ARROWS from ZION

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Arrows from Zion 8/15/2018

17th Anniversary Issue

Priority Prayer Focus

Reading Elisheva Damkani's Facebook message Monday morning of Jacob's health status, reminded me so much of those dark days in January 2011 when our then 25-year old grandson, Karl, was lying in the ICU after being rear-ended on the Dallas tollway. We learned that he had a severe brain injury, like the "shaken baby" brain injury where there is damage in many parts of the brain. Doctors were saying he would not regain consciousness and if he did, he would be too brain damaged to function. It was weeks before he opened his eyes, and when he did, he wasn't really seeing.

Everything we heard then and everything we could see with our own eyes was devastating, discouraging. Yet, just minutes before I got the call from our grandson's mother, Kim, that morning of January 8, 2011, I had written something on Facebook:

Today I woke with no voice, my throat is sore and closed because of flu. It spoke to me of Prov 31:8-9 "Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all 'sons passing away'. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy."

Then I saw that the literal translation of 'ben chalowph' which translators rendered 'appointed to destruction' is 'sons passing away'. It is a scripture for sons, and not only for the fatherless.

That very morning I began to raise prayers for Karl among my Israel Prayer mailing list who prayed over him every step of the way from that point on. It is what you do for family.

The first month was hell. The second month we started to see signs of real awakening: he was still in a coma, but began to respond to his mom in a cognitive way. Over many months, Karl fought to reawaken to life and Israel Prayer warriors continued to pray for him until he came back to us.

Today Karl's life is a miracle and we are so glad to have him back. On June 30, 2012 Karl chose to be baptized. He awoke with the understanding that it was God who had performed a miracle in him that he might live.

I am writing this because I wanted to say thank you, again, to those who opened their mouths for those who were speechless, for "sons passing away." When our grandson was clinging to life, considered by the medical teams treating him to be a hopeless case, I did not even consider any failures he might have had in his life. It was certainly nothing people on the prayer list needed to know in order to pray to God for his life to be spared. It was not the time and could only negatively impact how people might pray for him - human beings being what we are. I include myself in that.

And what are we human beings like? I believe Yeshua addresses this with two examples in Luke 13:1-8, followed by a parable about tending the fig tree (Israel) that was not bearing fruit:

Now there were some present at that time who told Yeshua about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Yeshua answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

We know that there are many critical medical issues among us. I list them in the Weekly Summary and Arrows from Zion each week. Thank you for praying for these who need our prayers to pull out of the impossible medical odds against them. The heart of prayer for them is to really love the persons we are praying for like family - not like a theological matter or discipline.

I came across a scripture that became sort of a motto for this prayer summary, you see it at the bottom of the Arrows from Zion mailing: "Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit." Proverbs 27:18

Prayer does make the impossible, possible. Our grandson is living proof of it.

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com

Elisheva wrote that Jacob Damkani remains in a coma. Jacob's blood pressure is changing often from high to low. Pray that the doctors will zero in on the right medication to stabilize it. His breathing is not always good and Elisheva is concerned about Jacob becoming dependent on the ventilator. She is starting to seek out potential rehabilitation facilities to have it in line, but admits that it is hard to even know what will be best for him, although God does. She is watching over Jacob with faith in God's goodness and love. Please pray that Jacob will be touched by God, awakened and set back on his feet to finish running this race in the Spirit and power of the Lord.

Arni Klein writes about Jacob Damkani, "Brother Ya’acov (Jacob) Damkani for decades has been among the most well-known and well-used Messianic believers in the Land. Over three weeks ago he underwent a most delicate heart surgery. Not one of the attending physicians expected he would survive the operation. As of yet he has not opened his eyes or communicated verbally. . . . It’s hard for me to imagine the Body in Israel without this brother. His love and passion for the Name of the Lord is reminiscent of young David running to meet Goliath. "

Will you join with us in crying out to Jacob Damkani's spirit, like Lazarus of old: YA’ACOV WAKE UP. JACOB WAKE UP. The Master needs you.

Repeating from last week what I consider a most important article by Ron Cantor because I left it out of the Arrow Heads links. This mailing list is not only to raise prayer for the Israeli Ministries, but it is primarily to raise awareness of their significance to the whole body of believers throughout the world because of what God's plans for them are in these last days. That is why Ron's article The Most Powerful Site in Jerusalem that Almost No One Sees —as it peels back a layer of the veil over the eyes of the Church regarding the importance of a Messianic Jewish following of Jesus in the first century and in the current century. Read it!

Also from Ron, his new MIDDLE EAST UPDATE is available through subscribing to his mailing list. And Ron writes about a life changing trip his family made in February to Nepal...and now they are going back to lead a 2-day pastors retreat at the end of Sept. Read more in Rescued girls | Revival in Nepal

August 8th the Maoz ministry of Ari and Shira Soko-Ram wrote about the Israeli Supreme Court extension on passing a law that regulates the draft of ultra-Orthodox men into the IDF. "The ultra-Orthodox don't want to serve, because they prefer studying in Yeshivas and receiving a government-subsidized scholarship, which is much higher than what an IDF soldier receives during the service. Actually, this has been a battle for decades, and is one of the main rifts between the ultra-Orthodox society and the rest of Israel, who feel they are not pulling their weight. Now, because of the court ruling, if the coalition does not present a version of a law acceptable to all parties, the government is sure to fall. And come election time, no one really knows what will happen. Needless to say, while some will definitely profit from early elections, the situation may bring great instability, and we cannot have that. "

I know that many Christians who love Israel idealize the religious in Israel as paragons of virtue. It is not true, neither can it be for anyone who is not following hard after Yeshua, Jesus. Please develop an ability to look at Israel honestly without losing the very real sense of God's love for them and desire that they would also come to the knowledge of Yeshua, their Messiah. This is where many miss it: they look at Israel and see deep spiritual failing and dismiss that God could possibly still care about their salvation. Or the flip side of the coin is idealizing God's love for Israel and glossing over or ignoring the deep spiritual failings thinking that God will save them regardless. The Israeli Messianic believing community stands in between those two false assumptions, extending love, grace and the Gospel of Yeshua to their fellow Israelis of all walks of life. It is their family they are standing for.

From Revive Israel are several articles and videos that speak to the status of the Messianic Jews in Israel and how the Christians in the nations can impact that standing. There is the Revive Live video with Eitan Shishkoff What is the Calling of Gentiles in Israel's End Time Revival? and also Eitan's article, What Status for Messianic Jews in Israel? Asher Intrater speaks about Yeshua being rejected by religious leaders in His day and how this was one of the fulfillment's of prophecy for Him to be the Messiah, in this short video, The Rejected Stone

From Beer Sheva, Howard Bass writes about the wake-up call his town received when rockets from Gaza fell in Beer Sheva last week. "The sirens were heard for the first time in exactly four years, and surprised the locals that the conflict was heating up to this extent." Pray for Israel. Hamas is trying its hardest to provoke war with Israel, which will only serve the terrorists propaganda purposes.

Bass writes, "The God of Israel told the Jewish people that they were to be good citizens in other countries, seeking the peace of wherever He scattered them. This is also what He tells believers in Jesus wherever we live: that we are to pray for those in authority, seeking a quiet and peaceable life, and also the repentance and salvation of those leaders and peoples. The god of Islam, though, for example, has another agenda wherever Muslims are, and he calls upon them to forcefully (whether through terror or through the political process) take over a society and impose Sharia law upon all: the means may change, but the objective remains the same.) It is a spiritual battle between our God, who is good, and against the Devil, who is bad. Simplistic, and simple. People are mostly ignorant of the core issue, because we have been deceived into thinking that maybe is isn't so cut and dry, or that our God isn't the only one who has the right to determine and carry out His will. We have been saved by His grace and mercy! And He loves all, and gave His Son to die for all, wanting that they be saved and not condemned eternally." Read more in the Weekly Summary or by directly subscribing to the Nachalat Yeshua congregational email.

Ronit Bender in the northern Mediterranean coastal region of Israel writes about a visit to an English-speaking church in south Tel Aviv, where she was involved with teams ministering to drug addicts, prostitutes and street people for many years. She was delighted by the Spirit of the Lord moving in the church, located in a poverty stricken area of the city. She also writes about the heating up of Israel's borders —and her plans to be in the US in October. Because of this, she will not go to Jerusalem for Sukkot high holidays in September, but will remain in Haifa.

Orna Grinman writes part 5 of “Back to Beit Lehem” The Jordan Journey, Looking Over From Mount Nebo Read more online by clicking the linked title.

Because the Jerusalem Institute of Justice emails are sent as images rather than text, the best I can do is give you the link to their latest email regarding how JIJ is blessing Holocaust Survivors and Lone IDF Soldiers.

From Tikkun International: More from Eitan Shishkoff in No Room For Small Dreams | | Regardless of what you think of former Israeli President Shimon Peres’ politics, his life story is a parable of the rebirth and the flourishing of modern Israel. Reading his autobiography, No Room for Small Dreams (London, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2017), I am freshly inspired to plant my life in this miracle nation.

Also from Tikkun, this article by Avi & Hannah Tekle at Tents of Mercy, Recharged Batteries And Renewed Perspectives and Asher Intrater writes on Delivery Man, a good reality check on what it means to be an apostle.

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 also for Israel intercessors/supporters in other nations with urgent health needs: Jeurgen at ICEJ, Karen and Yonit in Israel. Also for Israel intercessors: Cecelia Toth, Arlene Stucki, Una Gere, Mo Murray, also from our friend Steve in the UK for his wife Elizabeth.

A special appeal for prayers for Israel intercessor Debra Koen Abernethy (from Mississippi) who in early March had a successful double lung transplant in another state (Alabama), but there were complications and five months later, Debra is still in the Alabama hospital with a stomach pump and no food by mouth. The complications were immobility of the esophagus and pneumonia. Her husband has taken a small apartment there to be near. He is a veterinary in Mississippi. Please Pray!

Praying the Headlines

Barry and Batya Segal of the Jerusalem News Network are reporting a Baby Boom is being reported throughout Israel with 10% higher rates of newborn deliveries. Also reporting that 2.4 million tourists have visited Israel so far in 2018 - a 17% increase over this time in 2017. Also see details of their upcoming Succot Celebrations Sep 25-27, 2018.

Teaching Articles

Martin Sarvis takes a look at the missing Yeshua scriptures from rabbinic Torah portion readings (the Haftarah portions) - the portions of Scripture that have been excised because they relate to the Anointed Messiah Yeshua. That include Isaiah 53 which was the Haftarah portion a couple of weeks ago. Sarvis notes that even a secular academic noted the missing passages and their correlation to Jesus in his 2005 arcticle for HaAretz, “What happened to Jesus’ haftarah?” by Hananel Mack. And, Sarvis writes, " Certainly, the Messianic Jews of the 1st Century were aware of to whom it was referring. "

"But all of Israel is starving for the truths of Chapter 53. During the past decade, Handel’s oratorio Messiah has for the first time begun to be performed annually in Hebrew in different cities in Israel. At the heart of this exalted work lies Isaiah 53, and with a clear message as to whom it refers! For many in the audiences, this is a first exposure to this chapter of Life from their own Scriptures. PLEASE PRAY: That the Holy Spirit will awaken a curiosity which will lead many Jews to this year search out and read Isaiah 52:13-53:12. Pray for the “veil” to be lifted, that they may see and have understanding and believe in the one who came first to live and release Kingdom life among us, to suffer and “bear the sin of many”—to die and be buried, to be raised to see His seed and prolong His days. Pray for revelation of this righteous One, the knowledge of whom “justifies many!”

The Israeli Messianic Marketplace Feature of the Week:

My sense is that the critical health crisis of several of the Israeli ministry leaders is part of the demonic attempt to thwart God's restoration of the healing ministry of Yeshua in the land of Israel. Healing was not an incidental part of the ministry of Yeshua, it was a dramatic spiritual eye opener too. As healing is restored to the ministry of the Body of Messiah in Israel, it will also be a dramatic spiritual eye opener. That is why, I believe, the enemy has been attacking the leaders of the Israeli Messianic body attempting to turn faith into unbelief.

We are standing for the restoration of spiritual sight to the blind in Israel. My sense is that healing will play a major role in the ministry of Yeshua as the body of Messiah goes forth in the land. We know there is always a battle involved when God is restoring what has been lost. It should not surprise us that the battle would try to overtake the men and women of God who are leading the restoration of faith in Israel. Please pray that God will complete the good work He has begun in these leaders, raising them to health as a testimony to His love and greatness. - Donna Diorio

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle
Eddie Santoro was excited with all that was going on in his life as pastor of a thriving and growing congregation in the heart of the city of Jerusalem. Feeling fulfilled and full of energy, he and his wife Jackie were thrilled to be spiritual parents—even spiritual grandparents—to so many in these days. Then suddenly, three years ago, deadly cancer exploded in his brain. The doctors declared a certain and quick death. But God declared life! And Eddie not only survived, he was transformed and prepared to overcome the next battle.

LIFTED UP is more than the incredible account of Eddie Santoro’s trials and victory over multiple cancers, it is the inspirational testimony of being lifted up and transformed. It is the story of learning how to overcome through the power of love and the Word of God.

In this book, you will discover the truth of this same overcoming power that you can apply in your life. Trials and tribulations are difficult to face, but the authority and power that is ours through our faith and our love of Yeshua knows no boundary. In every situation, Jesus is the victor! As you read and apply these truths, your life will be also be transformed and victory will be yours.

________________________________________

Donna Diorio
donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com

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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Arrows from Zion 8/8/2018

Priority Prayer Focus

Elisheva Damkani writes that Jacob is showing signs of consciousness even though he remains unconscious. It reminded me of a biblical term, that Jacob was showing signs of "wakefulness" and that there was something prophetic about that term.

It is from Jeremiah 1 The vision of the almond tree, where God reassures a "watcher" (the prophet Jeremiah) during a stressful time of history, that He is watching over His Word to perform it.

The vision of the almond branch is a play on words. "The name of the almond-tree (here the poetical, not the common, name) made the symbol yet more expressive. It was the watcher, the tree that “hastens to awake” (shâkêd) out of its wintry sleep, and thus expresses the divine haste *which would not without cause* delay the fulfillment of its gracious promise, but would, as it were, make it bud and blossom, and bear fruit."

We are also in such a time historically, watching for the awakening of the Church to its true connection to the Israeli Messianic body. It is a stressful period of history for all of Israel, yet even more for all the "watchers" - the evangelists like Jacob, the pastors, like Eddie Santoro. Those that have gone on to the LORD like David Davis, Esther Moore and, from many, many years ago, Ilan Zamir, a uniting brother beloved by all the Israeli ministries.

They are, and were, all watching over their people for the promise of God for Israel, these almond boughs "hastening to awake" Israel out of its wintry sleep, the "Chosen People" out of their long exile from their God through awakening to Messiah Yeshua.

I see Jacob literally in that state now, a watcher — an early bloomer — that God is reassuring His promise WILL be fulfilled, that Israel will bloom just as Jacob has spent his life watching over.

The almond tree is the first to bloom when Spring is coming, that is why it is called the watcher. Those who are ministering the in the Name of Yeshua in Israel are all like the early blooming almond trees. God is promising that He will not delay the fulfillment of "Spring" without cause - but Israel will bud, blossom and bear fruit as He has promised, and as the watchers have believed.

This fantastic photo is of almond trees blooming in Jerusalem

________________

Yesterday was my 67th birthday & mid-August is the start of my 18th year
of Weekly Summaries of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries. Praise the Lord!
Thanks to Lollie in South Africa for creating that fab birthday greeting

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com

Howard and Randi Bass return from three weeks in Zambia where they were ministering in conferences about "The Blessing of Abraham to Africa and The World" and “Preparing for The Second Coming of Our King JESUS in Glory, and All Eyes Shall See Him”. In an outlying area of Lubumbashi, as primary and secondary school carries the name, the H. Randi Bass School! What a blessing when the Israeli ministries go out into the nations, to bless as the scripture records (Genesis 22:17-18): "I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” And Micah 4:2: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

Their prayer request for the Yeshua's Inheritance Congregation which "is going through a flux period, at least for the next year" with key ministers on-the-move and potentially on-the-move for continued education. Also "there are renovations which need to be done at the congregational home, and we need a common agreement among the leadership team, and wisdom and financial support to do what is appropriate."

The latest Maoz Israel report contains a real gem of Israeli Messianic history that we encourage you to read, called 1988: First Messianic Jewish Conference in Jerusalem in 1900 Years . This will give you a great sense of the pioneering work that has been going on among the "Baby Boom" aged generation of Messianic Jews in Israel, many of whom immigrated from the USA after being saved in the Jesus movement. A whole other chapter of that experience unfolded as these new Jewish believers in Yeshua discovered their authentic heritage and returned to the Jewish homeland to share it. Great article and collection of pictures from Shira Sorko-Ram.

See also in the August Maoz Report, Israel, God's Sign of the Times and Advancing Israel's Messianic Community through Education

Intercessors for Israel (IFI) give prayer points based on their Friday prayer session for Israel. This week they cover the serious developments in Syria, Iran and the 5-year drought in Israel. Even though there has been unusual summer rain, Israel is desperate for water. Please pray according to the points that are provided in the Weekly Summary. If you no longer receive the Weekly Summary, you can write me at donna@israelprayer.com to go back on that mailing list. Or, you can subscribe directly to the IFI mailing list. They also note their January 21-28 dates for the IFI International Prayer Conference.

Ron Cantor writes about The Most Powerful Site in Jerusalem that Almost No One Sees and you will be surprised to hear that it is the Upper Room, the first Messianic synagogue in Israel. Why is it that 99.9% of tourists miss understanding where they are, "and sadly, even educated tour guides don’t realize its significance. Millions of tourists pass through this site every year. In fact, I would guess that less than 1% of 1% realize that when they are in the Upper Room, they are actually standing in a building that became the first Messianic Synagogue." Our body of faith began in Jerusalem & it's time to embrace our earliest history. Ron also writes about 5 Keys to Know God—through Suffering .

Asher Intrater writes about the significance behind Abraham Had Three Wives —what was God's purpose in that?! Plus two videos Cody and Asher talk about the Progression of Apostles in the New Covenant and Cody's teaching on Growing in Spiritual Gifts

Orna Grinman, A Sign & Example ministry, continues on her blog with Part 4 of her “Back to Beit Lehem”, The Jordan Journey: Zigzagging - this is what we did on our first day on the road. “Hebrewism” - as I started calling it, trying to start feeling comfortable with this word in my mouth. Crossing over the wounded rift again and again. South to north on the […]

After months and travels to prepare for a new season of ministry in their lives, Joel and Teresa Jelski are settling in to their new locale of northern Israel, far different from the city of Jerusalem they are so used to. But now the next phase of their ministry life is on with a heavy emphasis on discipling. They now work under Fields Of Wheat, in the Katzir National Youth Camps, and the Olive Tree Discipleship and Agriculture program. They are also settling in to a new community of believers in the north under the oversight of Eitan Shishkoff. Joel will be in Texas Oct 18 - Nov 6. If you want to connect, write him!

Evan and Maala Thomas from the Netanya Beit Asaph congregation are off to Europe with a ministry team, while another of the congregation teams is in Uganda. They ask for prayers over both ministry teams - and fruit to come out of them with a special focus to those local communities ministering to Muslim refugees.

Martin Sarvis in Jerusalem writes background and prayer points for Andrew Brunson, the American Evangelical pastor of a congregation in Izmir (ancient Smyrna) who has suffered in a Turkish prison since December 2016, was released just over a week ago to house-arrest. He still faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted on charges of terror and espionage, charges of which he insists he is innocent.

Martin also shares how important an article by Dr Michael Brown which was recently in the Christian (Jerusalem) Post called Israel’s Looming Civil War. It is about how Israel's fragile democracy hangs in balance between traditional and progressive movements: "a steadily widening area of conflict within the heart of Israeli society, of which many are unaware. He also admirably synthesizes several aspects of Israel’s complicated governmental system, which are essential to have clarified if we are to understand much of what is happening in the news and be able to pray effectively. The “war” Brown sees this conflict building towards, is itself part of a great and very real spiritual war, which finds both sides (ultra-Orthodox and liberal secular Israeli Jews) in bondage to powers of darkness battling to keep them from light, truth, and the righteousness which is the only thing that will establish and exalt their nation."

Truth be known, the whole world is in the grip of the same battle —the war between the liberal seculars and the religious, although in the nations, instead of the religious being ultra-Orthodox, they are fundamentalist Islamist. The hope lies in the faith of Yeshua.

Often Israel is referred to as the "Canary nation". It comes from the mining practice of keeping a canary in the mine because if there is a problem with air quality, it is the canary that is the first to keel over dead. It is important to pay attention always to what is happening in Israel, the spiritual Canary among the nations.

Also enclosed in the Weekly Summary are several examples of the type of high quality, real-time commentary that Dr. Daniel C. Juster is posting on his official Facebook page. Among those I copied and pasted are his posts on The Nation State Law in Israel, The Surrogate Law and the LGBT Movement in Israel, and Frustrations on the Netanyahu Government. It's a great follow and acompletely different focus than his Twitter feed.

From KehilaNews.com just a few of the many articles and videos last week:

Another view of Israel’s Nation State Law | by Lisa Loden Jul 31, 2018 | The recently passed Nation State Law has received a lot of publicity and not a little controversy since it was voted into law last week. Being a follower of Yeshua, a concerned citizen and a member of a minority group; I had hoped and prayed that this proposed legislation would not become law. To my sorrow, it was passed into law, albeit by a very narrow margin.

Walking in His peace – The southern steps of Temple Mount | by Reuven Doron | Reuven writes, "While God is real and can make Himself known to anyone anywhere (as He is doing all the time), a visit to the Land of Israel does draw any person of faith closer to the Creator."

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

CONTINUED URGENT PRAYER FOR JACOB DAMKANI | and EDDIE SANTORO Following a 2nd brain surgery, Eddie has now started a biological drug which drug is given intravenously twice a month. According to the doctor, this particular treatment is very effective in 60% of the cases. | See latest update on Jacob Damkani above | Ruth Nessim appears to be on the repair and currently out of the country with her son after suffering from severe Gastro-Enteritis which she had 5 attacks of within a 2-month period. Con't prayers | Rachel Netanel took a fall and has broken her leg. Pray for quick healing. In April she learned she had a polyp on her vocal cords. Please pray for complete healing for this evangelist in Israel. | Olga Bikas continues to suffer from chronic, acute back pain. She is getting medication and physiotherapeutic treatments but without any substantial improvement |
Sensitive Information | I cannot share names of several who have asked for prayers for the last several months for certain of their grandchildren who are afflicted, even tormented. The enemy not only strikes at us through our children, but also our through our grandchildren. Please pray for these Israeli grandmothers crying out to God silently for their grandchildren. | Pray also for Israel intercessors/supporters in other nations with urgent health needs: Jeurgen, Karen and Yonit in Israel. Debra Koen Abernethy, Cecelia Toth, Arlene Stucki, Una Gere, Mo Murray, also from our friend Steve in the UK for his wife Elizabeth.

Because thousands of people were praying for Esther internationally, many hundreds of condolences were offered publicly on social media the day after Esther's passing. This is the first communication from one of her parents, Rick Ridings, that was written on August 1st, received at Israelprayer August 7th:

"Our Dear Daughter Esther is with the Lord"

As I write this, it is one week since our precious daughter, Esther, “graduated” into the Eternal Presence of the Lord. I would like to share a few understandings that have emerged as we have processed her “home-going”. This is not meant to be a theological teaching, but rather a transparent sharing of what we have come to apprehend spiritually at this point.

We had to reconcile in our hearts why when we called her spirit back into her body on July 1st, there was an “awakening” that surprised and shocked the doctors, and yet when we did the same thing on July 24th and 25th, she did not “awaken” on this earth, but in the arms of her heavenly Bridegroom, Yeshua (Jesus).

On July 30th, Esther went into a state of unconsciousness marked by extremely low levels of oxygen and other vital signs. The doctors told Will, Esther’s husband, to inform her parents and sisters to come to the hospital in Mexico to say “goodbye” to her unconscious body and to prepare for her funeral. I had seen someone raised from the dead many years ago in Belgium after being pronounced dead about 15 or 20 minutes earlier. In that instance, she died during a worship service and she was sitting directly behind us. The Lord spoke strongly into my spirit to call that woman’s spirit back into her body. Patricia was holding the lady’s hand and felt the coldness leave, and warmth return. The lady started trembling and saying, “Thank you Jesus for giving me back my life”. A Moslem who was in that meeting gave his life to Jesus that day.

On June 30th, I felt this same compulsion from the Lord concerning Esther, and wrote immediately to Will to call her spirit back into her body. I was in an isolated area of South Africa, and got on the phone with my wife, Patricia, who was already in a hotel in England on the way to Esther. We felt from the Lord we were to cry out for Esther’s spirit to come back into her body. The next morning, when Will came into her room, Esther was not only conscious, but sitting up and speaking, with no brain damage from the long time of low oxygen levels. When her primary doctor came in, expecting to see her unconscious, he was so shocked he said, “I’ve got shivers all over my body!”

By the time we all arrived, it was for a celebration of life rather than to say “goodbye”. Although Esther still faced great challenges because her body was still fighting cancer, sepsis (an often fatal blood infection), and a severe, rare form of pneumonia, she was able to progress well with therapy for patients who have been under extended periods of sedation in ICU. However, this time she didn’t recover as we had hoped.

AFTER HER HOMEGOING ON JULY 25TH, THE QUESTION AROSE IN OUR HEARTS AS TO WHY SHE DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR SAME CRIES FOR HER SPIRIT TO RETURN INTO HER BODY THIS TIME. HERE IS WHAT PATRICIA AND I BELIEVE:

On July 1st, it was not yet time for Esther to go home to the Lord. After a few days, she began to communicate what had happened that night of June 30th. She said she had felt a great tug of war going on with powers of darkness trying to pull her down into death before her time, but she could feel the intercessors, and most of all, the Lord, pulling on the other side. She said at a certain moment it was so hard she felt she wanted to let go, but the Lord would not let her go. She returned to life.

Esther later communicated to Bethany, her older sister, that during that time she had gone up, up, up and through a long tunnel until she saw a great light - into the Presence of the Father. He showed her Will and all of us who were calling her spirit back into her body, and the Lord allowed her to decide. She came back.

Esther was making good progress when her body suddenly went into another crisis on July 20th. After she had been in a coma more than 36 hours, the doctors did a CT Scan of her brain, and found a brain tumor, and that the upper, cognitive part of her brain (that controls thinking, speaking, etc) had failed.

By about 6:00 PM on July 24th, a doctor informed us that, short of a miracle, she would soon be gone, probably within two hours. We, and a great army of intercessors who had been praying for her, prayed for a miraculous healing and we thought maybe she would surprise us again. Patricia had received the Scripture that “the Lord will come at the break of day”. Will, Patricia, and I took turns praying at her side through the night.

About 5:30 AM, as I was sitting near her, Will suddenly awoke with what he said felt like a “jolt of electricity” and knew something had changed. He put his ear on Esther’s chest and felt her heart beat and then stop, just at the “break of dawn”. She was officially pronounced dead at 5:50 AM. The medical staff very graciously said yes to our request to have some more time with her body before they would take it away. For over an hour we prayed resurrection for her and called on her spirit to come back into her body.

Why did it not happen this time? I must honestly admit that even though I prayed for resurrection, I did not have the same sense of a firm word from the Lord like I had on June 30th.

This time, Esther was not agitated before going into the coma. IN FACT, ESTHER’S LAST WORDS BEFORE GOING INTO A COMA AND THEN ON HOME TO THE LORD WERE THE HEBREW WORDS: “HODU L’ADONAI KI TOV”. IN ENGLISH THAT MEANS “GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD. There were no signs of a struggle, but rather of deep peace as she went into the coma and a few days later into the eternal Presence of the Lord.

Will shared an amazing vision he had at her bedside at 7:00 pm on July 24th: “I had such a beautiful vision of her last night. When we first stood together in silence at 7pm it was like I was back at our wedding waiting for Esther under the Chuppa. It was the clearest vision I have ever seen. I saw her dancing down the aisle to me again but as I stood there I saw my suit change and I knew it wasn't me standing there any more it was Yeshua. All the emotion I had when I stood under the Chuppa came back. The excitement of seeing how happy she was dancing down the aisle and how in love and absolutely captivated by her beauty I was. It was the happiest moment of my life. I knew in that moment Yeshua was seeing his bride come and he felt all those feelings even more now as she danced towards him. He is her true husband and I know how joyful she is now. Even more than when she danced to me.”

We later saw the text of a vision sent by a friend of our daughter, Anna, which she had received shortly after Esther went into the coma, but which was not sent to us until after her home-going. It said:

“Last night as I was praying for Esther, I got a picture of strips of white cloth being wrapped around her body, and I said "No, Jesus! Esther should LIVE not die!" Then Jesus reminded me of how Lazarus came out of the tomb with grave cloths wrapped around him because Jesus spoke life back into him, and I said "Jesus, You are able! Speak LIFE back into Esther! Our faith is placed in You, and in Your powerful love for Esther and Will and their little son and the whole family. They have been fighting this battle on their knees - in praise and worship."

And then I had a sensing of how very pleased the Father's heart is because of your faith in Him - how you have given a powerfully reminder to the dark forces of evil that Your God is able and kind and good, and He is your strength! Abba delights in each of you dear family members - for entrusting Him with your precious one, and choosing to do so in faith in His ability to heal Esther. You have honoured Him, and He will honour you for it!

At this time, the Father's ability has not lessened nor changed - He is our sufficient, loving Healer!! Then as I continued to pray, God again gave me the picture of grave cloths being wrapped around Esther, and I said "Father, what does this mean?"

And He said that Esther was called back to life - more than once in these past weeks, and she did come forth - the pictures posted prove that - she was outside, with her husband and family - full of joy and beauty!

Abba then showed me that what I saw were not grave cloths anymore, they were the cocoon which was being unwrapped from around Esther's body, because she would soon be set free, like a butterfly escaping the restraints of the cocoon that had restricted it - flying free!

Then I prayed, "Jesus, if Esther is being delivered and set free from the weights that have been hindering her - the pain and sickness, and if you are freeing her to Life eternal - setting her free to praise You forever, then we want to praise You for another miracle of LIFE - knowing that you have shown Your power - You have given her extended life here on earth, and You are giving her LIFE eternal. YOU ARE LIFE, and You live in Esther! I ask that Your Spirit would hover over Will and the whole family, ministering peace and a deep sensing of Your goodness and love for them, and for dear Esther. Life is not being taken from Esther - it is being given to her - show them clearly and whisper your love in their ears, dear Jesus - our living HOPE, Amen."

This morning I am praying Zephaniah 3:14 - 17 over Esther and Will and the entire family. Our God has spoken LIFE over Esther, here on earth and in her forever Home, and nothing can take that away!”

We believe that it is Yeshua (Jesus) who holds the keys of death and hell, and that the enemy cannot take us before the Lord’s time to call us home to Himself, our glorious Bridegroom. We believe that on June 30th, the powers of darkness were trying to pull Esther into death ahead of the Lord’s timing. But on July 25th, at the break of dawn, the loving heart of her eternal Bridegroom Yeshua (Jesus) called Esther into perfect eternal wholeness at His side. An Israeli young woman who knew Esther, Liat Ashel, shared this with us:

I asked Jesus, “why did you take Esther?” And what I received was: “She was ready – like a prepared bride or a ripe fruit.”

Although we don’t pretend to understand it all, we do rejoice that our dear Esther is now dancing with her heavenly Bridegroom, and He is taking great delight in this mature, ripe fruit of her refined love for Him. May her example inspire many to live a life prepared and set apart for Yeshua (Jesus). Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Esther’s burial will be August 15th in Bath England. This will be followed by a funeral “home-going” service at 2: 30 PM at the Bath City Church, which will be open to all who desire to attend. We will then have a special memorial service in Jerusalem at Succat Hallel on Sunday, August 26th at 7:30 PM.

Thank you for your prayers for our family at this time, especially for Esther’s husband Will, and their four-year-old son, Caleb. - Rick Ridings, August 1st, 2018

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The Israeli Messianic Marketplace Feature of the Week:

8/5/18 Caspari Media Review Jerusalem Caspari Center for Biblical and Jewish Studies subscriptions@caspari.com http://caspari.com | The Caspari Media Review is a valuable resource that tracks and summarizes news items in Israel that appear in Hebrew only which are related to Messianic Jews and/or Christians.

Christian Tourism | Haaretz, July 30, 2018 | The Franciscans of Terra Sancta in the Old City of Jerusalem have opened a museum dedicated to exploring what life would have looked like in the Holy Land during the time of Jesus. There has long been a need for this sort of museum. Christianity is a major world religion, and its connection to the Holy Land draws in millions of tourists annually. However, if these tourists wanted to learn more about life in the Holy Land during the 1st century, with a focus on Christian history, they could not, until recently, have found a museum dedicated to the task. Unfortunately, the unveiling of the museum happened without much notice from official Israeli authorities, such as the Ministry of Tourism or the Jerusalem Municipality. The author argued that the event was ignored and received little press from governing authorities, thus perpetuating “the ignorance” of the Israeli public about the life of Jesus and the connection between Christianity and the Holy Land.

The museum is located in the Eastern part of the Old City, at the Church of Flagellation on the Via Delarosa. Father Eugenio Alliata, professor of archaeology and the head of the museum, explained that the museum is now in its third incarnation. It was originally established in 1902. The artifacts introducing the life of Jesus originate from Galilee, Bethlehem, the Herodium, and Jordan. Some artifacts have been sitting in the Franciscan warehouse for 100 years and will now be shown for the first time. Two more museum wings will be unveiled over the next two years.

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