1. This is a Jewish leap year, so there are occasional differences between the Torah portion read in Israel and in exile. Last week's Shabbat portion in Israel will be read this week in exile, and the lesson of Balaam's unsuccessful attempts to curse God's people is most appropriate for this time.

    • How shall I curse whom God has not cursed, or how shall I defy whom YHWH has not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations.

      Numbers 23:8-9

    • Thank You for being faithful to do that which You have declared (Isaiah 55:11).

    • Even though Israel has desired to be accepted as just one of the nations, it still dwells as a nation apart, because that is what You have said (John 10:35b).

    • We praise You for being a covenant-maker and covenant-keeper (Genesis 17:7-8; Psalm 105:8-11).

    • Abba, thank You for being a God who is near to Your people (Psalm 75:1; Matthew 28:20b).

    • Lord, we trust in Your mercies which are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

    • Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not keep His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will turn again; He will have pity on us. He will trample our iniquities. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

      Micah 7:18-20

  2. 1st Timothy 2:1-4 says that God expects us to pray for those in authority. We were burdened today to pray into the current US election season. President Obama's rule has made the world a more dangerous place. America is no longer the world's policeman, and no one else has taken that responsibility. So now, in the West and Middle East especially, chaos and terror are the order of the day. Yet how should we pray? After all, we are in the final days, and chaos and violence have been prophesied (2 Timothy 3:1).

    • For you know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you…are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night, or of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober.

      1 Thessalonians 5:2-6; cp. 1 Peter 4:7

    • Lord, we know that the hearts of all rulers are in Your hands (Proverbs 21:1), so we approach this topic with great confidence that You will lead us in prayer (Romans 8:26-27).

    • Since You are not confused by all that is happening, please clear up our confusion so that we can pray in line with Your will (1 John 5:14-15).

    • Abba, raise up the person of Your choice to be the next US President (Psalms 75:4-7).

    • Lord, for Your glory's sake, overrule all the plans of men. Arise, YHWH; let not man prevail. Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, YHWH, let the nations know they are but men. Selah. (Psalms 9:19-20)

    • We plead with You for mercy – even if this is the time for You to judge the West (Habakkuk 3:2).

    • Use Donald Trump's vice-presidential choice, Mike Pence, to bring the rhetoric out of the gutter so that real issues will be dealt with over this election campaign.

    • Lord Yeshua, show the Church in America how to pray and whom to vote for (John 10:27).

  3. Israel's leaders need to have heavenly wisdom concerning the US elections. Instead of speaking their minds, most often it would be best for them to be silent. While what happens in America definitely impacts Israel, still – unless it is a life or death situation, like with the Iranian nuclear deal – it is best for Israel to not get directly involved.

    • Lord, give Israel's leaders and diplomats great wisdom to know what to say and when to be quiet.

    • Set a watch, O YHWH, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

      Psalm 141:3

    • Enable the foreign ministry to give very clear instructions to all of Israel's representatives in the nations.

    • Protect Israel's US Ambassador Ron Dermer from being trapped in anyway – especially by the media.

    • Continue to anoint Israeli Foreign Ministry Deputy Director Dore Gold with Your wisdom.

    • Guard the excellent relationship between Gold, Dermer and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

    • Do not allow the issues of the Iranian nuclear deal and the US-Israel military aid package be used by the political opponents to drag Israel in the middle of this US contest.

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

      Psalms 121:4

  4. Tomorrowland is a global new-age, occult "concert" – with a goal of worldwide unity. This year seven cities, including Jerusalem for the first time, will be joined via a satellite link and livestreaming on the net with Boom, Belgium, where the main event is held. It starts tomorrow night. There are a lot more details online, but be careful as to which sites you look at as much of their propaganda is very demonic.

    • Lord, You did not bring us back to see the enemy steal our children (Jeremiah 31:15-17). Therefore, arise and defend this nation at this time from this assault (Jeremiah 31:10).

    • Turn that which the enemy is wanting for evil on this nation into good. …YHWH your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because YHWH your God loved you. (Deuteronomy 23:5)

    • Surely, there is no enchantment against Jacob, nor any witchcraft against Israel. According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What God has worked!

      Numbers 23:23

      Amen.

    • Abba, hinder the smooth relay of this concert by messing with the electronics.

    • Lord, use extreme weather events to cancel or hinder this demonic message from being transmitted.

    • Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow? Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have kept for the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

      Job 38:22-23

    • Make the national security forces plead with cities to cancel this security nightmare [600,000 to be in Belgium!], especially in the face of all the recent terror attacks in the West.

    • May this event – both in Jerusalem, and in all the other venues – be such a huge disappointment to the attendees that it causes many to search for You instead (Jeremiah 29:13).

  5. A "gay-pride" parade made its way through some of Jerusalem's streets yesterday evening. Until all Israel looks upon their Messiah whom they pierced (Zechariah 12:10), we expect more open displays of sin in this nation – although there is a strong streak of righteousness here as well.

    • Abba, have mercy and forgive the flaunting of this sinful lifestyle.

    • Do not remember the sins of my youth, or my rebellion; according to Your mercy remember me for Your goodness' sake, O YHWH.

      Psalms 25:7

    • Lord Yeshua, You are their only hope. We ask You to save multitudes out of Israel's gay community.

    • As Yeshua reclined in the house…many tax-collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw, they said to His disciples, Why does your master eat with tax-collectors and sinners? But when Yeshua heard, He said to them, the ones who are whole do not need a physician, but the ones who are sick. But go and learn what this is, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

      Matthew 9:10-13

    • We see that this global explosion of openly gross sexual activity is another proof that we have entered deep into the last days (2 Peter 3:3; Jude 1:7, 18). Therefore, we plead with You to teach us how to pray.

  6. It is a year since the signing of the P5+1 Iranian nuclear deal – and it has proven to be a disaster. Netanyahu was right to vigorously oppose it, because the reality today is that Iran has advanced in both nuclear and long-range missile technology. It also continues to be aggressive towards Israel, America and the Sunni Arab nations.

    • God, be Israel's Shield and move sovereignly to deal with this threat in a way in which all the world sees and fears You. But You, O YHWH, are a shield for me… (Psalms 3:3a)

    • Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, people saved by YHWH, the shield of your help, and your majestic sword! And our enemies shall be found liars to you, and you shall tread on their high places.

      Deuteronomy 33:29

    • If not, and Israel will need to deal with this threat militarily, then impart absolute wisdom from on high for a complete plan – from the opening attack to the final argument before the world as to why this was a necessity (Proverbs 21:31).

    • Enable Israeli intelligence services to accurately know what is being planned in Iran's war rooms.

    • Continue to expose all of Iran's lies – and since it appears that the West is not paying any attention to them – please make sure that Israel is.

    • Use Iran's boasts to wake up at least some in the West.

    • Lord, thank You for the growing church in Iran. Show them how to pray and what to do at this time.

    • May they bless Israel – and thus stand in the gap for their nation so that You can have an opportunity to deal with Iran in mercy (Ezekiel 22:30).

  7. Next, we prayed for Israel's overall security situation.

    • Lord, protect Your city from all terror attacks (Isaiah 31:5).

    • As Muslims pray on the Temple Mount, meet with some there and turn them away from Allah and to Your Son Yeshua (Psalm 2:6-12).

    • Aid Israel's security forces to maintain their sharpness wherever they are stationed. Behold, I make you a new sharp threshing instrument, a master of teeth. You shall thresh the mountains…and make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them; the wind shall carry them away, and a tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in YHWH and glory in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:15-16)

    • May the IDF's failure to bring down the drone over the Golan this past week expose any weaknesses.

    • Help them to learn the lesson and shore up whatever holes are revealed in Israel's overall defense.

    • In Your mighty name, Yeshua, we bless all Israeli soldiers who are protecting its borders this summer.

    • We ask You to release angelic protection both for them and to fight alongside them (Psalm 35:1-8).

    • May Israel's intelligence gathering operations be 100% successful (Job 12:22; Psalm 139:11-12).

    • By the above success, help Israeli security forces stop all planned terror attacks (Isaiah 11-13).

    • Lord, we continue to ask You to bring Hizbullah down into judgment for their cursing of Your people.

    • Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.

      Numbers 24:9b

  8. So far this summer, we have received hundreds of immigrants from North America and France.

    • Lord, thank You and for Your glory's sake, bring thousands more (Isaiah 43:5-7, 21).

    • Bless the Nefesh b'Nefesh group that has worked so successfully in North America. Continue to supply all their needs – whether finances, wisdom or laborers – to facilitate aliyah (immigration).

    • May all immigrants – both new and older – send forth good reports from the Promised Land.

    • Give all new immigrants an anointing to quickly learn Hebrew (Isaiah 32:4).

    • Abba, move miraculously and make Israel's bureaucracy aliyah friendly (Jeremiah 32:17, 27).

    • Lord, may this be the year that many families in exile join their loved ones already in Israel.

    • Ease the process for professionals to obtain their licenses to practice here.

    • May the results of the US elections be a wake-up call to American Jews that now is the time to return.

    • Thus says YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west. 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

  9. We ended by praying for Israel's salvation. The pattern revealed in scripture is that God promises to return us to His land in unbelief, and then in the land of Israel, He reveals to His people their King, Messiah Yeshua (Zechariah 12:10). We see a definite openness from Israelis in all sections of this diverse society that those of us who have been here for decades are absolutely thrilled by. While the numbers of believers are not large, yet – still, very often people accept believers as an integral part of this restored nation – and at times, with a real curiosity of why we believe what we believe. The following verses encourage us, as they indicate that as Israelis receive us – they have opened up a door to receive Him:

    • He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

      Matthew 10:40

    • Amen, amen, I say to you, He who receives whomever I send receives Me. And he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

      John 13:20

    • O YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel.

      Jeremiah 31:7b

Please lift up our brother Claude Ezagouri, who will be ministering in France from 30 July to 7 August. For more information, contact Jacques Charat: 04 75 59 30 54 or <contact@emeth.editions.com>

Shabbat shalom and blessings

The IFI team