Inside Israel – finally a moment to write!

Hi friends and thanks for coming by for a look inside Israel today, through the eyes and heart of J of Jerusalem!  God bless you as you read and pray!  Now here’s J . . .

With all of the very big and important things that have happened here, riding the wave of another personal crisis took priority over writing and sharing first hand.  I will add a few quick comments concerning the events that came and went and are still in progress, and I will also share a personal prayer request at the end.

FIRST…Loving greetings with blessing to each of you in The Name above ALL names, Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ, Lord of lord and King of kings.  May HE Alone be glorified, and may you be blessed.

Binyamin Netanyahu, our Prime Minister, met with the leaders of Canada and America…and I did not get to comment.  I know that most of you heard him speak in America anyway, and I am thankful for all of the positive input that came from many of you.  Our Prime Minister has a gift with words, and also a very real fear of The Lord and reads and believes his Bible.  To my joy, the one thing that was reported in the Hebrew press here was that the he went to a prayer meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and, with hands laid on him, was very moved as they prayed for him to be bold, to stand with The Lord for Israel, and many other things that we also were praying for him here.  The (secular) newspaper reported that he was very moved by the prayers.  J  I wonder how many of you get such reporting in your local newspapers these days. 

Next was Purim.  I actually wrote to you about it as Purim was beginning, but got no further then the beginning.  For me, there was a change this year.  The celebrations seem (to me) more and more secular and wild…more like halloween…the witches sabbeth…and it made me sad.  It is not my favorite celebration.  We did gather for prayer thought as believers during the time of the Esther fast.  I have written about Purim each year, so if any of you wish to know something of the holiday, I would be happy to send you something from the past. 

Finally, the latest news that I KNOW many of you are receiving distorted reports concerning…the fighting going on in our South with Gaza.  As of this afternoon, since Friday, over 220 rockets and missiles have rained down in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Be’er Sheva, and surrounding areas.  Up to a million people are ducking into shelters through out the day…children are home from school, trauma centers are open.  This round of battle actually began when a top Islamic Jihad leader was located.  He had been responsible for a number of large attacks and was known to be planning a major one at the time.  Israel has a policy of targeted assignation.  For the past half a year we have been ‘swatting flies’ as drips and drabs of rockets hit southern Israel, and Israel would then shoot at those aiming  the launch.  It was decided to go after the main ‘brains’ behind the operations.  This is what you LIKELY have heard reported (as we check the foreign news media and receive chastisement from governments, it is what we are hearing): that Israel, the “aggressor and occupier” began the entire thing, although Clinton spoke out against the attacks on our south.  As of this evening there is a ‘truce’ in effect and things are fairly quiet.  Many in the south are calling on the government to enter Gaza again and finish the job that was abruptly ended by world pressure.  I do not think that will happen, precisely because world pressure is too strong.  We see what is happening in Syria and we are more quiet then much of the world.  Perhaps some of you might recall (as I wrote quite extensively about it and with much detail) the ‘Jenin “massacre”’.  It had been reported that thousands were massacred, Jenin was destroyed, dead bodies of entire families were rotting in the streets, etc.  Thankfully, we were able to FINALLY mobilize world leaders and press to come and see the truth…however by the time the truth was revealed, the damage to Israel had been done.  I am no lover of Assad, by any means, but we constantly hear reports by the ‘democratic resistance fighters…liberators’, of huge numbers killed daily and frankly, I do not believe the reporting…nor the motives of the ‘fighters’.  (notice how they USED to be called ‘rebels’, ‘junta’, ‘usurpers’ etc?  By simply changing words, the media is able to manipulate both world opinion and government policy)  May God give His children discernment!  May we seek Him for this gift of His Spirit! 

In the midst of all of this, I want to thank God for the abundant rain and snow that blessed us this past few months.  We are now having lovely spring days intermingled with wintery ones, but the trees are laden with buds and although our severe 8 year drought has not fully broken, we are encouraged and thankful.  I know that many of you have joined us here in praying for moisture, and now may you partake in thanksgiving!  He is only Faithful! 

And so…that brings me to our latest family ‘events’. 

There are several, but I don’t want to inundate you. 

I have shared some prayer requests for our youngest daughter who has been living with us.  For the past few months she had been participating in a ‘day treatment’ program that seemed excellent.  It is for adults suffering from depression, anxiety and or post traumatic stress syndrome.  She really qualified for all three.  She has now left the program and…yesterday…she and her friend left for Michigan, America to sell Dead Sea Products in kiosks at the malls there…tentatively for a year.  She told us of their decision 6 days ago, and, although it was a shock, I have to thank God for His preparation of my heart through the ministry that I received in Tel Aviv the week before. I was pleased that she made mature preparations, consulting fully with the program that she was in and all of her doctors, (you might remember her cornea transplant…).  Those of you in America are most certainly familiar with the enigma of the Israel vendors of Dead Sea products in virtually every mall across the country.  It is almost a new ‘rite of passage’ for young Israelis. Our economy, inspite of being displayed as such a strong one (which I’m sure it is) does not have the ‘trickle down effect’, as I explained before.  Young people are always looking for opportunities to work, for a time, out of the country, and to return with enough to rent their own apartment and begin a business.  They live in group houses and work 12 hours per day 7 days per week generally.  Our daughter has never been able to maintain a rigorous schedule like that.  HOWEVER…I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY OF YOU OUT THERE WHO PRAY FOR ISRAEL AND ISRAELIS AND YOU HAVE WONDERFUL AND FURTILE GROUND BROUGHT TO YOUR DOORSTEP!  May I suggest (if you are not already doing it?  I’m SURE many of you are and know of some of you!) first, praying specifically for some…approaching some and telling them that you love Israel and are praying for Israel, invite them out for coffee, lunch…over for dinner…SHARE WITH THEM AS THE SPIRIT LEADS…He is creative and knows their hearts so I know that He can lead you.  And now that I have a daughter…and her friend there…I will be praying for God to rise up a fiery, anointed army.

At this point, I don’t even know what city they will be in.  They took a plane to Prague (Czech Republic) and from there were to take a train to Paris where her friend has Grandparents.  From there…to fly to Michigan.  Her friend does not know much about American geography.  When I asked which city they were going to I was told ‘I don’t remember the name but it’s between Chicago and Colorado…I think’.  And so…if our family is on your heart, please remember to pray for our youngest daughter in this latest part of her search for the way back to Him?  Thank you so much. 

I know that this letter is a bit different and sketchy, but may His grace translate to you blessing as you pray for His will in your own lives, the lives of your loved ones, and the world.

LOVINGLY, your sis

Inside Israel – A View From The Midst

Hi everyone! Thank you for coming by today for a look inside Israel. Much is happening quickly there and J of Jerusalem is so gracious to share her perspective as a Jewish believer. Praying that you be blessed and led to pray as you read. And that you have a blessed Memorial Day as well. Now here’s J . . .

I have missed writing. It is odd, but when I write I feel ‘connected’ with each of you and I end up being edified, as if I have had fellowship. I was meditating in John 17:21 this morning where Yeshua prayed that we would be one as He and Father are one. The unity of the body is a great and wonderful mystery, and I do love each of you. My computer has been giving me problems and my time and strength have been stretched beyond even my normal, but I am thankful for this slot of time, and pray that what I share will be of some value for the glory of the kingdom and the edification of the body…and…yes…some takes place ‘on the bus’!

In the midst of this VERY high powered couple of weeks, I feel that I am NOT to share much about ‘what I think concerning the speeches’ and actions that have stormed the world. There has been more then enough commentary to keep everyone puzzled and full of opinions. I will share just 3 things that might be a bit unique simply from the perspective of a believer in this land; we have news channels in English from different countries; Sky News and BBC from England, a French news station, American Fox news and the international version of CNN. I find it fascinating to first listen to the speeches themselves and then go immediately to these stations to hear their initial responses. They are generally predictable, and it does give me a taste of why the views from your respective countries differ so tremendously.

The other thing that I want to share is the VIEW FROM THE BUS J Following Mr. Obama’s speech; the bus was grim…and angry. Oh what yelling took place on that 6am bus the ‘morning after’! Mixed with the anger was fear, and a sense of defeat; fear that our Prime Minister (who was set to arrive in the US very shortly) would crumble and not be able to hold firm against such pressure. This was a real fear since he did just that during his first term in office when he shocked the nation by returning from the Wye meetings having given Bet Lechem and Hevron to Arafat…for ‘peace’. Now…how do I paint this for you? The entire nation was glued to radio or television for these speeches. The morning after our Prime Minister’s speech, the bus was ‘still’. Now I do NOT mean ‘still’ as in ‘silent’ or ‘not noisy’ (that is NOT an Israeli bus!)…but ‘still’. You know what I mean; when someone walks into a room agitated, or angry, or grieved…you feel it. It changes the atmosphere in the room. But when someone is ‘satisfied’ and their heart is ‘quieted’, there is a peaceful ‘stillness’. THAT’S what I mean! And it was odd, simply because I have NOT felt that on the bus in Lord knows how long! At least not since the last intifada. There was a ‘still’ STRENGTH in the determined look on people’s faces, and in their talk. The most beloved statement that our Prime Minister had made seems to have been that ‘the people living in Judea and Samaria (and he DIDN’T say ‘the west bank’!) are not ‘occupiers’ but are legitimate owners of their ancestral land’ that The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gave. The world has been saying loudly that we are illegitimate…and that our God is illegitimate. Strength came back into the people as our Prime Minister stood against the forces of the world (albeit, in a receptive congress) and declared these things unashamedly.

The last, but most important thing that I want to confirm (rather then ‘report’) is that GOD ANSWERED PRAYER CONCERNING OUR PRIME MINISTER, AND WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD, THROUGH YESHUA! Thank you for your prayers…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH!

And that is all that I plan to say concerning the MANY events before our eyes. If you didn’t hear some of the speeches and would like a copy of a transcript, or a comment, or comments concerning the upcoming Gaza ‘flotilla’, the opening of the border between Egypt and Gaza, the so called Arab spring, the hypocritical bombing of Libya by nato, the horrific storms etc, etc, ETC…please write and ask. It IS all whirling around us! There are so many good commentators and I am not an ‘expert’…just someone ‘passing through’. J
BUT…in the midst of all of that…The Lord continues to prepare us for what ONLY HE KNOWS lays ahead. I am more and more convinced that He really is lovingly teaching us at an accelerated speed…in our closets…in hidden and quiet ways, less and less in the ‘flashy’ and ‘big’ ways.

I came from a very small family. My Father had one sister who also had one daughter…and they are all gone. My Mother had one sister who never married. They are gone. I have one sister who has one daughter. My sister is married to a rabbi and lives in Ohio, USA. I have not seen her in the 16 years since we came here. We love each other dearly, but I am still the only one in my family to ever know Jesus…HOWEVER! He isn’t done yet! MY SISTER HAS TICKETS TO COME AND VISIT ME BETWEEN 8-18TH OF JULY!! I am SOOO excited and I do ask (no…’beg’) for prayer, that this time will have eternal value! But an interesting thing happened. Right after I got saved, I shared with my whole family, and continued to share. My sister and I have had some serious talks and I have prayed. For a long while now I have been able to share no more. We speak every Sunday and this last Sunday she told me sarcastically; ‘Well…the world didn’t end, but everyone is sure nervous!’ I thought a minute…’HUH?’ I eloquently replied, ‘What are you talking about!?’ I KNEW that the speeches were weighty, but we usually don’t discuss ‘politics’. ‘You know! The prophecy of the end of the world and the rapture!’ What WAS she talking about! Was she finally reading the New Testament or what was going on? I stuttered. ‘Harold Camping’s prophecy of course!’ she sputtered! ‘Who is Harold Camping?’ I said. (I remember when I also thought that whatever happened in America everyone else knew) She went on to tell me about him setting a date for ‘the rapture’ (I was SHOCKED to hear my sister say this word and quote N.T. scripture!) and how it made headlines in Wash DC (where my niece lives) and Ohio and other states and how ‘everyone was in a panic’…’hum’…I listened quietly. No, we hadn’t heard of it. She became smug, but I was still amazed to hear such talk coming out of my sister! He works all things to the good… can He use even this to stir her heart and the heart of the family to Him rather then harden it further? I know He can and that is what I’m asking for. Please pray for my sister’s upcoming trip. She is a University professor. Please pray for their salvation (Charlotte, Bob and Rachel). Thank you so much!

It is shabat today and we have had a refreshing rain this morning…part of the ‘latter rains’ which are delighting the eye-dazzling flowers, flowering trees, fruits and foliage of all kinds that clothe Jerusalem in a shocking beauty. I so wish that you could see this city right now! The colors dazzle my eyes and the sweet fragrance of jasmine fills the air and all I can do is worship and praise God, Who, in His expression of love, created such beauty for His children! How could I have denied His existence for so many years, but I did! I was so blind and I am so thankful that He had mercy on me, of all people, and that now I can love His fingerprints everywhere I look! And we are thankful for the rain, although it has had little affect on our water levels which remain in drought. It is the first time in a number of years now that we have been blessed with the ‘latter rains’ of spring. They just didn’t arrive for several years. Our ‘early rains’ are from Sukkot through Jan-Feb and our ‘latter rains’ from March-April through Passover. This year they are happily surprising us.

He woke me up, startled me in fact, the morning of the 26th. I awoke from a deep sleep at about 2:30am distinctly hearing the words “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me.” Uh oh! Was I in the midst of trouble again? What was wrong? ‘That is not the point…the point is that I WILL REVIVE YOU! Keep your focus on Me, not on what surrounds you. Walk in the kingdom, NOT in the flesh!’ None the less, I couldn’t shake the ‘fear’ that MORE ‘trouble’ was about to hit. I slept fitfully until my regular time to get up and have devotions. The verse was still ringing in my heart and I knew that it was NOT a verse I had read lately, so I had to go to my concordance to search for it. I don’t remember the last time that He woke me up in this way. There it was in Psalm 138:7. It wasn’t one that I memorized, nor had I read it in about a year. As I sought Him concerning it, I thought of the time when Jesus raised the ‘little girl’ from the dead. She WAS dead and the parents were distraught. He told them; “Do not be afraid, only believe” Wow. That is NOT easy! It says to me ‘There is the daughter that you love and she is dead. DO NOT LOOK AT DEATH! Turn your eyes away from your daughter and look at ME…at LIFE! LET GO!’ Now I felt that He was saying to me ‘Do not fear the ‘trouble’ for I will revive you.’ By nature, you can not revive something that wasn’t alive and then became dead
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I looked at His faithfulness in our lives thus far. The past few years have been nothing short of traumatic, but GOD has carried us THROUGH deep waters, floods, and fires. Yes, I do still ask prayer for our health, which has not been great. For our older daughter, still going through post partum instability that can be frightening and exhausting at times (and for their whole family); for our younger daughter who is nearly 30 and terribly depressed as she so longs for a future and a hope…and a husband …and struggles with fibromyalgia. I went with her this past Wed to the hospital to have the stitches taken out of her eye finally (many of you prayed as she had her cornea replaced a year ago and we are HOPING that it is successful!) and after waiting for hours we found out the doctor is on reserve army duty…it was quite a let down for her. All of us struggle with financial challenges (since our landlords have passed away our rental is also in doubt again) and there is no possibility of ‘retirement’ for us…and at 65, we are tired. NONE of the challenges are unique to us. I am sure that many of you share these and others. I am so thankful for the body and that we can pray one for another. I am sharing these because several of you have been asking and I have not been answering. Now that I KNOW that HE has promised to ‘revive’, I can share them without ‘worry’. My main prayer request for my family is that each one will be walking in the center of His will, looking to Him. Thank you
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This has become a long, chatty letter. I truly have missed you. I am thankful that my computer opened today, but I am mostly thankful for each one of you. May you be blessed, and may The Lord be glorified! Lovingly, your sis here.

Inside Israel – from May 15

“Hi” to everyone here to take a look inside Israel. Much has been going on this week and we are so thankful for His faithfulness, that He keeps His promises and has His own plans. Thank you for taking the time today to read and pray, for J of Jerusalem and for Israel. Now, here’s J . . .

I want to add to this that the Syrian boarder was breached by about 200 Syrians this afternoon. The boarders appear to be the main target -breaching them from outside – from Gaza, from Egypt, from Jordan, from Lebanon, and from Syria. HOPEFULLY the Egyptian and Jordanian rally’s were controlled from within their countries, but the day is not over yet. I have been praying all day that God would confound the enemies at the borders and raise up His standard there…reminding Him that, according to His immutable, faithful WORD, HE established the borders. I was at our daughter’s for most of the day helping with the children and the inter-city bus that I took home was driven by an Arab man. His cell phone began ringing (illegal for anyone to talk while they drive) and he looked at it and looked worried, then turned it off. It rang again and again and AGAIN (likely 10-15 times) and he began driving the back country, windy roads like a maniac. Finally at one of the stops he took his call, but he was speaking in Arabic and I did not understand. There is a GREAT deal of tension in the air today (the air, where the prince of the power of the air loves to stir things up), but God IS on the throne and I am thankful for the ‘helps’ that help us to pray into it…PARTICULARLY THE HOLY SPIRIT! I am also forwarding my Pastor’s update on praying through this day. BLESS YOU AS YOU PRAY!

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Israel Prayer Center – Jerusalem
You are subscribed as jc.2174@hotmail.com

Prayer Priority Update
“I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also”
1Corintians 4:15
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As Nakba Day Progresses

Terror attack
An Arab truck driver has used his truck this morning as a weapon for a terror attack in Tel Aviv.

The truck driver rampaged through the streets of Tel Aviv, hitting several vehicles. One person was killed and 17 wounded.

After the rampage, the truck driver got out of his car and proceeded to attack by-standers who were in the area. The man was finally subdued after people realized it was a terror attack.

In east Jerusalem, rioting resumed on Sunday morning as residents of one neighborhood hurled stones at police.

In Ramallah Nakba Day began with a siren which lasted for 63 seconds, a second for each year of Israel’s existence. Thousands marched the streets, Israeli flags were burned, and some rallies are planned. All these activities are a mimic of Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence, just celebrated.

Some incidences of stone throwing and firebombs have been reported.

However, overall, it seems that Nakba Day will not become an all out 3rd Intifada, as many Arabs have hoped and called for.

Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismalil Haniyeh, launchd ‘Nakba Day’ by calling for the destruction of Israel. “Palestinians mark the occasion this year with great hope of bringing to an end the Zionist project in Palestine,” he said to approximately 10,000 people at a Gaza City mosque.

We continue to stand before the Lord for His unambiguously expressed will to restore Israel to Himself and to the Land. God is GOD, and His will is not only supreme, but also good!

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.” Zechariah 2:12-13

Notice in the verse above:
1. The Holy Land is called Judah and Zion, not Palestine (a name given the land, by the Romans after the second Jewish revolt between 132-135 AD, to erase the memory of the Jews from the land.)
2. Salvation in Yeshua is foretold in verse 11, “many nations shall be joined to the Lord…”
3. Israel is God’s inheritance and His portion in the land.
4. God’s answer to all other voices and opinions? “Be Silent” (Literally, “Shut up”)

Pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is done in heaven!

IPCJerusalem, Israel

Inside Israel – Passover is Near

“Hi” and welcome to a look inside Israel as passover nears. J of Jerusalem shares about passover from her perspective and also a letter from her pastor. Thank you so much for standing with Israel at this time and praying for J too! Now, here’s J . . .

Passover Preparations…2011 –

I GREET YOU IN YESHUA’S NAME! MAY HE BE BLESSED AND GLORIFIED…AND MAY YOU BE BLESSED!

*YOFI! (That means ‘wonderful!’ or ‘beautiful!’ or ‘great!’) Once again I waited long enough before finishing this to include an excellent prayer letter by my pastor. Much took place since I began writing yesterday and he covers it better then I would, but it is just what I would have written if I could have. Please take time to read his, even if you don’t read mine. I will close with it.*

PASSOVER…everyone is cleaning, most are almost done…all except for me. I haven’t even begun and I am despairing of the fact that it WON’T be done this year…only – hopefully – in my heart. With The Blood of The Lamb over the doorposts of my heart, I will do what I can do and know that I am safe within. Oh, I WILL get rid of all of the leaven on my shelves, according to the scriptures, but the traditionally toothbrush-clean-house will, alas not be ours this year as the situations of ‘life’ have really been crashing in on me for a good steady while and I am exhausted. I’m not even home long enough to clean, it seems…only to make meals and eat.

Passover…Pesach in Hebrew…the first of the Spring Feasts…one of the three High Holidays commanded in scripture to be ‘observed perpetually’ – a time when all of the men were commanded to ‘come up to Jerusalem’ and worship in the temple.

Chapter 12 of Exodus is the clearest exhortation and description of the holiday, but it is mentioned over and over in scripture…and its fulfillment is the central theme of the Gospels…The Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world, the pure sacrificial Lamb, Who’s most precious Blood is still, today, put over the doorposts (of our hearts) to keep us marked ‘do not touch’ from the death angel. To me there is a sense of awe and a hunger to see clearly the beautiful plan.

The sedar meal itself (which will be the night of Monday the 18th this year) is, to me, so well described in Psalm 78

.”…That which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told…We will not hide from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of The Lord and His strength, and His wondrous works that He hath done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be born; who should arise and tell them to their children, That they might put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments;…”

The Psalm goes on to re-tell the Exodus and other parts of our history. This is what we attempt to do at the sedar. It is really geared to the children crowded around the table (and it is rare to find a table without many children! Sedars are BIG meals and people gather together house to house, so rarely is there a very small group. I will prepare most of the food for our sedar meal but for the first time we will be bringing it to our older daughter’s house, which has a larger table then ours) Most of you probably know all of this, but for those who don’t, ‘sedar’ means ‘order’ in Hebrew and there is a ‘specified order’ to the sedar, varied according to traditions passed through the generations, but generally there is a ‘haggada’ used…a small book that everyone has, and we read together. It is more then just reading…it is a discussion handbook…it has songs…it has directions (for example: now eat some matzo with bitter herbs and remember the bitterness of slavery)…it has lessons. Many people write their own or adapt them, and we, as disciples of Yeshua, have done the same. I wrote ours a few years ago and adapt it yearly. But the basic Truth does not change. The Lamb, the pure Lamb, was sacrificed for sin…for Life…to keep us from perishing. It is only GOD Who can deliver us from bondage…and to Him we give thanks!

I didn’t intend to write this much about Pesach in this letter, but, well…here it is. Yesterday my husband and I had to leave work early and travel down to Be’er Sheva where our landlord has lived for years…but it was not to see him. It was to see his two children as they were ‘sitting shiva’. This is the week of mourning when one sits in the home and everyone comes to comfort. Our landlady died last year during Pesach year…and now our landlord 2 weeks before Pesach. (yes…this may alter our housing situation, and it is a care I am casting on Him) While we were down there, just a bit further south, a school bus was attacked by antiaircraft fire from Gaza. Miraculously nearly 50 children had gotten off the bus at the previous stop, but one 16 year old remains in critical condition, fighting for his life. The fighting has been escalating rapidly all day. At this writing it is being reported that 16 mortars have landed in the western Negev today and a school was evacuated. (I wrote that yesterday and there were over 50 rockets reported. The young man is still in critical, fighting for his life)

I have grown used to an unusual amount of dramatic events taking place during the holidays, particularly Pesach. You may remember that the last intifada began during a Pesach with a horrific bombing of a sedar up north.

In the midst, we sit down to ‘remember’ Him and His mighty deeds. May the eyes of our people be open THIS YEAR to the Pascal Lamb of God…Who has come to take away the sins of the world…AND those of His natural birth nation as well.

(Several have asked for a personal update. Thank you. I request prayer for the whole family. Like with our nation, major battles appear on every front. Thank you for praying and caring!)

Prayer Priority Update
“I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also”
1Corintians 4:15

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Hatred Unleashed

Yesterday, in a vicious attack, Hamas launched an anti-tank missile from the Gaza Strip, at a clearly marked school bus. Thankfully, most of the children had just been dropped off. However, the one remaining child was critically injured. (The bus driver was injured lightly.)

Immediately afterward, Hamas launched close to 50 mortar shells and rockets. Thankfully, a grad missile was destroyed in mid-flight by the new Iron Dome anti-missile defense system.

These are clearly acts of war and crimes against humanity, but don’t expect the NGOs, or the nations, or the UNHRC to make resolutions against Hamas, or call for an investigation. Hatred of Israel and the despising of the Jewish people have become the norm.

Today the attacks continue; about 16 mortar shells were fired from Gaza at the Negev (southern part of Israel) this morning, and five more this afternoon. The shelling continues as I write. For all practical purposes, Israel’s south is in the midst of a war.

This comes on the heels of a deadly terror attack in Itamar in which two parents and three young children were brutally murdered, and a bombing in Jerusalem which killed an English missionary to Togo who was in Israel to study Hebrew.

A Perpetual Hatred

“Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:” Ezekiel 35:5

“Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred grievous guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,” Ezekiel 25:12

“…in your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them….” Ezekiel 35:11

“They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:” Psalm 83:3-5

While the Palestinians and the Arab nations are not the direct descendants of Edom, surely the same spirit has overcome them, fanning within their hearts the flame of that same ancient hatred and desire to destroy the Jewish nation. But God thinks differently!

An Everlasting Love

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.’” Jeremiah 31:3-4

Contrary to the thinking of the Arab nations who see it as the U.N.’s “fault” that the Jews were allowed to come to Palestine, it is God who has drawn the Jews back to the Land of their forefathers. It is God who is building the nation again. And it will be God who will save us from our enemies, and from our sins, by doing an amazing goodness, never before seen on such a scale.

Unleashed Love and Grace

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name— after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:25-29

“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.” Jeremiah 33:8-9

A Goodness to tremble at

Although rockets are raining upon us and the situation may get much worse in the near future, God has promised that it would be the nations who tremble and shake for fear, as they see the power of God’s goodness when it is unleashed from heaven upon Israel.

Another Passover

What a shock was Israel’s exodus from Egypt! No power, human or otherwise, could stop it. The more Egypt resisted, the worse their own situation became. Unfortunately, it ended with their destruction at the Red Sea, as they continued to pursue Israel in order to enslave them again.

There is no power in hell, on the earth, or in the heavens that can stop God from fulfilling His plan and purpose for Israel and for the nations. Yeshua has gained mastery over every principality and power at the cross.

We can stand there, in that very “spot”, and pray and believe for God’s counsel to be fulfilled in our days.

The first exodus, the Passover, will be celebrated on April 18th, this year. Let us stand before God during this Passover season, in a renewed faith in our mighty God, to again, by the blood of the Lamb, rescue His people from their enemies and from their sins. The first Passover was exactly that: a deliverance from bondage and a deliverance from the enemy.

Praying for Israel at this time

– Stand by faith on the finished work of Messiah on the cross. Take time to thank Him for the blood of the Lamb; take time to renew your own faith in what has been accomplished at Calvary.

– Give thanks for the mighty, delivering power of God in the Messiah, from anything and everything.

– Stand by faith before the Lord for His Goodness to be unleashed upon Israel, as He has promised.

– Pray for God’s protection and for His own involvement in the warfare over Israel just as He undertook to fight the pursuing Egyptians then. “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14

– Pray for a mighty revelation of Messiah to His people. Pray for God to open the spiritually blind eyes, and remove the veil cast over this people.

– Pray for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon Israel, and the Body of Messiah in the Land.

– Pray for the Presence of God and His Glory to fill the Land again.

– Pray that God will give much Glory to His own name through the restoration of Israel.

Ezekiel 38:23, “Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

May we see the power and wonder of God this Passover season!

Shabbat shalom,

Ofer Amitai

Israel Prayer Center, Jerusalem

Inside Israel – Intercessors For Israel

Hi everyone! Thank you for coming by today, as the days draw closer to the celebration of Christ’s birth. J of Jerusalem wasn’t able to e-mail this week, but she had sent this early, for those who would like to know specifically how and what to pray for Israel. God bless you always!

International Prayer Conference
Jerusalem, January 24th – 31st, 2011

If I forget you, o Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth – if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Ps. 137:5-6

For more information and to download the 2011 IPCJ registration brochure
A New Generation of Intercessors

Intercessors for Israel would like to encourage the younger generations to “stand in the gap”. So we are looking for sponsors to help them attend the coming conference in January 2011. Please would you consider sponsoring one or more 18-30 year-old intercessors to attend?

Please contact Sonia at sonia@ifij.org.
Friday Prayer Points
10 December 2010

1.

We read Zephaniah 3:14-17 to start our time together.
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Sing, daughter of Zion. Shout, Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, daughter of Jerusalem. LORD [YHWH] has taken away your judgments. He has cast out your enemy. The king of Israel – LORD – is in the midst of you. You shall not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear not, and to Zion, Let not your hands be slack. LORD your God in the midst of you is mighty. He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over you with singing.

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What a precious promise. We bless You as we begin to see the initial fulfillment of this coming to pass in our day.
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God, we are amazed at the fact that You are both mighty and tender.
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Blessed be the name of our God and King.
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We thank You that You have told us that You look forward to all prayers lifted up to You in the name of Your Son Yeshua (Prov. 15:8b, 29b).
2.

We next prayed about Israel’s water crisis.
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Abba, we thank You for the rainfall last week.

You God, sent plentiful rain, whereby You did confirm Your inheritance, when it was weary.
Psalms 68:9

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We bless You that the forecast for this weekend is for stormy weather over Israel – including snowfall on Mount Hermon.
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Lord, we have seen in the past that forecasts have not come to fulfillment because of sudden changes in the weather patterns. We plead with You to not let that happen now.
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Lord, You are the one who fed the 5,000 and the 4,000 with miraculous increase. Please do the same with whatever water Israel has or receives.
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We thank You for Israel being at the forefront of desalinization technology, but we confess that we are trusting in You and not man, to provide Israel’s water needs (Jer. 17:7-8).
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Please give to Israelis – both leaders and others – wisdom on how to use the water that You provide.

For LORD gives wisdom…knowledge and understanding.
Prov. 2:6

3.

It has been reported that Israel is attempting to reconcile with Turkey over the Gaza flotilla incident in late May that left 9 Turkish terrorists dead. Turkey is insisting on both an apology and compensation for the families. This would be so wrong for Israel to do – morally and politically – as well as be a very dangerous move in this rough neighborhood in which Israel has to live.
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Lord, since all Israel was doing was protecting herself, do not allow this apology to be issued.
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Harden the hearts of the Turkish leaders so that whatever Israel’s government presents them will not be enough.
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A man’s heart plans his way: but LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

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Raise up such strong opposition to this in the cabinet, that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu cannot go forward with this even if he wants to.
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Thank You that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has taken a strong stance against this.
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Abba, prevent Israel from putting her trust in Turkey (Isa. 30:1-3; 31:1).
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Allow truth to reign.

Judgment is turned away, and justice stands far off, for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Truth fails, and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey. LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.
Isaiah 59:14-15

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Protect Israel’s leadership from any demonic manipulation in this situation.
4.

We turned our attention to Israel’s current government and PM Netanyahu. Everywhere they turn, they are faced with a crisis situation: water, security, the “peace process”, preparedness for war, Iran and Islam’s continual threats, the delegitimizing of this nation’s right to exist, etc.
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Lord Yeshua, King of Israel, You see the tremendous pressure that Israel’s current leaders are facing. We lift them up to You. Strengthen, encourage and give them wisdom.
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Grace them with Your power to be all You want them to be at this time in history.
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We know that Netanyahu has “come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” (Est. 4:14b) Therefore, give him all the authority, wisdom, courage and strength he needs to do that which is pleasing in Your sight.
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We do thank You for Bibi and ask for his spiritual eyes to be opened to His Messiah.
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Hedge in the government so that they can only make decisions that are in line with Your will.
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Open their eyes to see truth from error.
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May You not have to proclaim this over them:

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!…Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Isaiah 5:20,23

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Make this government one which follows Your holy standards for a godly government.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do good, and you shall have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he bears not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil.
Romans 13:3-4

5.

Gaza and it’s Hamas overlords, are becoming a more dangerous threat as the missiles and mortars that are fired from there increase. There is now talk of Israel needing to go back in and deal with Hamas.
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Abba, comfort and heal the Israeli who was seriously injured by another attack from Gaza yesterday.
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Enable this to be a wake up call to both government and people that we just cannot allow the situation in Gaza to fester like we are doing now.
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We bless You for Your continued divine protect over this land (Jer. 31:10).
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Give the IDF wisdom and a plan on how to deal with Hamas.

Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. LORD said unto Joshua, “I have given into your hand Jericho, the king, and the mighty men of valor.”
Josh. 6:1-2

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Direct Israel to a cautious but aggressive response to these attacks and even allow her to pre-empt further attacks.
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Use the IDF to terrorize the terrorists (Rom. 13:3-4).
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Protect all the IDF patrols along the Gaza border. Give them discernment.
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Prevent any successful kidnapping attempts of IDF soldiers.
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Give to the IDF’s new Chief of Staff, Yoav Galant, the spirit of a warrior and a love for Israel.
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Set Gilad Shalit free physically – and save him.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound.
Isaiah 61:1

6.

Last week’s fire on Mt. Carmel showed this nation, and her enemies, Israel’s weakness in dealing with major fires on the home front. This is a strategic danger that must be dealt with quickly and with much wisdom.
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Lord, thank You for this wake-up call.
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Stir up the government to do something about this – now.
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Instead of playing the blame-game, bring Israel’s leaders into unity to deal with this.
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Confuse any plans of the enemy to take advantage of this.

Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
Psa. 129:5

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Hizbullah in Lebanon has amassed a huge missile arsenal. Give the IDF Your plan on how to deal with them and destroy their weapons (Isa. 54:17).
7.

Iran talked with the five UN Security Council nations plus Germany this past week. And that is all they did – talk. They plan to meet to talk some more next month. And this is seen as a positive step in the prevention of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. What more proof do we need to see that most of the world is deceived because of turning away from God and His solutions.
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…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved…God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie…
2 Thess. 2:10b-11

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Abba, we have asked You to arise and scatter Your enemies (Psa. 68:1). And it seems that You are doing just that.
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We thank You for the continuing shaking of Iran – economically, physically and spiritually.
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Continue to divide their leadership.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Psa. 55:9

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If You are going to use Israel to strike at Iran (Jer. 51:20), then give her leaders wisdom concerning Your timing and method.
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Protect us from the reaction in the aftermath of an Israeli attack.
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Thank You that WikiLeaks exposed what the Arab leaders really think about Iran – their fear and hatred of her – and their desire that either America or Israel to take care of her.
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We bless You for saving multitudes of Iranians and we bless them out of Zion (Psa. 134:3).
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Anoint them to know how to intercede for their nation at this crucial time.
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Expose all of Iran’s schemes and demonic plans.
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Protect Israeli spies or informants.
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Place in their hands accurate information to pass on to Israel.

Genesis 45 is part of this Shabbat’s Torah portion. This is where Joseph tells all his Egyptian servants to leave the room, and then reveals himself to his brothers. This is a type of Yeshua revealing Himself to His Jewish brothers in the last days. We used this to pray for Israel’s salvation.

Thank you for continuing to maintain your place on Jerusalem’s walls.

Shabbat shalom from Zion,
The IFI Team

But the end of all things is at hand:
be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 Peter 4:7