HANUKKAH SCRIPTURES

Below is a list of Scriptures for you to read during the Hanukkah Celebration, if you would like to do this.

As a family, we love to celebrate Christmas, not the tinsel and glamor, but the preciousness of gathering together as a family. We also love to remember the most amazing event in the world when God sent His Son to this world—into the womb of a woman and to be born as a little baby.

Bible commentators agree that Jesus was not born at this Christmas time when most people remember His birth. He would most likely have been born around the month of September during the Feast of Tabernacles. However, December is most probably that time He was divinely conceived by the power of the of Holy Ghost. Incredible. God coming to the earth as a "seed" from the Father. I am in awe. I am sure you are like me and can do nothing less than fall to your knees in wonder and worship!

John 1:14 says: “And the Word was  made flesh, and dwelt among us.” The word dwelt is skenoo and means “to tent, to encamp, to reside as God did in the tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion.” Jesus came and tabernacled with us. He took on our flesh and blood for a temporary time for He was truly “the Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). The Young’s Literal translation says: “And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us.” The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to live in booths and remember how the Israelites dwelt in temporary tents.

Even God Himself tabernacle with them in a tent! When David was preparing to build a permanent temple God said to him: “For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another” (1 Chronicles 17;22).

Although we do not know the day or the hour when Jesus returns, some Bible scholars think He may return during the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. Once again, He will tabernacle with us—even in the eternal kingdom. When the apostle John saw the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven he wrote: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven say, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell (skenoo) with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21;32).,

We also love to celebrate Hanukkah. We love to light the Hanukkah candles each night and because Hanukkah celebrates the relighting of the menorah (the seven branched candlestick) in the temple, we like to read Scriptures about God and Christ who are the light and how He also wants us to be His light in this world. We do this at our Family Devotions each morning and evening.

Why do we celebrate Hanukkah?

1. It is a celebration that Jesus celebrated. Read John 10:22, 23.

2. Hanukkah in the Hebrew means "dedication." God's temple was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC, but the Maccabees family led a revolt against the Seleucid armies and called the nation back to God. After they had driven them out of Judea and Jerusalem, the Maccabees consecrated and rededicated the temple. However, God no longer lives in a temple in Jerusalem, but lives in the temple of our hearts. We like to take one night during the eight days of Hanukkah to rededicate the temple of our lives to God.

3. It is called the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) and also the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the re-lighting of the Menorah. History and tradition tell us that they could only find enough oil for one day, but miraculously the lights kept burning for eight days while they prepared the anointing oil, specifically commanded in the Scriptures.

You can read the history of the family of the Maccabees in the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha was  not included in the canon of Scripture, but it is interesting reading. The story of the Maccabees is especially significant to read because they were used to save the Jewish people at that time in history. Throughout the generations the devil  has tried to eliminate the Jewish people and thus hinder the coming of the Messiah. The Maccabees were instrumental in saving their people from extinction. No wonder our Savior, Jesus Christ celebrated Hanukkah.

During the eight days of Hanukkah, I usually send out a post each day telling you a little story about Hanukkah that relates to us as mothers, or a revelation from the Scriptures about the meaning of Hanukkah. I’ll post these for you too. You will be inspired, blessed, and encouraged.

I will post the Scriptures at the end of this article. Read and meditate on them in your personal devotional time. Then choose the ones you would like to use with your family. For each day, you may like to take half the Scriptures at Family Devotions in the morning and the other half in the evening, or whatever works out in your home.

If you have older children, it's a lovely idea for each one to have their own Bible and give a Scripture for each one to read aloud—and to share what they feel God is saying through the Scriptures. If you have little ones, you may only want to take one Scripture from the list and talk about it. And don't forget to ask your children questions

SCRIPTURES FOR YOU TO READ EACH DAY FOR HANUKKAH

Day 1
God is the Source of Light and gives Light
Genesis 1:3-5
Exodus 27:20, 21; 40:24, 25; cf. Leviticus 24:1-4; and Numbers 8:1-3
Exodus 13:21; Nehemiah 9:12, 19
Psalm 36:9
Psalm 104:1, 2
Matthew 17:2 (You can read the whole story in Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; and Luke 9:28-36).
1 Timothy 6:16
James 1:17

Day 2
Jesus is the Light of the World
Isaiah 9:2; cf. Matthew 4:12-17
Luke 1:76-79 and 2:27-32
John 1:4-9, cf. Job 18:5, 6; 21:17; Proverbs 13:9; 20:20; and 24:20.
John 3:19-21
John 8:12
John 9:5
John 12:44-46
Acts 26:22, 23
Ephesians 5:14
1 John 2:8

Day 3
Shine the Light of Jesus to the world
Daniel 12:3
Judges 5:31
Proverbs 4:18
Song of Songs 6:10
Isaiah 58:6-8, 10
Isaiah 60:1, 2
Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 6:22, 23
Luke 12:35
John 5:35
Acts 13:47
2 Corinthians 4:4-6
Philippians 2:14, 15

Day 4
God's Word is our Light
Ezra 9:8
Psalm 19:7-11
Psalm 43:3
Psalm 119:18, 105, 130
Proverbs 6:20-24
Luke 24:30-32 (You can read the whole story in verses 13-32).
Ephesians 1:17, 18
2 Peter 1:19-21

Day 5
Walk in the Light
Psalm 44:3
Psalm 89:15
Proverbs 4:18
Isaiah 2:5
Isaiah 58:8 (Read the whole passage: verses 6-12)
Luke 12:35
John 12:35, 36
Romans 13:12-14
2 Corinthians 4:4-7
1 John 1:6-9
1 John 2:8-11
Ephesians 5:8-20

Day 6
Out of Darkness into Light
Exodus 10:21-23
2 Samuel 22:29 (Psalm 18:28)
Job 24;13
Job 29:2-5
Psalm 18:28
Isaiah 42:16
Isaiah 50:10
Psalm 90:8
Luke 11:33-35
Acts 26:17-18
1 Corinthians 4:5
1 Thessalonians 5:5
1 Peter 2:9
1 John 2:9-11

Day 7
Living in God is to live in Light
Psalm 4:6
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 34:5
Psalm 36:9
Psalm 37:3-6
Psalm 43:3, 4
Psalm 112:4
Micah 7:8

Day 8
God is the Light of Heaven
Isaiah 24:23 and 30:26
Isaiah 60:19, 20
Revelation 1:16
Revelation 21:22-25
Revelation 22:3-5

HANUKKAH DEVOTIONS

MY FAMILY AND I WILL NEVER GIVE UP (Day 1 of Hanukkah)
Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication as it is called in the New Testament (John 10:22, 23) is a festival of lighting candles for eight days to remember the dedication of the temple and the relighting of the lampstand which God commanded should never go out (Exodus 27:20,21).

It all happened because of a very brave family. Antiochus Epiphanes ruled over Israel and commanded all Jews to renounce their way of life, practice pagan observances, and live like the Greeks. He erected the "abomination of desolation" in the temple. Many Jews assimilated to avoid persecution and being killed. BUT NOT THIS FAMILY!

Mattathias was a godly older man with five brave sons—John, Simon, Judas (known as Maccabeus), Eleazar, and Jonathan. When the officials came to their town of Modein, they tried to get Mattathias to influence the people of his town to turn away from God. Listen to his reply, “Mattathias answered in a LOUD VOICE: What do I care if everyone in the king's entire kingdom turns from their own religion and starts obeying his laws? MY FAMILY AND I WILL ALWAYS KEEP THE PROMISES OUR ANCESTERS MADE TO GOD. WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP OUR FAITH OR DISOBEY EVEN ONE OF GOD'S LAWS. WE WILL NOT OBEY ANTIOCHUS!" (1 Maccabees 2:19-20).

When a cowardly Jew stepped forward to obey the king by offering a sacrifice, Mattathias was so furious that he rushed over, killed the man, destroyed the altar, and killed the official who ordered the sacrifice. He and his sons then ran to the hills leaving everything they owned behind. This began the bravery of the Maccabee family who conducted continual battles against the enemy and eventually delivered Israel and Jerusalem and the temple of God.
We don't face being killed for our faith today here in our Western countries, although this is currently happening in many countries of the world. Will we be those who give in or will we have courage, individually, and as families to stand true to God, even if no one else is standing? The Scripture says: "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).
May God give us the strength and anointing to be bold and courageous and to raise children who will have courage and boldness to stand up for truth and never give up their faith.

STAND FOR TRUTH (Day 2 of Hanukkah)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God was never reticent to speak the truth, even in the face of death. When he came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Dedication, he walked in Solomon's Porch (on the eastern side of the temple) and people gathered around him.

Jesus knew the Jews would be remembering more than the rededication of the temple and the lighting of the Menorah again. They remembered the great victory over Antiochus Epiphanes, but also how he lifted himself to be god over them. It was Antiochus himself who added "Epiphanes" to his name, which means "God manifest" which was utter blasphemy to the Jews.

In the midst of this thinking Jesus boldly and publically declared, "I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). In other words, He confessed that He was God, which of course, He was! This was too much for the Jews who, remembering Antiochus Epiphanes the evil blasphemer, took up stones to stone him (John 10:22-33).

It was no coincidence that Jesus chose this timing to speak these words. Everything about Hanukkah speaks of standing up for truth even in the face of danger.

May we never cringe to speak the truth, no matter what the consequences.

"The righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1).

ARE YOU WALKING IN THE DARKNESS OR THE LIGHT?
(Day 3 of Hanukkah)

I was challenged on our first day of Hanukkah when we read Genesis 1:4: “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” God’s purpose is to separate the light from the darkness. One of the plagues God sent to Egypt was three days of darkness. In the land of Egypt, they experienced “thick darkness.” It was so dark that they could not see in front of them. No one could move. But the children of Israel had light in all their dwellings (Exodus 10:21-23).

In the Bible Egypt speaks of darkness, deception, and the spirit of this world. God does not want us to have any part of Egypt. Read Isaiah 30:1-3; 31:1-3; 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18; and Revelation 18:4. He wants us to separate from the kingdom of darkness. Separate. Sever. No blur. No grey.

When dark thoughts come into our minds, or evil tendencies from the enemy, we separate immediately!

As parents, we must guard against the dark things of evil subtly coming into our home. We must watch the little grey areas. They gradually multiply. You can be outside at dusk and the darkness slowly comes. Then suddenly it is black. We must guard against the encroaching darkness in our homes.

Job 5:5, 6 (GW) speaks of the wicked and says: “The flame of his fire stops glowing. The light in his tent becomes dark.” We must not let the light in our homes become dark. We must expose and push out all darkness and daily open our home to the light of God.

Isaiah 670:1-3: “Arise shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

FAMILY DEDICATION SERVICE (Day 4 of Hanukkah)
Why do we call this celebration "Hanukkah"? Because "Hanukkah" is the Hebrew word for "dedication." When Judas Maccabee (the hammer) and his army eventually crushed their enemies, Judas and his brothers said: "Let's go up to cleanse and rededicate the sanctuary" (1 Maccabees 4:36). The temple was desolate, the gates burned, and even shrubs were growing in the courts like a forest! But the Maccabees got “stuck in” and cleansed and restored the sanctuary.

They built a new altar with whole, unpolished stones (because the altar had been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes), brought in the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Table of Showbread, and offered sacrifices as God originally commanded. "So they celebrated the rededication of the altar for eight days" (1 Maccabees 4:56).

How does this affect our lives? God no longer lives in the Holy of Holies in the temple, but in our bodies, which are the temple of His Holy Spirit. We are not only the temple of the Holy Spirit, but the naos which speaks of the Holy of Holies in the temple. This is the word which is used in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 2 Corinthians 6:16. What an indescribable truth!

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple (naos—which is the word for Holy of Holies) of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” You are now the place where God wants to reside in all His glory. 

Our temples may not be desolate, but it is easy for us to allow things to come into our lives which grieve the Holy Spirit and spoil and dirty our naos. Just as the Maccabees had to cleanse and rededicate the temple, so we need times in our lives when we rededicate our bodies to the Lord. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to have a rededication service one night during Hanukah and dedicate our temples again to the Lord. Choose which morning or evening you would like to do this together as a family. Explain it to your children. Ask each one of them to confess to the Lord anything in their lives that grieves the Holy Spirit and to rededicate their "body temple" to the Lord. This includes mom and dad too. Each one can do this silently or aloud, as you feel led of the Holy Spirit.

When we have all dedicated ourselves individually, the father can rededicate the whole family to be a living sacrifice to the Lord and to be set apart for His purposes (Romans 12:1, 2).

I know that the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily as you experience this dedication service in your home.

A MOTHER'S COURAGE (Day 5 of Hanukkah)
(Forgive me for sharing such a gruesome story, but it is the truth)!

A brave mother watched her son being killed. No, not just killed but cruelly tortured. They cut out his tongue, scalped him, cut off his hands and feet, and while he was maimed and helpless, fried him alive! In the same manner, they tortured and killed her second and third sons. The third son cried out: "I have received these limbs from heaven, and I give them up for the sake of God's laws." Another cried out: "We are prepared to die rather than sin against our ancestral laws" (2 Maccabees 7:2, 11).

Because they would not bend and turn from God's laws this dear mother watched as Antiochus tortured her fourth, fifth, and sixth sons the same way. The mother had only one son left, her beloved youngest. Antiochus tried to influence the mother to save his life. He promised he would make him rich and prosperous and even a political advisor. She obliged by turning to her youngest son saying: "Son, pity me who carried you in the womb nine months, nursed you for three years, nurtured you, and brought you into this stage of life with care. I beg you, child . . . Don't fear this killer but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death so that in God's mercy I should recover you with your brothers" (2 Maccabees 7:27-29). She watched her last son die before she was put to death herself.

This mother was a nurturing and caring mother. But she had a vision for her children beyond this earth. She raised her sons to fear God rather than man. She raised them to stand for truth, no matter what the consequences. She raised them to see beyond this earth to the endless life of the heavenly.

May God help us to be courageous mothers. May He save us from raising wimpy, mediocre children who are seduced by the humanist trend of an ungodly society. May He anoint us with the mighty power of God to raise children who will have the courage to stand for God and for truth, no matter what persecution they face.

Ephesians 6:13: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all TO STAND.”

(You can read the whole of this amazing story in the Apocrypha in 2 Maccabees chapter seven).

KEEP THE LIGHT SHINING (Day 6 of Hanukkah)
Hanukkah is also called the "Festival of Lights" because of the relighting of the Menorah. This was a huge thing that happened that day, because the Jews knew that God had commanded the lights in the Holy Place to BURN CONTINUALLY. God said it was a statute that must continue for all generations (Exodus 27:20-21 and Leviticus 24:1-4).

They were to NEVER GO OUT—and they had been out for a long time!

How did they keep the lamps burning day after day, year after year? God said they had to attend to the lamps every morning and every evening. They had to trim the wicks and pour more oil into the lamps, the oil speaking of the Holy Spirit. Once a day was not sufficient. They had to do it two times a day to keep the light burning

This is a pattern for our lives today. When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He fills us with His light, but it is very easy for the light to dim, or even go out. There are many temptations, deceptions, and evils around that diminish our light, and the light in our children’s lives to keep the light burning, we must tend to it every morning and evening. We need to do this individually and as a family.

A powerful way to keep God's light burning in every member of our family is to have Family Devotions (or whatever you call it in your home) every morning and evening. Each time we come together as a family to read God’s Word and pray together, we relight our lamps. If we fail to do this, our light can go out very quickly.

How big is the flame in your family? We are not meant to be a flickering light, but a great light. If your flame is only smoldering, get back to God's "morning and evening" principle.” It's the only way that works. Let the light in "the holy place" of your temple and your home shine brightly.

P.S. Do you wonder how to go about having Family Devotions in your home? A wonderful help for you, which we use every day, is THE DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH. It has Scriptures written for every morning and every evening, plus ideas on how to make this an exciting time with your family.

Go to this link: http://tinyurl.com/CreativeIdeasToReadBible

THE WAY TO VICTORY (Day 5 of Hanukkah)
Judas Maccabee and his brothers continually fought battles to save Israel and every time they faced armies far larger and stronger than themselves. But their trust was in God.

Listen to Judas' confession on one occasion: "When all his followers saw the host coming against them, they said to Judas, 'How can so few of us fight against so many? Besides, we have had nothing to eat all day, and we are exhausted.' Judas replied: 'Many can easily be overpowered by a few; it makes no difference to Heaven to save by many or by few. Victory does not depend on numbers; strength comes from Heaven alone . . .  Heaven will crush them before our eyes. You need not be afraid of them'" (1 Maccabees 3:17-21).

The Israelites also had to face enemies far bigger than them. Deuteronomy 9:1-3 says: “Hear O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations GREATER AND MIGHTIER than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, a people great and tall, the children of the Anakims (giants), whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.”

I know that you, too, often face challenges that loom much bigger than you can handle. Don't focus on your difficulty. Look to God. He is your Strength. He is your Source. He is your Sufficiency. He will always do what you cannot do. When we try to handle our problems we usually make a mess of the job. Put them in God's hands for He knows what is best to do.

Victory does not come by intelligence or fleshly strength. It only comes from God. Just as God delivered the Maccabees time and time again as they faced insurmountable armies, so God will deliver you as you trust in Him. Make sure you have the right confession. Don't confess your problems; confess your trust in God. It's the way to victory.

P.S. By the way, are you enjoying reading the Scriptures about God’s Light each day? We are being so blessed in our family as we read them. We get each person around the table to read one of the Scriptures, so we can all take part. We are amazed at how much God speaks about Light in His Word.

FULL TIME HANUKKAH PARENTING (Day 8 of Hanukkah)
AN IMORTANT POST FOR ALL PARENTS TO READ!

Apart from the official Hanukkah celebration which we finish celebrating today, we read about a number of dedication celebrations in God's Word.

1) Dedicating the tabernacle for 12 days. Each prince of Israel dedicated the altar for a day each (Number 7:10-11, 84, 88). This was the first dedication we read about.
2) Dedicating a new house (Deuteronomy 20:5). It is biblical to dedicate a new house.
3) Dedicating Solomon's temple which he built for the Lord (1 Kings 8:62 and 2 Chronicles 7:5, 9).
4) Dedicating the rebuilt temple when they came back from Babylon--Zerubbabel's temple (Ezra 6:16).
5) Dedicating the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:27).

And there is one more! You'll never guess!

It is found in Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." The word "train" is hanuk, the verb of hanukkah, meaning "to initiate, dedicate, consecrate." It is not enough to celebrate Hanukkah for eight days. As parents, we are FULLTIME HANUKKAH CELEBRATORS!

When we realize that training our children means to dedicate them to the Lord, it gives us a much larger and loftier vision. Everything we do and plan for our children should be done in the light of dedicating them to the Lord and setting them apart for His service. It's not a one-time dedication. It is a verb which requires daily action.

When our children are disobedient or don't complete what we have asked them to, we can sometimes be lazy and let it go. But not if we understand we are daily dedicating them to the Lord. How can we let things go when we consecrating them to God's holy service? We have the responsibility to train them to obedient so they will be obedient to the Lord!

As children get older, they can become more worldly and want to do what other worldly teens are doing. We could think, "Oh that's the stage they are going through." But not if we understand that we are daily consecrating them to the Lord. We will pray up a storm. We will fight the devil. We will work with our children to keep them on the narrow road that leads to life. We will do everything to save them from the broad road that leads to destruction. WE ARE PROVERBS 22:6 HANUKKAH PARENTS!

When we hanuk our children, it determines how we educate our children. It would be ludicrous to send our children into an ungodly education system each day if we are daily consecrating them for God's purposes.

As we consecrate our children to the Lord, we recognize that they totally belong to the Lord for whatever time God has for them on this earth. Above everything else, we know that we are ultimately preparing them for eternity.

May you be blessed, NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org

Beyond all we Could Ask or Think
Bringing my Father to Live in our Home

“It was a bad bleed,” said the doctor of my 54-year-old father who had just suffered a stroke. “Because it was hours before they found him, his prospect for surviving is 50/50. His ability to function, if he survives, is even lower.”

All six siblings from different marriages gathered in the OHSU trauma ward. My oldest brother Dan and I had been praying for his salvation for years. We’d made a pact together in high school.

“Whatever it takes, God, please show him his need for You,” I prayed. I couldn’t believe this was the end.

Dad was unconscious for 28 days. When I asked a Christian nurse about his chances for survival, she encouraged me, “You never know, people can be in a coma a long time and just come out of it.”

“He doesn’t know God yet. I’m sure God will have mercy,” I replied. As I spoke, Dad lifted his hand and put it on my shoulder. It scared me, but the thrill of him making movement brought hope to my soul.

Once out of his comma, they moved him to a regular hospital room and within two days he was dismissed to a nursing home. He desperately wanted rehabilitation, but insurance would not pay for therapy unless he had a home to go to after rehab. “You are welcome to come live with us,” I said wholeheartedly while holding our one-year-old son in my arms.

“I don’t want to be a burden on you,” he said looking at Levi, then back at me.

God changed Dad’s mind, and after a month at the Good Samaritan rehab center he came home to us. After being a chiropractor for over 25 years, Dad was used to going places and meeting people. He was the life of the party and had been the president of the Chiropractic Association for Oregon. Now he was in a wheel chair with only 20 percent use of his right side. This would be a tough adjustment.

As we drove home, I couldn’t help but rethink the occupational therapist’s words, “Young children and stroke patients don’t fare well together . . . nerves, you know.” Great. Our house is all boy. My husband and our four boys aged seven and under were full of energy.

“What are you doing, God?” I thought, but this was the door He had opened. I didn’t want to doubt Him without at least trying. Besides, this is what we had prayed for . . . life. God gave Dad life and now I had an opportunity to bless him and be with him on a daily basis. His Scientology friends all ditched him. He and his current wife had divorced just months before the stroke.

My dear husband, David, prepared our home for Dad’s arrival. We had just finished painting the nursery and hanging a pooh bear boarder on the wall only days before Dad’s stroke. David moved the crib-sized bunk bed to the downstairs boys’ room. It would be a little squashed, but they would manage. Instead, in went a hospital bed for Dad, right under pooh bear.

Dad adjusted well, ate every meal with us, retreated to his room as needed, and patiently worked with the in-home therapists. Longing for an outing besides a doctor’s appointment, Dad joined us for church every Sunday and David made the sacrifice to treat us all to a meal out afterwards! Something about the combo made for happy and memorable Sundays.

“I’m not Christian, I’m just watching,” Dad said to me one day.

“That’s fine,” I managed with a smile. By the end of the year he met with our pastor, a dear friend of ours. Pastor Rick answered his questions about Scientology and the Bible. They began meeting weekly. By spring he wanted to be baptized. With Pastor Rick and my brother Dan’s help, they wheeled him into Hagg Lake. With all his friends and family watching he professed the name of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior that sunny March day. My soul leapt for joy to watch him cast off all that had meant so much to him to proclaim the name of Christ!

Dad has always been a giver, not a taker. So as soon as he was able he said, “I want to do the dishes at every meal.” And he did, left handed. Being a busy mama of little ones, it wasn’t always easy to get alone time with Dad. We made a house rule that while Gramps was in the kitchen, short of a necessity the kitchen and Mama were not available. It was in this setting that my dad began sharing with me the Bible stories he was listening to each morning.

It was exciting beyond words. I grew up seeing my dad only every other weekend. Now he was living in my home, doing my dishes, and telling me Bible stories. God was making up for the years the locust had eaten.

Soon baby five was on the way. I remember making Dad’s bed when the phone rang. On the other end was a desperate plea from another family member. She wanted me to start taking care of her as well. Pregnant, out of breath from making dad's bed, and now completely overwhelmed, I prayed, "Oh, dear God, please extend her life and revive her. Give her more years.”

God answered that prayer, allowing only what I could handle. Then it happened. In the wee hours of a January morning in the middle of a snow storm, our sweet son Andrew was born. Dad held him that morning with joy. Without the stroke he would not be here for this precious moment. The weather kept the outside world away. But inside, God made up for lost time.

It has been 15 years since Dad’s stroke. David built him an addition. Dad’s health has improved a great deal. He enjoys cooking man style—smoking chicken or salmon for the family. Several of our little ones have learned to read by practicing with Grandpa. The other half of our tribe has been born since Dad moved in.

I thought he was coming to bless Him, but that has changed. The other day he told me the reason God still has him here on the earth is to help us with our growing busy family. He still does our dishes and visits with me while we work in the kitchen together. I knew God was big but I didn’t know He would work so specifically and practically in all of our lives. He deserves our abandoned devotion. For truly He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

MELINDA POLING
Gaston, Oregon, USA
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Printed in Above Rubies #92

A Father’s Legacy

As a young girl growing up on the Canadian prairies, I never dreamed I would end up in the heartland of Israel (Biblical Judea and Samaria), known by the world as the West Bank.

My father died in his thirties, when I was seven years old. He was tormented in his mind and finally used a gun to end the torment. He had four daughters, whom he felt would be better off without him. He believed a lie and we were left fatherless.

Years later, I too felt tormented in my mind and wanted an end. Generational fears controlled me. I inherited a very low self-esteem and was plagued with eating disorders. On a regular basis, I exercised obsessively, binged, and purged.

My mother remarried an awesome man, but I still missed the affirmation of a caring father and looked for love in all the wrong ways. This torment and emptiness pushed me to seek an answer, which I found in Christ. Yeshua became my personal Savior in the middle of dark times, fighting for my life, and seeking peace.

During these years of struggle, I attended University and graduated with a B.A. degree. After University, at the age of 25, God miraculously delivered me from my eating disorders. As I sat on a sheltered bay of the Pacific Ocean, I finally accepted His will for my life. I dove straight into the ice-cold water and experienced a personal baptism. Eating disorders disappeared overnight, but the fight-to-live was not over.

One tragic day, in the middle of a complicated relationship, I tried to end my life, following the footsteps of my father. Eventually, an ambulance arrived and took me to the hospital. I was close to dying and they put me on life support immediately.

In my spirit, however, I traveled up a tunnel of light. The experience was heavenly. At the top, I saw a dazzling lion and was told I would return to earth. I experienced supernatural peace, calm, and total deliverance from my earthly struggles. When I awoke in the ICU, I was being extubated (breathing tube removal) and was happier than I had ever been in my life.

However, the bliss was short lived. Once again, generational fears attacked my mind. I was rushed to the hospital—this time having fallen asleep via an overdose, while alone in my apartment. When I awoke, I saw demons in the corners of the room, but with the name of Jesus, fended off their attacks. His power was real, even in my weakest state of fighting to live.

I was a shell of a person after that experience, but slowly God restored my life. I returned to life with my parents and became like a child again. My loving parents were very patient and helped me to live independently in a small condominium in the city. My step-father was especially kind and spent hours playing cards or reading books with me.

I recovered--ready for life again. Eventually I met a man who directed my life to God’s plan. Kim Alan Mitchell, a handsome American, wouldn’t stop following me around. We were attending a Christian event, “Gathering for the Nations,” at Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. Kim was incredibly persistent; I felt like I had a shadow. One evening, we talked in the hot springs and ate together. He left early the next morning, but called me a month later for my birthday. Within six months, we were married! I was 32 and he was 40.

We built a strong marriage and God blessed us with four incredible sons. One thing I loved about Kim was his gift for prayer and intercession. He prayed us through struggles and loved being a father at home with his family. He also loved Israel. He wanted everyone to understand that God’s chosen people and His land were still important and not replaced by Christianity.

Before our marriage, Kim made several intercession trips to Israel and while at home he constantly prayed over the land. It was like breathing to him. He filled every spare moment of his life learning more about Israel and looking for ways to bless God’s chosen land and people.

Eventually, Kim and our eldest son, Levi, ventured to Israel with HaYovel, a wonderful family ministry dedicated to rebuilding God’s land by helping the farmers in Judea and Samaria. When he and Levi served the farmers in Samaria, Kim found a place to both physically and spiritually walk out his calling with his family.

Unfortunately, we faced marriage difficulties and almost lost our relationship in 2009. However, Abba Father rescued our marriage and worked wonders that led to a beautiful remarriage in 2010. This turnaround was very significant. We didn’t know then how short our life together would be.

Kim began to age quickly and a year after our remarriage, many unusual symptoms surfaced. He had a very strong personality and resisted seeking medical help. It wasn’t until his digestion completely shut that he finally agreed to hear what the medical community had to say. A week later, Kim was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.

I took Kim to the hospital on August 29th and he passed into glory on October 5th 2011.

The intensity of this time was beyond words. Eventually, the tumor completely prevented any eating. The doctor tried a colonoscopy to help bypass the tumor, but during the surgery, Kim aspirated into his lungs. He stopped breathing in recovery, was immediately rushed to the ICU, and put on life support. During those extremely intense 11 days in the ICU, Kim slowly regained strength.

When Kim awoke in the ICU, I cried into his embrace and pleaded for a chance to live the dreams he wanted to give our family. “I only want to do what you want. I want to go to Israel and find out why this place is so important to you. I want to follow you with all I have, my precious Kim. Please forgive me for holding us back.” Kim was happy! He’d won my heart! We only had two more weeks together, but they were very precious times and Kim had peace to leave us in our Father’s care.

Kim instructed me regarding some finances he’d been saving. He wanted it all to go to bless Israel as soon as possible after his passing. But he had a more important request. He took my face in his hands and said, “I want you to go to Israel and I want you and the boys to stay there.”

I didn’t know what to say. “How can I promise you this, Kim? I will do it, if it’s God’s will.”

After Kim passed away, the boys and I returned to our lives at home. However, our faces were set towards Jerusalem. Kim’s vision changed me forever. I knew our family had a destiny to live the legacy of a father’s dream. The finances Kim pledged allowed us to work with HaYovel in Israel for three consecutive years.

Our first fall harvest, in 2012, was an incredible accomplishment. I always expected to go to Israel with Kim leading, but now I had to go on faith, with dependence on the unseen. We left Tel Aviv on November 12th 2012, as rockets from Gaza began to fall.

Our 2013 trip was a test in perseverance. Our third trip, the 2014 harvest, was mixed with a summer war in the land and an opportunity to remarry, which I turned down.

The journey is exciting, but tiring. The climb is steep. The greatest attacks are in my mind as I wonder how to continue as only one parent. I try to figure out each step, but then remember, I am doing the impossible. Only God can accomplish this. Homeschooling, working to provide, traveling year after year, and making all the decisions. He reminds me: “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).

I completed writing this testimony in early 2015, 1.5 years ago. Now, in the fall of 2016, we are serving once again in the vineyards and olive groves on the West Bank, preparing the land and ourselves for our Messiah’s return. Our Jewish family here believes our presence with them is a sign of the final redemption. Isaiah 61:5 prophesies: “The sons of the foreigner shall be your plowmen and vinedressers.” This is happening and my dear sons—Kim’s sons—are playing a part. Levi, our oldest says: “Dad’s vision has become my calling . . . For Zion’s sake, I will not be silent!”

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob watches over His land and over my little family who are called to follow in the path of a father’s dream. We are very blessed to be fulfilling Bible prophecy . . . and one day, if it’s His will, we will live permanently in Israel.

HOLLY MITCHELL
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Printed in Above Rubies #93.

HAYOVEL is a non-profit organization that brings Christian volunteers from all over the world to serve the Jewish farmers in Israel. If you would like to have the privilege of fulfilling Bible prophecy in the heartland of Israel, go to: www.hayovel.com to find out more information.

City Slickers

You know what our out-of-town guests say upon their first visit to our downtown-Seattle home? “This is where wickedness resides!” These words surprise me! Firstly, I am sure wickedness resides everywhere. Secondly, our family is called to this neighborhood—and we love it!

We are not citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven. Did you know that the Bible tells us how to live in exile in this world until we go home? God tells us in Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NIV): God tells his people how to live in exile: "Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters to get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the LORD for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.”

God told His people, who were captives in Babylon how to live among the pagans. He gives the same instruction to us wherever we are planted.

More and more people are moving to cities. Currently, more than half of the world's population is urban. The prediction is that by 2050, 66 percent of the world's population will live in cities across the globe.

I notice, though, that many Christians do not want to live in the city. Personally, I cannot say that I’ve never dreamed of a big back yard, farm-fresh eggs, and raw milk. Nonetheless, applying the principles in Jeremiah has allowed us to love living in the city where God has placed us.

Fourteen years ago, God directed us to a lovely house. We have a 3,200-square foot house on a little plot of land across the street from a beautiful urban park. We live half a mile from the University of Washington and only five miles from downtown. Seven different grocery stores, many parks, a public pool, an urban lake, multiple restaurants, coffee shops, and much more are all within walking distance. My husband likes to joke that we lead an alternative lifestyle because we are a married, heterosexual couple who homeschool their nine children. We offer diversity in our liberal neighborhood and diversity is offered to us via the city.

There was a time when I thought that the children needed more land to learn proper working ethics. However, God has provided so many ways for my sons to work, right here in the city. We have worked on pea patch gardens and eaten the produce. Our sons have learned to paint, landscape, clean, chop and stack wood, and take care of pets. Our daughter has her own business and babysits as well.

They each saved a substantial amount of money by the time they were young teens. All this work was for neighbors and we’ve established some wonderful relationships while working with and for the people we live near.

Our home has a basement apartment that we use as a Bed and Breakfast. We live close to the Children's Hospital and have enjoyed the opportunity to host families who needed to use the hospital. We’ve served people from all over the world as they stay and eat with our family. Our children have learned how to keep a guest room, and more importantly, how to show hospitality.

God has brought so many people into our home. They have experienced first-hand our lifestyle and enjoyed Family Devotions with us a family. “Many of these families write back to us about how they were inspired to read the Bible and disciple their own children.

I remember one time when I called a specific family who I knew would be at the children's hospital for a surgery. I told them that we lived nearby and to call for any need. A few days later, the wife called back to say their temporary housing (at the Ronald McDonald House) fell through and asked “Could we stay with you?” Of course!

They came with their sick son and five other children. I’d met her through Above Rubies, although at the time we didn't know each other well. While their son underwent surgery, we kept their other five children. Through this experience, we became such dear, dear friends. A few years later, cancer and another heart surgery brought them back to us. I’m so glad that God planted us here, exactly where this family needed a second home.

As a family, we have invested in our neighborhood. My sons serve on the emergency search and rescue team of our neighborhood’s Natural-disaster Committee. They pick up the park and maintain a park mural. We’re available to our neighbors for any number of favors. Although they have a very different world-view, they appreciate our family's generosity and availability.

In addition, we have appreciated what they offer us. We’ve received writing lessons, garden goodies, many job opportunities, and friendships. We pray for opportunities to share the gospel and praise Him for the times we can share.

My 13-year-old daughter helped a family who’d just had their second child. Their three-year-old is very disabled and adding a new baby to a long list of household chores became a lot for this recovering mom. Ella went into their home, played with the toddler, held the baby, folded clothes, and cooed for the family. This neighbor inquired of Ella regarding the way our family operates. Why do we have a large family? Why do we homeschool? The mother was amazed at how comfortable and competent Ella was in the home.

1 Peter 2:12 (NIV) says: "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." Ella was not only a blessing to this family, but also an example of God's love.

I do not know what plans God has for my children, but I know He is preparing them for His service. With a large part of the world living in cities, they very well may be sent to a large city. They may need to know how to navigate on a bus, or interact with and evangelize to people very different from themselves. They may need to know how to live in small quarters and how to be hospitable. I am grateful that God has shown us how to live and prosper right here, in the city.

MOLLY LILJA
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Printed in Above Rubies #93