WEEKLY Arrows from Zion 8/28/2013

Arrows from Zion
Serving the Body of Messiah in Israel since August 2001 
& Strategically Aimed for the Lord’s Harvest in Israel

Donations: PayPal acct is donna@israelprayer.com
or make check to Donna Diorio PO Box 111302 Carrollton TX 75006
I do not have tax exempt status.

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Priority Prayer Focus

An awakening is coming among the international community of faith – an awakening to their relationship to the believers of Israel.  Let’s pray for a mighty awakening that will continue to increase daily for the sake of the LORD’s harvest in Israel.

Contact information for all the ministries is included only inside the  Weekly Summary.
Arrows from Zion
Strategically Aimed for the Lord’s Harvest in Israel

One of the things that I admire the most about Israeli ministries is the simple, straight forward and unvarnished honesty in what they communicate.  One thing you will soon figure out if you are around Messianic ministries, they almost universally are not comfortable asking for donations for their ministries.  It may be somewhat a reaction to so much pressured fundraising many Christian ministries engage in.  Even in Messianic congregations usually as a rule there is no passing of an offering plate but congregants are directed to placing their tithes and offerings in the Tzedakah boxes.  It is a rare thing for a Messianic to use popular manipulative techniques to get donations – and how refreshing is that?!   

Then again, Yeshua told His disciples, ‘You have not because you ask not.’ He was, of course, referring to praying about our needs, but I imagine that principle applies just as truly to telling people the ministry needs and asking for ministry support.  The LORD is our Source, but He does work through people to answer many, many needs.  Acts 6:1 is a great example of the necessity of telling our needs and not strictly depending on the Holy Spirit to inform key people of the need. 

Dov Bikas of the Aviv Ministry addresses the needs of their ministries in Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva well, and at the same time highlights some of the common experience of Israeli ministries.  One of the things he writes is a powerful, yet missed truth: “Most Christians who love Israel and want to help its people often donate their money to Christian organizations that are carrying out various social projects, but, sadly, are not sharing the Gospel with the Jewish people. I personally do not see any advantage in such work. If we help Jews from the Diaspora immigrate to Israel, if we support Holocaust survivors or feed the poor, but do not tell them about the Lord, we are going to be responsible for the most probable outcome: that all these people will eventually go to hell.”  Find out you can make eternal impact with your Israel donations in this ministry with a good reputation among Beer Sheva believers.

Many good reports from Carolyn and Richard Hyde of Heart of God ministries as they are wrapping up their 2013 summer tour of the U.S.   First, the Hydes, who have been set in prayer for prodigals, have themselves seen the Lord begin to move in the hearts of their own three daughters. It is an encouraging testimony, as are the testimonies they share from meeting American Jews (including their own relatives) whose interest has been stirred in the Messiah of Israel. 

"You're an absolute disgrace to the family," declared one of my (Carolyn's) relatives. After she calmed down, she let me explain for the first time why I follow Yeshua.  It so touched her heart that when it was time to leave, she wouldn't stop hugging me and through tears told me she loved me.  In another testimony from a relative:  "You know I believe in Yeshua now!" declared one of my cousins.  "I had a miracle and He healed me".  The LORD is moving among the Jewish people, revealing Messiah Yeshua. Read more about their adventures in sharing Messiah inside the attached Weekly Summary.

Upon return to Israel, with the war drums beating and the High Holidays bearing down, the Hydes will also be preparing to participate in the worship event that Arni Klein of Emmaus Way has been writing about in the Valley of Ben Hinnom.  The Hydes write, “If you'll be in Jerusalem from September 17-23, please join us and many local believers as we wait upon the L-rd like Jehoshaphat did in II Chronicles 20:12.  "Our G-d, will You not judge our enemies?  For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You."

Some of you may be thinking, Who would go to Israel with all this Syria mess going on?  You might be surprised how many will go to Israel no matter what is going on.  My first trip to Israel was during the Second Intifada.  If it is God that has stirred you to make the trip, He will be with you.

Please pray for the believers who are serving in the IDF at this time (as well as all the reservists who were called up as of today).  Howard Bass, whose son Tal has just finished officer training in his combat engineering division asks for prayer for all the young believers serving:  “It is also a critical time in their lives, with far too many losing their way during this crucial transition from being “youth” to becoming men and women, especially of God.”

Brian Slater of Yeshua’s Fresh Break in Israel has filed another great report , unique even.   One of the reasons that this report is so notable is because in Israel it is against the law to approach any minor with the gospel (the exception being the normal exchange between two minors).  If a minor wants to attend a Messianic congregation, the parents have to provide written consent, otherwise the congregational leaders could find themselves sitting behind bars!  Needless to say orphanages have been off limits to believers in Yeshua.  But over the past decade many of the former forbidden places closed to Messianic ministry are being opened.  Messianic Jews in many municipalities are being shown favor because the needs are so great and also because of the track record of integrity and excellence of the local Messianic Jewish ministries who are gaining the trust and respect of the city authorities.

 That is something you need to appreciate as you read Brian’s report on being allowed to go into an orphanage to bless and visit with the children, including a program of worship music and dance.  This is a door that only the LORD could open.  Read more inside the attached Weekly Summary. 

Howard Bass in Beer Sheva is asking prayer for the children who have just returned to the new school year.  As he notes, “The education system here has been hotly debated because the system is not really educating the children in a way that produces a caring, productive society.  The responsibility begins first at home, but the schools are full of administrators and teachers who have been brought up in a post-modern, anti-Judeo/Christian generation that has broken up the foundations of God's order.”  


Howard asks prayer that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction into the school systems at every level – and people, including the little children, would seek the Lord while He may be found.  He also asks prayer for the university students which make up a significant participation in the Beer Sheva congregation (many internationals and nationals studying in the city). 

Pray for Eduardo and Lorena who minister out of the Yeshua’s Inheritance congregation with Howard.  They recently did a ladies meeting which also drew in believers from Omer and Arad. The Silviera family struggles with several serious dietary issues that require special foods for several members of the family.  Their pastor Howard Bass asks prayers for healing and provision for this family who are such a blessing to their congregation.

Orna Greenman of A Sign & A Wonder ministry writes of a very touching personal ministry to a young man who has struggled with heavy rejection all his life.  “For we will surely die, and are as water poured out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. But God does not discriminate any soul. And He thinks thoughts so that the rejected one will not be rejected from Him.” (II Sam. 14:14  Orna writes about those who seem to  trickle between the fingers of even those who are trying to help them and ties this in with the upcoming Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles).  If you have ever had a loved one that was so difficult to reach, you will appreciate Orna’s spiritual thoughts on ministry to this young man. Read excerpts inside the Weekly Summary. 

Joel Jelski of Bound4Life gives a glowing report of the recent Elav conference that was held in Haifa this year and, as usual. Sponsored by Succat Hallel in Jerusalem.  Joel was able to minister from his own testimony of the father’s heart of God which ministered to young people struggling in relationships with their parents.  Read more from the newly-wed minister inside the Weekly Summary.

About ten days ago I met a young Christian man who knew nothing about Israel or Israeli believers, but in the few days before we met again (in circumstances that we both believe was God-ordained) he told me that the Lord had begun stirring him to study the word “ecclesia” which gave me an opportunity to fill in some of the blanks for him.  That’s why I took note this week when two Israeli ministries had comments on the subject of the ecclesia, the called out ones, that most Christians adamantly call the Church.  


Perhaps the Holy Spirit is starting to deal with this limiting understanding of “the Church” in relation Messianic believers.  In the definition of Asher Intrater “the Ecclesia” is “the universal New Covenant community of faith.”  But as David Silver notes:  “The Greek word that is translated as "church" is the word "ecclesia" which means "the called out ones" referring to the first Believers who were all Jews living in Israel.  For the last 1900 years, there had been a major schism or separation between Israel and the Church.  The schism is so severe that the great majority of people in both camps, see no connection whatsoever with the other. Even today most Bible teachers speak about "Israel and the Church", however the Biblical picture is very different.”   It is something to pray about – and also David Silver provides much more food for thought inside the attached Weekly Summary.   

 

Evan Levine of HaTikva and his wife Elisa Glasser-Levine, are wrapping up their U.S. summer tour and have two good reports for us.  The first is that the mysterious, undiagnosed leg pain that Elisa had been suffering from for a year has just as mysteriously disappeared.  God does work in mysterious ways.  They also have new of a new son on his way into their life in January.  Evan leads worship at Ahavat Yeshua in Jerusalem – a congregation of young families that is really producing fruit (including the fruit of the womb!) Mazel tov!

HaTikva is an unusual ministry in that most of the recipients they help are the needy among the poor saints in Israel.  Coach McCartney and Raleigh Washington are the founders and heads of this ministry which Evan is responsible to direct in Israel.  There are VERY FEW Christians that get the truth that our Israel donations come in this order: first TO the household of faith in Israel then distributed FROM the household of faith in Israel.

 The Ecclesia, the universal New Covenant community of faith, are indebted not to unsaved Israel as Paul wrote about in Romans 15:27, but to SAVED Israel!  We in the international “Church” are indebted because we have been made partakers of SAVED Israel’s spiritual things, not unsaved Israel’s spiritual things.  Not that we do not want to skip blessing the Israeli people, but it must be done in order, through the Messianic Body of Messiah, in order for eternal fruit to be born.  This is an understanding whose time has come!

Let’s pray that more people in the international “Church” realize the Divine order of giving that will bring about the salvation of Israel.  That instead of insisting on going their own way in being a blessing to Israel, that multitudes around the world will begin to lay hold of many verses in the New Covenant scriptures that point us to make our relationship connections in Israel with the household of faith and allow them to be the conduit of blessing into their own neighborhoods and families.  This is how the gospel is to reach all Israel, and in this unity of purpose, all Israel shall be saved.

Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue

Please keep in prayer the Israeli believers who are fighting for their lives or other urgent health needs: 

Harvest of Asher sent a new & urgent request for prayer for Elena last week as new tumors were discovered. She is now been moved to hospital-hospice and continues to receive treatment although the prognosis is not good.  Please pray for Elena and her daughter.  They have prayed against the spirit of death and are holding fast in the faith.

· They also ask prayer for M. who had surgery not long ago and his system is going through many changes causing the need for various health issues to be addressed on a continuing basis. Please keep him in your prayers.

· Please pray for the wife of Ariel Ben David, who leads an Eilat Congregation, and also for his worship leader, both of whom were recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

· Please continue to intercede for Katya Morrison at Tents of Mercy. She has the good report of no leukemia in her latest extensive testing.  Prayers for her full recovery and victory over this disease is still needed. 

• Tom Bender has been experiencing pain from the tumor under his arm so we are asking that you pray for the tumor to shrink and dissolve into nothing, for the roots of the tumor to be severed and to shrivel up and for the pain levels to be reduced dramatically.

·  Keep Baby Netaley’s full recovery in your prayers.

·       Pray for Ami Ortiz for ongoing issues from the 2008 bomb blast – and that he would win the appeal for government recognition that he is a terror victim.  It would mean benefits for the continuing surgeries and legal expenses.  At the time of this writing, Ami is in the U.S. undergoing more laser surgeries on his scarring.

Praying the Headlines

If you follow the American political statements, you might be confused about the right thing for the West to do regarding Egypt, Syria and other of Israel’s neighbors in mighty internal conflicts.  Ron Cantor does a really great and informative weekly podcast from Tel Aviv and a portion of the program give the Israeli Messianic perspective on current events.  Try it, you’ll like it!  Podcast here 

Also, inside the attached Weekly Summary, Cantor writes about the Egyptian situation.  Information from an Israeli Messianic perspective.  Who you gonna believe, Wolf Blitzer or Ron Cantor?  I’m going with the one with spiritual insight too (that would be Ron.) 

Also
The Farce of Islamic Democracy by Asher Intrater
"....Much of the Western world and media has lost its respect for the position and function of the armed forces. The purpose of an army is to protect a nation from foreign invasion, just as the police are to protect a people from internal crime.  In some nations the army and police are joined together in a "militia."

Armed forces must be submitted to legitimate government that is seeking to protect the rights and safety of its citizens.  In many of the Middle Eastern nations, the army had been a force of stability, both for protecting the people and for maintaining democratic values.

The proper function of the armed forces becomes perverted when the government is taken over by tyrants, whether secular or religious.  Radical Islamist governments destroy the rights of its citizens and deny all freedom of religious expression. The international community has been deceived by the façade of Islamic "democracy."

Inside the attachment of the
Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries
Arrows from Zion can be shared freely.  Just copy and paste this email into a Word document to make it easy to print.  However, we ask the Weekly Summaries not be forwarded or information republished without consent of the specific ministries. The Weekly Summary is by subscription only, write arrowsfromzion@gmail.com or donna@d10r10.com

Israeli Ministries on Tours

BOOKING meetings now (See open dates)  Inside the attached Weekly Summary are itineraries and open dates for  Sean Steckbeck of Simeon’s Cry Ministries; Eitan Bar & Stefan Silver of One For Israel; Evan Levine of HaTikva Project.

 

 

Donna Diorio 
 arrowsfromzion@gmail.com or donna@d10r10.com
 If your weekly Arrows from Zion email does not come in,
check online each Wednesday at Israel Prayer Dot Com  |
 Israel Watcher – A Second Opinion   Mostly political or current events commentary
| Fruit of the Fig Tree   Spiritual insights 

If you appreciate the efforts of this ministry to share both the  challenges and the great things God is doing among the Israeli indigenous ministries, please pray about making a financial gift donation.  Make donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio and mail to:
Israel Prayer  P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006
Or click on the PayPal account:  donna@israelprayer.com
I do not have tax exempt status.