WEEKLY Arrows from Zion 7/8/2015

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

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Priority Prayer Focus July 8, 2015

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." Acts 4:29-30

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

First prayer priority is for a youth and young adult annual conference called ELAV that is starting in Jerusalem today at 6 PM & runs through Friday evening.  This conference needs urgent intercession because there has already risen anti-missionary opposition protesting the fact that both Jewish and Arab believers are meeting together in the conference - and they also throw in their opposition to the evangelistic factor.

Weeks ago a large group of Charismatic/Pentecostal Christian ministry leaders met in Jerusalem for Empowered21.  The vision being for a release of the Holy Spirit like in the beginning of the book of Acts. One of the un-intended consequences of that meeting was stirring up the ultra-Orthodox and the anti-missionary activists against evangelistic ministries meeting in Israel.  The uproar they caused got the Jerusalem municipality to agree to run ALL groups meeting in the new Jerusalem Sports Arena through the rabbis for approval.  This is NOT GOOD.  The thrust of Empowered21 was not evangelism of Jews or Israelis, but that does not matter to the anti-missionary (anti-Gospel) activists in Israel. 

If you are wondering why some of the Christian gatherings in Israel do not create such problems, it is because of a 'gentleman's agreement' not to evangelize Jews or Israel.  It is time for the Church that loves Israel to come out of the closet about our fellow believers in Israel - the Israeli Jewish Body of Messiah.  It is time for groups like Empowered21 to be more cognizant of the impact meetings like theirs will have on the local believers.  This is all worthy of soaking in prayer - a great awakening within the Church as to the TRUE SIGNIFICANCE of the Living Stones of Israel and the NECESSITY of the international Church to CONNECT with the BELIEVERS in Israel first and foremost.

Inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary Martin Sarvis offers specific prayer points for the Elav conference that were issued prior to the current opposition.  Also, the link to watch ELAV LIVE STREAMING just arrived in email.

Orna Grinman has a ministry to the orphans, widows and single parents in the Body of Messiah in Israel. Recently she has also initiated a new ministry project to assist Holocaust survivors.  Specifically Orna has scouted out the most needy of the Holocaust survivors - those who fled before they could be rounded up for concentration camps. These do not qualify for the monthly stipend that came out of a lawsuit against Germany. Those she is seeking to support live in much worse financial circumstances.  Her first Holocaust survivor the help is "Rachel" - an 86-yr old woman with no relatives close by the poor neighborhood she lives in on $600 a month.  Her eyesight is failing and she needs a pair of special glasses costing $1500 - an impossible amount without the help Orna's ministry has set itself to raise for her.  Find out more details inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

Orna has a special heart to heal the wounded, and I have often been touched by the spiritual sensitivity she expresses in her ministry prayer letters.  You can read Orna's prayer requests for her ministry, and also see in the Tours section below that she is not organizing a U.S. speaking tour for Oct-Nov.

One for Israel is a media evangelism outreach to Hebrew-speaking Jews and Arabs in Israel.  The initiative is out of the Israel College of the Bible and two the prominent leaders are Eitan Bar and Stefan Silver.  On their website (and on Facebook) they write:  "Good news is going out from Zion! | We estimate that through One For Israel’s Hebrew websites, videos and other evangelistic outreaches, we have reached up to one million Israelis over the last year. That's 1/6 of the Jewish population here in Israel. We are seeing many results and we receive news of people who have seen, heard and believed on a regular basis. People are coming to faith, getting baptized, and joining the body of Messiah at a pace that is amazing us all! Moreover, we are not the only ones sharing the gospel and seeing fruit - it's happening all across the country, and congregations are growing. God's harvest among the Jewish people is well underway."

They also share about opposition from anti-missionary groups, in this case Yad L'Achim:  "One of the main ways that we reach Israelis with the gospel is by paying to have our videos feature as adverts at the beginning of YouTube clips and also on Facebook. Many thousands have seen the message of Yeshua as a result of these adverts. So in an attempt to stop us from reaching Israelis online through media, the religious anti-missionaries announced on their Facebook page that they have hired lawyers to try and force YouTube and Facebook to take our video advertisements down! . . . . The group is called “Yad L’Achim” (which means “Hand to the Brothers”) and they see their role as protecting the Jewish people from the “idolatry” of believing in Yeshua. Much like Saul of Tarsus believed he was serving God by persecuting the followers of The Way, these modern-day Pharisees believe they are doing God a favour. In some areas of Israel they curse and harass believers, have stormed into their congregations during baptisms, revoked licenses for Messianic businesses, and spread outrageous lies about believers and our faith. They are now trying to raise enough support from the religious community to force YouTube and Facebook to take our adverts down.... This is our prayer, and we invite you to join us: Pray that their tactics would fail and come to nothing, but more than that - pray for more members of Yad L’Achim, the anti-missionary organisation, to come to faith. Pray that they, like Paul, would have an encounter with the Messiah that would change their lives forever."

Ruth Nessim, the fireball of the congregation in Nahariya, has received great news about the Lymphoma she has - she will not have to endure chemo but it will be treated biologically over the next few months of hospital visits and treatments.  She still needs our prayers...you can read more in the Urgent Healing Needs section below.  In other news from Ruth are more Taxi Tales and a re-uniting with British family that had long been cut-off because of her faith.  Read more of Ruth's up-beat ministry letter inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

Shlomy and Miriam Abramov were used mightily by the Lord in Mexico - we've seen the pictures and reports on Facebook.  Now back in Israel they have given 13 rehabilitation medical chairs to a nursing home and the Deputy Mayor of the city came out to thank them for the blessing.  Their new aid center is called The Joseph Center, funded by donations from the saints worldwide.  They write, "In a couple of weeks, we receive a team of five volunteers to stay at our ministry house and help with the needs of shelving, organizing and lifting up our hands. These chosen ones really do help us and we are so thankful for their coming here to bless Israel."   To find out more about their ministry see more inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

KehilaNews.com publishes "Messianic Community News from Israel" and one recent spotlight article is a profile of YoYakim Figueras of Chasdei Yeshua Congregation in Arad.  The believers in the city of Arad have been especially targeted for over a decade by anti-missionary activists. YoYakim led the congregation through that time frame.  Now his call is directed toward the children and youth.  If that sounds like a step backward, it's not. Read more here.

Pastor Najeeb of the Immanuel Church and Bookshop - also a close ministry friend of Ruth Nessim - is an Arab Christian pastor with a big heart for Israel.  His son, Tino, serves in the Israel army, and the family is quite out front with their support of Israel.  This is not a majority position among many Christian Arab ministries, so we really salute the Atteih's of Haifa.  Inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary, the pastor shares his prayer requests for their son serving in the IDF and also the Soldier's Centre they are raising up for blessing the soldiers.  They were told last month in a meeting with a group of Elite Army Officers that there are now more than 500 Arab Christian soldiers serving in the IDF! Praise the Lord!

Pastor Najeeb also writes about their Bible Book shop - where they are in need of more books to re-stock the shelves;  their flourishing church; and ministry among the Arabic church in Germany and the Druze in Haifa.  Read all their news and prayer points inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

I'll bet many of you are aware of Avner and Rachel Boskey,  their worship music has blessed so many over the years as well as Avner's teachings online from Israel.  They write, "If you have been encouraged and blessed by our ministry, music, writing and teaching, we would ask you prayerfully consider stepping in to strengthen our hands and lift up our arms financially in a timely way."  Read more inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

The Peniel Fellowship in Tiberias is probably the largest Messianic congregation in Israel - and they have in years past endured with grace the religious opposition against the Messianic Jewish faith.  Daniel and Shirya Yahav are special people, almost never going outside the country - very difficult to raise outside funds that way, but God has blessed them anyway.  One of the things they have done is to raise up a Messianic kindergarten and elementary school.  They write, "We are happy and thankful to God for providing young believing generation to join in and take part in building the body, and in the education of our children in particular. This kindergarten teacher has been herself in Peniel kindergarten as a child, so we are specially blessed to see the next generation continuing the work."

Shirya composes the prayer & ministry letters and her letter this time is full of healing testimonies from within their congregation.  You will be encouraged by how God is making Himself a testimony among and through this congregation.  Read more inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

The Maoz Ministries of Ari & Shira Sorko Ram withe about the 2015 version of the "Flotilla" attempting to break the blockade on the Gaza shores.  Why does Israel not allow it?  To keep heavy arms from flowing into the Hamas terrorist run Gaza, of course!   They also provide an update of violence from terrorists in Israel, and the BDS movement that is threatening Israel's economic stability.  You can get specific prayer points on these issues inside the attached DOCX Weekly Summary

The Revive Israel team of Asher Intrater also write about the Flotilla ship which Israeli Navy commandos boarded and redirected to the Ashdod harbor without incident, injury or media scandal.  "This marked a significant strategic and diplomatic achievement for Israel."  They included comments from Netanyahu most of you will enjoy:

Prime Minister Netanyahu released an open letter addressed to the flotilla participants. The letter started out saying, "Welcome to Israel! It appears you've made a mistake along the way. Perhaps you meant to sail to Syria. There, Assad's regime is massacring his own people every day with the help of the murderous Iranian regime. In contrast, here in Israel, we are dealing with a situation where terrorist organizations such as Hamas are trying to harm innocent civilians."

Netanyahu mentioned that Israel has allowed 1.6 million tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza this year, (representing about one ton per person!). "There is no blockade on the Gaza Strip, and you are invited to transfer humanitarian supplies through Israel. Preventing access through the sea is done in accordance with international law. If human rights really interested you, you wouldn't sail in solidarity with a terror group that executes Gazans without trial, and uses Gazan children as human shields."

Also, this video teaching by Asher:  The Father Revealed | In this message, Asher speaks about how the revelation of God as our Heavenly Father was released through Yeshua.  And three-pronged piece by Ariel Blumenthal on Gay Marriage, Greek Bankruptcy, and Jewish Aliyah.

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: 

                Ruth Nessim of the Nahariya Fellowship: Concerning my health, the news is good. I do not need chemotherapy, and can be treated biologically. I am still doing all kinds of tests, but the doctor assured me that the prognosis is good, and this Lymphoma is easily treatable. Still it will need months of hospital visits and treatments, and patience, so I would value your prayers.
                 Please pray for one of the forefathers of the Messianic movement who shall remain nameless, as his health continues to deteriorate.  And for his wife and family, that his wife receives the help she needs to care for him as he is less able.
                 Ron Cantor requests prayer for his mother in law whose back surgery was postponed as doctors discovered she heart surgery first.  She is preparing to get a pacemaker very soon and at 70 years old, any surgery is quite overwhelming emotionally.  Pray for peace, and for perfect surgeries to extend her life and comfort.

Praying the Headlines
5 Things About Israel That you Might Not Know  | Ron Cantor VIDEO  | Turn on the TV and you can hear call kinds of lies about the nation of Israel. I just read today that a majority of democrats in the U.S. think Israel is a racist nation. You can only imagine what the rest of the world thinks. So here are five facts about Israel that you may not know. Share with others, so they can discover the truth about Israel.

Teaching Articles
Yeshua at Prayer: Tears, Shouting, and Godly Fear By Asher Intrater  |  There are many examples of Yeshua praying throughout the gospels, including his rising early in the morning (Mark 1:35), praying all night (Luke 6:12) and fasting 40 days (Matthew 4:2). His disciples saw how important prayer was to Yeshua and asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1).  Read more online here

Tours in Israel with Israeli Ministries

Honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to tour Israel any other way but with an Israeli Ministry leading the tour.  (I’m sure your pastor is great, but who is going to give you a better view and love of Israel than the believer-citizens in the Land?)  So here is a new feature, a listing of Israeli Ministries who are offering tours.  Tell your pastor the advantages of making tour plans with Israeli ministries.

Messiah’s Mandate (Ron Cantor, Tel Aviv) Oct 13-24
‘Living Stones’ Fall Tour  We will meet Messianic leaders and believers from all over country, visit some of our favorite places and restaurants and take you beautiful places that the typical Israel tour never goes. And that is in addition to visiting all the historical sites like the Galilee and the Western Wall. This is truly a unique experience that you will not find on a cookie-cutter tour.  (It is an active tour including hiking)   Learn more here

2015 Dugit Tour (Azi Mizrachi, Tel Aviv)  TRIP DETAILS  

The focus of this tour in particular will be "The Living Stones of Israel".  Avi is excited to spend some quality time teaching, touring, and introducing you to some of the various congregational leaders in Israel.  He feels it is vital to connect American believers with the "Living Stones" of Israel.
While to total cost of the tour including flights is $3,095, we are able to provide a land only option for $2,100. Because of this new development, we have extended the first payment deadline to August 1st.  Again, space is limited, the first 35 to turn in their deposit will be included on this trip.  Respond to stephen@dugit.org

Israeli Ministries on Tours  |  BOOKING meetings now (See open dates)  Inside the attached Weekly Summary are itineraries and open dates for  Orna Grinman of A Sign & A Wonder (Ot Oo’Mofet); Kobi & Shani Ferguson of Yeshua Israel Ministries & Israel Prayer Tower ; Carolyn & Richard Hyde of Heart of God Ministries

Donna Diorio 
 arrowsfromzion@gmail.com or donna@d10r10.com
 
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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. 

Inside the subscription only 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