Time to Shine

 

So much is happening in our world right now - the war in Israel and Gaza, threats from other countries to join the fight, and the division and violence toward Jews in America. Many of us are struggling with our own issues and problems. I read this encouragement today:

“ We may not have any control over what is happening in the world today, or even our own circumstances. But what we DO have control over is our WORDS, our THOUGHTS and our ACTIONS.

God created us in His image— We can choose to speak LIFE and KINDNESS and LOVE— even in the face of death and wickedness and hatred.

We can choose to take our discouraging thoughts captive and meditate on GOD’s GOODNESS instead of all the negativity going around.

We can choose to allow our minds and lips to be filled with doubt, fear and bitterness, or we can choose to be a LIGHT in this ever present darkness.” **

And, we can PRAY, Gail-Friends! I challenge you to follow this link on Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=prayed&version=TLV

You will find fifty-five instances of what happened when people prayed.

History tells us  of miracles that happened when people prayed. You can read about the amazing and wonderful World War II Miracle at Dunkirk here:

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/dunkirk

Gail-Friends, I could write a book on the prayers He has answered for me. Never give up in despair, Pray for Israel and Gaza, the Middle Eastern countries, and especially for America.

**This quote was from Lazman Hazeh Music on Facebook and I hope it encourages you. I highly recommend following their page (and daily updates from Israel) and, of course, I love and recommend their music, especially this song: Rise Up, Rise Up

May you be ENCOURAGED!  And may you BE THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

Israel - history

 

 

I'm sure you all have friends who are asking questions, you can send them this : 

 

1) Before the modern state of Israel there was the British mandate, Not a Palestinian state 

.

2) Before the British mandate there was the ottoman empire, Not a Palestinian state .

 

3) Before the ottoman empire there was the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt, Not a Palestinian state .

 

4) Before the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt there was the ayyubid dynasty, Not a Palestinian state .Godfrey of bouillon conquered it in 1099.

 

5) Before the ayyubid dynasty there was the christian kingdom of Jerusalem, Not a Palestinian state .

 

6) Before the christian kingdom of Jerusalem there was the Fatimid caliphate, Not a Palestinian state .

 

7) Before the Fatimid caliphate there was the byzantine empire, Not a Palestinian state .

 

8) Before the byzantine empire there was the Roman empire, Not a Palestinian state .

 

9) Before the Roman empire there was the hasmonean dynasty, Not a Palestinian state .

 

10) Before the hasmonean dynasty there was the Seleucid empire,Not a Palestinian state .

 

11) Before the Seleucid empire there was the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon, Not a Palestinian 

state .

12) Before the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon there was the Persian empire, Not a Palestinian state .

 

13) Before the Persian empire there was the Babylonian empire, Not a Palestinian state .

 

14) Before the Babylonian empire there was the kingdoms of Israel and Judea, Not a Palestinian state .

 

15) Before the kingdoms of Israel and Judea there was the kingdom of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .

 

16) Before the kingdom of Israel there was the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .

 

 

17) Before the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel there was the individual state of Canaan, Not a Palestinian state .

 

In fact in this corner of the earth there was everything but a Palestinian state! 

 

Copied from a Facebook post stating -- origins from Voice of Israel

 

Simchat Torah and Havdalah

 

 Greetings Gail-Friends:

Haven't caught up since Sukkot.  Our sukkah is still up. . . and we might just leave it up.  We've enjoyed having mornings together in there.  It's cozy and it's a reminder that His presence is with us.  

One morning during our prayer time together, I prayed, "Father, please let the painted buntings come back!"  And immediately, a beautiful male bunting flew to the feeder.  I didn't get a picture that day, but here's a photo from years past.  They've been coming to Golden Cottage for over a decade, and last year, they arrived in late August.  I'm so glad they've come 'cause they fill my bird-nerd heart with JOY!

When Sukkot ended, we held our Simchat Torah service at the synagogue.  Ordinarily, this event is an all-night study of the Torah.  This year, however, we decided to make it an all day service.  Rabbi shared some great information and wisdom with us, and I will be sharing a few of those lessons with you in the weeks ahead.  

 

We reverently paraded the Torah - walking behind it, following it with our eyes and reverently touching it with our siddurs. Some kiss the siddur and then touch it to the scroll.  We do these things to remind us that we carry the Torah with us everywhere we go and we do not turn our backs on it.  We kiss it because the Word is like honey to our lips. 

We praised Hashem, worshiped Him, prayed, studied, and danced.  One of our ladies taught us two new dances.  I was able to dance (with my new knee) and it felt so good!  Thank you, Father.

 

And we ate, of course.  You remember the Jewish motto, right?  It is:  They Tried to Kill Us . . . We Survived . . . Let's Eat!   We had a covered dish lunch around noon, and then a Mediterranean meal for dinner (provided by one of our synagogue families.)  I didn't get photos, sadly.  We were there from 9:30am to 7:30pm.  At the end, we had a Havdalah service.  We don't do this service often, so I really enjoyed it.

 I think the best part was having our 364 year-old Torah scroll rolled out at the service.  Many had never seen an antique sefer Torah.  Some were moved to tears.  Think about the hundreds of years the rabbis and congregations have protected and preserved this treasure:

Rabbi  rolled it out on a table for everyone to see up close.  Since it is very fragile, we don't touch it with our hands, but use a yud to touch the pages.

 I'll never forget the tears shed when we received this scroll from Israel.  It was originally in Morocco, at the very same synagogue that Rabbi Jem attended while he was stationed there in the military.  We treasure it.

When the sun went down, we started the Havdalah service.

The special Havdalah candle was lit.  It has three blue candles woven together and it makes quite a sizable flame! The candle symbolizes our joining together in the Messiah, in His Shabbat, and in His Festivals.  

 

Rabbi held up the kiddush cup, full and overflowing with sweet wine (the fruit of the vine) and said the following:

  

 

 "Behold, God is my Salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord M God is my strength and my song, and He also has become my Salvation.And with JOY, you shall draw forth water from the springs of Salvation.  Salvation is the Lord's; upon Your people be Your blessing, Selah (this word means to pause and reflect on the words just said)  The Lord of Hosts is with us, a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob, Selah.  Lord of Hosts, praised is the man who trusts in You.  Lord, save, and may the King answer us on the day when we call.  The Jews had light and gladness,JOY, and honor, so may it be for us.  I will lift up the cup of Salvation and will call on the Name of the Lord, blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine."  (Isn't this a wonderful prayer for what we're going through in our country and with all going on in Israel?)

 

The cup was set down, and rabbi lifted up the spice box. It contains cloves, cinnamon, and frankincense.  The cup is passed around and we all enJOY the aroma of the sweet spices. 

 

 

 

The spices remind us of the sweetness of Shabbat, a little of which we carry over into the new week. This prayer is recited together:  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the lights of fire  We gaze at the fire and reflect on the blessing of Yeshua, the Light of the World.

The cup was then  lifted up again and the following was  spoken together:

Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who makes a distinction between the holy and the secular, light and darkness.  Israel and the nations, the seventh day and the six days of labor.  Blessed are You O Lord.  Who makes a distinction between the holy and the secular.  

At this point, we sing Ayleeyahoo Hanavi (Elijah the prophet) : Elijah the prophet, Elijah the Teesh-bite, Elijah from Giladi.  Quickly in our day come to us, with the Messiah, Son of David.   The song reminds us to look forward, to the beginning of a new week and to the ultimate end, when both Elijah and Yeshua the Messiah will return. 

 

Then we say together:

Shavuah Tov!  eight times!)  which means Have a Good Week.  

 

You can hear two versions of this song at these links:

The first is the one we sing at Simchat Torah:  Eliyahu Hanavi 

 

And this is the dance version:  Eliyahu Hanavi by dance team 

Speaker of The House

 

On Tuesday, October 17, members of the House of Representatives will vote on a new Speaker.  Rep. Jim Jordan is the nominee and I believe he would be a good choice.  I've followed his efforts in the House and see him as a long-time solid conservative.  

I have contacted my representative and encourage you to do so, too.  It's easy to send an email by using this link.    You can look up your representatives by your zip code. 

 https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

 

as of 10/20/23, the House has voted on Jim Jordan three times.  His nomination has failed every time.  It is a sad day when Republicans cannot work together.  Those who voted against Jordan have shown their true colors -- RINOs.  Shame on them.

Keep praying.

Why Israel Matters

 

 

 

Why does Israel matter?

Copied from a Facebook post.  A great share.

 

Did you know that the time clock of the return of Jesus Christ isn’t based on America’s timeline? It’s based on what is happening in Israel.

 

Did you know Jesus wasn’t a “Christian” ? He was a Jew. He celebrated and kept the Jewish holy days and customs, as well as the feasts of the LORD. He didn’t come to eradicate the Torah and writing of the Prophets / Old Testament. He came to fulfill the prophecies that were written in them.

 

When Jesus returns, He isn’t returning to the United States. The Bible says He is going to plant His foot down on the Mount of Olives and go through the Eastern Gate, which is currently sealed off with 16 feet of concrete. The Word of GOD says He will return there and from there He will rule and reign for 1,000 years.

 

The final battle isn’t going to be on U.S. soil. It’s going to be in the Valley of Megiddo, in Israel. The Bible says as the nations wage war against Israel Jesus will come and destroy His enemies with the breath of His mouth. 2 Thess 2:8

 

GOD did not replace the Jews with Christians as some believe. We are actually grafted in with them as you would graft a wild branch into an existing tree.

 

The Word of GOD says, 

“When you touch Israel, you touch the Apple of GOD’s eye.” Zechariah 2:8

 

“He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The LORD is thy keeper.” Psalm 121:4

 

“I will bless those that bless you and I will curse those that curse you.” Genesis 12:3

 

We are also commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psalm 122.

 

ISRAEL matters. 

 

PRAY FOR ISRAEL.

Pray for Israel

 

Join with us in praying for peace in this new war.  So many killed (on both sides), injured, and displaced from their homes.

Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu and leaders of the country.

Pray for the military and their families.

Pray for our country that decisions will be made to stand with Israel.

Pray for Americans who have family and friends in Israel.

Especially, please pray for our young friend, Ricky, who is on the aircraft carrier Geral Ford operating in the region.

Remember Hashem said, "I will bless those who bless you (Israel) and curse those who curse you." 

Shalom in the Sukkah

 

This past week of Sukkot has been wonderful -- wet, but wonderful.  We didn't get our sukkah fully done until Wednesday, but have been enjoying it since Sunday.  Here are a few pics.  We enjoy eating meals there, listening to the birds, watching the bees and butterflies, reading the Word, praying, and just thanking God for all the blessings He pours out on us every day.   We "dwell" in the sukkah because it is a commandment:

"On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days.… All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."

(Leviticus 23:39, 42–43)

During this season, we remember how God led the Israelites out of Egypt, protected them, provided for them, and "tabernacled" with them.  When we celebrate Sukkot, we sit in a frail dwelling, and we believe that when Messiah came, He embodied this very idea.  As Yeshua's disciple, John said,  “[God] became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14 TLV)

So, as we sit in the sukkah, we meditate on His presence being with us.  We take time to be still and listen to His voice.  Someone described it as a "holy hug".  I like that, don't you?  It's also a time to look back and remember how He has led us, protected us, and provided for us over the last year.

Our cat, Toonie Woo Esq. enjoys it too.

The flowers from the golden rain tree make the walkway look like the Yellow Brick Road.

Isn't this amazing?  Golden rain blossoms in the Golden Garden of Golden Cottage.  It reminds me of this Scripture and a dream I had about it:  

A highway will be there, a way,
called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not pass over it,
but it will be for those whom he guides —
fools will not stray along it.

 (Isaiah 35:8) 

The dream came at a very low point of my life.  I was in a car on a highway in the middle of the desert.  The highway was like a railroad trestle up high in the air.  The supports were crumbling, and ahead of me, there was no road at all. I cried out, "What can I do?"  Then to my left, I saw another highway in the distance.  The cars were going in a different direction.  What was most important was that the road was like bright, shining gold.  I pointed to the road and said, "That's where I'm supposed to be."  

Adonai was speaking to me, leading me to walk in His Word, His Will, and His Ways.  I didn't know what that meant at the time, but God led me along until I found that His Way of Holiness means following His commandments.  I had been a church-going Southern Baptist most of my life, but God put me on a new path that led to Messianic Judaism.  And it has been a path of great blessing.

Did you know that Sukkot will be celebrated "forever"?  Yes - read Zechariah 14.  In some Bible versions Sukkot is called the Feast of Tabernacles.  I challenge you to use Bible Gateway and search for Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles.  You will be surprised what you learn.  I especially love John 7 - which is about the feast and how Yeshua and his disciples attended the celebration.  It was during the water pouring ceremony that he presented himself as "the Living Water".  An understanding of how important water was/is to Israel gives deeper understanding of His words.  An interesting study, and I hope you'll pursue it.

Another blessing was celebrating Sukkot with our synagogue family . . . joy-full singing, dancing, parading the Torah, waving the lulav and, of course, feasting. 

 

 

 This is just "some" of the beautiful food we had that day. The ladies did a great job of cooking and decorating.

 

And another blessing . . . we celebrated our oldest grandson's 14th birthday this week.  I still can't figure out how he grew up so fast.  He'll be driving before I know it.

I got lots of hugs and kisses from him and his little brother, who is two and a half already.  He fell asleep before I could get a good pic of him.  He's a busy little boy!   I have to watch out -- he'll be grown if I blink!

I always say, "grandchildren are a whole new level of love."   I found this prayer for grandchildren by Stormie O'Martian and hope it blesses you.

"Lord, draw my grandchildren close to You. Help them to come to know You in a deep and committed way so that their relationship with You grows every day. Teach them to understand Your laws and commandments, and help them keep Your ways faithfully. Enable them to be so strong in Your Word that they inspire their own parents and friends. Show my grandchildren’s parents and me how to communicate Your Word to them in ways they understand and retain so that they are always drawn to it.

Excerpt from: "The Power of a Praying Grandparent”

I have all of her books and have to get this one.

This evening is Shabbat, then tomorrow we'll celebrate Simchat Torah.  Hopefully, I can show you pics of that.  I'm looking forward to "rejoicing in the Torah".  I love the holidays!

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sukkot Sameach!

The Marberg Virus and October 4

 Tomorrow, October 4, there will be a FEMA Test message. 

“Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower should be capable of receiving the test message”, so states the FEMA announcement.

 Please read this article, watch the video, and be prepared.

 "In God’s word we are told to ‘Watch and pray.’ The word translated “watch” means “to have the alertness of a guard at night.” A night watchman must use senses other than sight to detect danger. We remain faithful when we are devoted to prayer; we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). "**

I also recommend your reading this article and watching the videos in the article.

Pray and put feet to your prayers. Even if nothing happens, being prepared will do no harm.

Love and prayers for you all.

** quote from the author at Deep Roots at Home