V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ ‘And you shall love’ - UP TO JERUSALEM! Hadassah from Jerusalem

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘And you shall love’ 

UP TO JERUSALEM!

Hadassah from Jerusalem

Oct. 17, 2017

"Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.” Deuteronomy  16:16

What a privilege the LORD has given us (and a command) to come up to Jerusalem three times a year to worship Him. In the days of the Temple, sacrifices would be offered, much marvelous food eaten and lots of rejoicing.

We have just finished the Lord’s Feast Day of Sukkot. Lots of ‘booths’ (sukkot) built in yards and on porches. Our personal sukkah was actually 2 rooms: one for eating and having friends over, and the other for sleeping and studying. Such a marvelous season of ‘dwelling’ with the Lord- under the shadow of His wings! 

But the Word tells us that the Temple is a house of prayer for all people! Not just Jewish people. It speaks of a day when all the Nations will come up for Sukkot: "Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths."  Zechariah 14:16

Years ago, many Christians understood what this passage is all about and began to come up to Jerusalem NOW to celebrate. This year, 47,000 Christians visited during the Feast.

The Jerusalem Parade is a highlight each year as Pilgrims, dressed in native costumes, armed with country flags and treats, march thru the city proclaiming their love and support of Israel and the Jewish people. We went to enjoy the parade with our grandchildren.

I cannot express the excitement and joy these Lovers of God and Israel infused in us who live here. 

How wonderful to see those who are praying and sacrificing on our behalf! 

Their outpouring of joy and love washed over our weary souls and infused in us a strength to go on.

Blessing Israel- they will be truly blessed!

Hadassah from Jerusalem

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD. 

Hadassah #11 10.17.17

From the Editor (Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder):

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families as Hadassah's in Israel, whom we consistently help monthly through our work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website using the DONATE buttons on either side column of our blog.

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn.  We appreciate your help.

V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ 'And you shall love’ - "An Appointment with God" - Hadassah from Jerusalem

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘And you shall love’ 

An Appointment with God

Hadassah from Jerusalem

The High Holy Days are upon us. Here in the Land there was much activity as we prepared for the first of these - Rosh Hashanah or Yom Teruah. Of course there is always the menu planning and eternal grocery shopping. Lots of lovely celebration foods packed with memories and.... calories! New clothing for the New Year. Clean houses for a fresh start.

But in the midst of all the hustle and bustle what may be difficult to maintain is the main reasons for this season - not only of celebration but more appropriately the 3 ‘Rs’ - Reflection, Repentance, and Restoration. 

This past month, the shofar has been sounded every weekday morning in the shul. For those who have ears to hear, it is sounding to wake us up. The day is approaching when we will be called to make an assessment of our deeds this past year. How did we spend our time? On what did we spend our money? What words did we speak? Those that build or those that tear down? Do we hold hurts, bitterness, and unforgiveness? Even though the general thought or feeling is one of celebration, this is actually a somber time of year as we approach the throne of the King to be called into account.

We do not need to be afraid or enter this time with trepidation. If God has instituted these Holy days, He has done so because He is making Himself accessible. In essence, He has a calendar and your name is written on these coming days. You have, as it were, an appointment with God.

As we participate with Him in His moedim (appointed days) He has made the way for true repentance, cleansing and rebuilding of relationships - first with Him, and then with those around us. We trust Him in this that He will be faithful to meet us on Yom Teruah. He will show us those we have offended and give us the courage to make things right - to say 'I'm sorry'. He will remind us of vows not kept and give us the wisdom to keep the vows and to be careful about making future vows. He will prepare us for a life of fruitfulness and beauty with Him as our Guide.

As we are looking ahead, we are in hopes for an even more significant coming year filled with mitzvot (acts of loving-kindness) and a greater reality of the presence of the Living God and the Day in which we are living. We look forward, with joy, to the season ahead and are grateful to our God for providing a beautiful way to be in relationship with Him and each other.

Our wish for you, dear readers: May you be written for a wonderful year full of Life!

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD. 

Hadassah #10 09.20.17

From the Editor (Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder):

As these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel, including Hadassah's. We consistently help them monthly through our work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a USA receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website using the DONATE buttons on either side column of our blog.

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

Please share with your friends on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn.  We appreciate your help.

V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ 'And you shall love’ - "Jerusalem ~ The Place of God's Name" - Hadassah from Jerusalem

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘And you shall love’ 

Jerusalem~ The Place of God's Name

The Israelites miraculously were delivered from Egypt. They were on their way to the 'Promised Land' ~ the land God promised to Avraham and then to his son Yitzhak and to his grandson Yaakov. While still in the desert, the Lord spoke to Moshe of a place that they would come to one day. The place He was leading them. The place of His choosing. The place that He would put His Name.

"But you are to seek the place the Lord your G-d will choose... to put His Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go." Deuteronomy 12:5

It was not just any place. It was specifically chosen and would play an important part in the continuing relationship between God and His people. All of God's future plans for His children centered, not just around the Promised Land but more specifically a city. 

The city that He would mark with His Name. 

That city is Jerusalem.

"I will give one tribe to his son so that David will always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I choose to put my Name." I Kings 11:36

By practice, we know that when you write your name on an object, you are telling others that it belongs to you. Those who do not know you may not know to whom the item belongs. If your name is written on your jacket collar, if you should forget it somewhere, someone need only look inside and see your name and know that it belongs to you. So it is with the things of God. He is particular about His precious possessions.

He has His own way of marking what belongs to him~ of placing His Name.

The Name of God by which Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov knew Him was Shaddai    

שַׁדַּי

The first letter, the shin, is often used to represent the whole Name of God. God commanded a special way for the priests of the Temple to put His Name on the people every day:

"The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. And they (the priests) will put my Name on the children of Israel and I will bless them." Numbers 6: 24-27

  

The priests were commanded to bless the people with the purpose of putting the Name of  God on them. As they recited this blessing, they would hold their two hands up high together, making the shape of the shin with their fingers. (see photo) This blessing was chanted over the children of Israel every day, thus putting God's name on them every day~ renewing His relationship with them as His special possession.

The name of God as represented by the shin is able to be seen written on Jerusalem. As we look at a map of Jerusalem, we see three valleys running north to south. The darker shaded areas to the left of the numbers on the map below show the valleys. #1 is the Hinnom Valley. #2 is the Tyropoeon Valley. #3 is the Kidron Valley.

We won't go into the past and future significance of these valleys at this time.  What we want to notice is the way in which the three valleys relate to each other. As you can see, geographically the three valleys form the letter shin. 

In an almost hidden and mysterious way, God has put His Name on Jerusalem. Just as He said He would. His Name was there before us. His Name was there before Moshe. His Name was there before Avraham. And His Name will be there always. 

A reminder of His greatness, a testimony to His sovereignty, an immovable sign of His covenant with the children of Israel~ the Jewish people.

The command He gave Moshe still stands for the Jewish people:

 "….you are to seek the place the L-rd your G-d will choose... to put His Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go."

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD. 

Hadassah #9 09.15.17

From the Editor (Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder):

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families as Hadassah's in Israel, whom we consistently help monthly through our work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website using the DONATE buttons on either side column of our blog.

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn.  We appreciate your help.

V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ ‘…And you shall love…’ - "Stay the Course" - Hadassah from Jerusalem

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘…And you shall love…’ 

Stay the Course

Hadassah from Jerusalem

“Pussy cat Pussy cat where have you been?”

“I went to London to visit the Queen.”

“Pussy cat, Pussy cat, what did you there?”

“I frightened the mouse under her chair.”

A familiar nursery rhyme. And a bit of silly little nonsense to entertain our children.

Little Pussy Cat had a mission, so to speak. He was going to London to visit the Queen. A very important mission actually. Taking whatever preparations necessary to make the journey, he was going to go before his Sovereign. A pilgrimage of sorts. And after planning and making provision and traveling with determination to be in her presence, what did he do? He frightened a mouse under her chair.

A very worthwhile endeavor. Something that was actually easy for him to do. Something that needed to be done.  But, he got distracted from the original plan. His eyes were off the Queen and his visit with her. He forgot his main purpose for coming.

These couplets have a very important lesson and warning for us all. Especially for those who love the Jewish people and Israel. Those who know the Lord’s heart to support, pray for and bless them.

There are many worthwhile and necessary causes in this world. So many in need of comfort and help and support. At every turn there are those crying out for what we have to give. 

We are not to turn a deaf ear to their cries. We are to be the hands and heart and words of Y’shua to those around us. But there is a need to guard what the Lord has entrusted to us and not neglect it because of being distracted by the clamor of the world’s  need.

It is imperative that we not let the noise of the world keep us from hearing the voice of the Lord. For the tyranny of the urgent compel us to take on burdens that are not ours to carry.

Distraction means to divert or draw away. We can be so drawn away from our commitment to the Jewish people and Israel that we ‘forget’. Forget to intercede. Forget to share the Good News. Forget to support financially. Just plain forget that we are but a remnant within the Body of Christ.

And it can be very painful to have to weigh out our commitments. To get involved in some of those that are clamoring for our attention and not others. 

I’ll give an example: There was a young man who was living in a foreign country where the Bible is not available. There were many Believers living in that country in order to share the Good News with the citizens. The people’s need was great and they were hungry for the Truth. This young man had been sent there specifically to be with the Jewish community. His work was massive and he was pretty much alone in that field.  

When asked why he didn’t have Bible studies for the hungry neighbors and students around him his answer: "If I opened up for Bible study, I would be able to have 3-5 studies a day, seven days a week and it would be different groups all the time. I know how great the need is. But there are many here to do just that. Hundreds actually.  However, I am the only one here for the Jews."

He knew his purpose. As painful as it was to not have the Bible studies, if he did, there would be no one left for the Jewish people. He kept the course and trusted God to take care of the others. He did not allow distraction to sway him off his mission.

The Enemy knows God’s heart towards the Jewish people and Israel. He knows the importance of their redemption, restoration and return to the Land. He is well aware of the return of Y’shua and will try to thwart God’s plans.  He is the Master of Distraction, drawing us off course and diverting our energies. Of course the activities we would be engaged in can all be necessary, helpful and very righteous. But in the meantime…. What about the burden of Israel. Who will be picking up what we may lay down?

Proverbs 4:25-27 is our encouragement to live intentionally. Purposefully. And not be distracted by ‘the mouse under the chair’ so to speak.

"Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the left or the right…"

Listen. Know for certain your mission. Stay the course and resist distraction. 

Shalom!

Hadassah

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD.  #8 09.09.17

From the Editor (Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder):

If these messages have ministered to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $10-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families in Israel whom we consistently help monthly through our humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

Secure, conveniently contributions can be done online now through our website using the DONATE buttons on either side column of our blog.

Contribution checks can be sent to: 

Love For His People, Inc. 

P.O. Box 414   

Pineville, NC 28134

Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) 

Please share Now Think On This with your friends on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn.  We appreciate your help.

V’ahavta וְאָהַבְתָּ ‘…And you shall love…’ - "Perfect Love Without Fear" - Hadassah from Jerusalem

V’ahavta  

וְאָהַבְתָּ    ‘…And you shall love…’ 

^{Perfect Love Without Fear} 

Hadassah from Jerusalem

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment." 1 John 4:17,18

These verses were in my ‘Daily Light on the Daily Path’ devotional for today. The well-known part of this passage is ‘…perfect love casts out fear’. But I am moved this morning by the full text and its implications.

John is telling us that our love, made perfect, full and complete; puts us in a position that we do not need to fear the day of judgement. The day is coming when Y’shua will separate the sheep from the goats. The fire will be ready to put our life’s works in and see what survives as gold. BUT there is assurance before Him- I AM HIS. Yes- I will have much of my life’s deeds go up in smoke. There will be much I will regret. But I, because of HIS great love and atoning sacrifice- may have boldness in that day. The confidence that rests not in works of righteousness that I have done- BUT by HIS mercy I stand. His manifest Grace. His unbounded Love.

I was confirmed in the Lutheran Church at age 13. My pastor - E.E. Bosserman - was a rather formidable man. A handsome, retired navy Chaplin, he carried himself a bit removed and rather regally. We loved and respected him and slightly feared him. We knew he loved us and his way of showing us was to make sure we knew our Catechism. He taught us well. He taught us Truth. I remember many of his Saturday morning confirmation lessons but the one from Revelation has always stuck with me.

He read to us:

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God."  Rev. 19:11-13

I was enthralled with this powerful, awesome and fierce image of my Savior. I was inexplicably attracted and drawn to Him. I understood that He was coming in Judgment but the words the Pastor read made my heart swell and I felt… peace… and love.

My best friend at the time almost fainted! She fell on the floor sobbing in fear. She became quite hysterical. Poor Pastor Bosserman was quite beside himself to know what to do. He immediately dismissed us and called her mother.

I absolutely could not understand her reaction. It was like we had seen two different things. I realize now, in one way we had. Even at that age, I was called to be His. The love of the LORD was being made perfect in me. His sweet draw on my young heart was undeniable. It would still be 5 more difficult years before I surrendered completely to Him, but I will always have engraved in my heart that moment when I knew His great love.

Judgement day- No I am not afraid. I do not approach it with any pride or arrogance. I will fall on my face when I see Him because He is mighty and awesome and a consuming fire. And that fire will consume anything in me that is not Him. I embrace that time and fervently await the King’s coming.

Shalom!

Hadassah

Aug. 30, 2017

Nissim & Hadassah

Jerusalem, Israel

Hadassah and Nissim, her accountant husband, live in a settlement just outside Jerusalem with their dog Molly. After making Aliyah (immigrating) from the U.S. with their five children in 1989, they are now semi-retired and open their home to guests and those wishing to make Aliyah. When not busy with their 16 'GrandWonders', they enjoy a quiet life of study, prayer and learning to serve the LORD.

#7  08.30.17