March 27, 2007

Israel Prayer Update -
March 27, 2007

A PASSOVER YOUTH GATHERING IN THE DESERT
THIS WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY

Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday 28 March) some 95 teenagers and 20
young adults will travel (as in recent years) to a Bedouin setting
in the desert southwest of Beer Sheba for a retreat during the
holidays preceding Passover. In this region Abraham and Isaac
wandered with their flocks. Here the desolate Hagar and later the
fleeing fearful prophet Elijah were saved from starvation by angels,
and given strength and counsel for their onward journeys. Now these
young believing descendants of the Patriarchs are in need of similar
sustenance and counsel as they gather for 2 ½ days of worship,
hiking, prayer, teaching and fellowship. As with these and similar
“Katzir” (harvest) conferences for youth, we are turning to you to
assist us with your prayers during this time. We don’t want to just
“get through it” … nor do we want to merely keep the kids from being
bored. We are turning our hearts and eyes heavenward in great need
of out God to grant us a visitation of His presence— to add to what
He has already been doing, and carry these young ones into a
position which will continue their preparation for consequential
days ahead. In His good grace the pause from the war which erupted
last summer continues to hold. As with last December’s Chanukah
conference, we believe that this is a time for the Body of Messiah
in Israel to be strengthened and equipped by “Elohei Ma’archot
Yisrael”—the God Who arrays the Armies of Israel for Battle (I
Samuel 17:45).

Psalm 33 speaks of the Lord’s eye watching over those who reverence
Him and who earnestly yearn for His unfailing Love—to deliver them
from death and to keep them alive (Hebrew: “life-them”) in times of
famine. It speaks of His counsel which stands forever, and the plans
of His heart which are to generation after generation (vss. 18,19,
11).

PLEASE PRAY:
*That this generation in Israel will be blessed with a heart to
yearn after the Lord’s lovingkindness, and that their hearts would
awaken to seek and receive His counsel and the plans of His heart
for this time.

*For good weather, and for safe journeys to and from the camp-site.

*For Angels of God to protect and minister to the youth on the
hillsides in the mornings when they seek the Lord’s face—and that He
will point out things to them on the long hike which they will be
taking Thursday morning.

*For living bread in the desert…which will “deliver them from
death”, “keep them alive in famine”, and give them courage to press
on in the joy of the One who is their help and their shield (Ps
33:22,21).

*For wise oversight on the part of the adult leaders…calmness and
integrity…and the Word of the Lord both in private conversations
with the youth and in the meetings.

*A spirit of anointed worship and praise to be released in the
musicians and all the youth…that the sound of Heaven for this place
and time will be dropped down and released onto the earth during the
times of praise and worship!

*That spirits assigned to stir distraction or rebellion would be
bound and not able to capture the imaginations of the young people.

MONDAY EVENING, 2 APRIL, BEGINS PASSOVER
AND THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

The annual excitement of Passover is in the air over Israel. It
comes every year—it might be compared to “Christmas Spirit” in the
West—but it is really something different. Children are out of
school; the airlines are full to overflowing; employees will be
receiving “Pesach Bonuses”; cleaning has begun to rid the house of
chametz (leaven); preparations are being made for the huge seder
meal next Monday evening—when the story of the deliverance will be
commemorated and told as it was commanded to Hebrews to be done for
all their generations. The stores are filled and all day Sunday will
be totally crazy! By then, the boxes of Matza (unleavened bread,
commanded to be eaten for the week beginning immediately after the
seder evening) will be all the bread seen in Jewish stores (the
aisles of yeast-products all covered over with wrapping paper).

This has been being done in some way for all these thousands of
years.

We would pray that the Lord bless you during this joyous season. And
we ask that you join with us to

PLEASE PRAY:
*For God to release revelation around the seder tables…regarding the
blood on the doorposts, the Lamb which has been slain for all time
to deliver us from Death, and His desire to lead Israel out of
bondage with plunder into a new and living relationship with her God
in the Land He has promised her.

*That many in Israel would be awakened in their spirits to realize
that “No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is
not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye
of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His
unfailing love, to deliver their soul from death . . .” (Psalm
33:16-19).