1. We used the prophetic portion - Jeremiah 31:1-19 - for the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah, Sunday, to focus our praise of the Lord GOD of Israel.

    • At the same time [in the last days, see 30:24], says LORD [YHWH], I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people. Thus says LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. LORD has appeared... unto me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn you.

      Jeremiah 31:1-3

    • Thank You for being so faithful.

    • Bless You for being a God who hears and answers the prayers of Your people.

    • What a joy - even in the midst of all the trials - to be called into Your Kingdom for just a time like this!

  2. This evening, at sunset, begins the biblical feast of Yom Teruah, literally, the day of blowing (Leviticus 23:4, 23-25). The Rabbis see this as the blowing of the shofar, usually a ram's (Psalm 81:3). Judaism calls this day, Rosh Hashanah - the New Year. It is celebrated in Israel for two days. Tonight also begins the ten day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (September 28th), known as the Days of Awe, during which Jewish people try to get right with God and man. So we prayed for Israel's salvation.

    • Behold, the days come, says LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them... out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them... But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and...his brother, saying, Know LORD: for they shall all know me...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

      Jeremiah 31:31-34

    • For thus says LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, shout among the chief of the nations: publish, praise, and say, LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel.

      Jeremiah 31:7

    • We bless You for all the Jewish people whom You have brought into the Kingdom of Your Son since last Rosh Hashanah (Colossians 1:12-13). Help them to grow in grace and knowledge of You and Your will.

    • Help Your Body to provoke Your people Israel to jealousy (Romans 11:11).

    • Reveal Messiah to many Rabbis - both here in Israel and in exile.

    • Save some of Israel's governmental leaders.

    • Especially touch Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu and his cabinet.

    • Many Orthodox youth are seeking truth. Help them to find You, the Truth (John 14:6).

    • For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon Me... You shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.

      Jeremiah 29:11-13

    • Send on Israel the spirit of repentance and enable them to look unto You whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

  3. According to Jeremiah 31, God's response to the Church's cry for Israel's salvation is to bring the Jewish people home - aliyah. So that is what we prayed for next.

    • For thus says LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, shout among the chief of the nations: publish, praise, and say, LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travails with child together - a great company shall return here.

      Jeremiah 31:7-8

    • Abba, we thank You for the increase in Jews coming home this past year - especially from North America, the UK, France - even South America and South Africa. Hallelujah!

    • Continue to increase the numbers of Jews who return - especially from the West (Isaiah 43:5; Zechariah 8:7-8)

    • For all those Jews who have already come home and still have close family living in exile, we ask for family reunification.

    • Abba, deal with the yordi'im, Israeli citizens who live in exile, and bring them back home.

    • We thank You for using Natan Sharansky, the new head of the Jewish Agency, to stir up increased numbers of Jews making aliyah from the former Soviet Union.

    • Continue to bless and use Nefesh b'Nefesh to help Jews return from the West.

    • Abba, according to Your promise - bring home the blind and the lame. Do not allow Israel to ever pick and choose between one Jew and another - but may she open wide the doors to all Jews who want to come home.

    • Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. Behold, LORD has proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.

      Isaiah 62:10-11

  4. UN Human Rights Commission issued a very biased report on Operation Cast Lead - Israel's war against Hamas terrorism in the Gaza Strip. Called the Goldstone Report, it has the potential to be very damaging - not only to Israel's international standing, which is always precarious at best - but to the overall war against terrorism. If a nation cannot defend itself against rockets being fired against its' civilians from another "nation" - then when can a nation defend itself. We see this as another indication that Zechariah 12:2-3, when all nations come against Jerusalem, is quickly approaching.

    • Open eyes both here in Israel and in the nations to see the blatant lies in this report.

    • Open eyes especially of our brothers and sisters in Messiah - that they might not be deceived by the spirit of anti-Semitism which is fueling all this anti-Zionism in these days.

    • Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

      2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

    • Cause the nations - especially in the West - to realize that this report takes away from them the ability to defend themselves against terrorism in any effective manner.

    • Thank You that since Avigdor Lieberman has become Foreign Minister, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been more willing to speak truth - even when not politically correct.

    • Anoint Bibi, also Israel's UN representative Gabriel Shalev, Israel's American ambassador Michael Oren, the Israeli media, and other Israeli representatives to expose the lies and speak the truth about the Gaza war.

    • Especially anoint all who have opportunity to be interviewed by the world's media.

    • We bless You for using Israel's President Shimon Peres, to call this report a mockery of justice.

    • Raise up people with discernment in the Church concerning this report, and give Your intercessors discernment on how to pray about it.

    • LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the people of none effect. The counsel of LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

      Psalms 33:10-11

  5. US special Middle East envoy George Mitchell is meeting with PM Netanyahu today for the third time this week to try and twist his arm about a complete settlement freeze. Bibi has said he would go so far - no complete settlement freeze, a 6 month postponement in building in certain areas, all of Jerusalem is Israel's capital and is not even up for discussion - and no further. Whether it is good enough for the Palestinians to talk to Israel is another story.

    • Anoint and strengthen Bibi to stand according to the red lines he has already set.

    • We stand against all American manipulation to get Israel to do that which is not in line with Your will - to divide Your Land (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Do not allow the US to use it's UN Security Council veto against the Goldstone Report to manipulate Israel to submit to Obama's unbiblical ME peace plans.

    • We bless Bibi with this truth: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

  6. The Iranian threat is getting more serious with every passing day - and it seems as if the world is waiting for Israel to deal with it. Then most of the word would probably condemn us for doing that.

    • Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of LORD, who made heaven and earth.

      Psalms 124:6-7

    • Abba, thank You for shaking Iran politically and spiritually.

    • Continue to save multitudes of Iranians and give the Iran Church wisdom and protection.

    • Please physically shake the ground under her nuclear plants and let them know that it is You who are defending Israel.

    • Hear the word of LORD, O you nations; declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep/guard him, as a shepherd does his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • May the International Atomic Energy Agency be forced to reveal all they know about Iran's nuclear weapons programs.

    • Thank You that French President Sarkozy openly admitted that Iran is developing nukes.

    • If Israel needs to attack - give her Your timing, Your wisdom and Your tactics.

      The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of LORD.

      Proverbs 21:31

    • Prepare the Israeli public for the day after any attack.

    • Make any Israeli attack be so effective that the fear of Israel's God of falls on the Arab nations.

    • Anoint Israel like You anointed David for battle - because truly the battle is Yours (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

    • Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let them also that hate Him flee before Him... Rebuke the company of spearmen... scatter people that delight in war.

      Psalms 68:1,30

  7. Next week the UN General Assembly is meeting in NY with the possibility of US President Obama presenting his plan for peace between Israel and the Arabs. Also Iran's President Ahmadinejad, Palestinian Authority President Abbas, Israel's PM Netanyahu, and most other world leaders will be in attendance. We probably will see an increase in the worldwide demonization of Israel. Let us watch and pray over this with open eyes and a hearing heart towards God's Spirit.

    • Associate yourselves, O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces. Give ear, all you of far countries: gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nothing. Speak the word, and it shall not stand. For God is with us.

      Isaiah 8:9-10

    • Bring down all the plans of man and exalt Your plans at this very time.

    • Confound all of Zion's enemies (Psalm 129:5).

    • Awaken American believers - especially the intercessors - of the danger their nation will face if Obama goes ahead with his plans.

      For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel] shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

      Isaiah 60:12

    • Lord, overrule and cause Your prophetic plans to be advanced, even in the face of arrogant world leaders.

      For God has put in their hearts [the 10 horns] to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

      Revelation 17:17

This Sunday, there is an Israeli nationwide gathering of prayer and fasting just outside of Jerusalem - pleading with God for the salvation of Israel. May the Lord hear our prayers.

Shabbat shalom, Shanah tovah [Happy New Year] and blessings from Zion,
The IFI Team