All posts tagged: Israel

Still Small Voice – 5. Juni 2022

Meine lieben Freunde Schalom! Schawuot – Pfingsten An diesem Wochenende feiern wir in Israel das Fest Schawuot, was auf Englisch Pfingsten heisst. Gott hat ein Volk, die Juden, für sich auserwählt. Er führte sie in die Sklaverei, damit sie zu ihm schreien würden. Dann befreite er sie durch Mose am Passahfest. Dann, während sie in der Wüste Sinai waren, beschloss er zu SPRECHEN. Dunkelheit, Erdbeben und Feuer fielen auf den Berg Sinai. Leider ließ die Angst das Volk in die entgegengesetzte Richtung der furchterregenden, befehlenden und doch gesegneten Gegenwart rennen. Sie flohen. Allein gelassen, kommunizierte Mose mit dem Allmächtigen und schrieb und sprach die Worte der Unterweisung, die er hörte. Dieses Gesetz Gottes, bekannt als die Zehn Gebote, veränderte die Welt für immer und wurde ZUERST zur Grundlage des Volkes Israel. Bis heute sind die biblischen Gesetze, die Moses gegeben wurden, die Grundlage der Verfassungen von Demokratien und obersten Gerichten. Doch leider sind heute ALLE Demokratien davon bedroht, ausgehöhlt zu werden. Jesus bringt die Erfüllung Zweitausend Jahre später kamen die Juden dreimal im Jahr zu …

Still Small Voice – June 5th, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

My dear Friends, Shalom! Shavuot – Pentecost This weekend in Israel we are celebrating The Feast of Shavuot which in English is Pentecost. God chose a family of people, the Jews, for Himself. He led them into slavery, so they would cry out to Him. Then, He delivered them through Moses at Passover. Then while in the desert of Sinai He chose to SPEAK. Darkness, earthquakes and fire descended upon Mount Sinai. Sadly, fear sent the people running in the opposite direction of The Terrifying, Commanding, yet Blessed Presence. They fled. Left all alone, Moses communed with the Almighty and wrote and spoke the words of instruction he heard. This Law of God, known as the Ten Commandments forever changed the world, FIRST becoming the foundation of Israel as a Nation. Until today the Biblical laws given to Moses are the basis of constitutions in democracies and Supreme Courts. But, sadly, in this day, ALL democracies are under threat of being diminished. Jesus Brings the Fulfillment Two thousand years later, Jews came up to the …

Still Small Voice – May 29th 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends who pray! Today is JERUSALEM Day! Jerusalem in Hebrew is Yerushalayim – which is plural meaning Jerusalems. Jerusalem on earth is twinned to the Jerusalem above. Jerusalem points to the one that is to come. This is Jerusalem the earthly and speaks of Jerusalem the heavenly. This is Jerusalem of time and space, pointing to the Eternal. This city is flawed and imperfect and points to the perfect and glorious. If you belong to God you belong to both Jerusalems. We are celebrating 55 years since Jerusalem was united under Israeli sovereignty in 1967, for the first time since her destruction in 70 CE / AD. Marchers will carry flags of Israel throughout the city. Hamas is threatening rocket attacks. They are insulted that Israel’s flag flies over all of the ancient city. Yes, hatred is a kind of madness. It’s very simple. Hamas wants Jerusalem. The world wants Jerusalem. Do you want Jerusalem? See Psalm 122. “Jerusalem has been fought over 16 times. It has been destroyed twice. Besieged 23 times. Attacked …

Still Small Voice – May 23, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom Dear Friends: “…And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5b “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb …” Allow us to share our family’s joy over the recent Hebrew wedding in the family. The Bride and Groom: Shelly Bandel and Daniel Rawlings. The Location: out on the Hills of Benjamin in Yad ha Shmoneh at sunset. The Setting: an ancient synagogue relocated from Galilee; reconstructed of its original 2,000-year-old basalt hand-chiselled stones. This unique setting took us to another world. Perhaps this was one of the many synagogues where Rabbi Yeshua taught. The Rabbi: Rabbi Ehud Bandel, Shelly’s uncle, performed the ceremony with all the love of the LORD God of Israel and his family. Yes, Daniel and Shelly were married in Canada in 2020, but as Jews living in Israel, they wanted their families to have the privilege of attending their Hebrew nuptials. A Hebrew wedding is very much a family affair. The parents of the groom …

Still Small Voice – May 16th, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends Shalom: “Comfort, O comfort My people:” says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, And call out to her, that her time of compulsory service in warfare is finished, That her wickedness has been taken away, That she has received from the LORD’s hand Double [punishment] for all her sins.” Isaiah 40:1-2 If you are a prayer warrior, and I am assuming that the majority of my readers are: one of your calls will be to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” You in return are promised prosperity. It is a bond with the Almighty worth cashing in on. Psalm 122:6 We must always remember that nothing can be done without the permission of a man or woman giving ascent spiritually. Father God gave the earth to the children of men, not angels. Just as Adam was called to keep and tend the Garden of Eden, so we are called to do the same in our spheres of inference. But Jerusalem stands out as the City of God for all peoples. Let me quote Jesus: …

Still Small Voice – May 8th, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom Dear Friends: “You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not frightened …” Matthew 24:6 But the good news: “But for you who fear My name, [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall.” Malachi 4:2 Israel Celebrates 74 Years: Independence Day The Arabs refer to this day as Nack-bah – Disaster! It seems the whole country spent the day picnicking in our many parks. Our son David and his best friend kept 3 barbecues going the entire time. Forty young Israelis came and Jay and I were the ‘older’ generation. We spoke into several needly young lives. On the way, we drove by Jerusalem’s major parks and saw many tens of thousands of families out ‘barbecuing’! The Jews were the original barbecuers; it all began 4,000 years ago in the desert of Arabia. Jay said, “The blue smoke can be seen from outer space on Israel’s birthday! At …

Still Small Voice – 1. Mai, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Liebe Freunde ” … was wir sein werden, ist noch nicht bekannt. Wir wissen aber, dass wir, wenn Er erscheint, Ihm gleich sein werden; denn wir werden Ihn sehen, wie Er ist.” 1. Johannes 3:2 Jay und ich stammen aus der Generation des Zweiten Weltkriegs. Jay erinnert sich, dass die Fenster seines Hauses in Victoria, Kanada, verdunkelt waren. Er hatte Angst vor dem Klang der Luftschutzsirenen, weil seine Mutter ihn dann jeweils festhielt und vor Angst weinte. An die Ausgangssperren kann er sich nicht erinnern. Ich erinnere mich noch, dass Zucker, Kaffee und Fleisch rationiert waren. Jays Vater, Vic, kam nie mehr nach Hause. Er starb mit 28 Jahren als kanadischer Soldat bei der Befreiung von Deventer, Holland, von den Nazis. Mein Vater Don war von 1941 bis 1945 als Soldat der Luftwaffe unterwegs. Ich erinnere mich an die Vorfreude auf sein Kommen, als ich auf dem Bahnsteig stand. Die alte Dampflokomotive brachte den mit Soldaten beladenen Zug mit einem lauten Gequietsche zum Stehen. Der Jubel war groß. Papa kam auf uns zu und hatte …

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Kallisarvoiset ystävät! ”…eikä vielä ole käynyt ilmi, mitä meistä tulee. Me tiedämme tulevamme hänen kaltaisikseen, kun hän ilmestyy, sillä me saamme nähdä hänet sellaisena kuin hän on …” 1. Johanneksen kirje 3:2 RK [Käytetty englanninkielinen käännös ilmaisee hieman toisin: … mitä meistä tulee, se ei vielä ole tiedossa. Mutta tiedämme, että Hänen ilmestyessään me tulemme olemaan Hänen kaltaisiaan, sillä me näemme Hänet sellaisena kuin Hän on…] Jay ja minä olemme II maailmansodan sukupolvea. Jay muistaa, miten hänen Kanadan Victoriassa olleen kotinsa ikkunat pimennettiin. Hän kauhistui ilmahälytyssireenien ääntä, koska hänen äitinsä piteli häntä tiukasti sylissä itkien samalla pelosta. Jay ei muista ulkonaliikkumiskieltoa. Jayn isä, Vic, ei koskaan palannut kotiin. Hän kuoli 28-vuotiaana yhtenä kanadalaisista sotilaista, jotka vapauttivat Alankomaiden Deventerin natseilta. Minä muistan sokerin, kahvin ja lihan säännöstelyn. Isäni Don oli poissa vuodet 1941-1945 palvellessaan ilmavoimissa. Muistan myös hänen paluunsa odottamisen ja seisomisen asemalaiturilla. Vanha höyryveturi veti täynnä sotilaita olevan junaa, joka pysähtyi kirskuen. Juhlinta oli villiä. Isä käveli meitä kohti mukanaan lahjoja kaikille. Muistan erityisesti tuon aikakauden musiikin, olihan kotini täynnä musiikkia. Ne olivat vaikeita …

Still Small Voice – April 3rd, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom, my dear friends: “… Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD,” Zechariah 4:6 “It will come about on that day that thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan, and you will say, I will go up against those who are at rest and peaceful, who live securely … to take a spoil … against the people who are gathered from the nations … who live at the center of the world. [Israel]” Ezekiel 38: 10,11a, 12b. Trouble Deep Within: “Don’t go out tonight, Hezikiah.” “Strange?”, he thought, as he closed his phone. The warning came from his elder brother. It had already been a week of horror here in Israel with 5 citizens shot in cold blood and a Rabbi killed by a car-ramming. He shivered and put it out of his mind. Sometime later, his little son was fussy and fought sleep. Weary and needing a break, as his wife had cared for the little one all day, Hezikiah made a …

Still Small Voice – 17th Adar 5782 / February 18th, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom from Jerusalem Friends: “You are my refuge and my hope in the day of disaster.” Jeremiah 17:17 “Canada, a Divine Reversal is at hand. The Dawn of your Salvation if at hand.” Amanda Grace, Arc of Safety “All tyrannies rule through fraud and force, but once the fraud is exposed, they must rely exclusively on force.” George Orwell The battle for souls is fierce. Satan is on the warpath. Strife and division seek to invade every mind, heart and home. Jesus is our Rock in this storm. His words are eternal: “Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], judge fairly and righteously.” – John 7:24 Amp. ‘To Judge’ in this sense means ‘to discern’ or look through a matter carefully.“… the mocking insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.” -Ps 69:9b. God is the ONE hated here, and his children are put on trial by wicked men. The German word for hatred is hass. It has a powerful accusatory sound. It makes me think of a deadly snake spitting venom. …