Sunday, October 20, 2024

Betrayed: I will not keep silent

 


Israeli Believers in Yeshua Have Been Betrayed
by Israel-Supporting Christians Long Enough!
I will not keep silent

by Donna Diorio
October 20, 2024

This morning I got a response to my latest Arrows from Zion (We Are Family: One New Man) from one of my Arrows subscribers. A missionary couple who at one time were based in Israel and are well acquainted with the issues of the Gospel there. They have been greatly encouraging to me in the years they have been on my mailing list. 

They wrote to tell me of their "shock" that the Million Women event opened with crediting IFCJ for financing the event. 

"Flabbergasted at the significance and ignorance of the leadership left me speechless. As with you, I believe Lou Engle to be a very sincere in the prayer movements, which made it all the more shocking to me! I follow Dutch Sheets who strongly promoted MWM and wonder just how many prayer “VIPs” are as ignorant as Lou!. . . .I instantly felt that this event had been hijacked through "well meaning” deception and ignorance."

He wondered "if any of the Messianic ministries (will) pick up on this."

As far as the Israeli Ministries, they will see it but they will say nothing - it will only release further targeting of them by anti-Gospel religious activist groups on them - groups that exist in Israel SOLELY for the purpose of persecuting Israel Messianic Jews. Let that sink in. At least 3 to 4 activist groups, always active against the Israeli believers AND SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY BY CHRISTIANS WHO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT UNSAVED JEWISH ORGS. 

Let that sink in: Christians are supporting groups who support the activists who hound Israeli believers in Israel. I cannot keep silent about that....and I have a difficult time with any who can. So many American Messianic Jews stood on that platform at the Million Women event - why did they not leave the event as soon as they knew of the ICEJ involvement and tell Lou exactly why? It is not like he is the first Christian over the years to betray the Israeli Ministries like this. 

Many famous Christian name over the years have done the same. Some have been approached by American Messianic leaders about the truth of what they were doing - I know some of them and specific names of those they confronted. They were always turned away and accused of "just jealous" of the Christians' relationship with Israeli unbeliever politicians and rabbis. TOO arrogant to even listen to what the repercussions on the Israeli body of Messiah would be the result.

I DON'T KNOW WHY OTHERS HAVE NOT SPOKEN OUT WHO KNOW BETTER but I do know I am not going to be one of them. If we will not stand up for our brothers and sisters in Yeshua in Israel, what good are we anyway?

The CHURCH has DEAF EARS about God's purposes for the body of Christ in Israel.

Last summer 2023, the Israeli Interior Ministry revoked 100 visas of a Christian organization that has been headquartered in Israel for 44 years. The International Christian Embassy has "
invested nearly $25 million in humanitarian causes in Israel including building 250 bomb shelters and providing aid to Holocaust survivors and their families."  

By September with ICEJ appealing through lawyers and the media, ICEJ got a temporary return to the status quo. As a Jerusalem Post article put it, "ICEJ, Bridges for Peace and Christian Friends for Israel had been struggling to staff their organizations after the Ministry of Interior changed their policy without notice." 

Unfortunately, in the past, 1998 to be exact, Christian organizations in Israel entered into a 'gentlemen's agreement' with the religious Knesset members who were seeking to pass an "anti-missionary bill" in Israel. One of the figures in a major Christian organization became the "architect" of wording that pleased MK Zvili. So "to ease resistance to their own presence in Israel, the 'The Understanding' was struck. . . .The text of the document was viewed by many as a betrayal of the faith and also as a further betrayal of the Israeli believers in Yeshua who are Israeli citizens....(because) The agreement ultimately leaves the indigenous body even more vulnerable to un-protested persecution by the very Israeli religious organizations that "non-proselytizing" Christians have entered into agreement with. An important excerpt from the 1998 Agreed Text Between Representative Christian Bodies and MK Nissim Zvili:

"We believe that the covenant which God concluded with the people of Israel was never revoked. We deeply respect the Jewish people in their identity and integrity and will therefore not engage in activities, which have as their intention to alienate them from their tradition and community. Nor will we exploit, for the benefit of our denominational interests, such economic, social or psychological needs as may emerge. Recalling the grim events preceding Israel's rebirth, we are sensitive to their memories, hurts and feelings, even as we pursue our religious callings. We also recognize the potential for healing between our faith communities as we live in the midst of a Jewish majority, sharing its challenges while living together in a land sacred in both our traditions."

This wording leaves the Israeli citizen-ministries the ONLY ones carrying the Gospel to Israel. It also opens Israeli-citizen ministries to more persecution that Christians would agree with a statement that is tantamount to saying Jews do not need Messiah Yeshua. That is just not true, but many high profile, Israel-supporting Christians have been indoctrinated into that thinking through their alliances in Israel who insist they exclude alliance with the Israel Messianic body of believers.

The  Interior Ministry is the same one that tries to revoke the citizenship of Messianic believers in Yeshua, especially the leaders of ministries. They block applications for citizenship by any Messianic Jews seeking to live in Israel. 

Personally I believe that all the Israel-supporting Christians who believe they must align with unsaved Israel turning a blind eye to what it costs the body of Messianic Jews in Israel, because they are going to make Israel "jealous" by their generosity toward Israel, are above all else are kidding themselves.

Unsaved Jews in Israel will NEVER be "jealous" of your Christian faith when you have no care and concern for the Jewish Israelis who live among them and suffer persecution that you partially fund. Get serious! What about that is going to impress them and make them so jealous they want to become a Jewish believer in Jesus.

The unsaved Jews see clearly how you betray your spiritual family in the Israeli Messianic body. It is just like the Christians in Germany didn't make a fuss when the Nazis rounded up Jewish Christians. In fact they were told by their theologians that Christian Jews were being rounded up not because they were Christians but because they were JEWISH Christians! 

You that do the same thing are just as deceived as the German Christians were about the Jewish members of CHRIST's BODY. 

1 Corinthians 12:18-26 " . . . .But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another. 26 IF ONE PART SUFFERS, EVERY PART SUFFERS WITH IT; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

If you are waiting for an outcry from the Israeli ministries about this before you believe it, understand this: they cannot cry out without putting themselves in the crosshairs of immediate trouble. I am not writing these things to do anything but wake up those that can be awakened. Not to condemn you. All you have to do is wake up and quit treating our spiritual family in Israel as inconsequential.  

Friday, October 18, 2024

Arrows 10/18/24 We Are Family: One New Man


Laura Hackett-Park, one of IHOP-KC’s most powerfully anointed worship leaders, led the Million Women into the LORD’s Presence before communion at the Rise event held on the Mall in Washington, D.C., October 12th.  For me Laura’s worship was the high point of the event…even though I listen to Laura probably five days a week on the IHOP Global Prayer online feed. I cannot listen to her without tears streaming down my face and being ushered into God’s Presence.  I so relate to what she says in her 20:26 minute musical film The Secret Place featuring her worship music “Shalom,” “Yeshua Messiah,” “You Must Increase,” and “Anointed One.”

We are
“one new man”
 family
Christians can only be grafted into
saved israel
’s olive tree
by Donna Diorio

This past weekend there was a big event was held on the Mall in Washington, D.C. called Million Women Rise called by Lou Engle, a man who has been rallying prayer for many years. The main purpose was for the believer women to come together to repent for the sins of Americans and to cry out for God to move in bringing His righteousness back to the United States. Many sincere hearts flooded the Mall grounds.
     There was a strong representation of Messianic Jewish believers at this event including prayers at the very beginning acknowledging our need to stand with Israel and to raise up a million Esther’s praying for Israel. Lou Engle encouraged the audience to become watchman on the wall by signing up with an organization of unsaved Jews to lead Christians to pray for Israel. These are Jews who have no intention of accepting Messianic Jews who believe in Jesus, and their prayers will never reflect that priority desire of God’s heart.  That is the exact opposite of what this email encourages: Prayer Requests from the Israeli Ministries who are reaching Israelis with the Gospel and welcoming them into Yeshua’s salvation.
     Then Michelle Bachman introduced a video from Yael Eckstein who made an appeal for Christians to give to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews to stand with the Jewish people . . . ignoring the reality that God wants salvation for Jews by faith in Yeshua/Jesus.  It is easy to listen to the appeals of Yael Eckstein and to forget completely that she is not a believer in Jesus . . .and she is in fact opposed to Jews coming to faith in the LORD.
     It was devastating to me to see her face come up in this event.  I didn’t watch it live, but fast-forwarding through later. Immediately after the IFCJ pitch for Christian donations, Lou Engle spoke about how it came to be that the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews funded the Million Women event.  Three months prior to the event they did not have money to fund it. That’s when Engle got a call from a man he knew in seminary who presented the IFCJ offer to fund the event. And why not? The million dollars given by IFCJ would be a seed-money investment that would bring millions in Christian donations into IFCJ coffers.  Afterwards at Ché Ahn’s church in Pasadena, CA, Engle must have told the story because a couple came forward to give a matching donation of a million dollars.
     Now, like Lou Engle thought, you might be thinking, ‘Well that proves it was of God, or they wouldn’t have received $2 million to do the event.’  I do not think that way. I think it was temptation testing: would he take funding from a source that opposes the Gospel to Jews in order to fund his event – a group that is frankly, stealing Christian donations that ought to be going to support the Israeli ministries who are sharing the Gospel, as well as significant humanitarian work throughout the land of Israel.
     In my view, there is no way that could be God’s will to steal from the body of Yeshua/Jesus in Israel the precious resources that help them help their people in the name of Israel’s Messiah.
    
I don’t care what anyone thinks about me saying this, it was wrong.  It was also wrong that I got an appeal email the very next morning from Lou Engle encouraging me again to contribute to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. I believe this is a disastrous mistake – disastrous for Israeli ministries at such a critical time when Israelis are searching for the answers & open to hear the Gospel.  
     It is past time for Christians to quit being so loosey-goosey about who we are spiritually related to in Israel. Our family line is in Israel are in the faith of Yeshua/Jesus. We advocate for Israel, but we financially support those who are carrying the Gospel to their fellow-Israelis, not those who Paul said are “enemies of the Gospel.”
     In one of the two Israel Mandate conferences I attended at the IHOP-Kansas City back in the early 2000’s, Asher Intrater made a point that I have never forgotten: He said that Christians were trying to be grafted into unsaved Israel. It is clear from Scripture that is as God sees it, the only way we are grafted into Israel is when we are grafted into the saved Remnant of Israel. God is uniting us because He is creating a spiritual family God. That is what Ephesians 2:15 is about. We are being brought together with each other in these last days because it is God’s vision to make His family by joining together “one new man” by faith in Yeshua/Jesus.
     The olive tree we are grafted into is made up only of individuals saved by faith in Yeshua. That is also why the “Israel Mandate” of ALL the body of Messianic Jewish citizens in Israel is to BE a witness and testimony to all the Jews God is bringing back to Israel for the clear purpose of spiritual restoration. Israel is not just about the physical restoration of the State of Israel; God wants to spiritually restore the Jews by faith to Israel’s Messiah Yeshua – Jesus, as Christians know Him.
     We are way past the time for Christians to be wise about how God wants them to support Israel so that “all Israel” shall be saved. Let’s make it our priority to pray for leaders like Lou Engle and many others who were on the platform that day (and many internationally that weren’t) to have a quickening understanding from God to know the difference in how we love and advocate for the Jewish people, without throwing the Jewish remnant of faith under the bus. Especially Israeli Messianic Jews need us to come alongside to fulfill their calling – and to fulfill our dream of the last days harvest, we need them.
     It is a major failure to believe God wants Christian donations sent to the Israeli enemies of the Gospel instead of Yeshua’s faithful Messianic believer ministries and congregations. 
    
I want to add one thing: in no way am I calling out Lou Engle trying to ostracize him, or to make light of his long significant contributions especially in generating prayers for the body. We ALL make mistakes in our journey with God. That is why Yeshua emphasized our forgiveness of each other. His parable in Matthew 18 gives a strong warning against the consequences to believers for unforgivness. But because this action of endorsing from an international platform the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews as a good place for Christians to plant financial seed in Israel, it is imperative that Lou Engle be called out publicly about it. This is not something that can be quietly spoken of behind closed doors because of all the Christians who took Engle’s word for it and will now fund the “enemies of the Gospel” in Israel. That must be turned around, so someone has to address it.  


As in the natural, so in the spiritual
Read Cookie Schwaeber-Issan’s Jerusalem Post 10/18/2024
Western naiveté is undermining Israel's fight for survival


Arrows from Zion                                                         
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

Arni Klein of Emmaus Way writes about the “familiar part of our sanctification process” quoting from Luke 21:31-32, “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.…’” He sees that when we are sifted, it feels like it is merely demonic attack when really “We are in a season of sifting.”
     We don’t imagine most of you are or have gone through what all of Israel is going through. Words alone cannot truly convey the experience. First comes the natural and then the spiritual. Sifting is designed to separate the precious from the worthless. When God passes our life through the Holy Spirit’s strainer, things become visible we didn’t realize were there, bringing a measure of grief, sorrow, possibly shame, conviction, and hopefully repentance. It’s very uncomfortable and absolutely necessary. (We need to note that friends from the Ukraine are here whose experience, in the natural, is well beyond ours. They have not had running water for two years and their city is still being bombed. Yet in the midst of it all, they continue to serve the Lord and lead a thriving congregation.)
     Satan asked permission to sift Peter. The Lord said yes. He didn’t have to. While Satan’s desire was to destroy Peter’s faith, Yeshua’s purpose was other. … The enemy sought to make Peter feel unfit to continue as an emissary of the Lord. In light of this, Yeshua made a point to let Peter know that He had prayed for him. In effect, it let him know that despite all the personal failings he was about to behold, Peter was still accepted and valued by God. It was a needed measure of grace for what he was about to confront in himself…. Without despising the nature of our old man, there will be no death to self and thereby no true resurrection life.
     “Many consider that the Laodicean Church represents where we are today. They were deceived concerning their true state of being. They truly truly had no clue as to where they were. Yeshua’s words to them were scathing…. As much as we recoil from being rebuked and chastened, it is one of the more dramatic demonstrations of God’s love. Yeshua said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev.3:19). David knew this and wrote how he loved God’s judgments (Ps.19:9-10). Encounters like this are a critical part of our preparation for what lies ahead, that we might say with Yeshua, “The ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me” (Jn.14:30).
     “As we pray for God to open the eyes of unbelieving Israel and the nations, we need be aware that the removal of Israel’s blindness is connected to, if not dependent on, the awakening of the believing Church (see Rom.11:25).” 

From Tikkun Global ministries, much needed teaching from Ariel Blumenthal’s VIDEO study of The Full Gospel of Romans: He outlines 3 major paradigms of this prophetic fulfillment, and it is vital that these remain our guide to understanding Scripture: the chosen remnant; the One New Man ecclesia of Jew and Gentile; and Ultimate Fullness of all of God’s promises—leading up to and being fulfilled at Yeshua’s 2nd Coming.  The Fullness Formula: God’s Word to Israel and the Nations TogetherNOT ALL ISRAEL IS ISRAEL  Part 2 “the fulfillment of His covenant promises can always be found among a remnant within physical Israel.  And second, His glorious plan to include a remnant from every tribe, tongue and nation on equal footing with the Jewish believers”
     Article by Asher Intrater on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent speech at the United Nations:  Netanyahu’s “Blessing and Curse” Challenge
    VIDEO Sukkot and the Ekklesia | Also Asher Intrater writes a summary view of what God is picturing in the Sukkot Feast of the Tabernacles – namely joining together Messianic Jews and Christian who are IN Yeshua/Jesus as “one new man” – God’s own family. 
     Israelis Seeking God | by Kosta Bikesh | “...fear, isolation and trauma are forcing Israelis to look for answers to existential questions; and many are looking to the New Testament. Here at Tiferet Yeshua, seekers and new believers reach out to us regularly.
     BOOK: RISE by Brigitte Gabriel

Avner Boskey, David’s Tent –another well-documented education on international politics impacting Israel and the spiritual forces behind it in Military Witchcraft. “….“. . . .The Hebrew prophet Daniel was granted prophetic insight into the inner spiritual machinations behind superpower struggles in his day. The angel Gabriel informed him in Daniel 10:10-21 that a demonic principality, the Prince of the kingdom of Persia, was actively seeking the destruction of the Jewish people – as seen in that Prince’s mortal combat with the Archangel Michael (who bears the Jewish portfolio in the angelic realm; see Daniel 12:1), as well as in Haman’s genocidal attempt to wipe out Mordecai and his people.
     This demonic prince still exists, influencing the thoughts and the political and military strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran…. The gnarled arm of the Prince of Persia has reached out across the oceans, seducing American Presidents and diplomats with its malevolent spiritual influence. Former POTUS Obama was waylaid by these deceptions, re-aligning American policy to make diplomatic compromises with Iran by developing strategic links with the Shi’ite terror dictatorship. Barak Obama was determined to avoid full-scale confrontation with Iran, and instead granted it a political-military truce through practical immunity for Iran’s nuclear weapons program. America’s diplomatic addiction to bribing and appeasing Iran is now manifest to the entire planet.”
     The current administration “are continually leaking to the press that the US Administration is forbidding Israel from striking at Iran’s nuclear weapons installations – which are an existential threat to both the Jewish state and to pro-Western Gulf Arabs…. Tragically, American diplomacy and its military leadership are wholeheartedly devoted to the goal of not threatening Tehran…. Spiritual warfare in the Middle East has caused ugly cataracts to form on the American eagle’s formerly razor-sharp eyes.” Read more online click title

Always a delight to hear from Rachel Netanel, who combines breaking natural bread and spiritual bread in her home has made it a magnet for Israeli groups to visit – “In the last 3 weeks only, we had 190 non-believers enter our home. Many come from cities like, Haifa, Ashkelon and Tel Aviv. At my age, I don’t go to share the Gospel on the streets anymore, but God performs miracles and brings them to my door.”
People come, are treated to great hospitality over a meal, then she shares her testimony, answers questions, and engages her visitors to plant seed in them of the Gospel. Many ask if they can come back to talk more, many bring their tour groups (Israelis) or fellow soldiers – young and old, religious or secular are finding an unusual friend who professes Yeshua. This report Rachel tells of an 80-year old politician and professor that she has been a witness to for the last 20 years. When he visited her this time, she challenged him that at 80 he still needed “the day of salvation.” He agreed with her and with tears in his eyes he prayed with her for salvation by faith in Yeshua. Praise the LORD. He exclaimed, Today I was born anew!”  Hallelujah!  This is but one of the encounters she related. Always uplifting to read. 

Evan Santoro, station manager of ShelanuTV (see English site), which is streaming the Gospel from Israeli Ministries 24/7 in Hebrew, writes about how the Israeli Messianic ministries are well aware that what is happening in Israel has “Biblical significance and Israel’s role in the end times is huge. In fact, as believers, we know this is the reason so much of the world is coming against us. God has a perfect plan that will come to fruition in His perfect timing, but Satan also has a plan. His plan is to postpone the return of Yeshua the Messiah….. In order to postpone his ultimate demise, Satan is throwing all that he has at Israel.  As Satan tries his best to snatch the souls of the Jewish nation, we at Shelanu TV are here to stand as a beacon of light during these perilous times…. At Shelanu TV, we will continue to shine this light to the nation of Israel! As we reach out across the web, our message is being heard! The numbers of views, responses, and requests for New Testaments continue to grow monthly. We are excited!  We thank you all for all your prayers and support. Your help comes at an extremely urgent time for this nation.
     Among just 3 of the testimonies Evan shares this month, one is of an ongoing interaction with a religious Jerusalemite who serves in the IDF and is “very interested in Yeshua.” The man has been drawn by the testimonies he has viewed on ShelanuTV and wants to feel God and know He is real as he has heard some testify! This is a powerful thing he said that is drawing him to the Truth of Yeshua. Pray for him and for Yeshua to show Himself real to this man. There are other encouraging things happening at Shelanu …things you can be a part of investing in  Donate here.  View English website To make contact: shelanutvcom@gmail.com

Israel Pochtar of Beit Hallel (Ashdod congregation) and Voice of Judah outreach ministry writes “There’s an unmistakable sense of urgency in the air right now here in Israel. With everything going on, the war expanding and Israel fighting enemies on every front, we are witnessing history in the making, as well as biblical prophecies coming to pass before our very eyes. The time to bring the message of salvation to the people of Israel is now.” Read more in Not Ashamed of the Gospel - Sukkot Evangelism Outreach | Also WATCH as Pastor Israel explains what Sukkot means: Yeshua’s Kingdom on Earth | Plus VIDEO & Article Bringing Relief to Families on Israel’s Northern Border | Read a Ukranian immigrant’s incredible story of God’s protection over his life as he made the decision to leave for Israel ONE DAY BEFORE the war started.

Sally Shiff writing from Kfar Saba, intercessor with the HaMaayan congregation, writes on Sukkot “Did you know YOU are supposed to be a part of this wonderful Feast???  "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain."  (Zechariah 14:16-17).
    Then came Sally’s email later:  SINWAR IS DEAD The body suspected to be the architect of the October 7 massacre, and chief nazi of Hamas, was transferred to the Israeli forensics lab and tested for DNA. . . .The body was found to have on its possession large amounts of cash and several fake passports, as did the other 2 men eliminated in the strike. It is possible that the Hamas leader was in the Rafah area in an attempt to get to Egypt through an undiscovered tunnel by our forces. THIS is why Israel must control the border area (Philadelphia corridor), and why the US, Egypt and global powers did everything they could to keep the IDF away from Rafah and the border area…. there was no intelligence on his location and no planned strike. There was a faithful warrior of the Israel Defense Forces who identified 3 nazis and eliminated them with one strike. 
     Netanyahu has instructed the IDF to reassure the families of hostages that there were no hostages in the area of the strike.

Claude & Michelle Ezagouri of the Morning Star Fellowship in Tiberias write about the many rockets being fired in their area making life more difficult in their area: “Thousands of inhabitants do not have a secure space in their house and in most cases the nearest shelter is too far to get to in case of an attack. We have only 30 seconds to get under cover. Two weeks ago we had to cancel the Sabbath physical meeting so we met by Zoom for prayer. On the whole we are trying to keep our regular meetings on schedule but it is not always easy. Of course we are encouraged in the Lord and this is a test of faith for the whole Body of Messiah in the land.” Asking especially forprayers for the teenagers in the fellowship. … They need fellowshipping together and we are somehow limited right now because of the rocket attacks. Please pray that they will continue in the faith and that contact with them will not be severed. Pray for our teens’ leader Versavia.” To try to make it easier for the teens to meet together they are considering purchasing a room adjacent to their building – but due to blocking by anti-Messianic influences, ask for prayer that they reach a decision based on God’s perfect will.

 Chaim Malespin of Aliyah Return Center writes about an amazing thing that happened on their Yom Kippur  Altar of Prayer  Zoom call when “some Lebanese Christians join us, and they told us how they have been praying for the IDF, and they hope that they would help set them free from the tyranny of Hezbollah in their region. ALSO, he said that this war is causing some Hezbollah fighters to question if the God of Israel is the true God!! We truly only see a glimpse of what is going on, as God sees the bigger picture. As such, please pray that God would bless the Lebanese Christian communities and for their safety, protection, wisdom, and discernment in this season of war.
     10/17 Chaim also offered what to read during the Feast of Tabernacles: There are some beautiful key scriptures that will be read this week, such as Psalms 113 - 118. These are Psalms of rejoicing and thanksgiving that will be often read daily. Also the book of Ecclesiastes is read on the shabbat that falls within the 7 days of Sukkot….as it is a reminder of how life on earth is fleeting and how earthly pleasure and possessions never last.

From the Tel Aviv Tiferet Yeshua congregation led by Gil & Tamar Afrait, their awareness that now is the time to be Doing His Works while it is still day …. The darkness is gathering around us, just like the Bible foretells would happen before Yeshua’s return. Until that time, Yeshua admonished His followers to continue to work while there is still light. Reaching our people with the Gospel, building the body of Messiah in Tel Aviv and helping the needy in our city has always been the focus of Tiferet Yeshua Congregation, but our desire to do His work has only intensified this last year, as we feel the time of Yeshua’s return quickly approaching… Read More online | You have a critical part in God’s plan of salvation for the Jewish people – salvation that will bring “life from the dead” for the world according to the Apostle Paul. Your partnership, prayers and support allow us to labor while it is still day – labor that we cannot do on our own. … Yeshua is coming back, and we have work to do! Will you join us in this important task? Donate Today

From Youval & Valerie Yanay of Revive Israel they write since Oct 7, 2023, “We have been at war ever since, and our hearts are heavy. We ask that you lift up our people in your prayers – that their hearts would be softened and turn towards God during this difficult time. In the midst of this, we are also seeing the fruits of your prayers. We are excited to share that we have a new participant registered for our winter program, with two others currently considering joining.
      Also
Are you God's Shofar? | by Tal Haroni |  The shofar is a powerful metaphor for our spiritual journey as believers. God takes us when we are “full of ourselves”—filled with pride, ego, and selfish desires—and leads us through a process of emptying ourselves. Like the hollowed horn, we must empty ourselves of fleshly desires so that God can breathe His Spirit into us. Only then can we be His shofar, His voice on earth, proclaiming His message of salvation and hope...Read more online
VIDEO:
Blowing the Shofar | 10/18 Let Us Make Three Tabernacles | by Tal Haroni | The beautiful festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) reminds us of a profound truth: We have no permanent home here on this earth.

               
From  Kobi and Shani Ferguson of Maoz ministries send this powerful message:
Sinwar and his human sacrifices | Have you ever had a special holiday ruined by a life altering event and wondered how you would ever be able to celebrate on that day again? …. This year, as Sukkot rolled around again … many Israelis struggled emotionally when building their sukkah (temporary structure) as it brought back so many difficult memories. The question was, would we ever come to this last day of celebration and feel anything but fear and pain? Was God’s Feast forever tainted in our minds? Then yesterday, on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles - Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader and mastermind of the October 7th attacks was eliminated.
    
There was no intelligence of his location, no special forces present. No man planned the event. In fact, the soldiers (who were in the middle of a training course) who fired the deadly shots didn’t find out until the next day that of the three terrorists they targeted in a building in Rafah, one was the murderous head of Hamas…. the timing felt symbolic as we will come full circle to the last day of this week-long holiday with our sworn enemy no longer able to hurt us.
     Among the challenges of eliminating Sinwar this past year were the rumors that he surrounded himself with hostages for his protection. But this strategy wasn’t new. Before Sinwar had 250 hostages at his disposal, he always kept children near him when he was in public….
     You’ve likely heard of the term "human shields" in discussions about Hamas’ tactics of avoiding attacks from Israel? However, this term doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what is really happening. Hamas and Hezbollah aren’t just using their civilians for protectionthey are intentionally using their deaths as a weapon  [DD – a weapon with great propaganda value with international politics and even among Christians naïve about the depth of evil in these terror groups]
     As the war against Israel and the West rages on, understanding this ingenious strategy is crucial. Stay informed, and let’s look together beyond the headlines.
     DD: There is MUCH MORE to this article online: Read or listen to this month's Maoz Israel Report!

From the Galilee Plant Hope Israel ministry, Jennifer Guetta minds us that Sukkot/ The Feast of Tabernacles we celebrate the great harvest and God’s goodness and it is also a reminder of Psalm 23 where it says He will set a table before us in the middle of our enemies. Though 7 enemies are coming against Israel from all sides, we put our trust in Him and He will take care of Israel. 
     Succoth and Prophecy | Succoth is also the feast where we celebrate the wedding feast of the Messiah and prophetically it symbolizes His kingdom on earth. And one day all the nations will come and celebrate Succoth in Jerusalem (Zachariah 14) and the Lord's Spirit will be poured out like rivers of living water, making the desert bloom.
     Succoth: The Coming Harvest | Succoth is also the feast of the last harvest. This year Plant Hope Israel sowed into Israel by publishing and distributing our testimony throughout the land. We are praying for a great harvest of souls to come to a personal relationship with Yeshua! Please pray for a great revival in Israel. Israel needs the light and hope of Messiah now more than ever. And may there be a great harvest this year!
     Succoth Offering | During this special time, we want to ask you to help us bring in the harvest and be a light for Israel. Times are hard, and we have many expenses for the ministry and therefore we ask for a special Succoth harvest donation from the nations for Israel. . . the most important thing right now is to give the people hope and let them know that their God is real and that Yeshua is alive and has a plan for Israel. Can you help us bring in the harvest? donation info page


Thank you for
supporting my work each week bringing these important prayer requests from our brothers & sisters ministering in Israel.  —Donna Diorio


Friday, October 11, 2024

Arrows 2024 Oct 11 ONE YEAR of SIRENS


One Year Ago Our Life Changed Forever
by Sally Shiff, at HaMayaan congregation

October 7, 2024: I am starting to write this at 6:27 am, four minutes later, 1 year ago our life changed forever. So much has happened since then, and all day, our media will show over and over again the barbarism that came from Gaza.
     I am sure you will get that on your news, however watered down it will be up to the news agency you choose. The biggest question in a simple question is why? Why did it happen? Why now?
     Instead of giving you all the footage of what happened or the testimonies of people who were there and what they went through, I will only give you two brilliant conversations that could answer your questions.    Israel: Past, Present, and Future (Tony Perkins, President of FRC, leads a panel discussion with Michele Bachmann, Daniel Cohen, Gary Hamrick, and Dr. A.J. Nolte at the Pray Vote Stand Summit.) | Israel Wants to Make This the Last War (Melanie Phillips)
    One thing no one has ever said yet...the "never again" we all said after the Holocaust did not hold true because it happened again, last year, October 7, 2023. And if we don't stop them, it will happen again, and again, and again.

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

Joel Jelski of Fields of Wheat leads off this week as Israel observes 1 year since “The worst day in the history of the modern nation of Israel…. except for the shock of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, no other events in our 76-year history can be compared with the brutality and lack of preparedness of October 7. Without a doubt, it is a turning point, a moment where there will be a before and an after. The horrors of October 7 can really only be compared to the horrors of the Holocaust. The stories and testimonies I have heard and read are unspeakable…. I want to encourage you, if you have not read the stories of what took place on October 7, 2023 - please do. Read a few stories and hear some testimonies. If you are praying for Israel, you must know what the people of Israel are going through today. Please connect emotionally with the collective grief and trauma, so that you can participate in the words that God gave Isaiah thousands of years ago, that ring as true today as they did then: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her" (Isaiah 40:1).
     “…. An expanding war and more military service ahead for me… | After months of waiting, there has been a sharp shift in Israel's approach to Lebanon over the last three weeks….. It is evident now that Hezbollah was preparing for the equivalent of what happened in the south on October 7 to do the same in the villages and cities of northern Israel on a much larger scale. Whatever the world may think, it was clear to us and our leaders that Hezbollah couldn't be allowed to continue with its plans. Drastic measures were needed…. As a result of the ground operation into Lebanon, my tank regiment has been (re)called up earlier than expected. I'm scheduled to be in active duty until December 11. This is good news since I will be available for the Katzir youth camp at the end of December. But our service could get extended. At this time, we don't really know. So, for now, join us in praying for clarity as things unfold so we can make the right decisions concerning the Katzir camp. Please pray for Teresa and my young sons as I have to leave again for an extended time this year.
     Tactical life-saving uniforms for Messianic soldiers – Update Thanks to your generosity, we were able to purchase 100 fire retardant uniforms for combat reserve soldiers…. Currently we need an additional 20 more uniforms ($500 each) to help provide everyone who signed up to get one. Please pray for these soldiers, for protection beyond the uniforms. That God would watch over and protect them and their units as they defend our families and our nation from real and present danger. …. With lasting gratitude for your care and involvement with us.

From Israel Poctar, the evangelistic pastor of Beit Hallel in Ashdod:
WATCH the October 7th Documentary: HOW ISRAEL WAS CHANGED FOREVER  |  When Israelis went to bed on October 6th, they couldn’t possible imagine they would wake up to a reality that would not only shake the very foundations of our nation, but that it would also transform each and every one of us, marking a before and after in our history as a nation, leaving behind a wound that is still bleeding — exactly one year later today.
     There isn’t a single person in Israel that hasn’t been affected by the biggest massacre of Jewish people since the holocaust. As horrified as we all were, there was one big difference between the holocaust and today: God brought us back to our Land, just as He promised, and we needed to stand up and defend ourselves like our future depended on it, because it did.
     The people of Israel united and stood shoulder to shoulder like guardians in a land entrusted to us by God. In a time of war, when most people flee, Israel‘s war had the opposite effect: Israelis started returning in masses back to Israel from all over the world, to defend HOME. Continue reading online and watch the documentary.

Cookie Schwaeber-Issan | AllIsraelNews  in Jerusalem | Available for Zoom Calls for your Israel-interested groups: EMAIL itscook7@gmail.com | Some the Latest : The Fate of Those Who Try to Destroy Israel 10/6 | U.N. Positioning for a One-World Government 10/8 | The Courage Needed to Call Yourself a Zionist 9/30 | We Didn’t Start the Fire 10/3

Ron Cantor of Messiah’s Mandate & ShelanuTV writes, “My wife needs your prayers | It has been the heaviest of years, ending in the October 7th commemoration of the massacre that took place last year.. . . .I want to ask you this week to specifically pray for my wife. Elana carries things much deeper than I do. The October 7th commemoration was incredibly hard on her. She was up most of the night. She deeply loves her nation. Unlike me, she was born in Israel. Hebrew is her native tongue. Whenever they announce a soldier dying, it takes an emotional toll on her. So, this week, I want to ask you to pray specifically for the well-being of her soul. On Tuesday mornings, we pray with several believers in Jerusalem. After Elana shared about some of the things that she is going through, other leaders encouraged us to ask if there were those of you who feel led to pray for us and our family daily…. Please pray for Elana: that she will be free of all traumas from this past year and that her soul will prosper. Please pray for our daughters. Danielle is in Tel Aviv and leads a nonprofit helping those in need from all backgrounds. This year has also been tough on her. Like her mom, seeing people suffer as they did this year is traumatic for her. Yesterday’s ceremonies were particularly hard for her. Our oldest daughter, Sharon, is in America. In addition to helping me, she works in photography and has a small embroidering business. Yael, our middle child, is about to open a restaurant in Richmond called Susie’s, named after her grandmother. It’s a mixture of Moroccan Jewish and European Jewish cuisine. Please pray for all of them, that they would experience the love of Yeshua greatly! They were able to watch the ceremonies online yesterday.
     * DD:  This easily could be a prayer point for all of the women of ministry and the Messianic body in Israel … many are struggling with the emotional burden of it. It is generally true of women that we carry the emotional burdens in life much more heavily than men.

Orna Grinman’s lastest blog post: When We Run Out of Words …  | How can a human mind fathom an enormous disaster? We can’t. No one can really comprehend the burning of 6,000,000 Jews. But then you read one diary of one girl, one Anna Frank, and you can connect to the fear, the helplessness, the level of cruelty.
     How can we comprehend the monstrosity of October 7th? By telling personal stories, small stories, one at a time.  The media in Israel is full of such stories this week, as we ponder and re-ponder the horrors of last year.  I take in as much as I can, and then disconnect myself and take time to process. As much as I can. Well, not sure I can really fully process. But at least I can breathe.
     Anyway, today is about one story that will give you a peek into the bigger picture. Prepare your tissues, and do not forget to breathe. Continue to read in full online at Orna's blog.

From Tikkun Global on 7/10 366 Days Ago—Never Again | Click to play VIDEO |366 Days. Over 100 men, women and children still held in captivity. We call all Christians to observe this day in prayer.
    
From 10/10 Israel has been in a war with Hamas, Hezbollah, and global jihadism for over a year now. Despite the horrible difficulties, God has been incredibly gracious. We have seen miracle after miracle. He is showing His hand in victory as the Lord of Armies.
     Prime Minister Netanyahu has given a new name to the war: Tekuma. This means "rising up" or even "resurrection". It is reminiscent of the call to rise up in the Isaiah 60 "rise and shine" prophecy and the Ezekiel 37 "dry bones" vision. This is the time for believers everywhere to rise up and receive the same heart that David had to be victorious and courageous in battle. This is the heart of Yeshua as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. 
     There is a worldwide witness now demonstrating the power of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May the heart and anointing for victory that was on David be upon all of us in the name of Yeshua, the Captain of Armies of Heaven! |  The Heart of David for Victory | VIDEO teaching by Asher Intrater
     Family in Trying Times by Eitan Shishkoff  | So, where does this concept come from? What does it mean to be a family? And what are the implications for my life, day to day? . . . .In the beginning was family. God created us male and female and told us to multiply. [A Must Read & Study!]
     What is the World Really Afraid Of? By Ariel Blumenthal

 * Eitan Shishkoff’s article on Family above encourages me to post here what I got as was compiling the Weekly Summary version of Ron Cantor’s request for prayer for his wife. The request set off in me some new understandings on a subject that has been a particular biblical study of mine since the late 1980’s – the different callings by God on men and women according to the Bible. I wrote:
     * DD:  This easily could be a prayer point for all of the women of ministry and the Messianic body in Israel … many are struggling with the emotional burden of it. It is generally true of women that we carry the emotional burdens in life much more heavily than men. This is one of the reasons that 1 Peter 3:7 calls for husbands to understand the term “weaker vessel.Women can have incredible strength, but God created them as the heart of the family – the carrier of the emotional territories of family. Peter said, "Likewise, you husbands, live with your wives with understanding, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." Did you catch that: “so that your prayers be not hindered?” How many of our prayers have been hindered by husbands (and wives) failing to understand the differences God created in men and women for the purpose of fulfilling them “being heirs together: of His grace on their life? God created men to be the strength of the family, together each understanding how God created the other is what makes us “heirs together of the grace of life…and our prayers unhindered.” Historically, misinterpreted ideas within Judeao-Christian thinking  of the differences of the roles of men and women (the strength & the heart) are still being brought to perfection by God. (Strength doesn’t mean Bully-boss and the emotional heart doesn’t  mean lacking in smarts or spiritual strength – but that still doesn’t mean men and women in Yeshua function exactly alike!)     

Howard Bass of Nachalat Yeshua (Yeshua’s Inheritance) writes about his personal experience of the “the ballistic missile attack by Iran against Israel.” Comparing the April attack from Iran on non-ballistic, gps guided missiles, he writes: “Last night was much more threatening, and potentially much more destructive.  But God.... He also credits “the amazing defense system Israel has created to deal with different types and speeds of attacks.” Israel’s enemies are at many different lengths from them, so it was a must to develop weapons capable of optimum effectiveness depending on which enemy started war exchange. He wrote that he was at a mid-week house group in an apartment building in another neighborhood of Beer Sheva when “Around 7:30 (19:30), my phone sounded a sound that I had never heard it sound before.  It was from the Home Front Command app, which I have had all this year, but I never heard it before. Our group all went into the bomb shelter on that floor, along with other tenants on that floor.  There were 6 separate siren warnings during the 1/2 hour…. we found out that there was another believer who lives on that same floor!  She goes to a Russian-speaking congregation in the city, and is the sister of one of the elders, whom I know.  Now she, and our host family know each other!  Small world.  Only God....
    Three articles written by Howard Bass on issues related to these Fall Feasts: The New Moon - covered or revealed? | Three New Years | What Time Is It and What Day is Today? |  “May this coming year see many Jews and Christians be in the ingathering of those who already are, or who will yet be, the chosen and elect people of the holy God of Truth and Love, with many more Arabs and other Gentiles filling up their measure in number and in maturity towards the completion of the end-times purposes of the triune God!”

Guy Cohen who pastors Katzir Asher congregation in the town of his own birth, Acco, writes an excellent parallel of Ephesians armor of God and Israel’s defense system. “The three levels of our current defense system are against attack from missiles, rockets and UAV: the Iron Dome, David's Sling and the Arrow defense system - each covering a distance ranging from close range missiles to outside the atmosphere. Currently yet another level is being developed - laser technology, all of this in Israel's defense.
     The armor of God is our spiritual defense system against all that physically and spiritually come against the Believer. The parallel which we can draw between the physical and spiritual defense systems is that they are designed to protect us from attacks coming in every direction and on all levels. The inner attack which believers are at greatest risk of is fear and doubt which destroy faith. This then affects our autoimmune system (faith) which weakens us and can render us defenseless.
     An example of how this works in the physical can be seen when Israel was attacked on October 7, 2023. During the time preceding this attack the Nation of Israel was divided by infighting, attacking each other and weakened due to the autoimmune deficiency caused by the inner conflict. It is when in this condition, either in the natural or spiritual, satan's attack is relentless.
     When we read Paul's words in Ephesians on how to cover ourselves and not allow doubt, fear and worry to enter; we understand that our victory is in the Spirit and we must walk always in the Spirit. We cannot allow doubt to steal our peace.  We then see how on October 7th, after Israel was attacked, the nation began to come together and we showed ourselves to be stronger than anticipated by our enemies because we were one.  May Israel remain unified; standing in strength against her enemies. May we as Believers in Yeshua; covered with the full armor of God; stand strong in the time of battle.”

Reuven Doron has two articles so worth making the effort to link to online: Trumpet Blast | Yom Te'ru'ah — The Mystery of God's Fifth Feast “….we are in a season of restoration after nearly 2,000 years of exile. | YHWH is restoring the people of Israel to the Land of Israel. He is restoring the Land to her early glory and fruitfulness, and is progressively restoring the nation of Israel to His true calling of pointing the nations to Himself whether through good or bad times. As He has promised, “… I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am YHWH,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.’” (Ezekiel 36:23).
     Our Lord is also restoring the Ecclesia Church to her own biblical and authentic foundations and calling as set forth in the Book of Acts. We are living in the blessed “… times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21). May we obtain and cultivate the true grace of God to walk uprightly and in the power of His Spirit during this incredible time of human history….” .(Click to read the entire article)
     Also 10/9 The War in Numbers | Your prayers are more valuable than you can imagine.  You will find this article on Reuven’s Facebook page OneNewManCall

Chaim Malespin of the Aliyah Return Center writes, “10/3 Yesterday as I was at my base at the border of Gaza, in the south of Israel, it looked like end of days, stars were falling out of the sky! I have never seen anything like it before in my life. And somehow, after 180+ massive rockets were fired at us from Iran, only one person was killed by this attack. This is nothing short of a miracle.”
    And on 10/6 Chaim writes, “What is the Hebrew word for repentance? | This Friday is the eve of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is a very important week for Jewish people around the world. In Leviticus 23:27 - 28, Yom Kippur is described as a sacred assembly, a day to deny yourself, present a food offering, and is a Sabbath day. . . . Repentance is a powerful thing. According to the Word of God, it is not just an emotion of remorse or regret. It is much deeper than that. The Hebrew word for repentance is "teshuvah" (תְּשׁוּבָה), which means "to return" or "to turn back"…. Repentance, is not just about avoiding punishment or the assurance of going to heaven. To have our sins wiped away, being cleansed from wickedness, and choosing to walk down the straight and narrow, is about living in God’s presence.”     

Pastor Aleksey Raikhstadt at the Beit Immanuel congregation in Jaffa writes, “These are difficult times our nation is experiencing. . . .We ask for your prayers during the days ahead. Please pray for our soldiers, government leaders, and all civilians facing this threat. May God grant wisdom, courage, and protection to those defending our nation and guide us through these difficult times. May it lead our people to hope and faith in Yeshua. Pray for us to be His light and used by Him to reach our people with the Gospel.” As the congregation joins in the biblical Fall Feasts, Aleksey writes, “We are grateful for Yeshua’s sacrifice, ensuring eternal life for those who believe. Our nation as well as our enemies need His salvation. Even in the difficult days, the Lord continues to work and move in the lives of people and our congregation. . . .Thank you for your continual prayers and support.” He writes that “Seven Baptized into New Life in Yeshua” in their congregation, and reports that “two young adults in our congregation together with other believing young adults from Israel, are spending the next five weeks in India, sharing the Gospel with Israeli backpackers. Pray with them for protection, God's divine intervention, timing, and meaningful and thought-provoking conversations that lead to Salvation.” 
     Lastly, “By the grace of God, we were able to purchase a vehicle for transporting congregational members to services, youth activities, delivering food and necessities to the elderly, assisting in the war effort, and more. We ask for your prayers that the Lord will provide for us the remaining costs to pay off the van. If the Lord lays on your heart to help us cover the remaining costs” GIVE HERE.

I had a very difficult time as I was working with Return from Zion Leon Mazin’s report on the Eagle Project 2024, crying each of the four times I needed to read it in order to prepare it for sharing in the Weekly Summary and Arrows. It brought me to tears reading how this year the program designed for ministering to Messianic IDF soldiers as they come to the end of their active duty, was so needed, effective and restorative. Leon writes, “All of you know that Israel faced a cruel reality on October 7th; many of our finest young people were in the Army and many were called in to reserve service to all the fronts of the war from the North to the South. The need for such a program was huge, we started to see signs of PTSD among young messianic soldiers, and we searched for the right platform to help them.” The Eagle Project was established in 2014 and RTZ works with close and united relationships with Christian friends and partners from Norway and now the USA as well.
     This year RTZ joined hands with STONEWATER Church in Granbury, Texas and took 30 young adults after an active service in the IDF to Texas to achieve the goals of the Project together. SWC provided a great team including educated staff with PTSD specialty with extensive experience working with Christian veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan. God brought us this new amazing connection only a few months before the Project (this year) started, all the planning was done through the war.
      God gathered the right people and a good plan, accompanied the process by miracles and wonders and we saw His hand at every step of planning and executing…. After only a week we started to see changes and testimonies of God’s movement inside those young people, they shared their heart about changes only God can make.
     Many of these young people will be back to the service soon, in Gaza, Lebanon and different areas of Israel, but they say, that they are ready, God changed them and healed, God renewed and taught them and I'm sure they are going to fight the good fight also in the spiritual world as they did and will do in the physical one. Please pray for these people, as individuals. They need your spiritual covering, not only to survive, but to grow and prosper, to build God's Kingdom in Israel and worldwide.
    *DD:  There are widespread reports of PTSD among those in active duty. Pray for God to pour out on those all those suffering from the traumatic things they have seen and experienced.

Rania Sayegh, Christian Arab prophetic intercessor in Nazareth at HOPE, writes wishing happy holidays to all who are celebrating the Biblical Fall Feasts. Rania writes, “We would also like to invite you to partner with us in this unique opportunity to sow during the Days of Awe, funds which will be used toward our prayer seminars, women and youth prayer gatherings in the House of Prayer for this year. Our goal is to raise $15,000 within the next few months. To partner with our growing ministry, full donation information on our website.  We value you and your partnership as it propels forward with strength in all that the Lord has for us and our people in this strategic season! Thank you for sowing a seed into Nazareth! We are grateful for you standing with us, as we contend for God's promises for Israel and the nations!
     You can follow HOPE on Instagram at Hope_nazareth to watch videos from our daily prayer and worship meetings at the House of Prayer during the war. Look at the highlights under "The War Cry" | We also have a HOPE YouTube Channel you can subscribe to.

Carolyn & Richard Hyde at Heart of G-d Ministries were driving home from a family gathering 10/1 when “the sky lit up without sirens as most missiles were headed to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. As we continued driving while videoing, we began to declare that NOT ONE missile would strike anyone or anything!  Upon arriving at home, the sirens sounded so we made it to our bomb shelter just in time. This was Iran’s second attempt to destroy Israel with a huge missile strike.” Not a single person died in this attack. On her Altar of Prayer Watch the next day she “asked Israelis of varying faiths if the Oct. 1 missile strike was the hand of G-d or just luck that saved us. ALL agreed IT WAS THE HAND OF G-D!”
     Also Prayer Walking The Gates of Zion in Jerusalem “we heard about Nasrallah's demise. Of course this wasn’t solely due to our actions, but we believe we have authority in Messiah to do those “greater works” that Yeshua promised. We can close gates of curses in the Land and open portals of blessings, asking Adonai to pour out dreams and revelations of His Truth and Love.”
     *DD Yes and amen! We also saw God answer miraculously when after seeing so much loss and destruction after Hurricane Helene in the USA, Christians rose up and prayed for a miracle when Hurricane Milton came barreling toward Florida at Category 5 potency.  I have seen reports that: “the storm split into two. The eye wall collapsed as it reached land. Tampa Bay was completely drained.” Sounds like “Red Sea” miracle of God territory to me!
 
Watch this short Shana Tova video from Youval Yanay of Revive Israel as they also are observing the biblical Fall Feasts of the LORD. And read this Yom Teruah, the Day the Heavens Open and the King Returns by Raphael Almeida  “Growing up here in Israel, I always thought of Rosh Hashanah as the start of the new year. It’s what we learned, celebrated, and expected. But as I began to really study the Scriptures, I discovered something surprising: Rosh Hashanah isn’t actually the “New Year” in the Bible. Instead, it’s called Yom Teruah, the Day of Blowing the Shofar. . . .” click title to continue

Dani Sayag gets real with his article on Yom Kippur – confessing his true struggles as October 7th unfolded in 2023. It takes courage to be real with people and I really appreciate all the pastor of HaCarmel had to say. He writes, “When we arrived at the congregation, preparing to start our Shabbat service, the dreadful news came that terrorists had entered southern Israel. At that moment, we didn’t understand the scale of the horrific things that were taking place in the kibbutzim and the towns in the South. As we were worshipping during the service, we received news from a believing family in one of the kibbutzim near the Gaza border that terrorists were inside their home, while they themselves were locked in their safe room. The message from the family was, “Please pray for us.” This was our first clue as to what was happening in the South. We stopped the worship and as a congregation we began to intercede for them. Later on, we heard the news that this family was saved, but many others did not make it.”
     “During the following days, we began to understand the whole picture of what had actually taken place on October 7. The nation was in shock. Personally, I had a difficult time functioning during those days. I felt like a pilot spinning in his aircraft. The only thing that brought me to a place of stability was looking at the compass on the control panel. During moments like those, I couldn’t trust my feelings. I had anger toward our government and our army. It was difficult for me to hear Arabic. During a worship service shortly after the war started, when we were singing a song in Arabic, I found it hard to do.
     For me, looking at the compass is looking at God’s Word. I remembered His promises, the promises toward Israel and what He wrote about the Jew and the Gentile becoming “one new man” in Messiah Yeshua. Because of God’s words, I knew how He felt about my Arab brothers, that in Messiah Yeshua, we are “one new man” (Eph. 2:15). It was no longer a struggle for me to hear Arabic and to worship together with them. As long as I kept my eyes on God’s Word, I felt safe and stable.”
     “….Throughout this year we have had many moments of pain. We were grieved every time we heard a report about the death or injury of a soldier. We are constantly hurting concerning our hostages. However, there were also moments of joy. . . .As a pastor, no one ever taught me before how to lead a congregation during this kind of war, but I want to thank God that He led us by His Spirit and filled our community with people that have servants’ hearts. As I am writing this, we are still in the middle of the war. We believe that God has called us, and you, for such a time as this. This is the time to join together as the army of God, fighting against the darkness with our powerful spiritual weapons of worship, prayer, and the proclamation of God’s Word. Thank you for standing with us during this dark hour.”

From Maoz Ministries, Kobi & Shani Ferguson write: “This Yom Kippur will be different because while we've just noted the one year anniversary of October 7th, the Jewish calendar is different, and as such, this is the first Yom Kippur since the massacre last year.
     In light of this being a time of fasting and praying for our nation we wanted to share an updated “Pray Wisely” for prayer ideas, a podcast sharing about what is going on in Israel right now with additional prayer points and playlist of Israeli worship specifically created with your prayer time in mind.
     Thank you for being a part of the story of Israel.  We know it’s not easy. But at least it’s not boring.