Inside Israel – 10 September 2012 / Part 2

Hi and welcome to a look inside Israel as J of Jerusalem shares more in her September 10 letter. (sorry, I’m behind posting all her wonderful communications! )  Thank you for reading and praying for Israel, J and her family! Now, here’s J . . .

And while our little family went through our personal deep waters, turbulent waters swirl all around us and people silently begin to store up stocks of water and food and prepare their ‘safe rooms’ or shelters.  I felt ‘steel enter my soul’ during this season of trial, and as I look around me that is what I see; people ‘steeling’ themselves toward what lies ahead before us.  Will there be w­_r (I leave out the ‘a’ there because it is a word that computer ‘spies’ pick up) or not?  Everyone has their opinion…but it is the main topic of conversation here. It is less then a week until the high holydays begin with Rosh h’shana, the new year or the feast of trumpets.  It begins at sundown this coming Sunday night and lasts for two days.  For the entire month according the Jewish calendar, people have already been seeking God, searching their hearts, preparing. Rosh h’shana is followed quickly by Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, of chastening one’s soul…the day that the books in heaven are open and judgment scales are seen…the day of awe… of fasting and prayer.  Shortly after that, our week of Thanksgiving begins…Succot…Feast of Tabernacles…when we sit in the ‘succa’, the small structure outdoors and eat and share and rejoice and sing and give thanks. (I will share scriptures references in my next letter, Lord willing) What a time to be alive.  Thank You Lord for the gift of life… something that I thought that I would never thank You for…having hated life before knowing You…I am more thankful for it the more that I grow to love You…life…and expression of Himself! So the scurrying begins (actually is in full progress already!) – preparing food for so much feasting…as much as possible ahead of time.  The whole nation visits and eats together…first at your place and then at mine.  We are thankful…and the year is new…and we are forgiven…or…are we?  May THIS be the question foremost in the hearts of the people this year, this week, this day:  “WHERE IS THE LAMB??? WHERE IS THE SACRIFICE FOR MY SIN?? Is it this chicken when The Lord our God called for A LAMB??”  Pray with us…pray for our Prime minister to KNOW HIM WHO IS WISDOM as he is making decisions that WILL affect the entire world.

I have told you about the spiraling prices.  Well, the Palestinian Authority jumped into a surprise uprising this past week which is gathering intensity quickly.  A young man in Gaza set himself on fire (as we had a rash of here) over the economic conditions. He died and surprisingly it did not set people off in Gaza but in the Fatah run area in Judea and Samaria…in Ramalla.  Even though Abbas rolled back the vat (value added tax) to 15% (we now pay 17% and that is on EVERYTHING…foods, meds, etc) and lowered fuel prices to what they were in Aug, the people have continued rioting, burning tires etc.  It appears very serious and the level of violence is increasing daily.  It is likely hamas people trying to overturn the fatah govt, and it may very well happen! Hamas just signed an agreement with Egypt to open offices there.  Our area is heating up quickly.  Rocket fire has dramatically increased again in our south.  In all this, too…God is faithful! 

And He is faithful on our train J.  Yes…the train has NOT disappeared while I was intensely involved with our family.  As a matter of fact, the train became a (rather expensive) babysitting tool…Grandkids love it!  And ofcourse ALL Israelis consider ALL children their own, so there is plenty of interaction available to them while we ride.  One day however, it was not children that the passengers were interested in. Loud, fiery discussions were taking place and papers were being handed out.  I looked over someone’s shoulder: ‘What does it say?” I asked.  ‘It says that the train is too expensive, takes away our choices, leaves us at ‘their’ mercy, is impersonal, is too expensive, complicates our lives…’ etc.  ‘True!’ In good Israeli style I added my opinion.  I asked for a paper from the young man who was addressing everyone.  ‘I agree.’ I told him. ‘This train has complicated my life further.’ He brightened; ‘Then come and join us Thursday at 6 in front of city hall and lets tell them that we want our buses back!’ he said.  I looked around at all of the tired, ragged, older people, working people, parents, Grandparents, and thought ‘Ha! They will be too TIRED and BUSY COOKING to come to city hall at 6 on Thurs! These aren’t students!’ The listeners faces reflected my thoughts.  ‘They won’t tear this down!’ one man called out.  It cost us all too much and we are still paying!  They owe too much! ‘We aren’t asking them to tear it down’ the young man said, ‘we just want our buses back so that we can make a choice again!’ I liked this idea! ‘They’ll never do it!’ another man answered.  ‘They need to force us to pay for it by riding it without any other choice.’ I thought; ‘and he’s right too!’ There was nothing on the news about the new ‘lite rail rebellion’ but in the midst of heating rhetoric from all of our neighbors, it was a rather refreshing moment… kind of ‘light hearted’. 

It is time for me to close and yet I have SO much to share!  There are so many of you that I want to answer and so many of you have been so kind.  Some totally unexpected gifts arrived at just the right moment, encouraging not only me but our daughter as well…to see His Hand so evident…His faithfulness so perfect and specific in detail.  A number of you are passing through great fires yourselves and I have not forgotten you and not forgotten to pray.  I plan to write…this plan of His…His body…working as His expression of Himself and His love here on earth…it is such an extraordinary and beautiful thing.  God BLESS you and KEEP you and make HIS Face to shine upon you and be faithful unto you and give you PEACE…HIS PEACE!  Lovingly, your sister, proclaiming His GREATNESS to those of you who also love Him Who is True and Faithful!

ani b’derek

Inside Israel – Sukkot in Jerusalem (part 1)

Hi! Welcome to another Sunday look inside Israel, thanks to J of Jerusalem, a Jewish believer. Today is part one, dated from October 12, of her heart stirring letters concerning this year’s Sukkot celebration. Thank you for joining us as we let J take it away . . .

SUKKOT – 12.11.2011
Sukkot…my favorite holiday…is ushered in this year by the dramatic announcement made last night by our Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, that a deal has been struck with Hamas for the release of our captive soldier, Gilad Shalit. The whole nation watched with such a mixture of emotions. He has been captive now for more then 5 years. There are to be more then 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners released for his ransom…including more then 200 serving life sentences with ‘blood on their hands’. The Prime Minister told us that the changes in the Middle East have resulted in a sudden serious concern for Gilad’s life and they were convinced that there would be no better deal in the future. Some of the issues that cloud the joy that would be expected with such an announcement reflect the complexity of the matter. There are thousands of bereaved families that will be having their loved one’s killers released (each of the major prisoners are responsible for hundreds of dead and many more maimed). There is concern for the Gilad who is to return home…after all that he has been through…who will this be and what lies ahead for him…IF he returns home alive at all. There is concern with the compromised position that Israel has put herself in in the eyes of the terrorists, who consider this a ‘win’ for themselves and a sign of weakness on our behalf.

But in the midst of this there in not only REASON to rejoice…a son is to return home…there is also COMMAND to rejoice!

DEUT 19:13-15 “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles (‘booths’, Sukkot) seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to The Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you and your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.”

LEVIT 23:40-43 “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of date palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.”

Sidewalks, yards, rooftops and balconies are all clothed with a wide assortment of sukkas. They come in all shapes and sizes, and bring with them an inherent sense of joy. Somehow, just looking at them makes me want to smile. Some are like little wooden play houses made of wood with palm branch roofs standing on the side walk.

As I walk by I can hear people setting up house inside. Others, like ours, are more tent like with cloth walls. Our clothes line becomes the ‘foundation’ for our palm branch roof. One year I invested in several yards of material printed with symbols of Sukkot to brighten our sukka. It makes up the back side with several bright table cloths serving for 3 other sides. Under the palm branches (from the clothes line) I have hung fresh dates and pomegranates, grapes, flowers and fragrant leaves, as well as some ‘fruit like’ decorations that we have acquired over the years. Many people put up Christmas lights and all sorts of Christmas like decorations. We have a woven rug for a floor, a table and as many chairs as we can fit in because the sukka is open to all who would like to come in and sit and rejoice with us. It is open to friend and stranger alike and is such a good time to get to know people. I have pinned the scriptures above to the ‘walls’ in English and Hebrew and it does sometimes inspire stirring conversation.

The sukka… this ‘vulnerable’ little dwelling with a ‘roof’ through which you can see the stars and the moon… a commandment to rejoice before The Lord… a time set apart to sit under His ‘hugeness’ and consider our ‘smallness’ and to remember that in HIM…we “live and move and have our being”…WHAT A HOLIDAY!

And, OF COURSE, it rained a slight bit this morning. And OF COURSE the temperature dropped a great deal today. To me these are such ‘symbols’ of His BLESSING after the long hot dry summer.

Our dinner was served as a Thanksgiving feast, and we spent many hours together outside rejoicing.

The kitchen is clean and I will go to bed, but I hope to write to you several times during Sukkot…and share with you heartbeats of this most precious holiday.

I do humbly thank you for your comments over this past ‘emotional roller coaster’ of a week. I am so thankful for His body! Lovingly, your sis.

ani b’derek

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!

—————————————————————————————————————————

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
*

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 – 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.
*

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.

*

What a precious promise. We bless You as we begin to see the initial fulfillment of this coming to pass in our day.
*

God, we are amazed at the fact that You are both mighty and tender.
*

Blessed be the name of our God and King.
*

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.
*

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

*

We bless You that the forecast for this weekend is for stormy weather over Israel – including snowfall on Mount Hermon.
*

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.
*

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.
*

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).
*

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.
*

Lord, since all Israel was doing was protecting herself, do not allow this apology to be issued.
*

Harden the hearts of the Turkish leaders so that whatever Israel’s government presents them will not be enough.
*

A man’s heart plans his way: but LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

*

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.
*

Thank You that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has taken a strong stance against this.
*

Abba, prevent Israel from putting her trust in Turkey (Isa. 30:1-3; 31:1).
*

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

*

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.
*

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.
*

Grace them with Your power to be all You want them to be at this time in history.
*

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.
*

We do thank You for Bibi and ask for his spiritual eyes to be opened to His Messiah.
*

Hedge in the government so that they can only make decisions that are in line with Your will.
*

Open their eyes to see truth from error.
*

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

*

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.
*

Abba, comfort and heal the Israeli who was seriously injured by another attack from Gaza yesterday.
*

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.
*

We bless You for Your continued divine protect over this land (Jer. 31:10).
*

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

*

Direct Israel to a cautious but aggressive response to these attacks and even allow her to pre-empt further attacks.
*

Use the IDF to terrorize the terrorists (Rom. 13:3-4).
*

Protect all the IDF patrols along the Gaza border. Give them discernment.
*

Prevent any successful kidnapping attempts of IDF soldiers.
*

Give to the IDF’s new Chief of Staff, Yoav Galant, the spirit of a warrior and a love for Israel.
*

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.
*

Lord, thank You for this wake-up call.
*

Stir up the government to do something about this – now.
*

Instead of playing the blame-game, bring Israel’s leaders into unity to deal with this.
*

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

*

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.
*

…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

*

Abba, we have asked You to arise and scatter Your enemies (Psa. 68:1). And it seems that You are doing just that.
*

We thank You for the continuing shaking of Iran – economically, physically and spiritually.
*

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

*

If You are going to use Israel to strike at Iran (Jer. 51:20), then give her leaders wisdom concerning Your timing and method.
*

Protect us from the reaction in the aftermath of an Israeli attack.
*

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.
*

We bless You for saving multitudes of Iranians and we bless them out of Zion (Psa. 134:3).
*

Anoint them to know how to intercede for their nation at this crucial time.
*

Expose all of Iran’s schemes and demonic plans.
*

Protect Israeli spies or informants.
*

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