1. Unto You I lift up my eyes,
    O You who dwell in the heavens.
    Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
    As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
    So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    Until He has mercy on us.

    Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!
    For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
    Our soul is exceedingly filled
    With the scorn of those who are at ease,
    With the contempt of the proud.

    Psalm 123

    • Thank You, dear Lord that we can always look to You and that You do have mercy on us.

    • Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit at Shavuot/Pentecost (celebrated in Israel this week and in much of the Church this coming Sunday).

    • Thank You that we can worship You in the City of the Great King (Psalm 48:2)

    • Thank You for Your mercy shown in the cross.

    • Thank You for Your faithfulness. You are the rock (Psalm 61:2).

    • Thank You that You are the way, the truth and the life.

    • You are glorious, high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1).

    • Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

    • You are my light and my salvation (Psalm 27:1).

    • Yours is the victory (1 Chronicles 29:11).

    • For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

      Micah 1:3

    • Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool. Holy is He!

      Psalm 99:5

  2. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu

    The PM needs our support in prayer. Daily life in Israel and the Middle East always brings new deep, dangerous waters for him to navigate. This week he hosted the Torah Circle in his home which meets there every six months. He described the bible as a "map and a compass" (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4526617,00.html). Netanyahu seems to be looking in the right place, yet he also needs those who will seek the Lord on his behalf and hold up his arms (Exodus 17:8-13).

    • Thank You, Lord that we have a Prime Minister whom we can pray for believing that he has been called to the job for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).

    • Give him wisdom to gather faithful, godly advisors around himself who will lift him up and to discern those who will only bring him down.

    • Give him wisdom to recognize the issues which are sent to distract him from the path and to keep going straight.

    • Protect him and his family (his wife Sara and sons Yair and Avner) from plots and accidents.

    • Watch over their health. Give him the ability to handle the constant stress. Guard his heart.

    • Be a shield for him, his glory and the one who lifts up his head (Psalm 3:3).

  3. Presidential Election

    The members of the Knesset are due to elect a new President on 10th June. This office doesn't carry much real authority, but as a very visible figurehead, the President's role is very important as a key representative of Israel. In Shimon Peres we have had a President who has been troublesome as he has gone beyond his role, meddling in Israel's international affairs. The previous President Moshe Katsav was sent to jail for rape, so Israel certainly needs a restoration of the presidential office! Pray:

    • Give us the man or woman of Your choosing. Watch over the election process and give a clear outcome.

    • Give us a President with a good heart, who loves Israel as You do, who will represent all segments of Israeli society, and will look after Israel's interests rather than being a "world-pleaser".

    • Give us a President who fears the Lord, will speak Your words and do much good for Israel.

  4. Vatican "Prayer" Meeting

    The meeting of Pope Francis, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas has been delayed to Sunday 8th June to coincide with Pentecost. This meeting of Roman Catholic Christian, Jew and Moslem is all deception - an attempt to seduce the world and worship Humanism.

    • Lord, if it is possible, prevent this meeting from taking place.

    • Lord, have mercy on Israel to stand against the pressure for compromise which could be released.

    • Nothing is too difficult for You. Turn this evil to good.

    • Bring disunity in place of man's attempts to find a false unity.

    • You are the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through You, Yeshua! (John 14:6)

  5. Palestinian Unity Government

    This week Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new government bringing together the two leading factions Fatah which has been ruling Judea and Samaria (The West Bank) and Hamas ruling in Gaza. The new government is made up of people who do not belong to either faction. Much of the world regards Hamas as a terrorist organization but is supporting this new government because it is made up of "neutral" people. Obviously Hamas will be involved and the new government is simply a façade. Pray:

    • For Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32)

    • Expose the truth and reveal the falsehood. Strip away the mask! Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. (Jeremiah 6:13)

    • May Israel and even some in the world not allow themselves to be deceived. Let some nations refuse to recognize the new government!

    • Anoint the leaders of Israel to speak the truth. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant. (Jeremiah 1:9-10)

    • Let this pride come before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) and let Your enemies fall into their own nets (Psalm 141:10)

    • Have mercy upon the ordinary Palestinians. Let them be so frustrated with where their leaders are leading them that they call out to You and get saved!

  6. Syria

    More mortars fired from Syria fell in Israel this week. Israel chose not to respond, but to treat this as part of the celebration of the Syrian army to the victory of President Assad in the country's recent charade of an election. Pray:

    • Give Your wisdom to Israel's leaders to know when and how to respond.

    • Keep Israel's security forces watchful and ready.

    • Protect and bless the spies who are supplying information to Israel.

    • Protect all Israel's soldiers and civilians from kidnapping attempts.

    • Thank You, Lord that You are always watching. He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4)

  7. Ukraine

    Aliyah from the Ukraine has increased dramatically in recent months with efforts being made by the Jewish Agency to bring the Jewish community home to Israel. Leaders in the Ukrainian Jewish community are denying that this is a response to increased anti-Semitism. Pray:

    • Prepare the nation of Israel to receive huge numbers of Ukrainian Jews making Aliyah.

    • Cut through the bureaucratic obstacles put up by the Ministry of Interior. Let them say, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" to those applying for Aliyah.

    • Break through the resistance and the fears of the Ukrainian Jews. Cut through the cords which tie them to Ukraine. May they not wait too long before coming to Israel.

  8. Aliyah from elsewhere

    • Lord, the media have created the impression that Israel is a dangerous place. Break the influence of the media and help the Jews to recognize that Israel is the only safe place for them. (Ezekiel 38:8)

    • Bring home multitudes of Messianic Jews!

    • Create job opportunities in Israel and places to live, particularly for young people.

    • Let the Jews of Europe recognize the signs of the times, such as the recent shooting in Belgium, and make preparations to come home!

  9. Prayer Conference in Scotland

    Eliyahu, Chuck and Marc Chopinsky are leading a prayer conference in Scotland for the 11th year in succession. Pray:

    • For health, safe travelling, refreshment, wisdom for the team as they teach and direct prayer.

    • That the Lord would bring everyone He wants to be there, including first timers and young people.

    • Raise up Your standard in Scotland, even in the face of many churches turning against Israel!

    • Bring lasting fruit from this conference for Your glory, Lord, and bless those who bless Your people! (Genesis 12:3)

Shabbat Shalom!