All posts tagged: Israel

Pieni Hiljainen Ääni – 10. Heinäkuuta 2022

Shalom, kallisarvoiset Jayn ja Meridelin ystävät! Daavidin tavoin Jay ja minä uskalsimme paeta ”läpi rosvojoukon ja hypätä ylitse muurin.” Jeesus otti maalliselle esi-isälleen, kuningas Daavidille profeetta Jesajan kautta luvatun avaimen.Jeesus lupasi sen niille, jotka valitsevat seurata Hänen jalanjäljissään. Minä annan teille taivasten valtakunnan avaimet (auktoriteetin); ja mitä ikinä te sidotte (kiellätte, julistatte sopimattomaksi tai laittomaksi) maan päällä on (jo) sidottu taivaassa, ja mitä ikinä te päästätte (sallitte, julistatte lailliseksi) maan päällä on (jo) päästettyä (sallittua) taivaassa. Vrt. Jesaja 22:22 ja Matteus 18:18 Kiitos avustanne meille perheenä. Siirrän kaiken [lahjoitetun] perheen yhteisiin varoihin, jotka auttavat asioiden pitämistä ”rullaamassa”. Jay ei nimittäin nostanut palkkaa Vistasilta moneen vuoteen, vaan toimi 100 %:sesti vapaaehtoisena aikaansa ja voimiaan antaen. Hallituksemme – jota johtaa juristi – jäsenet epäsivät meiltä vähäisenkin eläkkeen saamisen Vistalta. Tuo päätös teki meille todella helpoksi ”katsoa palvelijoiden tavoin Isännän käden suuntaan kaiken tarvitsemamme suhteen”. Tiedämme, ettemme ole vain ystäviä, vaan kaikkein ihmeellisimmän ja ihanimman Mestari Jeesuksen perhettä! Toimimme anteeksiannosta käsin; tämä on todellisuutta. Kiertueemme halki Kanadan on erityisesti suunniteltu keräämään 100 000 dollaria, jotka ovat tarpeen saadaksemme …

Still Small Voice – July 10th 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom Dear Friends of Jay and Meridel: Like David, Jay and I have dared to run “through a troop and leap over a wall!” Jesus took the heavenly Key given by his earthly forefather, King David through the prophet Isaiah, and promised it to those of us who choose to follow in His footsteps. I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you lose, [permit declare lawful] one earth will have [already] been loosed [permitted] in heaven. Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 18:18 Thank you for your help to us as a family. I put everything into the family funds to help keep things running. You see, Jay has taken no salary from Vistas for years, but has volunteered 100% of his time and strength. Our Board Members (led by a lawyer) refused to allow us to have a pension from Vistas, no matter how small. This decision made it real easy for …

Still Small Voice – July 3rd 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

My dear friends: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Philippians 3:1-5. Yes, a mighty thank you for helping us this past month to climb over many walls. Because of your kindness, we are able to pay something down on our plane tickets to Canada. We also hope to have our latest book, ‘Miracles Among the Nations’ available by September also. We are thankful for the effectual doors that have opened in Canada. Hebrew Words Matter: For believers, “Let there be Light!” are the Divine words which created our world. “Tzedakah – Charity is words of truth and conveys values, culture, and tradition. False words tear at the fabric of life and have the power to kill. They can create a chaotic biblical Tower of Babel. Every word in Hebrew has a 3 letter shoresh or root, which reveals the true meaning and impacts culture. Take, ‘tzedakah’, the word listed above. English describes it as ’charity’ from ‘caritas, love and philanthropy’ from philo, also love. Giving to the needy is an act of …

Still Small Voice – June 19th 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: I feel the following life-giving words belong to those suffering from the ongoing effects of the vaccine. Mind you, the doctors call it ‘long COVID’. Having not had COVID but after taking the 2nd vaccine in early February 2021, I had an immediate negative reaction. Fluid poured out of my nostrils after 15 minutes and continued for some time. Seven months later, I was stricken with debilitating weakness. imbalance and exhaustion. 8 months later to the day, I woke up with weakness in my right hand. I couldn’t turn on my electric toothbrush or open a cupboard door. I was hospitalized for a week in Neurology, and given daily tests, and 3 MRIs. Nothing! But one of my Drs. came to me privately and said, “We’ve had many such cases.” I am allowed my personal experience. I have a brother who died of a massive heart attack a month after the 3rd dose. I had never heard him complain of heart trouble or needing heart meds. Yes, this is my experience and opinion. …

Still Small Voice – June 13th, 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Dear Friends: I begin with this encouraging quote: “The presence of the LORD comes when reading the Still Small Voice and with it a mixture of joy and tears. I love to support your work, you are good ground, and I pray for you and your family daily.” J. M., USA “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great …” Genesis 6:5 To quote Jesus: “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” Matthew 15:18 What does My Future Hold? Today, citizens in every nation are grappling with this question. Will slavery continue? I can hear the Spirit of the LORD calling ‘listen’! Those who desire to hear the invisible voice will obey. “Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek and inquire of the LORD: Look to the rock you were cut from and to the quarry from which you were dug.” Isaiah 51:1 Sometimes we need to backtrack to see how far we have gotten off the beaten track. No matter the challenges; …

Pieni hiljainen ääni – Kesäkuun 5. päivä 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

Shalom, kallisarvoiset ystäväni! Shavuot – Helluntai Viime viikonloppuna vietimme täällä Israelissa viikkojen juhlaa, shavuotia, eli helluntaita. Jumala valitsi itselleen perheväen, juutalaiset. Hän johdatti heidät orjuuteen, jotta he huutaisivat Hänen puoleensa. Sitten Hän vapautti heidät Mooseksen välityksellä juutalaisena pääsiäisenä, pesachina. Siinain erämaassa oltaessa Hän valitsi PUHUA. Pimeys, maanjäristykset ja tuli laskeutuivat Siinain vuorelle. Surullista, että pelko lähetti ihmiset juoksemaan vastakkaiseen suuntaan Peljättävästä, Käskevästä, silti Siunaavasta Läsnäolosta. He pakenivat. Täysin yksin jätettynä Mooses kommunikoi Kaikkivaltiaan kanssa ja kirjoitti ja puhui kuulemansa ohjeistuksen sanat. Tämä Jumalan laki, joka tunnetaan kymmenenä käskynä, muutti maailman ainaiseksi. ENSIN siitä tuli perusta Israelille valtiona. Nykyisiin päiviin asti Moosekselle annetut raamatulliset lait ovat olleet demokratioiden ja korkeimpien oikeuksien perusta. Surullista kyllä, näinä päivinä KAIKKI demokratiat ovat kaventumisuhan alaisia. Jeesus tuo täyttymyksen Kaksi tuhatta vuotta myöhemmin juutalaiset tulivat Jerusalemin temppeliin kolme kertaa vuodessa: pääsiäisen, helluntain ja lehtimajanjuhlan aikaan. Jeesuksen viimeiset ohjeet valitsemalleen johtajistolle kuuluivat näin: ”… mutta teidät kastetaan Pyhällä Hengellä, ei kauan näitten päivien jälkeen… kun Pyhä Henki tulee teihin, niin te saatte voiman, ja te tulette olemaan minun todistajani sekä Jerusalemissa että …

Still Small Voice – 5. Juni 2022

Published by Meridel Rawlings

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 …