Glorious Jerusalem photo by Guy Cohen, Acco Harvest of Asher
Artillery barrages in the Year of Job
by Avner Boskey, David's Tent
Excerpt: In the Scroll of Job, we are allowed to look into the world of
the spirit and observe a discussion between YHVH and Satan: YHVH
said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like
him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away
from evil.” Then Satan answered YHVH, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You
not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?
You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in
the land. But reach out with Your hand now and touch all that he has. He will
certainly curse You to Your face” (Job
1:8-11)
Job was an unusual man, blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. He would even regularly sacrifice sin offerings for his grown children in case any one of them “had sinned and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1:5).
Yet Satan (who continually cursed God is his heart) believed that he could get Job to do the same – to curse God or at least to blame Him (see Job 1:22; 2:5, 10). He attempted to do this by bringing stunning tragedy into Job’s life – by destroying his possessions, his privileges and his family. These destructive attacks cascaded down like an artillery barrage, one quickly following the other. Yet still Job did not curse or blame God. Even when the permitted attacks moved to include painful and debilitating disease, Job did not curse God, but he did “curse the day of his birth” (Job 3:1).
The rising toll of ‘mini-catastrophes’ in 2020 has convinced some that this year could be designated “The Year of Job.” Of course, most of us have not experienced the intensities that Job experienced. But the crescendoing litany of social, economic and medical blows (like a massive artillery barrage) has caused many of us to wonder how to respond. Some indeed have cursed God, others have cursed the year 2020 itself, and others still have spoken evil against their own governing leaders.
The goal of an artillery barrage is “to suppress our movement and action.” If this present darkness - this ongoing satanic barrage - is robbing our ability to see, to hear, to discern and to react in godly ways; if this artillery barrage is making us blind, confused and panicked – then it’s a good time to recognize the fact that we are at war. We really are confronting a demonic ‘artillery barrage.’ Those whistling sounds and the crump of ‘shells’ landing close by are not due to an overactive imagination. We’re on the battlefield, and it would be a wise move to stay awake!
The divine comb | Six years ago, during a season of elections in Israel, Rachel was deeply grieved at the nasty polarization that was taking place in Israel, even between followers of Messiah Yeshua. As she was praying about that, she received a vision of a comb and she felt that the Lord saying to her, “I am combing humanity.” The Scriptures talk about God threshing the hearts of individuals and nations (Matthew 3:12; Micah 4:12-13; Isaiah 27:12; 28:27-28, etc.). The City of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount was originally a threshing floor (1 Chronicles 21), and it is in Jerusalem of the End of Days that YHVH will thresh the nations in judgment (Isaiah 41:15; Micah 4:12-13, etc.).
The events of 2020, this rising tally of Job-like blows, are part of God’s divine combing of the hearts of humanity. Will we curse and blame God (the advice of Job’s wife), or will we humble our own hearts and seek His face in these trials? As the world becomes even more polarized, will we be able to hold fast to God, His heart, His perspectives, His character, His ways and His love?
Obsessing in the light | The rapid machine-gun fire of fears and ‘bad news’ oozes out of our iPhones and computer screens on a daily basis. Our hearts are weighed down by the artillery barrage of bad news. Some of us are being driven crazy by gnawing uncertainties. We’re obsessing in the light of our TV’s (see our oh-so-relevant music video ‘All Hands on Deck’). We need to turn to a better light: “YHVH is my light and my salvation! Whom then shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1). Let’s press forward to seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6-13; Hosea 6:3). Let’s continue to seek Yeshua’s face and worship Him. God will restore peace and clarity to our troubled minds. He will grant us new vision and strategies to press forward on the battlefield.
Truth is sweeter than fiction | The Western world was raised on a belief that there are unchanging biblical truths, and that a life worth living must be based on those truths. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). Messiah Yeshua says that our faithfulness to God’s word (even in times of trial) is what opens our spiritual eyes and ears. As a result, we’ll be able to know what is real and true, and then we’ll be able to walk in God’s freedom: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
We live in a culture which is rapidly abandoning God and His truth. Most of the information overload coming at us is no longer truth-based but is ‘Op-Ed’ – based on opinions and editorial perspectives. ‘The News’ used to mean real facts; today it describes a cholent, a bouillabaisse of truth mixed with lies. Let’s renew our heart-commitment to clear thinking and truth speaking. But let’s not be surprised at the probable result – we may find ourselves swimming against the stream:
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)
“Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8)
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s” (Matthew 16:23)
How should we then pray? Pray for an awakening regarding the nature and strategies of spiritual warfare which we are all facing | Pray for the spirit of humility, grace and supplications to be poured out on all who follow Yeshua | Pray for an infusion of courage for all who love and speak the truth | Pray for the raising up of the Ezekiel 37 prophetic army among the Jewish people
Arrows from Zion
Summarized
from the Weekly
Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
More from Avner and Rachel Boskey of David's Tent in Beer Sheva, the launch of
a new 12-part Video Teaching Series of the Minor Prophets. Here are two to get
you started in the Ezekiel 37 Institute
‘The
Prophet Jonah – Part One’ and Jonah
Part Two'. Read more details
here.
FYI: Many of you are being inundated with Year-End
Giving Requests. Please try not to let that harden your heart into thinking
they are only interested in getting money from you because you have so many
making requests right now. I realize it is not only the ministries asking for
your donations, but also the political entities and news services that we
subscribe to. Just don't let the devil tell you that all the ministries care
about is getting your money! Every year the retail business depends on
Christmas sales to make their balance sheet come out in the black instead of
the red. With the Israeli Ministries, they are mostly not trying to balance
their books for this year, but they
are gauging the realistic scope of their ministry budgets and outreaches in the
coming year. What you give now tells them what they will have to work with in 2021.
It will establish their budget. Your tax write-off donation is their ability to
budget for reaching Israelis with the Gospel in 2021.
Israel
Pochtar writes about the ripple effect the pandemic has had on our communities,
"the ministry has been impacted in
unexpected ways and we have been able to adjust and find creative solutions to
continue to address both the physical and spiritual needs of Israelis and share
the love of Yeshua.... We consider the humanitarian aid as the front-line
strategy to develop relationships and have the opportunity to share Yeshua. Our
primary mission is revealing Yeshua as Messiah and we look forward to resuming
our evangelistic campaigns in 2021, with your help." Please DONATE toward our
2021 ministry. Go here see more of the projects
they are working on in the coming year, like, "Did you know that Israel
is one of the most unreached nations of the world with only .3% of the total
Israeli population being saved? Our
passion is revival and we are the only ministry in the land that hosts large
evangelistic campaigns."
Rania Sayegh of the Nazareth HOPE: House of Prayer &
Exploits writes
about their Arab Deborahs virtual conference which they held in late November -
watch the recording of this
meeting with Mama Lilo Keller and Rania Sayegh sharing. They are meeting each
Thursday with the youth on "a series of studies on How to prepare for the End Times. We appreciate your prayer for
insight and understanding of this strategic topic." They are giving thanks for donations "that
covered the full cost of the renovations to HOPE House of Prayer and Guesthouse
| Pray that Israel's government will seek wisdom from God as they make
decisions for the national response to COVID 19. At the time of writing, our
government is considering an unprecedented 3rd national lockdown | Strength and
health and protection for Rania and her family during this time as she
continues to lead and encourage the community of HOPE | Wisdom and clear
direction from God as the HOPE team considers a new building project that has
suddenly become available | Provision for HOPE's ministry and the new building
project | The release of fresh oil of
God's anointing over the young generation as they take leadership in releasing
a fresh sound of worship over the land!"
Ronit Bender in the Carmel region sends an unusual end of the year letter that features the friends and followers she has made over the years in ministering to people, letting them tell you about their own experiences with Ronit. From native Israelis, to ministry teams from the Faroe Islands, to people in Australia, they all express the wonderful compassion and true interest and friendship they experienced from Ronit from the beginning and through the years. She is a great example of what it means to let your life do the talking in leading people to relationship with the LORD. Ronit always signs off her ministry letters with "Sending rivers of love and mountains of gratitude," it is a heart-felt expression. As one in Australia wrote to her, " Thank you for trusting me with your newsletters and giving me insight into what our Lord is doing with you, through you and for you. It is a privilege to partner with you in prayer and in a small way contribute also to practical needs of your ministry and livelihood in Israel."
Back from their tour in the USA, Kobi and Shani Ferguson & family of
Maoz Ministries to spend their 10 days in quarantine & 2 negative tests.
They write, " we continue to hold our
breaths and pray in hopes that things will clear up by April for the Maoz
Independence Day Tour and Fellowship of Artists concert that will take place at
the end!" In case you missed it, as the new year begins, the Fergusons
will step into the full leadership role of Maoz Ministries, their transition
period ending and Maoz founders (and Shani's parents) Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram
will officially retire from leading Maoz...just don't expect them to retire
from ministry, as for one thing Shira has led an outstanding prayer column on
her Facebook page throughout the US election process. Her spiritual input has
been so encouraging to all who follow her and re-post her prayer perspectives.
Thank you, Shira! I know Ari is still engaged in his own connecting with
international ministry leaders, as well.
Shani writes about the reluctance of Israelis to line up for the Covid vaccine.
PM Netanyahu want to issue a "Green Passport" that allows Israelis
who have been vaccinated to carry a document that will allow them free movement
in Israel. She writes that because many are " very sensitive to things
that are reminiscent of Holocaust days—and requiring papers to participate in
cultural activities or enter shopping areas has set off alarm bells."
YEAH! No kidding! The whole world is being pressed to receive vaccination and to
restrict the free movement if one chooses not to get vaccinated. You don't have
to be Jewish to be paranoid over that! This is something that surely needs
prayer and also guidance from God over whether you will receive the vaccine or
not. They also write about how through IStandwithIsrael they were able to help five
times as many families this year as we helped last year. Here are two more of
the many stories you helped make possible during this season of famine and
plenty in Israel. Click to read about Ruslan & Yael | Gideon & Suzi
Tony and Orna Sperancdo lead the Kfar Saba (deemed best place to live in Israel recently) at the Hamaayan, or Wellspring, congregation. They continue to meet with many of their congregants via zoom meetings, but also in creative ways to minister to up to 10 people inside multiple floors & multiple rooms, and 20 people outside of their building - including the roof! In their prayer requests they ask: Pray for more workers in the harvest. "The Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few". • We are in need of youth, teens leaders and childrens teachers. • For wisdom for our elders to lead the congregation through the pandemic and afterward. (Hebrew13:16-18) • For health for G. & H. suffering from severe diseases. • For relief and supply for those who lost their jobs due to Covid. • For our humanitarian projects for this winter. For our single mothers and holocaust survivors. • For our new upcoming government elections, for more Godly righteous men to be raised up. (1 Tim 2:1-3) • For the abolition of abortion in our country, exposing the "refuge of lies". (Isaiah28:17) • For protection for our nation and army against our enemies. (Psalm 33:20-21) See more on their blog
From Asher Intrater's Revive Israel, Ariel Blumenthal's article Surprising Psalms
and Youval Yanay shares How I Came to Faith.
Also VIDEOs: the 3pm Israel weekly Global
Broadcast and the Dec 17 2020 replay of The
Light Has Come ZOOM Broadcast. For Americans, you will surely receive this
before the midnight 2020 deadline, so the Revive Israel Year End Giving drive
is very close to meeting its goal for 2021 of $240,000. Your donation may be
the one to put their next year's budget into the goal zone.
Chuck Cohen of
Intercessors for Israel in Jerusalem sends his Friday Prayer Points 12/18/2020.
Click to get the full prayer point list, but one prayer point of great interest
to pray over is: "The heads of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security, the Mossad and the
IDF's Military Intelligence Division will be coming to the end of their tenure
soon. Having all three positions change hands in a short period of time could
be very risky." Also, he writes about how because of how the US election
has been called, Turkey is making peace noises to Israel - Turkey is not to be
trusted!
From Avi Tekle who leads the Ohalai
Rachamim, or Tents of Mercy, a suburb north of Haifa, this video by Joshua
Aaron, What Tents
of Mercy Means to Me. Mazal tov to Eitan Shishkoff's son-in-love Avi
who just celebrated his 40th birthday and at this time of the just passed
Hanukkah, he writes, "gratefully, I want to acknowledge
my dedication to Him. May this season be a time of renewed dedication for all
of us. I am so thankful to be family with you all in Him. May the love and
light of God touch you and bless you and all that is yours.
David Silver also in the Haifa/Mt Carmel region with Out of Zion Ministries writes about The Relevance of Hanukkah
for the Body of Messiah in 2021, this week specifically
"the dynamics of the Hanukkah story for those in the New Covenant, that I
have shared on several Zoom meetings over the week of Hanukkah." He covers
such ground as Miracles, the victory in a relatively small company against the
enemies, the Light of Yeshua, and re-dedication. Silver writes, "To sum
up | We serve the GOD of miracles with whom nothing is impossible. If you
need a miracle look to Him. No matter what comes against you and your family or
ministry in 2021, our GOD is great and more powerful than any other - Yeshua
has already secured your victory. Let's shine the light of Yeshua into this
thickening darkness, and rescue as many people who are perishing as possible.
Finally let's be re-assured of our own relationship with our Heavenly Father by
re-dedicating all that He has given us back to Him and use all that we are and
all that we have been given for the advancement of the Kingdom." Find out
how to partner with their ministry (& get on some of those Zoom calls) by
visiting their Website
The Aliyah Return Center is also seeking Year End Donations to continue forward with their different initiatives, projects, in various departments. It is a charity that takes new immigrants in to live and become acclimated to their new homeland. Chaim Malespin is the director of operations, and he sends this video link to bless you 2020 Re-play Hanukkah Celebration
Ron Cantor's new book Birth Pangs is about The beginning of the end is here-what you must do to be ready. In one of his many mailings each month is one that looks at news related to or of interest to Israelis, Jews or the Christians who support them. One such story was Hanukkah Miracle? Jews and Muslims light Hanukkah candles together where a giant menorah was set up at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin where the Nazi celebrations were often held. Also because Biden was name the winner of the US election (even though he was not the winner, but stole the election) there is concern about the The Iranian nuclear deal will have to be renegotiated: head of nuclear agency says
From the Israeli town closest to Gaza and therefore shell-shocked by Gaza rockets, the City of Life congregation actively continues to minister help to the needy in Sderot, says Michael Beener who leads the congregation. Despite " increasing persecution by radical ultra-Orthodox Jews." Michael says, "We show the love of Messiah Yeshua in every action and proclaim that our city is a City of Life." Some of the ways they do that is by helping the needy - here is one New Immigrants Dramatic Survival Story. They also supply diapers for children and adults to those who are not in a position to face such expense. To help them, DONATE and also learn more about their Compassionate Outreach Projects
I LOVED THIS: " Something earth-shattering happened in Israel! Two-thousand years ago the Jewish Messiah was born who changed the course of human history." It was written by the team at Tiferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv, but it is something I have always marveled over. In the course of human history God has done several things that were earth-shattering events that changed everything, yet people who were alive to actually witness it, many had no clue that anything had taken place at all. The birth of Yeshua, the death of Yeshua, events that upended everything and most of the world went right along as if nothing happened. It is mind-boggling to consider God's mysterious ways. What must lie ahead that is exactly like that?
Anyway, the Tiferet Yeshua team were speaking about how Yeshua was born - no matter what the exact date, or the things that mar the celebration of His birth, the fact is He was born an Israeli babe in a manger, who came to save the world from our sins. That is a birthday worth celebrating! They write, "2020 has been a year of shaking and confusion with the covid-19 pandemic and political instability, particularly in the United States. Many have suffered loss in one form or another, people have felt confusion, depression, fear and anger. God is shaking everything that can be shaken, and He is calling us to look away from the things of the world, our wordily comforts and habits, and to look to Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith! "but the LORD rises upon you, and His glory appears to you..." ~Isaiah 60:2 We are praying: that the Body of Messiah would look away from the things of the world and focus on the Light of the World, Yeshua. Yes and amen.
Joel Jelski is a young man we have followed for many years through his teenage years as a pro-life advocate in Jerusalem, to his days at Succat Hallel 24/7 prayer & worship, then at Revive Israel and now he and his family are working alongside another family, the Archers, in the Golan Heights with Eitan Shishkoff's Fields of Wheat. Learn from this video How and Why we joined Fields of Wheat. Here also is a video message as Cody and I share about some of our plans for 2021 | And finally a Video from Eitan Shishkoff, Fields of Wheat. They would love your prayers over this new initiative they are pioneering. As of tomorrow 1/1/2021 the Jelski donations go to Fieldsofwheat.org, or for a one-time gift/
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
Christian Arab Pastor Victor Bahbah is in rehabilitation! A post from Sonia Bahbah Abu-Duhou in mid-Dec. read: "Christmas will be extra special for our family this year as we almost lost our beloved brother to Covid. It has been a very long and tough road for him and his family. But he fought hard for his life and is now on the road to recovery. Praise be to God. Thank you to our family and friends for keeping him you your prayers God bless all my brothers and sisters and their families and bless you all." | Sally Shiff still faces 2 more surgeries but "my pain that I had in my legs continuously is gone!" | A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed recently with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her own words| Ronit Bender wrote, I am feeling pretty good, but do have trouble climbing stairs and walking is getting tougher for me because of my heart situation. My cardiologist was changed by my health provider. He is very unpleasant and I want a new one. | Rachel Netanel wrote, Please pray for me as well. I have very high blood pressure and the doctors have sent me to have a number of tests. The results won’t come for a while but please pray that all will be well. I do have peace in Yeshua. | Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Olga Bikas is slowly recovering from the operation, but last Thursday she lost consciousness for a couple of seconds because of a sudden spasm of pain and as a result fell and broke her ankle. | Also Aleksey Raikhstadt's special needs son tested positive Covid and the whole family is now in extreme quarantine
Ending Well | A God Dream on the Eve before 2021
by Donna Diorio
12/31/2020 | I woke up in the middle of the night having a dream about being asked to give a message at a small church at the very last minute because of some emergency. So I had only minutes to decide what to speak about and what I got in those few minutes was to start by asking everyone to get a piece of paper. On one side they were to write down 3 things that they liked about their marriage and/or family, and on the other side they were to write down the 3 things they didn't like.
The reason being that the Bible is in its essence about relationships. When I looked out at the people there, it was a very small church, there were probably about 10 couples, a few with some children, but mostly couples. It was sparse. Most of the pews were empty but the ones there were eager to hear and began writing down their list. I gave them a couple of minutes to write down on their list and then I started telling them as I spoke they could continue to add things to their list as they thought of the 3 things in each column.
I began by telling them the Bible was about relationships that is why it is full of the stories of "dysfunctional" marriages and families. That word "dysfunctional" is a psychological word that is slapped on relationships that psychology really has no hope of making better, it is to make us feel hopeless of restoring our relationships so we will just move on and accept the broken down relationships that we have. The Bible, on the other hand, is all about restoring relationships, and the first relationship that has to be restored is the one between ourselves and God.
In the Bible we are given many, many stories of people whose relationships are broken and in bad shape - from Adam and Eve to Malachi, the Hebrew scriptures are giving us pictures we can relate to about broken human relationships. We see a bit of that in the New Testament too - the break between ministers like Paul and Barnabas, or the strained relationships that can come about when someone chooses to follow Jesus. But mostly in the New Testament we get the instruction manual on how to restore relationships, like by forgiving and going the extra mile with people.
I didn't get all of that in the dream, because I woke up but my spirit kept wrestling with it as I went back to sleep and now as I'm writing it many details are coming forth more precisely. In the dream, the person who was supposed to speak showed up and took over, so I did not get to finish telling the people who had started writing their lists. Before the person finished their own message, I said I would like to come back up to finish mine. They seemed surprised, but said yes.
So I told the people that their lists were not to be shared at this time with their spouse or family. The list was like the Bible says Mary had done: "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."
That is the first phase, to put the two lists in your heart - between you and God. The list of three things you like are for acting on to thank God and make sure your spouse and/or family know this is something you like about your relationship with them. The things you don't like are the things that you need to talk to God about. Yeshua is the restorer of all things, including relationships. You've tried your way, or maybe even God's way to the best of your ability, but the issues haven't budged. Turn the page on that and renew your appeal to God for restoration of the 3 areas of relationship in your life that are broken.
Almost every - no make that every - broken relationship in your life comes down to someone who is not fully given to God's way of relationship. We all hold things back from God, things we think we have the "right" not to forgive. Things we will not release the other people from owing a debt to us for having caused us pain or some other damage in life. That is the human condition. It is really a matter of ever deepening trust in God that we begin to turn over everything we have hidden in our hearts. Mary hid some good things in her heart, but the truth is all human beings hide bad things in their heart too - their pain, their sorrow, their hurt. Psychology can never repair those things. Psychiatry is a bust, Medications can only mask the symptoms of a broken, pained heart. But God made the human heart in the first place, and He is the only one that can restore it pristine emotional health.
As we enter 2021, I want to make
this dream mine. This is not a message for everyone else although it is
that too. It is a message for me and I intend to make my list of 2 columns -
the things I like and the things I don't like, and present them to God anew.
First with thanks for the good things, but secondly with an appeal for
restoration of the broken parts of relationships I have really given up on ever
seeing restored. With men it is
impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Please read my Messianic Times article in the Jan-Feb
2021 issue,
The Future of the Supreme Court at MessianicTimes.com
Donna Diorio, November 10, 2020
donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
THANK YOU to those who support this
ministry with donations. ♥
Donations
appreciated | on PayPal donna@israelprayer.com
Or by postal mail make
donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do
not have tax exempt status.
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