Israel Prayer Letter April/May 2011 Dear Israel friends, Writing the Prayer Letter is always an adventure, so many things come one's way. Streams of information need to be canalized on the basis of a relationship, the relationship with God. Weighing, through prayer and searching, what should be written in the letter, and what should not. A word that many intercessors have experienced as a commissioning is 'vigilance'. "Be on guard! Be alert!"(Mark 13:33) "What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" (Mark 13:37) These things Jesus tells us in the 'discourse on the end of the age'. So read them in context and act accordingly. Continue to be vigilant, in Christ. Pieter Bénard, prayer coordinator. ALIYAH Aliyah, the return of Jews to the promised land, continues unabated. They are coming from the four corners of the earth, as the Biblical prophets foresaw. - Pray and give thanks for the Jews in Ethiopia - the South. They are returning by the hundreds monthly. Pray for those who still have to stay in a relief centre in Gondar for a while. For protection, for good preparation to modern Israeli society, and for successfully learning Hebrew. - Pray and give thank? for the Jews in Georgia - the North. During the war with Russia in 2008 more than a thousand returned to Israel head over heels. Now the numbers are around 25 per month. About 8,000 Jews still live in Georgia. - Pray and give thanks for the Jews in, especially, France and Canada, North-America and the Netherlands - the West. Not only in these four countries, but all over the West there are Jews who prepare and make plans to return to Israel. - Pray and give thanks for the Jews in China and India - the East. There are communities living there, that consider themselves Jewish, who to some degree live Jewish culture and adhere to Jewish religion. Rabbis from Israel are investigating to what degree they are Jewish. The tribe of Manasseh has been mentioned. Pray for this situation, that God will reach His goal. And if it turns out that they are actually Jewish, that they will indeed make Aliyah on the basis of the Law of Return! - Concluding, pray for those Israelis who, for whatever reason, have left Israel again to live in another country. Do not be startled - there are several hundred thousands of them. Pray that they will realize that the best place to live is the country that was promised to them. THE NATIONS / EUROPE Concerning the theme of Israel /Jerusalem below in this letter I cite from Isaiah 60 verses 1 and 3, about the light and glory that will rise on Zion. In the verse in-between this is written: "See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples," This is becoming more and more apparent in the behavior of many peoples towards the Jewish people in Israel. The great power of the Arab-Islamic lobby is most apparent at the United Nations. There the Organization of Islamic Countries, with its power block of 57 countries, is able to push through anything directed against the State of Israel. Many dictatorial countries support this power block because of the many similarities, many democratic countries support this power block because of Oil. Since the 1973 Oil Crisis the Arab League is the most powerful lobby group among the democratic countries of Europe, when they consider their standpoints with regard to Israel! - Pray for this situation on the basis of Psalm 2: the nations conspire, but God mocks them. - Pray on the basis of Isaiah 60, that nations will go up to the glory of Zion. - Give thanks for God's Word. Not a single people needs to remain in darkness: light and peace are available without limitation - but only in Jerusalem, not in Rome, New York or Geneva. - Pray on the basis of Psalm 33:10: "The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples." As an intercessor, you are aware how the mass media treat Israel: a more one-sided and stigmatizing approach can hardly be imagined. Day after day all over the world there are shocking examples of this. How does this arise? Within the United Nations the Palestinians have all kinds of special arrangements, which no other group has. Like their own Day of Solidarity, their own aid department and two information departments of their own. These departments cry out this and that and the other, which is readily and automatically copied by journalists all over the world. This strongly reminded me of a statement by Abraham Lincoln: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." - Pray that the truth about Israel, her origin, her wars of defense, her sincere endeavors for peace, will be more widely known. - Pray that the power of lying, intimidation and deception will be broken. This is a strong power, but not invincible! God is King. - Pray that the eyes and hearts of people working in the mass media will be opened to Israel, and that they will investigate with sincerity and honesty, when they visit the country. - Pray that preachers and pastors, who cause great damage to Israel working from their theology of replacement, will start reading the Bible and obtain a correct understanding. That where the text mentions Israel, Israel is actually meant, and Jerusalem really refers to Jerusalem. Pray that God will open their eyes and hearts to the prophetic word, and that they will discover that it is being fulfilled in our time. The threat of war from Iran is taking an ever more definite shape, as in the beginning of this year they have stationed war ships in the Mediterranean. And got a harbor in Syria at their disposal with storage facilities for weapons and ammunition. - Pray for this serious and escalating situation on the basis of Psalm 83. Psalm 93 opens with: "The Lord reigns." And Psalm 94 with: "The LORD is a God who avenges." - Thank God and pray for Israel and the surrounding peoples on the basis of these two aspects of God's omnipotence. ISRAEL /JERUSALEM In February in Holland we organized three concerts of 'Tzahal', with a total of 2500 visitors. Not only did we enjoy the music and singing of this Israeli army band, but also we prayed together with them for the release of Gilad Shalit, the soldier that has been held captive by the terrorist organization Hamas for more than four years. I share with you the moving words of this sung prayer - continue to pray for his safety and release! A song for Gilad "The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not fear My lips whisper: here I am, Far away from my father and mother I call out to You; lift me up, cause me To return from captivity. I ask for life, do not turn a deaf ear to me Answer me, my Father, even though I whisper. Answer me, from the place of my Imprisonment I call out Answer me from silence I am the man who longs for life Be swift to rescue me For the leader of the choir, a song, a Psalm for Gilad. With You is my lot, Maker of heaven. I have heard voices from afar, pleading for my freedom. Words, hewn out upon the water Even the man of peace was a stranger to me I have trusted in You, I will not lose You. Answer me, from the place of my Imprisonment I call out Answer me from silence I am the man who longs for life Be swift to rescue me The shortage of fresh (drinking) water in Israel is still extreme. So far the winter has not brought sufficient rain and snow. - Pray for an extreme quantity of rain in the month of April; pray that God will do a miracle, on the basis of Isaiah 41:17-20. Verse 17 describes a search for water and God's answer to prayer. Verse 18 reflects miracles of water provision. Verse 19 reflects miracles of planting. And verse 20 gives the reason of this all, the recognition that it is the hand of the Lord which did this. - Pray that the Israeli people will come to acknowledge that, in spite of all their technological abilities with desalinization installations, they still need God. - Pray for good and safe holidays, starting with Passover from 17 to 26 April. Here follows a liturgical text, which is sung on Passover eve in every Jewish home. Use the words of this prayer to protect the Jewish people from danger and enemies. "And it is this [covenant, promise] that has stood for our Forefathers and us. For not just one enemy has stood against us to wipe us out. But in every generation there have been those who have stood against us to wipe us out, and the Holy One Blessed Be He saves us from their hands." [Vehi sheamdah, classical version] Sunday 1 May will be Yom ha-Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). A day of painful recollections for most of the more than 200,000 survivors of the Shoah that live in Israel; many are sick and lonely. Fortunately there are ever more initiatives to help and visit them. - Give thanks and pray for those that support survivors of the Shoah. This is an intense but rewarding job. For after years of silence these survivors revive and experience healing of their memories. - Pray for the survivors of Shoah in (all of) Israel. Israeli society is modern; pray that they will receive sufficient attention and love from within society. - Pray also for the government, that right measures will be taken to help this vulnerable group wherever needed. - Thank God that there is a State of Israel. In spite of everything these survivors have the advantage of being able to live in their own country. - Pray for good and safe holidays, including Independence Day on 9 May. Use the words from the official prayer for the State of Israel: "Our Father in Heaven, Rock and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel." [source: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs] - Pray for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. For the 120 Members of Knesset, for the mayors and judges in the land. For the Supreme Rabbinate, the rabbis and congregation leaders. For the Jewish people and all those who live in the country and are ready to submit to the authority of the State. - Pray and give thanks for them on the basis of the promise in Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." And what follows in verse 3: "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." PROCLAMATION Isaiah 41 and 60 Psalms 33 and 83 Psalms 93 and 94. PRAYER / CHURCH OF CHRIST Praying for Israel means obedience to God's word. On the power of obedience: "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him."(John 8:29) On the power of intercession: "but we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."" (Acts 6:4) On the power of time: "You are my God. My times are in your hands." (Psalm 31:15) On the power of faith: "Everything is possible for one who believes." (Mark 9:23) The May edition of "Blow the Shear", the periodical of Dutch organizations 'Pillar of Fire' and 'Daniel House of Prayer' features some important articles. A serious prophetic call to the church in the Netherlands to wake up and be active. I share some fragments with you. Taken together they constitute an 'Exceptional Call to General Mobilization', which is valid for your country as well. "We have entered a new period. Just like the Lord was shaking the Soviet states in 1989, he is now permitting the Arab world to be shaken. In Daniel 2:21 we read: "He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others." Have you ever wondered what we would have done just before World War Two, had we realized that six million Jews were about to be killed?" Jack van der Tang, www.pillaroffire.nl "The developments in the world have gathered tremendous momentum. Look at North Africa, look at the Middle East. Where are we heading, what is going to happen? Meanwhile most Christians simply carry on with their lives, as if everything remains the same. The same preaching is delivered, the same prayers sound. Where are the people, the pastors, the preachers, who just like the sons of Issachar know the right times, as is said of them in I Chronicles 12:32: "...men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." Dirk van Genderen, www.dirkvangenderen.nl The 'concoction of plans' by world leaders remind me of Isaiah 47. This chapter deals with the downfall of Babel. - We see how in our western society the process of 'babylonisation' is in full swing. Humanism goes hand in hand with secularized science and politicians' belief in the 'makeability of society'. - So this is my prayer, that our hearts will be detached from Babylon by the liberating power of the Holy Spirit." Wim Kuiper, Daniel House of Prayer. On Friday night 11 March, Sabbath eve, a horrible act of terror was perpetrated against five members of the Fogel family in the little town of Itamar in Samaria: father Udi (36), mother Ruth (35) and their children Yoav (11), Elad (4) and three-months-old Hadas were killed with knives in the most atrocious fashion. All Israel is mourning, everyone is really devastated about it. Israel has reacted in the most noble fashion, by giving permission for the building of 500 houses: 100 houses for each member of the family murdered. Their answer to such a cowardly act of destruction is building and living. - Pray for comfort for the people of Israel, and especially for the three little children that remain: Tamar (12), Roi (8) and Yishai (2). Concluding I want to share with you the extraordinary words of a song, which was also prayerfully sung at the concerts of Tzahal. "HEAR ISRAEL MY GOD When the heart cries only God hears the pain rises out of the soul a man falls down, before he sinks down with a little prayer (he) cuts the silence Hear Israel my God, you're the omnipotent you gave me my life, you gave me everything in my eyes a tear, the heart cries quietly and when the heart is quiet, the soul screams Hear Israel my God, now I am alone strengthen me my God; make it that I won't fear the pain is big, and there's nowhere to run away make it end, for no more strength is left within me When the heart cries, time stands still all of a sudden, the man sees his entire life he doesn't want to go to the unknown he cries to his God right before a big fall." [source: Jewish song lyrics]