December 2019
To my treasured friends:
Jay and family join me in sending loving blessings to you. It all began when Father spoke mysteries to his Prophets. Then in the fullness of time, in Bethlehem just 6 km south of Jerusalem, God chose to reveal His secret first to humble shepherds. Would you or I qualify for such an honour today? Just think about it; what is the cry of our hearts?
Take time to read it all:
“…Bethlehem Ephratha… out of you shall He come, unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel: whose going forth has been from of old, from everlasting. And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord His God: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth; in the majesty of the Name of the Lord his God; and they [Israel the nation] shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth.[In believing Jews and Christians in 2020] And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people[those who are blessed by Israel] as a dew from the Lord, as showers upon the grass…And the remnant of Jacob[8.4 million Israelis] shall be among the Gentiles [heathen] in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest …Your hand[Father God is behind Israel’s strength and safety] shall be lifted up upon your adversaries, [all who hate us and plot our demise] and all your enemies shall be cut off.” Micah 5: 2b.4.7a, 8. 9. [My analysis in parenthesis.]
This absolutely incredible prophecy was given by the so-called ‘minor’ Prophet Micah who lived 700 years before Jesus. Let’s rehearse these promises in prayer along with thanksgiving and expectation. Let God arise, His enemies be scattered!
Winter rains began a week ago. This morning, I was in the garden when the first rays of sun lit up our aloe bush. I stood gazing out over the hills and valley; raising my arms heavenward, the only words that came were; thank you, thank you, thank you. Why, because, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Just then a tiny iridescent sunbird flew to one of the orange blooms, to drink its sweet nectar. It stayed within a handsbreadth of me, unafraid. “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Matthew 6:26
Quote: I have prayed almost daily for Daniel; “May God heal him and truly take him as His child and use him in Israel and in the nations.” P.P. Finland
The family joins me in thanking you for your prayers. One of Israel’s top Professors of Neurology will see Daniel on Christmas Day, and we expect a Christmas miracle! Daniel has just completed a short production on Leviathan, Israel’s natural gas resource. Israel is supplying Egypt and Jordan with gas and Europe is next. Pay attention, this could put a dent in the Gas-prom market and Russia’s energy monopoly over Europe. Photo: Daniel and Dad.
Aramaic speaking Christians of ancient Mesopotamia are being systematically driven out of their homes by Muslim Turks, Syrians and Iraqis backed by Russia. They represent the oldest Christian community on earth. Pray that Western governments come to their aid. Those who fled to Jordan as refugees are shunned. Muslim men were put in charge of the UN refugee camps and systematically refuse them entry. They have nowhere to go!
Nepal remains very much in our hearts and prayers. Thank you for your offerings, for the Safe House we support in Kathmandu, under the direction of our adopted daughter Indira Ghale. Please help sons Chris, Daniel and I with airfare in order to complete more documentary work on trafficking. Photos below: This little girl asked me to buy her an advanced Oxford English – Nepali Dictionary in 2016. Her spoken English was perfect. I thought she was, yes, just a little girl. How nieve and shocked I was to learn that she had been given to her uncle to bed,(she was his sex toy) and was now the mother of a two-month-old infant daughter. She is one of the people we support. We are thankful for your help. Next photo: Indira and I are praying for the work to continue.
What does 2020 hold?
Switzerland and Germany: Quote: “My dear Meridel, my heart is filled with praise for you. A very long time ago (twenty-five years) my mother told me that you prayed for us. Please come to us again and speak to your very old German friends.” C. F. Germany
Our wonderful friends have responded and Jay and I will begin a tour to the above two nations on January 11, for six weeks. We are excited as we sensed the Lord telling us to revisit many of the places where we have ministered these last fifty years. We look forward to seeing many of you in the months ahead. Invite us and we will believe to come to bless your nation and are well able to minister on both Israel and abuse.
Stain Remover: Healing the Indelible Stain of Child Sexual Abuse is the title of my latest book. It took me five years to write this book. I found it very interesting, that during the editing phase my sons and husband insisted on giving me input. Chris created the cover and typeset the manuscript. Talk about a family production. Now they are all demanding that my next book is on a much lighter and happier topic. A faithful friend has come forward to pay for the printing of the first edition, which will make it available for the upcoming tour. The book will be online in the days ahead. You may write in or email me for your softcover copy of 250 pages. $35.00 including postage.
“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:26
We literally understood this verse after we lived in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Allow me to explain. This sketch of Chris’ was found with others in a box of long-forgotten papers. They reminded us of our hectic days spent there. We all remembered the noise! Minarets blared out their call to prayer five times daily along with angry anti-Israel sermons on Friday mornings. In fact, there was a one-room mosque across the walkway from the boy’s bedroom window. Daily a blind Iman was led by a child who opened the green door. After he gave the call to prayer, he was gently led back to the Muslim quarter. Much to our consternation, we found Chris age 8, sitting in the windowsill of his bedroom, mimicking the Arab call to prayer. I must say, I thought that it was impressive, even though I had to reprimand him for doing so.
That’s not all, in the Jewish world, Rabbis stood on rooftops, using handheld microphones to alert their faithful to pray daily three times, along with updates on their sacred seasons. Then there were the endless wedding celebrations.
St. Marks, the Syrian Orthodox Church, was also located on our street. It is an authentic archeological site dating back to the days of Peter and John. Their priest led the band, swinging his metal-tipped staff. He smacked the stone street every step of the way. Young Aramaic speaking Christian Arabs from this church loved to parade past our living room windows in full dress uniforms playing their ancient brass instruments, drums, and Scottish bagpipes very loudly… especially at Christmas time. Come to think of it, occasionally we did hear the church bells from the Lutheran and Scottish churches. This cacophony reverberated off the stone walls, and narrow stone walkways. Our apartment, constructed of cement and stone served as a conduit, amplifying the echoes endlessly. Living inside of that drum, we all suffered from noise pollution and found ourselves dreaming of peace and quietness. It gave us all a very healthy understanding of why we must pray daily for this super religious place.
“The Jerusalem above is free…!” [of noise, my interpretation]
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love her. Psalm 122:5
Photo. James Christian Rawlings, our 2nd son is an artist, inventor, and a User Experience Designer for major Tech companies. He built and continues to service our websites for the last twenty years and does it all with love.
websites: www.stillsmallvoice.tv
www.israelvision.com
meridel.rawlings@gmail.com
Happy Hanukah
The central candle of the nine is the Servant candle. We know Who that Servant is for He has lit up the entire world with the Father’s incredible love to us all. Historically, we rehearse Israel’s victory over the Hellenistic Greeks. Maccabees fought for several generations until they gained the victory, cleansed the Temple and restored national worship. Today, there isn’t a nation that doesn’t desperately need a visitation from heaven with Renewal, and Revival. Pray for it. We enjoy eating sufganiyot donuts. The photo to the right is 3 sufganiyot made into the shape of a snowman. Hag Samach or Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas
Israelis LOVE to visit a home that keeps Christmas. We put up cedar boughs and lots of lights. I also love to reuse beautiful Christmas cards that we have received from loved ones over the decades. They serve to bring back beautiful memories of your loving faithfulness over us all of these years. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Our heartfelt prayer for Israel is:
To appoint to them that mourn in Zion
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of JOY for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD,
that He might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3.
Oil: speaks of anointing, the Anointed One is our Messiah. We welcome Him at home.
From our home to yours with love and every blessing for 2020, it’s a new time!
Love from Meridel and Jay Rawlings and family.
Email: meridel.rawlings@gmail.com
Meridel Rawlings, 84156, Mevasseret Zion, 9079097, Israel.