Dear Prayer Partners,
Shalom! Greetings in Yeshua’s name. As the world around us becomes more uncertain and chaotic, we are more convinced of His presence in our lives, and see His hand moving in miraculous ways, especially in Israel! We in Israel are still recovering from November’s military operation in Gaza, and although things are relatively quiet now, things will inevitably flare up again (see our recent article on Gaza). We are also keeping a watchful eye on developments in Syria, especially in light of accusations that Bashar Assad has used chemical weapons against the rebel forces.
The atmosphere within Israel is also growing more excited as Israelis go to the polls to elect our new government this month. There is always so much happening in this part of the world, and Israel’s new leader will have a heavy influence on the immediate future of our country.
Yet, with all this, we are reminded that He is sovereign and forever in control. In our weakness, He is strong; we will continue to stand in the gap for our people, interceding on their behalf for protection, wisdom, and most of all salvation!
Please join us in interceding on behalf of Israel for:
Israeli Elections: The Israeli public will go to the polls on January 22 to elect a new Knesset (parliament). Israel operates on a parliamentary system, which means that we have multiple political parties in our legislature, and each party elects a leader. The people of Israel then vote for the political party (or head of party) in the elections, and the head of the party is, by default, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has a great deal of power in Israel, and so it is a very important election especially in these strenuous times (for more information on our upcoming elections, click here). Please pray for great wisdom for the people of Israel as we choose our earthly leader; please also pray that we will turn back to our Heavenly Father, our sovereign King, and look to Him alone for guidance. Please pray that God will miraculously bring a leader who fears Him, knows His word, and is willing to humble himself to seek the LORD.
Iran: The possibility of war with Iran just keeps getting closer to becoming a reality. Though many would prefer to avoid such a conflict, it may become necessary. This is a serious decision as it would involve many innocent lives on both sides and may not even completely take care of the nuclear threat. Intelligence sources have indicated that Iran continues to expand its underground nuclear capacity, all while Europe and the US continue to push for diplomatic measures. This has caused Israel to feel greater pressure to act soon, despite being discouraged by the US and Europe. Please continue to pray for great wisdom to be given to both Israeli and international leaders as they decide how to act. Pray that Israeli leaders would have the courage to do what is right, even if it means acting alone and would also not act foolishly but would count the cost. Please also pray for the innocent Israeli and Iranian civilians as well as IDF soldiers that could be affected by a conflict, that they would be protected and would come to know their Savior.
Israel’s Hostile Neighbors: The hostility from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Egypt continues to rise; it is only a matter of time until Israel will face military fronts with these regimes. The further decline in Israel’s relations with Egypt is very concerning, as is the current war in Syria. The main concern is that chemical weapons are being transferred to Lebanon’s Hizbullah terror organization from Syria, and that Iran continues to fund and supply arms to Hamas in Gaza. The walls are closing in on Israel, and we are heading towards the day when all nations will rise up against Jerusalem. Please continue to intercede for Israel, for her protection, and most importantly, for her salvation! Please pray for great wisdom for Israel’s government and military leaders, and for God’s continued blessing on those countries who support Israel in the meantime.
Israel’s Water Situation: God has been so merciful the last month! The Sea of Galilee (Israel’s main fresh-water source) saw its largest December increase in 20 years! We are not out of the woods, however. We are still 3 meters below the “red line” and need to conserve water. Please continue to pray for an abundant rainy season and for advancement in desalinization techniques that Israel may begin to use water from the Mediterranean in addition to rainfall.
Experience Israel Tour: We are hosting a life-changing tour to Israel in March 2013; this is our flagship tour, where we not only bring people to interact with Israelis “on the ground”, but also have people actively bless Israelis in need, and really experience Israel of today. All of this blends with discovering ancient Israel, with a focus on the Israel in the time of Yeshua. Please continue to pray for the tour to fill to capacity, as this is such an important time to come show support for Israel amidst so much criticism from the world at large. Please also pray for safety and quiet during the tour, and that it would be a great blessing to everyone who participates.
Following are some ministry requests for Hope for Israel:
Moran — Please pray for wisdom and strength for Moran as he leads the ministry that God has entrusted to him. Please pray that God would protect his and his family’s health as the winter season approaches. Finally, please pray that God would put His hedge of protection around them all and give Moran and Melissa great wisdom as the raise their three young children. Lastly, please pray for wisdom for Moran as we are implementing a new vision for the ministry.
HFI Staff – David has added a great dynamic to our staff and we are grateful for God bringing him to us. Also, we thank you for praying for our staff and their families’ health; we have seen a great move of the LORD to heal and strengthen. Please continue to intercede for our staff members, board members, and ministry partners & their loved ones; please pray that we will walk in the victory that Yeshua has given us over illness and disease. Please continue to pray for His protection over our children’s hearts & minds as well. Please also pray for the entire staff in our work, that the LORD would inspire and work through us to bring Himself glory in Israel. Lastly, please pray that God would give us wisdom for decisions we need to make regarding some possible staff changes.
Website – we are undergoing a website makeover! We have hired a website developing team to take over our site, revamp it, and maintain it. They are working very hard to get the site up and running in the next couple of weeks. Please pray for God’s blessing over this project, and for clear communication between everyone involved. Lastly, please pray for God’s great blessing over Barrett, our outgoing webmaster, for all his beautiful and diligent work that he did for many years. Please pray that the LORD will abundantly provide for his family, especially in this transition time.
Newsletter – we are at work on our next newsletter. This is one of our most effective areas in the ministry, and also one that comes under spiritual attack the most. Please pray for Moran, Melissa, Tamar, Mike, and Judy as we prepare the newsletter. Please pray for God’s wisdom, inspiration, and words as we write, design, and print the newsletter. Please also pray for a problem-free printing and mailing of the final product.
Office space – We are still URGENTLY in need of a new space that will meet our needs for every different activity of the ministry. We have almost totally outgrown our current space, and it’s become a much more pressing need since we’ve added staff members! Please pray for gracious provision of a space that we will be able to purchase, so that we are not at the mercy of a landlord. Please also pray for the funds needed.
Ner Yah Youth Group – Please pray that the youth will continue to be devoted to God and grow in their daily walk with Him. Please also pray that the youth would remain strong while at their schools and be a witness to their friends. Lastly, please pray that God would continue to bless the current school year and for our fellowship together.
Ner Yah Leaders – The youth group is overseen by Moran with three adult leaders. The two leaders, David & Sappir, are doing a great job in leading the youth and we are so grateful for them! Please continue to pray for a fresh anointing over the Ner Yah leadership team in this time. Please pray that they grow even deeper in their relationship with God as they serve the younger youth. Lastly, please pray that each leader will be 100% committed to their position and to serving one another as unto the Lord.
Moms’ Group: The group continues to meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month; God has added some new mothers to the group, and it’s a great blessing to see the fruit of encouragement in their lives. Please continue to pray for a fresh anointing on the group and the meetings, and for each mom to be encouraged in her great work of raising a family. Please pray for Melissa, for guidance and insight, as she plans what to share and discuss at each meeting. Please pray for the mothers’ personal relationship with the LORD, that they will not neglect their first love in the busyness of every day life. Lastly, please pray that the mothers will be encouraged to take care of themselves – body, mind, & soul – in order to better care for their families.
Tour Department – One of the ways that Hope for Israel is able to supplement the ministry’s income is by organizing and leading tours to Israel. The tours also carry a strong ministry component, as tour participants often have opportunities to bless Israel via tangible acts of service. As the situation in Israel continues to heat up, it is more important than ever for followers of Messiah to show their support by physically coming to Israel. Please continue to pray that the LORD will bless this aspect of the ministry and that He would bring more and more people to witness of His love on these tours.
Lastly, please continue to pray for the salvation of Israel & the Jewish people throughout the world; we long for the day when all Israel will recognize her Messiah and bless Him… this is the key to unlocking the great spiritual blessing for the entire human race: “For if their rejection [of Yeshua] is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15
In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team