1. These are troubled days in Israel and particularly in Jerusalem. All the more vital to begin our prayer time in God's eternal word and in praise prompted by His word:

    • Do not fret because of evildoers,
      Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
      For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
      And wither as the green herb.
      Trust in the Lord, and do good;
      Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
      Delight yourself also in the Lord,
      And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
      Commit your way to the Lord,
      Trust also in Him,
      And He shall bring it to pass.

      Psalm 37:1-5

    • You are good even in the midst of evil. You don't change. You don't get frustrated. Your plans will come to pass. You are faithful and Your mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23) You are on the throne. (Revelation 7:10) You are the King of glory. (Psalm 24)

    • Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

      Psalm 103:1

    • Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

      Psalm 121:4

    • Because of You Israel has hope. (Jeremiah 14:8) Thank You that 'Am Israel Chai' (The People of Israel lives)!

    • Hodu l'Adonai ki tov, ki le'olam chasdo. (Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever)

      Psalm 118:1

  2. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

    yesterday evening the PM gave a superb press conference answering a series of hostile questions with great authority, speaking out in truth and clarity, not being afraid to state boldly and repeatedly that Palestinian incitement and lies are behind the present troubles.

    • Pray for physical, mental and spiritual protection over Bibi and his family.

    • Thank God for using Bibi as a voice which speaks truth.

    • Pray for wisdom and for good advisors.

    • Pray for God's authority to be on Bibi and for the grace to exercise it.

    • Keep him reading the bible, believing it and acting upon it. Save him.

    • Thank You, Lord that You are, The One who gives salvation to kings… (Psalm 144:10)

  3. Unity in the nation

    as the wave of violence in Israel has intensified in recent days we have seen our prayers being answered as the nation has grown more united. The accusing voices have been quietened which were just blaming the government for what it was doing or not doing. The Prime Minister has called for greater discipline among his colleagues regarding what they say about the situation. Political opponents of Bibi have spoken in support or stopped speaking against him.

    • Give thanks for these answered prayers and pray that in every area of government, society, education, media, etc., this unity would be maintained and strengthened.

    • Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

      Psalm 133:1

  4. Healing of the nation

    Terrorism can be very effective at achieving its objective - to paralyze people with terror. The streets of Jerusalem are almost eerily quiet as most people choose to stay in the safety of their homes. A spiritual heaviness hangs over the city. Mothers fear to take their children across the road to the nearby kindergarten. Many avoid travelling by bus or train. The wailing of police and ambulance sirens has been a familiar sound during recent days.

    • He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,… to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

      from Isaiah 61:1-3

    • Pray for healing for the bereaved, for courage and resilience for the people, for alertness for everyone and especially the security forces and ambulance workers.

    • Guard against wrong reactions by security forces prompted by tiredness, fear, hatred, etc.

    • Pray that God would pour the balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) over His people to cleanse them from bitterness and the spirit of fear, so they may have faith that He is in control and their hearts would be turned to Him.

  5. Incitement through social media

    much of the impetus for the violence has come through powerful , vicious, graphic lies being posted through social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), putting murder into the hearts of young people. There seems good reason to believe that this is organized and highly intentional.

    • Pray that God would break the power of these influences even using Israel's technological expertise to shut down this activity.

    • Cry out to God to confuse the enemies of Israel. Let all those who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned back. (Psalm 129:5)

    • Call on God to reveal Himself to many young Arab people today, giving them visions, speaking to them even as they plan violence in their hearts.

    • Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

      Genesis 1:26,31

    • Pray that some of these young Arabs would see themselves today as made in the likeness of a loving God.

  6. Media lies

    In a speech this week Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of "executing" a teenage would-be murderer, Ahmed Manasra, "in cold blood". The boy was later shown to be alive and relatively well, recovering from his injuries in an Israeli hospital, while his victim remains in critical condition. As usual most of the worldwide media has been eager to distort and, at best, to seek to create a moral equivalence between the activities of Arab terrorists and the legitimate responses of the Israeli authorities to preserve life and bring calm.

    • Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. (Isaiah 59:14) Truth is indeed fallen in the streets. Pray that more and more of the lies would be exposed.

    • May the exposure of this public lie bring Abbas' political downfall.

    • Expose the deception of all those who disseminate lies, to the very highest places.

    • Pray for those who seek to communicate truth eg. The Christian media outlets operating in Israel. Pray that the Lord would anoint them and enable them to 'tell it as it is'.

    • When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13) Pray that many and especially believers, will be guided into all truth and learn to distinguish truth from lies.

    • And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

      John 8:32

  7. Revenge

    Thankfully there have been very few attacks by Jews on Arabs during this wave of trouble. However, there is a festering desire for revenge. Looking over Jerusalem from the IFI office I have seen several groups of young people going by singing and chanting, some carrying banners calling for "Death to Arabs", or for "Revenge".

    • Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, --Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.

      Romans 12:19

    • Pray that God would hedge in this hatred of Arabs and any violent spirit which would seek revenge.

    • Pray for boldness for Arabs who oppose the violence, especially believers. Anoint them and protect them as they stand up in their communities.

  8. Day of Rage

    Another "Day of Rage" has been called for this day of moslem prayer. Israel has restricted access to the Temple Mount. We need to call upon God to quench the fires of hatred and calm the storm. Only He can turn a planned day of rage into a Shabbat of peace.

    • Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.

      Psalm 68:1

    • Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.

      Psalm 122:6-7

    • Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity.

      Psalm 64:2

    • Call upon the Lord for wisdom and strength for the security forces today and that they would know the support and encouragement of the nation.

    • Lord, reveal Yourself to many on the Temple Mount today and bring Shabbat Shalom to Israel!

  9. Salvation and fullness of joy to Israel

    • Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

      Nehemiah 8:10

    • As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.

      Psalm 125:2

    • The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me…To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

      Isaiah 61:1,3

    • But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.

      Psalm 3:3

    • For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

      Jeremiah 29:11

    • Pray for a deep revelation to Israel this Shabbat that Yeshua truly has paid the price for sin so many may receive His salvation and be overwhelmed by His joy.

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!