1. The Jewish fast-day of Tisha B'Av starts at sunset this Monday, Aug. 8th. It is a day when Jews remember and mourn over the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem, as well as a series of other disastrous events for the Jews that fell either on or very near this day in history. Some Jews stay up all that night reading the book of Lamentations. As the climax of that book has to do with God's faithfulness, we used it to start our time of praise.

    • It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.

      Lamentations 3:22-23

    • Amen. We are so blessed that Your mercies are new/renewed every morning.

    • We declare that You are the One, True and Faithful God, King of Kings, and Lord of all.

    • Thank You that Your nature never changes.

      For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

      Malachi 3:6

    • If we believe not, yet He abides faithful. He cannot deny Himself.

      2 Timothy 2:13

    • We give You thanks for You are good and Your steadfast love endures forever.

  2. In some rabbinic writings, the Messiah's birth is somehow associated with the destruction of the Temple, therefore some Jews see hints of Messiah in Lamentations. Also, one of Messiah's names is "Comforter" which is also from this book (1:16,17,21). With that in mind, we prayed that as Jews fast and read this book - they would receive a revelation of Yeshua.

    • Abba, show Your people the real Comforter, Yeshua.

    • Impact the younger generation, many of whom for the first time will be staying up all night and reading Lamentations.

    • So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

      Isaiah 55:11

    • Then said the LORD unto [Jeremiah], You have seen well, for I will hasten [watch over] My word to perform it.

      Jeremiah 1:12

    • Touch many Jewish hearts with a deep desire to know more of Your Word.

    • For some Jews, this will be their last Tisha b'Av. Save them for Your name's sake.

    • We lift up Holocaust survivors especially. Lord, have much mercy on these dear ones.

    • Save many in the IDF, especially the new recruits.

    • Use believers in the IDF to be prepared to share about the hope You have placed in them because of Messiah Yeshua (1 Peter 3:15).

    • Lord, we plead with You to save the unsaved family members of Messianic believers.

  3. Israel is in the midst of street protests around the theme of "social justice". Yet the goal of many protestors is to return to a socialistic state with the government providing for the people and where the rich are seen as the "enemy." Israel tried this. It was not good. Are there economic problems and injustices in Israel? Yes. Do rich Israelis at times deal in an ungodly manner? Yes. Does Israel have poor, widows, orphans who should be treated better? Yes. While the protestors are bringing many of these situations out in the open, they are demanding ungodly solutions. And some are aiming to overthrow the current government. Yet Bibi Netanyahu has done more to help Israel's overall economic situation and has cut through so much of Israel's infamous red tape that he is the one politician who should be seen as a hero in this area. There are spirits working in these protests that are not good for Israel.

    • Lord, teach us to pray into this situation.

    • From the prophetic portion [haftarah]:

      Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

      Isaiah 1:17

    • Help Israelis to do what this verse says in an even greater way.

    • Thank You for all of the charities in this nation that get voluntary contributions to help the poor, orphans, widows, terror victims, women in distress and so many others.

    • Help Israel's economy to move forward in dealing with the real issues.

    • Warn the rich who are not dealing righteously with that which You have given them with this verse from the haftarah:

      Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves. Every one loves gifts, and follows after rewards. They judge not the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come unto them.

      Isaiah 1:23; cp Nehemiah 5:7-11

    • Lord, rebuke the spirits of the wicked one who have infiltrated these protests.

      The LORD rebuke you, Satan; even the LORD that has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you…

      Zechariah 3:2a

    • Abba, do not allow the spirit of chaos, which is running rampant in the nations around Israel's to come into Your nation (1 Corinthians 14:33).

    • Hedge in the national labor movement, the Histadrut, from manipulating this nation in ways that are against Your will (Numbers 23:23).

    • We lift up Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer and all the other man and women with oversight of Israel's economy. Give them much wisdom and courage.

  4. The prophetic portion ends with a promise from God concerning righteous leaders. There are several other places where He commits to raising up His leaders to care for His people when He brings us back from exile. So we prayed exactly for that.

    • I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Then you shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

      Isaiah 1:26

    • I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them…

      Jeremiah 23:3-4; cp. 3:14-15

    • We thank You that we do see in the current government those who really do care for this nation and people. Bless and use them for Your glory.

    • Remove all wicked leaders who are just after their own aggrandizement.

    • Raise up those promised judges and counselors in all areas of this nation.

    • Bless Bibi Netanyahu as he steers this nation through all of the snares that are facing it.

    • Raise up righteous shepherds in Israel's religious communities - including the Messianic Body.

  5. One of the snares this nation is being pressured to enter is what the "peace" process has morphed into. Most of the world, including President Obama and his administration, is wanting is a "Palestine" to be established this September at the UN - regardless of whether it results in peace with Israel or not. Bibi is under tremendous pressure and is most likely being threatened behind closed doors to submit to the will of the world.

    • Lord, wake up the watchmen on Jerusalem's walls whom You have appointed (Isaiah 62:6-7), and let them know the danger Israel is facing in the very near future.

    • We thank You that none of this has taken You by surprise and yet You still are wanting us to stand before You, pleading for Your will to be done in Israel as in heaven.

    • If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. 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 the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

      Psalms 124:1-8

    • We reject the spirit of Esau that has come upon many Israelis who are willing to sell their inheritance for a mess of porridge (we don't even get the porridge, just the mess!).

    • We thank and praise You that in 1967 You miraculously restored Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to Israel. What You have joined together let no man divide.

    • Shield Bibi and his government from the manipulations and threats from Obama & Co.

    • Harden the hearts of all Palestinian leaders so that they continue to be very unwilling to compromise at all in helping move this "peace' process forward.

    • Help the Church to understand that we are not against a Palestinian State being created - just not on the land God has promised more than 200 times in the Bible to Israel!

    • Arise and defend this nation for Your holy name's sake.

      Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens, and He has done whatever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

    • In the face of the UN annual meeting in September that is set to vote for recognition of "Palestine" on the pre-67 borders, we declare:

      Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.

      Psalms 2:1-5; also 33:10-11

  6. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan runs from August 1st to the 30th this year. We asked the Lord to reveal Himself to many Moslems during this time.

    • Lord, thank You for using Ramadan to remind us to pray for our enemies.

    • Abba, turn many of our enemies into our family during this next month.

    • We bless You for every ex-Moslem believer who is in the Kingdom today. Please save their unsaved loved ones.

    • Strengthen and protect them and use them for Your glory.

    • Save multitudes of Moslems in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and among the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs.

  7. We ended by interceding for Israel's security situation. The IDF is preparing for major riots and demonstrations from now and through the fall. Also, today is the 1st Friday (the Moslem day of prayer) of Ramadan.

    • Lord, quicken Israel's security forces to be able to prevent any rioting in or near the Temple Mount today and all of this month.

    • Help them to spot and quench any small fires before they can get bigger.

    • Aid the IDF and all of the rest of the security forces in preparation for September.

    • Give the heads of the security branches wisdom, insight and an ability to work as one.

    • Have much mercy on the teenagers who have just been inducted into the IDF.

    • Have much mercy on the Palestinian teenagers who are encouraged by their wicked leaders to kill Jews and often get themselves killed instead.

    • Yeshua, You who spoke to the storm and stilled the waves, speak to this possible storm of violence and still the waves of terror from killing more of Your people (Mark 4:39).

Shabbat shalom and thank you,
The IFI team