying awkwardly to court the young female who wanted none of his attention. They hurried and scurried here and there in and out of the crowds of oblivious people, dancing about as unconcerned by the people as the people were about them. Two kingdoms (in this case birds and people) side by side in an odd dance. My “word” (in this case a phrase) from The Lord to meditate on this year is: “Look away unto Yeshua.”

I had become distracted by the world and now He is weaning me.

So, thank you for your prayers, but don’t pity me because it’s just my flesh which is suffering. It will continue to suffer until it is dead…that old dead to self but alive to Him is my goal. To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable to His death, the pearl of great price.

It is time to leave for kehila. Hopefully I will not soon write another self centered letter like this one, but I do thank you for your prayers.

May His grace and peace be evident in each of us and may HIS kingdom be enlarged. I send you deep deep love.

Lovingly,

your sis J

Inside Israel

In this New Year, according to the Gregorian calendar, I greet you in the Love of Yeshua. I pray that this will be the year each of us is changed into His image for His glory. May HE be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed, beloved friends.

There has been a letter literally burning in my heart. Sorry to sound so dramatic, but that is exactly how it feels. It developed through a moment of standing before Him and asking, “What does it mean to be a witness of the things that You have called me to be a witness to?”

I was shocked at how quickly the answer came, but it came on so many levels at one time that I pray I can translate it into an understandable communication. And on top of that, I will start with the end, or at least the part, which is working itself out today.

Today, here in Israel, in the Fertile Crescent, in the Middle East, I am a witness to change that is occurring so rapidly there is no time to catch my breath. There is no room here to be a frog, slowly boiled to death as the heat rises. Why? Because the flame is on high. No history lessons now, no TIME for them, but here’s a witness’ view of today.

I heard the sirens a short time ago as US Sec of State Kerry headed out of Jerusalem toward Ramala, ending the second talk with our Prime Minister of this 10th round of secret peace discussions. And they ARE secret. Although different ones claim to have a leak or a source, anyone familiar with the history, area, and people taking part in the discussions knows these are just guesses or smoke screens, and not accurate reports.

And, brothers and sisters, it is scary. Not for God, of course because He KNOWS the outcome, and to an extent, so do we. Many in the body are saying we are at “this moment now” or “that one,” but even we DON’T know what the path we are taking LOOKS like. It is NOT a path that we have been down before and HIS WORD − “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” − shines just far enough ahead so we can see the next step. Just as HE said, “NO man knows the time or the hour,” so it is, there are many things that NO man knows.

We do know this: We know that the Syrian war HAS spilled into Lebanon. We know that ALL of the countries, which experienced Western intervention for overthrowing their rulers, are in bloody chaos and instability. We know that when Egypt wrested itself from the brink of becoming another Gaza after the Moslem Brotherhood took power, that the upside down world condemned them. We know that our ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who has been in a deep coma since 2006 after suffering a massive stroke following his disastrous removal of Israelis from Gaza is right now at the door of death, the last of the early heroes of our modern state.

We know that as a result of the unusual massive snow storm that impacted our entire nation, food prices have skyrocketed – particularly the vegetables (an Israeli staple), but almost everything you look at – pushing many over the edge into poverty and hunger. We know that daily terrorist attacks are increasing again. We know that men are shaking in their shoes at the changes happening here. And we KNOW that men have no answers. Not for the weather extremes nor for the political extremes, nor for the despair that grips the souls of men.

And in the midst of all of this, I asked, “To WHAT exactly am I a witness?” The answer came: “To ME and to the FAITHFULNESS OF MY WORD!”

Scripture after scripture poured into my poor brain, and I understood what He meant. HE chose Israel to be an inheritance (Jer. 51:19), HE established the plan (Levit. 20:24), set the boundaries and borders (Deut. 32:8), judged and chastened a disobedient son, (the book of Jeremiah), BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL. HE is still going to carry out HIS plan and purposes in, for, and to this country/nation/people, IN SPITE of our stiff necks, IN SPITE of the world’s opinions and rules, and IN SPITE of our own interpretations of what HE said.

So I want to “re-witness” or perhaps proclaim again, loudly, what I am seeing. HE drew these borders for this land. HE laid claim to this land and said that NO ONE could divide it because it is HIS. HE judges this land and its people. HE has been calling this people from the four corners of the earth to the land that HE gave to them more then 5,000 years ago. HE sent His Son to fulfill HIS Word, His promise, and His plan. HE sent HIM to this land that is His and He said that He would be coming BACK here again to this land: Israel.

HE blinded the people here and HE will soon open their eyes. THIS is what I am witness to. I am a witness of the fact that EVERYTHING HE has said, intended and promised concerning this land and this people is coming to pass before my eyes, and sometimes I feel as if I need to shout it. NOT to YOU my DEAR friends. To myself! To the Church! To the world! To Israel!

But I REJOICE with you because you KNOW already, that HE IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL FULFILL HIS ENTIRE WORD and we must be careful to walk HIS ways.

I said I would begin at the end, and so I will also bring the end of a great and precious promise we are to stand on, before I close this letter:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

AMEN! MAY HE BE BLESSED AND GLORIFIED! And may we walk humbly before Him and one another!

If you have time, start at the beginning:

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they arebeloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans Chapter 11, ESV)

But scripture out of context never gives the whole picture, just as events out of context can never give the full story. We must walk through it all with His Spirit because we can’t possibly see clearly without Him.

I have been happy to hear many have begun the New Year reading through the entire Bible in order, in context, from Genesis 1:1 and Matthew 1:1. This is my habit, too. I am so thankful He established it in me. I encourage each of you who have begun, not to be discouraged if you fall behind. You are not in a race, so if it takes two or even three years, may you persevere, and then begin again.

Your sister in Jerusalem,

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Filed under Christianity, Church, Israel, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Prophecy

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Israel, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Prophecy

December 29, 2013 · 8:46 am

Inside Israel

Pre-Celebration snow mop-up.

Oh may The Lord BLESS you as you prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ, The Light so humbly coming into this dark world and in His great mercy, we know Him and are part of His body. How overwhelming. May the wonder of it all be NEW and full of worshipful wonder to each of us this year and may He find that we have made room for Him.

Blessings to you and may He be blessed and glorified.

Could someone PLEASE tell me how potatoes, hanging in a basket at room temperature can freeze and turn stinky, while the chicken and fish in the freezer can thaw? Because that is JUST what happened in my kitchen, during the 3 days we were without electricity.

Things are beginning to function again. We got a phone line again today, a full week after the storm. *[scratch that one…no phone line again]* Yesterday was the first day that I was finally able to get to work, walking gingerly on the ice and climbing over trees and dirty snow mounds. The geography of this small but powerful city was starkly demonstrated in this blizzard by the delineation line between the east side of the mountain and the west side (we being on the west side). The east side, which faces the eastern deserts, had substantially less snow and damage with just 1 ft or 1/3 meter and we had about 3 feet or a full meter. It felt odd to take the train and bus to work in the morning and passing from a disaster zones into pastoral winter scenes.

My husband and I are still pretty tough, but some people suffered greatly from this storm which is the worst in Jerusalem for the last 150 years. Yesterday an elderly man collapsed downtown and was rushed to the hospital where he died of hypothermia. Although we have received much teasing about being Alaskans and this being a piece of cake for us, I explain to people that in Alaska we had wood burning stoves for heat AND cooking, kerosene lamps, insulated homes and very warm clothing, including furs. We were both prepared for and expecting this kind of weather.

One of our patients, who just passed his 100 year birthday, was without electricity for 3 days but some people took him and his helper in and they were treated royally. Another elderly man looked at me with misty eyes and put it much into perspective when he said, “What was HARD was 1948! Now THAT was hard!”

He began to tell me about his life, being born here in Jerusalem some 80 years ago (as were his parents, grandparents, and ALL of his generations back). He lived on Kibbutz Ramat Rachel when the modern state of Israel was re-established and all of the surrounding Arab countries declared war. At the same time the British were forbidding the Jews to have weapons. He told me about the few living on the Kibbutz and how they fought for their lives against the infamous Jordanian Legion. He said, “THEN we were starving, freezing and hopeless. But if it weren’t for our miracle we would all be dead.” Yes, that put it into perspective all right.

Just as I was about to leave work today a man stopped by for prescriptions and asked how we had fared. When I first met this man some 16 years ago, my boss told me he held the sad record of being the longest Israeli prisoner of war that had been in captivity and come out alive. He had been held in Lebanon I believe, for seven years and severely tortured and is one of the most positive people I have ever met, always cheerful. Again things fall into perspective.

The day before the blizzard I made notes to write to you about winter clothes as I think that I have a unique perspective in this area, too. In the summer people from different ethnic backgrounds wear different clothing, but it pretty well blends in. In the winter, however, I enjoy the colorful display of diversity that is represented on the bus and train. The rich assortment of countries that have given up their captive children of Israel through aliyah, have their handiwork displayed like a lovely bouquet. I see the intricately woven and designed sweaters and jackets from the regions around Kazakhstan and skin and fur hats and boots that I know are Siberian as we had similar ones in Alaska. There are beautiful rich Scandinavian knits and rich British wools. There are Ethiopian fringed shawls and Moroccan and Yemenite designs pulled out of old trunks as people seek to bundle themselves up in whatever way possible. What a beautiful exhibit of God’s work, a sign emblazed proclaiming, even singing: “I SAID THAT I WOULD BRING THEM BACK FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH AND I HAVE BECAUSE I AM FAITHFUL.” Somehow it reminds me of the scripture in Exodus 12:35, 36 –

“Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

We bring some of the beauty of the places to where we were driven. Perhaps I’m carrying this too far, but it is what I was thinking about as I sat on the train tracing the designs with my eyes bedecking the elderly woman across from me. I give thanks for the toasty clothes I am wearing, given to me as gifts from the body. I pray that I may be clothed in items representing The Kingdom that I am part of, His heavenly kingdom, not representing this earth but with the clothes of a pilgrim.

Perspective is what we get when we look unto Jesus, Yeshua. Then it ALL falls into perspective. What a gift this Christmas season can be, if we put it ALL in His perspective. May we give Him a greater gift of pure incense…prayer…at this time. May we seek Him and to glorify Him with all that we give, and to all whom we serve, and in all that we do.

Before I close and go to bed, I want to share a very special secret with you. Thank you for those of you who prayed for me to know His will and do it. It is a secret from my children. But after MUCH wrestling and prayer, I have taken a leap of faith and bought an airline ticket to go to the Bay Area of California to see our children and grandchildren. It has been 8 years since I have left the country and 1.5 years since I have seen the kids (except for little Ana who was with us for a month this summer by herself). My ticket has me leaving Israel on 15 Jan and returning 27-28 Jan.

I APPRECIATE PRAYER FOR THE MANY THINGS INVOLVED. And especially for our younger daughter who is dated to bring forth her firstborn 8 Jan and for my husband who will be here alone in the middle of winter. For our older daughter who plans to be our younger daughter’s doula. For safety traveling. FOR SALVATION FOR THOSE NOT WALKING IN HIM. Thank you so much for caring when you all have your own families and needs. I hope to write again before Christmas, so I will just ask Him to bless you all and draw you near in your preparations.

Lovingly,

your sis J

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December 22, 2013 · 7:45 am

Inside Israel

Grateful blessings as the season chosen to celebrate the birth of Hope and Light and Truth is approaching. May you each be blessed and may THE LORD of all be glorified and blessed. Oh, may He be SEEN!

Well, we joined the experience that many of you have suffered with extreme climate changes – God’s Hand calling people to attention, in my opinion. Jerusalem (and most of the country) has been shut down in a state of acute emergency. We were blessed with electricity this morning at 4:22 AM after 3 days of cold and darkness, but The Lord was with us and the country had a smaller number of deaths then could well have been expected in such a storm. Thank You Lord! There are still those experiencing distress so we remain praying for them.

I wrote to you at the very beginning of the storm. It continued unabated for 4 days, totally paralyzing not only this city, but the entire country. Where it wasn’t snow, it was floods. Weather records were smashed. For us, in a city where two inches (5 cm) of snow is enough to halt the city, the approximately 3 ft (about a meter) brought about serious emergency.

By Thursday night our lights went out for the last time. 8 huge trees fell across the power lines on our street alone, crushing several cars, roofs and windows. We had 3 medium size ones down around our apartment, one crushing part of the roof in our front room causing a leak. The huge Jerusalem Convention Center was opened to take in the stranded or those suffering from cold temperatures. But soon even police and emergency vehicles were finding it impossible to get around in order to find and bring people there.

Now, I survived the NYC blizzard of 1948 in which my Father almost died. (I don’t remember much, having been only 2 but there are photos of me being handed out the window.) I survived (and enjoyed, because I was young and knew no better) some powerful hurricanes during the 1950s and 1960s. I have experienced baseball sized hail in Oklahoma, been around tornadoes (although not actually in the center of one), have been evacuated from the forest through a tunnel of fire by police during a huge California forest fire.

Then, there was 20 years in Alaska, with weather I can not adequately describe. Cold of -40, winds topping 100 mph, ice, snow, typhoons, earthquakes, and even a couple of volcanoes. Indeed, when the big blackout of the 1960 happened in NYC, I determined I would NOT be stuck in a city again where you depend upon public services, even for water. But here I was stuck again.

My 80+ year old neighbor just said to me, “I don’t know HOW I did fine in all of those Siberian winters and can’t even get down the street in this one…”

Jerusalem is not built for this sort of weather. This is a mountain in a desert. I have explained before that our houses are made of stone to keep them relatively cool during the long hot summers. They are generally not insulated with just thin pane glass windows. As electricity became more popular, people began to depend upon it for heat, cooking, and everything else. So when it went down, the three issues facing many many thousands of people was cold, darkness and hunger.

My husband and I are relatively well prepared. We have gas on top of our stove so we could cook soup. We have tons of blankets and hot water bottles, and know how to wear a hat and gloves in the house. We even were blessed by our kerosene heater last year, although we did not have enough kerosene.

Now for the good part.

Door to door people were saying: “How are you in there?” “Can you use some soup? Candles? Is anyone sick? Do you have enough blankets? Are there children there?” Our neighbors are Holocaust survivors and I heard knocks on their door all day.

I dug out my battery operated radio, stashed with our emergency supplies set aside for times of war. All English language broadcasts were cancelled. It was only in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and Amharic (Ethiopian). Personal messages were being sent: “I’m stuck between Kibbutz______ and road #______. Can someone come and rescue me?” “Magan David Adom (our Red Cross) has delivered 70 babies so far.” “We hear that the entire town of Tsfat is without electricity and there is a school full of children with no food and cold.” “The army and home front command will be going door to door.”

We went outside to walk around several times to see what was happening, joining throngs of house bound people checking on one another. Everyone we passed said the same thing, “Do you need any help? We have soup and you can join us.” We added our offer to people, “We would be happy to share soup and we have a kerosene heater and spare blankets and food if you need.”

Although it was shabat yesterday, the chief rabbis gave their blessing for the emergency crews to continue working and all day yesterday. We were impressed by the dedication of the electric crews that came to assess our neighborhood. They brought chain saws and cut up the trees. Then they brought snow plows to clear a path and dozers to push abandoned cars out of the way. With driving snow and strong winds, the men climbed the poles and patiently restrung the electric lines.

At about 7 PM, after shabat had gone out, there was a knock on our door. A man with a bag of candles asked if we were in need of candles. “I have 4 that I can give you,” he told me. “Thank you but we do have enough candles. Keep them for someone without.”

He moved on. About an hour later there was another knock on the door. Five strong, bright, soldiers, faces FULL of compassion, wearing yellow vests appeared. “Shalom! How are you doing? What do you need? How many are in here?” I told him that there were just two of us older folks and we were ok.

“Can you use some blankets? Light? Is anyone feeling ill? We have hot soup.” I was so deeply touched by them. “We have enough, except I hesitated and they jumped with willingness at my hesitation. “Except bread. We are running out and I can’t bake any without the oven.”

Big smiles. “BREAD! Get a loaf of bread! Can you use two?”

They were so kind and eager to help. How I longed to be joining them in checking on and helping people but I found that my aging knees were not allowing me to be part of the solution this time. I did not want to become part of the problem. Before they left they said, “Oh! Give them a couple of emergency warmers.”

THAT sounded good! I received two very innocent looking small white gauze envelopes, about the size of the palm of a hand that were very warm. I brought them in and thought they were like those self warming hand warmers that we used in Alaska, but these were different. Although they LOOKED flimsy, believe me, they WEREN’T. I definitely want to know what these things are. They are STILL hot and I mean HOT. As tiny as they are they warm the entire body.

Hmm! Wonder if they are radioactive. :-\ They warmed our bed, piled high with blankets (AND our dog and cat) better then the hot water bottles. At 4:22 AM, it happened and the lights went on, just as we came to the end of the kerosene we had been rationing (2 hours heat, 4 hours no heat)

Again, I think of those in surrounding countries with great hardship due to this storm on top of war and civil strife. I personally know several of you with loved ones severely impacted by the recent huge tornadoes in Illinois and Indiana. I have relatives in Eastern America still trying to recover from last year’s devastating storm there and many Pilipino friends whose relatives were devastated in the Philippine typhoon.

In my last email I shared the verse from Psalm 119:105 – “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path.”

It is funny how that verse served me through this entire time – and I spent much time in The Word, as much as my eyes would allow me. Last week I had found the old Maranantha song by that name on the web, and I have been singing it ever since. It brought warmth to me in the dark and cold that His Word is INDEED, the Light, the lamp to light our way – and it warmed my heart. We had no phone service, no internet, no postal service, no bus, train, car and my dreaded nightmare of not being able to communicate with my children.

But there I had His Light…His Word…and I knew that my children also have His Word…and He Alone is our eternal connection. Greater then snow and stronger then natural disasters – He IS The orchestrator of all events. So I found my greatest challenge personally was just to remain at peace and be KIND in the midst.

My boss just called to make sure I was coming to work tomorrow. So I must give it a try. As we approach the Christmas season and remembering well the frenzy of it, I join with you in prayer that God, Who sent His only begotten Son, Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ, will be glorified through each of us, this year. May we be found of Him in His peace, doing His will for His glory.

I send you my love,

your sis in Jerusalem, J

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December 15, 2013 · 9:13 am

Inside Israel

Greetings, Dear brothers and sisters. May The Lord be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed.

SHELEG! SNOW!

A big joint gasp went up from the people on the bus this morning as the driving winter rain SUDDENLY turned to big white flakes while I was on the way to work. Three of the mentally challenged regulars began to giggle with joy and their faces filled with real wonder and delight at the beauty. They expressed it with their mouths as well: “SHELEG! NIRAY! SHELEG! EZEY YAFFAY!” (Snow! See! Snow! How BEAUTIFUL!)

They ran to the front of the bus and then the back looking out of the windows. I sent my boss a text message: “Should I go home?”

Jerusalem is very excited when we get snow and also very unprepared, although the city always boasts our readiness and displays our snow plows the night before. It is not a frequent occurrence and we often go for years without seeing any although we all prepare for a “once a year” occurrences. To see it once is great joy and twice becomes a double joy, but this early is a rare event.

Usually if it comes, it is in January or February. As a matter of fact, just several days ago we had all been commenting about the unusual dry heat that we have been having so late. We had gotten up in the night to look out of the window, but there was still driving rain, as it was in the morning when I left the house and the radio had already said that schools would be open. That eventually changed.

Like the rest of the world, we have been experiencing the changes and shifts in weather patterns and intensity, but we have so far, mercifully been spared the disasters that others have experienced.

When snow is predicted for Jerusalem, it is announced on the national news. The mayor is shown smiling beside the snow plows and inspecting the salt, tenderly petting each vehicle with pride and assurance. “Sheleg!” is the focus of every conversation the day before. “It will SNOW tomorrow,” one says. The other replies, “Nah! It won’t snow!”

But everyone is on tip toe. We were told of this strong and large weather system entering the region on Tuesday. I had stopped at the market to pick up some groceries and it was FULL! That is, full of PEOPLE. The shelves were already pretty empty. People were buying EVERYTHING. The check out lady asked the manager. “What is happening today? It’s TUESDAY not THURSDAY (the day when people shop to prepare for shabat). What is happening?” His answer, “Sheleg!” “Ahhhh,” she answered, “I’d better get some food too.”

Usually our snow falls at night when it is coldest. It was an ominous sign to me when it BEGAN at sunrise and it was coming down heavily. Surely it won’t stick, I thought. This was the second day of the predicted country wide (from the Golan to Eilat) 4-day storm and the streets were rivers of water, everything saturated. Trees were down, electricity out much of the night, but before I got to work it was not only sticking but was already several inches thick. I sent another message to my boss. No answer.

Two hours later he called. It would just be he and I today. No one else could make it in.

I told him that there had been no calls, no messages, lots of snow. “Can I just go home?” (I live across town)

“No…wait for me…I’ll be in. It will be fine. If the buses stop I’ll get you a taxi.”

I asked, “And if the taxi’s stop?”

Silence. “Then I’LL drive you home.”

That was NOT very comforting because if the buses and taxis can’t get through, can he?

At 10:30 he arrived and said, “Well…go ahead and leave. It is pretty thick.”

As I approached the bus stop a bus went past, and a snow plow. That was a good sign that things were running. I huddled with an ever growing crowd of people at the bus stop for 40 minutes. No more buses. Someone tried to call the bus company. No answer. I called my boss. “Come on back. I’ll call a taxi,” he instructed.

I trekked back. No taxi places were answering. As we began to drive across town we found out why, seeing taxis strewn across road after road. We skidded, slipped and jockeyed as I gained new respect for my boss who drove like a true Alaskan, avoiding stalled cars, going the wrong way on one way streets, picking up stranded people. It took almost 2 hours to get home, (normally 10 minutes by car) but I was thankful to watch people helping one another and the joy of children throwing snow balls in the streets. A car crowned with 2 snow men holding palm branches slowly made it’s way along the road. Most roads were completely plugged with stalled cars. The train stopped. The buses stopped. The central bus station stopped. The post office didn’t bother opening. The bus company closed.

It’s a “PLAY day” for Jerusalem and so very beautiful, but a cold one. My heart goes out to those who can’t keep warm. It is below freezing and supposed to be for several more days. We are blessed with food, a heater, one another, but what of those without? We have a caring country. People WILL go door to door checking on one another. What of the African migrants? What of all of the Syrian displaced people in camps? And the old lonely ones.

I lift up a prayer, a weak one in the face of the immense problem, but when looking at our Immense Immense and Able God, I ask for direction how to pray. I do what I can and check on friends, beginning with the weaker ones. And for some reason that I have not been able to understand, this deep sadness continues in my heart.

Wishing that you could all see Jerusalem in the snow and rejoice in this part of the beauty of God’s creation, I need to go and make a WARM dinner for my husband. May our hearts be warmed to Him and turned to Him and may we glorify Him alone. I send much love!

Your sis here

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December 8, 2013 · 9:22 am

Inside Israel

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path…” Psalm 119:105 Yes, The Lord’s eternal Word…The Living Word, is a Light that will never go out…even when our eyes grow dim! Halleluyah!

The last candle just went out on our chanukiah signaling the beginning of the last day of Chanuka. Even the tiny glow of the last fading candle cast warmth throughout the room which now sits in darkness of the winter night. My favorite Chanuka greeting is Hag oorim Sameach (Holiday of light joy).

I’m sure that we have all sat pensively in front of some flame or other thinking about light and darkness, God having graciously given us these stark contrasts: dark and light, night and day, good and evil. They are before us constantly in such a creative variety of presentations. It is as if He were saying: “These are simple children that I have made and I must remind them again and again, CHOOSE LIFE, FOR WHY WOULD YOU DIE? In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:4-5)

I have been buffeted by much emotion over the past couple of weeks as there has been a wave of contrasting deaths. A dear sister in The Lord, the wife of one of our loving Pastors from the past, went to be with The Lord. She really did graduate, a saint who walked with us as a servant, there is joy around her departure, except for knowing the great loss our Pastor must walk through. So, I pray for him as I pray for our current Pastor at the same time. His precious father also died a different kind of death. One we Jewish believers find far too often in our experience as we pray and pray for the soul of our loved one, and speak as we are able and then they go…and we weep in a different way. These two went in the same week: loved ones of my beloved Pastors, men of God whom I have been blessed with and whose loved ones I prayed for. Two kinds of prayer. How to reconcile it and pray for them in the same breath.

And in the same week two plain old worldly Israeli entertainers also died. Both of these were people who grew up with the country (now 65 years old) and delighted, encouraged and united people. One made it laugh when it wanted to cry, and one gently sang to it of the dreams and hopes of this collective nation. I have never cared much about entertainment but it touched me to me to see how there was a collective grief as if someone close had died and people cried publically. So this I was bade: to enter in to an assortment of grief and ask Him how to partake and comfort. To witness grief without it touching you…well…that just doesn’t happen.

Larissa is another secretary with whom I work. I have already told you about Mali and I know of several of you who are praying for her, and now it’s time to add Larissa. She is all of 22 and greatly feeling the absence of my own children, I have really grown to love these two young women. Both know that I’m a believer and I have shared a bit as each one would receive. So Larissa asked me to go to the Israel Museum with her on our mutual day off. It sounded great and I accepted, knowing full well I would groan as the day approached, but I felt it was right and went.

I had been praying for an opportunity to share more with her. I had taught her to knit and she is preparing to go to art school and had been very interested in my past before Him, my hippie life. It was fun being at the museum with her and she came back to our apartment for lunch and to see photos of my old art work and what I looked like as a hippie. As I shared with her about the snares of hippidom, the right opportunity seemed to arise to share my testimony with her. I asked her to stop me if she didn’t want to hear anymore, but she didn’t stop me.

What happened afterward broke my heart though. I didn’t know that when she was younger she had gone to a girl’s yeshiva (seminary) and had received teaching AGAINST the gospel. She began by telling me that faith was good, but it didn’t matter what you believed in. By this time it was 5 PM and we had been together since 10 AM. I was tired and she had 22 year old adrenalin. Her challenges were theological, religious and philosophical and I could not express answers. My heart nearly broke. I was NOT instant, in season and out of season. I was tired. It all seemed like seed scattered by the wayside. But I do know that even now – or years from now – The Holy Spirit can take those seeds seemingly scattered and cause them to bare fruit for His kingdom.

Should any of you have room on your prayer list and should The Holy Spirit bring her to mind, would you please remember Larissa in prayer?

Soon after I was saved I went to visit my parents who then were living in a Jewish neighborhood in Florida. It very suddenly occurred to me that there was literally NO one in their lives who might be burdened to pray for them. I suddenly realized that so it was with most Jewish people who were rarely in contact with gentiles. The realization of that added weight to the burden that I had for them.

One reason, I suspect, that I had been saved, was that being way out there in the world, I had brushed shoulders with many gentiles who were really believers who PRAYED FOR ME. Thank You Lord! Now I live in a nation where I am surrounded by people who may walk through their entire lives and never meet a believer. But I am so thankful God is NOT limited by our prayers or lack of them. That makes our responsibility also a privilege to join with His Heart in such a hidden way.

Our apartment saga continues to be a bigger and bigger battle. Our landlady has had an offer (too low) and daily she is bringing people through the apartment. I have begun to peruse the local web site – yad 2 – for an apartment. It is all in Hebrew but I know key words. I enter our requirements and press “search” and get a daily list of what is available. I have, by faith, raised our maximum rent level, but the results are still slim.

We have a few limitations. My husband’s business as a self employed hair dresser is in this neighborhood. His personality is such that he would NOT be able to tolerate the travel to and from work as I do. So we are looking at this or a nearby neighborhood. My knees are giving me trouble so I am asking for ground floor. My one requirement is quiet. I don’t tolerate noise well at all.

Last night we went to look at an apartment at the top of our “by faith” maximum rent parameter, but aside from the higher rent, all else SOUNDED good. The size was right and the location was very near. The landlady wanted to rent to an older couple, pets allowed, long term lease. Perfect! It was pretty run down, but not much more then this one. Thus there was potential, but the 1^st floor was 20 steep steps up, and the windows all opened onto the main street facing the train. The noise level was HIGH. It is also – like this one – a cold water flat and there is no heat. I am sharing this to ask for prayer that we will be led without too much more stress to His choice for us, and that WHATEVER His choice is, we will be satisfied. I so want this victory in my spirit. Thanks.

And so, with this move stretched out before us, our daughter is due to have our new baby on 8 Jan. I have begun praying about going to help out for 7 to 10 days in mid January. What do you think? I am concerned about my husband here alone for that long. Even one day is a struggle for him. And there is the question of being given our notice to move while I am gone and then there is my boss. So with all of this doubt and unbelief plaguing me, I am lifting up my shield of faith and asking to be able to be with our daughter to help a bit and to visit our Children and Grandchildren and to hold and (silently) PRAY over our new Granddaughter. And I PRAY to also see some of you beloved old friends from California. It has been SO many years and my love for you has grown and not dimmed. I don’t know how we can make it work, but will you pray with me? I don’t want to MAKE it work…if it is His will that I go, then I know He will open all of the doors and make the way clear to meet you dear friends.

Although I try to refrain from speaking about the situation here, I would be happy to forward to anyone interested what I consider to be good and accurate articles that come my way. Please feel free to ask if you would like to read concerning Egypt, Iran, Syria or any of the surrounding nations and their situations and how it affects us. There has been an alarming escalation of weapons fire aimed at our border soldiers along the North, from Syria over the past couple of days. Rhetoric is hot and heavy on every border and the momentum seems to be increasing daily. It FEELS as if we are sitting on a time bomb, but you have heard that from me many times over the years. Temple Mount has been closed several times over the past few days due to stone throwing. There just seems to be ‘rumblings and grumblings’ everywhere.

So will we finally turn our eyes upward? Will we, as a nation and as a people called out and chosen to follow The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, finally begin to hunger for The Word and let HIM interpret it to us instead of man and OBEY Him?

The other day as I was reading His Word and was overcome with sadness thinking of what we could have been if our forefathers would have just have simply done what He said. Obeyed Him? Followed Him? Is that what heaven will be like? And those of us who love Him, can we REALLY DO that here and now? Oh I long for that!

I am sure that you do too.

I miss you and apologize that these perhaps immature struggles have diverted me so much. May we who call upon Him set our sites and our hearts to be steadfastly gazing at Him alone. May our first love be rekindled and may He uncover all of our sins and harnesses’ that we might confess and forsake them, be forgiven and cleansed and walk in the Light as He is in the Light. May we glorify Him and finish the work.

I send you much much love,

Your sister J

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December 1, 2013 · 8:06 am

Inside Israel

Chanuka snuck up on us this year for sure, but what better time to celebrate miracles and Light then during trouble and darkness! Since we follow the Hebrew calendar here, which is a lunar calendar, the dates of the holidays fluctuate when compared to Western calendars. This year it is very early and will not coincide with the celebration of the birth of Yeshua, but with the American holiday of Thanksgiving, a rare occurrence.

The approach of Chanuka here is signaled in a number of ways. Some of our street lights are strung with blue lights and the 8 branched chanukiah or Chanuka menorah. The Lamp stood in the temple and was designed by God Himself, (and is now the true symbol of Israel AND of The Holy Spirit) is called the menorah and has 7 branches.

The one in the center raised above the others with three on either side. The chanukiah or Chanuka menorah (the word menorah in Hebrew means lamp) often looks like the temple Menorah but has NINE branches, 4 to the left and 4 to the right of the raised center one which is called the shamas or the servant light. This one is used to light the others with one added each night. For example on Wed. night we will light the shamas and with him we will light the first candle all the way on the right. Thurs night will be the shamas and TWO candles all the way to the right and so on. Every house has at least one Chanukiah, they are in shop windows and huge ones are on street corners and in public areas. And of course there are appropriate songs.

Although the Chanukiah is the main symbol of Chanuka there are other signs as well…foods. Even before the lights went up around town, the soufganiot – a form of diet-destroying doughnut – appeared in all of the shops. The traditional soufganiot is a deep fried soft fluffy doughnut filled with jam and topped with powdered sugar, but over the past few years the traditional gut buster has made way for an elaborate assortment of flavors and designs. It seems that once the tradition is broken, the sky is the limit.

Deep fried potato pancakes called latkes, often topped with apple sauce, are also a traditional food. The symbolism here is all in the oil because the miracle of Chanuka is found in the multiplication of the oil for the burning of the temple lamp – one day’s worth of oil burned for eight days until clean oil could be properly prepared. So, we eat tons of oil.

Foil covered chocolate coins (called Chanuka gelt) have replaced the giving of coins as gifts to the children, and the ancient game of dreidel is still played by the spinning of a specially designed top inscribed with Hebrew letters ‫נ -ג -ה –פ nun, gimil, hey, pay – to represent the words nes – miracle, gadol – big, hiyah – happened, poh-here or a great miracle happened here. And of course, that is what Chanuka is all about.

The modern celebration of Chanuka is a half-holiday and is considered a children’s and family holiday. Small gifts are given to the children (who are on holiday from school) and there are plays and fun activities, museums and events taking place daily all around the country. People still work as it is not a Biblically commanded holiday, but there is a festive air everywhere.

We know that Yeshua observed Chanuka, as was recorded in John 10:22,23 – the time when THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD walked in the temple, still unrecognized, among the lamps representing the miracle of the multiplication of Light. isn’t He wonderful?

Since this is the second Chanuka for us without our children and Grandchildren, it is important for me to help my husband battle the depression which settles over him from time to time. This is an intense time of year for his battles. As I look to The Lord for ways to surprise him with joy, American Thanksgiving presented an opportunity to gather friends from America around our table. That is rapidly developing into a day I pray will be filled with His Light and Thanksgiving and encourage my husband in particular.

When we first arrived more then 19 years ago, to buy a whole turkey was UNHEARD of. I have written at length about that often in the past: how groups of people would gather around my shopping basket in wonder, full of questions and OF COURSE comments and opinions, like, “NO one could eat all of THAT and who in the world has such a BIG OVEN to cook it in? You are C-R-A-Z-Y!”

It HAS been funny! But now, there has been an increasing aliyah from N. America over the past 5 years or so and the butchers have become educated to the art of having whole turkeys occasionally. It is funny how PROUD they look to share their newfound knowledge. “Ahhhh! Yes! A whole TURKEY! AMERICAN!”

The last time that I wrote, I surprised myself by writing about beggars, and so I have an addendum. On Sunday I was approached by a young religious woman in her 30s. I could see right away she was for real. She asked if I could spare any money for food. I told her that I would and listened to what The Lord urged which was a fairly large sum. I asked her what the problem was and she said with very sad eyes there was no money but that was the least of their problems. As I gave her the money I knew I had to add, “I will pray for you but you must know one thing. I give this gift and prayer in The Name of Yeshua.”

I do NOT usually say this. She stepped back and threw the money at me and said, “I will have NOTHING in The Name of Yeshua!” She ran off. It saddened my heart she was so against His Name that she would not receive either the help nor the comfort He so freely gives, but I was the same way. So I ask for prayer for this nameless young woman in need – He indeed knows her name and her heart and can meet her where she is as He can meet all of our loved ones for whom we ache and pray.

Ok. I must go, but I do not write these things ignorant or ambivalent concerning the intense world events swirling around us. Persia, Syria, Egypt, ancient names are raising their heads and are being granted last days power and being placed in strategic places. I watch with The Word open. I remember the vivid dream I had in 1988 concerning Persia that I am more certain daily was from The Lord as it all unfolds and we are called to watch and pray. May we be found FAITHFUL and NOT trying to sort it all out in our own minds with our own reason. Not my might, not by power and not by humanism, but BY HIS SPIRIT ALONE may we walk before Him in the only Peace available on earth these days…as living and multiplied, thankful LIGHT.

I need to tell you…I love you brothers and sisters. (yes, I’m mushy)

Last addition: (thank you for asking, caring, praying, loving) Our younger daughter lives in a small apartment close to our older daughter in the bay area of California near San Francisco. Their Baby Girl is due January 8 and her health is holding it’s own. Thank You Lord! It does not look as if we will be there.

Several have asked if we are considering moving back. Although our hearts would, there is no doubt that He moved us here. That isn’t an option. Our older daughter, a doula (birth assistant) plans to help at the birth. Our Grandchildren appear to be doing better. Where as our landlady WAS showing our apartment at least 10 times a week, there has been no one to see it for the past 3 weeks. We feel that she is likely asking way too much for an apartment in this poor condition: answered prayer. Although this DOESN’T mean: Yay! We get to stay,” my husband decided we will stop looking for another apartment until we get the 3 months notice. The future is unsure to us but sure to Him.

I am at peace today,

Your sister J

If you are interested on learning more about Chanuka (or Hanukkah), click here.

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November 17, 2013 · 10:35 am

Inside Israel

Greetings, my brothers and sisters in the precious body of The Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua h’meshiach. May HE, our Head, be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and encouraged.

…In every place where I record My Name I will come to you and bless you.” Exodus 20:24

Over the years I’ve come to understand that we often use different words to describe much the same experience. A Word can be quickened to us, jump out at us, be a rhema word to our heart, be made alive to us, but in any framework, the written Word becomes living Word and our faith is encouraged. So it was for me one day last week when the above Word put my heart to rest, yoked me to Him and encouraged me to no end. He is just so good!

Somewhere He has recorded His Name and that will be our next home. Period. End of the matter. Have we found it yet? No, but HE has and He will lead us to it at just the right moment. Thank you for your prayers.

As I listen to the planes overhead marking the arrival of the President of France, I’m tempted to write about ‘the situation’ in Israel; things surrounding us from our perspective concerning Persia (Biblical Iran), the ‘peace’ negotiations, and other BIG issues calling us continually to our knees.

HOWEVER…

I will resist. You can ask questions and I can do my best to answer or to point you to those who are called to write about these things with greater authority and clarity. I DEFINITELY have my opinions and views. He has made it clear to me that is not what HE wants me to write about today. Today I will be sharing, again, about our beggars.

Beggars in the Middle East are a unique group of people and I have come to understand them with far more depth then I did 19 years ago, when I deposited my money in every cup and listened to every story, praying with some. Oh, I still deposit my money (excuse me, HIS money) in cups and still pray with some, but this is a colorful group of professional people and I thought that you might like a peek inside.

Begging is considered a profession here. Perhaps not the most noble of professions, but a profession nonetheless. I have heard it excused as a very important and necessary profession, since it makes righteous people. “What?” you might ask. “Exactly how does that work?”

Well, the word for righteous in Hebrew is tsadik. When you give charity (which is one of the commands or mitzvot, in Scripture and very foundational in Judaism) this is called giving tsadakka (or the work or fruit of the righteous). So? When a beggar nudges you and reminds you that you need to give to him, he is indirectly making you righteous. Isn’t logic a wonderful thing? I wonder how often each of us rationalize some act in a similar way that would make The Lord sort of shake His Head (figuratively) with wonder.

AT ANY RATE, I have come to know some of the local beggars quite well. The first one that contributed to my education I met a full 19 years ago. He (an Israeli Arab) was sitting near the Old City with a pathetically grotesque looking leg, full of infection, swollen, filthy and covered with bandages. When I asked him if I could help, he told me that tomorrow he was going to have this gangrenous leg amputated in Bet Lechem (Bethlehem). He still needed so much money to pay for his operation. At that time, Beit Lechem was still part of Israel (before our last set of peace agreements). I said, “But aren’t you an Israeli Arab? Doesn’t the kupot holim (national health insurance) cover it?” I don’t remember his answer, but it DID fluster him for a moment.

His leg smelled so bad. I gave him 100 shekels and prayed for him in the street, laying hands on him and praying for his healing. What a QUICK answer to prayer! It was just a couple of days later that I saw him walking into a store. The plastic leg slung over his shoulder. It was a costume! Surely he could have been a good actor or artist or perhaps this is street art. In case you are wondering, he is in very good health, I see him almost daily, no longer near the old city but on King George Street. He’s given up the rotten leg game, but he is still begging. He’s younger then I am and quite able bodied.

There was a Bedouin lady with crutches sitting on the street as well back when we came and I often gave her money. She now sits there dressed as a religious Jewish lady instead as she begs. There are the really pathetic looking young Moslem mothers (deserted and unwed) who have been sitting outside of the Old City gates also for years. They hold equally pathetic looking babies. Over the years I have noticed that once a baby reaches a certain age they just get a different one. Very effective.

There are plenty of Jewish beggars too. Many old ladies wait at the Western Wall for money. That way, right before or after a person prays there, they can demonstrate their righteousness by giving. There is a fair line up at the entrances to the shuk, each with their own story. Some are legitimate, some are not.

One morning I watched a little old lady go up to a very fancy limousine and dump out her money into a bag extended by an arm, sort of the opposite of drive in banking. But as I said, they are doing society a service by teaching us to give.

I do have my regular beggar. He has become expensive, but has been a subject of much prayer for me as well. He comes to my work every Friday and his name is Mohammed. He’s my age and he is sort of simple. We verified this when we tried to find him a job and no one would hire him for ANYTHING! “Not Mohammed! He can’t do a THING right!” they would say)

Whatever I gave him was never enough. “What? Just this? We have no bread!!” he would say indignantly.

I tested him one day and brought sacks full of food, with plenty of bread making ingredients included. He was thrilled! He rifled through them and again there was that indignant voice: “What? No MEAT? We need MEAT!”

I sighed. “Mohammed! MY family doesn’t eat meat! We can’t afford it!”

Once again his defeated look appeared as if to say: “You don’t understand! You are starving me!”

He brought me his children. “Now you give Mahmud some money.” He was teaching his son the family trade!

I turned to Mahmud. “Why aren’t you in school?” I asked.

“I will mop your floor,” he answered.

“No, no! You are Israeli, right? What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor? President?”

He looked puzzled. “I will mop your floor,” he repeated.

I took on Mahmud as a project. I slipped Bibles and Bible story books in Arabic into sacks of food. Every time I saw him I encouraged him that he could be whatever he wanted to be and guess what? He is in university in Jordan! Of course, that is a BIG burden on Mohammed, who needs more money!

Over the years we have agreed on 20 shekels a week with no complaining. I taught him to say “thank you” and we shake hands. He has begun bringing vegetables and gives me a few as I hand him the money. It has brought some pride to him. I am also glad for that. It is funny how we have grown close over the years. I pray for them and am concerned for them and I see that he is also honestly concerned for me, and not just the money. We have an interesting relationship.

Yeshua told me in Luke 6:30 “Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again.”

It was Mohammed who brought me to my knees concerning this verse. “Lord! If I obey this verse, I will be giving to the countless that line the street – some for drugs, some for alcohol… or I will be giving everyone 10 agarot (about 2.5 pennies) to soothe my conscience or I will be avoiding them all together! How do I obey this verse?’

He brought to my attention where the verse tells me to give to everyone who ASKS of me, not everyone who is lining the street begging. I began to notice that some people do come up and ASK of me and I prayed that The Lord would send me those He wanted to and keep away those who would use HIS money for other devices. He has been faithful. Isn’t The Holy Spirit wonderful?

So, there you have “Beggars of Jerusalem 101,” the introductory course. God is so creative. He is only Good.

Thank you for praying for our family over the years. Some of you may remember that beginning with the American holiday of Thanksgiving, my husband usually has a hard time. Well…this year appears no different – perhaps a bit early. The reality of all of our children and Grandchildren being gone becomes too heavy for him at times and he despairs. If he comes to mind, please keep him in prayer? Also our younger daughter’s due date for first Baby is 8 Jan. She still does not have health insurance. She is very dyslexic and is having a hard time filling out the paperwork for Medical. She and her husband live very near to our older daughter and family and our older daughter is a doula (birth assistant) and does plan to help with the birth, but younger daughter is far from a picture of health. I have found myself praying specifically that she would have an easy, blessed birth with no complications. She has asked for prayer that Baby will not be dyslexic or prone to depression (as she has been). That is a request from her and you may remember that they are NOT walking with The Lord. Her husband has not yet ever known Him.

And THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR THIS NATION AND PEOPLE; FOR HIS PERFECT PLAN…FOR HIM TO BE SEEN AND GLORIFIED…FOR THE FULLFILLMENT OF HIS WORD AND PURPOSE THAT THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW SALVATION, LORD! POUR OUT YOUR SPIRIT!

Lovingly,

your sis J

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Filed under Christianity, Church, Israel, Jerusalem, Prophecy

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Gifts of the Spirit, Israel, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Prophecy

November 3, 2013 · 8:51 am

Inside Israel

Shalom dear sisters and brothers. May you be blessed and edified, and may Yeshua h’meshiach be blessed and glorified, lifted up and exalted for Who He Is.

I have been silent because The Lord has been dealing with my heart. Although I am still waiting for “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” to really be evidenced, I still want to thank Him openly for the victory that will come because He Who IS the Author of my faith is ALSO the Finisher of that faith. In His faithfulness, it is simple ‘faith’, the very foundation of where we stand it Him and how we live, that has been lacking in me. He is so incredibly FAITHFUL to expose our sins when we are His and that is such a wonderful gift. Because then we can repent and be restored and wait for Him to show us the way into His victory, but you know all of this.

Don’t you just love the intricate way in which The Lord works in the secret places of the heart? I mentioned in my last email that I was ill. Both my blood (white blood cells) and liver failed suddenly and I was in a great deal of pain. He got my attention. I was looking in the other direction, so it took a lot to quiet me down before Him.

In the midst of the week I spent in bed I had a very vivid dream. In fact, I jumped out of bed praising The Lord with great joy. Yet strangely, I had chest pains at the same time. Let me explain: I dreamt that I walked down a small quiet alley looking for a place to rent. I met a patient from my work that I know lives in a lovely home and I said, “Marion, we need to move and I wonder if you know of a place for rent?”

As I said that, she waved her hand and said , “I have been looking all over for you. I want you to rent my house. I am alone and don’t need it. I just want a small room up north and you are perfect for it. It has 4 bed rooms, 3 bathrooms, lots of windows, and a big garden and it is just too much for me.”

I said, “Oh Marion, it sounds lovely, but we need to pay a very low rent…”

She said, “Never mind! How does 2,500shekels sound? If that is too high I will lower it.” (That is a ridiculously low rent and a place as described in my dream would begin at 10,000 shekels per month.)

My heart danced and I began to praise The Lord. As I walked back to the main street, there was a large sheep there and I ran to it, but as I got close I saw that it was nearly dead and very mangy so I didn’t touch it. Just beyond it I saw a second lovely sheep, but again as I approached, I saw that it was sickly and near death. Finally there was a third, decorated and looking lovely, but once again, I saw that it was sick and near death. That is when I woke up.

And that is when The Lord began dealing with me. As I went to prayer, thanking Him again that He has the place for us; I became more and more puzzled about the 3 sheep. I began to think about how the children of Israel cried in the wilderness for meat and He sent them quail, but leanness to their souls. That scripture always sends chills down my spine and I have prayed for years I wouldn’t desire things that might bring leanness to my soul and here it was in my face. I WAS NOT WALKING BY FAITH TOWARD THIS MOVE and TOWARD HIS PROVISION OF A HOME.

I remembered another time, many years ago, that He exposed my deceitful heart. I have always HATED flying. It scared me to death. Well, that isn’t too good when you live in rural Alaska and there is NO way in or out of your village except by air, often in a small plane and even more often, in severe weather. I battled and battled and read the Word and prayed and repented, but there they were every time − sweaty hands and a pounding heart.

One day we were in an AWFUL storm in a small plane bouncing all over the sky and I was absolutely silent inside. No sweaty hands, nothing. I told The Lord I wasn’t afraid to die in this storm and began to thank The Lord for the victory. This time He spoke to me LOUDLY, over the roar of the storm and said, “This isn’t faith, this is resignation and that is NOT faith. It is a counterfeit. You still want to be in control and you still are not trusting Me that when I tell you to go somewhere I will get you there.”

Oh boy! He hit the nail on the head. A line in Isaiah 22:23 always brings a picture to my mind of this type of work that The Lord does in our hearts: “And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place…”

True faith is that sure place in my way of thinking and I am so good at making my flesh LOOK spiritual. Yet it is NOT a sure place and it WON’T hold the nail firmly, but will crumble when any weight is put on it.

So how GOOD is The Lord to expose these areas that could lead so far astray.

After this incident, my blood tests immediately began to return to normal and my doctor said, “Huh, looks as if it was an acute attack of lupus (which I THOUGHT that I was healed from). You must be under too much pressure.” (Sin will do that!)

So, there you have it. I’m still struggling concerning the situation about our housing, but I’m struggling TOWARD Him and I do want His provision alone.

One of the things that we have to look at with this move is TRANSPORTATION. I have learned to deal with the long battle on train and buses to get home from work, but my husband works a block from where we live now, and he is not willing to battle his way to work and back.

And speaking of transportation, I had a shady experience on Friday morning when I got aboard the train and my monthly pass registered: RED. That means not valid. “Wait I said to myself, “I have a hofshi hodshi (monthly pass) so it CAN’T be red.” Suddenly it hit me, “Aargh! Today is 1 Nov! I didn’t get a new pass. UH OH!”

Once you board the train there is no way to purchase a ticket, and should an inspector be coming through you are slapped with 180shekel fine. Now, there are many cheats who ride the train that try to get away with it, but I serve The Living God and I answer to Him. What to do? If I were to get off the train and load my card, I would miss prayer meeting. So, I asked The Lord to guard me and kept riding, thankfully to prayer meeting without a ticket.

It felt wonderful to buy my pass an hour later because I did NOT like that guilty feeling. I was so thankful that through His Precious Blood we can be free from all guilt. Being Israeli, it is hard to dodge guilty feelings. All you have to do is turn on the news and there it is again. It leaves you wordless and would leave you hopeless IF you didn’t know the scriptures and believe He is faithful and His promises are true.

Last week, as a good will gesture, our allies insisted Israel jumpstart the peace talks. I do NOT know what that means, but still, Israel released 26 more prisoners. These were NOT like the prisoners released in the past. ALL of these had murdered Israelis. They were all murderers. I’m NOT speaking of people in a gun battle with soldiers, but I am speaking of people who entered homes and slew sleeping families. This was incredibly painful for the entire country, but even more painful was to watch the celebrations at their return. They were honored as war heroes, given a grant of several thousand US dollars each and also a pension of more then $1000 USD monthly to recognize their service to their people, this is from the destitute Palestinian govt.

Abbas then promised all of his people there would Be NO peace agreement signed until EVERY Palestinian was released. I am naïve because I really did expect some outrage from the rest of the world, at least from our allies.

What DID illicit outrage however was our announcement the following day that we would be building more apartments and a park in our neighborhoods. For this, we were censored and accused of sabotaging the peace process. A grievous speech was made by the leader of South Africa in favor of their Palestinian friends which so distorted fact and history, there was just no reply which could be made.

I found it hard being a Jew as a young person and I see it is hard to be an Israeli. There is a constant bombardment of words designed to make this nation and people feel guilty for even living. BUT, there is a Book of WORDS, which tells us why and how we MUST live. It explains WHY the battle is so incredibly intense and filled with hatred. As the world grows darker, I KNOW I am not the only one The Lord is refining with added intensity and purpose. The lessons are both harder and more exacting, wouldn’t you say? Right now I need to learn what His Faith is and I THOUGHT I knew it. I see that I still walked in the shadow and He will no longer allow me to.

This nation is choosing daily on level after level and the day will soon come when we will REALLY choose if we are willing finally once and for all to stand alone and look to God ONLY for our very survival.

Thank you for standing with us as a nation and people AS THE LORD PRESCRIBES IN HIS WORD. Thank you for standing with us as a very imperfect family, but part of HIS body.

AND PRAYER WAS ANSWERED. OUR YOUNGER PREGNANT DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND HAVE GOTTEN THEIR FIRST TINY LITTLE APARTMENT AND HAVE MOVED OUT OF THEIR SISTER’S HOME. They are 5 blocks away and thrilled to finally be living in a place they are not sharing with anyone else. So now all of our children and Grandchildren are in the Bay Area of California for now, until they come home. Thank you for praying for salvation.

I send my love,

your sis J

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Filed under Christianity, Church, God, Israel, Jerusalem, jesus, Kingdom of God, Prayer

Tagged as Christianity, Church, Israel, Jerusalem, Kingdom of God, Prophecy