1. Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a refuge for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever: I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings.

    Psalm 61:1-4, ASV

    We praise and thank the Lord in that:

    • We in Jerusalem who are in the centre of the earth are joined together with God's people to the very ends of the earth.

    • You, Lord are very near; right here with us.

    • You are a strong tower, totally immovable.

    • You are a refuge in whom we can trust.

  2. Turkey

    In the recently published Palmer Report to the United Nations, Israel has been held as being justified in maintaining her blockade of Gaza, but accused of using excessive force in her response to being attacked by terrorists when her troops boarded the flotilla ship Mavi Marmara in May 2010. Israel is instructed in the report to pay reparations to Turkey to compensate the families of those killed in this incident. In recent days we have seen a downgrading of Turkey's diplomatic relations with Israel and a rapid escalation in rhetoric with Turkey for example threatening to send gunships to accompany the next flotilla. We need to ask: who or what is pushing Turkey to this state of affairs? Is this heading towards a wider conflict? How should Israel respond? We prayed:

    • Lord, hedge in (Turkish Prime Minister) Erdogan from continuing to speak out against You, Your land and Your people.

    • Rise up and defend the integrity of Your name which is brought into disrepute by the scornful words of the Turkish leader.

    • Put Your hand, Lord on what is out of our control.

    • Give wisdom and put Your words into the mouths of our leaders.

    • Thank You for the words of Netanyahu in being willing to praise the conduct and bravery of those Israeli forces who were involved in the flotilla operation.

    • Protect Your people against fear and prepare us for what is coming.

    • Cause Your people to turn to You at this time.

    • Many in Turkey have been blessed in the past by their nation's former good relationship with Israel. Give them grace to stand up for Israel in these days and not be dragged into the Israel-bashing culture.

    • Protect the Jewish community in Turkey.

    • May nothing happen between Israel and Turkey which is not in Your timing.

  3. UN recognition of Palestinian state

    Mahmoud Abbas recently sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting recognition of a State of Palestine. The UN is basically in favour while the USA is saying that it will veto the proposal in the Security Council. The Security Council of the UN is the body given the full authority to confer statehood. However, a vote in the UN's General Assembly in favour of a Palestinian state, while not conferring statehood in a formal legal way, would be a huge symbolic statement of the will of the international community.

    Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: the Lord will have them in derision. Then will He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure: Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

    Psalm 2:1-6

    • Thank you, Lord that You sit in the heavens and laugh.

    • Lord, override any plan or vote or action of the nations so that it conform with Your plans.

    • Bring about a sorting of the nations so that it becomes clear who is for You and who is against You and Your plans. Let there be a clear division.

    • Have mercy on our nations to come down on Your side (we prayed specifically for the nations we personally come from).

    • Cause confusion among those who are planning and plotting against Israel.

    • No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

      Isaiah 54:17, KJV

      We pray that You would indeed condemn the tongues that rise against You.

    • Cause people to lobby in their nations in support of Israel.

    • Thank you, God, that none of this takes You by surprise. You have a great plan. As the United Nations seems to have become a body whose purpose is to curse Israel, we ask you to give great wisdom to Israel's UN ambassador Ron Prosor and anoint his words.

  4. Israel's leaders

    Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

    Proverbs 3:13-14

    • May our leaders find wisdom in the Lord and in His word.

    • May God use these men and women as instruments for His plans and purposes for His people.

    • Don't let them be afraid or confused by the words of our enemies.

    • Let them rise up and not shrink from the challenges facing them.

    • Give them physical health under stress. You are their strength.

    • Silence the voices of those who declare that Israel's position is hopeless. Thank You that You promised us a future and a hope.

    • Let good counsel be heard and bad counsel silenced.

    • Protect the families of those in leadership and make them a source of strength to those in authority and prevent family struggles being used by the enemy as a way of undermining the leaders.

    • Give unity in the leadership to speak with one voice.

    • Give eyes to see clearly.

    • May the leadership not be swayed by the manipulations of the media.

    • May they not be paralysed by fear.

    • Protect the Knesset building and make it a place of peace and not confusion.

    • For Benyamin Netanyahu:

      • With all the pressures on him, speak through him to proclaim truth and speak strength to the people.

      • May he cry out to You and find his salvation in Yeshua.

      • Give him boldness and strength of spirit.

      • Give him Your words, Your wisdom and Your strength.

      • Give favour and grace to Bibi and the government to withstand all our enemies.

  5. The Mountains of Israel

    Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:…But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded. 

    Ezek 36:1,8-10

    The Lord has promised to place His people on the mountains of Israel. Let us remind Him of His promise.

    • Bring full restoration to Judea and Samaria, the biblical "mountains of Israel", even though it looks impossible today as the government fears the condemnation of the nations.

    • Make the people flourish in these areas.

    • It's a matter of social justice, Lord that You would reestablish Your people in the places You promised to place them!

    • Give a holy boldness to Your people. Cast out fear!

    • Protect all the Jewish people already living on the mountains of Israel. They are often misunderstood. Help them to stand.

    • Through Your word encourage and inspire more to live and flourish on this land.

    • Provide the resources to enable the settlers to flourish on the mountains of Israel.

    • Protect them and give them security.

    There has been publicity given to a few recent acts of vandalism committed against mosques and against army facilities. These look like the actions of extremist settlers but no-one has been caught. This makes all settlers look bad and promotes hatred throughout Israel towards the whole settler movement. Pray:

    • Expose the truth and let the vandals be brought to justice.

    • That the media would treat these incidents in a righteous way, not simply as an excuse to throw dirt at all the settlers.

  6. Aliyah for His holy name's sake

    But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

    Ezek 36:21-24

    There is talk of a "demographic threat" to Israel as a Jewish nation because the Arab people tend to have more children than the Jews. The answer is not to give away portions of the land but for more Jews to return home.

    • Raise up in Your people a desire to come. May multitudes say with meaning, "This year in Jerusalem".

    • Raise up more provision to help Your people come home through organizations such as The Jewish Agency, Nefesh b'Nefesh and others.

    • Call a new generation of pioneers to stand and build alongside those who have been building for a long time.

    • Let Jews in the USA recognize that the US Administration has forgotten the Jews so it's time to go home. May they see that it's better to build their fortunes in Israel rather than trusting in the American economy.

    • May there be a welcome in Israel for new olim. Break down the narrow self-interest in Israel which resists new groups entering the society.

    • Open the doors for Messianic Jews to make aliyah. Give vision and remove the fears of all the problems.

    • Raise up believers in the nations to encourage Your people to come home and others in Israel to welcome them when they arrive.

    • In this month of Elul, traditionally a time for self-examination, impress many Jews with the need to make aliyah.

  7. Clean Water

    Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

    Ezek 36:25-28

    • God, cleanse Your people! Sprinkle them with clean water! Set them free!

    • Here we are in the land. Sprinkle Your water on Your people!

    • May the Jewish people find in this month of Elul that Yeshua is the only answer for sin.

    • Cleanse us from the divisions and hatred within the nation - hatred between different ethnic groups, between left and right, between rich and poor, even divisions between groups within the Messianic body.

  8. IFI Leaders

    • We prayed for Eliyahu and Chuck who are both out of the country for God's protection and physical strengthening.

    • May they be anointed with the right words for the right people at the right times.

    • Grant times for the refreshment they need.