Wednesday, April 12, 2017

WEEKLY Arrows from Zion 4/12/2017

Priority Prayer Focus Apr 12, 2017

For our priority focus, I am borrowing this recommendation with a promise from Marc Chopinsky in northern Israel:  "For those who think they know Passover, I recommend reading Exodus 1 - 12 during the week. You will see new things."

Arrows from Zion
Strategically Aimed for the Lord’s Harvest in Israel
Contact info for all the ministries included inside the subscription-only Weekly Summary.

As reported last week, Eddie Santoro has received another cancer-free MRI report. Keep praying with him as he gets screened  every 4 months. Every woman who gets regular pap smears understands how waiting for the results is an anxiety producing situation.  Pray for Eddie's peace in those times... meanwhile, he also reports that out of his life and death ordeal with cancers that God has made him greatly zealous to pray for healing for others. He also gives a follow up report on Patti Juster  Read inside the Weekly Summary attachment      

See also Eddie's comments on the Passover celebration

Kerem-El, which means, God's Vineyard, is a daughter congregation of the Carmel Congregation in northern Israel. It is pastored by Dani Sayag (who is also the Senior Pastor at Carmel), with the help of his young ministry pastoral team Yonatan Arnold and Stefan Silver.  This congregation has a strong family and evangelistic focus and they are seeing many miraculous healings.  One of the issues they face in their congregation - and which many of the congregations if not all - deal with, is the debt and  financial strain among their members.  Please pray with them and with all the Israeli Messianic and Christian Arab congregations for God to prosper their people in every sense of Biblical prosperity. Read more inside the subscription only Attached DOCX Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries

Ben Juster is the Operations Director for Tikkun Int'l, the umbrella organization that covers many ministries raised up under the 30+ years of the connected ministries of Dan Juster, Asher Intrater and Eitan Shishkoff. What is happening in this network is greatly encouraging because weekly we see the emergence of their next gen Israeli Messianic ministers - apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists.  Inside the Weekly Summary attachment, Benjamin, son of Daniel, gives a praise report about the recent ministry trips by their next gen leadership, which Ben himself is among those. 

Also a report on the continued re-shaping of this network in their annual Tikkun-affliated ministry leaders last month. Ben writes, "There was a noted sense of humility and unity, committing to walk even more strategically and intentionally for the future. The leaders made several key agreements and decisions together that will help to set our course for the future. We will be communicating more in the coming weeks and months." For all the Tikkun priorities and prayer request see more inside the subscription only Attached DOCX Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries
               
Israel Pochtar is a quite dynamic spiritual leader of the Voice of Judah Ministries and Beit Hallel congregation in Ashdod. His primary ministry is to the great many immigrants from Russia who are not Israelis.  Pochtar leads many outreaches to minister to the needs of these people and in this letter he speaks about their 3-day youth retreat in the desert, the "Born to be Loved" Women's Conference and their traditional Passover Seders. The congregation has grown so much that this year they could not hold a congregational Seder because they have had to go to two service times each week to minister to all the people. It is a great problem to have which they settled short term by holding family-style Seders in private homes for everyone. Long term they are about to renovate their new building that will provide all the space they need.  Read more inside the Weekly Summary attachment  

While on the subject of Russian immigrants, please read my special report below about hearing a great message last Shabbat from Jonathan Bernis, who back in the 1990's went to Russia to minister and saw thousands and thousands of Soviet Jews come to faith.  He delivered a much needed message for today and the message link is provided below in My Word.

Rick Ridings who pioneered 24/7 prayer and praise in Jerusalem at Succat Hallel, and has helped establish the same in many nations of the Arab Middle East, writes about the preparations for Passover. But he also writes about something that I believe may be a concerning issue of many of the ministries in Israel at the moment:  "We are currently facing one of the largest financial challenges we have faced in our twelve years of continuous 24/7 worship and prayer in Jerusalem.  If you have received our updates for any length of time, you know we rarely mention finances, saving that only for urgent moments. Any gift, large or small, will be deeply appreciated."  Get contact information  inside the Weekly Summary attachment       

For whatever reason, I believe that there is a slowdown of giving to the Israeli ministries right now and I urge international Christians to respond to the need.  That is a DEFINITE part of our mandate from God to uphold the Israeli ministries not only in prayer but in material support.  This is a call to share the burden of what God is doing among them, not only for the salvation of Israel, but for the release Israel's salvation brings to harvest in the nations.

The Maoz Ministry of Ari and Shira Sorko Ram also writes this week about the Pesach, Passover that millions of Jewish families have just celebrated.  Their prayer of course is for the salvation of Israel.  You can read more inside the Weekly Summary attachment   including their thoughts on Syria.  It is important to know that the Israeli ministries have been doing outreach and humanitarian aid to the Syrian refugees.  You don't often hear about it because it is a work that has to be done mostly in secret due to safety issues. 

As a nation, Israel also has:  "Ever since the civil war began, Israel has been treating wounded Syrians in our hospitals, sending humanitarian and medical aid to fighting zones (secretly, of course), and reaching out to refugees.  Maoz has taken a big part in providing necessary supplies to these refugees who fled to Jordan, Cyprus, and Turkey through a local Arab minister. Our hearts and prayers go out to the children and the adults caught up in this war.  Many of these children do not know another reality since they were born into the war.  They have no concept of “peace.” Find their prayer requests for Syria inside the Weekly Summary attachment    
Shira Sorko-Ram has also written Anti-Semitism: Where Did It Come From? for their April Maoz Israel Report

From Asher Intrater's Revive Israel, ARTICLE Jewish Roots Part II by Ariel Blumenthal | Revive Israel in the Nations – Update and Recap | Thank you for your prayers for Tal and Roni in the Czech Republic this past week and for Cody and Andrew throughout their time in Japan! Asher and Betty will also soon be traveling to Hong Kong for a Chinese leader's conference. Together, through your prayers, we are advancing the kingdom of Yeshua all over the world! Also, check out this recap video of Cody and Andrew's time in Japan. and VIDEO Yigdal adonai - Esther fast worship | Listen to a song by the youth worship team from the Esther fast at Revive Israel.

Arni Klein shares his thoughts on the Passover, " The whole event was about more than just bringing them out of Egypt.  He arranged their bondage and Exodus so He could bring them into the land (Deut.6:23) in order to cleanse it to be His dwelling place. We need to get this right.  It is foundational to our understanding of God, His ways, His purposes, His plans, and our individual and corporate callings."
Read more inside the Weekly Summary attachment       

You would think that Israelis have traveled all around the country to visit the tourist sites of Biblical renown, but that is not how real life works.  (Just think about how many tourist sites you have visited in your own country or state).  Which is why I truly enjoyed Ronit Bender's account of the tourist trip that her son who lives in Australia took her on to many sites around Israel - some she would never have dared to visit herself.  If you have ever or never been to Israel, you will enjoy reading Ronit's account inside the Weekly Summary attachment               

Last week Christianity Today gave a platform to two anti-Messianic rabbis to present a case for telling Christians they should quit letting Messianic Jews teach them the Hebrew Roots of the Faith and the primary example was their denial that the "Lord's Supper" was a Passover Seder.  The fact of the matter it was the Passover Seder Jesus and His disciples observed and the foreshadowing of the Messiah is written throughout it. Obviously, anti-Yeshua rabbis don't want Jews or Christians seeing those foreshadows clearly and that is what this article was all about.

Ron Cantor of Messiah's Mandate has written a MUST READ response to this and Christians everywhere need the huge amount of insights Cantor shares in Ron's Response to the Rabbis: Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder? Christianity Today: Listen up!

From Orna Grinman whose ministry is to orphans, widows and single parents in the body of Messiah in Israel  (A Sign & An Example, Ot Oo’Mofet)  two new blog articles:

“Don’t leave before you say these three” | Orna Grinman of Otoomofet (A Sign & an Example) | “Wait! Stay in your chair!” my friend rebuked both his sons, who were sitting at the Passover table. The two wanted to get up and sit elsewhere with their phones as they got tired of reading the Haggadah (the story of the exodus out of Egypt, compiled by rabbis centuries ago, depicting their arguments concerning the customs Click Title to Read Online

Who passed over? | by Orna Grinman of Otoomofet | Who led the children of Israel out of Egypt, all the way to the promised land? Moses? Sure. But he had no idea if they're to turn left or right when they hit a junction. Whom did he follow? God? Right, that would be the common answer. But can you please be a bit more Click Title to Read Online

From the excellent Israeli Messianic resource KehilaNews.com, here are just a few selections from one of the updates they put out in the past week. There is much more where this came from!

Afikoman: The ultimate Passover question | By Hannah Weiss | Hannah writes, "Rabbis expound on its name, purpose and traditions, but they never explain why the Haggadah historically surrounded the Afikoman with silence, except for one contradictory statement..."

Celebrating Passover as a prophetic intercessory act | By Sandra Teplinsky | Sandra writes, "At Passover we recount and personally engage with the bittersweet story of the biblical exodus. We re-live the event, especially through the seder. For a week we eat unleavened bread, as did our ancestors when freed from bondage."

Ethiopian Haggadah connects the generations | By Karen Faulkner | The Bnei Akiva religious Zionist organization has created a Passover Haggadah written in both Hebrew and Amharic designed to help Israel-born children of Ethiopian immigrants connect with their parents’ history and their journey from Ethiopia to the Promised Land.

Netanyahu on US strikes in Syria: Israel fully supports President Trump’s decision | By Amir Tsarfati | PM Netanyahu expressed Israel’s support for the United States strikes carried out in Syria Friday, stating “In both word and action, President Trump sent a strong and clear message today that the use and spread of chemical weapons will not be tolerated..."
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Urgent HEALING Needs
Life and Death is in the power of the tongue

Please see
inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary to keep in prayer the Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs including the fight for their very lives: 

Juster, Daniel Juster's wife, had heart valve replacement and has now been released to home recovery with no complications, infection. Please pray for continued daily healing. | Eddie Santoro's latest MRI brain cancer screening was again clean, praise the Lord! | David B. from Howard Bass' congregation was wounded by a pipe bomb during his military duty is recovering at home but still waiting on an eventual procedure to restore his finger and hand. Please pray for his full restoration. | Olga & Dov Bikas have been suffering from severe backaches. Please pray for their healing | David Davis continues to suffer weakness and a new small growth in the area of the previous cancerous tumor. Please continue to pray for David to be fully healed. | Gila, the first graduate from the Ark of the Negev’s discipleship training, after many delays finally had a successful surgery. She's been living in extreme pain for years.  Please pray for complete healing, restored mobility, and freedom from pain.| Hand operations on both Cookie and also Howard Bass' went well. Please pray for swift recovery.| Continued prayers for  Rick Ridings' daughter Esther Moore victory over cancer |   Ruth Nessim  According to the blood tests, all is well with the cancer of the lymphatic system,  "But I am blind in one eye, with much reduced sight in the other. I would value prayer." | Eddie Beckford has a toxic level of aluminum in his body and it has affected his health.  This is very likely the underlying cause of his thyroid & diabetes problems.  He is undergoing a protocol to remove the aluminum and he has not been well for some time.  |  David Stern Please continue pray for David's health and also for Martha, as his caretaker |  David O., Ami (unhealed wounds);  Long term disease battles:  Leah; an unnamed forefather of Messianic Judaism; Moshe M.;  the son of an Arab pastor, Ghazi, who is suffering from Leukemia. Judy, wife of pastor Yaakov K; Carolyn Hyde, Claude Ezagouri; Baruch and Karen Maayan; Michael E and unnamed Israel-related ministers.  Ronen a congregant & faithful volunteer in the Tiferet Yeshua Tel Aviv congregation.  PLEASE PRAY ALSO for all the caretakers. If you have ever been one, you know that it stretches us to our limits in an very emotional time. Pray for God to strengthen and uphold them all.

Praying the Headlines

4/7/17  Intercessors for Israel in Jerusalem
Ofer Amitai, Eliyahu Ben-Haim and Chuck Cohen
http://www.ifi.org.il/  Friday Prayer Points  P.O. Box 28368  Jerusalem 91281  Israel

We awoke this morning to the "exciting" news that America had struck a Syrian airbase, just north of Israel's border, with 60 Tomahawk missiles – as a response to the chemical weapons attack that took many Syrian lives this past week. While most of the world accused Assad of this evil deed, he pointed the finger at Israel! So we prayed for Israel to be on high alert over this weekend to all attacks – especially from Syria or Hizbullah. We trust in Your many promises to defend this nation (Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 121:4)

    Lord, as both the chemical attack and the US' response did not take You by surprise, we ask for You to reveal to Israel any hidden dangers that are lurking on the horizon (Psalm 139:11-12). Abba, please hedge in the tongues of Israel's politicians from saying unnecessary things (Psalm 141:3). Impart Your wisdom to Israel's government in relation to this current situation. Help the IDF to be super alert at this time – especially along Israel's Syrian and Lebanese borders. We specifically ask for angelic protection to be with the IDF (2 Kings 6:17; Psalm 35:4-6)

Security concerns are always heightened during all of Israel's feasts, so we prayed for Israel's protection throughout this land. He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd keeps his flock. Jeremiah 31:10  While we do not trust in "chariots and horses" (Psalm 20:7), we do thank You for providing the IDF with its various "chariots and horses" that help to protect Your nation today.    Lord, we ask for Your counsel to prevail in the minds of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Liberman and IDF Chief of Staff Eisenkot – and also bring them into one accord (Proverbs 19:21; 21:1). We continue to intercede for PM Bibi Netanyahu, and we continue to ask God to show us how to pray for who is to lead after Bibi.

Teaching Articles 

4/8/17 Avner & Rachel Boskey Beer Sheva  David’s Tent
psalm67@netvision.net.il  http://www.davidstent.org/
Donations:
Final Frontier Ministries Box 121971 Nashville TN 37212-1971 USA
Also via PayPal: www.davidstent.org

Syria – Ancient Promises, Ancient Curses | By Avner Boskey
As the Passover season of deliverance approaches, the world focuses on the Middle East. Chemical warfare near Idlib targeted civilians, causing the gruesome death of nearly 100 (including lots of children) and the injury of more than 500. The cruelty and carnage shake the souls of all who see video footage of the casualties. Syrian fighter-bombers involved in that incident (and operating under a protective Russian military umbrella) were destroyed a few days later by an American onslaught of 59 Tomahawk missiles. Click Title to Read Online
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My Word

With all the noise out there spiritually, I have to say that it was a great delight yesterday (4/8) to hear Jonathan Bernis of Jewish Voice Ministries speak at Baruch HaShem Messianic in Dallas. I have heard Bernis speak before, but never have I heard such a crystal clear message. It was pure, uncluttered and unbiased call to both Christians and to the Messianic community to extricate ourselves from the peripheral issues that keep us from accepting each other and unifying for reaching all Israel and all nations.

I especially appreciated him and Marty Waldman revisiting their long history together, especially a meeting they called where 10 Jewish believers came together for 3 days of prayer for breakthrough in the Messianic movement.

The 10 were an "odd" group of Messianic leaders - some, in fact, diametrically opposite of each other, like Art Katz and Bob Weiner. Bernis' comments on this were hilarious to me but even more so I heard his spiritual point loud and clear: even when people who are as far apart as it is possible to be in spiritual streams, when they agree to come together in a unity for the greater good of seeing God's purposes fulfilled, God responds robustly with answers.

For Bernis it was immediately prior to his renowned evangelism among the Jews in Russia. For Marty it was the imparting of the vision of Toward Jerusalem Council 2, a vision that I heard Marty relate the very first time to the BHS congregation, when it was just a tiny part of the now huge BHS building. For Art Katz it was the raising of funds he needed to publish a book which his diametric opposite Bob Weiner stood up and collected from among the minion of Jewish leaders who had met to pray for breakthrough in the Messianic movement.

I get what Jonathan Bernis is preaching: the time for radical willingness for unity among the Messianic movement and also among the Church who see the significance in God's plan of salvation of the Jews rippling out with salvation around the world is NOW.

I urge you to listen carefully to this message of Jonathan Bernis. It begins with Ari Waldman introducing Troy Wallace of Jewish Voice Ministries who I was also delighted to see after many years. Troy is the son of my good friend Holly Christmas Wallace who has served Asher Intrater of Revive Israel for decades.  This is a strong point to mention because many of us have had decades of connection. We have history together as all families do - some pleasant, some not so pleasant, but the family connection remains.  God is waiting for us to put His purposes above our unpleasant memories or reactions to others in the family, and to act in unity as the family of God in Messiah.  - Donna Diorio
               

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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

WEEKLY Arrows from Zion 4/5/2017

Priority Prayer Focus Apr 5, 2017

An urgent need for intercession for the intercessors: Yesterday I was private messaged on Facebook by a lady in Mississippi who has been a subscriber for many years. Like many other subscribers, Debi, a Jewish believer, has been leading intercession for Israel using this prayer summary for many years.  She was inquiring about my thoughts on cremation. It wasn't just a theological point but because she has been given 6 to 7 months to live.  Debi told me she wants her ashes spread in Israel. I told her my thoughts - personally I do not have a religious prohibition against it - but told her that no one can tell her where her peace lies in this matter and the Holy Spirit will give her peace on the right course for her.

Debi  is living with a sentence of death in her body but she writes, "I have pulmonary fibrosis and currently wait on lung transplant list."

She also wrote to me as the conversation continued, "I have prayed and used your material to teach Israel intercession for years. I was a state prayer coordinator in Mississippi and just happen to be Jewish. . . .our prayer ministry "Israel Prayer Shield" was in and out of the land often in the day. Our prayer was 24/7 and covered this region with appointed hours of prayer scheduling. When you know the ministry in the Land it makes a big difference in our intercession. We depend greatly on your reports so please know this, what you're doing makes a considerable difference in hitting the mark. Keep pressing through regardless of warfare ."

It was an extremely humbling and sobering exchange I had with Debi. Will you please join me in praying for her?  Pray for the LORD to rise on her behalf with healing, whether through a miraculous healing of her lungs, or whether through a miraculous circumstance that brings the lung transplant that she needs to live and not die. Please lift Debi to the throne of God in the name of Yeshua, asking for her life, a beloved intercessor for the body of Messiah in Israel.

Arrows from Zion
Strategically Aimed for the Lord’s Harvest in Israel
Contact info for all the ministries included inside the subscription-only Weekly Summary.

First off this week the jubilant praise report from Maoz Ministries, Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram, that their publishing of David Stern's New Testament Commentary IN HEBREW is done... and under some fairly miraculous circumstances which you can read about inside the subscription only Attached DOCX Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries  This publishing in Hebrew is meant to reach many in Israel - believers and unbelievers. Pray that much fruit is borne from this great work.

Among other reports and prayer requests in the Maoz prayer letter this week is something that everyone in Israel is talking about, namely their excitement over the new US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley who boldly announced at AIPAC:  "The days of Israel-bashing are over." Read more, plus the prayer requests from the ministry inside the Weekly Summary attachment       

The Yuval Messianic Worship Center for Music and the Arts sent us a feature about their ministry that was published this month in the King of Kings Ministries Jerusalem monthly newsletter.  King of Kings is a member of their Advisory Board and naturally proud of the work these young ministers are doing among children and young people of faith in Jerusalem, and their new campus nearby in Yad Ha-Shmona, a Messianic communal village on the outskirts of Jerusalem.  They write, "In both campuses, we count over 160 student of all ages, coming from more than 30 nations and being part of over 30 congregations in Israel!"  Read more about their labor of love which includes new Hebrew classes and Youth Worship Nights inside the Weekly Summary attachment

From Ron Cantor, Messiah's Mandate and Out of Zion on GOD TV, Ron and Gil tell the story of Tiferet Yeshua's sudden growth in Tel Aviv and need for more room and plan to live stream in Hebrew in Operation: Expand the Tent. Victoria shares Purim 2017 And a Wave of New Visitors; Moti writes Fighting For Our Children and a MUST READ: Ron shares about mass conversions among former Muslims! Refugees Leaving Islam en masse For Jesus.  Plus an invitation to partner with them in the Tel Aviv work

Of course, there is no corner of Israel where the people are so good that they do not need the message of salvation in Messiah Yeshua. There is no other way to God but through that Door, as Jesus Himself said in John 10:9. But Tel Aviv is like Israel's major "Sin City" with all the modern forms of sin in full display there.  Yeshua also said in Matthew 21:31 that it would be the tax collectors (because of their harshness, greed, and deception) and harlots or prostitutes (adulterers) who would enter the kingdom of God ahead of the religious.  That puts the Messianic ministries operating in Israel on the frontlines of Israel's salvation - whether it is Tiferet Yeshua or Adonai Roi congregations, or the many addiction ministries who operate or minister there - the Aviv Ministry or House of Victory.

Tel Aviv is surely prime time for the gospel of the Kingdom of Yeshua.  Sinners in need of the His salvation are throughout Israel and every ministry to the people is to reach them, but Tel Aviv holds a strong percentage of those Jesus spoke of in the Matthew verse quoted. God is no respecter of persons. He does not value the salvation of the religious Jews above the heartbreaking broken lives of the Israeli street people. This is just a fact that many Christians who love Israel do not realize when they place their interest and focus primarily on the Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox. Selah.

Arni Klein writes about the struggles inherent in spiritual pioneering of the sort that is attached to Israel ministry.  You will have to read this short piece for yourself inside the Weekly Summary attachment but I was struck especially by this comment on Luke 19:26 “…to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken.” ... "Yeshua is speaking here of those things that we have in fact been given but have not valued so as to incorporate them into our lives.  Sadly, we have encountered many brethren where this very thing has been true insofar as Israel is concerned.  We observed that many places we visited over the last twenty years took the Israel flag out when we arrived and put it away after we left."  Yes, I have seen that too, Arni, and it betrays an understanding of God's love for Israel but without a revelation of the significance of it.

Stefan and Keren Silver are a young couple in ministry in the Haifa-Mt Carmel region, in fact, eleders in the God's Vineyard (Karem-El) congregation.  Formerly minstering among the Israel College of the Bible, the young family are deeply involved with their congregation, a daughter of the Carmel Congregation. They are evangelism oriented, Stefan is a second generation Israeli believer, and they have two daughters.  Please read about their ministry activities inside the Weekly Summary attachment   including preparations for and prayer requests for the upcoming Passover season.  ALSO, Keren is a worship leader and her worship CD's are here (with a special price offered).  These are the things that also help support the ministries. Please bear in mind that if we do not support them, there is not yet enough local support base to keep them able to freely minister. If you understand the significance of Israel in God's plan for the whole world, then supporting Israeli ministries is the feet on that faith.

The Revive Israel ministry of Asher Intrater features  updates on the young leaders that have been discipled in the Word and mentored in taking leadership roles as the 'grandfathers' of Israeli Messianic ministry prepare another generation for standing in lead roles of the minstry.  In this week's ministry letter is an ARTICLE What are Jewish/Hebrew Roots? by Ariel Blumenthal; a report on Andrew and Cody who have been ministering in Japan for the past two weeks; for Tal Robin in the Czech Republic, add a VIDEO Soul for Soul byAsher Intrater.   This is a fulfillment of the last part of Isaiah 2:3, For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Pastor Dani Sayag writes from the Carmel congregation at Mt Carmel in the north as the Spring has sprung in Israel and the Passover holiday is about to be celebrated at sundown on April 10th. They request prayer "for the spirit of revelation to be released to the many Israeli visitors who attended the Purim outreaches, as well as those who will be at our Seder tables during Passover, that they will recognize Yeshua as our true Passover Lamb."  Pastor Sayag writes a wonderful short teaching on  the Sovereignty of God and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Please read it inside the Weekly Summary attachment. You will also find their prayer requests there including the continued prayer need of founding Pastor David Davis for restoration and healing, and for refreshing and strength for Karen as she cares for him.

Eric Benson, whose House of Victory rehab ministry was mentioned previously, sends a prayer letter this month overflowing with testimonies of the men who they minister to - we have shared many of those testimonies (including some links to video testimonies) inside the Weekly Summary attachment but there were even more in their monthly ministry letter. I will not share these in Arrows which is published online each week, but urge you to see how this ministry is reaching the most broken lives and setting men upright on the Rock of salvation in Yeshua.

Martin Sarvis, in Jerusalem, was alarmed last week when he saw an advertisement in the Jerusalem Post for a "Hogwarts Haggadah," a Passover Seder book based on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, author JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.  If that is not bad enough, Martin writes that it was "the brainchild of a Jewish rabbi in Queens, New York named Moshe Rosenberg.  Although self-published, it exploded in mass-market this past week, racing already to best-seller status. By yesterday it had become the #1 bestselling Haggadah on Amazon.com; according to some reports it is now nearing the top of their general book list. Since this first edition is aimed primarily at English speakers, and there is only a week to go before Passover, it is unlikely to have major sales in Israel…at least not this year."

Read Martin's full report and prayer requests over this matter inside the subscription only Attached DOCX Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries

The Jerusalem Institute of Justice have an invite via VIDEO Join us to bless the Lone Soldiers this Passover. You can participate in helping them as they will be hosting a traditional Passover Seder for Jerusalem's Lone Soldiers complete with gifts of clothing, blankets, treats, and personal items. Contact info inside the Weekly Summary attachment       

The ministry of Avi and Chaya MIzrachi, another of the Tel Aviv ministries mentioned earlier, write a praise report o Chaya and Devora's recent trip to Poland and thanking all who prayed for that ministry trip. Among the prayer requests this month, their Dugit ministries staff are in the process of college exams and final papers  and are requesting prayer; protection for the IDF soldiers and peace for their families; the right property at the right price for the ministry; and the announcement for the December Living Stones Tour.  See it all inside the Weekly Summary attachment               

Finally, just a few examples of articles & videos from KehilaNews.com - a most valuable resource from the Messianic community of Israel:

Israeli kindergartener declares 'Yeshua is Messiah,' causes stir at school | Kehila News Israel Staff | The mother of a kindergarten girl in the city of Ma'aleh Adumim yanked her daughter out of the school after she claimed that a “Christian” girl in the class told the other children that "Yeshua is the Messiah.”

Increase in east Jerusalem Arabs applying for Israeli citizenship | Kehila News Israel Staff | Despite fearing the ever-present social stigma attached to their choices, many non-Israeli Arab residents of Eastern Jerusalem are applying to become fully recognized citizens of Israel.

VIDEO: A Jewish Israeli radio broadcaster finds Jesus | One For Israel Staff | "Before that moment I wasn't sure if God existed or not, but from that second onwards..."


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Urgent HEALING Needs
Life and Death is in the power of the tongue

Please see
inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary to keep in prayer the Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs including the fight for their very lives: 

Patti Juster, Daniel Juster's wife, had heart valve replacement and has now been released to home recovery with no complications, infection. Please pray for continued daily healing. | Eddie Santoro's latest MRI brain cancer screening was again clean, praise the Lord! | David B. from Howard Bass' congregation was wounded by a pipe bomb during his military duty is recovering at home but still waiting on an eventual procedure to restore his finger and hand. Please pray for his full restoration. | Olga & Dov Bikas have been suffering from severe backaches. Please pray for their healing | David Davis continues to suffer weakness and a new small growth in the area of the previous cancerous tumor. Please continue to pray for David to be fully healed. | Gila, the first graduate from the Ark of the Negev’s discipleship training, after many delays finally had a successful surgery. She's been living in extreme pain for years.  Please pray for complete healing, restored mobility, and freedom from pain.| Hand operations on both Cookie and also Howard Bass' went well. Please pray for swift recovery.| Continued prayers for  Rick Ridings' daughter Esther Moore victory over cancer |   Ruth Nessim  According to the blood tests, all is well with the cancer of the lymphatic system,  "But I am blind in one eye, with much reduced sight in the other. I would value prayer." | Eddie Beckford has a toxic level of aluminum in his body and it has affected his health.  This is very likely the underlying cause of his thyroid & diabetes problems.  He is undergoing a protocol to remove the aluminum and he has not been well for some time.  |  David Stern Please continue pray for David's health and also for Martha, as his caretaker |  David O., Ami (unhealed wounds);  Long term disease battles:  Leah; an unnamed forefather of Messianic Judaism; Moshe M.;  the son of an Arab pastor, Ghazi, who is suffering from Leukemia. Judy, wife of pastor Yaakov K; Carolyn Hyde, Claude Ezagouri; Baruch and Karen Maayan; Michael E and unnamed Israel-related ministers.  Ronen a congregant & faithful volunteer in the Tiferet Yeshua Tel Aviv congregation.  PLEASE PRAY ALSO for all the caretakers. If you have ever been one, you know that it stretches us to our limits in an very emotional time. Pray for God to strengthen and uphold them all.



Wednesday, March 29, 2017

WEEKLY Arrows from Zion 3/29/2017

Priority Prayer Focus Mar 29, 2017

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Ephesians 6:16

Arrows from Zion
Strategically Aimed for the Lord’s Harvest in Israel
Contact info for all the ministries included inside the subscription-only Weekly Summary.

Opening with bad, but expected news that Israel's borders are heating up once again. Katy Smith writes for the Maoz Ministries of Ari & Shira Sorko-Ram that as the Passover holiday is coming that usually terror cells are trying to execute large-scale attacks against Israelis and Judea and Samaria (West Bank) settlers.  There are also reports that the missiles in Gaza have been upgraded, so prayer is urged for God's protection over all Israel.  Katy writes, "I can't possibly stress enough how much we need and value your prayers!"  


One special request from Maoz is for a recent widow with two children who have received deportation orders after the husband died just 2 weeks ago. Because he was known to be a believer, the Ministry of Interior has mercilessly ordered the widow and her children out of the country. Please pray for this family, and pray also that there would be a shift of power that has the extreme anti-Messianic ultra-Orthodox in charge of citizenship and residency issues.

Inside the subscription only Attached DOCX Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries is also an opportunity offered to take part in the establishing the worship recording studio of the Sorko-Ram's daughter and son-in-law, Kobi and Shani Ferguson, Israel Worship Initiative. (They have raised $40,000 of the $70,000 needed).

Eddie and Jackie Santoro, apostolic elders of the Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem, have just returned from their first return visit to the U.S. after two long years as Eddie staved off cancer - truly a miraculous deliverance from a brain tumor and then later an unrelated cancer in this throat. We are waiting results from his latest MRI - so keep praying that God will continue to keep him cancer free and healthy.

The Santoro's write about their "Third Season" group from the congregation which meets regularly along with invited guests. This meeting was held at the unique and historic home of Rachel and Gilad Netanel (see their ministry report in this issue also) for a great time of fellowship, including long conversations with as yet un-saved Israelis. They write, "Please keep praying for these special times of fellowship. They really are becoming an outreach to the unsaved and a bond of love is being established between the participants. It seems to be the perfect format for this age group. We'll be doing it again in another 6 weeks."  They also write about their natural style of evangelism in Israel, which you can read about inside the Weekly Summary attachment   

Israel Pochtar in the Ashdod, Beit Hallel congregation, gives a glowing report of their recent youth conference for teens all across southern Israel, writing, "It was such a powerful time of worship, prayer, fellowship and teachings. We spoke about the importance of drawing closer to God, finding their future in the Lord, entering into their God-given destiny regardless of whether they find their place in ministry or the market place. We gave the tools and showed how they can serve God in many different ways."

Pochtar also gives the follow up report on their Purim Outreach and the Evangelism Outreach tour, which he writes was not only many of the recent immigrants' first tour of Israel, but also first tour with a messianic team that gave them the opportunity to see the country and hear the Gospel Read about it inside the Weekly Summary attachment        

The elders of the Hasdey Yeshua (Mercy of Yeshua) congregation in Arad report a breakthrough and a potential breakthrough on two of the top prayer needs we have been praying with them about over a long time. The first on the warehouse where they will share with another ministry for a food distribution center, and also for housing their children's ministry activities.  The potential breakthrough comes in the arena of a facility for their congregation.  You may remember that it is been difficult for them to meet in Arad due to great religious opposition applied to landlords.  For a very long time they have been meeting in the outdoors outside of the city, but as you can imagine those are not ideal circumstances. Please read this ministry letter inside the Weekly Summary attachment where they share details and also update us on the Bedouin believer, Hussain, who had to flee Arad last month because of death threats from his older brother over his faith in Yeshua.  See the prayer requests attached to all these things.

Rachel and Gilad Netanel, as Eddie Santoro wrote in his ministry letter this week, live in a "very unique house which is located in the historic Ein Kerem section of Jerusalem. According to Rachel, the house is at least 800 years old!" Rachel explains in her ministry letter that Ein Karem "is thought to be the village of John the Baptist." She recently told a group of touring Jews, "about the vision I had to build this house in a style that would be similar to the times of Yeshua and about how I share the Word of God here in the meeting room of the cave."  They stayed and listened more, maybe because she had already told them " them that I come from the family of Rabbi Kabbetz (He is a famous rabbi who wrote the Jewish sedur—prayer book). Their eyes opened wide at this and said what a privilege it is to meet me. This is such an honor to meet a close descendant of this great rabbi."  She told them the real honor was having received revelation that Yeshua is the Messiah."  

Do the testimonies this week of how the believers in Israel are reaching out to their countrymen strike you the way they strike me? It is like reading from the pages of the Acts of Apostles - evangelism that so natural and organic. This is why many people can go to Israel "to witness to Jews" but they return disappointed. Because there is (as a general rule) an anointing to reach the Jewish people that rests on the Jewish believers in Yeshua.  Paul understood it, as he wrote to the Galatians (2:8) For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. This is yet another reason why we pray for and support Israeli ministries.

Rachel also shares a prayer request for a family member which I will not share in this gleaning which is published online at Arrows from Zion, but you can read it inside the Weekly Summary attachment  

From Revive Israel, an ARTICLE Three Priesthoods by Asher Intrater and he also teaches in this VIDEO Praying for the Jewish people | Asher shares on the importance and the result of when we pray for the salvation of the Jewish people.  Moti Cohen who pastors the Tiferet Yeshua congregation in Tel Aviv writes a short report on what is happening there, and Cody and Andrew have a report via VIDEO Revive Israel Japan Tour 2017

From the Beer Sheva Yeshua's Inheritance congregation, Howard Bass starts out speaking about Bible study he is currently attending on the end-times and what are the signs. He writes of the study, "It is very illuminating, especially as the Body of Messiah is awaking to the times in which we live, and as the Holy Spirit continues to lead us into all the truth as we need it." In his congregation he is teaching on Isaiah, which also has the prophet looking into the end times, "... the conditions and circumstances in Isaiah's time are similar to what we have today; and God's thoughts and ways concerning these things as it relates to His people and His covenantal purposes have not changed."
 
Howard also shares about a ministry in Jericho they visited recently which is operated by a former Muslim who was active in the PLO. Now he is a planter of Seeds of Hope for Yeshua and Bass encourages us to look them up on the web. A Jerusalem Post article about them is here, From Enemy to Peace Maker.

Howard also seeds news of Cyprien, the Rwandan refugee he has written about in the past; the congregational plans for Passover which they will also to a special event with the Russian-speaking congregation led by Dov Bikas on Sunday April 15. And he freely offers the Passover Haggadah ("telling"), and it is available in four languages -- English, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish.  that he wrote.

Orna Grinman, whose ministry to orphans, widows and single parents in the body of Messiah in Israel, and touches deeply those who are hurting, is on the road. Here blog post shares about her Travelling and teaching

Evan Levine of the HaTikva Project is helping the poor which advancing the kingdom. Isn't that what Yeshua called us all to?  Inside the Weekly Summary attachment               , Evan relates the situation of a young man they recently helped named Mati.  It is an uplifting testimony of how God is using this ministry.

Martin Sarvis writes that a Call is going out throughout the world for Israel to Know, Recognize & Love her Redeemer. Focusing on the Haftarah of this week, Isaiah 43:21—44:23, Martin walks us through it - "To focus for our prayers for Israel on this particular passage of Scripture—and on the 'soil' into which the seeds of this Scripture will be scattered!" Read the teaching in full inside the Weekly Summary attachment

Just a few of the available articles we found interesting from KehilaNews.com [Kehila (K’hee-lah) is a Hebrew word that means community or congregation.Kehila News is an online community news and information portal by the community (kehila) in Israel, about the community (kehila) in Israel, and for the community (kehila), both in Israel and around the world.]

The still before the Hamas storm? | Joni Koski | In the entire year of 2016, not one Israeli was killed in a terror attack emanating from the Gaza Strip, the head of the Internal Security Service noted on Monday, warning that this was not due to peace prospects.

Pray for London and learn how to overcome ISIS | One For Israel Staff | "As we follow Yeshua, are we willing to follow in his footsteps of self-sacrificial love? Martyrs for Yeshua don’t kill, but offer life, even to their murderers."

How the modern Messianic Jewish Movement was launched | Daniel Juster | Daniel writes, "The origins of a successful movement often tell us about the founding principles that must be recovered to see this success continue into the future in new generations. The Messianic Jewish Movement began as a mighty move of the Spirit..."
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Urgent HEALING Needs
Life and Death is in the power of the tongue

Please see
inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary to keep in prayer the Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs including the fight for their very lives: 

Patti Juster, Daniel Juster's wife, had heart valve replacement today (monday 3/27). Dr. Dan reports that Patti is doing as well as can be expected after such a surgery but is very tired. Please pray for her as she recovers. | David B. from Howard Bass' congregation was wounded by a pipe bomb during his military duty is recovering at home but still waiting on an eventual procedure to restore his finger and hand. Please pray for his full restoration. Also updates in Howard's prayer letter on the other serious health needs in the Beer Sheva congregation, please read in Bass' enclosed prayer letter | Olga & Dov Bikas have been suffering from severe backaches. Please pray for their healing | David Davis continues to suffer weakness and a new small growth in the area of the previous cancerous tumor. Please continue to pray for David to be fully healed. | Gila, the first graduate from the Ark of the Negev’s discipleship training, after many delays finally had a successful surgery. She's been living in extreme pain for years.  Please pray for complete healing, restored mobility, and freedom from pain.| Hand operations on both Cookie and also Howard Bass' went well. Please pray for swift recovery.| Continued prayers for  Rick Ridings' daughter Esther Moore victory over cancer |   Eddie Santoro Pray continued good reports on follow up cancer screenings | Ruth Nessim  According to the blood tests, all is well with the cancer of the lymphatic system,  "But I am blind in one eye, with much reduced sight in the other. I would value prayer." | Eddie Beckford has a toxic level of aluminum in his body and it has affected his health.  This is very likely the underlying cause of his thyroid & diabetes problems.  He is undergoing a protocol to remove the aluminum and he has not been well for some time.  |  David Stern Please continue pray for David's health and also for Martha, as his caretaker |  David O., Ami (unhealed wounds);  Long term disease battles:  Leah; an unnamed forefather of Messianic Judaism; Moshe M.;  the son of an Arab pastor, Ghazi, who is suffering from Leukemia. Judy, wife of pastor Yaakov K; Carolyn Hyde, Claude Ezagouri; Baruch and Karen Maayan; Michael E and unnamed Israel-related ministers.  Ronen a congregant & faithful volunteer in the Tiferet Yeshua Tel Aviv congregation.  PLEASE PRAY ALSO for all the caretakers. If you have ever been one, you know that it stretches us to our limits in an very emotional time. Pray for God to strengthen and uphold them all.

Praying the Headlines

DDIORIO: Over several months recently, the U.S. Jewish community was being terrorized by bomb threat calls across the country to Jewish Community Centers and other places where Jews frequent. Many Liberal Jews, including in the media, pointed a finger of blame at President Trump stirring up white racist anti-Semites. Then last week came the surprise announcement that a 19-year old in Ashkelon, Israel with dual US-Israeli citizenship had been arrested for threats in the mostly the US, but also in  Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The complex, technologically advanced methods he used over six months shielded him from being identified and caught, until he made one mistake that led to his unveiling.

We may not be able to fathom what would motivate an young Jewish man in Israel to do such a thing, but unfortunately there are many of these individuals in the world today with the expertise to torment people far away from the safety of their own homes. With the announcement of his arrest by Israel, immediately came the claims by his lawyer that he has a nonmalignant brain tumor. That cannot explain away the evil genius behind this young man's terrorizing Jews in the US and contributing to false accusations against the followers of the US President.  I am not surprised that all those who were raising Cain about the "anti-Semitic" bomb threats have fallen completely silent over the development that an Israeli-American Jew was arrested for the cybercrime, but I want to know why this man did such a thing. I doubt it will be a major story but it is one worth keeping on top of.

Teaching Articles

3/24/17 Guy Cohen  in Akko
Katzir Asher, The Harvest of Asher Congregation



A Word to the Prophet | Guy Cohen, Harvest of Asher in Acco | During the time that the Kingdom of Israel was split into two houses, the house of Jeroboam and the house of Rehoboam; King Jeroboam was offering sacrifices and burning incense to idols on the altar in the city of Bethel.  

In 1 Kings 13 we read that a man of God was sent from Judah to Bethel by God to prophesy against the altar and to give the sign which the Lord had spoken. When Jeroboam stretched out his hand to have the man of God arrested, his hand withered and all that had been spoken against the altar took place. The King then asked the man of God to pray for him and ask for God's favor to restore his hand. And so it was restored and the King then invited the man of God to come to his home.

However, the man of God told the king that he was commanded by the word of the Lord not to eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way which he had come. How is it possible that at the end of the chapter this same man of God was killed by a lion and his body thrown on the side of the road? How could it be on the one hand that God worked such a mighty victory through him and on the other hand his life would end this way?

The reason is that the man of God didn't follow God's command till the end. A prophet who heard how God had worked through this man of God in Bethel, went out to find him. The prophet found him under an oak tree and also invited him to come and eat. Even though only a short time before the man of God's response to the King was no, he agreed.

I believe I Kings 13:18 is the key, I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'

The man of God received what the prophet told him even though it was contrary to what God had ordered him and which up until then he had obeyed. What made the man of God think that it was okay now? I believe it was due to the respect he had for this prophet. Possibly this prophet was well known during that time in the area. Obeying what the prophet told him, led to the man of God's death.

When the prophet learned of the man of God's death he went out, brought back his body, buried him and mourned. He then told his sons, "When I am dead bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried.... Why would he behave this way? Did he feel guilty or could it be that he was covering his tracks?

In the body of Messiah, thanks to the Holy Spirit, we experience and operate in many gifts. Are these gifts being used for building each other up or are we killing each other with them because either way we continue to carry the gifts with us. Just as a father in the natural doesn't take back a gift he's given to his child, neither does our Father in heaven.

The issue is how are we using these gifts. If we are using them out of bitterness, jealousy, lying, building ourselves up or making a name for ourselves, they can bring death to our families, neighbors or anyone near us putting a guilt so heavy on us to even bring us to the point of death.

We must continually sanctify the gifts to the Father, looking to Yeshua and being guided by the Holy Spirit, so that they may be used to bring life and not death.

Donna Diorio 
 arrowsfromzion@gmail.com or donna@d10r10.com

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