1. The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
    Psalm 27:1-4

    • Thank You that You are faithful and Your word is true. (Psalm 33:4)

    • You never change Your mind. Your yes is yes and Your no is no. (Numbers 23:19)

    • You see every detail of our lives just as you see the sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

    • Thank You that we can find all we need in You. (Philippians 4:19)

    • We delight to be in Your presence. (Psalm 21:6)

    • Your word is our anchor (Hebrews 6:19) and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).

  2. Formation of Israel's new government

    We have five days to go until the end of the allotted time for Binyamin Netanyahu to form a new government. He may request and he may be granted a further two weeks. The news suggests that he is not near to being able to form a government as the other party leaders appear to be stubbornly holding out for all they can get in a coalition agreement or stubbornly holding on to the wounds of the election campaign or mistrust based on life together in politics. However, we have prayed that the negotiations be conducted in secret and not in view of the media with all its distortions and manipulations. Pray:

    • That we will soon have a government through which God can be glorified.

    • For the various party leaders, notably Naphtali Bennett, Moshe Kahlon, Avigdor Liberman, Yair Lapid and Binyamin Netanyahu, to humble themselves, laying aside their personal pride where it opposes the formation of a government and putting the nation first.

    • Thank You for the negotiations conducted in secret.

    • Break the constraints which prevent the formation of the new government.

    • Break the dominance of the bad personal relationships between the leaders.

  3. We have been praying that Aryeh Deri the leader of the ultra-orthodox Shas Party would not be appointed to be Minister of Interior. It was in that job during the 1980s and 90s that he was guilty of the corruption for which he later served time in jail. Netanyahu would probably like to have his party in the government because they tend to be loyal if their demands are met. However, there is a popular campaign in Israel at the moment to prevent Deri's re-appointment to this post.

    • Thank You for the public rising up to prevent the disgrace of returning Aryeh Deri to the post of Interior Minister.

    • Guard against such a shameful appointment, Lord!

    • Free Netanyahu from any obligations he feels towards Shas and guard him against submitting to this temptation.

  4. Iran

    It seems that there was little if any agreement between Iran and those powers forming the P5+1 group in the negotiations over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Many words have been spoken and written over recent months and all that seems to have happened is that Iran has used the time to move closer to nuclear capability. It looks increasingly as though the only solution may be war.

    • Lord give us a new government in Israel with the wisdom to know what to do, (1 Chronicles 12:32) and the courage to act. (1 Chronicles 12:33)

    • Give the new government unity in this matter. (1 Chronicles 12:38)

    • Thank you for Binyamin Netanyahu's bold and consistent stand regarding the danger of Iran.

    • Give unity especially between the Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Chief of Staff. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

    • Restrain and remove the intimidation of Russia, the USA and any other nations.

    • Fulfill Your word to Elam (Iran) in Jeremiah 49:34-39.

    • Send Your storms against those who would seek to defy Your plans and to destroy Israel. (Psalm 83:15)

    • Prevent the conclusion of a bad agreement in these negotiations.

    • Bring confusion to the negotiations so that they are unable to agree to such a horrible deal. (Exodus 23:27)

    • Bring into the light the true details of the proposed deal so that the world and Israel would not be hoodwinked and deceived. (Job 12:22)

  5. Days of Remembrance in Israel

    This week we marked Holocaust Remembrance Day and next week we remember our (more than 23,000) fallen soldiers and terror victims. In Israel remembering the fallen is a poignant occasion as almost everyone knows someone who has been killed.

    • Lord, comfort those who mourn (Isaiah 61:2)

    • Thank You, Lord that while You have restored the nation of Israel, You have used the people of Israel to do it. Remind this nation that we are an instrument in Your hand.

    • Increase Israel's resolve and help her to stay firm as a nation.

    • While we remember those whose lives have been laid down, remind us of all that You have accomplished!

  6. Jeremiah 31:31-37

    • Thank You God, that we are privileged to be living in the fulfillment of Your word.

    • You are a covenant-keeping God! (Deuteronomy 7:9)

    • You are the same yesterday, today and forever and all Your word will be fulfilled. (Hebrews 13:8)

  7. Aliyah

    Praise God that last year Aliyah increased by 30% largely in response to the increase in anti-Semitism in the world. We are looking for a massive acceleration in the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. Most Jewish people will be saved after they have returned to the land. (Ezekiel 36:24-26)

    • Bring Your people home for Your holy name's sake! (Ezekiel 36:22)

    • Surely God is good to Israel, (Psalm 73:1)

    • Bring Your people home so that they may be saved!

    • Bring life from the dead! (Romans 11:15)

    • Thank You for those who are speaking out about it no longer being safe for the Jews to live in certain Western nations. May these voices be reported and heard and heeded.

    • With the pressures on the Jews to leave Europe and America, let them come willingly and with their wealth before they are forced to leave with nothing.

    • Convince Your people that they need to be in Israel and not anywhere else.

    • Break down the barriers to Aliyah in Israel.

    • Give us a new government which will make Aliyah a priority.

    • Reveal to the assimilated Jews who they truly are.

  8. Salvation of Israel

    Daniel 10: Like Daniel, Israel is alone, but God is with her.

    • May the Jewish people, like Daniel, have their eyes opened to the truth.

    • May Israel cry out to the God of Israel and be found by You.

    • Pour out a spirit of grace and supplication upon Israel. (Zechariah 12:10)

    • Open the hearts of the Jewish people!

    • Overwhelm Israel with the hope and future they have in Your plans. (Jeremiah 29:11)

  9. Aliyah of Messianic Jews

    • Give the Messianic Jews courage to trust You and listen to You and obey You to come home.

    • Thank You that You are glorified as Your people are living in the land of Israel. Help those who already know Yeshua understand this reality.

    • The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3) Thank You for this expression of what evangelism is about!

    • Bring the Messianic Jews home with singing: Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10 and Isaiah 51:11)

    • Give those preaching Your word across Israel this weekend the anointing to point out what You have done in this nation and that You will complete the work You have started. Israel is not an accident.

Shabbat Shalom from the IFI team!