© 2011 Jewish Prayer Focus
It is a great pleasure to welcome both our regular and new participants to the tenth annual Jewish Prayer Focus. This year we have invited some of those who participated in the early years to give us their perspective of progress for the Kingdom of God in Israel over the last decade. God’s goodness is so evident in the multiplication and growth of congregations and outreaches to new cities. We have included a few of these new spawnings for you to support in prayer. Congregations both large and small face heated opposition from ultra-orthodox Jews. Ashdod has recently seen 500 protesters outside its congregation. Both the pharisaic spirit and the secular humanistic spirit are still actively opposing Jesus.
This year has seen a wave of catastrophic ‘natural’ disasters across the earth and unprecedented political shakings across the Muslim Middle East. God alone knows where this will end but hatred for Israel is certainly not diminishing. The nations of the world are also gathering in political support to recognize a Palestinian State. God judges the nations according to their treatment of Israel. Those who come against her will answer to Israel’s God (Ps 2). If they gather against Jerusalem to destroy her, we will see Him intervene in power (Zech 14:1-3). When you see these things beginning to take place, look up for your redemption draws near (Lk 21:28). This season is a sober reminder that the merciful and forgiving God is also the righteous Judge. In these days the true church needs to rise up and raise her voice, standing against the tide of world opinion. We must increase our intimacy with the Father and our prayers and support for His people and His Kingdom purposes.
The Timing
In Leviticus 23, when God instituted His calendar, He prophetically showed us His grand redemptive plan for all humanity. Jesus has already fulfilled the first three festivals at Passover (I Cor 5:7) on the exact day in this Biblical calendar, and the fourth on the exact day at Pentecost with the birth of the church (Acts 2). For further explanation, see our website articles at www.jewishprayerfocus.org. The remaining three festivals fall into this coming season. By celebrating God’s festivals, we align ourselves with His prophetic time-line and prepare ourselves, watching and waiting for our bridegroom’s return (Lk 21:25-36). We are also standing together as Jew and Gentile, Israel and the nations, one in Messiah (Eph 2:14-16), grafted together in one olive tree (Rom 11). As Arab congregations in Israel are also growing rapidly, and Jew and Gentile are beginning to work together, a powerful witness is being released across the Land and the world. We live in exciting days.
“Lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white for harvest.” John 4:35
“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.’" Rev 14:14-15
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