Tag Archives: Church

February 12, 2017 · 9:04 am

Inside Israel

SHUK

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 —

Blessings dear Brothers and Sisters, planted by the rivers of waters by The Master Husbandman.  May we bring forth much fruit for His glory. May you be blessed and encouraged, and may HE ALONE be blessed and glorified.

Today is Tu b’shvat: the birthday of the trees, the celebration of the fruit, a day for planting trees, eating fruit and singing. Another opportunity to give thanks to The Lord, The Giver of all good things and to turn our eyes UP and say heartily to HIM, “THANK YOU.”

It is not a commanded holiday and the stories of the roots of the traditions are varied, as well as the carrying out of them, but it is ALWAYS good to stop and take notice and thank Him. That is what we do here today.

All through my growing up years in the diasporia, which for me was America, a FIRM Jewish tradition was to “BUY TREES IN ISRAEL” for every occasion, but especially as a memorial to a loved one.  I still have framed here in my apartment a tree certificate from 1947 when my family planted trees in memory of my Grandmother.  Planting trees in Israel IS something we all did.

The name tu b’shvat is simply the date, the 15th of the month of Shvat.  In Hebrew, numbers are traditionally the letters of the alphabet (or, aleph bet) and tu (written ‫טו in Hebrew) stands for the 15th.  For the sake of living in the modern world, Hebrew ALSO incorporates numbers, but in scripture and on the calendar, the letters are still the rule.  That is one of the reasons that Israelis often SEEM ignorant when a Christian is seeking to share scripture with them and perhaps referring to “Isaiah 53,” when to a Jewish person it is familiar as Yeshi’a’hu  nun gimel. Ah, the joys of communication!

Back to tu b’shvat.

Coming home from work on the train yesterday I wondered at the different atmosphere.  Usually, on Friday afternoon, the train is full of Yeshiva students from English speaking countries traveling to their host homes for Shabat. It can be NOISY and BOISTEROUS!  I looked around and wondered at the more pleasant atmosphere. Where were they all?  AH YES!  Tu b’shvat!  They were likely at ceremonies in the forests, planting trees and learning about the sacredness and the history of the land, the promises, what the trees do and how  they are to be treated according to scripture.  One example is found in Levit. 19:23-25:

“When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord. And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.”

This ordinance is still observed today, even on many of the secular kibbutzim.

At Shabat dinner last night, with our daughter and family, my husband and I recalled our first tu’b’shvat here in the land after our aliyah.  We were both in ulpan (language class) and so along with the 5 months of intensive language learning we are also taught our history, geography, culture, and every other thing that you can think of.  On tu b’shvat  we were piled onto buses and taken to the forest to a tree planting ceremony.  We took pictures of one another as each one planted our first seedlings into the soil of our ancient homeland: Eretz Yisroel – The Land of Israel.

It was quite an emotional moment as I prayed also, silently, that our family would be well planted and bear fruit for HIS kingdom here, rooted beside the living water. It was at the beginning of our journey.

You know that Israel has gone from desert to GREEN in the years since 1948 and that the distinction between Israeli territory and Arab territory is actually called “the green line.” It is easy to distinguish that “green line” as one drives along.  I have mentioned before that God is indeed God of the living and is life giving.  It is a blessing to be reminded of this in the bursting forth of the abundant white almond blossoms filling the countryside right now.

 

I made my usual Friday morning stop at the shuk to pick up a hot challa for Shabat dinner, although I did not make it to IFI prayer meeting due to not feeling well.  I hadn’t yet gotten dried fruit to give as gifts, so stopped at a dried fruit and spice shop and picked out an arranged plate of various fruits and nuts, prepared for tu’b’shvat.

“You are my first customer of the day,” the sales man grinned at me.  “I included these special raisins here. They are better than the Kazakhstani ones.  You will like them.  AND, I will only charge you 60shekels instead of 65 since you are my first customer,’ he said proudly as I gulped at the price.

It’s always fun to be the “first sale of the day” and to wish them a day of blessing.

We read of the early rains and the latter rains in the scriptures and we have now entered them time of the latter rains – even as we pray for such spiritual LATTER RAINS.  The rain now is softer. The ground rich and able to absorb it and with the sun bursting forth more strongly than it has all winter, you can literally FEEL the earth coming alive again, stirring, swelling with new life.

Some of us are physically past the time of bearing fruit, but we never pass the spiritual time of bearing. No vacation from His work in us, thankfully NOT for us to weigh and measure the bushels or we’d all likely give up.  HE does the producing and HE does the assessment AND the multiplication AND the feeding of the multitude AND the dunging.  We get to ABIDE.  But we also get a stern warning that is so appropriate for the day we live in. Oh I take it to heart for I’m SO easily deceived through the weaknesses of my own nature:  Matthew 7:15-20:

 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.   A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

I pray for you and for myself this tu’b’shvat that we will ABIDE in The Vine and bare much GOOD fruit for His glory.  May we be thankful for the fruit in and through one another and trust Him to bare that fruit through us as we gaze at Him.  Thank you for your prayers, your gracious care, your thoughtfulness.

Lovingly,

Your sister J in Jerusalem

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February 8, 2017 · 6:27 am

Geezer Up (Part 9)

Jacob Cohen (J.C.) Bates and his wife, Shira, waited for me in their BMW outside San Francisco International Airport in the passenger arrival zone. I noticed J.C. packed on twenty extra pounds to his five-foot seven-inch frame, but it did not detract from his rugged good looks. Shira stood a couple of inches taller than him, but the difference seemed even greater because of her model-like figure. Both were Messianic believers and servants of Yeshua the Messiah.

“Shalom, Jane,” said J.C., jumping out of the car and greeting me with a hug and a kiss. “Here, let me put your suitcase in the trunk.”

“Thanks and shalom to you, J.C.,” I said, handing him my black suitcase.

“Even though this may not be the best of times for you,” said Shira, standing outside the BMW’s passenger door, and also hugging and kissing me, “I was so excited to see you again that I went out and spent J.C.’s money on this new black sweater. But as usual, you win the fashion prize with your blond hair, Levi jacket, and khaki slacks. You look fabulous.”

Her gracious words should have reddened my face, but instead, I broke down and wept. Shira hugged me even tighter.

“God will turn your mourning into dancing,” she whispered.

“I sure hope so.”

“Let’s keep moving,” shouted a stocky TSA agent, walking toward J.C.’s car. He pointed at us with a black baton to emphasize his point.

We obeyed and took off for their home.

 

If you have ever wondered what type of home three million dollars would purchase in San Francisco, J.C. and Shira’s condo on the fourth floor of a prestigious address in Nob Hill would be the answer. Twenty-three hundred square feet, three bedrooms, two baths, hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen, formal dining room, large family room with stone fireplace, and captivating views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge through floor to ceiling windows. The furniture and decorations looked like they had been selected by a top Bay area interior decorator.

Shira served a tossed salad with grilled chicken for dinner, but I only moved the food around on my plate without eating much. As soon as possible, I excused myself and headed for the guest bedroom. There I unpacked, hung up my clothes in the closet, and sat down on the bed without changing out of my traveling clothes. Somehow, I closed my eyes and dozed off.

Then, I had a terrifying vision.

In it, I stood before the Judgment Seat of Christ. I wasn’t alone because hundreds of other believers stood there in numerous rows, waiting for the Judge − Jesus − to appear in front of us. I watched Him off to my left walking down my row with a torch in His right hand. He stopped in front of each believer, looked down, and lit piles of what looked like grass and sticks at the feet of each person with His torch. The piles burst into flames. Then, the piles quickly burnt out to reveal gold, silver, precious stones, or nothing but scorch marks on the ground. Those who had precious metals and stones bowed down and worshipped the Lord. Those who had scorch marks wailed and screamed like they were in hell, even though they were in heaven.

I looked down at my feet and saw a puny pile. I knew this small heap represented all of my works done on earth for the Lord. Not much for a whole lifetime, I thought. A holy fear enveloped me.

I turned and looked at the person next to me and realized it was a successful Christian businessman, whom I greatly admired. He was an elder at Jedidiah Smith Community Church, Sunday school teacher, weekend street evangelist, and well-known benefactor. The newspapers were always reporting on his philanthropy and many works.

I watched Judge Jesus bend over and light the businessman’s pile with His torch. The pile quickly burnt out to reveal nothing but scorch marks on the ground. The businessman fell to the ground and wailed at the top of his lungs. His screams echoed through my mind.

Oh no, I thought. If this businessman’s life did not please the Lord, how will mine be any better?

The Lord stood in front of me.

I looked into His eyes and knew His love was not on trial, but mine was at that moment. He bent over, ready to touch my puny pile with His torch.

“Lord, give me a second chance,” I pleaded.

He looked at me without straightening up. His torch remained close to my pile. “And what would you do differently?”

“I will serve you night and day without complaining. If need be, I will crawl on my knees across San Francisco on streets covered with broken glass to be Your ambassador. I will gladly carry cups of cold water to people and minister to them as Your servant.”

He straightened up and looked me squarely in the eyes. His love melted every hindrance in my heart. “Remember to do your works to please Me, not to please other people like the businessman did during his life. He received his reward on earth. Go and be My servant.”

I woke up and immediately slipped off the bed onto my knees. I worshipped the Judge, King, and Lover of my soul − my Lord Jesus.

(A new sequel to Unhitched Geeser, which can be checked out here.)

(Continued in Part 10…the first 9 parts are reruns and can be read here.)

 

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February 7, 2017 · 6:15 am

Prayers for Healing and Deliverance (2/7/2017)

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Martin Luther struggled for years as a monk. He fasted, prayed, went on long pilgrimages, and confessed his sins often in the Catholic sacrament of reconciliation, but he had no inner peace.

One day, he prepared for a lecture at Wittenberg University. He read the first chapter of Romans and the Holy Spirit enlightened one verse to his heart.

For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

This one verse sparked the Reformation through Martin Luther. He realized the key to salvation was not giving indulgences to the church or even charitable acts, but rather, faith in God.

We evangelicals now take this verse for granted, but in 1513, it was a profound truth inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Peter made an interesting point in 2 Peter 1:12 −

For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. (NKJ)

The Holy Spirit has revealed various truths to the Body of Christ throughout history. Martin Luther had the revelation of salvation by faith. John Wesley had a different one. So did George Fox, Charles Finney, Charles Seymour, and countless others who proclaimed revelations to their generations.

These revelations became the “present truths” for their time periods and thereby advanced the kingdom of God. Many endured tremendous struggles and persecutions to pioneer their truths. Yet, we now accept the revelations without even an eye blink.

I believe the following scriptures are a “present truth” for Americans right now:

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; and do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The Lord sustains him on his sick bed; in his illness, You restore him to full health. (Psalm 41:1-3)

Excerpt from Giving to the Poor: What’s In It For Me by Larry Nevenhoven, © 2014, Amazon eBook)

The Lord has a myriad of ways for us to seek Him AND for us to be healed. One of them is giving to the poor.

My prayer today:

Lord, help us to walk in Your present truth to seek You for our healing and deliverances.

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for new revelations on healing and deliverance for Americans NOW.

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February 3, 2017 · 6:48 am

Geezer Up (Part 7)

“Hi Jane, I’ve been expecting your call,” said J. C. as he answered my phone call.

“Hi J. C., I figured you would.”

“You probably want to know what happened?”

“Right! Dylan said that it was no big deal, but he’s the master of understatement. So, fill in the gaps between hate crime, no big deal, and a broken nose.”

J.C. laughed.

“Well, as you know Dylan spoke and gave his testimony at our businessmen’s noontime luncheon down in China town. There were about thirty men there. All enjoyed his inspiring words. I’d say it was a great success.”

J. C. was the owner of Bates Properties, a commercial real estate firm in San Francisco. His success caused him to seek ways on how he could give back to the city he loved. He ended up being involved in Business Men’s Fellowship and became the chapter president.

“After the luncheon, I was driving him to Mission Terrace to spend some time together before I dropped him off at the airport. We were heading down Market Street, past the Castro District, when we saw a Pride parade. He asked to stop and watch. I pulled over and walked across the street with him.”

“So far,” I said, “everything seems okay.”

“Yeah, nothing happened until Dylan stepped off the curb and began preaching in a loud voice, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

J. C. paused for a moment.

“Then everything hit the fan. A couple of guys pushed and shoved him. Another hit him in the face, knocking his glasses off. He fell to the ground and quite a few kicked him. Two police officers came over and inquired what was happening. A man said that Dylan was preaching hate. One officer asked Dylan what he was doing and he replied he was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. They cuffed him and threw into a police cruiser and took him off to jail.”

“That’s all my sweet hubby did.”

“Yep and he even forgave the crowd before he was ushered away.”

We talked a few minutes more before J. C. offered to pick me up at the airport. He proposed that I stay in his home with his wife and him.

I agreed to his offers, but I still had an unanswered question gnawing at me.

(A new sequel to Unhitched Geeser, which can be checked out here.)

(Continued in Part 8…the first 9 parts are reruns and can be read here.)

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February 1, 2017 · 9:17 am

Geezer Up (Part 6)

Jane

My wife, Jane, can best explain what was going through her mind from the time of my phone call until the arraignment:

The first thought to cross my mind when Dylan phoned was to give him a big piece of my mind. We had planned our forty-eighth anniversary trip to Tahoe for months and even paid a nonrefundable deposit on a five-bedroom home on the beach. Our three children, their mates, and our eight grandchildren were going to be there, too. All of us in one home on the lake for seven days. It was a dream vacation and how many more of these could we expect to have in the years ahead? I could have chewed nails when I hung up, especially after him saying that it was no big deal!

I slammed the phone down and screamed.

That’s when the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, “Quit acting like a baby. Call the lawyer. Get on a plane and fly to San Francisco. Dylan needs you.”

I fell to my knees and wept.

“Forgive me, Lord.”

But without missing a beat, I jumped up, phoned Jacob, our lawyer, and made a standby reservation for a flight on Virgin Airlines out of San Diego International Airport to San Francisco. My flight’s departure was scheduled for 6:15 a.m., which gave me just enough time to pack and make the sixty-mile drive from Temecula to the airport.

Bluetooth allowed me to make four important phone calls on my trip. The first three were to our children, telling them about Dylan’s situation. The words “hate crime” never ricocheted off my tongue, but instead I termed it a slight misunderstanding, one that a lawyer could easily handle. We would see them on Saturday and have a big laugh over Dylan’s latest faith escapade. The three had questions, but I pooh-poohed their fears with a couple of quick Bible verses.

When I finished calling the three, I looked down at the speedometer. Ninety miles per hour! Jane Matthews: beloved wife, caring mother, doting grandmother, and committed believer of Jesus was acting like Mario Andretti at the Indianapolis Five Hundred, passing every car in sight. I tapped on the brakes and slowed down to seventy-five miles per hour. A police car with a radar gun sat at the next exit.

“Thank you Jesus,” I muttered.

Then, I phoned J.C. Bates. Someone needed to fill me in on the details about Dylan’s arrest and J. C. was the man who could do just that.

(A new sequel to Unhitched Geeser, which can be checked out here.)

(Continued in Part 7…the first 9 parts are reruns and can be read here.)

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January 31, 2017 · 12:02 pm

Prayers for Healing and Deliverance (1/31/2017)

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“*Emily, if you come to the meeting tonight, the Lord will heal you,” I said into the phone.

This phone call occurred twenty-eight years ago while I was doing some teaching at a small home group. I was an office supply salesman and felt the Lord was going to heal Emily of multiple sclerosis. So, I phoned her that afternoon.

Later, she hobbled into the meeting, using a cane to steady herself. She sat down on the sofa. The other four or five attendees sat down near her.

I opened with prayer and then taught a lesson from the Bible. As I finished speaking, I looked over at Emily and saw her with my spiritual eyes. She was totally healed.

I put my Bible down and walked over to her. I reached out my hands and said, “Emily, let’s dance.”

She took my hands and stood up. We then danced all over the living room. I stopped after a few minutes and asked, “Have you noticed anything?”

“No, what?” she said.

“You’re healed.”

She put her hands to her mouth. “Oh Lord, I’m healed,” she said through tears.

Emily walked home that night with the cane over her shoulder. The next day she joined a health club and began working out. Everyone in the city was talking about her miracle.

But sadly, forty days later, she was worse off than when she first arrived at the meeting that evening.

What happened?

She lost her healing.

How?

The multiple sclerosis symptoms starting attacking her body again, which caused her to react in fear and doubt rather than using her faith and trust in the Lord to resist the sickness. The sickness overwhelmed her.

Looking back, I feel it was my lack of experience that I did not take the time to teach her and follow up to help her fight the good fight of faith.

(*Emily: not her real name.)

My prayer today:

Lord, help us to learn how to submit to You and resist the devil so that he will flee from us. (Based on James 4:7)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for new revelations on healing and deliverance for Americans NOW.

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January 29, 2017 · 9:38 am

Inside Israel

SHUK

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 to you in The wonderful Name of Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords.  May HE be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed and edified.

His mercy is so far greater than my understanding of it.  Oh He dunks me under every time!  So often I think, “Just hang on, lightening is about to strike that one,” and instead I see His mercy again extended.  What a God we serve!  His ways are far above mine and I am SO THANKFUL

So as I had lauded the prevailing prayers of the Brits in reclaiming territory from the enemy, I also MUST acknowledge with like admiration the effectual fervent prayers and humble repentance of the many prayer warriors in the US who have also stood in the gap and reclaimed territory.  For those of us who have ever lived in America, I am sure that you will agree with me that I, for one, had never expected to once more see prayer and The Name of Jesus Christ boldly presented in the White House. The same house that had so brazenly and so recently been awash with rainbow lights, not representing the rainbow of the promise given to Noah, but the rainbow of rebellion against God’s order.  You prayed and He answered!  ALL GLORY TO GOD!

And just like our sisters and brothers in England understand well that their battle has just begun, I know that you in the US are sobered by that understanding as well, especially in the face of the protests.  What a challenge to NOT respond in the flesh but again to go to the knees!

So what did it look like here?

Well, our daughter and son-in-law were here for Shabat dinner. Yet my husband wanted to watch the inauguration first, so we did. In my eyes, there was a DRAMATIC change of authority from the spirit of secular humanism to the lifting up of THE LORD.  It was interesting to see my son in law’s reaction to The Name of Jesus proclaimed, and yet also for him to see an Orthodox (although not Haradi) Rabbi in the midst praying along.  Our son in law squirmed and left the room after awhile but said nothing, nor did we to him.  I remember well my days before knowing Him Who set me free, how uncomfortable I was in the presence of The Name of Jesus.

What WILL it all look like?  I have NO IDEA.  Do you?  Yes territory is reclaimed from the enemy, but now our country, Britain and America share the honor of having perhaps the three most hated and attacked (by the liberal media) leaders in the world.  Will God grant to President Trump a change of personality and a grace and wisdom?  We KNOW HE ANSWERS PRAYER…so…I’m sure that we are ALL walking ahead with eyes UP, looking unto HIM for HIS mercy.

I don’t know about you wherever you are, but I have received prophecies(by email, proclaiming everything from Trump being (literally) the messiah, to the devil himself.  Diverse prophecies make me run and hide in The Rock.  I do not know what lies ahead, but I can report to you what I am seeing today.  Israelis are cautiously optimistic in general.  Three areas that concern Israelis greatly are:

(1) Everything about the plan to divide the land that God has promised us and to plant a Palestinian state in its heartland.

(2)The recognition that the eternal capital of Israel IS INDEED JERUSALEM and not divided.

(3) And the right to build homes and live anywhere within our borders.

All three of these points are deeply and undeniably rooted consistently throughout scripture but have become THE “politically correct” issues of the day.  There IS a new excitement among Israelis that just perhaps the page has turned.  At the same time, Israelis are very realistic and there is little doubt that none of these will happen without violence and much pain.  But what is the alternative?

To be BULLIED into a corner of the land, a fraction of the Promise, rather than the full inheritance. “Every place on which your foot shall tread, I have given it to you,” God promised Joshua, but the people were intimidated when they saw the battle and many settled for less and it was accounted as sin to us, for we did not move into the COMMANDED promise and OBEY GOD.

Yes, we are reaping the results still today.  Can I say that on the buses there is a mixture of nervous excitement and restrained hope all rolled into the very odd new idea that someone actually LIKES us and thinks we have a right to exist.

There are some inherent dangers in this new moment of grace of being liked.  Israel is called to be a nation ALONE.  “ALONE” IS A LONELY PLACE and our nature makes us want to form alliances and to be accepted among the nations.  We are praying for discernment, no more and no less than God’s purposes.  Remember Hezekiah?  He was such a good king and did that which was well pleasing in God’s sight.  But when he fell ill and God granted to add years on to his life, his relief and joy caused him to walk without discernment:

“ At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.  And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.” And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”  Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord:  ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord.  ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” (2 Kings 20:12-16)

THE TEMPTATION TO MAKE ALLIANCES AND HOPE IN MAN BECAUSE WE ARE WEARY IS A SNARE, on personal levels, and also on national levels.  I would be negligent if I didn’t say that there is real tension in the air.  Everything is changing and in a region this volatile, change usually ignites fires. “BUT I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE, TO KEEP THAT WHICH I’VE DELIVERED UNTO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY!”

Our weather has been dry and we are waiting for more rain as other countries are flooding and violent weather continues to call us all to look up.  Jerusalem is generally colder than many other parts of our tiny country, and this year is no different. It’s cold.  Huddled together on the buses in the morning I am thankful that no one has lately come on fanning themselves and saying ‘Hom’lee’  (meaning, ‘I’M HOT!’) and then pulling open the windows.

I see the same faces year after year and watch them grow older along with me.  I remember how surprised I was when we first arrived in the country, to see how younger people rise (more so among the religious then the secular) to give older, pregnant or otherwise needy people, their seats.  Now that I am of “seat priority age,” I surely appreciate reaping the benefits.  It has taken nearly 23 years, but slowly my surroundings have grown commonplace to me.

I think back to stir my memory to recall how surprised I was at the honest friendliness and helpfulness of total strangers when we first came.  How people were so quick to ask, usually in several languages until they hit upon one that you might know. “Where are you from?  How is it going?”

People still want to hear a positive answer to the question: “Don’t you miss it where you came from?  Don’t you want to go back?”

I have been asked this a great deal and can’t help but notice how strengthened and encouraged people are when I honestly answer, “I do not ALLOW myself to look back and miss what was.  That is dangerous!  I am thankful for the wonderful life that I lived and I am even more thankful for my life now, because I am living in what God has promised.”

They stand up straighter…and yes, are encouraged. That is so important to encourage one another to walk on and to keep walking on.  Life isn’t easy, but it is His gift, both here, and where you are.

God bless you and encourage each of you toward Him.  “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”  May we each be found ABIDING IN HIM.

Lovingly,

your sister J

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January 28, 2017 · 8:07 am

Geezer Up (Part 4)

 

If someone would have asked me, “What do you want for your last meal?” It would not have been soggy cornflakes, warm milk, and awful tasting coffee, which I ate for breakfast that morning. Sugar helped me endure the blitzkrieg against my taste buds, but my stomach demanded the calories to halt its rumbling sounds. At the time, it was a dismal meal, but in the days ahead, I looked back on it as a pleasant repast. It’s funny how hunger can distort one’s memories.

Forty-five minutes later, the jailer stood in front of the holding cell with a clipboard in his hand. “Listen up men,” he said, looking down. “Ramos, Soto, Delgado, Valdez, Trujillo, and Matthews − you are in the first group to be taken to the courtroom. Your arraignments will begin at 9 a.m. If you have a lawyer, he will meet you there. If you don’t, a court appointed lawyer will handle your arraignment.”

He spun around and walked away.

I did my best to wash my face and clean up in the sink, but there was no mirror to help me in this task. I looked at the others in the holding cell and figured I looked better than some and worse than others. Oh well, I thought, this is as good as it gets for me today.

 

Two deputies guarded us as we walked over to the courtroom’s small holding cell. I sat down with the five homies on a metal bench and faced the empty courtroom. The clock on the back wall read − 8:34.

“Matthews.”

I looked up and saw a man wearing a dark suit and white shirt standing in front of the cell. He had short black hair and seemed to be of Chinese or Korean heritage. He motioned for me to come near him.

“I’m Artie Chin. Your lawyer, Jacob, referred me to you,” he whispered.

“Thanks,” I replied.

“You are charged with a hate crime for preaching to gays. This is a new law enacted by the San Francisco City Council and went into effect one week ago, just in time for Pride Week. The good news for you is that you are the worst possible test case for the law −”

“Why?”

He blew out a deep breath.

“You’re a retired seventy-three year old man, not an ordained preacher, have no ministry, and have no history of preaching or writing against gays. They’re after bigger fish than you.”

“Okay, what do you think I should do?”

“I’m sure you will be released on personal recognizance. No bail required. You will have to promise to show up in court a couple of weeks from now, but I think I can get the charges dropped altogether. The judge may ask some questions, but probably not. You should be a free man in about sixty minutes.”

His words would have encouraged me if the Holy Spirit had not spoken to me a few hours earlier. So, I prepared myself for bad news.

(A new sequel to Unhitched Geeser, which can be checked out here.)

(Continued in Part 5…the first 9 parts are reruns and can be read here.)

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January 27, 2017 · 6:29 am

Geezer Up (Part 3)

 

The afternoon turned into evening and the evening into night. Fourteen people joined us in the holding cell. The newcomers forced me to make a decision between sitting with tattoo-covered murderers or with vomiting drunks and strung-out druggies. I chose the five MS-13 homies and behaved myself.

Do you remember how bad school lunches tasted when you were in first grade? Dry bread, chalky-tasting peanut butter sandwiches, and soggy potato chips served with stewed prunes and a dollop of day-old whipped cream. All of it ladled out on a yellow compartment tray.

Well, let me tell you, my first bite into the peanut butter sandwich made me yearn for the good old days of first grade. I gagged and spit up a mouthful into a napkin.

“Hey, old white man, about three in the morning, you’ll be wishing you ate this garbage,” said the youth with the teardrops tattooed under his eyes.

I shook my head and offered my tray to him. He took it and consumed both his and mine. I admired how he and his friends adapted to their situations without so much as a single complaint. I supposed being in jail was just a normal part of their lives.

But the smell!

Nineteen guys in a ten by twenty room with vomit, diarrhea, normal toilet usage, and BO swirling around us without a fan to alleviate the stench. My poor stomach tried its best to unload itself, but somehow everything remained below deck. Steady as she goes, I thought to myself in a moment of humor, which quickly passed.

And sleeping!

If I leaned back, my back hurt because of the iron bars, but leaning forward moved my nose closer to the vomit and diarrhea on the floor. I compromised by slouching down like an old sweater midway between both positions. I dozed a little here and there throughout the night, but around 3 a.m., I had a vision.

In it, I was seated high above the city of San Francisco, maybe even in the heavenly places, which are mentioned in the Bible. I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, “I am going to use your time in jail as an opportunity to take on the spirit of depravity, which is the main principality governing San Francisco. Be bold and allow me to speak through you. I will give you more than enough grace for this season of your life.”

I then fell into a deep sleep, comforted by the gift of faith, which enveloped me like a warm quilt.

(A new sequel to Unhitched Geeser, which can be checked out here.)

(Continued in Part 4…the first 9 parts are reruns and can be read here.)

 

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January 20, 2017 · 6:53 am

Shouldn’t you download “Common Sense 2017” today? It’s Free!

common-sense-2017

 

Today is the beginning of a new presidency for America, which is drastically different than our last one. Have you scratched your head and wondered how America arrived at this point in history where a businessman has now become the Chief Executive, taking over for a history making politician? If so, maybe you should download my new book,  Common Sense 2017, which is free on Amazon today through Sunday.

Amazon Book Description:

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.” (Thomas Paine,  Common Sense, 1775)

Is it common sense to suggest God was involved in the 2016 Presidential election? If He were involved, couldn’t He have chosen a better man than Donald Trump to be the 45th President of the United States?

Is it common sense to think God will overlook the eight years of ill-treatment by President Obama and his administration against His chosen nation − Israel?

Is it common sense to expect good economic times during President Trump’s term in the Whitehouse?

Is it common sense to believe President Obama will sit quietly on the sidelines for four years?

Is it common sense for us to just sit back and take it easy over the next four years?

The common sense answers to all these questions are contained in Common Sense 2017.

Common Sense 2017 is a common sense approach to what is presently happening in America, looking at our yesterdays through the lens of the Bible and then forward to our tomorrows through the eyes of the Holy Spirit. Common Sense 2017 forces us to take off our rose-colored glasses and accurately discern our times.

The author of Common Sense 2017 is Larry Nevenhoven, who has authored and published thirteen other Amazon eBooks, including Common Sense 2016. It is Nevenhoven’s most urgent call for action for today’s Christians.

Fifty percent of the royalties earned for this book will be donated to help the poor and helpless.

64 pages    Author: Larry Nevenhoven    Publisher: LarryWho

Kindle eBook: $2.99

Available on Amazon for Kindle and Kindle Apps.

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