Thursday, September 30, 2021

The Gospel Travels through Arab Nations Back to Jerusalem | Arrows from Zion | 9 30 2021

 

The spread of the faith, as it morphed into Christianity among the nations . . .but all roads ultimately lead back to the restoration of the faith of Yeshua in Jerusalem. In this video every animated frame depicts one year in the last 2000 years of the Great Commission. It not only shows the nations that have declared Christianity to be the national religion, or even areas where professing Christians are the majority of the population, but everywhere the Gospel has been preached in history. These are where churches and Christian gravestones show external evidence of that work, and where churches and Bibles are accessible today. This animation also shows the competing "isms" that overtook the Gospel in some areas of the world - areas that once again (as the fullness of times is coming upon us) are experiencing a great underground revival of the Gospel. Many of these are in the neighboring Arab countries, important in light of the Isaiah 19:23-24 and 35:8 prophecies:  "In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth." (19:23-24) and "And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it." (35:8)

The Gospel Travels through Arab Nations Back to Jerusalem
by Donna Diorio

The video is very powerful. Watch how the Gospel spread in history, what competing isms overtook it in some places, and how it regained - IS REGAINING - in many of those strongholds. I have always heard that the Gospel spread from Jerusalem to the West and has continued to do so now in the East moving through the Middle East back to Jerusalem. This video counters that idea somewhat and intrigued me to learn more about what the “Back to Jerusalem” message is.  I have never really looked into what the Chinese "Back to Jerusalem" movement is all about, but reading the “about” summary makes me think that God is doing His mysterious work right under our un-perceiving noses.
     It is the Chinese missionary vision to evangelize the “90% of unreached people groups in the world today located within the “10/40 window.”There are “hundreds of Chinese missionaries working outside China in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Thousands more are in training, learning languages such as Arabic and English that will be put to use on the mission field.” This is not "a movement of the Chinese church to evangelize Jerusalem. However, Back to Jerusalem is the goal of the Chinese church to evangelize the unreached peoples from eastern provinces of China, westwards towards Jerusalem."  The Back to Jerusalem movement is “not only evangelize the religiously oppressed areas of Asia, but to also train and send Chinese missionaries into the unreached regions of the globe, including Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu nations.”
     I was inspired to look into these things because of the first ministry letter I am working with in the Weekly Summary this week, that of Christian Arabs in Haifa, Najeeb and Elizabeth Atteih of Immanuel Church. They minister a lot to the refugees from Syria who have fled to other countries, including Armenia, where Elizabeth’s family was from. Najeeb’s family roots are in Lebanon but both Elizabeth and Najeeb were born in Israel.
     In their ministry letter they wrote about how they see great need to counter the indoctrinated hatred of Israel that so many of the refugees they met hold. They know it is a calling of God on their lives to help break that deception and bring the captives of Islamism into the Light of the Jewish Messiah. Many Christians are eager to focus on salvation of Arabs rather than salvation of Jews, but the truth is, salvation of Arabs is also a key to the salvation of Jews. There is no leaving out either Jews or Arabs in God's plans for the final harvest.
     My focus in the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries and Arrows from Zion is #1 to bring attention of the work of the sharing the Gospel that is going on in Israel by the Israeli ministries, but every once in a while, there is also need to show how critical the missions are like these described above.  Many of the Israeli ministries are also acutely aware of this, and it shows in their outreaches to the ministries in the Far East, the Middle East and among the First Nations groups all over the world.  We are all in this together serving God’s plans.

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

The Christian Arab church and ministry of Najeeb and Elizabeth Atteith kicks off the Weekly Summary ministry letters this week, first with news of a 40% crime and murder increase in Israel which the US parallels with a 30% increase in murders the largest annual increase in six decades. Nothing says no respect for life like the murder rate. Prayer fodder for both nations and probably many others in these times of turmoil, bitterness and anger.
     They also give great news on their ministry outreaches to refugees from war-torn Syria including in Armenia, where Elizabeth’s family roots are and where she recently was able to receive Armenia citizenship (giving her dual citizenship). This makes it easier to minister in the country that is in dire need, and also “
one of the few countries in the world whose people enjoy one religion, Christianity, and one language, Armenian.” There are refugees from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon in Armenia. “Many of these immigrants were living in these Middle Eastern countries because their ancestors fled the genocide, war, and persecution in Armenia. Now the current generation is returning to Armenia to escape persecution and war in these Middle Eastern countries. As Armenians, they are able to apply for Armenian citizenship and settle in the country. They have had to experience a great deal of loss and hardship on account of war, including human losses, either a family member or friends or neighbors, material losses, the difficulty of seeing mass destruction around them, and being forced to leave a country they love.
     “... we are viewed as people from the enemy country, Israel…. We need to destroy their old ideas and thoughts about Israel and us, to build new bridges and to plant seeds of reconciliation in Christ. Thankfully God’s love and grace can break through all barriers. During our visit, they saw God’s presence with us and saw God’s love and kindness shine through us. Slowly, they have started to soften and respond to us. . . . we were surprised to see that there is a great need for a local Arabic speaking church and ministry…. There is an urgent need for an Arabic speaking church and ministry for these refugees. In Germany, we planted an Arabic speaking church for refugees there that is led by Arab believers. We feel the Lord is leading us to do the same in Armenia in order to preach, evangelize, disciple, and establish a church and ministry for these Arabic speaking Armenians. Praise the Lord for this gift and vision of ministry. We pray that He will give us wisdom and insight to hear His voice and strength to follow Him step by step. Pray for us and this opportunity for ministry among the refugees in Armenia.

Rania Sayegh, the Christian Arab prophetic intercessor at the Nazareth House of Prayer and Exploits followed with a vision she had on 9/10 involving China. In essence she saw an eagle flying over Israel that she believed was the LORD “covering the land and that He was going to bring a turnaround of victory over a planned hidden assignment of the enemy. He was watching in order to release His angels for an attack.” Then she saw a map of China, and recognized it in the shape of a rooster: “When the rooster crows his call, the eagle will soar.” Then I began to see the rooster crowing and the sound began to resonate from the East, then the rooster continued to crow and moved its head to the North and then the South.”  The rooster began to crow, turned into an eagle began flying to the western gate of the land, was joined by smaller eagles – they were going to battle approaching a huge ancient golden gate: “the gate opened and all those eagles break through the gate out heading towards the Silk Road. The moment the eagle broke through the gate, I saw a river of water begin to flow from this ancient gate towards the Silk Road and wash and remove the stones from the highway!
    
Rania interprets this as “this is a midnight hour call to release the crow of the rooster at the fourth watch for the dawn of a new day. I feel that the Lord is giving us a strategy to unite together with China, US and Israel on Yom Kippur to release a midnight cry approaching the mercy seat for a turnaround as the army rises for battle over the Middle East, China and the US. We will release the sound of freedom and healing to the lands and appeal to heaven for the sake of God’s covenant to be established in these lands as the eagles gather and release the cry of victory for such a time as this.”
     The underground church in China is more critical than most of us realize, as it truly is an underground, hidden power of God. What we hear mostly is the threats of the Chinese Beast nation, but inside China, God has hidden a secret weapon of praying saints critical to what unfolds in the spread of the Gospel from the Far East to the Middle East and back to Jerusalem.

Asher Intrater of Tikkun sends a video on Revive Israel-Facebook of the prayer journey they took into the desert wilderness to celebrate Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles with Arabs and other international believers.
     Reading from Deuteronomy 33:2, the Torah portion, Asher translated: :  "The LORD is coming from Sinai shining like the sun out of Seir; and He is appearing in the wilderness of the Mount Paran, He is coming with ten thousands of saints, the holy ones; and He is giving a fiery decree to them."  Asher continues: "We just realized that all those places are these places. We're here, believing at this time for this together…. for at least a partial fulfillment of this right now.”

Did you know that you can enjoy the Shabbat services and worship/prayer watches from the Messianic congregation of Mt Carmel?  Get encouraged. Kehilat HaCarmel on
Facebook and on their YouTube channel. Listen to the encouraging message by Dani Sayag with LouAnne Sayag translating Rivers of Living Water this past Shabbat, Sept 25, 2021.
 

From Tel Aviv, the Tiferet Yeshua congregation Gil Afriat shares God commands us to do this three times during the Festival of Tabernacles and Tamar Afrait shares The Prophetic Symbolism of the Sukka and the Mystery of the 8th Day Convocation. They invite you to help them make a difference to reach and disciple Israelis. Give 

Shlomy and Miriam Abramov of Awake Israel Ministries in Rishon le Zion return to Israel from their tour of the United States writing, "A sweet goodbye to the USA. Thank you Lord for all you are going to do here now in the future. We take you USA in our hearts to Israel and continue to pray God's blessing, help, revival and repentance on you as a nation. I recommend to travel if it's in your heart. I don’t know about vaccines but probably it’s urged for travel now. GOD sustained us and blessed us and I’m so glad he gave us the faith to go international. We feel restored after a long season of close downs always in Israel previously. Israel here we come! Please pray for our renewed and fresh restored visioning as we feel refreshed and GOD breathed newness into our life there!”

Chaim Malespin at the Aliyah Return Center write about many aspects of the Fall Feasts, but we include this one of the 7 Prayers of Praise (Hoshana Raba) said on this day, one for each day of the Feast of Tabernacles, and which correspond to and mention the 7 most important characters in Hebrew history and God’s faithfulness to them and their descendants: 1. Abraham (the first patriarch), 2. Isaac (the second patriarch), 3. Jacob (the third patriarch), 4. Moses (the most prominent Hebrew prophet), 5. Aaron (Moses' brother, the first high priest), 6 Joseph (Jacob's most famous son), and 7. David (the most important King of Israel). These 7 “hosannas” (Hoshana = Hosanna) are accompanied by a series of liturgical verses climaxing with the shout, "Kol hamevaser, mevaser ve-omer" (The voice of the Herald speaks and says) referencing Isaiah 40:3, expressing Hope for the speedy coming of the Messiah.
     Chaim also gives a video tour of the new ulpan (Hebrew school) that they are launching to help new immigrants crash-learn the language, so they can adjust more smoothly to life in Israel. ALSO Watch the replay of rejoicing of the Galileans: Hoshana Raba / Simchat Torah LIVE streamed event this Tuesday, September 28th at 7 PM Israel time on Aliyah Return Center FaceBook and Youtube pages. Tell your friends and see you there!  To support the work of the Aliyah Return Center, please click
     Upcoming Speaking Tour Nov 11-25 with Chaim Malespin traveling through the USA bringing a message about God's redemptive plan for Israel. If you are interested in hosting Chaim in your church or congregation please contact mailto:Deanna@Aliyahreturncenter.com


Rick Ridings makes a special appeal for donations at this time to help make up for the physical offerings that have been lost to the 24/7 prayer and worship center in Jerusalem due to covid cutting off tourists and foreign volunteers. “…since March 2020, we have not had groups from the nations bringing physical offerings to Succat Hallel. He is our Source, and has been providing miraculously.  However, right now we need another miracle to take care of Israeli staff and the rents for our volunteer and intern apartments. …(that because of covid) our main intern apartment is practically empty. It has only two staff members living in it, who are not able to pay rent.” They write: “Any gift, large or small, will be deeply appreciated. If you are not able to give at this time, we pray from Zion that the Lord will bless you to be able to give according to your heart's desire in the future.
Donations can be made online, by check, or by Bitcoin.”  This is a serious lack that has placed the Israel ministries across the board in serious need of financial infusion – their congregants also are in dire need. Can you help?

Barry and Batya Segal of
VFI - Vision for Israel on Facebook write about being peacemakers in a world of arguments and division, and how even our suffering at the present time, has purpose in God. “The pain and anguish we face bring us perseverance and that same perseverance is required to have true faith in God. Our perseverance in all things will set us free, and bring us closer to Him.” They write, “For 27 years Vision for Israel worked with her partners to bring peace and wholeness to the disadvantaged and downtrodden in Israel. Those who have suffered from violence, hatred, abuse, and abject poverty. The ongoing work also brings peace and protection from rocket attacks in highly populated areas.
     As we pray for spiritual peace, we are also building physical protections with mobile shelters around areas of high conflict. Each mobile concrete shelter costs $12,000….
In times like the present, when we are all being greatly tested, we must persevere against darkness and create peace in our hearts. We must bring peace to our families, friends, and community. Today, as ever, we ask that you continue your
partnership with us, as we persevere toward a more just and peaceful Israel—and bring Shalom to the world.              

Join David Silver for his Friday Update Video  for 9/24/21 | Plus the Out of Zion Prayer for Israel Zoom meeting every Tuesday 9 pm Israel time - 7 pm UK - 2 pm EST - 6 am NZ | Go to Zoom  and use (Passcode: 146188) | For a full list of resource and products available please see the RESOURCE page on the Out of Zion Website where you can also read our teachings on the new Out of Zion website and watch our VIDEOS. To partner with Out of Zion. 

Israel Pochtar of Beit Hallel and Voice of Judah ministries sends VIDEOs & articles for:  The Biblical Feast of Sukkot in Israel (Part 3) - The Tabernacle of His Peace | The Biblical Feast of Sukkot in Israel (Part 4) - The Feast of Tabernacles in Light of the New Testament | The Biblical Feast of Sukkot in Israel (Part 5): Modern-Day Sukkot Traditions — Celebrating God's Goodness and Provision

     URGENT: Being a Blessing to the Saints in Israel | During the festive week, we as believers in Yeshua in Israel, are focused on helping and supporting fellow Messianic believers — those that follow Yeshua and serve him in Israel. MANY OF THESE MESSIANIC FAMILIES ARE IN DIRE NEED.

  DALLAS: Join Pastor Israel Pochtar at Baruch HaShem synagogue Oct 2, 10:40 am at 6304 Belt Line Road Dallas 75254 or watch online at BHSDALLAS.org/Watch-online

In the weekly teaching from Guy Cohen of the Akko Harvest of Asher congregation, he writes: “Genesis 50 brings us to the end of Joseph's journey; a journey filled with many twists and turns. Here we find him at the end of his days; having rescued his brothers; Joseph and his father's household dwelt in Egypt for over 100 years. Now, on his death bed Joseph makes this oath:  ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’ The words translated visit you are פקד יפקד in Hebrew; which can be translated to, he will dwell with you and he will redeem you. It is the embodiment of God's promise, They will be My people and I will be their God.

     Among Guy’s prayer requests: Thank you for your faithfulness in continuing to pray for Acco, the Harvest of Asher congregation, ministries and outreaches as well as the surrounding area. Thank you for your prayers during this holiday season.  | Pray for wisdom in dealing with the unrest and violence which continues in some hot spots throughout the land and along our borders. Pray that the military, police and government in general will have wisdom as they face the challenges before them. | Your continued prayers for health and protection during the continued season of COVID are also appreciated. May the Blood of the Lamb cover you and keep you and your loved ones safe. | May He dwell with us and redeem us. May all His plans for us be completed so that all will come to fulfillment. 

From Arad Hasdey Yeshua a report on in the madness of the world right now, the Fall Feasts are a timeless reminder that “our God is still in control.” Yes and amen. They were unable to have a central sukkah because of covid restrictions and the week-long festivities had to be shortened to two days and one night, but they made the most of it and many learning impressions were made on the children. There was also a report on how they are discipling among the Bedouin women, including teaching a truly poverty stricken woman with 7 children and abandoned by her husband, how to live by a budget of her precious meager resources. Even at the first day of putting the budget into motion, God supernaturally blessed the woman through an opportunity to work one day a week in a local bakery. It was a great witness to the woman.  

 I DID HAVE 4 OTHER MINISTRY LETTERS COME IN, BUT NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO INCLUDE THEM THIS WEEK. WATCH FOR THEM IN THE FIRST ISSUE FOR OCTOBER 2021

SPECIAL ALERT  
Times of Israel runs Fake News about the Tel Aviv HaOgen Messianic Coffee House

2021  


2003 


When I visited the Dugit bookstore in 2003, I met a Palestinian Christian that our Israel Prayer group had been praying for back in 2002 period when the Palestinian Authority was locking up Christian Arabs, even torturing and even killing some. The IDF was conducting raids on different towns to clear out terrorist nests, munitions holds and to free the religious Christian Arab prisoners from jail. "S" was among the last prisoners that the IDF freed in the last town they did the operation. When S began to tell us his testimony at the store that day, I thought, Wait! that sounds really familiar! When we returned to the USA, I looked up the prayer requests for the source that I thought relayed his story...and I found it. It was the same man. I wrote to the source just to confirm. “S” was eventually not granted Israeli refuge but has since moved to another country where he and his family live.          
     Now someone with the Jewish Telegraph Agency in Tel Aviv feels the need to attack Israeli believers operating the HaOgen coffee house outreach in the same location.  Writer Abby Seitz even has used the ideas and quotes from a notoriously anti-Messianic, anti-Christian writer – Sarah Posner – who
specializes in hit pieces against Messianic Jews, Christians, and political conservatives.  I believe this latest attack against HaOgen and Dugit Messianic leader Avi Mizrachi, deserves a HIGH PRIORITY in our prayers.
     This article,
Baristas at this Tel Aviv cafe serve up espresso — and let you know about Jesus, is a hit piece full of false information.  Apparently their greatest fear is the growth of faith in Israel but they falsely tag HaOgen as “owned by missionaries.” The greatest accusation a Jew can make against anyone as it is automatically connected to the tragic history of forced conversions and purges of Jews from the nations. 
     They do quote Avi Mizrachi accurately, “We are not trying to missionize anyone, bribe anyone, or do anything to people. We are Jews who love our country, serve our country in the army, and pay taxes. And we celebrate the Jewish holidays and feasts, and we believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And yes, we believe that Yeshua is the messiah.”  Avi adds, “Now, if (someone) ask us what we believe, we tell them."
     And that is the great difference in way the overwhelming number of Israel's Messianic Jews share their faith with fellow Israelis, and it happens to be very effective because people ask when they like what they see and hear from believers. This is universally true — not just Jews respond to the witness of our faith truly lived.
     JTA’s Seitz writes, "The idea that missionary work is illegal — and the associated idea that believers in Jesus face persecution because of their faith — leads many Messianics in Israel to mask their activities, according to Sarah Posner." Posner falsely asserts, “[Messianics] really played up the idea that proselytizing to Jews is illegal in Israel,” she is quoted saying. “It’s not as severe as they make it out to be, but they do play that up as evidence that they aren’t treated fairly."
     Frankly, as someone who has compiled this Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries for the past 20 years, I can tell you that assertion is a flat out lie.
     The Israeli ministries are so tight-lipped about the harassment and persecution that comes against them that it's like pulling teeth to get information about it. You see, they don't want Christians to get angry against Israel. My viewpoint is that Christians need to grow up spiritually enough to be aware of the persecution without turning on Israel because of it. We are to protect our brothers and sisters, knowing the heart of God is to redeem Israel, not write off “all Israel,”
      How can we miss the role that the apostle Paul played before he was given the revelation that Yeshua was indeed the Messiah the Jewish believers said He was? In God’s own timing, Shaul saw the Light.
    The Times article cites the
2010 International Religious Freedom Report that the US State Department puts out annually as a report on religious persecution in the nations.  That report truly stated that Israel has “taken a number of steps that encouraged the perception that proselytizing is against government policy,” such as detaining missionaries and citing “proselytism as a reason to deny student, work, and religious visa extensions.”
     Yad L’Achim, the “anti-missionary” activists who are behind much of the persecution of the believers in Israel, are also notorious from doing research on Messianic Jews in Israel and in the United States in order to report them to the Interior Ministry in bureaucratic attempts to deny immigration of Messianic Jews, and also to kick Israeli Messianic Jews (or their non-Jewish spouses) out of the country. That is real and it is another heartless form of persecution against believers.
     It is no wonder that Posner attempts to counter the 2010 State Department report with the false assertion that Messianics "played up" the persecution, which she in her all-knowing (fact-less) claim says is "not as severe" as Messianic Jews make it out to be. Abusers always feel that way about their abuse. 
     Beyneynu, another anti-Messianic activist group akin to Yad L'Achim, appears to have kicked off the persecution against the HaOgen coffee house. Its founder, Shannon Nuszen is the proverbial Israel-supporting Christian gone bad, winning great approval from aish in an article,
From Christian Missionary to Observant Jew.
     This also is an important prayer point because there is a trend of too many Israel-supporting Christians losing the plot and turning against Jewish believers in Yeshua. And by "losing the plot" I mean GOD's plan that "all Israel shall be saved."
     It wasn't that long ago that an Israel-supporting Christian wrote to then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling him that he should pull the Messianic Jewish
ShelanuTV off of a cable network. Laurie Cardoza-Moore claimed she was opposed to GOD-TV, but it was GOD-TV that was the true friend to Israel's 20,000 strong Messianic Jewish community. Moore did great harm to God's cause in Israel but refuses to admit it. Christians should be far more cautious about opposing our spiritual brothers and sisters in Israel. They are "Blood-kin" related to Christians by way of faith in God's Son.
     Please keep these issues in prayer, and especially pray for the Mizrachi's, Dugit and HaOgen under a fresh round of attack.
– Donna Diorio

* The Jerusalem Post
also carried the same article At this Tel Aviv cafe, baristas will serve you espresso and Jesus. In my view, that makes it much less “news journalism” and far more a propaganda campaign.

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: 

Please Pray for Claude Ezagouri of the Morning Star Fellowship who has started a treatment that is due to last at least 6 months for a medical problem he has been suffering from.  Believe in prayer with them as they look to the Lord for complete healing and for  prompt recovery from some other ailments.  | Ronit Bender finally has seen a new cardiologist she likes because he is caring, she’s taking new meds, feels better but still asks for our prayers | Pray for Carolyn Hyde whose left hand is so pained she can no longer play guitar and it is also sometimes painful to play piano | Silvers: David's knees and Josie's back pain | A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her own words| Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Dov Bikas – I have been very tired these days: probably as a result of a combination of factors: my age, stress of the days of running to the bomb shelter, work load in the ministry, etc. Olga Bikas: We are grateful that Olga is feeling better these days! Though the doctors never found the cause of the dizziness that put her in hospital a month ago, they did rule out major issues like brain tumors, heart problems, etc., so this is already comforting. Olga’s back also keeps improving and she is able to walk more outside now than she did before.



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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Yom Kippur Fast | Arrows from Zion | 9 16 2021

 

What do rotten tomatoes have to do with Yom Kippur? 
I believe this is a word that many could find helpful to consider today.


Yom Kippur

 the Day of At-one-ment

by Donna Diorio

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58    

Yesterday morning, on the eve of Yom Kippur I was thinking about how bitterness is the greatest poisoner of human beings known to man. It is like a tomato that over ripens on your kitchen counter and starts to go bad. Every tomato that the rotten spot touches begins to pass along the rot to other tomatoes. Human bitterness is like that too.

When a tomato starts to rot in one place the whole tomato doesn't have to be thrown out, the rotten part can be cut away and the rest of the tomato used. If you see a rotten spot on a tomato the first thing to do to save the rest of the tomatoes is to separate the good from the bad.
 
Of course this is all a spiritual lesson because life in our times is wrought with situations to create bitterness in human beings. You look around you and you will see the signs of bitterness lurking in people everywhere. Let me be the first to say I have had a battle with bitterness creep in my life too and if it were not for the LORD, it would have overtaken me and destroyed me long ago. I have had to cut off the bad spots like on the tomato in my life a few times.
I believe bitterness is one of the great battles of the age we live in.  In Matthew 24:12 when Jesus was speaking of the spiritual environment of the approaching last days, He said "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."

In the original language that reads that because of the increased transgressions of (God's) law, the "agape" (affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love) will "psycho" (a primary verb which denotes properly a forcible respiration of breath to be made or grow cool or cold).  You know, like you blow cool breath on your hot drink to cool it down.

That's what harboring bitterness over transgressions (both real and imagined) by other people against us does, it kills off our affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love. It becomes "psycho" breath blowing on our relationships, not only with the person directly involved with our bitterness, but if left alone and not excised, it will begin to spread to others around us. Like that rotten tomato on the counter top, it will cause rot to set into every single tomato that is situated close to it.

There is a way out. The first is for us personally. There are probably not many of us that haven't had things happen in our lives that have caused a poisoned place of bitterness to form in our hearts and minds. Bitterness that is given free reign to populate our thoughts will poison our hearts. The only way to free ourselves from this is to take it to the Cross of Yeshua, Jesus. We lay down the "debt" we feel the person(s) owe us - their transgression against us - at the Cross of the Messiah who died to pay off ALL transgression debts.

Many of us feel we have the right to cling to certain transgression debts because they hurt us so much, but Matthew 18, Jesus tells us we absolutely have no right to cling to the debt. . . and if we will not forgive the debt as God has forgiven us, then we - even those of us who are saved - open the door to tormenting spirits. That means physical, mental and spiritual tormentors (demons) have access to us to cause greater pains because we will not give up our 'right' to bitterness.  Addictions, phobias, physical illnesses, mental illnesses, anxieties, fears, murderous or suicidal mental oppression.

For a person that has come to faith in Yeshua/Jesus, we can repent - which means to acknowledge our sin of bitterness but also to turn away from it. Sometimes you are challenged over and over to walk that out, but we just have to in order to keep our own spiritual freedom. This is important too, because if you look around, you will see how it is not just individuals but great groups of people have been overwhelmed by the impact of bitterness that is dominating everything about their lives.

Bitterness is the greatest poisoner of mankind and there is only one thing that a person walking with God in the Holy Spirit can do about that too: to rightly view their predicament of having been overcome by the poison of bitterness. Whether they are believers in the Lord who don't know how to free themselves, or unbelievers trapped in unbelief and the bitterness of life, pray for them to see that Yeshua, that Jesus came to set the captives free.

Captives of what? Captives of the poison of bitterness because it is an even bigger problem of humankind than all other forms of captivity.

We don't fight hate with hate. We don't fight the poison of bitterness with our own bitterness. To get free, it is a spiritual ordinance of God's instruction, we have to forgive our way out it. Matthew 18 affirms this truth.



Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Ten Days of Awe | Arrows from Zion | 9 15 2021

 

Photo by Howard Bass, Yeshua’s Inheritance in Beer Sheva in the Negev

Ten Days of Awe
by Donna Diorio

September 12, 2021
:  In the High Holy Days we are in the midst of the Ten Days of Awe. It is ten days to be in a holy awe, or understanding of God's power over all human life. We say we know it, but rarely do we really think He is even paying attention of us and the choices we make. That is why there are 10 days set aside from the Feast of Trumpet to the Day of Atonement. Understand that these biblical feasts are prophetic pictures for Israel but that doesn't mean that Christians get nothing out of looking deeply into the prophetic pictures designed by God. It is especially directing us toward the advancing "last days" - not the last days of earth and people on the earth, but the last days of demonic spirits troubling the people of the earth for another thousand years.  I am leaving a lot of things out because my point is not so much eschatological even though the time period we are in right now is heavily related to the unfolding of prophetic events.

     The point I want to make is that after the Feast of Trumpets (the biblical Yom Teruah) - the Jewish CIVIL calendar Rosh Hashanah) - there are ten days before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. So the ten days are to be spent reflecting of anything you need to repent of before God. It is a time when we are to stop and come to grips with the spiritual reality that our life is completely and truly in the hands of God, and to humble ourselves in acknowledgment of that reality - enough to 'fess up to God of our own wrong doings and our own failings. Each person whether they believe in God or not, will have to appear before God to give account for their lives.

     By confessing our wrongs and failings to God now, in an awed recognition of His power, we are wiping our debt slate clean before God. The first step is faith in Jesus to be forgiven, but if you look to Matthew 18 you will see that the process of being forgiven in our lives is not once and for all, we have an ongoing need to seek God's forgiveness of our wrong doings and failings, AND we have a necessity in God's eyes to forgive as we have been forgiven by Him to forgive ALL others of their wrongdoings and failings toward us. If we don't, it will attract all sorts of demonic spirits into our lives to torment us with physical illnesses and mental illnesses. Our souls can only be at peace if we are active in forgiving others.

     THE TEN DAYS OF AWE 2021  | It is my sense that the spirit world is very thin right now. What I mean by that is that whether someone is a believer or follower of Yeshua or not, that it is very easy to discern the particular spirits that are tormenting people right now. 

     And here is our challenge to stand rightly in the power of the LORD at a moment like that: to stand as an advocate for them. If our awe of God is rooted in the reality of His awesome power over all human life, then we are going to take seriously our need to forgive people and pull them from the fires of hell that are licking at their feet. It doesn't matter what they did to us, it matters that we should not desire hell to eat up anyone. Not everyone will turn to God for His salvation and deliverance, but our prayer should be that they do, and in praying that way, we are helping remove the spiritual veil that is spread over mankind, blinding them to the truth of a gracious God willing to forgive and save. 

     We are entering into part two of the Isaiah 61 passage that Jesus proclaimed at the beginning of His earthly ministry. He said of it, "“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

     "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…

     Today we continue in that same anointing to set captives free (because we are the many brethren of the “Firstborn of many brethren” – Romans 8:29. Yeshua stopped purposefully in His Isaiah 61 reading because it was not the time appointed for the "Part 2" of the passage. We continue to walk in a restoration of the anointing He proclaimed in Isaiah 61:1-2 for all the nations, and continue toward the days spoke of specifically in the days of the restoration of Israel. These are the days ahead in our time:

    Isaiah 61:2b-3 “and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of  mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

     If you are seeing the sins of those you know rather clearer these days, it is a test to see if you will pray for them to be saved and delivered from the sins which so easily beset us. We must have God’s heart for saving others even from themselves.


Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

As Israel prepares this evening for the 24 hour Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, we continue to see much sharing on the biblical Feasts of the LORD.  Asher Intrater of Revive Israel kicks us off with an excellent prophetic update sent out on 9/8 that contextualizes the Trumpets of Revelation with the times we are living in now which are leading up to the Final Trumpets. | Asher also shares
Yom Kippur - The Two Feet of Our Spiritual Journey article and a video from the Global Broadcast called the Fear of God. (I was delighted Sunday after writing the Ten Days of Awe to turn to the Revive Israel ministry letter and see that I was getting the same focuses from God that Asher was in these teachings.)  
     Also read "
Lepers" from Tikkun’s #IAMWITHISRAEL focus this month on the work of Moti Cohen who leads Tiferet Yeshua Congregation’s outreach to the “lepers” of Israeli society on the streets of Tel Aviv. These are the “wounded, hungry, crying, desperate people – the rejected and invisible outcasts of Israeli society. We believe with all our hearts that God wants to reveal Himself to these people and show them how much He loves them. GIVE TO HELP

Chaim Malespin of the Aliyah Return Center is grateful for the “a fantastic time with you online, this last week on Yom Teruah – the Feast of Trumpets  WATCH here If you missed it.” YOM KIPPUR ONLINE EVENT: Be blessed and filled with the Holy Spirit, and join us on our VERTICAL Galilee House of Prayer Facebook page for our annual 24-hour LIVE Streamed - Yom Kippur event, when we will be LIVE for the whole 24 period: Hosted globally from, leaders in Israel, Uganda, USA, and Canada this Wednesday: September 15 @12pm EST (7pm Israel). See you online then (Get more info here) | You simply MUST WATCH and LISTEN to Chaim's song about Yom Kippur: Cohen - (Priest) and get the whole Hebrew album!

Tree of Life Ministries’ Ariel and Shayla Hyde report that “Several of us on the team and our family members contracted COVID-19 recently. Several of us have also had significant difficulties sleeping. And yet, the Gospel is still sounding forth like a trumpet online – in fact, it’s reaching even more Israelis! Plus they are launched a massive evangelistic campaign for the Trumpets through Yom Kippur high holy days: “This is a time when many Jewish people are doing some soul-searching and considering whether their names are written in the Book of Life or not. Since many Jewish people are more aware of their sins and their need for atonement during this season, each year many of them are also more open to the Gospel during this time. . . . Our goal is to reach 750,000 Israelis… Let’s stand on God’s Word for a great revelation of Him whom we pierced, Jesus, Yeshua, and for a deep mourning and repentance across the nation. Read more online now - testimonies of more Israelis turning to their Messiah and prayer points

Beit Hallel and Voice of Judah Ministries’ Israel Pochtar (who I can’t wait to meet when he holds a fundraiser banquet in Plano, TX) continues in his video/article teachings on Trumpets with Parts 3 & 4 Unfolding the Mystery of the Feast of Trumpets and Exploring the Main Message of the Feast of Trumpets  — The Lord is Coming!. He brings a video Special Rosh Hashanah Greeting, and article on God’s Faithfulness & New Beginnings, A testimony: Jacob's Story, and how they are Reflecting God's Character in Caring for Holocaust Survivors during Yom Kippur 

Aleksey Raikhstadt of the Jaffa Beit Immanuel congregation writes, “This is a very special time because during it many of the people of Israel turn to God. This is a great opportunity for you and me to pray and intercede for the people of Israel. That while they turn to God, some of them only once a year, that God will open their hearts and reveal to them the true sacrifice, Yeshua the Messiah, who took away our sins on the cross. Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  Because they seek forgiveness and atonement in the wrong place, we must unite in prayer because our people need revelation from God, as it is written in Zechariah 12:10. . . . “Begin right now to proclaim the kingdom of our Lord Jesus the Messiah both in your personal life and in His people Israel. May our prayers not cease until the day we glorify God together in His kingdom.  Have a blessed holiday and a Happy New 5782 Year!”

Sderot’s City of Life congregational leader Michael Beener writes, “With the emphasis on blowing the shofar, the biblical trumpet, we can easily see an End-Time correlation to the prophesied last trumpet call (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). So in this way Yom Teruah is often associated with the initiation of the Messianic Age and the resurrection of the dead in Messiah. We remain deeply grateful for your prayers and support which has enabled us to offer our Messiah's comfort to so many who suffer throughout His Promised Land. As we are raising donations for the major distribution of special food baskets to the need of our region during the biblical Autumn holidays. Join us to reach our target of 200 families at $50 US per basket.  From Rosh Hashanah through Sukkot, our “City Of Life” team will be distributing special food sacks and gifts to bless the most needy in our region, including needy young families, widows, immigrants, single parents and Holocaust survivors, bringing them comfort and encouragement amid their precarious situation...
Read more here

Messiah’s Mandate, Ron Cantor points out: “If you read the description in Leviticus 23 about the feast of trumpets, it is quite vague. There is a trumpet blast, you don't go to work, and there is an offering. That's about it. No one is told what we are commemorating with trumpet/shofar blasts.  Could it be that we are remembering something that is yet to come? In eternity there are no time limitations. Maybe we are looking forward to an event, not remembering one? I am firmly convinced this is the case. And the Feast of Trumpets points to an event that we are rapidly approaching, the coming of Yeshua the Messiah in the clouds of heaven to gather his elect and establish his Kingdom on planet Earth.”
    “There are four main passages in the new covenant that speak of the last trumpet blast (Matt. 24:30-31, 1 Cor. 15:50-57, 1 Thes. 4:16-18, Rev. 11:15), and all of these passages are about the announcement of the Kingdom of Yeshua coming to planet Earth. . . . This weekend I preached
a short message on these four passages at one of our Tikkun congregations that I believe will ignite your faith.”


Orna Grinman of A Sign & Example (Ot Oo’Mofet) has a new blog post called A Crown and a Diadem. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:4).

Howard Bass of Yeshua’s Inheritance congregation in Beer Sheva writes on 9/6, “This evening marks the beginning of what is called the Head or Beginning of the Year in Judaism.  But, biblically, it is the beginning of the end in YHVH's redemptive plan to save and sanctify His chosen people Israel, and to bring all of the Gentiles under His benevolent rule, even if with a rod of iron.”
     “You can join us in these prayers points:  Evangelism in the city, on campuses; testimony to our neighbors and co-workers, students, soldiers -- so that they know that we are believers in Yeshua | Government approval for non-Jewish believers to remain in country if married to an Israeli believer (especially); and for an 'open door' for more Jewish believers to immigrate (and that they would want to immigrate, or at least prepare for the possibility, and to encourage others to do the same) | For a vision of the Kingdom of God in the lives of the believers; reading the Bible as the Word of GOD; spiritual maturity and discernment of good from evil, and choosing the good; discernment of truth from non-truth (error, lies, distortion) | For believers in Afghanistan, Iran, Nigeria, other countries -- to be strengthened in God and in His grace; that more Muslims and Arabs would repent and believe the gospel.”  Mazal tov to Howard and Randi on the new grandchild Moriel, dedicated to the LORD by their daughter Rotem and son-in-law Joey.

Join David Silver for his Midweek Update Video  Sept 7, 2021 & Sept 10 |  Plus the Out of Zion Prayer for Israel Zoom meeting every Tuesday 9 pm Israel time - 7 pm UK - 2 pm EST - 6 am NZ | Go to Zoom Meeting (Passcode: 146188) | Out of Zion Ministries is one that does a lot of travel to the nations teaching the Church about Israel. That has been greatly curtailed – in fact, totally cut off – since the emergence of Covid. You can imagine what that does to the donations that David and Josie Silver live on. They have had to move entirely to online ministry to keep the Word going out, but people tend to respond with support to those they see in person. This is something that has hurt MANY believers & ministers in Israel. 
     David writes, “
Josie and I have a personal request that we would ask you to prayerfully consider, especially if you are not a regular financial supporter. We have sold our present apartment where we have lived for the last twenty years, and we hope to move into a new apartment in December. We did not receive the price on the present apartment that we calculated on, because of the Covid pandemic's effect on property values in Israel. Would you please consider blessing Josie and I with a Yom Teruah or Tabernacles offering to contribute towards our move. If so, please can you write to me and I will give you the relevant bank account details.  To
partner with us |     Feast of Tabernacles Zoom Meeting - "Times of Refreshing "  Sunday September 26th at 9.00 am Jerusalem time. The meeting will last about 1.5 hours. Meeting ID is 823 5158 2826 - Password: 146188. Please assist us by registering your interest to be a part of this event. Please send an email to david@outofzion.org We may adjust the timing and will be sending a flyer out with final details next week.

Dani and LuAnne Sayag, with Yonatan  Arnold and Stefan and Keren Silver of the Kerem-El congregation in Haifa write about keeping fluid with meeting plans because of the fluctuations of restrictions as covid waxes and wanes in Israel. They are restricted to 50 people live in meetings, the rest watching by video and intend to conduct the Feast of Tabernacles celebration outdoors so everyone can get together.  Kerem-El, which means God’s Vineyard, keeps a focus on making disciples and reports that two new believers are most zealous to share the Gospel with others. Each of them have one friend both of which are very close to receiving the LORD. This is how Israelis are won one-on-one, by the undeniable witness of a changed life.  The congregation is in development of their next focus “The Father’s Heart” for their small group meetings & ask prayer over materials & logistics.    
     They ask prayers for: “Pray for the new believers we are discipling and for those who are still yet to make a decision for Yeshua, especially as the feasts approach, that our Messiah would be revealed to them | Pray for those of the congregation that are dealing with health issues, for complete healing and strength to persevere with the uncertainty of treatment | Pray for the youth and children as they return to school, for health and protection for them and their families | Pray for more laborers to enter our "harvest field" to build God's kingdom in Haifa and for wisdom for the leadership as they continue to guide the congregation through this uncertain time | Pray for God to provide the financial needs of Kerem-El in 2021, above and beyond what we expect, especially provision for the Father's Heart campaign and the ability to hire another staff member.”

Long time no see: Martin in Jerusalem returns with a weekly mailing of Notes on the Torah and Prophets readings read bin synagogues around the world. That starts on Wed 29 Sept, so if you want to get on Martin’s mailing list, better email now

Rania Sayegh is the Christian Arab Prophetic Intercessor in Nazareth of the House of Prayer & Exploits. She writes that God has suddenly opening a “recently refurbished rental property which amazingly meets all our requirements” they will use as . . . .” as a coffee area and can also be used for training and fellowship for about 30-35 people, the second hall can be used for the prayer room, regular meetings and training days for youth and women for about 75-80 people. There is also a space for an office.” Watch her share more in this video.  “If the Lord puts it on your heart to give towards this project, please choose "HOPE Building Operations" from the list of options on Paypal through "Fire for the nations" webpage, or check the other options on how to give in our website. “

An EXCELLENT LAST WORD from Dov Bikas on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement:  Today I would like to share with you some thoughts connected to the biblical Day of Atonement that Israel is celebrating this week. This is a solemn day of fasting and repentance, and indeed, it is very important to examine our ways, seek the Lord, see if we are on the right track with Him, and to repent of any sins and transgressions. Sometimes, however, there is a danger in frequent fasting and self-searching – a danger to focus too much upon ourselves and become preoccupied with our own spiritual search and wellbeing instead of paying proper attention to those around us.

     “In Isaiah 58 the Lord foresees this danger and points us to another type of fasting that pleases Him: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”                          '

     “Interestingly, the same chapter reveals that this kind of fasting will actually bring us the very spiritual growth and connection with the Lord we are looking for in our spiritual searches! "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.”

     “So today, on the threshold of another Day of Atonement, we want to thank you all for your heart for the poor and hungry and for partnering with us in the task of breaking the yoke of addiction and setting the oppressed free!”      

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: 

Please Pray for Claude Ezagouri of the Morning Star Fellowship who has started a treatment that is due to last at least 6 months for a medical problem he has been suffering from.  Believe in prayer with them as they look to the Lord for complete healing and for prompt recovery from some other ailments.  | Ronit Bender finally has seen a new cardiologist she likes because he is caring, she’s taking new meds, feels better but still asks for our prayers | Pray for Carolyn Hyde whose left hand is so pained she can no longer play guitar and it is also sometimes painful to play piano | Silvers: David's knees and Josie's back pain | A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her own words| Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Dov Bikas – I have been very tired these days: probably as a result of a combination of factors: my age, stress of the days of running to the bomb shelter, work load in the ministry, etc. Olga Bikas: We are grateful that Olga is feeling better these days! Though the doctors never found the cause of the dizziness that put her in hospital a month ago, they did rule out major issues like brain tumors, heart problems, etc., so this is already comforting. Olga’s back also keeps improving and she is able to walk more outside now than she did before.




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