Fellowship

 

Come and see
and hear and handle
this Word of Life
and Light

walking in Me
and having fellowship
leaving the dark
behind.

A laid down life has fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ , His Son.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life . ..we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:1,3,5 NKJV

Inside Israel – Nov. 17th / day 4

Hi and thank you for your support and prayers for Israel and our sis in Jerusalem, who keeps sharing from her place there, as He leads her.  God bless you and yours! Now, here she is . . .

“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth;
to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.”  Psalm 25:10

Blessings to each of you, from our home to yours.  Thank you for your prayers and loving support.  Thank you for seeking His Face. 

I am not sure how much I can get written in this half hour before leaving for fellowship.  I was reminded of the above verse by a dear sis in The Lord today.  That includes the path set before us.  We have spent most of the day going over and cleaning out what has been our ‘emergency supplies’. The dates on the paperwork that I had included in our emergency packs showed me that we haven’t done an inventory since 2006…and the supplies were greatly lacking and outdated!  A nasty spider jumped out and bit me.  I am thankful that I immediately remembered how The Lord gives us promises against poisons as well, and the swelling and itch are almost gone by now.  He IS enough.  And He will be in whatever lies ahead as well. 

I wrote very hurriedly last night and wanted to give you a bit of a clearer picture of what is unfolding so rapidly here, atleast from my point of view.  Our nation has pounded the other side through the night last night, however many rockets continue to rain down unabated on our country.  A building in Ashdod took a direct hit just awhile ago and 4 of the residents were lightly injured.  It continues to remain miraculous how our casualties remain relatively low considering the many hundreds of rockets that have fallen since Thurs.  This morning when I awoke the number was over 500, and by now it has climbed substantially higher. 

The sound of the red alert siren last night was sobering and was a good wake up call.  It is different then the steady siren sound given off to announce shabat or a ‘silent memorial’ time.  This is louder, undulating and urgent.  Later, as we heard the news, we were instructed that residents of Jerusalem have 90 seconds to reach a shelter – that is 6 times more time given to us then to the residents in the south.  We have a map that shows us which areas have how long each area has. Experiencing the alert last night has given me a sharper understanding of the intolerable pressure that the people in the south live under.  Mothers with children have been hearing the red alert day after day countless numbers of times.  The uncertainty of where these things will fall is terribly stressful.  We have clear examples of people who decided that they ‘always fall in deserted areas’ and ignore the warning.  99% of those killed and injured have ignored the directions of the home front command. 

I have been lifting up a petition to The Lord: teach me to see ALL of this through YOUR eyes and NOT through the eyes of the flesh.  Let my breath become prayer.  Keep me from fleshly responses and keeping my eyes and ears NOT fixed on the news when they need to be fixed on YOU. 

Indeed, for the years that we have lived here I have increasingly understood that I MUST have my vision and understanding shifted from the worlds to The Lord’s.  That The Scriptures MUST be my ONLY reference and Truth and The Holy Spirit my ONLY teacher.  Now it is being fully tested.  Now is too late to apply myself to lessons unlearned. 

I still do not have a full list of believing soldiers perhaps in harms way, but I do know that my Pastor’s son as well as the sons of both of the leaders of IFI have been called back into the reserves.  As days go by I will share names as it seems prudent.  We have been told to be ‘prepared’ for 7 weeks of this.  Iran has called on all of the Arab nations to come together against us…that now is the time.  Tunisia has a representative in the strip this day. Turkish Pres is in Egypt. The Lord knows WELL what lies ahead, and in Him we can fully trust.  John 5:21 and 24 deeply comforted me today. 

It is time to leave and I send you much love.  Your sis in Jerusalem

ani b’derek

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!