Thursday, April 8, 2021

Promising | Arrows from Zion | 4/8/2021

 

Brian Schrauger took this photo about two hours before Shabbat, 
Friday 26 March 2021 
in Bethlehem when a rainbow touched down the night before Passover.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day I remember this passage from Zechariah 1:14-17

Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.
I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’

“Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

“Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

God Who Humbles Himself
by Asher Intrater, Revive Israel

It is astonishing that the all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal creator would be willing to humble Himself on our behalf. Why? – Because He loves us. The fact that someone so great would be willing to make Himself so small on our behalf makes His greatness even greater. That He did this for us while we were sinning and rebelling against Him makes His greatness awesome beyond comprehension.

     When we speak of the omnipotent, transcendent aspects of God, we are in agreement with most Orthodox rabbis. However, the Scriptures also speak of a mysteriously self-humbling part of God.

Psalm 113:5-6               Exalted to dwell, Humble to see

Poetically in Hebrew: Hamagbihi lashevet, Hamashpili liraot

 The word humble here means "to the point of humiliation." I believe Paul (Saul) had this verse in mind when he wrote: Philippians 2:8-9 He humbled Himself… even unto death on the cross. Therefore, God highly exalted Him.

     The cross was not only humility; it was humiliation. YHVH–God allowed Himself to be humiliated by us puny creatures in order to save us from the wrath we deserve because of our treacherous ways. Then He offers to exalt us almost to divinity, simply to the praise of His own unfathomable grace (II Peter 1:4, Ephesians 2:7).

     The book of Isaiah shows a similar paradox. On the one hand, we see an exalted, glorified king. Isaiah 6:1, 3 I saw the Lord, sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…The whole earth is filled with His glory.

     On the other hand, we see a suffering servant, humiliated, and rejected. Isaiah 53:3 – …despised and forsaken of men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

     Can there be any connection between the glorified king of chapter 6 and the suffering servant of chapter 53? Yes. This exalted-humiliated aspect of God was also predicted by Isaiah 57:15 – I dwell in the high and holy, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit.

     The exalted king of Isaiah 6 and the humiliated servant of Isaiah 53 turn out to be one and the same in Isaiah 57. To those who see only the lofty, transcendent aspect of God, it seems disrespectful and offensive to see Him as lowly and humiliated. But it is in His lowliness that He comes close to us. In His humility we find intimacy. A God who is only exalted and transcendent is not one with whom we can experience intimacy.

     God was willing to be humbled, even humiliated, for the opportunity of sharing intimacy with us. This aspect can be found only in Yeshua – God humbling Himself in order to have relationship with us.


4/2/21  Revive Israel | Asher Intrater
Revive Israel is the
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Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

The personal testimony of Birgitta, one of Israel's worship singers in the Fellowship of Artists is really a must read in the new Maoz Israel Report. Shani Ferguson wrote, ""Birgitta shared with me one of the most chilling personal testimonies I’d ever heard. Her story stayed with me for days until I finally called her up and asked to share it with you." It really is amazing.  I continue to find Shani Ferguson's choice of prayer points to be unusual, and even extraordinary. Her insights on activism and "identifying injustice and providing justice" in our society are worthy to seek out, as the prayer points that are noted for the issue.

Israel Pochtar sends The Feast of Unleavened Bread | Passover in the Desert | VIDEO The Essence of Passover Part 6 | It Is Finished—Yeshua's Completed Work of Redemption | VIDEO & ARTICLE  "He is Risen!" —Culmination of Passover  I am in awe of all that Israel Pochtar does each week!

David & Josie Silver, Israelis originally from Australia, share David's Latest Video Update March 30 and April 6. Plus the weekly Zoom meeting, The View from Carmel,  a Q & A Forum,  every Tuesday  9.00 pm  Israel time |  Learn more about Out of Zion ministries at the website where they also share teachings in articles and videos.

Gilad Rosinger of Radiant Israel continued in their Prophetic  Journey Through Passover series —you can access more on their blog. Also learn more about this Galilee ministry on their website Radiant Israel. This is a young family with a big vision, see more in about us

Joseph Magen of Kehila News Israel comes out from behind Publisher/Editor/CEO's desk to do this video What is the meaning of Passover in Hebrew and what does it have to do with the coronavirus? Plus from the All Israel News Staff enjoy this VIDEO Easter Sunday in the Holy Land: Israeli, international Christians celebrate resurrection of Jesus at the Garden Tomb. Another feature in Kehila is Israel Harel's latest book Habakkuk: A Guide to Spiritual Maturity. This book follows the maturing process of Habakkuk as he records it. Following his journey helps us in our own journey to maturity from spiritual childhood, through young adulthood, to spiritual fatherhood.

A great report from Ariel Hyde of the Tree of Life ministries team about their opening video The Greatest Scandal in the History of Modern Israel (an exposé on what abortion really is) being viewed like wildfire (that is, until the social media platforms began to severely limit it after 600,000 Hebrew-speaker views in its first week! Please pray for restraints to be removed.) Most people assume that Israel would be, well, holy as in Holy Land, but it isn't. Reality is abortion isn't even questioned as a moral issue in Israel.  "Almost no one has ever publicly spoken out against abortion in Israel, so most people just assume that’s what you do if you have an unwanted pregnancy. But our prayer has been that God would use this campaign to stir up a grassroots movement of people who will actually take a stand for life - and it seems that’s beginning to happen!" Please pray for the Tree of Life ministry and Be'Ad Chaim, the Messianic pro-Life organization.
 
Chuck Cohen of Intercessors for Israel gives praise in his Friday Prayer Points  April 2, 2021 that prophetic portion in the Torah reading for the Passover Shabbat was Ezekiel's vision of the resurrection of Israel's dry bones—precisely during the period that Messiah Yeshua was still in the Garden Tomb before being resurrected.  These are not coincidence, they are Divine messages from God whispering to Israel and to us all what times we are in. Praise the LORD.  Read the full scope of prayer points, with scriptures from IFI.

Chaim Malespin of the Aliyah Return Center writes about their support of the 7,000 "Lone Soldiers" in Israel who have no family or support to go home to off the base. Some are in Israel alone with no family living in Israel, others have been shunned by family who do not believe they should be in IDF service, like some of the religious sects, or even Christian Arabs.  That's why the ARC is renovating a Lone Soldier's residence by the sea of Galilee for their use. See Lone Soldier's Warm House - Upper Room, and consider a donation to help. Also learn more about the  Altar of Prayer, and VERTICAL team 

If you missed the Passover Global Communion with Revive Israel Asher Intrater and David Demian of Watchmen for the Nations, you can still watch on Revive's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. Also, please download the free Passover e-BOOK to learn what unique and historic moment occurred at the 2020 Global Passover and Last Supper alignment. Part of becoming "one new man" in Messiah is ACTUAL & REAL TIME alignment for prayer and communion is strategic times, or as the Bible calls them "moed" —the Divinely appointed times of God's Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles). They are commanded of Israel, but they are also strategic to the making of twain, one new man in Messiah.

At the City of Life congregation in Sderot, Michael Beener reports they did a large distribution of food vouchers, plus gifts of Matzot (unleavened bread) and local wine so Elders And Holocaust Survivors Were Able To Celebrate Passover. Others who couldn't get to their building, the City of Life team went to their homes to distribute the much welcomed gifts. To be elderly and without means on such holidays no matter what brave face one puts on it, is depressing. One feels forgotten. These acts of lovingkindness are great in the sight of the LORD. Learn more about the Compassionate Outreach Projects that City of Life are doing in a battered and poor city and consider partnering with them in the work.

From Nazareth where Yeshua began his public ministry, Christian Arab Rania Sayegh of the HOPE, House of Prayer & Exploits wishes Passover & Resurrection blessings to all. She relates a vision she had on the Eve of Passover of "the Angel of Awakening over the nations and Israel." The angel had a big trumpet and as he sounded it a release of the winds of the Spirit came from the 4 corners of the earth, blowing a layer of dust off of Israel and the nations. "The Lord explained to me (Rania) that this angel is an angel of awakening. The dust was to remove the spirit of death that is trying to cover the nations and set His people free in this Passover season. It is God’s decree over His people, “Let my people go!” Please pray into this vision with us so that God will release the Angel of Awakening!  read Isaiah 25:6-9 
                Also Rania reports that 2 Muslim women who came to clean up after renovations of the HOPE Guesthouse and Prayer House, came to faith after she shared the Gospel with them and prayed of 3 healing miracles. She is continuing to disciple them and the HOPE team is this is just the tiny firstfruits of the harvest to be released.  [DD: I had never thought of it before, but when Paul says that "all Israel shall be saved" in our day "all Israel" includes many Israeli Arabs. What a blessing to see this is an even wider promise than I originally believed!]  We also wanted to invite you to sow a Passover/Resurrection gift into HOPE's New Building Project.  Plus a vision to release the sound of Arabic worship from the mountains of Israel and including the harp in worship. We are therefore planning to take 8-10 young people from our worship teams to a Harps Workshop in Jerusalem..

Ron Cantor of Messiah's Mandate reports that they had $10,000 to bless Holocaust Survivors struggling during the COVID lockdowns in Israel—and generous donors gave. "We were able to organize some special excursions to biblical sites along with 14 Passover Seders, with almost 200 Holocaust Survivors! These Holocaust Survivors were so excited to be able to participate in the these events. Today, Israel is in the midst of Holocaust Memorial Day: "It is one of the saddest days of the year, as all TV broadcasts focus on the Holocaust—movies, interviews, and more. There will be memorial services all throughout the country." It is not too late to send a donation gift to Bless Holocaust Survivors

Carolyn and Richard Hyde of Heart of G-d ministries writes that the Hebrew word "hapalah" is used for both miscarriage and abortion. It is another indication why there is no stigma against abortion in Israel, which is not to say that people who get abortions do not suffer the consequences in their innermost being for this sin. Whatever society may say about any sin, God has given every human being an innate awareness of what is sin. We may suppress it, ignore it, we may harden ourselves to acknowledging it, we may lose all sensitivity to conscience, but it is still inside us to know because God put that in us.  That is why the Tree of Life Israel Media Team's pro-life campaign is stirring up such response. Carolyn and Richard are involved in the effort, seeing how their two sons are integral leaders in the Tree of Life.  In this effort, which is also aimed at sharing the Gospel, they are working with the Be'ad Chaim pro-Life organization, who counsel and help those women who are referred to them. It is not just helping them through the decision not to abort, but it is also making a way for them to have their babies—the support level is a completely different approach from what we see in the US. Such a worthy effort from everyone mentioned in this paragraph.
                Also Carolyn is doing a worship/prayer watch with the ARC Altar of Prayer, AOP, each Wednesday from 3-6PM Israeli time to worship and pray for Aliyah. Please join me on Zoom at any point during that time or join any other watch as Adonai leads and if you're in the Galilee, come and join me at our home!  DAY 4 WATCH and the Israeli flag below for the 8th watch from 3-6PM Israeli time. I sensed that Adonai wanted me to place my computer on the ledge of our balcony and let intercessors proclaim Scripture and prophetic words over the Galilee - what a joy!

From Tikkun Global Ron Cantor points out that the "angel of death" in the Passover story in Exodus 12:23, is actually "the destroyer." Those who had the blood on the doorposts were shielded by God from the destroyer who also "wreaks havoc on the world, except... he cannot touch those with God’s seal—those covered by Yeshua’s blood—the perfect Lamb of God." [DD, this is the same as in God's love letter to Israel, Isaiah 54. In verse 15-17, God again identifies the destroyer —the blacksmith that brings forth weapons for his work of destroying. But God says it is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, that "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn." Weapons may form, but God has given us protection, just as in the Passover in Egypt long ago.

Some wonderful articles from Tikkun Global include Marty Shoub's excellent How Long?, Asher Intrater's Three Dimensional Meaning of Passover, Eitan Shishkoff's Wrestling With Tisha B’Av, and two from Dan Juster: Calendar Confusion | The News Media.

Finally, and I hope this reaches you in time to watch the live Holocaust Remembrance event from the Aliyah Return Center. At 7Pm Israel time, we will hear from Chaim Malespin,  and hear firsthand accounts of a WWII hero. The premiere will be aired Thursday, April 8th at 7 PM IST.  Click to watch the premiere LIVE.

Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer the Israeli believers who are fighting for their lives or other urgent health needs: 

Pray for the Silvers: David's knees and Josie's back pain | Rachel Netanel  who is recovering from a broken ankle. She asks prayers for healing and for the pain to subside.  Living in a home with lots of stairs makes it all the more difficult| 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 a broken ankle (after her back surgery!) The recovery process is slow, but, praise the Lord, she is getting better and stronger, can already walk for 20 minutes and do some physical The recovery process is slow, but, praise the Lord, she is getting better and stronger, can already walk for 20 minutes and do some physical exercises. Please keep praying for Olga


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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