STAND

On the night before last I was unable to sleep. I awoke somewhere around 3:00 am and tossed and turned in my bed until I finally decided to wander out to the couch and turn on the TV. I hoped some droning voice might lull me back to sleep. Instead, I was utterly amazed to hear the sweet voices of Batya and Barry Segal singing, "On the walls of Jerusalem I have set watchmen..."! "Oh, Father, " I prayed, "thank you, this will minister to me and put me back to sleep." But then I bolted straight up on the couch in astonishment. I saw the large ceramic tiles of the four living creatures on the wall where they were standing, and then the familiar buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes beyond the wall. They were standing on the roof of the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations where I had lived for five months!

The camera continued to pan the surrounding area over which I had prayed, sung, danced, wept, and walked every day during those months, and once again my heart began to yearn for Israel with deep longing. In those moments I realized how terribly I miss the watches and the camaraderie of my brothers and sisters from all the nations, and the unspeakable joy of knowing I was HOME. Then another remarkable revelation came to me when the leader of that ministry, Tom Hess, walked out to the microphone and began to preach from the Bible. Despite the hardships I endured there, I looked into his face on that TV screen and felt gentleness. I blessed him. I prayed for him. And the Spirit began to show me what that time was really all about for me personally. He said, "It was to prepare you for persecutions yet to come; to teach you to bless your enemies and pray for them."

This was powerful revelation and this morning I feel strongly led to share it with you, as I know in my spirit that very difficult days are ahead of us. Are we prepared for the storms to come? Our nation as we know it is about to change. Our freedoms as we have known them are about to change. We face enemies that are not flesh and blood, but are "the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Now more than ever before, as Paul tried to warn us, "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6:12-13).

Have you ever wondered what it means to "stand?" Does that mean stand around and do nothing? Does that mean cling to your silver and gold? Does that mean store up more food? No, the Scripture says, "After you have done everything, STAND." The Greek word used in Ephesians 6:13 is histemi (Strongs #2476) and it is defined as "abide, covenant, establish, hold up." After you have followed Yahweh's instruction and wisdom on how to physically prepare for coming storms, then you have only one thing to do and it is the most important thing you will ever do: Abide (remain hidden) in the Lord Yahshua - stay in Covenant with Him and His Promise - and establish yourself firmly on the Rock! Don't be afraid. Don't get depressed and lose heart. Don't lose your faith. Don't concentrate on the collapsing economy or the strange, devastating weather. Don't be swept away by the spectacular lying signs and wonders that will be performed. Keep your eyes fixed on Yahshua, the Author of your Faith, the Eternal One, the Righteous King, the Great Shepherd, the Rock of Ages! He says, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted for My Name's sake."

Have you cast aside all fear of man and learned to bless your enemies and those who persecute you? And then after you have done everything, beloved, STAND.

Praying for Another Great Miracle to Happen There!

Dear friends in Messiah,

In January of 2002 I took my first trip to Israel. This trip would forever change my life, my understanding of Scripture, and the direction of my spiritual journey. I was on a study tour with ministers from several nations and our teacher and guide was a young man named David Pileggi. David was the person who "removed the veil" from my own eyes. Through his teaching and his passionate love for the Land and the people of Israel, he opened my eyes to my inheritance as a part of Israel, and to the unspeakable joy of embracing and keeping the Torah.

Now, nearly seven years later. David is an ordained Anglican priest and Rector of Christ Church in Jerusalem (the oldest Protestant church in the Old City). This church also has a very special place in my heart. I will quote briefly from my book, Keeping Watch Over Israel:

"Under the sanctuary of Christ Church is an aquaduct discovered by archaeologists. Worship there often led me into meditation on the passages in Ezekiel 47 that describe the River of Life, which will flow from the Temple in the New Jerusalem. Perhaps that old aquaduct is still in place to carry the mayim chaim, the living waters, from the New Temple. On either side of the river will be trees, like the trees growing in the pastoral garden of Christ Church, and their leaves will be healing. How often I sat in that little courtyard of Christ Church, sipping hot tea, enjoying the cheerful symphony of song birds, and the safety and sweet shalom of that place. Surely the leaves at Christ Church already have healing leaves!"

Worship at Christ Church is also a powerful experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit. More than once I heard a chorus of angels in that ancient sanctuary. And this year, as in years past, there will be many busloads of Jewish Israelis who will stop at Christ Church on Christmas Eve to experience the service. Word has gotten around that "something special" happens there. So, David Pileggi has written to me to ask me to fast and pray with him and his staff this coming Monday, Dec. 22. I feel led to pass this prayer request on to all of you. Even as my eyes were opened in Jerusalem to the Covenant I have with Yahweh through the Torah - so now may the veil be removed from hundreds of Jewish eyes this coming week as they hear the glorious Truth of their Messiah! Pray that the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) will soften their hearts, and break through traditions and old mindsets.

I know it seems quite odd and ironic that it might be a Christmas service that would touch the heart of a Jew - but our Lord works mysteriously, and his ways our higher than ours! Below are Rev. David's suggestions for prayer (in his words). Thank you so much for uniting your voices and hearts to those at Christ Church Jerusalem and fasting for a time this Monday, asking Yahweh to again "cause a great miracle to happen" during this week of Hanukkah!

Some suggestions for prayer:
• the joint Hannukah/Christmas celebration for the Hebrew and English congregations on the 21st.
• our witness to our Muslim neighbors.
• during the Open House on the 24th, we will have many hundreds of Israelis coming through Christ Church. Please pray that the Lord will open their hearts to the message of Yahshua the Messiah.
• the Heritage Centre staff and volunteers will be talking to many groups and individuals. Pray that God would give them grace and strength, and that they would have unity and compassion together as a team.
• for good weather on the 24/25th. Otherwise pray for rain, rain, and more rain. We are currently in the midst of a severe drought.

Crossing the Jabok

In our Torah study this week we read again the familiar story of Jacob wrestling with the "man" whom we know to be Yahshua (Jesus). But this time we read through it, something new emerged. This is not unusual, is it? Scripture is, after all, living and active!

In Genesis 32:22 we are told that "Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabok river." Examining the Hebrew, we learned that the word jabok means "to be emptied, or to be poured out." How appropriate! After all, what happens to us when we get into a wrestling match with God? His desired result is that we will be emptied of ourselves, becoming a poured-out drink offering, a living sacrifice to Him.

As we "cross the Jabok" we struggle in the flesh. Our fleshly nature wars against the Spirit because we want to stay in control of our lives, and we want to hold onto whatever form of pride that keeps us comfortable. And if our fleshly nature is unwilling to let go and be emptied, then God touches the socket of our hip - or whatever place in us represents a stronghold of pride and self-aggrandizement - and we are left with a limp.

It reminds me of the time in Israel when, after about 4 months of not being allowed to lead any corporate worship, the Leader finally invited me forward to sing and lead. I was suffering with acute laryngitis and could not utter a word or a note! I went up to the microphone hoping that perhaps Yahshua would heal me on the spot and allow my voice to soar, but nothing came out. Not a sound. I was emptied and poured out. I was left with a limp.

I am grateful for that limp now. I am blessed because of the journey across the Jabok River. I do not seek to lead worship anywhere; but once in a while Yahshua surprises and blesses me with the opportunity, and I am filled with joy that it is never about me, but always about HIM!

The Man Jacob wrestles with is Yahshua, the Son of God Himself, who is always the manifestation of God upon the earth. No other could bless Jacob and change his name, as well as his character. In the light of this revelation, Jacob then names that place Peniel, which means the face of God. In Genesis 32:30 he says, "It is because I saw God face to face and yet my life was spared." It is a fearsome thing to fall into the hands (or the grasp) of the Living God! And if you desire with all your heart to see your Redeemer face-to-face and learn of Him, it is certain that you must first cross the Jabok River to be utterly emptied of yourself, and then wrestle until you limp. If it feels like you lost the match, congratulations. You won!

Looking in the Mirror

I cannot remember a season when I have received so many words of discipline and correction from my Abba Father. This morning when I awoke, I even heard the Holy Spirit say, "This is a season of testing and refining. This season is quiet because you have work to do to get purified in your inner man before you can face the days that lie ahead."

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (Hebrews 12:7-13).

How shall we strengthen our arms? By keeping them raised high in praise! How shall we strengthen our weak knees? By staying ON them in prayer! This is a season of being hemmed in with Yeshua, feeding on His Word as our food, and committing it to our hearts. A day is coming when we will not have the printed Word and will need to bring it forth from our hearts, where it has been planted.

A day is coming when the "lame" will be either disabled or healed, depending on how we are prepared to minister to and teach them. The lame, I believe, are those who have not known the Lord. They have no relationship with Him (even if they have sat in church pews for years) and they do not know His Word. Will we be ready to offer healing for their dying spirits?

In this time of discipline, the Holy Spirit is continually showing me why I get irritated with certain people. "You are looking in the mirror," He says. "You don't like their behavior because you don't like that behavior in yourself." I have begun to journal those things the LORD points out to me so that I can consciously pray and work to change those behaviors. It has been painful to see myself in that mirror so often!

"Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect Torah that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does. " (James 1:22-25).

Father, thank you for treating me as your own daughter. Please don't let me turn away from the mirror and forget. Keep my arms lifted high in praise, keep me on my knees, and purify me in this season, so that your discipline and training will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace! Amen.