KEHILAT ARIEL -
ARIEL CONGREGATION
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AMI
UPDATE
FEBRUARY
24, 2009
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This update is late because we were in the midst of some huge events
taking place as far as our legal case is concerned. Also, since
Sunday night we've had a team of 14 praying Greek and Cypriot spiritual
warriors who have come to help us minister for a few days, and who have been staying in our congregational
facility which is next door to our house. They are a blessing, and
minister powerfully in prayer. They helped us with our youth
meeting, and have been traveling a bit with David in the area,
ministering to believers
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Victory in Court
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The police have been in
possession of the hard disk from our security cameras since the bombing
which took place in our house on March 20, 2008. We were naïve, and
in a state of total shock when we signed a release for them to possess
the disk the day of the bombing. From that time, we've been able to
see the pictures of the person who brought the bomb to our door only
once, and the police have refused to give it back to us, stating that
they need the original for evidence in court when the criminals are
caught. Long ago we told them that they can give us a copy of the
material, but they refused to do that as well. Moreover, as of
today, they say there are no suspects and no progress in the case.
Our first hearing was last week. We sent a letter to the court to
request that they order the police to return our hard disk. We
arrived with our lawyer. The policeman who is the head of our
investigation arrived without a lawyer. After presenting the judge
with their claim and secret letters from their division and the secret
services as to why the material shouldn't be in our hands, the judge
still pressed him further for the reason why our property shouldn't be
returned to us.
He finally said that they don't want us passing the pictures on to the
media, and he admitted that our case was part of a wider investigation
which includes 3 incidents of bombs being planted before ours, and one
after us. Before this hearing, they wouldn't admit to us that our
case was related to other cases.
The judge wanted several days to make a decision, and told us to come
back this past Sunday. The police said that if the ruling was against
them, then they would appeal to a higher court. We arrived at the
stated time, but the police didn't show up. The judge ruled that
the hard disk be given back to us, but deferred to the police and said
that the images can be shown only to our family. Our lawyer
received a phone call today from the police stating that the copy was
available, and could be picked up at the police station. We are
satisfied with the ruling, and thank the Lord for His goodness, mercy and
favor that He continually pours out on us.
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Insight
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A couple of days after
the first hearing, our lawyer told us that he had an experience
which opened his mind and heart to something he hadn't understood
before. He closed his finger in the car door, and the tip of his
finger and the nail were completely black
and blue. He went to the doctor, who said that he had to do a
procedure under the nail, but it wouldn't hurt because the nerves were
dead. Well, they weren't dead, and he said "I felt like I went
down to the gates of hell", the pain was so bad and intense.
Then he said, "I was in such pain in my little finger, but all of a
sudden I realized that Ami has felt this intense pain all over his body
for this whole year. I suddenly felt empathy for him like I never
did before - it went from my intellect to
my heart".
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Family News and a Word from the
Lord
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Back to the home front -
Ami is doing well. He surprised me by telling me that he wants to
dye his hair green for Purim. I'm trying to escape Purim, and he's
dying his hair green!! It shows me that he has really been given
the strength from God to overcome trauma - maybe more than the rest of
the family. It is amazing to me.
This Thursday, my sons Natan and Ariel, (25 and
22) who have been at home for a few months to help out with Ami, Elad who is 20, and another son, Aaron (28) who has
been working in the U.S.
for several years, are taking off for Australia for a year.
They said that they want to escape the warfare in Israel
for a while, work things out in their hearts and minds concerning what
we've been through this past 11 months, and some other goals that they
hope to accomplish. It is interesting to me that they are all going
together, but it's difficult to say goodbye to four sons for one
year! Please pray for healing and direction for them.
I was meditating tonight on a conversation that we had in a blessed
Prayer meeting for Pastor's wives this morning in another city
nearby. We were talking about the present government, and what kind
of coalition will be formed, and whether this or that possibility will be
good for us as believers and our ability to spread the Gospel. I
believe I received a word from the Lord. In 1 Kings 18 is
the account of Elijah the prophet who challenged the prophets of Baal in
front of the nation of Israel.
What struck me is the impossible odds that
Elijah himself set before the nation while challenging the false
prophets. He was jealous for the true God and the scenario went
like this.......
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me."
So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD
that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the
number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD
had come, saying, "Israel
shall be your name."[ 32 Then with the
stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench
around the altar large enough to hold two seahs
of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and
laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four waterpots
with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood." 34
Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second
time; and he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third
time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the
trench with water.
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in
Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at
Your word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that
You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You
again." 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt
sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the
water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they
fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD,
He is God!"
I believe that our problem is that we want to remain as comfortable as
possible. We want to avoid suffering at any cost. However, I
believe that as believers in Yeshua, no matter
which government is in place, we must ask
for the faith to believe the Lord for boldness, like Elijah, in our
witness for Him. Elijah had an "in your face" type of
attitude but his motivation was jealousy for the honor and glory of the
true God. In the face of the opposition of the whole nation, he
challenged the false prophets and the Lord answered by sending down His
fire. May it be so in our day!
Blessings, Leah
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