New Adventures

Shabbat Shalom!

I am enjoying the rest of my last Shabbat in Israel! It is very strange to think that this is the last update I will be writing from Jerusalem for this season. It has been a great season and I’m so grateful to each and every one of you for coming on this journey with me and for the part you played to make it a reality.  The future appears to be full of adventure and great opportunities.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this, as long as you allow God to place you where He wants you to be you will never run out of opportunities, though the types of opportunities may differ greatly.  It’s a bit sad to be ending this season, but very exciting to be entering a new one.  I hope, if nothing else, that I have encouraged each of you in your own journey and opened your eyes to a bit of what really happens on this side of the world.  Here are my thoughts from my last week in Israel.

One of the sets this week was particularly challenging. Often we get challenged, run with it for a while and then slowly forget, at which point we need to be reminded again. So that’s what I felt God was doing this week, reminding me of a few things I had begun to slack on. We began with the verse (Rom. 13:14) which says “make no provision for the flesh”.  What immediately popped into my head is how we make excuses for ourselves.  Often when we stumble or just simply miss the mark, or when we find ourselves reacting to someone in an unloving way, when we recognize the wrongness of our behavior we immediately make an excuse for it.  We say, oh I was having a bad day, or they just kept pressing my buttons and wouldn’t stop, or I just did what I thought He wanted me to do.  Those are usually true, it’s not wrong to acknowledge the truth. But it is when we say those things for the purpose of justifying our wrong behavior that we are “making provision for the flesh”. Yes, we acted in a wrong manner, but instead of justifying it we should be repenting and asking God for the grace not to repeat the behavior in the future.  There have certainly been times when I have justified my actions, but I want to reach aplace where I am humble enough that I have no need to justify the wrong in order to save my pride.

From here we continued on to the “how”. How do we “make no provision for the flesh”?  In Ephesians 5:8 we are called to walk in the Light, as we are now children of the Light. Galatians 5:16 says we are to walk in the Spirit and then we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.  Still, there are times when this can be challenging to walk out every moment of every day.  So we need some tools. There have been seasons when I have diligently prayed in tongues as I went about my daily tasks, but sadly, I have slacked on that recently. Why is this important? Paul wrote Romans, which speaks a lot about not sinning any more, overcoming the flesh etc. He also boasts that he prayed in tongues more than everyone else. Why? Praying in tongues builds up our spirit man, which is what we fight the flesh with. So the challenge is, to learn to be in tune with Him through praying in the Spirit while also going about our daily tasks. The times when I have done this I have had much greater clarity in hearing his voice.  When we are overflowing with the Holy Spirit we will be filled with His power.

Recently there was a mud slide and flooding in Brazil that left 600 people dead (the 12^th of January).  On the 13^th a team of 10 doctors and nurses arrived for a previously scheduled trip.  All of them were Christians, but only one woman was filled with the Holy Spirit.  On the morning of the 15^th they were having a chapel time when the woman read an email to encourage them in their work. Afterwards the Holy Spirit fell on them and they could not move for an hour.  When it lifted they all felt God say they were to go to the morgue and they felt He gave them the number 16, but they weren’t sure what that meant.  Five men decided to stay on the street where there were many bodies lined up and the five women went to the morgue.  The men had no idea what they were doing, but they felt they were to proclaim life and worship, which they did.  Five bodies began to shake and after a short time sat up and then stood up. The women in the morgue weren’t sure what to do either. They joined together at the back of the room and with one voice proclaimed life. They said it was as if another voice came from within them, a booming voice.  Ten bodies began shaking and eventually stood up as well.  All 15 of these people had been dead for 3 days.  They found another body as they were leaving and proclaimed life and it also returned to life!!! These were ordinary people who had never seen the power of God, but they were willing vessels and they made room for God to fill them.  This was reported in a newspaper in Brazil.  Some sites say that they are in the process of confirming all of the details. The point is, God wants to do these things through us, but we have to be willing and open.  When we hear the Spirit and follow, things will happen.  The earth is groaning and waiting for the day when we follow the leading of the Spirit and live as the sons of God that we are called to be.

We were created for this.  I recently heard someone say that when a heart gets off rhythm and then returns to the correct rhythm, in the medical world they say the heart has converted to normal.  I find this fascinating. God created us to be with Him, to walk with Him and hear His voice.  That’s what is normal.  When we walk according to the flesh and in the world our hearts have begun to beat off rhythm.  We live in a world of people who are off rhythm, some of them are on the streets and some of them are in our churches.  God wants us to be vessels through which His voice can speak and cause their hearts to convert to normal.  I get excited when I think about one day seeing a group of people whose hearts have all converted to normal and who all walk according to the Spirit.

I know none of that had anything to do with what’s currently going on in the Middle East, so here’s my bit on that! We must pray hard for Egypt right now. The country is in great turmoil. Should Mubarak be removed from office and replaced by a radical Muslim, then the way would be open for Iran to bring their war ships into the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal, which is what they want to do.  This of course, would make it extremely easy for them to attack Israel’s coast.  Also, Lebanon is now controlled by Hezbollah and Jordan’s government is in uproar as well.  There is upheaval in Tunisia, the Ivory Coast, Yemen and Gaza. It is extremely important that we “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” and all of Israel. Pray for protection for the believers in all of these countries as they are now under far greater attack from the Muslims.  Things are moving and shaking over here, we must pray that none of it happens outside of God’s timing – which is what the enemy always tries to do.  Also, President Obama has not seemed likely to veto the UN’s most recent motion to remove all Jewish settlements from the West Bank etc. This would be a first for an American President and would put relations between Israel and the U.S. at an all new low.

Prayer:

1.       For the unrest in the Middle East, that all would be done in accordance with God’s will. Pray for the leaders who are not radical Muslims to be strengthened to remain for as long as possible.

2.       Pray for the believers to be strengthened and encouraged as they are entering an even more challenging period. 

3.       Pray for Israel to call on their God for protection and not on man.  Pray that revelation of Yeshua would flood across this entire region, that blind eyes would be opened!

4.       Praise the Lord, all of my bills were paid this month. Pray that it would be a quick and easy thing for me to get work when I get home so that they can continue to be paid!

5.       Pray for a safe and easy journey for me as I cross boarders and return home. 

6.       For new people to step up and become watchmen on the walls, specifically for natives of the land.

7.       God is highlighting Tel Aviv as a new area to be targeting with heavy prayer, so pray for the new room there, that it would be established quickly.

8.       PRAY FOR RAIN!!!! It has sprinkled a little over the last few days and the forecast says it should rain from Sun-Wed, pray that is DOES!!!!

Photos:

1.   My last time on the Temple Mount in this season. 

2. Rocket sitting on a building in town, ready. At night it has flashing lights 

3. Shalev

Prayers

Hello Everyone!

I am heading back to Israel on Thursday and I look forward to being back in the middle of everything for a few more weeks! This email is mainly just a quick prayer bulletin. I will send a more detailed report sometime next week after I’ve been back in Israel for a few days.  Below I have listed several things that need prayer.  Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support over the last 6 months, you have been a blessing.

1.       An Orthodox paper ran an article about plans to build a “spiritual university” in the southern portion of Israel (out in the desert somewhere).  The article stated that though the paperwork for this has not given any specifics as to the curriculum of this “university” it is being headed by an Israeli woman who is a Buddhist Lama (a spiritual guide etc.).  She is closely linked with the Tibetan Buddhists. We must pray that they eyes of Israel are opened to the idolatry within their nation and the doors it opens spiritually.  Pray that these plans come to nothing.

2.       Lebanon is in a great amount of turmoil at the moment due to the investigation into the assassination of their Prime Minister back in 2005.  It is believed that this was carried out by Hezbollah, and they are threatening people in the government in response to this investigation.  This is a key time in regards to whether Hezbollah gains control of the country from the Sunni’s.  Pray that Hezbollah is not able to gain any control over Lebanon’s government.

3.       Israel is still in desperate need for rain.  Pray that the hearts of God’s people be turned to Him completely so that He can open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon Israel once again (Deut. 28-29). 

4.       I will be entering Israel on Thursday the 20^th. Please pray that I have favor and not run into any difficulties entering the country.  Even though I have the correct visa they are often skeptical when single women travel alone.

5.       Please continue to pray with me and believe with me that God will do a miracle and bring in the money still needed to cover my bills for the month of January and that He will open doors for me to get a job quickly when I get home in February.

I pray you all have a blessed week and find time to just be with Him and pour out His love to those around you. 

Hugs to you all!

It has been requested by several of you that I include the following information in my updates, so here it is:

If you would like to donate and receive tax credit make your check out to IMWA and send it to

IMWA 

2268 Forrest Hills Blvd 

Bella Vista, Arkansas 

72715 

Be sure to include a note stating that it is for me.

If you don’t want tax credit you can send a check made out to Lydia Childress to 

2914 Richwood Cir. 

Rogers, AR. 

72756

Or if you would like you can donate funds by clicking on the Paypal link in the sidebar to the right.

Photos: 

1) at a nearby ice-covered pond

2) at the park with my future nieces

In the Sight of El Roi

Shalom Friends!

I am writing this from England, but will be heading back to Israel for a few weeks soon and then on home to plan a wedding!!  I have definitely missed Israel, it really has taken hold of a portion of my heart and it refuses to give it back.  But I am embarking on a new journey and it promises to be a wonderful one full of surprises.  

I have been getting reports from friends in Israel and they are consistently mentioning an increase in violence. One report says that 250+ rockets etc. landed in southern Israel over the last year and it doesn’t seem to be slowing as we enter 2011. There have already been several people wounded from such attacks this year. Some fear this will lead Israel to organize another mission into Gaza in an attempt to debilitate these areas as far as shooting rockets into Israel.  I say fear because any time Israel tries to protect their people from attack the rest of the world gets angry with them.  We must be praying that the leaders of Israel would come to a true relationship with their God, and subsequently lead the people as He wants and trust Him for protection.

They are still in desperate need of rain. The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is less than one centimeter above the “red line”. Past this line they are uncertain how healthy it is for the people to consume the water. God is calling to His people, and we must (as the branch that wasgrafted in) cry out for the root to become whole again and produce life. This year could be a very rough one for them.  We also need to continue to pray for our believing brothers and sisters, both Jewish and Arab. I read a report today that says believers in Gaza and the West Bank are the most persecuted believers in the Middle East.  They are paying a great price for the Truth they have received.  Persecution is increasing in Pakistan and Egypt as well. We are one body so it is essential that we pray for and encourage one another.

On that note I would like to include a few clips of words from a song off Corey Russell’s CD, Eyes Opened, the song is called “Behold God is Great”. (It is taken from portions of Job, good book!).

“Behold God is great and we do not know Him, He’s so much bigger than any image I’ve made in my head So lift up your eyes to the heavens and behold your God, he’s so much bigger than, he’s so much greater than. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth, where were you when I spoke and commanded the morning, where were you when I gave the sea its boundary and said no more?”

On a personal note…I felt like God highlighted circumcision to me several weeks ago. So I’ve been mulling over it and asking Him some questions about it. Why would God ask His chosen people to do this? What is the purpose?  I felt like He pointed me back to Genesis 2:25 where it says “they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were unashamed”. Why does it make a point of saying that?  They were in a state of complete one-ness with Abba and with each other, they hid nothing.  Their immediate reaction to eating of the fruit was to cover their nakedness, to hide it both from each other and from El Roi – the God Who Sees (specifically - me).  From that day on man has been trying to hide from God.  It then hit me that when a male is circumcised, that which was hidden is uncovered.  I have not been able to think of any other body part that happens to have an extra layer of skin which if removed will not harm the functioning of the body.  Is God trying to say something?  Then I remembered Jeremiah 4:4 which says, “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart…” 

Circumcision was meant to be a physical picture of what God was wanting to take place inside of us, therefore circumcision applies to all of us. The question is how do we circumcise our hearts?  I don’t think I’ve reached to complete understanding of this, but I think it begins with us purposely choosing to remove those things we have hidden behind.  The layers we have placed around our hearts in an attempt to keep the God Who Sees from seeing (which, by the way, is impossible).  We were created to be naked before Him and be un-ashamed.  I want to return to that place, to function fully as God created me to be, naked before Him.  He sees everything, regardless of whether I choose to be naked before Him or not.  The difference is that if I choose to hide I live ashamed, if I choose to be naked I can live unashamed and in unity with Him.  There’s my thought for the day!

Hugs to you all and looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible when I return to Arkansas! 

Sorry, no pictures this time! I will be sure to include some next time.

Prayer/Praise:

1.       Thank you for praying for my grandfather. The last report I received was that he was recovering well.  Please continue to pray for them.

2.       PLEASE pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who currently have it much worse than we do.

3.       Pray for the U.S., we are hanging in the balance.  This year could determine the future of our country in a major way.

4.       Please pray that I never forget how great my God is, and how small my needs are in comparison.

~Lydia

Limited Increments?

Hello Everyone!

This note is more for the purposes of prayer requests. But I did have a few things I wanted to say first.  So far things are going well, I am still in England and should be here for just a bit longer.  I’ve been enjoying meeting Mark’s rather large family and getting a better feel for the culture in Liverpool.  I was very happy to find there is a church here with some level of a healing room ministry!  Not sure yet if there are any prayer rooms here. 

We were reading in John today when a verse just really stuck out to me and I wanted to share it with you as we embark on this New Year and continuance of our journey. 

(I am using the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition study Bible for this reference)

For He who YHVH (God) has sent speaks the words of YHVH: for YHVH gives not the Ruach (Holy Spirit) to Him by limited increments.

-John 3:34

Here John was referring to Jesus, but we are called to walk in His footsteps and do the same and greater things.  So I want to point out the second half of the verse.  It says He doesn’t give the Holy Spirit in “limited increments”, yet we often live as if we have received Him in “limited increments”.   We pray and sing songs that say “give us more of Your Spirit” etc., but how can He give us more if He has already given us all of Him?  I believe it has more to do with our allowing Him to have all of us and do with our lives as He wishes.  We must release Him to fully function in our lives and not try to keep Him within the confines that make us comfortable.  So my challenge to myself is to walk in the truth of having received the Holy Spirit in fullness.  Many blessings to each of you in this New Year! May we all experience a closer relationship with Him.

Prayer Requests:

1.       Please stand with me as I believe for the finances to come in for January, I know He will do it again!

2.       That everything would continue to come together for Mark and I as we sort through the many things that have to be taken care of in order for us to get married this year.

3.       For my grandfather.  He had a stroke last week and has been in the hospital since. He is doing much better so far; they ran some tests and can’t find any of the clots they previously found!! Praise the Lord! Pray that his recovery will be a quick one and for strength for my grandma as she will be looking after him when he goes home. 

~Lydia

Photo:  Mark and me on Christmas Day!