Why Pray for Israel Rain?

26 03 2022

Sea of Galilee 2

Just so you know, it is commanded by God to pray for rain in Israel. There is even a specific prophetic timing to do it. There are four related prophetic reasons, but here is the first and most direct command.

Ask Yehovah for rain in the time of the latter rain. Yehovah will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone. Zechariah 10:1

  1. Command to pray for rain.
  2. Specific timing to pray for rain.
  3. Desert will blossom “like a rose.”
  4. We are living in the time of restoration of Israel.

The second reason is the timing mentioned in that verse, “the time of the latter rain.” This refers to Joel’s prophecy of the last days outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the start of the “church age” and the end. Peter identified the early rain on the day of Pentecost. We are now seeing the last great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our generation. This is precisely the prophesied “time of the latter rain.”

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yehovah your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, and the latter rain.

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Joel 2:23 & 28

Third, there is a specific promise of the Negev, Israel’s southern desert. Where it was once a forest, it is now desert because of God’s judgement. Yet the promise remains that it will blossom again!

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; Isaiah 35:1

Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6

The fourth reason to pray for Israel rain is that we are living in the time of Israel’s restoration. After 1,800 years of judgement, God turned the page after the Holocaust and Israel as a nation was reborn. The exiles are retuning from all the countries where they were scattered. Yehovah has restored the land, the people, the language, the capital city, and most importantly, His favor. Since 70 A.D. the Jews never won a war. From 1948 they never lost a war. What changed? God turned the page from judgement to restoration, favor, and blessing. Hallelujah!

“You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.” Psalm 102:13 

Israel faces very cold, wet weekend as Kinneret continues to rise – With rain expected to continue over the weekend, the Kinneret is set to rise to just half a meter below maximum capacity. March 25, 2022

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain!

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists                          (Read more)


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Functioning in a Dysfunctional World

19 03 2022

Lions

The prophet Daniel revealed an amazing principle right in the middle of his last days prophesies, a revelation for us today. Most Bible students are aware of this phrase from the King James: “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” We love to focus on doing great exploits, but here is the amazing truth. The word “exploits” is not in the Hebrew. Look at it in the New King James and the King James translation. Notice that “great exploits” and “exploits” are in italics in each case.

“Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Daniel 11:32 NKJV

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32 KJV

When you see words in italics in our English translations, it means the words are not in the Hebrew, but are added as what the translators deemed was the intention. In this case I believe it actually takes away from Daniel’s and the Holy Spirit’s intent. The Hebrew word for “do” literally means to act and make things happen when others are not able to function, by implication. Still being functional in the middle of a crises is, in itself, the great exploit.

My research indicates that his real point was that when people all around are dysfunctional, those who know Yehovah God will be functional! This is our time to shine, to stand firm in the power of the living God.

The world is surrendering to fear, to panic, to depression, and hopelessness. But, we know God. He is with us. Jesus will never leave or forsake us. Yet, this is not only for us to survive the trouble, but that we will rise up and lead the hopeless ones to hope in God. We are to speak peace to panic, faith to fear, and LIFE to the depressed. This is not a time to hide or escape, it is time to function! We have read the end of the Book, Jesus wins!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists,            (Read more)


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Listen to Your Heart? …or the Holy Spirit?

12 03 2022

heart gettyimages-1010275634-612x612

Sorry to all you Hallmark movie fans, but “listening to your heart” is a bad idea. There is a much safer option. Try learning to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. I confess that a good romantic comedy is refreshing, but it is not the place to get life counsel. The Hallmark “mantra” is inevitably: “Listen to your heart.” But the Bible reveals a shocking truth about the heart, that should make you stop and think.

​“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?  ​​I, Yehovah, search the heart, ​​I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

Jesus, our Messiah, was very clear instructing us to heed the Holy Spirit.

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:25-27

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. John 16:12-14

The good news is that Jesus can change our heart! Thanks to my friend, Nolan Owens, for this reminder:

“Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:9-10

Do you believe the Holy Spirit speaks to you? Jesus said He does. Do you know that God speaks to us all the time? That is the precise mission of the Holy Spirt. My best example is to think about the fact that the airwaves are full of voices and vides being broadcast continuously all around us. But, you never hear or see them without a receiver like a TV, or cellphone, or computer that captures the signal and converts it to voice and video. You have to tune in, to the frequency to receive you chosen program.

Among the millions of signals transmitted is one specific voice of the Holy Spirit. It is never that God is not speaking, but that we are not tuning in, to His frequency. In fact, we are so overwhelmed with the many voices that we don’t even recognize His voice.

I encourage you to devote yourself to learning to hear His voice. It is not rocket science. It is a simple choice to make that you top priority. What could be more important than hearing what God says about any decision we make?

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Yehovah of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 46:10-11

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain in Israel.

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists              (Read more)


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​​I will say to the North, ‘Give them up!’

3 03 2022

Shaked

Fear Not, for I Am With You! One of the greatest promises of God is connected to the regathering of the world’s scattered Jews back to their promised land. How many Jews will escape from Ukraine?

Interior Minister Shaked: Hundreds of thousands of immigrants expected from Ukraine – Government soon to decide on up to 12 new towns in Negev to cater to influx & housing shortage.

Christians treasure the promise of Jesus in Hebrews 13:5: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Yet the root of this promise is found in Yehovah’s regathering of the exiles.

“Fear not, for I am with you; ​​I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; ​​I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ ​​Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth— ​​Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; ​​I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:5-7

Ukraine: 400 Aliyah requests made in 24 hours – Israeli prime minister reiterates call for nationals to leave country under Russian military invasion. In Lviv in western Ukraine, around 400 people applied for Aliyah (on the first day of the invasion.)

Making Aliyah – The word Aliyah means “the act of going up,” which refers to the immigration of Jews from the nations to the Land of Israel (going up towards Jerusalem). “Making Aliyah” is part of a national Zionist ideology of the return of the Jewish people to their homeland.

Remember, God is always looking at Israel and His eternal promises to them. We look at Ukraine and see God’s hand at work. Continue to pray for His covenant people, both Jews and Christians. May His will be done!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for “rain in the time of latter rain.”

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists            (Read more)

Emotional reception for immigrants from Ukraine – A United Hatzalah rescue flight arrives in Israel, bearing with it the Chief Rabbi of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

The dangerous journey from Ukraine to Israel – Jews from all parts of Ukraine came to United Hatzalah’s rescue flight.


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