Tag Archives: Prophecy

July 16, 2017 · 8:22 am

Inside Israel

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 sisters and brothers.

May The Lord be blessed and glorified and may His blessings and encouragement and breakthroughs be seen in your (and my) lives today.

“I’m traveling for a month. I’m going to New York, America!” Hezzi (short for Ezekiel or Ye’khez’ki’el in Hebrew – meaning God will strengthen me or God is my strength) announced to me with a huge, excited grin.

“You have never been to New York, America?” I asked him.

Hezzi is no longer a 25 year old youngster, but is a 68 year old news man, well known in Israeli radio and television. He grinned ear-to-ear. “Nope! I have never been to America! I am so excited to see New York and Los Angeles and Los Vegas.” He looked like a little kid.

Moshe walked in. “Hezzi is going to America for the first time,” I said.

Hezzi turned around with a big grin.

“America?” Moshe shook his head. “AWFUL place! Stay home and save your money! The fruit and vegetables taste old and expensive. A fortune!” He shook his head and hands at the same time before continuing. “AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT’S GOING TO RAIN. I mean…in the SUMMER ! You can’t even plan ahead because you don’t know! Crazy weather and crazy people! Stay home!”

Hezzie’s face hit the ground. Totally deflated and ready to give away his ticket was written all over him. “Moshe! ” I said, looking at him with eyes staring at him and hoping to make him feel a bit guilty. “Hezzie is excited about his trip and he is GOING TO ENJOY IT. It is JUST HIS FIRST TRIP there and he will come back and it’s going to be GREAT.”

Moshe caught my tone and changed his. “Oh yeah, Hezzie! Just a month long trip? You’ll love it. It’s going to be exciting. Everything is so big and so different than here. It will be fun!”

Hezzie perked right back and soon we were both wishing him. ‘Nessiah tova’. (have a good trip) I hope that he does enjoy it and comes back safe…AND…having heard a few testimonies perhaps. He has a childlike joy for learning. It will be fun to hear his report. I DID make sure to tell him though that NY, LA and Los Vegas are NOT QUITE representative of America. I think he got it.

School is out and Israelis are traveling. Some can afford it, many young ones or professors find work outside the country, some put their trip on overdraft − the Israeli phenomena where the bank becomes like a credit card. Just go into minus and deal with it somewhere down the road.

Israel can be a tense place to live. Travel is a way that many Israelis let off steam. We live in a tiny country where all of our neighbors are either at war or hate us and would like to engage us in a war − not to mention tension INSIDE our borders. But we have been given an amazing country, a most beautiful and fruitful one, and I for one, am happy to stay.

Daily I witness acts of mercy and kindness that I have come to take for granted.

Riding home on the train from work yesterday, I noticed the jovial mood among the armed soldiers also traveling for Shabat. There seemed to be more of them than usual dressed in sandals and casual civilian clothes with their weapons strapped on their backs and then it hit me: Summer. They are off to guard groups of young people on hikes or gathering for camps, and I remembered the unfamiliar feeling when I first understood this nearly 23 years ago, that the soldiers in our midst, armed with some heavy duty automatic weapons are there to PROTECT us and for no other reason. That was humbling, and still is.

I got off the train in front of my apartment and noticed that the ice cream place across the street from us was jammed with perhaps several hundred young people, laughing and carousing while they ate their ice cream. I was again impressed by the unique character of a nation that has fought to keep their children alive and still cherishes the children. I know that I have told you this but it bears repeating, that during WW2 there was a very large children’s aliyah. Many kibbutzim were often made up entirely of war orphans but for a few volunteer young adults or a doctor or director who would teach the children how to plant and build and defend themselves. These were literally communities of children caring for children. Many of them are still among us and perhaps someday God will give me a clarity of words to describe the relationship that this country has with her children.

In fact, I just found out that this has been designated “the week of the soldier.” Since the soldiers are all our own kids, it becomes very personal. I was listening to a description of what was happening this week to try to honor our soldiers. Seems as if many individuals and organizations spontaneously volunteered to come together and “Bless the Soldiers.” The ideas were to surprise them: with hugs, with free coffee, meals, goodies, free admission everywhere, spontaneous parties, pizza parties, water park parties and so forth. The public was encouraged to join in with donations, buying tickets and handing them to a soldier. It’s really catching on. But, being a people that can be known for … uh… emotional overkill, I had to laugh when I noticed a soldier on the train today being loved and encouraged by a couple of grandmotherly ladies. They wanted to get up to give him their seat and the like. I had the feeling that his mind was on guarding the borders, and perhaps he had had enough of being pampered.

In the light of the news TODAY, and in the Light of the Words that I read THIS MORNING, it is shocking how evident it is that we MUST hold fast to The Anchor that He has given us in His Word, by His Spirit or we WILL be swept away in the overwhelming flood tide.

Probably you know that two UN resolutions were passed: one denying Jewish ties to Jerusalem and the second, denying Jewish ties to Hebron. This is, in fact, the world standing and denying the Bible, and we must understand what this means. The Jewish ties to Jerusalem as recorded in the Scriptures, are far too numerous to begin to record here, and I am sure that you know them. It is interesting to me that on Shabbat as I read to my husband, we were reading of the purchase by Abraham of the cave in Hebron, Machpelah by name, as a burying place, first for Sarah. Last night, at kehila, part of our study in the Word included Joshua 14:6-15:

It surely seems to me that we are in a greater battle, contending for the Truth of The Word of God than perhaps during any other time in history. I keep hearing the serpent in the garden saying, “Has HE REALLY said…?”

I glance at the world news – fires, floods, wars, murders, freak storms, rages – and know that each of you is also in a pressure cooker, as the heat under the world is turned up on us all. I wonder how any of you can ALSO care about Israel…BUT…I know that as we cling to Him and His Word, we LOVE what He loves and our hearts bears what HIS HEART BEARS. So as the days wind down, the focus center in on Israel, and especially JERUSALEM.

It is interesting to note AGAIN that Yeshua and the disciples had ONE BIBLE and that did not include the New Testament. That holds so many implications for us. HE, Yeshua, Jesus, IS THE WORD. The living Word from Genesis through Revelation. All of it.

As I ride the bus and train, people are immersed in one of two things: their smart phones or the scriptures. In the morning, the train and bus are crowded with people praying and reading the scriptures. It is not at all uncommon to see people standing and facing the Temple Mount and praying in the Jewish manner of davening (a rhythmic half bowing), or tying on the tfillin, wrapping the leather strap around their left arm (to the heart) and continuing to secure the small box that has the law delicately inscribed within to their foreheads while committing their hearts and paths to The Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

On the 18th of this month, it will be 23 years since we received our citizenship! It remains amazing to me…”The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” I would have NEVER GUESSED the path that my life has taken.

At work I get to speak with many people nearing the end of their lives. They are afraid and I ask The Lord, “How do I speak? How do I share with them when I can not share Your Name?”

He directs me to His creation, the doors that we entered through into this life and I find myself speaking to and comforting many with hugs and words that I can only PRAY direct them to HIM. It would make ME feel wonderful if I could share His Name, but without His door to the heart, it just hardens their hearts and I learn from Him how I am to share and pray for His increase.

And while daily life continues here in Israel, from our Northern Border with Lebanon, we have received the alarming news that Iran (Persia) has succeeded in supplying Hezbollah with much stronger and abundant weapon power and enabled them to build deep underground storage facilities as they prepare for the winding down of war in Syria and focusing on Israel.

We appreciate your prayers as always,

Your sister J in Jerusalem

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July 13, 2017 · 8:11 am

Prayers for America (7/13/2017)

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Three days before His crucifixion, Jesus walked with His disciples on the road to Bethany, a four-mile journey from Jerusalem. He stopped at the summit of the Mount of Olives for a rest. The Temple and the city lay below Him in a panoramic scene.

Peter, James, John, and Andrew approached Him privately to ask about His prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. “When will these things happen and what will be the signs when these things are about to take place?”

Jesus ignored the “when” part of their questions and spoke about the signs of what He termed the days of vengeance. The prophet Isaiah, many years earlier, had used a similar term to refer to the punishment of God’s enemies. A later prophet, Hosea, used the term: days of retribution.

The Lord specifically spoke about the destruction of Jerusalem with His disciples, which eventually occurred in 70 AD. We modern believers also look upon His words as being apocalyptic, or referring to the last days just before His return.

For the sake of this chapter, let’s view Jesus’ discourse as reported in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 22 in the same way the disciples did at that time, which was strictly about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

Jesus stated that wars, earthquakes, and famines would take place and the disciples would be persecuted. But the disciples were not to worry because their persecutions would be opportunities for them to preach. Yet, when its enemies surrounded Jerusalem, the end was near for the city. The believers should then quickly flee to the mountains and not even return to gather their possessions.

Jesus specifically instructed the disciples to do something:

But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on the Sabbath. (Mathew 24:20)

But pray that it may not happen in winter. (Mark 13:18)

It’s interesting to note Jesus did not tell the disciples to pray that Jerusalem would be spared. That particular judgment had already been ruled on by the Judge and was an irrevocable one.

What Jesus did say revealed the compassion that our Lord has toward His people.

He placed the responsibility for the timing of the destruction of Jerusalem – as to season and day of the week – into the hands of the disciples. His reasoning for doing so was that He did not want to add bad weather or Sabbath travel burdens to the people’s woes.

What eventually happened is amazing.

The attack by Titus and the Roman armies began in late March 70 AD, and the final siege of Jerusalem ended in September of the same year. The disciples’ prayers were honored, as the attack did not occur in wintertime.

Is there something we can learn from this particular example of Jesus’ compassion?

For me, a light switched on when I read the verses because of my wife.

Let me give you some background, okay?

We now live in Temecula, California, which is half way between San Diego and Los Angeles. My job is in Temecula, but my wife works in a city thirty miles south of the city.

Can you envision a worse situation than my wife being stranded thirty miles away from our home if a massive calamity happened? It could be days or weeks before we would see each other again. Because of possible communication problems, we might not know if the other were injured or even dead. How horrendous would that be for us?

So, when the light switched on that morning, I prayed the following prayer:

“Lord, I ask that You schedule my wife’s work and travels so she is at home when any massive calamities or terrorists’ attacks happen in California. I trust You to honor this prayer in the same manner You did for the disciples’ prayers about the siege of Jerusalem.”

There is no partiality in the Lord. What He did for the disciples, He will do for us.

My prayer for today:

Lord, help American believers to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church right now. (Based on Revelation 2:7)

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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July 11, 2017 · 8:46 am

Prayers for American Christians’ Eyes to be Opened (7/11/2017)

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What was God thinking when He chose Donald Trump to be president of the United States? And if God did put Trump in office, shouldn’t the president quit offending people with his many Twitter attacks and act more dignified?

“God will offend our minds to reveal our hearts to us.” (Mike Bickle)

I am not an apologist for President Trump nor do I claim to know all of what God has in mind for Trump’s presidency. Yet, I do know this: all who voice their thoughts on killing, assassinating, cutting off his head, impeaching, undermining, calling him and his wife vicious names, and whatever else reveal their hearts to the whole world. No amount of public relations’ touchups afterwards can erase their words.

Also, everyone who agrees with these horrible words, but has not voiced them as yet, has a major heart problem, which needs to be handled right away.

My prayer today:

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to convict us American believers of our evil thoughts, which are stored up in our hearts and defiling us. (Based on Mark 7:20-23)

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

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for American believers’ eyes to be opened.

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June 21, 2017 · 7:54 am

Spiritual Warfare in San Francisco (Part 5)

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In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Because of space-time continuum thinking, it’s hard to wrap our minds around the simple truth that God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit never had a beginning. They always were and always will be.

This simple truth is the foundation for all of our Christian faith and belief in God. It is one which cannot be partially accepted, but must be believed in whole, in order for us to have a vibrant faith in God. Anything less than 100% on this truth will create doubts which will limit the work of God in our lives.

Okay, assuming we all accept this simple truth, how did God create the heavens and the earth?

Then God said, “Let there be light; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

For years, I figured God spoke His words, wiggled His nose, much like Samantha on the TV program, Bewitched, and then presto, light and all the rest of creation appeared on the scene. But there are other scriptures which give us a better glimpse of how God created the heavens and earth.

Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word! (Psalm 103:20)

The English word angel is translated from the Hebrew word malak which actually means messenger, representative, or deputy. Therefore, God has deputy helpers who perform His words.

The Bible gives names for three angels: Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer.

Gabriel (strength of God or warrior of God) is an archangel who was sent as a messenger with important messages for humans, such as Daniel, Zacharias (John the Baptist’s father), and Mary.

Michael (who is like God) is a chief archangel, a protector of Israel, and the leader of God’s heavenly angel army.

Lucifer (light bearer or morning star) was also a chief archangel. In Jude 9, Michael still respected Lucifer’s high level of authority, even though he had fallen and was now known as Satan.

Okay, now let’s do some digging.

For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. (Hebrews 2:5)

For whatever reasons, God set up our present world to be in subjection to angels or under an angelic form of governmental system. God created this system to be obedient to His words, but obviously, angels have a free will, much like humans do. Sadly, the system was corrupted with Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden.

Yet, God being true to His own system had the Law brought to man under the direction of angels.

Now, the idea of creating man and man’s home here on earth was always in God’s heart. It was His highest priority as He longed to share His love and fellowship with other beings. And it’s only natural to assume that His angels all knew about the importance of earth and how a being called man would eventually fit into God’s plan for His kingdom on earth.

So, who did God choose to be His chief angel over earth?

You [Satan] were in Eden, the garden of God… (Ezekiel 28:13)

You [Satan] were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:14)

Eden, the garden of God, and the holy mountain of God were located here on earth, not in heaven. Thus, it is my belief that Lucifer (Satan) was chosen by God to be the head angel, or His chief ambassador, here on earth. If so, this means Satan was actually created to be a chief helper and a minister to us humans, not our accuser and destroyer.

But Lucifer (Satan) was proud of his authority over earth and wanted to exalt his throne over all of all the other angels and also to be like the Most High God. Then because of Satan’s iniquity, war broke out in heaven. This war continues today, but it will not be until the last days that Michael and the good angels will drive Satan and his horde (a third of all the angels) out of heavenly realms.

Who were Satan’s angels?

Most likely, Satan’s angels were those he had authority over here on earth when he was God’s amabassador. Later, Paul referred to a part of Satan’s fallen angel horde as principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Keep in mind: Satan is not a creator. He is a liar, a deceiver, and a usurper of God’s creation and His plans.

Thus, when Eve was deceived and Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God’s authority to rule on earth passed from man to the fallen angel, Satan. He became the god of this world.

And because Satan had authority on earth and in the heavens surrounding earth, Satan’s angels replaced God’s angels in the spiritual governmental system reigning over earth. Satan’s angels were already trained from their earlier experiences, but instead of obeying God, these fallen angels now obeyed the father of lies, Satan.

The bad news is that we are stuck with this corrupted angelic system until Jesus returns. But the good news is we have a new spiritual governmental system on earth, not subjected to angels. It is the Kingdom of God.

Are you scratching your heads and wondering what this has to do with San Francisco?

(Continued in Part 6…the full series to date can be read here.

Spiritual Warfare in San Francisco (Part 4)

https://relevantmagazine.com

He pointed down again.

“Look.”

There just below us, was a student resembling a fluorescent light bulb walking across the esplanade. She lit up the whole area around her as she hurried on her way. Unlike the others, she did not have a creature sitting on her shoulder, but instead, one hovered around her head, trying to alight on her, but for some reason, the creature could not land. Deep frustration etched a gully in the creature’s face.

“Listen,” said the angel.

My ears adjusted themselves to only listening to the girl. Her footsteps and the movement of her arms came through loud and clear, but also something else.

“Dee, dee, bah, bah, hooka mah hundae,” she whispered over and over.

She spoke in tongues as she walked along.

“Your message to Christians on college campuses is very simple,” said the angel. “It’s the same one Paul gave to the believers in Ephesus when he said, ‘Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, with all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Then he added, “In case you have forgotten, these scriptures are located in Ephesians 6: 17-18.”

It bugged me he knew I had not read my Bible for years. What else did he know?

He grabbed my ponytail and took off. We retraced our flight to the apartment where we landed in the kitchen, back where this began forty minutes earlier. We stood there, staring at each other. Neither of us spoke for a minute or so.

“Today, you’ll begin your journey as a prophet, a bondservant of Christ. You will prophesy, proclaiming the words the Lord gives you. You will speak in tongues like you have never spoken before in your spiritual life. No more baby tongues for you, but your strongest gift will be distinguishing of spirits. You will see into the spirit realm.”

Talk about a person’s life being turned upside down and shredded into pieces, it happened to me right then and there. I was a contented progressive Christian who had turned his back on Charismatic mumble-jumble years earlier and now, I was about to drown in a sea of spiritual gifts.

“But how? Amanda. My job. My Berkeley buddies. My life. This destroys me, doesn’t it?” I screamed in anger, not caring what he thought.

“The Lord’s grace will be more than sufficient for you. The Spirit of the Lord is about to descend on you, anointing you for the mission ahead.”

Those were the last words I remembered hearing before falling to the floor. I was out.

(Continued in Part 5…the full series to date can be read here.)

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May 30, 2017 · 10:38 am

Prayers for American Christians’ Eyes to be Opened (5/30/2017)

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I was at a breakfast meeting not long ago when I said, “Americans need to be prepared for the many calamities, which will soon be happening in our nation.”

A leader shook his head. “Well, I am praying these calamities will never happen,” he said.

“Really?” I said.

“Yes, I don’t believe these calamities will happen because godly prayer warriors are praying against them.”

The conversation died because I saw we were both entrenched in our views.

A few days later, I was talking with another Christian who explained his reasons for believing in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory: “I believe God loves His children so much that He doesn’t want us to suffer.”

“Oh,” I replied, “I don’t believe scripture supports your beliefs on that issue, but even so, our views on the rapture shouldn’t affect our walks with the Lord. We need to pray and seek the Lord for His leadership in our lives on a daily basis.

It’s my guess that 80 – 90% of Christians agree with these two men and disagree with me.

My prayer today:

Lord, open the eyes of American believers so that we can discern the signs of the times we live in right now. (Based on Matthew 16:3)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for American believers’ eyes to be opened.

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April 9, 2017 · 7:01 am

Inside Israel

The Shuk in Jerusalem

“The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Aviv (spring); for in the month of Aviv you came out from Egypt. “All that open the womb are Mine,…. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. “And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. “And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. “Three times in the year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the Lord God of Israel.For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.” EXODUS 34:18-24

Beloved brothers and sisters, cleansed by The Blood of The Lamb, called into His kingdom for such a time as this, may you be blessed and encouraged and may THE LORD ALONE be glorified and blessed.

Shalom, from a city at the center of history and geography, which is…well…cleaning!

Yesterday while crossing a large street in the center of town, I had to jump out of the way of one of those one man riding street sweepers who was stopping for no one and seemed determined to clean the patch of street that I was on. I jumped aside and he went intently on about his work, brushes whooshing away. I chuckled.

“So this day shall be to you a memorial, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel…On the 14th day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread , until the 21st day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your house…whether he is a stranger or native of the land…” Exodus 12:14…20

I don’t know about you, but the older I get the more I realize that all people are certainly NOT alike, not in taste or opinion or habit. Yet if I love someone, I REALLY WANT to please him. I have noticed when I make a meal that pleases my husband, I save that recipe or if I wear something that he comments on I make note of that.

When I was a young believer, I made note of the things that God said He loved or abhorred and I still do that. In no way did I think that my SALVATION was purchased or that I was any higher up on His list. If I did it, or any worse if I did not, but I WANTED to do things that pleased This One Whom my heart loved. So I took note of what He wrote. I still feel that way and I don’t really understand the argument against doing what The Word says by His Spirit.

On the train coming home from the shuk, I looked over the parcels piled on the floor and laps of my fellow travelers. Every space was covered. An older woman along side of me had a drying rack. This is a simple, clever device for drying wet clothing in limited space, inside our outside. It folds to slim flat and can be anywhere from 3 feet to about 6 feet long when folded. I have noticed that the ones available at Pesach are plastic rather than the usual aluminum with clotheslines. Why? I still don’t know.

When I do find out I will likely shake my head. Anyway, it wouldn’t occur to me that my clothesline might not be kosher for Passover, but I guess it should because another woman called over to my neighbor from across the train. “How much did you pay for that one?”

Immediately I heard: “65 shekels. Some people are fanatics but I am not one of those. 65 shekels is enough.”

The woman across the train nodded in agreement. “That’s a good price. I found them 2 for 135 shekels.”

I thought, “Huh! I would never have thought to replace my DRYING RACK. Does it have leaven?”

But as I see the array of plastic sink and pipe liners, and stacks of new…everything, I try again to adjust my focus on Exodus chapter 12…

Our daughter came by today to help with a few things. As we discussed what was kosher for Pesach, she told me that her husband’s family gets rid of EVERYTHING and will eat no food unless it is marked “kosher for Pesach 2017” by a rabbi whom they approve of. They even throw out all of their spices. Yes, salt, pepper, sugar, coffee, tea and all of the expensive exotic ones as well. They are Algerian Jews by background and culture.

It surely helps you to have a very clean house and also to keep free of loving things! When you replace everything you own once a year, your items are limited by necessity. They empty the apartment of everything and then take a large hose and hose down the entire apartment. They are SURE that there is NO LEAVEN.

Each time my focus gets off base and I start to feel anxiety to keep up with my cultural and generational expectations, I return to Exodus chapter 12. Verse 3 says “…On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…”

That is this coming Thursday or TOMORROW here. I cannot take a lamb, but I HAVE taken THE Lamb, and as instructed in verse 6 “Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.”

Yes, this I DID do. I was responsible. I nailed Him to the cross. I was guilty of killing The One Who died for me, to set me free, and yes, I am FREE. Free from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, but more importantly, free to serve Him in love.

The time is moving quickly and I seek to keep my balance…HE is first and yet there ARE necessities. Shopping is much more hectic with the crowds, and choices must be made as this is a major holiday and many places will be closed, not only for the holy days themselves, but some for the entire week. I chuckle to myself…none of us will starve, that is for sure!

My thoughts drift to Esther and I lift her up in prayer. A couple of weeks ago as I waited to see a doctor in an area that I’m not very familiar with, I arrived early and went into a small toyshop. It was a tiny hole in the wall but piled HIGH with the most wonderful and creative toys. A truly amazing shop.

“If’shar la’aksor?” (can I help you?), an older woman asked.

I told her that I only had a moment and wasn’t from this area but I was a Grandma and couldn’t resist. She nodded and said, “I can help you find anything. I know everything that is here and where it is and can find the perfect gift for each child. I can do that because my husband and I bought every one for more than 50 years. We were together every moment of every day and chose each toy together, but he is gone now.”

She burst out crying and fell into my arms to the dismay of (apparently) a relative and husband who were helping her unload new stock. I assured them that it was ok and they should leave us alone.

“When did he leave?” I asked.

“It has been 4 months now,” she wept.

“Oh, this is so new and hard, I’m so sorry!” I said, hugging her tighter. “Was it a surprise?”

“Oh, he had the cancer, a bad one, but he did not want any treatment. He wanted to be happy. And he was for 3 years, we almost forgot that he had it, but the last two months he suffered. He told me that he had lived more than 85 years and that had been such a gift and that it was enough, but here I am and I miss him so much!’

I asked her if they had children and grandchildren and although I have forgotten the number it was a HUGE tribe.

“What a blessing. They must be a comfort.” I wanted so hard to comfort her, but I had the feeling that just listening and hugging was what she needed right now. No one could take his place and I understood they had been married more than 60 years. “I will pray for you and ask others to as well Esther.”

And that is what I’m doing now. This Pesach will be so hard for her and for others all around left behind by loved ones. Perhaps you will remember her too?

Pesach.

What IS it really?

The older I become the more mystical it gets in my eyes. Each time that I begin in Genesis (Beresheet in Hebrew) and walk on into Exodus (Shmote in Hebrew), it is as if I am reading it for the first time. The immense wonder of it all only gets larger as I see things that I never have seen before, the way it ALL fits together. The MASTER PLAN laid out both plainly and in code, a weaving begun of a most beautiful symphony.

And here WE, of ALL people are in Jerusalem, joining the throng, heeding the call of “come UP to Jerusalem, the city where I have put MY Name and I will meet you there.”

Psalms 120-134 (some include 119) are the Songs of Ascent because they were sung as the tribes gathered on the way, going up to Jerusalem for the feasts of Passover, Shavout (Pentecost or Weeks), and Sukkot (Tabernacles): the three feasts when all males were commanded to come up to Jerusalem. Yeshua (Jesus) was part of this and sang these songs when He was a child and came up to Jerusalem with His family for Passover as described in Luke 2:41-51.

And still, many visitors come up during Passover/Resurrection season – up to Jerusalem and to the feasts of The Lord. It is a time to visit with beloved friends – both old and new. It all mixes together and I wish you could all be here and see it and partake. BUT NOW WE SEE YESHUA, JESUS, THE RISEN BREAD OF LIFE, THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL OF THESE AMAZING PATTERNS AND PROMISES…HE IS THE LIVING MANA…HE IS ENOUGH… HE IS THE LAMB…HIS IS THE BLOOD ON THE DOORPOSTS OF OUR HEARTS…HE IS THE WAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS…HE IS THE FIRSTBORN…HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE….

AND IT IS JUST ALL SO BEAUTIFUL THAT I MIGHT BURST…

But first, I do have to finish cleaning. So, I will just go and sing while I clean.

May the blessings of His Presence be ours. May we glorify The Lord and finish the work that He has given each one of us.

Lovingly,

your sister J

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March 22, 2017 · 7:04 am

Geezer Up (Part 15)

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Jane

“Okay, what’s your problem?” asked J. C. when we walked into the tiled foyer of their townhouse.

“Nothing,” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“Sorry, that doesn’t work with me,” he said. “We can’t help if you don’t open up to us. Now, what’s you problem?”

We walked down a short picture lined hallway and into the family room. I sat down on a soft brown leather sofa while J. C. and Shira sat on a matching one on the opposite side of a glass-topped coffee table. I turned to look out the windows at the Golden Gate Bridge. No fog. Sunny and clear. Traffic seemed light on the bridge for 10:30 in the morning. I turned to face my friends.

“Here’s the deal,” I said, blowing out a deep breath. “The Lord wants me to go on TV, radio, to churches, and wherever He opens the door to defend Dylan’s stand and plead his cause.”

“What a great idea!” proclaimed Shira.

“Not really because I hate public speaking. I just can’t do it!”

Shira moved over next to me and put her arm around me. The gentle scent of her Estée Lauder perfume cajoled my emotions, calming me down a notch or two on my inner Richter scale.

“Jane, what’s the worse that could happen?” she asked.

“I might fail.”

“Really? The Lord would put Dylan’s future into your hands so He could watch you fail. How would that advance the kingdom of God?”

Although still sweet, a different side of Shira emerged at that moment: the exhorter. She had her periscope up, torpedo tubes loaded, and I was in her crosshairs.

“Okay, maybe I won’t fail, but I will most certainly make a fool of myself.”

The words skated past my brain and out my mouth before I could filter them. Shira looked into my eyes and grinned.

“Ah, at last, the truth.”

I wrinkled my nose.

“My answer didn’t sound very good, right?”

Shira shook her head. “No, darling.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “Okay, do either of you know how I can carry out this assignment from the Lord?”

“Hobart Effingham III,” said J. C., pulling his iPhone out of his pocket.

“Hobart Effingham? What’s that?”

“Effingham is a Christian businessman who happens to be the president of the largest public relations firm in San Francisco. A few phone calls by him will land you on the top-rated TV and radio programs in the area. As for churches, I can make some contacts to help you.”

Okay Lord, I thought, here I am. Use me.

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

(Continued in Part 16…the full series to date can be read here.)

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March 17, 2017 · 10:16 am

My Irish Story

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My roommate Tony and I enjoyed laughing in the midst of our financial struggles. I remember walking to Hy-Vee Grocery Store one morning and seeing a dead pheasant lying next to the road.

“Hey, we might be able to make a stew out of that bird,” said Tony.

“Really?”

“Actually, I’m trying to make up my mind whether I’m that desperate yet.”

Humor helps during bad times, but we were also serious prayer warriors, who believed God could use us to advance His kingdom. Each morning, we waited on the Lord to discover how He wanted us to pray.

Once, we felt He wanted us to pray for Northern Ireland and its violent unrest at the time. We began praying in tongues, waiting on the Holy Spirit to show us a clear direction on how to intercede for the war-torn area. I then had a vision in which I saw bodies of young people piled in heaps on the streets of Belfast, thousands of them. All had their lives snuffed out by the continued violence between the Catholics and Protestants.

The vision so disturbed me I could do nothing but weep. Tony and I eventually prayed as best we could to stop this vision from happening in Ireland, but we had no peace about it. I also felt there was an important prophetic word for Northern Ireland within my spirit, waiting to be given.

I went to my bedroom afterward and prayed, asking the Lord to give the prophecy to some well-known preacher. Who would listen to me? As soon as I prayed the words, I knew it was a bad idea so I repented quickly.

“Lord, show me how to speak the prophecy to Northern Ireland,” I prayed. With those words, peace settled over me.

The Lord impressed me to visit a Catholic church near the campus two days later. I walked in the door and asked if anybody knew someone in Northern Ireland. They all laughed, but one lady suggested I should talk with a secretary in the basement.

I went to the secretary. She did not know anyone in Ireland, but she knew the name of the Catholic Charismatic leader in Des Moines.

“Maybe that person knows someone in Ireland,” she said.

The next day, I phoned the Catholic Charismatic leader.

“I don’t know anyone in Ireland,” she said, “but my husband knows the head of the Catholic Charismatic movement in England.”

Her husband came on the line and gave me the phone number.

I phoned the number in England early the next morning because of the six-hour time difference. The leader’s wife answered and told me her husband was attending a meeting in London. I explained to her the reason for my phone call.

“Funny,” she said, “but I’m looking at the exact person you need. His picture is on the cover of a book.”

She gave me the information.

I sat down at the kitchen table and wrote the prophetic word for Northern Ireland, and then mailed it to the leader in Belfast.

This whole experience was by faith and after dropping the letter into the mailbox, all of my faith dried up. Every doubt in the world hit me. Who did I think I was anyway? A nobody. A failure. I didn’t even belong to a church. No pastor would ever vouch for me. The Irish leader would take one look at my name, my handwritten scrawl, and laugh. But even in the midst of these doubts, I knew enough to run to the throne of grace, asking for grace and mercy to help me through this trial of faith.

Two weeks later, the phone rang on a Sunday afternoon.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Larry, I’m Cecil Kerr from Belfast, Ireland. I’m calling to thank you for the prophetic word you sent me. Our prayer group had been waiting for just such a word. We are already praying it into fruition. So, from all of us, we thank you for your obedience to the Holy Spirit.”

We talked for a few minutes and then said our goodbyes. I fell on my knees and wept, realizing how big God is and, by comparison, how little I am. To think God would use me, to pray for such a far off place, which was going through such desperate life and death struggles, opened my eyes to the greatness of our God. Nothing is impossible for Him.

If there had been a contest for the two most insignificant Christians in America at the time, Tony and I had a chance of winning. My truck had been repossessed. Tony’s car needed a tire. We had no money and AT&T disconnected our phone the very next morning.

God never seems to be bothered by such trivial things as our insignificance in the world.

The above took place in 1995. The peace treaty between the IRA and Great Britain was finally signed on Good Friday, 1998, and continues today.

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January 12, 2017 · 1:38 pm

Thursday’s Prayers for America (1/12/2017)

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.”

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

America’s problem right now is not being on the wrong side of history, but being on the wrong side of the Word of God, especially in our nation’s treatment of Israel over the last eight years.

My prayer today:

Lord, help President Trump and his administration to move our nation back to being a staunch ally of Israel so that America will once again enjoy Your blessings. (Based on Genesis 12:3)

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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