Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Arrows from Zion 3/27/2019


Our hope is in the LORD. Photo of the Armon HaNetsiv,
southern Jerusalem hills at daybreak by Joan Lipis of Novea Ministry


Faith is the substance of things hoped for



We are living in incredible times. It is hard to understand all that we can see with our own eyes taking place in this world. I don't know how people who are without God in the world can cope. It must be the proverbial bliss of ignorance. But for those of us with spiritual eyes these are times that the warfare and the victories are coming so fast it is a challenge to keep our balance. To do that, we have to keep our hope in the LORD.

This photo that Joan Lipis of Novea Ministries posted many weeks ago captured a feeling I have had over many years of following the ups and downs of life in Israel, especially through the eyes of the Israeli ministry leaders. There has never been a shortage of major challenges facing both the believers and Israel; both have many enemies and also have God watching over them for good - not for evil. When the evil and enemies seem to mount up, that is where we are challenged to keep our faith for the things hoped for, the things that God has promised to see us through to His deliverance.

This photo of Armon HaNetsiv spoke to me of the darkest hour just before dawn, though there be clouds on the horizon the silver lining is that the glory is breaking through to being the light of a new day. This place is said to be the spot where Abraham and Isaac first saw Mount Moriah, where Abraham came within a hair's breadth of sacrificing his beloved son.

Often times is seems the challenges of Israel and the believers in Israel come within a hair's breadth of being sacrificed too, then God breaks through with the substance of things hoped for, like the super abundant rainfall that has been poured out on Israel in the winter rains. Or, as Ron Cantor points out this week, how US President Trump's courage to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem and recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights has caused a spiritual release as many other nations are finding the courage to follow suit. Praise the name of the LORD.

While anti-Semitism continues to increase globally, and Jews who considered themselves safe in Western nations now increasingly look to immigrate to the Jewish homeland, we see both the negative and the positive in this reality. The darkness of the world can surely be measured by increase in nations where Jews are becoming unsafe. But God is continuing to gather the Jews back to Israel, because His intention is to there to bring them into faith of His Messiah. Our brothers and sisters of the Israeli Messianic Jewish community are pivotal in God's unique plan salvation for the Jews and the parallel harvest of salvation in the nations. This is the substance of things hoped for and why we continue to press forward in our effort to bring more believers into connection with Israeli ministries.

If you believe as I do that the Israeli Ministries are to play a critical role in the salvation of the Jewish people and the last great sweeping harvest of souls in all the nations, please support an Israeli ministry financially as you are able, and also pray that God will give the younger generation of Christians a powerful renewal of His Spirit to take up the call to support Israel and especially the work of the ministry within Israel. Pray for this generation to awaken to and accept God's Scripture as the ultimate definition of justice. Pray for the Spirit to reveal to them the unbroken promises God has made to the restoration of faith in Israel. The next generation of Christian Israel-supporters is not yet risen to its calling - and as we age, it is past time that we called forth our Christian children to step up into this calling to stand with Israel. Pray for breakthrough! - Donna Diorio, March 25, 2019

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Eddie and Jackie Santoro are in the lead of prayer request this week - they write about Gaza, the elections, Purim & their ongoing fellowship meetings with over-60's, but it is the health news that we ask you to prioritize in your prayers. Eddie has come to the last of what doctors can do for him, he really needs a miraculous healing from the hand of the Lord to live. We agree with the hope that that Eddie and Jackie have placed in the LORD for a total restoration of the areas of the brain that have been affected by this brain cancer. Not only have they placed their trust in the LORD for this, but they have walked for decades in faith and love trusting the Lord in every step of the way. Surely as they wrote, "We know that to live is Messiah and to die is gain," but we appeal to Heaven with them for LIFE to continue on this earth for Eddie who has been such a great blessing to all in the land.

Abba, grant Eddie an extension of his life, even as you did king Hezekiah of old, Isaiah 38:1-6 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was near death. . . . Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, “O Lord, I ask you from my heart to remember now how I have walked with You in truth and with a whole heart. I have done what is good in Your eyes.” ...Then the Word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘The Lord, the God of your father David, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. See, I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will take you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will fight for this city.” Abba, extend Eddie's life in Yeshua's name that he may be a witness to the fulfillment of Your promises to Israel.

From Tikkun Global - the monthly newsletter filled with articles from various Tikkun ministries Israel's Restoration in PDF format | Also from Tikkun Cares, this special feature on Pastor Leon Mazin, of the Return to Zion congregation in Haifa | Some of my top article picks this week from Tikkun.TV mailings are: Training the Next Generation to Take the Land | The Messiah is not returning to the land of Israel | True Community — Emotional Health |  Jews in Christian Churches

We don't always hear from them often but when we do Daniel & Shirya Yahav of the Peniel Fellowship is full of news from their thriving congregation in Tiberias. First up they are praising God for the abundant rains which were at 100-yr lows & dangerously close to irreversible ecological problems which could have rendered the water quality permanently damaged. There is such a spiritual principle in that which we can take get hope in God for: When all looks lost, keep faith in our God who is able to restore and replenish and literally turn the tide.

The Yahav's have a great testimony of healing in this ministry letter and how it became a witness of the faith to doctors; they encourage us to pray for IDF soldiers on active duty and reserves called up to often dangerous situations; they need provision as they have been forced to leave the small messianic school bldg they have operated for 30 years; they ask prayers for the coming Passover Youth Camp; for the healing of an 84-yr old former elder of the congregation; for the larger meeting place they have been saving for many years (they have 60% of needed funds). Daniel will be ministering in Germany June 14-23 and Brazil May 17-19. Write for more info.

Orna Grinman of A Sign & Example has a new blog entry: “I Want an Honest Answer…” “I must ask something, and I want an honest answer”, Y’ exclaimed in a decisive tone, as he stood up to ensure we were all paying attention. It was during the Purim party we held for the holocaust survivors in our area.

KehilaNews.com had server issues last week but OK now - plus the new site will launch in a couple of weeks. Appeal for support in fulfilling the vision to serve the Body of Messiah to have an impact and influence in the media realm.  Some of our top picks from Kehila: Could Messianic Jews be represented in Israel’s parliament? | Rocket hits home in central Israel, children among the injured | Golan Heights recognition by the US - The timing couldn’t be better

Eric Benson for the House of Victory in Haifa is associated with the HaCarmel congregation and is a ministry that helps addicted men - Jew and Arab - to find their way back to life from the bottom of humanity's barrel. This is tough work - I cannot think of tougher ministry personally and so much the heart of Yeshua to reach these lost souls with salvation and set them on the Rock of abundant life in the Messiah.  Eric's ministry letter is full of news about what they are doing to transform lives, but I want to focus attention on this understated prayer request: ."Please pray with us that the Lord will provide so that we may be able to restart regular outreaches to homeless addicts and prostitutes on the streets of Tel Aviv."

The need for financial support to return to former levels is understated among - I venture this educated guess - ALL of Israeli ministries. Over the past couple of years the level of financial support has dropped so dramatically that many of the ministries I post in this summary that many have had to make urgent appeals to stay afloat, reshuffle the resources and in some cases lose staff and pull back on certain areas of outreach. There could be many explanations for the drop - my own theory is because the aging of Christian supporters of Israel has not been re-seeded by the entrance of the younger generation of Christian Israel supporters. Whatever the reason, God knows. Please appeal to Heaven for an answer to this financial drought, and an outpouring of resources for the work of the ministries in Israel.

Howard Bass of the Yeshua's Inheritance congregation in Beer Sheva also writes about the wonder of abundant rain in Israel this year. What a blessing! He has also been teaching from Genesis on the Days of Creation - one of my favorite studies of all times. Here is access to 3 weeks of messages: Genesis 1-12 Introduction | Genesis 1:1-13 Days 1-3 of Creation | Genesis 1:14-31 — Days 4-6 of Creation. Howard also speaks about the Israeli parliamentary elections on April 9, the message of Purim & anti-Semitism, and his ministry trip with Randi to England and N Ireland upcoming. See Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries for all of the prayer requests, or contact Bass directly.

From David Lazarus (pastor at Beit Immanuel Jaffa) for Israel Today magazine, Anti-Messianic Update: A Mayor Supports Jewish Believers. This is an important article for understanding why kind of pressure and persecution is leveled against the Israeli Ministries, this time (and many times in the past) this is against Israel Pochtar's Beit Hallel congregation.

Martin Sarvis provides an update, background and prayer points for the current attack on Israel from Gaza

Joel Jelski of the Olive Tree Ranch, writes on the behalf of Fields of Wheat about the upcoming Katzir Youth Camp. Joel has become the assistant of Eitan Shishkoff, who is the founder of the Katzir Youth camps. This next camp is April 12-14 and will be held in the southern part of the Golan Heights. Two specific prayer requests: We have been encountering pushback from one Israeli government office.  Please pray for God to soften hearts. This is clearly because we are a Messianic non-profit. Please pray for quick resolution for us to be able to expand operations |  Please pray for the upcoming youth camp. Pray for all our young adult leaders, youth who are coming, and our leadership team. Pray for God’s tangible presence in our campsite, for fresh encounters for the youth with God, and for the Holy Spirit to touch their hearts and lives.

Avner Boskey of David's Tent: Thorns, snares and the fire of judgment...and the thorn called ‘Hamas’ | The God of Abraham said to Adam in the Garden of Eden, “… Cursed is the ground because of you. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you…” (Genesis 3:17-18). Since that day, the destiny of mankind has involved dealing with thorns, sweat and trouble.  Read more online

Dani & Luanne Sayag of HaCarmel congregation open with the rocket attacks from Gaza - they are praying fervently from the top of mount Carmel, even for their enemies. They just completed their 40th Carmel School of Ministry study tour with 100 participants from 10 nations in the 12-day program. to learn more about this study tour see SOM website. Other reports of their outreaches may be accessed by connecting directly with the ministry or read the filing if you are subscribed to my Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries. This is a robust ministry doing many outreaches, worship & prayer meetings, discipling and congregation planting.
Michael and Dena Beener of the City of the Living congregation, a congregation that gets its name in direct counter to the name that Hamas has spoken over the city of Sderot write about their ministry in a city with the largest number of bomb shelters in the world. Let that sink in! Currently they have a great news even in the midst of the horrible rocket fire coming from close by Gaza: They have been able to acquire a new building which will be refurbished to include a bomb shelter that their elderly can access without struggling down slippery stairs to reach the safe room. In the Weekly Summary they share extensive details of the refurbishing needs - what they will be building and the breakdown of the costs. If you want to help protect Israelis, what better place to start than in such a hard-hit area for the body of Messiah in S'derot?

Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs

CONTINUED FERVENT PRAYER for EDDIE SANTORO A troubling update does not stop us from believing for total healing in our brother /see update above; and Elisheva's good report last week for Jacob Damkani's rehab |  Ronit Bender is home from the hospital and being watched for more definitive evidence of the leaking heart valve. Please pray that no weapon formed against all three of these shall prosper & that miracles of healing will flow.
Ruth Nessim has several health issues, one of the most critical is her EYES which has sent her to the hospital many times. Please pray for Ruth in Nahariya|  Olga Bikas’s health condition that seems to have become chronic, with no hope from the doctors for any improvement in the future. This, no doubt, puts an additional emotional and physical burden on our family. Please pray for her acute back pain. | Albert a Messianic leader from southern Israel, has had a successful surgery and an amazing recovery but keep praying for total restoration |  Rania Sayegh asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy, and complete healing. | In the Acco congregation: Prayer for 5 year old Leon is still very much needed.

Praying the Headlines | Israeli News You Can Trust
To save maximum space for Israel Ministries oriented material, please link to my IsraelWatcher blog where more of these news articles of interest from the last week are summarized. 

     The Purim Miracle: Israel's Golan Heights
Trump Signs Document Officially Recognizing Israeli Control Over Golan | Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post | "Today I am taking historic action to promote Israel’s ability to defend itself, and really to have very powerful and very strong national security, which they are entitled to have.”
VIDEO Ron Cantor Debunks Reports that Trump's Recognition of Israeli Sovereignty
over the Golan Heights is No Big Deal
. Ron says WRONG: It is a big deal that
released something positive in the spiritual realm.
The courage of President
Trump's pro-Israel moves has given other nations the courage to follow his lead.

Other news articles online on the subject of: Global Leadership: Time to Favor Israel AND Global Islamist Terrorism is Always Anti-Israel.


Donna Diorio 
donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
 

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P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 

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