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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