Kalimera dear Friends … this is Greek for Good Morning!
Three of our granddaughters are visiting. They are ages 22, 18 and 16. We are having a ‘blast’ together, catching up after a year. “What is it with the people here? Are they always this friendly?” One asked.
“What you see is what you get.” Jay assured them.
Coming out of big cities, one is not used to encountering the milk of human kindness so liberally shared as here. Welcome to Greece!
Our conversations and laughter are the most exiting times of all for me personally. Over coffee, one of the girls offered: “Fear has to be the biggest enemy ever!”
“Fear is like an ever-present shadow that follows us. It sneaks its way into our thinking.” I said, in agreement.
“YES, exactly.” She said excitedly.
I continued; “I was your age when I came to realize: the hateful, fearful thoughts that sprang into my thinking were NOT me! I saw they were lies. I separated myself from the hurtful insinuations and learned to fight them off. They were so pervasive I sometimes cried in pain. That was the beginning of change for me.”
“That’s fantastic! Grandma!” She said, hugging me.
“But, I have to tell you honestly,” I broke in, “I learned to fight off the darkness of negativity and fear BECAUSE it was always trying to define me to be what I was NOT. Only in the Light of God’s Love could I see this. I prayed using the Name of the Highest Authority given to human beings. That Name has power to bring permanent change!”
Then I was so excited seeing the hunger in my granddaughter, that I burst forth with a short phrase in another language.
“Grandma, what was that?” She asked repeating the beautiful sounds.
“That is called ‘speaking in other tongues’ … or languages. Professors call it glossalia, and scientists have proven by the syntax and structure that these languages are real, known and unknown.” I explained. “We were in Moscow on a subway in 1971 and the LORD gave me the language of the people. They melted when I began to speak, Grandpa caught it on a Bolex camera at the time. It was like time stood still. I was their own, there was no division. That means, heaven came down. There are other times when we experienced this with other people- groups as well. Our God is the Greatest Communicator!”
“But, what did you just say just now, Grandma?”
I was quiet a moment and asked for the interpretation. The meaning of what I just said, is: “It is entirely possible.” As I did so the Holy Spirit showered down over me, and I shivered with joy.
“How marvellous!” Exclaimed our young intellectual.
“Come, may I put my hands on your head, so that you too can sense what I am experiencing right now? ” I suggested.
She stood before me with absolutely no hesitation and as I raised my hands the LORD spoke: “Be not afraid to look inside of your heart, for what you will find there is entirely possible.”
She was initially thrilled and then became very quiet, it was something brand new.
“Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of His people.”
Amos 5:14,15
Hebrew Word: “Tefila – Prayer”
It comes from the three-letter root – ‘pilel’ meaning to ‘indite, or in the reflexive form, ‘l’hitpalel’ meaning, to judge yourself and your deeds. This is very different from what we might assume from the word ‘prayer’. It may mainly involve asking for things, for Divine intervention. In prayer, Jews stand in the Presence of the Divine and use tefila or prayer as a mirror, to appraise one’s actions. That is why the word tefila is very different from the English translation, prayer. I just shared a perfect example of this above.
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your transgressions.”
Mark 11:25,26
The US President visits Israel:
Upon arrival in Israel this week Mr Biden said: “My first visit was as a young senator from Delaware in 1973, just a few weeks before the Yom Kippur War. I had the privilege of spending time with Prime Minister Golda Meir. I was sitting next to one of her aides, his name was Rabin. I look back on it all now, and I realize that I had the great honour of living part of this great history of Israel. You need not be a Jew to be a Zionist. The fact is that, since then, I’ve known every single prime minister, and it has been an honour. I’ve formed a strong working relationship with each of them. And now, this is my tenth visit. US President Joe Biden
Facts on the Ground in Israel:
- How much does gas cost in your hometown today? Here gasoline is US $2.50 a liter or US $8.96 a gallon.
- Israel is considered a developed modern nation, BUT extremely low wages an a high cost of living are taking their toll on everyone.
- Did you know that over 1.7 million people, including 900,000 children live below the poverty line in Israel, out of a population of 9 million. “Defend the weak and fatherless: uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” Psalm 82:3
- Russian/Ukrainian immigration in 2022 as of this week is 29,000. 45,000 are expected by the end of the year. “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 43:6,7.
- The Maccabiah Games (Jewish Olympics) were held in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem this week. These Jewish Olympic Games are conceivably the greatest victory of the Jewish people over adversity. This week, over 10,000 athletes from nearly 80 countries came to compete.
From Our Readers:
- “I enjoyed your newsletter Meridel and remember back in 1979 when Apples Of Gold was filmed in Israel. Bruce Allen was on camera with wife Moira his assistant. You posted a great picture of you and Jay so young and vibrant. Little did you know what the Lord had planned for your lives, and all you’d accomplish over the next 43 years to bless Israel. May the Lord bless all of your endeavors and provide all your needs as you travel across Canada raising needed financial support.” Reynold Rutledge
- D.M. in the UK wrote; “Your letter came in 6 days. I admire you being able to leave your family. Our world is in a mess, but obviously, the LORD is in control
The faith of my prayer partner and I hold firm. We pray on the phone every Friday for Israel.
- “I am so happy that you and Jay are among those who have been given eyes to see and hearts to understand the Lord’s amazing plan for bringing His people home. And I am very blessed to have you both as my dear friends. In many ways, you have been my mentors also and I am so grateful for that too!” Howard Flower, St. Petersburg Russia, heads up the Aliyah Desk for ICEJ.
Thank you, Howard! Keep up the GREAT work of helping with Aliyah. Meridel
Answering Your Questions:
“Have you moved out of Israel, the land you were ‘called’ to?”
A.H Norway
No! Israel is our high-calling. Jay and I are taking a year of Sabbatical rest. We will not be sitting around, but will travel and speak in Holland and Canada this fall when we release our latest book. Later this fall, we hope to complete writing our 3rd Vol. of Timeless Secrets. Jay may paint, he has not had time to express this gift. It is a time of change for everyone. Perhaps you would be surprised to know how many ‘old timers’ refuse to ‘let go’ and ‘let others’. FAITH in action ‘follows on, willing for the change of direction’.
Forgotten Changes in History:
I love to hear from you. This comes with blessings and I hope encouragement for a wonderful week ahead. Take time to be restored, renewed and refreshed as you take time to soak I this worship music. May you hear the Still Small Voice, whispering deep within. It is PEACE that passes all understanding.