Prayer Requests
Points from Israeli Messianic Jewish & Christian Arab Ministry Leaders
I am passing along David Lazarus' super important article on how empty-handed Christian efforts to evangelize Jews in Israel has
been —and that is not just a timing issue. It really is a recognition of the
grace God has given to Messianic Jews within Israel to minister the Gospel to
Israelis. We are not talking about Christians backing of witnessing to Jews
outside of Israel, but we need a breakthrough in our mindset that Israel is
only going to come to faith if non-Jewish Christians come to evangelize them
from the 4 corners of the earth. That is just having a blind eye to God's
purposes in Israel and for Israel, and how we Christians are supposed to fit
into helping those God-appointed laborers in the Israeli harvest fulfill their
mandate. Lazarus article takes us back to the rarely seen history of pre-statehood Christian evangelizing of Jews in Israel. From 1821 up to date as just last week we learned a Christian missionary had been arrested in Ashdod for handing out pamphlets to minors. Every Messianic Jewish Israeli knows that is against the law, but it is not surprising that a Christian missionary would not either know it, or respect that it is illegal to attempt to convert a minor in Israel. This historical perspective in Lazarus' article is necessary for both Messianic Jews & Christians to know.
Recognizing the Grace
by
Donna Diorio
I won't say that Christians being drawn to evangelize Israelis is a
completely bad thing because it does serve a purpose in turning Christian
hearts toward Israel. Even though Christians have mostly read the timing of
Israel's spiritual restoration wrong, or without having an appreciation for
historic Christian persecution and/or forcing conversions of Jews, at least
some Christians understood that God DOES want to restore Israel, the Jewish people, back to relationship with
Himself through the faith of Jesus. We've gotten that much but in terms of
desired results? Not so much.
We Christians, after preaching the
Gospel to Israel to no avail, then moved to win Israelis over by gifts —
schools, hospitals, humanitarian aid, jobs and many more incentives. Israel
accepts the gifts, but not the Gospel.
According to David Lazarus' article,
this gifting strategy was adopted in the 1800's before the modern state of
Israel even existed. But Jews were in Israel and so were the Christians who
came to convert them to Christianity. To this day Christians are trying to do
the same thing now as they did in the 1800's, to persuade Israel that because
of our assistance to Israel, that it is okay for them to become Christians. It
hasn't been an effective appeal, but that hasn't slowed many down from
repeating over and over what isn't working.
Why isn't it working? Well, for one
thing because it is not in God's timing. It didn't work in the 1800's because,
if we can borrow from Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones, those dry bones had
not been called back together again to stand on its own feet as a modern nation
of Israel. There are certain things that have to be in place before it is God's
timing.
The next reason is the anointing and
the mandate from God to spread the Gospel in Israel rests on the Messianic body
in Israel. In Romans 11:9, the apostle Paul talks about how the apostolic
pillars of the faith in the first century, James, Peter and John, recognized the grace that was given by
God for Paul and Barnabas to minister and preach the Gospel to the
nations.
In our day that is what is missing
in reverse: for the nations to recognize the grace given by God to minister the
Gospel in Israel rests on the Messianic Jews of Israel. That's what's missing here, "recognition
of the grace."
David Lazarus wrote the fact that
should be clearly recognizable by now, "Christian
missions to Israel have been trying to convert Jews to Christ for over 200
years – without much success. As the Messianic Jewish movement emerged in the
1970s and began forming Messianic congregations around the country, Jews
started coming to believe in Yeshua (Jesus), and people got nervous."
When Israel became a state — when
the dry bones came together as a body and stood on its own feet — that is when
the timing of God for the spiritual restoration of Israel began unfolding. In
1948 there were only 20 documented Messianic Jews in Israel, we know because
Israel offered the financial incentive if they
would leave, but they wouldn't. Now 73 years later best estimates are
that 15-20,000 Israeli Messianic Jews exist.
After the 1970's Jesus Movement in
America produced the Messianic Movement, a great many of those Messianic Jews
who became believers, including congregational leaders, followed the Spirit's
call to immigrate to Israel. They left lives that were a lot more comfortable,
a lot easier, a lot better financially and
a lot less spiritually pressurized. Just living in Israel is a pressure cooker
but Messianic Jews are faced with at times intense spiritual opposition on top
of that! Why do they do it? They committed to the high calling of God for the
salvation of Israel. They are paying what it costs to be a Jewish minister of
the Gospel in Israel. In my 20 years of
hanging on the words Israeli ministries each week, rarely do I hear anything
but the hopeful pressing forward in their calling to bring the Gospel to Israelis
of every walk of life.
If only every single Christian who
understands God wants to bless Israel with the ultimate blessing of faith in
Yeshua, would also have the "recognition of the grace" that rests on
the Israeli Messianic believers to bring the Gospel to their own people, we
could make a great leap forward in this. Then those who really wanted
to help to Israel come to faith in greater numbers, would become
"help-mates" to those who are laboring in Lord's harvest in their own
land. Help-mates who would support the outreaches of the congregations and
ministries in Israel who are ministering the Gospel to Israelis. Help-mates in
supplying humanitarian aid through the Messianic ministries in Israel, which
greatly enhances their standing in their cities and regions.
What a great difference we would see spring
forth as congregations and ministries were able to bring on salary
believer need to best do the job of spreading the Gospel —that God-called
evangelist that needs to feed his family of five and can't without an
income. Or ministry staff. Or equipment
or more finances for the outreaches.
What a difference it would make if
Christians didn't think they had to be the boots on the ground, when the real
effectiveness has already been demonstrated to be the boots that are already on
the ground —the boots worn by Israeli Messianic believers who already walking a
mile in the same living experiences as other Israelis. Christians are used by
God in the whole world to witness to Jews in their nations. In Israel there is
another dynamic and that dynamic is completely overlooked by those who want to
go to Israel more than they want to see an effective witness go forth in
Israel. (Oops! Did I just say that out loud?)
What
a difference when Christians comprehend that our role is to pray for the
breath of the Holy Spirit to enter the dry bones so Israel can come spiritually
to life in Messiah. What a difference when Christians realize our call from God
is to pray for the salvation of Israel, and to be help-mates of those laborers
in the Lord's harvest in Israel. We
don't have to physically be those laborers, but we have to support the laborers
who are there to do their ministries, and to continue training younger
generations of Israelis to join the spiritual labor force. It is so close. Can't you feel it?
Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly
Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli
Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Rania Sayegh of the Nazareth House of Prayer &
Exploits sends a report on the Arab Deborahs Meeting which featured teaching by Barbara
Yoder. You may have never seen an Israeli Christian Arabs
worship meeting before. Please watch The
teaching was in English translated into Arabic, you can view it here. She also writes, " We do not
know if we will be able to secure the new build that we shared in the vision
but we are trusting God that His timing is perfect. Either the building will
remain available, or He will lead us to another beautiful property. If you want
to give towards this project, please add "New
Building Project." We are rejoicing in the amazing provision that has
already come in. We still need $230,000 for the first payment."
Evan Levine, who is also a worship leader and recorded worship minister in
Israel, has been doing many groundbreaking humanitarian projects in Israel from
the beginning of the HaTikva project - things so one else was doing like the
Dental Clinics set up to help the Messianic believers get affordable dental
work and also to help the needy unbelievers too. Then came their entry into
adoption and foster parenting. The latest is to open one of the first emergency
shelters of its kind in Israel for vulnerable children called HaTikvah House. Great
humanitarian operation to plant seed donations in.
The latest Maoz Israel
Report is out and Shani Ferguson is asking, Four Elections
in Two Years: Why? Shani
writes, "Though Israelis are incredibly
liberal on social issues, the need for security, due to being surrounded by
Jewish-hating nations, takes priority in people’s minds over internal issues."
But that vote may not go to Netanyahu because as she notes, " There is no
question Netanyahu has done a good job over the years of protecting Israel from
its enemies and moving Israel away from the socialist sphere into a solid
capitalistic culture. So what’s the problem? His weakness is in the way he
rules—which has become more obtrusive in the last few years as threats of a
corruption trial intensified. "
At
present the Covid vaccination deal that Netanyahu cut with Pfizer is turning
out to be as emotionally charged in dividing the Israeli public as the last
American presidential election has been U.S. citizens. The intensity of the
differing views is causing great division and should be a major prayer point
for Arrows subscriber/prayer warriors.
With that said, Arni Klien of Emmaus Way writes that his concerns are
that Israel is leading the way in what may be the most dramatic restrictive
policies in the world with regard to the "Green Passport". A not so
gentle coercion to get citizens to take the vaccine so they are allowed to freely
move about. He is also concerned with
the voices that have arisen to call the unvaccinated "enemies." This
is a most serious prayer issue.
From the Jerusalem Intercessors for Israel Chuck Cohen writes in his Watchmen from Jerusalem Issue #1 , 2021, "Living in these chaotic and confusing days, we might wonder how we can continue to walk and co-labor with God when we are not really sure about what He is doing. Proverbs 3:5 is our answer: Trust in YHWH with all your heart [mind, emotions and will]; and lean not on your own understanding. There are times when He wants us to know His will so that we pray with our spirit and understanding (1 Cor. 14:15). Yet there are other times when we are at a loss about what is happening to us or to our world. Can we then trust Him without demanding to know what, why, how, etc.? Can we walk by faith or has that sly spirit of humanism slipped into our lives so that we insist that it must make sense to us before we step out on the water?" Read in full online
Ashdod minister Pastor Israel
Pochtar sent several videos including, this teaching on the Almond Tree —
Watchman of Spring. Also enjoy Hebrew Worship
from the heart of Israel; a Devotional Called to be
Life-Sustaining Wells of God. Plus watch this Message from Pastor Israel Pochtar: Kindness is a
muscle that we exercise through giving. Blessing the Poor and Needy
of Israel during Passover : Despite the paralyzing
effects of the pandemic, as believers and people of God we are pressing forward
boldly to bring the love and the kingdom of God to our own nation, regardless
of the circumstance, which is why we need your help!
Revive Israel article by
Asher Intrater Wisdom and the
Fear of God, an invite to the Revive Israel
Global Broadcast every Thursday at 3pm Israel time, the PDF version
of Israel's
Restoration for March 2021. They note: Our March 2021
issue for Israel’s Restoration Magazine will be available digitally only. The
United States Postal Services have been very unreliable since January 2021.
Therefore, please download the digital version here. Plus a progress
report from Youval Yanay Your Kingdom
Come Discipleship.
Watch this Passover message from Pastor Michael Beener in Sderot: This year Pesach is special, after the difficult time we experienced because of the COVID pandemic and the Islamic terrorism that we face in our city, people need to celebrate and remember that in the same way that the Lord saved us before he can also save us now, He's still in control! (All it takes is $30 US dollars to help them) Also see their focus on Walking Assistance Relief and all City of Life projects.
From David and Josie Silver of Out of Zion Ministries on Mt Carmel, VIDEO David's Latest Video Update for the week ending March 5th and an invitation to View From Carmel | Q & A Zoom meeting every Tuesday 9.00 pm
Israel time Meeting ID 823 5158
2826 Password 146188
Ariel Hyde of Tree of Life ministries sent a report on the recent Heal Our Land
prayer event. If you missed it you can still watch and pray now. He writes, "
the video we showed near the end of the live stream that reveals the truth
about abortion - will be released in English and many other languages in the
coming weeks! Please share this video stream from our Facebook, YouTube,
Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. " Ariel also shares
the testimonies of two recent people who came to faith by first viewing their
videos, one is a young lady from an Ethiopian-Israeli Jewish religious family
and the other a young woman from the United Arab Emirates! Tree of Life asks
prayers for the launch of their Pro-Life & Gospel campaign, for all the
seekers who are contacting them , and for ongoing online evangelism, the new
believers and their outreaches to the poor.
Chaim Malespin of
the Aliyah Return Center has several videos to share regarding their
outreaches, like food packages
to Immigrants and
holocaust survivors, in extreme poverty. The city called & 78 families
waiting for help. Also, Chaim, who
is master sergeant in the combat engineer elite corps, says, "Our troops need our support"
- especially the "Lone Soldiers" who have no family in Israel as a
support base. The Aliyah Return
Center works to fill in that gap and recently began renovations of a Lone soldier warm house in town, near the sea of Galilee.
ALSO from the ARC: Sunday, March 14th, 2021 – the 1st day of
Nissan. NEW International Multi Ministry 24/7 Aliyah Prayer Initiative
| Rebuilding the Altar of Prayer for
Aliyah. Please view this VIDEO . Chiam writes, "I believe that
this is a major piece of the restoration of the
Amos 9:11
Tabernacle of David (video explanation).
JOIN TODAY - Go
to Altar of Prayer Complete the form
to get involved button or by clicking Get Involved. If you have any questions, please
email: pegbyars@return.co.il
Gilad Rosinger of Radiant
Israel Ministry continues their Global Shabbat conference calls which they have
begun to livestream to their social media platforms on YouTube
OR Facebook. They also stream
other ministry times like their
interview this last week with Christina "Kiki" Kohl and also with Evangelist
Matt Cruz. check out the events on Facebook or YouTube.
Rachel Netanel is overcoming a painful broken ankle but has many testimonies of
events they have held for people who had literally nowhere else to go during
Covid restrictions - of course these events whether a baby shower or a Shabbat
dinner are all times when Rachel is able to share her faith with her guests,
many respond to the call of the Lord for their faith. The hospitality visitors
see from Rachel & Gilad and Rachel's natural boldness to speak of Yeshua,
by the Spirit's leading in light of their needs, has not only planted many
seeds of the Gospel, but it has reaped many for the kingdom of the LORD. During
one of the busiest times of her life, she broke her ankle, and has to take
injections daily for the pain. Pray for her - also for their car which is
undrivable because of extensive damage from a mud hole.
From Rachel and
Avner Boskey of Final Frontier & David's Tent: VIDEO Ezekiel 37
Institute – teaching on the Minor Prophets – Obadiah. They ask for prayer as they work on two new
projects: the complete E37
Institute teachings, and a series on the Book of Ezekiel. Subscribe to their
youtube channel Signet Ring Media.
Also get information
regarding the E37 Teaching
Institute
From the Kerem-El (God's Vineyard) congregation in Carmel, Dani & LouAnne Syag, Yonatan Arnold and Stefan & Keren Silver, they
are excited for the flowering signs of Spring again in Israel. They are happy
for the easing of covid restrictions which are allowing small groups of 10 to
meet together, and rising to 20 in a few days.
They have begun 12 small groups for a "Journey of Truth"
study. They have also been able to purchase 3/4 of the media equipment they
need for recording future ministries, services,
and studies of Kerem-El —and they have already begun to bear the fruit of
salvation through their video teachings. Please pray over these issues, also for some
health issues within the congregation, for complete healing and strength to
persevere with the uncertainty of treatment. Please pray for the financial
support of this congregation. See Giving options.
From Kehila News Israel Here is just a few of the
articles, videos and other resources you can find at Kehila (Congregation).
From the One For Israel Staff What Happens When an Israeli Arab Preaches
Jesus in Haifa? Compelled by
the Holy Spirit, he jumped up on the table, microphone in hand, and began to
preach about Jesus. But what happened next amazed us all! ...Several Israelis
accepted Yeshua on the spot, right then and there, including a prominent member
of a local synagogue. | Also, by Tuvia Pollack Congregations in Israel – Messianic and
Arab Christian – join together for Day of Prayer. And last, but not least, by Joseph
Shulam, Netivyah.org An Invitation
to Give. Joseph writes,
"These are just a few of the examples from the Apostle Paul’s letters
where he encourages the churches to make a contribution (an offering) for the
poor saints in Jerusalem. Paul bases his command and suggestion on this
Shabbat’s Torah reading from Parashat Terumah."
Urgent
HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep
in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs
Pray for Rachel Netanel who is recovering
from a broken ankle. She asks prayers for healing and for the pain to
subside. Living in a home with lots of
stairs makes it all the more difficult| A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear
family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed
recently with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are
confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her
own words| Ronit Bender wrote, I am feeling pretty good, but do have trouble climbing stairs and walking is
getting tougher for me because of my heart situation. My
cardiologist was changed by my health provider. He is very unpleasant and I
want a new one. | Rachel Netanel wrote, Please pray for me as well. I have very high blood pressure and the
doctors have sent me to have a number of tests. The results won’t come for a
while but please pray that all will be well. I do have peace in Yeshua. | Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear
wife, Elisheva | Olga Bikas is slowly recovering
from the operation, but fell and broke her ankle.
|
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