1. Israel has been experiencing a winter storm the past several days, so we needed to cancel this morning's prayer meeting. Still, there are some things that we want to ask you to pray for and also things for which we want to give much praise to our God.

  2. This verse is from Shabbat's prophetic portion: He shall cause those who come from Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6)

    • Praise God that we see this happening before our eyes, as Israel has been such a blessing in so many areas to so much of the world.

    • Ask God to continue to bring his people home and root them in this land.

    • Speaking of bringing His people home, the aliyah figures from last year show a tremendous increase in Jews returning to Zion - especially from the West (Zechariah 8:4-8).

    • This is a direct answer to prayer, so let us praise God for this wonderful news.

    • Let us also press in to His throne room of grace, asking Him to make the increase in 2015 even greater. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (Ephesians 3:20)

  3. We thank Him for answering our intercessions for water - with almost all areas in Israel having received above average rainfall for this time of year.

    • The poor and needy seek water, and there is none; their tongue fails for thirst, I YHWH will hear them, I the God of Israel will not leave them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water…so that they may see, and know, and look on, and understand together, that the hand of YHWH has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

      Isaiah 41:17-18, 20

    • Notice that the reason why God is graciously doing this is so that His people come to know Him.

    • Therefore, let us continue to pray for many in this nation to do just that - to come to know the Father through their Messiah Yeshua (Luke 10:22; John 14:6).

    • We again encourage you to make these prayers for salvation as specific as possible.

    • Some of the groups whom God continually lays on our hearts are: Holocaust survivors; IDF soldiers; widows and orphans who are such because of terrorist attacks; politicians, especially PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ya'alon; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

    • Ask God if there is a specific group - or even person/persons - for whom He wants you to pray.

    • From Shabbat's prophetic portion: Therefore thus says YHWH, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now become pale. But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they shall sanctify My name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. (Isaiah 29:22-23)

  4. Another reason for God sending snow and hail is to spoil Israel's enemies' nefarious plans.

    • Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow? Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have kept for the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

      Job 38:22-23

    • Therefore, this stormy weather is one way in which God answers our prayers for Israel's security.

    • It was stormy weather in late last year that stopped a Jerusalem intifada from growing exponentially.

    • This is an area that constantly needs our watchful intercession. Thank you for being in Jerusalem's walls with us in this battle (Isaiah 62:6-7).

    • Let them all be ashamed and turned back, those who hate Zion.

      Psalms 129:5

  5. Terrorism is spreading throughout the world, just as PM Netanyahu warned the nations at the UN this past September. We are very thankful for a leader who is not hiding his head in the sand and is raising his voice to warn the West about this radical Islamic threat to Judeo-Christian civilization.

    • Obviously, this is one of the reasons why Satan hates our prime minister. Please pray for his protection - mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

    • Let Your hand be on the Man of Your right hand, on the Son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself.

      Psalms 80:17

    • Continue to lift up his arms in prayer as he endeavors to protect this people from the vicious enemies surrounding Israel (Exodus 17:12-13).

    • What really irks us is how the leaders and media of the West avoid calling Islamic terrorism 'Islamic'!

    • Thank God that Israel's current leaders do not shirk from 'calling a cat a cat' [apparently the French version of calling a spade a spade.]

    • Pray for courage for your nation's leaders and media to do the same.

    • We all need to be personally alert in these days - regardless of where we live. Here in Israel, we have known His guidance during times of overt terrorism. He is more than able to protect and guide us - yet He desires for us to ask Him. (Proverbs 15:8b, 29b)

    • Lord, how my foes have increased! Many are the ones who rise up against me. Many are saying of my soul, There is no deliverance for him in God. Selah. But You, O YHWH, are a shield for me; my glory, the One who lifts up my head. I cried to YHWH with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah. I laid down and slept. I awoke, for YHWH kept me.

      Psalms 3:1-5

    • At IFI, we are asking Him to make us like the children of Issachar during this time, so that we might not only 'know' the signs of the times, but also know what Israel needs to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). Knowing both these, we can then pray with confidence before His throne (1 John 5:14-15).

    • Prayerfully consider joining us in this request - as well as praying for us.

  6. Israel is in the midst of a not-so-nice election season. All sorts of accusations and innuendoes fly out of the mouths of politicians and the media. Also, the polls tend to change daily. Yet it seems that the two parties who will be closest to receive the mandate to form the next government are Netanyahu's Likud and Labor with a two-headed leader - Herzog/Livni. From our point of view, it is imperative for Likud to win with a large majority as their stance is so much closer to a biblical viewpoint than Labor's.

    • Continue to pray into our foundational request for the next government: 'God, give us a government through whom You can be glorified.' All else is secondary.

    • According to your conviction, pray with us for Likud. Now while we do not agree with everything they stand for - and there is another party, Jewish Home, which is even more biblical in its stance in some areas - we are looking realistically for what can be accomplished now. Also, unless the Lord shows us differently, we - and a majority of Israelis - still see Netanyahu as the only qualified prime ministerial candidate.

    • Ask for wisdom to be imparted to the Likud strategists on how to run this campaign.

    • God needs to protect the people from the increased manipulation and lies against Netanyahu and the other right-wing parties that are coming from both the opposition and most of Israel's media.

    • Let us ask for God to humble the ultra-Orthodox Shas party in this next election.

    • Since our God reigns (Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1: 103:19; Revelation 17:17, etc.), let us ask Him to oversee all of the events up to the elections so that the people of Israel will clearly see the stark choices that are being offered to them - either Bibi and no Palestinian state, or H/L and a Hamastan right next door to Ben Gurion Airport and inside a divided Jerusalem.

  7. The P5+1 [the five permanent UN Security Council members + Germany] will be meeting again with Iran next week. So far, all that has been accomplished is that Iran has gained more time to develop its nuclear program, has had a lessening of sanctions to aid their economy, and has moved the P5+1 to agree with Iran becoming a nuclear-threshold state, which means being in a position to produce a nuclear weapon within a short time-span. This is an absolute 'no-no' to the current Israeli government.

    • We continue to stand on our watch over this very dangerous situation.

    • Again, we ask you to pray with us in two directions: First, that God would arise and deal with this threat sovereignly (Psalm 68:1).

    • Give glory to YHWH and declare His praise in the coastlands. YHWH goes out as a warrior, He stirs up zeal like a man of wars; He shouts, yes, roars; He overcomes His enemies. I have kept silence from forever; I have been still and refrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in pangs of labor, I will pant and gasp at once.

      Isaiah 42:12-14

    • Second, that if it is God's will to deal with this through using Israel as His weapon of war (Jeremiah 51:20), to prepare Israel to do just that - efficiently and effectively.

    • We must ask God to impart His plans and timing to Israel's military strategists.

    • Also, we desire that the end-result will be that the fear of Israel's God falls on the whole Middle East - causing a huge turning to Him among the Muslims!

    • And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that YHWH fought against the enemies of Israel.

      2 Chronicles 20:29

    • Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, YHWH. Let them be ashamed and troubled forever; yes, let them be put to shame, and lost; so that men may know that You, whose name is YHWH, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

      Psalms 83:16-18

  8. A week from this Monday, IFI's annual International Prayer Conference Jerusalem begins. We will spend a week plus in guided corporate intercession with over 150 intercessors from the nations, and many from Israel as well. This conference always seems to come at a time of increased crisis for this nation - and this time is no exception. What with the current US Obama administration demonstrating time and again that it does not have Israel's back [thank God for the new US Congress!]; the EU pressing Israel to divide its God-promised land - or they will unilaterally recognize a 'Palestine' anyway; the Islamic State group coming closer to Israel's borders as well as Israel already having Hizbullah and Hamas sitting on them; the world treating Iran as if it were run by 'reasonable' people; the economic crisis in Iran and Russia intensifying because of the sharp drop of the price of oil; as well as Israel's internal security and diplomatic situation vis-a-vie Abbas and the Palestinian Authority - there is no lack of targets for prayer. Yet we must hear His voice and be directed by His Spirit to deal with the target/targets He has ordained for us to pray into during this time (Ephesians 2:10).

    • Please pray for the leadership to have clarity of spirit to know His voice and leading (John 10:27).

    • Ask God to give the congregation gathered there "unity of the Spirit" (Ephesians 4:3).

    • We desire all whom He has called to be here - and all whom He has not called to be where they are supposed to be. Please agree in prayer about this with us.

    • Remember to lift up our brother Lance Lambert, who is normally part of the leadership team, but this year, is struggling physically. Ask God to give him grace with physical therapy and an increased appetite.

    • As in previous years, we are planning to post a daily video update. Please pray for extra strength, grace and clarity for us to do that.

    • This Shabbat's prophetic portion has two verses that seem to apply to the conference. Please pray over these for us. In that day YHWH of Hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the rest of His people, and for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle to the gate. (Isaiah 28:5-6)

Thank you for your faithfulness to our Lord Messiah Yeshua and to His people - Israel.

Shabbat shalom

The IFI team