A Song of degrees. Unto you lift I up my eyes, You that dwells in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Psalm 123:1-4

-When ask that you would hear our prayers this morning and have mercy upon your people Israel.

1. We began by lifting up prayer for our Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There have been so many things for him to deal with, it is a wonder that he can still get up in the morning. He is the head of a large coalition that could disappear suddenly. The threat from Iran still looms. And there are various internal issues that demand his immediate attention. We really need to lift his hands up.

   We prayed:

   • Thank you Lord for appointing him as leader of Israel - make him aware that You are the one who raised him up for this time.

   • Quicken Your Word in his heart.

   • Help him to make decisions that are in line with Your Word.

   • Sustain him and give him the physical strength to do his job.

   • Surround him with Your presence that he would know the way he should go.

   • Give him good advisers and keep away those that would bring division.

   • Psalm 25:9 - The humble will he guide in judgment: and the humble will he teach his way. Make him humble Lord so that You can show him Your way.

   • Keep the pride that comes with success far from him.

   • Use his family to continually speak truth to him.

   • Give him the wisdom You gave to Solomon.

   • Show him how to preserve a united front against our enemies.

2. Over the past week, the settlements have once again come to the forefront in Israeli news and politics. PM Netanyahu has come up with a plan to build many more houses in settlements in Judea and Samaria. This of course has caused other countries to express their outrage at the building. We prayed that the Lord would continue to see His Word come to pass concerning the building up of this Land for the Jewish people. We also asked that the Lord would bless and protect the settlers.

   We Prayed:

   • For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and you 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 built: And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

     Ezekiel 36:8-11

   • Build up the communities that already exists and make them secure for the people who live there.

   • Take fear from the settlers and give them faith in what they know to be true.

   • Establish Your people in Your Land.

   • Strengthen those in the government who have a vision for the settlements.

   • Send new people to settle the Land who have a vision to do so.

   • Prevent the further demonization of settlers in the media and let the truth of Your Word break forth.

3. Another major issue burning in the hearts of many Israelis is the issue of all the migrants who have crossed over from Egypt into Israel. Many of these migrants are running from the situation in their countries and crossing secretly into Israel. Israel needs to know what to do with the thousands who are here illegally. This issue has polarized society and brought violence from both sides of the aisle. It is clear that Israel can't absorb all these thousands of migrants, but we also want to show kindness to those who need help.

   We Prayed:

   • Lord, please show Israel how to properly care for these people.

   • Help the government to find some righteous solutions.

   • Raise up voices who would bring calm to the polarized situation.

   • Protect all those who are crossing and show the soldiers how they need to handle the situation.

   • Give supernatural wisdom to know what to do.

   • Don't allow further division to happen over this issue.

   • Prevent anything from hindering the work on the border fence from going forward.

   • For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

     Proverbs 2:6

4. We turned our attention to the situation in Syria. In this last week, we saw another massacre take place where over half of the people killed were women and children. The situation appears to be getting worse. Anything that happens there could quickly arrive to Israel's doorstep. Israel needs to know how to prepare for whatever will happen. We also need to lift up the individuals who are personally affected by the violence as well as the believers who are living in Syria.

   We Prayed:

   • Make Israel watchful and ready for whatever comes.

   • Have mercy on the innocents caught up in this increasing violence.

   • Protect our brothers and sisters in the faith and give them a boldness to share their faith.

   • We pray that in Your mercy, You would bring the conflict to an end in a way which is according to Your eternal plan.

   • Show Israel how we can exercise mercy for those who may flee to our border from the violence.

   • Prevent Assad from being able to shift attention by lashing out at Israel.

   • Prepare all our soldiers on the border for what is coming.

   • Bring the light of Your salvation to that nation.

5. Ezekiel 36:6-7 - Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; I have lifted up my hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame. The nations continue to try and find a solution to the Iranian problem but are finding no success. The sanctions are having an impact, but the push for nuclear capability still goes forward. We need the Lord to act sovereignly, or to show Israel what she needs to do.

   We prayed:

   • Bring down all those who purpose to destroy Your people

   • Bring the plans of Your enemies to nothing.

   • Shake Iran physically and spiritually.

   • We ask Your to intervene on behalf of Israel.

   • If it is Your will for Israel to act, may she truly be a tool in Your hand. Let us not take anything on ourselves that You have not ordained.

   • Help us to prepare as a whole nation for the reality we live in.

   • Give our military the strategies we need to have.

   • May our leaders have discernment to know what to say and when to say it.

   • We pray for all the pilots who are training to be strong and courageous.

   • Keep all of Israel's plans secret.

6. Today in Tel Aviv is the annual Gay Pride Parade. Israel is called to be a light to the world and representatives of God's Word. It is shameful that something so hedonistic happens here. Romans 1:25 - Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

   We prayed:

   • Drive out evil from the midst of Your people.

   • You promised You would bring us back and cleanse us. Cleanse us Lord from this filthiness.

   • Open the eyes of the people who attend to the lies they believe.

   • Give the believers wisdom who are going there to witness for You.

   • Cause Israel to walk in her calling as laid out in Your Word.

   • Protect people from curiosity who are not already involved.

7. We prayed for the IFI Prayer Conference that will take place next week in Scotland. Please pray that the Lord would have His way in that conference.