M
MrVersatile48
Guest
PRAYER UPDATE FROM ISRAEL (April 24, 2006)
_______________________________________________________________________
THIS EVENING (MONDAY) BEGINS "HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY". TOMORROW AT
10:00 A SIREN WILL SOUND FOR TWO MINUTES THROUGHOUT THE LAND. TRAFFIC
WILL COME TO A STOP AND MOST JEWISH ISRAELIS WILL GET OUT OF THEIR CARS OR
STOP WHATEVER THEY MAY BE DOING TO STAND SILENTLY. THERE ARE STILL
MANY "SURVIVORS" IN THE LAND...AND THOUSANDS WHO LOST FAMILY MEMBERS
DURING THAT TIME OF HORRORS. LAST WEEK A TEENAGE PALESTINIAN BLEW HIMSELF
UP IN TEL AVIV, KILLING NINE AND INJURING SCORES. TODAY THE PRESIDENT
OF IRAN SAID THAT ISRAEL [WHICH FOUND ITS BIRTH OUT OF THE ASHES OF THE
HOLOCAUST] "COULD NOT CONTINUE TO EXIST." SATAN WOULD CERTAINLY BE
PLEASED FOR ANOTHER ONE TO OCCUR. PLEASE PRAY FOR JEWS TO RECEIVE
REVELATION OF TRUTH ABOUT THEIR GOD, WHICH WILL BREAK THE PARALYZING POWER OF
THE ACCUSER. THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS WILL BE COMFORTED BY
THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, AND BE COUNSELED BY HIM REGARDING THE ULTIMATE
SACRIFICE WHICH DESTROYS SIN, EVIL AND THE POWER OF DEATH, AND WHICH IS
DRAWING THEM IN LOVINGKINDNESS TO LIFE, HOPE AND A FUTURE.
1. NEW LIFE IN THE DESERT
We have entered the fifty-day period known as "the counting of the
Omer", which falls between the Ceremony of Firstfruits immediately
following Passover, and Shavuot (Pentecost), which this year begins on the
evening of June 1st. In Israel the "latter rains" have been
falling-seedlings are germinating, trees are budding or bursting into flower. It is
a season of intense germination, new life and growth. At the end of
these seven weeks the grain fields between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will
be golden and the Harvest will have begun- just as at that first Shavuot
following Messiah's resurrection, the Holy Spirit was poured out and a
great harvest of souls occurred. But for now, it is a time for the
nurturing and maturing of the seeds and plants.
We see parallels with what we witnessed recently at the "Katzir"
(Harvest) youth retreat in the desert for which so many of you prayed. We
can honestly say that in many years of being involved with such retreats,
we have never seen one in which there appeared to be such fertile
ground in the hearts of the young people, ground open to receiving good
seed!
Around eighty Israeli teens attended, all of whom had expressed in
writing a desire to come and learn more of how to grow as a disciple of
Yeshua (Jesus). From the first song, we realized that here was
something new; there was such a spirit of worship and earnest pressing in.
Throughout the following 2 1/2 days, we sensed an incredible receptivity-
to the teachings, during the worship times, the small-group times, the
moments alone on the hillsides.
On the second evening, after a time of
powerful prophetically-charged worship (one of the songs was based on
Numbers 13:30, Caleb's urging to the people, "We should go up and take
possession of the land, for we can certainly do it!"), a young Messianic
lawyer kept the kids riveted for over 40 minutes as he taught regarding
the steps taken by those who have gone before, and how a life of
discipleship begins not with giant strides, but with faithfulness in taking
small steps. And he charged them with moving forward as disciples
(Hebrew: "talmidim"), taking the steps.
If they would do so, God would
raise them into the places of their destinies, to permeate and influence
the government, military, education and commerce of this nation. This
young man has himself been granted amazing favor, including entrance
into high chambers of the Israeli government, where he has had opportunity
(as did godly men of old) to pray and to prophecy over leaders of our
government.
"LET US KNOW, LET US PRESS ON TO KNOW THE LORD. HIS GOING FORTH IS AS
CERTAIN AS THE DAWN; AND HE WILL COME TO US LIKE THE RAIN, LIKE THE
LATTER (SPRING) RAIN WATERING THE EARTH" (Hosea 6:3).
On the afternoon of the second day we went hiking along a dried stream
bed, known in Hebrew as a "nahal". The same word can also mean "TO GET OR TAKE AS A POSSESSION-TO INHERIT."
Suddenly, we came upon some
places in the nahal where water from the recent "latter rains" had pooled
up. Our guide sent one of the older youth, a good swimmer, down the
rocks to test the waters. While much of it was shallow, one point directly
below a rocky bluff (some 20 feet high!) was fairly deep.
It was
decided that those who wished could dive in. The first youth lept off the
high place, shot into the water, then resurfaced. The next young man
did a double back-flip. Soon there was a line along the bluff of those
who wanted to try it. The adult guide stood along the side, ensuring no
one dove except from directly over the deep place.
The ascent to the
rock and walking along the brink required great watchfulness. Not all
the youth were really ready for the more daunting exploit and there was
another pool where they could still enjoy the water. Overseeing 80
young people in such an unscheduled potentially dangerous diversion can be daunting.
A group of perhaps slightly nervous adults stood on the
cliff opposite, praying protection and the presence of angels over this
wild and unexpected interlude-yet we felt the Lord had orchestrated it and
we were to allow it to go on. Finally everyone was out, sand was
dusted off, shoes were put back, ALL were accounted for (the overseers
breathing relieved prayers of thanksgiving) and the hike resumed.
AS THIS GROUP OF ISRAELI YOUTH PRESS ALONG THE PATHS ORDAINED FOR THEIR INHERITANCE, MAY THEY DISCOVER SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER! MAY THERE BE FAITHFUL MENTORS AND GUIDES TO WATCH AND GUARD AND RELEASE INTO THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT-TO ENTER THE WATERS, TO GO HIGH, TO GO DEEP-TO DO EXPLOITS!
MAY THEY BE WILLING ON THE BATTLE DAY. LIKE CALEB AND JOSHUA, MAY THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE WELL ABLE TO TAKE THE LAND!!
_______________________________________________________________________
Go to http://www.glory-of-zion.org/email/joinleaveisrael.asp to
subscribe or unsubscribe from the Israel Prayer-List.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
THIS EVENING (MONDAY) BEGINS "HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY". TOMORROW AT
10:00 A SIREN WILL SOUND FOR TWO MINUTES THROUGHOUT THE LAND. TRAFFIC
WILL COME TO A STOP AND MOST JEWISH ISRAELIS WILL GET OUT OF THEIR CARS OR
STOP WHATEVER THEY MAY BE DOING TO STAND SILENTLY. THERE ARE STILL
MANY "SURVIVORS" IN THE LAND...AND THOUSANDS WHO LOST FAMILY MEMBERS
DURING THAT TIME OF HORRORS. LAST WEEK A TEENAGE PALESTINIAN BLEW HIMSELF
UP IN TEL AVIV, KILLING NINE AND INJURING SCORES. TODAY THE PRESIDENT
OF IRAN SAID THAT ISRAEL [WHICH FOUND ITS BIRTH OUT OF THE ASHES OF THE
HOLOCAUST] "COULD NOT CONTINUE TO EXIST." SATAN WOULD CERTAINLY BE
PLEASED FOR ANOTHER ONE TO OCCUR. PLEASE PRAY FOR JEWS TO RECEIVE
REVELATION OF TRUTH ABOUT THEIR GOD, WHICH WILL BREAK THE PARALYZING POWER OF
THE ACCUSER. THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS WILL BE COMFORTED BY
THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, AND BE COUNSELED BY HIM REGARDING THE ULTIMATE
SACRIFICE WHICH DESTROYS SIN, EVIL AND THE POWER OF DEATH, AND WHICH IS
DRAWING THEM IN LOVINGKINDNESS TO LIFE, HOPE AND A FUTURE.
1. NEW LIFE IN THE DESERT
We have entered the fifty-day period known as "the counting of the
Omer", which falls between the Ceremony of Firstfruits immediately
following Passover, and Shavuot (Pentecost), which this year begins on the
evening of June 1st. In Israel the "latter rains" have been
falling-seedlings are germinating, trees are budding or bursting into flower. It is
a season of intense germination, new life and growth. At the end of
these seven weeks the grain fields between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will
be golden and the Harvest will have begun- just as at that first Shavuot
following Messiah's resurrection, the Holy Spirit was poured out and a
great harvest of souls occurred. But for now, it is a time for the
nurturing and maturing of the seeds and plants.
We see parallels with what we witnessed recently at the "Katzir"
(Harvest) youth retreat in the desert for which so many of you prayed. We
can honestly say that in many years of being involved with such retreats,
we have never seen one in which there appeared to be such fertile
ground in the hearts of the young people, ground open to receiving good
seed!
Around eighty Israeli teens attended, all of whom had expressed in
writing a desire to come and learn more of how to grow as a disciple of
Yeshua (Jesus). From the first song, we realized that here was
something new; there was such a spirit of worship and earnest pressing in.
Throughout the following 2 1/2 days, we sensed an incredible receptivity-
to the teachings, during the worship times, the small-group times, the
moments alone on the hillsides.
On the second evening, after a time of
powerful prophetically-charged worship (one of the songs was based on
Numbers 13:30, Caleb's urging to the people, "We should go up and take
possession of the land, for we can certainly do it!"), a young Messianic
lawyer kept the kids riveted for over 40 minutes as he taught regarding
the steps taken by those who have gone before, and how a life of
discipleship begins not with giant strides, but with faithfulness in taking
small steps. And he charged them with moving forward as disciples
(Hebrew: "talmidim"), taking the steps.
If they would do so, God would
raise them into the places of their destinies, to permeate and influence
the government, military, education and commerce of this nation. This
young man has himself been granted amazing favor, including entrance
into high chambers of the Israeli government, where he has had opportunity
(as did godly men of old) to pray and to prophecy over leaders of our
government.
"LET US KNOW, LET US PRESS ON TO KNOW THE LORD. HIS GOING FORTH IS AS
CERTAIN AS THE DAWN; AND HE WILL COME TO US LIKE THE RAIN, LIKE THE
LATTER (SPRING) RAIN WATERING THE EARTH" (Hosea 6:3).
On the afternoon of the second day we went hiking along a dried stream
bed, known in Hebrew as a "nahal". The same word can also mean "TO GET OR TAKE AS A POSSESSION-TO INHERIT."
Suddenly, we came upon some
places in the nahal where water from the recent "latter rains" had pooled
up. Our guide sent one of the older youth, a good swimmer, down the
rocks to test the waters. While much of it was shallow, one point directly
below a rocky bluff (some 20 feet high!) was fairly deep.
It was
decided that those who wished could dive in. The first youth lept off the
high place, shot into the water, then resurfaced. The next young man
did a double back-flip. Soon there was a line along the bluff of those
who wanted to try it. The adult guide stood along the side, ensuring no
one dove except from directly over the deep place.
The ascent to the
rock and walking along the brink required great watchfulness. Not all
the youth were really ready for the more daunting exploit and there was
another pool where they could still enjoy the water. Overseeing 80
young people in such an unscheduled potentially dangerous diversion can be daunting.
A group of perhaps slightly nervous adults stood on the
cliff opposite, praying protection and the presence of angels over this
wild and unexpected interlude-yet we felt the Lord had orchestrated it and
we were to allow it to go on. Finally everyone was out, sand was
dusted off, shoes were put back, ALL were accounted for (the overseers
breathing relieved prayers of thanksgiving) and the hike resumed.
AS THIS GROUP OF ISRAELI YOUTH PRESS ALONG THE PATHS ORDAINED FOR THEIR INHERITANCE, MAY THEY DISCOVER SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER! MAY THERE BE FAITHFUL MENTORS AND GUIDES TO WATCH AND GUARD AND RELEASE INTO THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT-TO ENTER THE WATERS, TO GO HIGH, TO GO DEEP-TO DO EXPLOITS!
MAY THEY BE WILLING ON THE BATTLE DAY. LIKE CALEB AND JOSHUA, MAY THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE WELL ABLE TO TAKE THE LAND!!
_______________________________________________________________________
Go to http://www.glory-of-zion.org/email/joinleaveisrael.asp to
subscribe or unsubscribe from the Israel Prayer-List.
_______________________________________________________________________