Powerful Musicians

Musicians and singers are powerful: They have the ability to elicit a response from a crowd of people. This requires a character in the musician that demands strict discipline, heart humility, and a clear mandate of purpose, without which, the elicitation is simply self-serving. In biblical times, those who served the Most High understood their role, and as a result, their honed craft served a higher purpose than simply a favorable crowd-appreciation response. These were seeking a much greater life purpose with their musical ability.

David, the shepherd teen, was such a one. He had all the qualities that any modern-day musical group would deem worthy of hire: Highly skilled musician and singer, very articulate, excels in the ability to communicate musically, very handsome - stands out from the crowd. With this impressive qualifying list, someone in the King's high court of Israel recommended this shepherd teen for the job of "first musician" to play during the King's many high anxiety-insanity moments when evil spirits would assault him. From the first time David played and sang, the King's response was deep shalom within his soul. He was hired. This inexperienced young musician was not only good looking, skilled, and articulate, he was exceptionally anointed from the Holy One of Israel!

For years I played and sang for the crowds...I learned how to get the emotional response I was looking for. But then, a serious "heart" operation from a God-intervention, caused me to line up my motivation. I had to relearn my craft all over again, and the most important lesson I learned is what will I do with the God-given power in a crowd of people? Will I own it? - or will I allow God to use me to bring His shalom upon the people? It was a conscious decision of my own will to to choose the latter.

Recently, we had such a musician come to play his instrument in Jerusalem before 3,000 Christian people representing 30 nations. Pedro Eustache reminds me of what King David must have been like. He had similar Davidic qualities, but the characteristic that stood out the most was his deep humility, reverance, and love for God above all else.

When a musician truly owns these qualities, the music that flows is more than beautiful. It creates an atmosphere in which the people present tangibly sense a shalom from on High; we sense God is present and we respond with our emotions accordingly. From that same posture I, too, have determined to play, sing, and communicate through my music until there is no more breath to breathe into my instrument.

Listen to Pedro - a truly anointed musician - play the ancient Armenian duduk flute (visit his website):

Gather the Worshipers

THERE ARE APPOINTED TIMES AND SEASONS when God calls His people apart from the mundane - as a corporate body - to simply worship Him. Then there are other specially appointed times where He has arranged a meeting place, gathering together His people from the four corners of the earth, with a divine mandane to read His Word and "wait" upon Him: Bringing the Israelites into the desert out of Egypt; waiting at the foot of Mount Sinai for the giving of the Torah; the regathering of the exiles from Babylon in Jerusalem with Nehemiah; 120 in the upper room in Jerusalem with the Disciples of Yeshua. (Photo above - Ron Cantrell: Crowds of Christians at the International Convention Center Jerusalem, July 22-25, 2007)

The purpose of gathering the worshipers is clear: God has something important to impart which requires our full and undivided attention. By leaving our homes and normal business, and "camp out" in His presence, we are more able to hear from His Ruach Ha Kodesh. (photo-Ron Cantrell: Pastor Jack Hayford of Church on the Way in Los Angeles, with the Foursquare Convention of 3,000, Member of Knesset Benny Alon, shofar blowers)

This week there were two such gatherings in Jerusalem, in fact, simultaneously: Three thousand Christians gathered from 30 nations at the Jerusalem Convention Center, and thousands of Jewish families from Israel and the nations gathered at the Western Wall Plaza to commenorate Tisha B'Av, the destruction of the Temple. Traditionally, the Temple Mount Faithful attempt to set up a foundation stone for the Third Temple on Tisha B'av, and the police routinely prevent them from doing so. The occasion is remembered as the anniversary of the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE and that of the Second Temple in 70 CE, both said to have occurred on the same calendar date. (Photos-Ron Cantrell: Tisha B'av worshipers gather in Western Wall plaza for all night vigil)













As our Jewish neighbhors read Lamentations all night long in the Western Wall plaza, crying out with a passion to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. . . (Photo-Ron Cantrell: Reading Lamentations all night, remembering the destruction of the Temple)














. . . the Christians were pleading God for a fresh anointing of the Spirit of God upon their lives as they returned to the nations from where they gathered.

(Photos below-Ron Cantrell: Worship leader Tommy Walker and the backup ensemble)



May the One who hears our heart's cry, answer from Heaven, and empower His people to carry out His purposes according to His Word, especially in this hour. May His Word go forth from Zion - with a fresh and greater anointing. Amen.

Pleading the Cause

It is incumbent upon us to aid those in need, to defend the helpless - the poor, oppressed, widows, orphans - and plead the cause of those who are powerless to do so themselves. Sometimes we must knock on the doors of the powerful, and then keep on knocking until we are heard. We have many examples of such in the Bible. Such was the case today of several hundred Israeli's (myself included) lead by the Hebrew University students from Jerusalem and Beersheva. I have learned that the Israeli students are not content to settle for the status quo, and have a deep concern for the peoples of all nations who suffer persecution and genocide. "Never again," once a resolve of the Jewish people after the Holocaust, has been enlarged to include all peoples who are targeted for a genocide.

Keren (pictured above), the Jerusalem student-in-charge addresses the international media, student body, and Israeli public by pleading the cause of the Sudanese refugees now in Israel. Several other students took turns with their own powerful plea on behalf of the who could not do so themselves. Then a refugee who came to Israel two years ago took the microphone to tell his story. It was horrifying to hear about the children stolen off the streets of Egypt or a family member who had to go to a hospital, only to have an organ removed and sold to an Egyptian patient. His personal testimony motivated those of us present to stand in solidarity for a people forgotten. The majority of those who have come to Israel are Christians from south Sudan. How appropriate that my husband and I would represent the Christian community in the crowd of Jewish Israelis.

On the ground were hundreds of letters written to the Prime Minister of Israel, pleading with the government to not return the refugees back to Egypt, knowing full well what their fate will be. Then, upon direction of the students, we each grabbed letters and marched together - refugees, students, mothers with strollers, children, the elderly - to the entrance of the Knesset across from the Prime Minister's office, where we held up all the letters! The students waited by the fence and gates, with no small noise, and they were certainly heard!

View recent film of the refugees:

The Face of Suffering

Often you can look at a person's face and read it like a book. Some people really hide what is going on inside of them, whereas, others are more transparent. The Sudanese refugees living in at the Wohl Rose Gardens in Jerusalem across from the Israeli Knesset reflect a transparency that is difficult to miss.


The extreme suffering these families have had to endure in recent years is something none of us will ever have to experience. When you meet one who has experienced such suffering, what do you want to do? Bring comfort, right? Extending some kind of merciful expression is a normal human response.

No doubt my mothering instincts have been kindled in the past 10 days with the Sudanese refugees resident about 15 minutes from my home. I have to do something. Thankfully, each day I was able to perform some practical, simple expression of humanity. Calling Keren everyday helped me decide what needed to be done. I have been concerned about the children with no toys to play with and so we purchased balls of all shapes and sizes. What child doesn't love balls? Included in our goody bags for the children were cloth cuddly dolls, crayons, pens, coloring books, picture books, colorful hair pins for the girl's hair, lotions for the mother's, etc.

Looking at the faces of those who have suffered tells the whole story. May the One who brings comfort to those who suffer, bring healing to their hearts and make them whole. Amen.

View the story of a young Sudanese child rescued from Egypt by Israeli intervention

Angels of Mercy

"I found them!"

"Found who?" My husband inquired. "The students caring for the refugees!" I was so excited I could hardly contain myself.

I first got a hold of Eytan Schwartz, well-known for winning "Ha Shagrir" - the Israeli version of "The Ambassador" TV program. Eytan is a spokesperson for CARD, Israeli's concerned for the Darfur conflict and the refugees. They were now forefront in bringing awareness to Israeli's, especially since over 2,000 Sudanese refugees are now within Israel's borders. Eytan encouraged me to contact the students (photo above) in charge who were directly assisting the refugees.

Keren, a very kind and soft-spoken Israeli student studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem was pleased with an offer to help. "We desperately need backpacks and simple carry cases for the refugees to place donated clothing and other personal items. Thank you for being persistent in finding us."

"We'll get it to you right away." Making our way to Mahane Yehuda, the open market in Jerusalem, we found a vendor with just what we were looking for (above photo), at just the right price. I think we nearly bought him out. Clearly, he was having a good day.

Delivering the bags to the refugees was a delight. How grateful they were to finally have a place to hold a few simple items. Each family claimed a bag and set off to their make-shift tent home, neatly folding their clothes and placing them into their cases.

It was such a small thing, but a gesture of concern nonetheless. As we left, the angels of mercy student body were hard at work, on their cell phones planning for the coming days, arranging shifts schedules, media interviews, etc. We learned that the student were on call and even sleeping with the refugees in the park at night. Several times, they have had to take a couple of them to the doctor. Two ladies are pregnant, and alone as their spouses were left behind in Egypt.

I could not help but think of them as once again I climbed into a warm bed with a roof over my head. It was cold and damp tonight with too much wind for a July evening, heightening my concern for the welfare of Jerusalem's newest guests sleeping under the stars.

Plight of Refugees: Not in My City!

We were all pretty horrified to hear that the refugees had been on a bus nearly all day. They were first bussed from Beersheva to Jerusalem. The hope was that their situation would help to bring public attention to the plight of the Sudanese refugees. Once arriving in Jerusalem, however, it was clear that they would have no where to stay.

So, a few hours later, they were bussed back to Beersheva! There there were met once again by the University students who took up their role as caretakers, giving hospitality Israeli style. I learned they did not get into a temporary camp until 11:00 pm that night.

Following their days events, I was relieved to finally learn they were settled down for the night, and I too, could rest. Tomorrow I will find the students and give them my help! Please help me to do this, my heart prayed with resolution once again as I drifted off to sleep.

Walking to the Promised Land

Sometimes we can be saturated with a story until we are numb emotionally. I'm afraid that the tragedy of Darfur and southern Sudan may be causing a similar response - if we are not careful. Today, however, I was encouraged to hear of generous and compassionate hearts towards a people in great need. I learned that another 50 Sudanese refugees fled across the border of Israel from Egypt -- families, father's, mother's whose husbands were left behind, pregnant women, teens, children.

They had walked from southern Sudan, through Egypt, and across the wilderness making a run for the Israeli border.

The IDF patroling the border were under orders to transport the refugees to Beersheva Municipality.

But, because of Shabbat, the offices closed early. The refugees were left there. Help was on its way...

In recent weeks, University students in Beersheva have taken it upon themselves to personally care for the refugees brought there, often out of their own pockets. When the students heard there were another 50, they rushed to their aid. The refugees first of all needed to be treated for PTSD, and the doctors were called in to check their overall medical conditions.

Because Shabbat was coming, the students transported the families to the Ben Gurion University in the Negev and allowed them to sleep inside of a large Bedouin tent.

Hearing of their plight and with little food, no clothing or basic necessities of life was very difficult for me. I remember clearly pulling back my duvet cover as I climbed into bed that night and to God I whispered, "Thank you for a bed." I recounted the long list of "blessings" that are mine, not enjoyed by 50 people only two hours from my home in Jerusalem.

I cannot begin to imagine the horrors they have experienced. I only know that on this night, I have nothing to complain about. Nothing.

Please help me bring a bit of comfort to these who have come so far, was the prayer my heart uttered throughout my restless night. Shabbat had indeed descended, but shalom evaded my Spirit.