Inside Israel – A Personal Prayer Request

Hi and welcome to Inside Israel today! J of Jerusalem had e-mailed earlier to ask for prayer for her husband, who’d been hit by a motorcycle. Here is her follow-up e-mail about his condition. Thank you all so much for praying!

I was really overwhelmed by the email response to my prayer request! I couldn’t BEGIN to answer them all! It was by far the most emails I have ever gotten and I am touched. Thank you for such love and for the prayers, which is most important!

I am VERY tired, but want to fill you in briefly:
(I purposely don’t use our names in emails as I explained before, since we need some prudence concerning our identity)

E. is MUCH better then he was when I wrote just following the accident, Praise God! The injury appears to be confined to a fractured left pelvis (illium) so we are hoping that soon he can use a walker with the help of the right leg, which is still having problems holding weight (very sore). He is still in a fair amount of pain and the doctors told him to be prepared for about 2 months of this. An area of concern is that he still has not been transferred down to the orthopedic ward as it is full. He is on the cardiothoracic surgery ward and they are NOT equipped to handle an orthopedic patient, so he is not receiving optimal care. Since he also does not speak much Hebrew nor does he hear well, I must stay with him most of the time (as I described before concerning our hospitals… ‘services’ are NOT provided) – the nursing staff is very small and over worked.

During this whole thing, his spirit has been much more tender and he has been open to prayer. We used to read together and he has suggested that I read a book to him and I am reading a wonderful testimony to him and ask for prayer that his spirit be open once again to a full, deep, enduring and complete working of The Lord. That The Holy Spirit would grab hold of his heart again as he is forced to let his body heal. Thank you for your prayers!

I am also thankful for GREAT grace enabling my weakness with His strength, but I admit to being tired. I am at hospital at most hours that I am not at work. I am NOT on the computer except rarely (like now for a brief update – or during a not so busy time at work). I go to hospital at around 5am before work and return there after work until about 8:30.

Thank you for your prayers. This did not take The Lord by surprise, so I know that He is in control and will glorify His Name!

lovingly, your sis

Seasoned

“And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt, you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.” Leviticus 2:13

There is nothing bland about our covenant relationship with God.

Thank You, Jesus, for seasoning us and knowing how to bring out our best flavor . . .glory to You!

Just Right

Seasoned toward perfection
by the Master Chef
lovingly placed upon the fire
and that is where we’re left
to be a sweet aroma
a holy offering
a pleasing sacrifice
to the glory of our King.

Of Our Own Free Will

“If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord.” Leviticus 1:3

For some reason I thought of free will as more of an A.D. term. But really it has always been a matter of choice.

Oh Lord, let me come often before You to offer up my own free will for Your will that frees me.

Offering Everything

How much shall I offer
of my own free will
to open the door just a crack
or to fling it wider still?
And what would it feel like
to give You all I have
unasked and unafraid
to live Your will for me instead?

What are some of your thoughts on free will?

Go and Tell

“And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice’.” Matthew 28:9
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me’.” Matthew 28:10

As Jesus told the women to rejoice and not be afraid to go and tell the truth, the chief priests bribed the guards of His tomb to go and lie.

Thank You, Jesus, for showing us what mattered after You had risen. You weren’t concerned about the fallout from Your resurrection or any lies being spread about You. We need to just go and speak the Truth.

What Will Be

There will be
lies and schemes
that bring about
a certain death
but always greater
is His truth
that brings us to
eternal life.

Is there a truth He has asked you to go and tell today?

Who’s Listening?

“So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” Matthew 27:66

The chief priests and Pharisees guarded Jesus’ dead body. They had heard and remembered His claims to rise again the third day, even though they didn’t believe Him.

Lord, help us find a way to share Your word with those who persecute us and disbelieve today . . .in case tomorrow they remember as You reveal Yourself to them. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Picked Up

His words fall
like stones
that are picked up
and thrown back
at us
but they are
picked up.

Between Two Robbers

“And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” Matthew 27:37-38

It doesn’t matter where we put Jesus . . .among thieves, on a cross, in a fairy tale or a tomb. He can’t stay there. He doesn’t fit. What’s going to matter is where He puts us.

Thank You, Lord, for placing us in a right relationship with God the Father when we believe in You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

A King Between

A King between two robbers
hoisted on a hill

some watched from a distance
others came closer still

to mock Him and blaspheme
until they had their fill

but the Love between the Father and His children
we could never kill.

His Blood Be On Me

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ ” Matthew 27:24
“And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ ” Matthew 27:25

I understand the context in which the above words were spoken, but something in me wants to say “indeed” and “amen”.

Oh Lord, let Your blood be upon us and on our children, covering us and washing away our sins. Here’s a simple poem . . .

Rescued

I would that there
had been no cross
no beatings, no blood

but then there would’ve been
no sacrifice, no atoning
no forgiveness of my sin

so I stand within the multitude
guilty of Your blood
and rescued by its flow.

Inside Israel – Fellowshiping In His Presence

Welcome to another Sunday of Inside Israel! Today we have another older e-mail from J of Jerusalem, describing a wonderful evening she had meeting with other believers and the Lord. Hope you enjoy it and have your own similar meetings today!

So…last night our fellowship gathered for a Shabat dinner together before the new year. It was WONDERFUL, on so many levels, and I wished that each of you could have been there, so I would like to share it with you.

Our fellowship has been through many changes. They have been difficult and painful, but they have been the beginning of answers to much prayer that we would become whom He wants to make us. They have borne peaceable fruit. One family in our congregation lives on a believing moshav (rural) where there is a very large Bedouin tent. We met there last night and shared our meal, worship and testimonies. But there was a difference this time and I am still filled with thanksgiving. Usually at a joint meal, there is a fair share of pastas, deserts, rice and beans, things that are fine and filling, but less expensive and easier to prepare (which is reasonable). This time, however, as if a holy offering, EVERY dish was special! The tables were laden with food fit for a King…and indeed, there was the feeling that it had all been prepared unto Him…first offered to Him and then given in love to one another. The expression of love one for another overflowed and along with the cool breeze and the spectacular sunset, our voices rose in praise and worship in a new way. As I looked around, there was a deeper ‘quietness’ and ‘rest’ on each face…quiet and rest emanating from The One Who calls us to Himself. The testimonies shared enabled us to know those who were sharing through His eyes, and such a love arose toward them. We have 3 new babies in our fellowship now and a slew of children and young adults, but there is no separation… everyone is finally blending into a real family. Yes, I am very thankful for our fellowship, and indeed, for EVERY fellowship that walks HARD AFTER GOD ALONE. It seems to me that we live in a time where we must contend for the Word and for Faith in a different way. Humility, REAL humility, and prayer…REAL prayer, seem more difficult to come by perhaps? Oh, there is a lot of noise and activity…but…hum…Is it YOU, Lord? I look over the MANY places in scripture where we are warned against deception. He tells us we are deceived when our love grows cold, when we do not receive a love of The Truth, when we grieve the Holy Spirit, when we sin, when we walk in pride, when sin around us causes the love of many to wax cold (even in the churches perhaps?), unforgiveness, bitterness, covetousness, …and that there will be a famine for The Word of God, Oh. He has warned us well…over and over.

When I first had the scales removed from my eyes and saw His Light shine out of darkness, I cried out to Him to give me discernment! I have not stopped this prayer. I KNOW my stupidity and my impulsiveness and how easily I could follow after a wrong spirit! I saw the women in Acts 16 who followed after Paul saying ‘…this is the prophet of The Most High God. Hear him!’ Well…what was wrong with THAT??? She was right…he was indeed a prophet of The Most High God, but…even though her words were right…they proceeded from a wrong spirit! NOT The Holy Spirit but a spirit of divination… an impersonating spirit…one who deceives. Hers was the love of a prostitute! I saw that potential deep within myself (for in my darkness it was in those places I had walked!) and begged Him for mercy that I would not be led astray. Oh He is faithful and my prayer continues the same! It is not at all out of fear…but out of fear of God! And if I ever think ‘I know Him. I don’t need His mercy to be able to follow’, I can always remember Miriam (Mary) at the tomb speaking to Him thinking it was the gardener, ‘They have taken my Lord and I don’t know where they have laid Him’…or the disciples in the boat when He walked on the water toward them and they cried out thinking they saw a spirit. These all KNEW Him, and loved Him…but a day came when they didn’t recognize Him. Oh, I know we live in such a day as that! May He keep each of us…

I totally did NOT expect to write this, and perhaps it is only for myself. Please receive it with grace if you think ‘What in the WORLD is she talking about! I KNOW this!’ I am just fresh in from being washed in the waters of His Presence and it is very humbling to remember how GREAT, how very GREAT HE IS! May we all, as one heart, worship HIM alone. God bless you!

The Silent Defense

“Then Pilot said to Him, ‘Do you not hear how many things they testify against You?’” Matthew 27:13
“And He answered Him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” Matthew 27:14

We have an enemy who threatens and accuses us constantly.

Help us remember, Lord, not to waste our time and energy defending ourselves to satan. You took care of all that on the cross. And here’s a simple poem . . .

His Witness Protection Program

Sometimes silence
is our best defense

when we are accused of
what we never did

and the truth gets twisted
into a giant mess

we can quiet our hearts
beneath His righteousness.

Has Jesus ever asked you to keep still while you were accused?

Guilt Relief

Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Matthew 27:3-4

Judas was remorseful and confessing his wrong doing . . .but he didn’t ask Jesus to forgive Him.

Lord, help us come to You when we’ve done wrong to receive forgiveness for our sins. Here’s a simple poem . . .

Seeking Forgiveness

We can confess all we want to
admit that we are wrong
but the guilt won’t go away
and so before too long
we need to run to Jesus
and ask Him to forgive
for He is the only one
who can take away our sin.