1. This week, starting Sunday evening, Israel observes Remembrance Day for all who have died either defending this nation or in a terror attack. Immediately following that - on Monday evening - Israel celebrates her 62nd Independence Day. A reading that some Jewish communities do on Independence Day is from Isaiah 10:32-12:6.

    • It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left... And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

      Isaiah 11:11-12

    • Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD YHWH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation... Praise LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto LORD; for He has done excellent things... Cry out and shout, inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you.

      excerpts from Isaiah 12:2-6

    • We bless You that through Messiah Yeshua, You have become our salvation.

    • We bless You that You are restoring this nation at this time.

    • God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent, Has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has he spoken, and shall He not make it good?

      Numbers 23:19

  2. A huge corruption scandal has been exposed this week over a massive building project in Jerusalem. Apparently those involved are some very prominent people in Israel.

    • The fool said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

      Psalms 14:1

    • Thank You Abba, for revealing things that have been done in darkness.

      The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

      Psalms 139:12b

    • Aid the police to expose all lies and half-truths in this situation.

    • Help the judiciary system to make righteous judgments in this case.

      I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning.

      Isaiah 1:26a

    • Lord, root out from Israel all corruption. Let Your fear fall on this nation because of what is revealed in this specific case.

    • Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

      Isaiah 5:20

    • Do not allow this case to be swept under the rug or drawn out over a long period of time.

  3. We continued to pray into the recently exposed spy scandal. A young female soldier stole thousands of IDF documents - including about 700 that could do real damage to Israel's security. She gave them to a Ha'aretz reporter, who knew where they came from and still used them for stories. He refuses to return this property to the IDF. On top of that, one of the computer discs that she made with the documents is now missing! By the way, the left-wing daily Ha'aretz is still defending and paying their reporter who refuses to return to Israel.

    • Lord, may all the stolen documents be returned - before they get into enemy hands.

    • Help the IDF to make alternative plans, as if these documents have already been revealed to Israel's enemies.

    • Do not allow the enemy to gain an advantage. Instead use this to cause miscalculation and confusion.

      Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

      Psalms 129:5

    • Restore to Israelis biblical thinking that enables them to discern right from wrong.

    • May freedom of the press not be balanced with the commandment, You shall not steal!

    • If needed and if it is right, take away from Ha'aretz their publishing license.

  4. The situation on Israel's northern border has become much more dangerous over the last week with reports that Syria is transferring Scud missiles to Hizbullah in Lebanon. These Scuds are an advanced version of the 39 that Saddam Hussein fired at Israel during the first Gulf War. This situation has both Israel and America very concerned.

    • God - arise and defend this nation - for Your holy name's sake.

      Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens; He has done whatsoever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

    • Give Israel's military an extra alertness and accurate intelligence information.

    • Anoint Israel's leaders for war if now is the time for war to occur (Ecclesiastes 3:8b).

    • If Israel should pre-empt - may You be the commander in chief over both the timing and the method (Joshua 5:13-6:5).

    • If war breaks out, allow Israel use all of its might on those who would try to destroy her - and not try to be politically correct.

    • Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of LORD, neither do they understand His counsel. For He shall gather them as sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs brass, and you shall beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate their gain unto LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

      Micah 4:11-13

    • Use Messianic Jews in the IDF to speak comfort and truth to their fellow soldiers at this tense time (Isaiah 40:1-2).

    • Help Israel to understand that she has no one to depend on - except for You - and that You are more than enough to come to our aid (2 Chronicles 14:11).

    • Whatever happens, we desire for You to receive all the praise and glory.

      Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail. Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men.

      Psalms 9:19-20

  5. The Iranian threat also becomes more dangerous with each day that the world - and Israel - does nothing. US President Obama's Nuclear Summit this past week proved that no one is willing to deal with enough strength and courage against Iran to get them to back away from producing nuclear weapons. Therefore, God needs to do it - either sovereignly or via Israel's military.

    • Abba, we are seeing a whole lot of shaking these days - whether in major earthquakes or volcanoes. Please shake the ground under Iran and swallow up all of her nuclear facilities.

    • Protect innocent Iranians - especially our brothers and sisters in Messiah - when You do arise to shake that nation.

      God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar... though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

      Psalms 46:1-3

    • Give to Israel's leaders all the wisdom and counsel they need to know how to deal with this Iranian threat.

      Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

      Proverbs 20:18

    • Provide all of the accurate intelligence to do the job efficiently and completely.

    • Concerning Ahmadinejad, we remind You of Your promised protection over Abraham's seed:

      I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse those who curse [lit: denigrate, speak or plan evil against] you.

      Genesis 12:3

  6. The relationship between Israel and the current American administration has gone from bad to worse - and because of that, Obama is driving America straight into the valley of God's judgment (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Lord, we thank You for the majority of US Senators and Congressmen who stand with Israel and have told Obama that they do not like his tactics. Bless and strengthen them.

    • Abba, please cut all ungodly ties between Israel and America. Israel does not need the US to survive. We need only You! Help Israelis to understand and believe that.

    • Woe to the rebellious children, says LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me; that cover with a covering, but not of My spirit, that they may add sin to sin: that walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked [My advice] - to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

      Isaiah 30:1-3

      Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek LORD!

      Isaiah 31:1

    • Strengthen the Israeli leadership and people to resist the manipulations and threats coming from Obama and his administration.

  7. We prayed for American Jews to see the handwriting on the walls and to make aliyah - to immigrate to Israel.

    • Lord, use this break in relations between Obama and Israel to wake up Jews in America to the fact that now is a really good time to come home.

    • May multitudes of Jews return, bringing, as You prophesied (Isaiah 60:9), their gold and silver with them.

    • Cause the shepherds - whether Orthodox, Reform, Messianic or whatever - to take the lead and lead their flocks home.

    • And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left...

      Isaiah 11:11a

    • Thus says LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

      Zechariah 8:7-8

    • May Christian pastors encourage Jewish believers in their churches to prayerfully consider making aliyah. Then place it on the heart of these churches to support their brothers and sisters when they return to Israel.

  8. We finished by praying for the America believers - of whom a significant remnant stand with God's purposes for this land and people.

    • A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

      Proverbs 17:17

    • Speak to the believers in the US that they need to stand with Israel even more under the current America leadership and both pray and speak out their biblical concerns.

    • Rip out replacement theology from Your body - both in American and anywhere else it may be found.

      Moreover the word of LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, Have you heard what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which LORD has chosen, He has cast them off? Thus they have despised My people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus says LORD; If My covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

      Jeremiah 33:23-26

We appreciate you praying for this nation as she goes from mourning to joy this week.

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of LORD,
that He might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3

Blessings from Zion and Shabbat shalom
The IFI Team