Category Archives: Prophecy

January 27, 2016 · 7:06 pm

“Are We There Yet?” (Part 16)

“My best guess is that the Tribulation will begin in October 2017, during Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles),” said Chancey last night at our Hebraic Roots meeting. “This means the first seal will be opened, Israel will be deceived, and then sign a seven-year peace pact with the Antichrist. Sacrifices will begin at once in Jerusalem.”

Chauncey was just a teenager in 1978 when the Holy Spirit revealed to him the Church’s Pre-tribulation teachings were wrong. He has spent the last thirty-eight years studying end-time events and teaching his revelations to whomever would listen.

Let’s say Chauncey’s guess is correct and that he is also correct about the Church’s Pre-tribulation teachings being wrong, what does this mean for us?

It means that in 22 months the time clock for the Great Tribulation will begin for us believers. We will struggle and agonize through seven long years of tough times until eventually we are caught up in the air with Christ in the first Resurrection, which should happen on Yom Kippur, October 12, 2024.

Doesn’t the possibility of this happening just blow your mind?

It does mine.

Okay, do I believe Chauncey’s guess is correct about October 2017?

To be honest, it doesn’t matter to me because I will get up tomorrow morning and seek the Lord. He holds every second of my life in His hands. If he isn’t worried about the Tribulation, why should I?

But I do plan on emphasizing the Feasts in 2016 and studying the book of Revelation until I understand it better than I do now.

What about you?

(Continued in Part 17…if you’re interested in this Hebraic Roots series, all of it to date can be seen here.)

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January 26, 2016 · 5:26 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (1/26/2016)

Don Bosco Slum in Manila markpedder.wordpress.co

Don Bosco Slum in Manila
markpedder.wordpress.co

General Douglas MacArthur did something that is almost lost in history.  He knew Japan had been devastated and the people now saw that their emperor was not a god.  He was only a man.  A man who had been defeated.  What would replace emperor worship in the Japanese people?  MacArthur sent word back to the churches of America.

“Send missionaries,” he said, “and Bibles.”

Over the following five years, some 5000 missionaries from all different kinds of churches went to Japan. The land was flooded with millions of Bibles.  Looks like 5000 missionaries would be plenty.  However, in a land of 71 million, the number of missionaries would be a microscopic .0000704 percent, or only 1 missionary for every 14,200 people.  From 1945 to 1950 the Japanese people showed some interest in Christianity, but once their economy was rebuilt, and they began experiencing prosperity, it seemed they no longer saw a need.  A door of opportunity was briefly opened, but then neglected and ignored by people on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. (A Moment in History with Dr. Jeff Sanders)

Today, Japan has the third largest economy in the world, but even so, Evangelical Christianity totals less than 1% of the nation’s 128,000,000 people. The biggest problems are that the spiritual powers and principalities have not been challenged by the power of Jesus Christ, the One called Faithful and True, who in righteousness judges and makes war.

My prayer today:

Lord, raise up Davids in Japan who will run toward spiritual battles using the Word of the Lord as a sword to slay spiritual Goliaths and to set millions of prisoners free in Japan. (Based loosely on 1 Samuel 17:48)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

 Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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January 23, 2016 · 2:17 pm

“Prayer…Oh no! Has it Come Down to That?” (Part 2)

"Stöwer Titanic" by Willy Stöwer.

“Stöwer Titanic” by Willy Stöwer.

After watching the Lord heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons for two and half years, one of the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

We usually skip over the disciple’s words and go straight to the Lord’s answer, but what the disciple asked was a normal question for a noted Jewish rabbi or teacher. These leaders taught their disciples special prayers to pray. The one who asked was probably familiar with John’s style of prayers, even though none of them have survived for us today.

Jesus’ answer is now known as the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.] (Matthew 6:9-13 KJ)

Jewish theologians look at the Lord’s Prayer and nod their heads in agreement. What Jesus prayed was basic Judaism 101 of His day. Its first words –”Our Father in heaven” (Avinu sh’baShammayim) – open many Hebrew prayers. The next two lines recall the first portion of the synagogue prayer known as the Kaddish, which says, “Magnified and sanctified (Yitgadal v’yitkaaadash) be His great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will, and may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime…” (Taken from Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H.Stern, p. 32)

In our study of prayer, it is important to keep in mind our Hebraic roots.

(Continued in Part 3)

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January 22, 2016 · 4:26 pm

“Are We There Yet?” (Part 15)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! (2 Peter 3:10-12)

Most of us probably hope to see the Messiah return in our own lifetimes, but how can we hasten His return?

Peter goes on to mention that we should walk in godliness, keep our conduct holy, look forward to new heavens and new earth, making sure if the Lord returns today He will find us abiding in His peace, without spot or blemish. But yet, this still does not answer how we can hasten His return.

The Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern quoted an interesting answer for this question:

“Many of His true children are earnestly looking for the early return of our Lord, and they are putting forth every effort to hasten His coming. To all such we would say that there is no surer way of hastening this blessed fulfillment of His promise than by evangelizing the Jews. The reasons for this are many, but…of special interest here…[is that] it was only to the Jews that our Lord said in Matthew 23:39, ‘For I say unto you, ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Which, if we interpret Scripture aright, means to us that whenever the Jews as a nation accept Him as Lord and Savior, then He will come. And who does not long for His appearing? And who does not realize that unless He does soon appear, this world is doomed to a horrible cataclysm the like of which has not been duplicated in history.” (Joseph Hoffman Cohn, son of the founder of the American Board of Missions to Jews, written in 1921, quoted on p. 765 of Jewish New Testament Commentary)

We always have to remember Jesus is Jewish and the End-times revolve around the Jews and Israel.

(Continued in Part 16…if you’re interested in this Hebraic Roots series, all of it to date can be seen here.)

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January 20, 2016 · 10:05 am

“Prayer…Oh no! Has it Come Down to That?” (Part 1)

"Stöwer Titanic" by Willy Stöwer.

“Stöwer Titanic” by Willy Stöwer.

The Titanic’s bow was quickly sinking under the waves. Horns blared, wireless messages were sent, and rockets shot in the air. The ship was in desperate trouble.

As Captain E. J. Smith hurried along the main deck, a crowd of passengers yelled, “Captain? Captain?”

“Yes,” Captain Smith replied, stopping to face them.

“How does it look?” asked a gray haired man who stepped to the front of the group.

The captain shook his head. “It looks like we need to pray,” he whispered and turned, heading for the bridge.

“Oh no!” proclaimed another man. “Has it come down to that?”

Have you ever wondered why some believers get their prayers answered and others don’t? Is God partial? Does He have a lottery system whereby prayers are chosen at random to be answered by Him? Too bad if your prayers aren’t chosen, right?

Go to Amazon and type the word “prayer” on the search line for books. You will have 125,566 results to search through.

Or better yet, go to Google and type the same word on its search line. You will have 300,000,000 results.

It seems people have an interest in prayer, but why do so few people receive answers to their prayers?

Over the next few weeks, let’s study what the Bible says about prayer and look at real life experiences. Our goal is to see better results in our prayer lives.

(Continued in Part 2) 

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January 19, 2016 · 2:51 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (1/19/2016)

BASECO Slum in Manilla https://markpedder.wordpress.com

BASECO Slum in Manilla
https://markpedder.wordpress.com

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothersor your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14

There is no better way to invite the poor into your life than praying and fasting for the people of Asia.

My prayer for today:

Lord, I pray for Your hope to flood the prisons of North Korea so that the thousands of people held captive for their faith would see there are more for them than against them. (Based on 2 Kings 6:16)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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January 17, 2016 · 8:56 am

Inside Israel

The Shuk in Jerusalem

The Shuk in Jerusalem

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

Greetings dear, beloved brothers and sisters in Yeshua h’Meshiach, Jesus Christ. May The Lord be glorified and blessed, and may we hear in that day: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, enter into the joy of your Lord.”

 “We HAVE no stamps.”

That was the answer that I received at the Post Office this week when I asked for 6 stamps that would be appeal to my Grandchildren.  This happened after I had just paid the electric bill, the phone bill, and the water bill there.  Our Post Office is a far more multi-tasked operation then those in “my old country.”

It is a bank (postal bank) payment center, sales center, and so very many other things that I sadly don’t understand.  But STAMPS?  I mean, FIRST of all, it is the Post Office. Even here!

“What?” I asked, raising my eyebrows incredulously. “NO STAMPS?  What do you MEAN?  First the bank has no money and now the Post Office has no stamps?”

The poor postal clerk lowered his head.  “We’ll have them NEXT week, I hope.”  He spoke the last two words more quietly though, not giving me much confidence. “We ran out.”

I left the post office and the title of the classic book, “Brave New World,” came to mind.  I didn’t feel very brave at that moment.

Having read and mediated through Revelation many, many times in my now 41 years of walking with Him, especially concerning “the mark of the beast” and other last days events. It always gave me pause to pray that we would have eyes and ears to recognize it and the grace and courage and fullness of THE HOLY SPIRIT, sufficient to go through whatever was needed to remain faithful, but that was hypothetical.  Suddenly it seems so real, so near, and more than a bit scary.

It seems easy to see how the current “world order” could collapse over night. Then a starving world might be fed with limited supplies administered through a simple implanted chip bar code. Not an id card that could easily be stolen or forged.  Food and shelter could be allotted to the masses on earth through the UN or whatever.

Well, that’s my “simple case scenario.” I do not want to be paranoid or a false prophet or even an imaginative one because it is a serious matter of following The Lord THROUGH whatever lies ahead.  And THAT can’t be done if I have gotten used to the world’s ways.  My focus NEEDS to be on Him.  My heart NEEDS to be His.  My spirit needs to be worshipping Him.

I begin each day SO aware of that, but then, there I am − out in the streets of Jerusalem for the rest of the day.

I have now used my Caspermat card successfully and made a paycheck deposit AND a rent withdrawal of cash directly from the machine.  The lady standing alongside the machine to help us helpless ones gave me a patient and pleased smile.  I had succeeded in avoiding being given a credit card. That’s right.  I personally do not choose to use them. So my card is only for deposits and withdrawals.

Is the postal system planning something similar?  I put that vain imagination aside for now.  As we see “the day approaching,” 2 Peter reminds us to be “found of Him in peace.” Thankfully we have such a cloud of witnesses cheering us on who have PROVEN Him faithful through the worst of fires and floods and He IS, perhaps above all, FAITHFUL.

Part of my “touchiness” about these things definitely stems from the fact that I briefly mentioned in my last letter: my immigrant limitations.  Yes, I DO speak Hebrew and understand it. That is, about 70%, unless it is in a totally new area.  It makes for heightened vigilance in any given situation where I am about to have something explained or someone giving me directions.

For example, we had to buy kerosene today and I am thankful that I finally have the routine down fairly well.  In America, I remember well buying kerosene for our kerosene lamps.  I would bring in a gallon container and knew the price.  The tank marked kerosene was clear and I would fill it up and pay.  Simple.  Now we buy neft in something approximately like a 18-20 liter container.

Well, this is what happened today.  We pulled up to the neft tank and opened our containers.  I went into the station and said, “Neft, bevakasha.  Slosh me’ot  shekel.”  (Kerosene please.  300 shekels.)  No problem.

He said, something, and I nodded confidently (knowing the routine I thought) and went out to tell my husband he could fill the containers.

“It isn’t working,” he said.  “He hasn’t turned it on.” Back I went.

“Tif’toe’ ach et h’neft b’vakasha?” (Open the kerosene please?) I asked again, thinking maybe he had been distracted.

“It IS open!“ he told me …and then he repeated the part that I’d nodded to again. “Uh…lo he’vanti…” ([duh…I don’t understand…)

Then came the (oh! immigrant!) hand signals which I UNDERSTOOD.

Put the nozzle back in the pump and then take it out again.  These are NOT words in my vocabulary. I made a mental note to commit the process to my oh-so-overloaded memory.

Words and language! SUCH a mirror of cultural differences and they leave so much room for one culture misinterpreting another.

I had to laugh yesterday morning on the train as a new sign got me thinking about all of this.  On the trains, the many signs are posted in Hebrew, Arabic and English.  (I am thankful for the English as for our first many years here there were NO English signs and it was all guesswork and dictionaries.  Directions were available in Hebrew, Arabic and RUSSIAN.  Over the years there have been also some Spanish, French and Amharic [Ethiopian] as well. But lately there are also more and more English – for better or worse…I’m still not sure)

Since the trains started running, the sign on the driver’s door had read in English: “Please do not distract the driver in any way. Thank you.”  By contrast the Hebrew read: “It is forbidden to talk to the driver!” And sadly I can’t read the Arabic.

It soon became evident that this was a useless sign as all of the RELATIVES and friends of the driver came by constantly to bring him food or news or a newspaper.  So now a new sign appeared.  The English reads: “Please kindly refrain from using your cell phone or speaking loudly near the driver.  Thank you!” The Hebrew reads: “It is FORBIDDEN to talk on your cell phone near the driver.  Do not do this!” And the Arabic looks even more forboding.

Israelis generally have a fascination with the fact that English speakers use please, thank you and have a good day!  They LOVE this!  It tickles their funny bone as ‘quaint’ and they take every possible opportunity to say these phrases to English speakers.

The bus, on the other hand, does not pander to English.  Off the train and on to the bus stop, I encounter young Egged (that is the name of our bus company. אגד  in Hebrew with NOTHING to do with eggs) workers handing out pamphlets, which can only mean that there is a CHANGE.  Boldly I asked if there were any in English.  Then I bravely took my Hebrew one and tried to decipher the message.  It was apparently explaining the mysterious boxes that appeared on some buses shortly after the first knife attacks.  We all felt re-assured at the time, thinking they were there to observe passengers and alert someone of an attack.  Wrong!  These new boxes are to enable those of us with travel cards to enter the bus through any door (not just the front door) and press our card against one of these screens, thus paying.  Simple?  NEVER.

There is a nice big screen, but it only seems to record the card if a small area of card is pressed at a particular angle way at the bottom.  This enabled the wonderful Israeli “innate helper characteristic” to emerge.  As soon as one passenger mastered the new process, he would proceed to teach everyone else.  Helpers multiplied until we were a veritable busload of teachers vying for students.

Before I got off at work, any poor unsuspecting new rider would enter a bus of piranhas.  Have you ever seen how piranhas attack its prey?  We can get that way here: “I want to help him!”  “No, no! It’s MY turn!”  “Let ME help him!”

Well, I am exaggerating a bit, but through my early morning eyes, this little comic strip played out for me to share with you.  We as a people, love to learn and in turn, love to teach.

Before work on Friday, I went to the IFI (Intercessors for Israel) prayer meeting. We are currently preparing our hearts for the annual conference beginning this year of January 25th.  It is the one conference that I attend as much as I can during a workweek.  Yesterday, the first of the annual speakers and helpers began to arrive and joined us for the 6:30 a.m. weekly meeting.

It was a strengthening joy and delight to see friends from the past, still walking strong with Him.  I sense something fresh from Him.  This is what we need: an intensifying of His Presence and a clean fear of Him and recognition of His Absolute Holiness.  This in the face of the sanctions lifted today from Iran.

I suspect that we do face a brave new world indeed.

BUT THE BEST NEWS IS THAT WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD!

Oh how I love what He said in John 16 — “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And so, WHERE will I focus my eyes.  They had BETTER BE ON HIM…OR I’M SURE TO LOSE MY WAY HOME.

I send you much love dear sisters and brothers.

God bless and keep you in His will,

Your sister J

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January 14, 2016 · 12:55 pm

Thursday’s Prayers for America (1/14/2016)

The maturity level of most American believers is so shallow that if one describes 911 or Katrina as possible judgments of the Lord, we become offended and are quick to lash out with our tongues. “How dare you say something like that! Who do you think you are? A prophet? If so, you’re a false one,” we shout in unison.

The tumult continues until the person who has voiced such ridiculous beliefs is cowed back into his little box or his reputation shredded to pieces. This is what happened to Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson when they voiced their beliefs about 911.

What does the Bible state?

Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it? (Amos 3:6)

We believers declare the Lord as the sovereign King over America, but when a 911 or a Katrina occurs, we quickly wrestle the divine scepter out of His grasp and place it in the hands of someone else.

But why do we assume the Lord, who is also our Judge, would not chastise America? Didn’t He use enemies and calamities to chastise Israel all throughout the Old Testament? Shouldn’t we expect to be treated the same as God’s chosen people?

Our immaturity resembles that of Jerusalem and Judah when Jeremiah prophesied to them −

Why then has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return. I listened and heard, but they did not speak aright, no man repented of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:5-7 NKJ)

Maybe it’s time for us to grow up before it’s too late.

(The preface from Common Sense 2016 by Larry Nevenhoven, ©2016, Amazon eBook)

My prayer for today:

Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit helps our minds to be renewed so that we American believers may discern what is the will of God for our nation. (Based on Romans 12:2)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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January 11, 2016 · 4:07 pm

Sneak Peak into “Common Sense 2016″…Also Known as the Obama Connection

Common Sense cover

 

It takes a few days before the “Look inside ↓” feature works on a newly published eBook. So, here’s a little glimpse into Chapter 4:

President Barack Obama said in his first inaugural address: “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” (43)

The words, “the wrong side of history,” have been a favorite cliché used often by President Obama, his administration, and the media. The phrase casts contempt on the opposition’s viewpoint and disqualifies its possible merits on the basis of civilization’s inevitable progress from darkness to enlightenment. It is a stinging “conversation stopper,” without any need for making an effective argument. A powerful piece of sound-byte logic. (44)

But what is the definitive standard, which President Obama or any politician uses, to determine who is on the wrong or right side of history? Intellectual insight? Public opinion? Scientific analysis? Computer models? What?

With one reliable exception, there are no definitive standards for foretelling the future with any degree of certainty or even how future historians will view our present day political decisions. History zigs and zags all over the pages of time. It seldom travels on a straight line from point A to point B. And historians? Scholars examine the past from numerous angles and through various microscopes without much scientific method involved in their analysis. Their judgments could just as easily be based on vagaries, quirks, and fads, rather than quantifiable facts. To think otherwise is foolish.

The one reliable exception is the Bible, which has proven itself accurate in foretelling the future for thousands of years. The Bible’s accuracy depends solely on one steadfast fact: the omniscience of God.

 

Since the Bible is our only reliable definitive standard, we need to check where America stands right now through the eyes of the only historian who really counts: the Ancient of Days. (45)

It is my firm belief that America is now under the Judgment of God and has been for more than forty-five years. This is due in major part to our lies and betrayal of South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos during the Vietnam War, which resulted in the slaughter of more than three million innocent Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians. (See Appendix A)

Yes, I realize many Christians may disagree with my views. Most are gazing at the horizon for signs of a future Judgment of God heading our direction, rather than thinking America has already fallen under His judgment. I believe they have been looking through rose-colored glasses and not correctly discerning the signs of our times.

In my eBook, New Wind Blowing, I describe how America’s urban woes, unemployment, abortion, confused leaders, droughts, illegal aliens, debt, and Islamic terrorism are curses linked to our national sins against God. And that these curses are a part of God’s judgment for disobeying His commandments. (See Appendix B)

I also relate in New Wind Blowing my belief that the 2008 Presidential Election was a plumb line event in which the Lord checked how our nation stood with Him. We sadly chose prosperity over posterity and the Judge signed America’s death warrant. (See Appendix C)

Do I believe we can throw ourselves on 2 Chronicles 7:14 and God will then heal America? I had slim hopes of this ever happening when I wrote New Wind Blowing. (See Appendix D)

But now, because of President Barack Obama, I have even less hope the Lord can heal all of America through a genuine repentance by believers. My guess is that our chances are about equal to King David’s odds of saving his child after the prophet Nathan prophesied the child’s death. (46)

 

So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. (2 Chronicles 33:9 NKJ)

King Manasseh was the worst king in the history of Judah. His leadership example and executive sins moved Judah from the godly reforms of his father, King Hezekiah, into iniquity and rebellion. Even though Manasseh repented late in his fifty-five year reign, his contrition could not reverse the national damage caused by his sins. The Lord had already made up His mind about Judah and said to His prophet −

“Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, yet My mind could not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.” (Jeremiah 15:1 NKJ)

Jerusalem fell in 586 BC and the Jews were carried off into exile to Babylon. All of this came about because of King Manasseh’s sins.

Is President Obama America’s King Manasseh?

If so, it will not be so much for his stances on abortion and same-sex marriages because these sins were set in motion by other politicians before he became President in 2008. Therefore, what is President Obama’s major stumbling block?

It is his “wrong side of history” stance on Israel.

(Excerpt from newly published Common Sense 2016 by Larry Nevenhoven, ©2016, Amazon eBook)

Okay, if this little tidbit stirs your appetite, I have good news for you. Common Sense 2016 is FREE on Amazon as an eBook through January 13, 2016. All you need is a Kindle or Kindle Apps (which can be downloaded free of charge.)

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January 10, 2016 · 2:07 pm

Inside Israel

The Shuk in Jerusalem

The Shuk in Jerusalem

Shalom dear sisters and brothers, from your sis in Jerusalem.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my God and my Redeemer and may I be a blessing to You and to Your children.

Sometimes we just need to “do the next thing “when the going is rough and the way seems dark.

I was reminded in my heart of what He said to me: “What you see…write.” And so I am. I pray that it will draw us all to Him.

 

“Celery Ameracano! ”

American celery?  What was he TALKING about?  The question had been, “Mah zey?” (what is that) in the snip of conversation that I heard as I ran through the shuk doing my chores while remaining alert for possible knife wielding neighbors along my path. But this arrested my attention and I stopped.

What in the world was American celery? I wondered to myself.

There it was, wrapped in a plastic bag (ours is loose…no bags) and neatly chopped down to just the stalk with no leaves. Yep,  I remember that.

“What IS it?” the lady continued to ask. “I mean…there are no LEAVES.  What do they do with THIS part?  The root is good and the leaves are wonderful, but THIS?  The STALK?  It’s not good for anything!”

I chuckled and picked one up already KNOWING that I was about to pay way too much, but I couldn’t resist.  After all, it was washed and CLEAN.  No mud on every stalk, which is a novelty for us.  True, it did look naked and bland when compared to the rugged celery tree that I usually bring home.

Actually, when we first moved to Jerusalem, celery was a rare find at all. The stalks were generally scrawny and pencil thin since it was grown for the leaves and roots.  Now, at least, we do get larger ones.  I smiled to myself.

Cultural differences are fascinating with our intricate differences. How they cook and eat, how they dress and play, how they communicate, the list is nearly infinite I guess.

It was very hard, immigrating here and being absorbed into Israel. I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t.  We didn’t come as tourists more than 21 years ago, but as older (nearly 50 at the time) olim (immigrants). Our first experiences were not pretty or painless. We were pruned down to our trunks!

Although I have come to the conclusion that in many ways we will always bare the marks of olim (immigrants), this celery incident gave me pause to worship and thank God Who has enabled me to come this far.  I thought of simply being able to UNDERSTAND a snatch of conversation while flying past in the midst of chores, and of the fact that we HAVE adapted to the culture in so many ways.

HE is the living river that waters us, wherever we are placed by Him, even if we feel dry, stretched out of shape, and pressed into a small container. Yet He is faithful, and His purposes WILL be accomplished.

 

Life continues on here despite the nearly daily attacks.

The capture of the terrorist who killed two in an ISIS-style attack in the middle of Tel Aviv last week encouraged the country. Somehow, our nation was uncharacteristically on edge after the terrorist escaped.  Tel Aviv, unlike Jerusalem, is not used to attacks.  Sadly, it is THE liberal “sin city” in our midst. Tel Aviv never sleeps and prides itself in accepting almost anything.

Arabs and Jews mix freely there, socially as well as at work. So, they don’t expect attacks.  It shook them.  Immediately the gunman’s family and village renounced the attack and stood as if they were all loyal citizens, horrified along with everyone else. It grieved me terribly that he was found back in his village, well provided for and hidden.

But as I said about the celery: cultures are interesting.

Whereas everyone was RELIEVED when he was caught, there was no rejoicing at his death. No candy and sweets were given out, no honking of horns in the streets and shooting in the air.

Those are the things that took place in the Gaza strip and many places in Judea and Samaria under Palestinian control when the original attack took place.

Cultural differences.

Israel does not celebrate death.

 

Personally, it has been a difficult time for me.  The death of my friend, a beloved sister in Him, has caused me to look closely at some things. In fact, many things.  I will not write about this now, but I do ask for your prayers.  I DO NOT question God or His decision and that is NOT my struggle. So, please pray for me. I will hopefully share when it is time.

Five days from today on the 15th of Jan, Lord willing, I will be 41 years old in HIM and I PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MERCY AND GRACE.

Our weather has been cold and the rains have been INTENSE when they come.  Like everywhere else in the world, the changing weather patterns are wake-up calls and posing new challenges and life threatening dangers.  And how will we respond?  It has always made me weep to read in Revelation how many times God sent judgments intended to turn mankind to call out for mercy and instead it is written in Rev 16:8 (and other places) “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.”

I guess that this is really at the heart of my internal wrestling right now: the question of if we – or if I – am ready, willing to respond when God REALLY moves.  I USED to be (I thought) and I, for one, have been praying for true revival for some 40 years.  I have seen revival because I was saved in the midst of REAL revival. I know that there IS A PRICE.

THERE IS NO MORE LIVING LIFE AS I AM USED TO.

And the deep sifting of motives and responses is a fire that burns in me.  When God TRULY MEETS WITH US in the way that many of us are asking for – we will need to give ALL!  To whom much is given, much is required.  As I prayed for my dear friend, knowing that it would take a miracle for her to continue to live or to be raised from the dead (yes, that seemed a real option), I felt confronted by the COST of such a miracle in today’s complacent life.

HOW (you might rightfully ask) COULD YOU POSSIBLY CONSIDER LIFE IN JERUSALEM AT THIS JUNCTURE COMPLACENT?  A valid question, but even war and strife can become “the way it is” and God still sifts the deep, deep motives of the heart.  That is what I was confronted with as I prayed for my friend’s life.  Would I still be willing to watch and pray ALL night?  To fast and pray in the secret place for THAT long?  Oh, yes I USED to…but what about TODAY?

 

I began this letter with observations, although my heart is struggling, and I will end with another.  I’ve described before the shock that I had at the first funeral that I went to in Jerusalem when I understood that people are neither embalmed nor buried in a casket. But are wrapped in a shroud and placed in the ground, usually within 24 hours of passing.  In our main Jerusalem cemetery there is now limited space and many are placed in stone tombs, slotted into stonewalls.  I could not be at my friend’s funeral because of work, but another sister described to me the beautiful spot looking off toward the hills. She added that as my dead friend was placed in the wall tomb, she had a short vision of the Western Wall (Kotel, the last remaining wall of the temple where people go to pray and place “prayer notes” in the wall). She saw our sister “pressed into the wall” as the prayer notes are pressed in.

I thought of the words to an old Keith Greene song: “Make my life a prayer to You…I want to do what You want me to…”.

Hallelujah! A sister has passed through the gates of glory, from life into life.

God Bless you and keep you,

your sister J in Jerusalem

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