在耶路撒冷欣嫩子谷的一棵老橄欖樹.

1. 『我要拯救你的兒女.』
『你必聽見喪子之後所生的兒女說：這地方我居住太窄，求你給我地方居住。但耶和華如此說：就是勇士所擄掠的，也可以奪回；強暴人所搶的，也可以解救。與你相爭的，我必與他相爭；我要拯救你的兒女。』（以賽亞書49:20, 25）
『你們要小心，不可輕看這小子裡的一個；我告訴你們，他們的使者在天上，常見我天父的面。』（馬太福音18:10）
『看哪，我與耶和華所給我的兒女，就是從住在錫安山萬軍之耶和華來的，在以色列中作為預兆和奇蹟。』（以賽亞書 8:18）

上週以色列的頭條新聞很令人震驚：『尼坦雅市男子涉嫌殘忍地謀殺他的三個孩子』；『人的心無法瞭解這樣的行為』；『謀殺嫌疑犯爸爸再次殺害』，但這種新聞在以色列相當罕見。以色列全國兒童理事會最近的一個報導顯示，這小小的國家在過去七年，至少有四十個兒童被父母殺害（我們所強調的是『七年內四十個孩子被父母殺害』）。以色列從1948再次建國以來，發現自己不斷受到外面敵人的威脅，但裡面的敵人也持續侵蝕，特別是針對年輕人。

另一則不一樣卻相關的新聞，星期三在國會一致通過一條法律，禁止在便利商店販酒，禁止在晚上十一點到清晨六點之間販酒。倘若警察看見年輕人在公園喝酒，現在可以直接沒收罐子、把酒倒出。將草案變成法律的過程中，總理納坦雅胡宣稱：『我們受到流行所攻擊！』，他引用一些統計數字：『根據世界衛生組織，以色列是十一歲孩童喝酒的世界第二，十五歲到十七歲的喝酒率也超過百分之五十以上。』最近幾年，『超級市場』（24小時便利商店）湧現在全國各地。晚上最常購買的商品就是伏特加酒與提神飲料，購買者多半是年輕人。

請禱告：
* 求神憐憫並保護目前在以色列興起的年輕世代─使他們的光不會熄滅。禱告天使被釋放『為那將要承受救恩的人效力』。

* 在以色列年輕信徒當中，釋放勇氣、盼望與能力的恩膏─使他們不單只是存活，更能真正成為以色列的『神蹟奇事』，為他們的同伴帶來救恩與釋放。

* 禱告政府與法律執行機構，在執行販酒與公共場合喝酒的新法律時，能堅定站立。

* 禱告神的能力釋放在彌賽亞肢體之間─使彌賽亞教會能熟練運行在屬靈分辨恩膏與趕鬼，可以斷開鎖鍊、釋放人得自由。巨大的壓力目前正壓在以色列父母身上，特別是移民者，他們拼命嘗試在一個全新、充滿競爭的社會中存活、扶養家庭。黑暗的勢力掠奪著這些人，將他們帶入綑綁與絕望中；最後，受害最大的是孩子。

2. 希臘和以色列
這週目睹了幾十年以來希臘總理第一次拜訪以色列，巴本德里歐（George Papandreou）先生會晤總統佩雷斯、總理納坦雅胡、外交部長與反對黨領袖。他也會晤了巴勒斯坦主席阿巴斯。從在耶路撒冷的會面來看，希臘表現出渴望在財政、科技甚至在軍事聯盟方面與以色列有更緊密的合作（希臘在這幾個月有著嚴重的經濟困境）。此顯示出一個鮮明的翻轉；以色列於1948年立國時，希臘是唯一表態不支持的歐洲國家，從那時起在許多方面也對以色列維持一貫的負面立場。希臘總統最近對二個月前的『救援船』事件發表非常負面的陳述，而他們的總理這週卻來訪問我們，以兩個國家的共同點為談話主題：納坦雅胡指出『耶路撒冷與雅典提供了西方文明的基礎』，巴本德里歐則談到許多希臘人在大屠殺中喪生；他說：『我們也要說永遠不再發生』。

有趣的是，在以色列與土耳其關係快速冷卻時，與希臘的關係應該突然間熱絡起來，希臘向來不是土耳其的朋友。當希臘這小國發現自己的財政困境威脅整個區域經濟時，與以色列突然發展的友誼應該不太具有信服力；然而，我們與希臘的信徒有接觸，希臘的代禱者為他們國家過去對待以色列的態度悔改，他們也強烈盼望並禱告最近所發出的真實翻轉信號是由神所下令的。

請禱告：
* 若在兩國之間和平共處的序曲是真誠的，事實會證明，神的祝福也會滋養彼此。希臘的經濟會成為真理的見證，就是以祝福取代咒詛神立約百姓的，會為國家與個人帶來屬天的祝福（創世記12:3; 27:29b）。

* 神對希臘的憐憫，祂的靈恩膏並帶領那地肢體中的代禱者，如何有效來為他們國家與神立約土地之關係禱告。

* 禱告神的國臨到希臘與以色列，和平會來到兩國之間。一些人解釋以賽亞書66:18-21所包括的雅完（希臘）與土巴（位在古土耳其），神榮耀的光藉由分散列國的猶太人臨到他們，最後他們會協助以色列回到這地，他們當中有一些人（21節）會被神揀選，在未來彌賽亞的國度如同『祭司和利未人』來服事以色列。

3. 禱告神能力與激勵的憐憫充滿在伊朗的彌賽亞肢體。
這週我們收到可靠的來源報告，估計目前每個月有五千位伊朗人得救！
禱告神差派天使保護這些新信徒。
禱告神會引導以色列與她的同盟如何處理上升的核武威脅─禱告有效處理的方式與時機，不會造成大量的生命喪生與毀滅。
禱告宗教黑暗的堅固營壘被斷開，神對波斯美善的救贖目的將會獲勝。

馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷



PRAYER UPDATE FROM ISRAEL (July 27 2010)
"A land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey . . ." Deuteronomy 8:8 (See Torah Portion below). An old olive tree in the Ben Hinnom Valley of Jerusalem.

1. "AND I WILL SAVE THE CHILDREN."
"The children you will have, after you have lost the others, will say again in your ears, 'The place is too small for me'.For I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children'" (Isaiah 49:20, 25. From this week's Torah Portion-see below).

"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).

"Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion" (Isaiah 8:18).

The headlines this past week were appalling: "Natanya Man Suspected of Brutally Murdering His Three Children"; "The Mind Cannot Fathom Such an Act"; "Dad Suspected of Murder Reenacts Killing". Yet this sort of news story is far from a rarity in Israel. A recent report by the National Council for the Child shows that in this tiny nation at least forty children have been murdered by their parents[both fathers and mothers] in the last seven years (Emphases ours. "40 kids killed by parents in 7 yrs: JPOST.COM,1455 IST, July 26, 2010.). Since her rebirth in 1948 Israel has found herself under almost continual threat from enemies without- yet the enemies within continue to eat away, especially focusing on the young. In a different yet related story, the Knesset on Wednesday unanimously passed a law banning alcohol sales in convenience stores and the like between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Further, if police see young people drinking in public parks, they are now allowed to confiscate the bottles and pour them out. During the course of bringing the bill into law, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "We are at the onset of an epidemic!" citing these statistics, "According to the World Health Organization, Israel is second in the world in consumption of alcohol by 11-yearolds, and the rate of consumption among 15-to-17-year olds is over 50 percent" (Emphases ours). In recent years "Supermarkets" (24-hour convenience stores) have sprung up all over the country. The merchandise most likely to be seen being purchased at check-out counters in the evenings is vodka and high-energy drinks-and the purchasers are most often young.

PLEASE PRAY:
*For mercy and protection on the generation of children and young people presently arising in Israel-that their light will not be snuffed out. Pray for angels to be released "on behalf of those who will inherit salvation".
* An anointing of courage, hope and power on the young believers in the Israel-that they will not only survive, but truly be "for signs and wonders" in Israel, releasing salvation and deliverance to their fellows.
*That the government and law enforcement agencies will stand firm in enforcement of the new laws regarding the sale and public consumption of alcohol.
*For the power of God to be released in the Body of Messiah-that the Messianic Congregations may become skilled in moving in an anointing of spiritual discernment and the casting out of demons so as to break bondages and set people free. There are tremendous pressures on parents in Israel, especially those who have immigrated and are trying desperately to survive and support their families in a new and very competitive society. Powers of darkness prey on these people to bring them into bondages and despair; ultimately, it is the children who suffer the most.

2. GREECE AND ISRAEL
This week witnessed the first visitation of a Greek prime minister to Israel in decades. Mr George Papandreou met with President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Israel's Foreign Minister and the Opposition leader. He also met with Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas. From the meetings in Jerusalem, Greece appears desirous to move into closer cooperation with Israel in the areas of finance (Greece has been in severe economic straits in recent months), technology.and even military alliance. This marks a sharp turnaround indeed-Greece was the only nation in Europe which did not support the founding of Israel in 1948, and has in many ways maintained a negative stance towards the Jewish State ever since. It was George Papandreou's father Andreas who moved Greece away from cooperation with NATO and the US and, as one writer recently put it, "extended his hand of personal friendship to Yasser Arafat, and turned Hellas [i.e. Greece] into a Muslim and terrorist friendly nation in the early 80's." The nation's President recently released a very negative statement regarding the "flotilla" incident two months ago. And yet, the Prime Minister this week visited us and the subject included the two nations' common ground: Mr Netanyahu pointed out that "Jerusalem and Athens provided the basis for Western civilization-Mr Papandreou spoke of the Holocaust, in which many Greeks were killed; "We too say 'never again'", he said.

It is interesting that with the quickly cooling relations between Israel and Turkey, they should suddenly begin to warm with Greece, a country which has been no friend of Turkey for years. And that friendly overtures should suddenly develop as the small nation finds itself in financial woes which are threatening the economy of the whole region seems less than convincing. Yet, we are in contact with believers in Greece, intercessors repentant on behalf of their nations past attitude towards Israel, who are strongly hoping and praying that this most recent gesture signals a true turnaround ordained by God.

PLEASE PRAY:
*That if the overtures for coexistence between these two countries are genuine, they will be vindicated and God's blessing will nourish them. That Greece and its foundered economy may become a testimony to the truth that blessing instead of cursing God's Covenant people brings a nation as well as individual people into a positioning for receiving divine blessing (Genesis 12:3; 27:29b).
*For God's mercies over Greece, his Spirit to anoint and lead intercessors in the Body there in how to pray most effectively for their nation and for its relation with God's covenant Land.
* Pray for God's Kingdom to Come in Greece and Israel-and that peace will come into place between these two nations. Isaiah 66:18-21 is interpreted by some to include both Javan (Greece) and Tubal (located in ancient Turkey) as having the Light of God's Glory declared to them by dispersed Jews (which they both did in ancient times), and as eventually assisting Israel in returning to the Land, and with some of them (vs. 21) being chosen by God to serve among Israel as "priests and Levites" in a future Messianic Kingdom.

3. PRAY FOR GOD'S STRENGTHENING AND ENCOURAGING MERCIES OVER THE BODY OF MESSIAH IN IRAN.
This week we received a report from a reliable source estimating that presently 5000 Iranians a month are coming to salvation! PRAY FOR angelic protection for these new converts.
PRAY THAT God will guide Israel and her allies in how to deal with the growing nuclear threat-for a way and timing in which it may be effectively dealt with without triggering great loss of life and destruction.
THAT THE STRANGLEHOLD OF RELIGIOUS DARKNESS BE BROKEN AND GOD'S REDEMPTIVE PURPOSES OF GOOD FOR PERSIA WILL PREVAIL.