Category Archives: Kingdom of God

January 5, 2014 · 9:31 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 …

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 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 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 22, 2013 · 12:20 pm

Chickens are $11 and Goats are $70

Most of us give Christmas gifts to family and friends who will then give us gifts in return. It’s a holiday tradition, which I enjoy.

But here’s a thought: consider giving a gift to someone who will never be able to repay you and probably won’t be able to even pronounce your name. Yet, the gift may change his or her life forever.

Consider giving a gift through Gospel For Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. Over 100,000 people have done so…why not you?

If interested, check it out here.

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November 8, 2013 · 4:12 pm

The Picture That Still Bothers Me

The above picture of the little Dalit girl going through garbage has bothered me more than any other one I’ve ever used on my blog. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you’ll discover the background is probably her home. The bamboo posts most likely hold up a plastic or canvas cover, which shelters her family.

If this photo bothers me, what do you think it does to my heavenly Father?

Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope ministry reaches children like this with the love of Christ. So far, more than 60,000 children have been helped and thousands of families have found faith in Christ as a result.

If you’re interested, it only takes $35 a month to give a child everything they need—school supplies, a daily meal, medical checkups and more. You can check it out here.

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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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November 1, 2013 · 7:53 am

Feel Like Praying?

The children of South Asia are among the most vulnerable in the world. The United Nations estimates that 1 million Asian children are traded every single day. In India alone, 45,000 children are reported missing each year. Thousands more are missing, but their families have not reported their absence to authorities.

The majority of these missing children come from Dalit (“Untouchable”) families, from tribal areas or from families that live in extreme poverty.

Children in South Asia go missing for many reasons. Some are abducted by strangers and put into forced labor. Others are trafficked or exploited in the sex trade or sold to other families to work as domestic help. Some missing children have simply run away from home or were forced to leave home because of difficult circumstances, such as the death of a parent or the introduction of a stepparent into the household.

India has the largest population of poor and vulnerable children of any country in the world. Nearly 44 million children live on the street as beggars. Millions are orphans. Others may be the children of migrant workers, commercial sex workers or prisoners. Thousands are also child soldiers who have been forced into armed conflict.

Sadly, there are many waiting to exploit these vulnerable children. One of the most common ways children are misused is by being forced into the adult workforce. India has some 13 million children younger than 15 in its workforce—more than any other country in the world. Some estimate that the real number of child laborers is close to 100 million. That’s about five times the population of the state of New York.

How to Pray for Them
Even though these children’s parents may not know where they are, their Heavenly Father knows them and cares for them. The following list describes some of their prayer needs:

Pray for the children to be rescued, reunited and accepted back into their families.
Pray for Gospel For Asia-supported missionaries and workers who reach out specifically to the runaway children, especially those who try to rescue the thousands of street children in Delhi.
Pray for the physical needs of the children. Most do not get enough to eat, and the physical labor they are forced to do can cripple their young bodies. Pray for the Lord to provide for them and protect them from harm.
Pray for the girls—and boys—forced to work in the sex trade. Ask the Lord to bring the brothel owners’ and customers’ misdeeds into the spotlight and for the love of Jesus to permeate those dark places.
Pray for a radical attitude shift in South Asian society so that citizens of these countries will demand an end to the exploitation of children.
Pray for more sponsors of Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope Program.

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October 25, 2013 · 3:50 pm

Update on Cyclone Phailin

Rains continue to batter the countryside of India in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin, as hundreds of thousands of families find themselves displaced and without electricity. Recently, a Gospel For Asia Compassion Services team was able to travel to one of the districts in Odisha that was the most affected by the cyclone. They provided relief materials to 440 families.

Pleaser pray for these people who have suffered so much and if you can, pray about helping them with financial offerings. You can check it out at Gospel For Asia Cyclone Phailin.

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October 20, 2013 · 2:22 am

Inside Israel

I was very naive when we made aliyah (immigrated to Israel), and so it surprised me how incredibly many things were different from what I was used to. The small and intricate, basic workings of simple tasks were different, and one that had struck my culture-shocked self right away as unnecessary was the fact that I had been spoiled by the ease with which western medicine was distributed. Of course, there we would receive a huge bill, where as here it is considered a right.

However, it didn’t make sense to me that when I was feeling so ill, first I would have to go to the doctor. Next, I would have to travel in the other direction to the lab. Then back across town the other way to do an x-ray. “Why couldn’t it all be neatly in the same building?” I complained. Thankfully, I now both understand our system and why it is this way, AND have accepted the grace of the light yoke to not complain about these very small inconveniences.

So, this week, although it was physically necessary to take a taxi several times due to lack of any strength, when I could take the bus and train, I did, I noticed something. Some of you who have read these letters over the years may remember me speaking about the ways of mentally handicapped people on the buses. Mentally handicapped (and otherwise handicapped) people are treated very differently here then in my past experience. They are mainstreamed (even in the army where possible) and, rather then people looking at them with any measure of pity or embarrassment, they are sort of everyone’s children.

Anyway, I won’t repeat some of the poignant stories right now, but as I got on the bus, a rather raucous man sitting behind the bus driver was bouncing up and down in his seat and saying, “No more news! Get some nice music on the radio! No more news!”

I smiled as the driver reached up to his radio, smiling in the mirror at the man of about 40 with somewhat exaggerated and unkempt features, continued to direct him and bounce up and down in his seat. “Turn it to GLAGALITZ (army radio)! Oh, there you go. That’s nice music! I don’t want anymore news!” He had picked some quiet music and the driver turned it up loudly for him. He turned around to smile at everyone in the bus and everyone smiled back at him and assured him that he had chosen very nice music indeed.

Since I had missed a week of work already by this time I had a fresh eye for remembering the specialness of these moments, and it occurred to me: I DON’T SEE THESE PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN. Very rarely do I ever see them there and it hit me: on the train, there is nothing personal and no driver. Unless they ride with the same people every morning, who will tell them when to get off or take them home if they forget their stop? On my way to work there is a regular crowd of about 10 or so people who seem to work at the same sheltered job, and I enjoy watching the daily care and interchange.

Continuing on my way to the lab, I was thankful that it is right near the shuk, as our food supply had run low while I lay in bed. I got off in front of the bakery where I planned to buy bread. Those of you who have been here have all commented about how blessed we are to have such an abundance of great bakeries, and you are right. I recently found a tiny place that sells excellent home made 100% rye bread, straight from their stone oven, so I thought I would stop by as it was along my path. I looked toward it and there was a line in front as the owner was JUST pulling up his metal covering (not a door…just seals off his space).

This seemed odd to me as it was already after 9:30 and they are usually open around 6 or 7am. I joined the elderly crowd, mostly Russian, and I propped my weak body against the counter listening to the colorful conversation. As I did I had some time to observe this very unique bakery and to be there in time to witness a rare treat. This bakery is a Bokhara bakery. Now here we open a fascinating chapter because there is a Bokhara neighborhood in Jerusalem – a wonderfully mysterious old neighborhood. A very mysterious, colorful history, but I am speaking about the bakery now and if you want to glimpse a bit take a look at here or here.

But back to the tiny bakery which consists of a kiln oven in the wall, a Persian Uzbekistani painting on the rest of the wall, and perhaps a 5 feet long counter and a table. The whole space is probably 5 feet by 10 feet. As I watched, the man cracked open the oven and I looked inside at a rounded clay oven perhaps 5 feet high, 4 feet wide and 8 feet deep. Wood fueled flames licked up the sides between clay bricks, and the man threw cup after cup of water into the oven, on to the breads as well, all around putting out the fire and sending up clouds of steam. I saw my rye breads between bricks (no pans needed, the bricks are the pans) but before he deftly pulled them out with towels, he got a long wooden pallet as I had seen used in other stone ovens and the pita ovens, and, and he scooped the unusually shaped breads from all across the walls and ceiling, where the dough had been placed the night before. He put my hot rye bread in a bag and I handed him my 10 shekels, well spent. Come and visit and I will take you to this shop. Even as I was in pain and weak, I was thankful to have caught such a moment.

You know, the Lord is just so incredibly GOOD. I was lying there in a great deal of pain and there was temptation to be discouraged. Yes, I gave in and had a pity party for awhile and then repented, but some of the things that I remembered and thanked Him for were rare moments that I have had that He made to delight my heart.

I know that you have had them too, and sometimes, we miss them, so perhaps it’s good to be reminded to look for them. I have always loved animals and He has spoken to me much through His creation. Over the years He has allowed me to watch the rare entry into the bay of a pod of killer whales on the hunt, to have a bald eagle hover by my window just a few feet from my face, to watch Alaska grizzly brown bears up close as they scavenged and played in our local dump, to pet a totally startled wild hyena, which I mistook for a strange looking huge dog while walking to work at dawn on a cloudy morning, to watch herds of elk and caribou up close and mountain rams fight on a mountain top, to live under the northern lights, to have a pony and ducks and run with wild dogs in the hills, and well, the list went on. I was soon weeping with thanksgiving, that a God, MY GOD, Who knows me so intimately, cared enough to bless me with all of these- well hundreds of spontaneous blessings − small details that He KNEW would delight my particular heart.

And now I can add watching Bokhara bread appear from a stone oven as a token of love from God Who comforts us all along the way.

This is the very same God Who knows we need housing, and will open and provide the way and the same God Who knows of your most secret need.

I have also been hearing the rumblings of planes as I lay at home sleepless. Several nights ago the planes continued to fly overhead for at least 10 minutes without stopping. They are preparedness flights, not the real thing. There has been much scoffing at our Prime Minister’s insistence to stand firm concerning Persia. He’s been called a paranoid warmonger and told that the world is tired of hearing him. Our Knesset just opened the winter session and I listened to the opening speeches. The opposition leader (Shelly Yakamovich of Labor for those who follow) mocked him and repeated the worldview to his face. “You have isolated us! We are just a small country and you are making us the fools in the eyes of the world. Everyone else is wrong, and only WE are right,” she mocked him.

I have caught just a glimpse of understanding the heart of God concerning COVENANT. It is not hard to understand, but WE BREAK THEM ALL THE TIME. HIS idea of Covenant is so far above my understanding that I can only bow to it. I have read through my Bible for the past few years with a notebook, particularly for making note of every promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the inheritance of their descendants to the land of Israel. I knew there were many, but I just didn’t expect to fill a notebook with promises.

My ray of light came during one reading of Gen 24:3-6. This is where Abraham has his servant put his hand under his master’s thigh and swear to find a wife for Isaac among his own people, the descendants of Shem (Noah’s son) and NOT to have him marry a wife from the people of the land of promise, namely from the Canaanites the sons of Noah’s son Ham. This was the son whom Noah cursed (Gen 9:25) Ishmael (AND Esau, by the way) took wives of the sons of Ham. GOD had chosen a seed and the enemy will do everything to rob that seed. GOD had a plan. The enemy had a plan. God still has a plan to work out and so does His (and our) enemy, and the challenge for me is STILL to always take His side and His view and His path, no matter HOW wrong it looks in the sight of the world.

Lord knows I could never do that on my own as the enemy would be oh so quick and happy to take advantage of my imaginative and sometimes extreme fleshly nature. God forbid that I would formulate opinions without the guidance of The Holy Spirit in these deceptive times. HOWEVER, JACOB, WHO HAD HIS PROMISES AND HIS COVENANT, LOOKED WITH HIS FLESH for the expected results when his sons stood up, not in a very compassionate manner, for the Covenant and plan of God.

And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

But that was NOT the result.

And guess what? That is just what the opposition is saying to Netanyahu. This is what the world is saying to Netanyahu. This is what Netanyahu has to stand against. We know that he believes the Old Testament (the Tenach and the Prophets) and studies it both alone, with Knesset members, family members and receives many believers (local and foreign) and values their advice as well. We continue to pray for Him to come through to receiving Messiah. But I’m seeing the responsibility that this man has to take that COVENANT before God and find out how to STAND in opposition to the entire world – mockery from within and without. May we see clearly to stand also with God’s Word by His Spirit.

Until next time, I send much love,

your sis J

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