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The God of Deliverance

The God of Deliverance

 

 

In the second chapter of Joshua we are told of a Divine intervention and miraculous deliverance in the story of Rahab, the prostitute. Days before the famous march around the walls began Joshua had sent two men to assess the situation inside the city. As they stealthily slipped from shadow to shadow down the streets, an alarm was given and the men were forced to run for their lives. They took refuge in the home of Rahab. She hid them and asked that in return they promise to spare her life when Jericho was captured.

The spies told her that if she would tie a scarlet cord in her window, they would find her and spare her and her family. Rahab didn’t ponder the instructions; she didn’t argue the pros and cons of what she had been told to do. She simply lowered the red cord from the window of her family’s dwelling. As the spies promised, her life was spared. Why did God choose a prostitute of all the people in Jericho? In Hebrews 11:31, we read, “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.” She and her family were delivered because of her faith and obedience.

But there is even more to her story. She became part of the nation of Israel, mother to a great man named Boaz…who would one day marry a young Moabite widow named Ruth…and their great grandson David would be Israel’s greatest king. Rahab even became part of the lineage of the Messiah. When God delivers, He changes everything!

Sometimes we look at God as if we have to talk Him into doing anything for us. But God delights in showing His power on behalf of His children. The Bible says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Today I encourage you to rest in God’s love and mercy, and trust in His power. He is greater than every need and challenge you will ever face, and He is just waiting to deliver you.

 

 

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A Day to Remember and Mourn: One Year Since the Hamas Invasion

A Day to Remember and Mourn: One Year Since the Hamas Invasion

 


Today marks a solemn and painful anniversary. One year ago, on this day, the world witnessed a horrific attack on the people of Israel. More than 1,200 lives were brutally cut short in a deadly Hamas invasion. Hundreds more were left wounded, and over 250 were taken hostage, many of whom are still missing. The pain and devastation from that day remain fresh, as Israel continues to face daily attacks, and the people continue to grieve.

These numbers—staggering as they are—fail to capture the depth of the tragedy. The grief of parents who have lost their children, the fear of families still waiting for news of loved ones held hostage, and the terror felt by communities living under the constant threat of attack cannot be expressed in statistics. The impact of these events is felt in every corner of Israel, and the suffering continues as Jew-haters relentlessly pursue the destruction of the Jewish state.

Behind the scenes, the mullahs of Tehran fuel this hatred, striving for nuclear weapons with the belief that a violent and bloody war will hasten the return of their Mahdi. This is a fight for survival—not just for Israel, but for the values we hold dear. As those who love Israel and God’s Chosen People, we cannot stand idly by.

A Global Call for Solidarity

In response to this ongoing tragedy, your Friends of Zion Center was asked by the Israeli government to host the official Global Solidarity Event. This gathering brought together leaders from around the world to stand with the Jewish people in their darkest hour. The event was filled not only with those in power but also with the very people who have suffered the most—families displaced by war, those grieving the loss of loved ones, and others still waiting in anguish for word of the hostages.

Over the past year, thanks to the generous support of friends like you, we’ve been able to provide food, medicine, clothing, housing, and counseling to thousands of suffering Jewish people. But this is only the beginning. As the attacks continue and the suffering grows, we remain committed to standing with Israel, ensuring that those mourning in Zion know they are not forgotten.

The Work Continues

The fight is far from over. The people of Israel still need our help, and we must not turn away. Whether it’s providing essentials like food and shelter or offering hope and comfort to those mourning and in despair, your continued support is vital.

Today, as we reflect on the pain of the past year, we must also renew our commitment to standing with Israel. The threats remain, but with your help, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most. Your gift today will help the Jerusalem Prayer Team continue its critical work of bringing relief to the suffering and hope to the grieving.

Thank you for being part of this global prayer movement and for showing your love in action. Together, we can ensure that Israel never stands alone.

 

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A Time to Remember

A Time to Remember

 

The Jerusalem Prayer Team has been officially asked by the government of Israel to host the only Global Solidarity Event for Israel at the Friends of Zion Center in Jerusalem on October 6, commemorating the anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack on October 7.

Ever since the deadly Hamas invasion, we’ve been standing on the front lines of the fight for Israel’s future, responding to help meet the urgent needs of the suffering Jewish people and taking a stand against the rising tide of anti-Semitism sweeping across the world.

So much of the world turned on Israel after October 7, with hundreds of thousands demonstrating against Israel and in support of Hamas. It was anti-Semitism like I have never seen in my lifetime. You remember the demonstrations on university campuses calling for the end of the Jewish state.

We’re planning for a day that will touch the world. Though we will be marking a year filled with sorrow, loss, pain, and suffering, we will also be marking a year filled with help and hope. We must build support for the Jewish people with the truth because lies get them killed. The terrorists who attacked Israel had been taught all their lives that Jews have horns and tails, and that they are responsible for death and disease and war.

We will welcome survivors of that brutal attack. We will welcome widows and orphans and those who lost other loved ones. We will welcome those who have been injured in the fight to defend Israel, the young soldiers putting their lives and limbs on the line for Israel. We will welcome those whose family members are still being held hostage.

This Global Solidarity Event for Israel will be shared around the world from your Friends of Zion Center. We will touch so many hearts and lives at this special event. My friend former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman will chair the event. Please be praying as we make preparation to comfort God’s Chosen People.

 

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God Is Our Refuge

God Is Our Refuge

 

 

Psalm 91 is a wonderful song of God’s precious protection over His people. As the Believer reads through the chapter, it is soon evident that God doesn’t promise that we will never find ourselves in tight places, in desperate situations, or be exempt from trouble or affliction. It does promise that God will walk with us through each trial and tribulation. He is omnipresent—everywhere—and is our Strong Deliverer, our Mighty Tower, our Strong Refuge, our ever-present help in time of need. God has promised never to leave us alone.

Psalm 91:1–2 says: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’” Like the psalmist, the Believer has a choice to make: Dwell in the “secret place” or walk in the counsel of the ungodly and stand in the path of sinners. The place of Psalm 91 is a place of safety and protection, a place where we are totally dependent on God. It is a place of strength for the obedient, the only true sanctuary. All the blessings of God are available to the one who “abides under the shadow of the Almighty.”

God’s protection is not some nebulous, abstract thing; it is a demonstrable element. God’s Word declares that we are surrounded, embraced, sheltered, and overtaken by His kindness and are secure in Him. How all-encompassing is God’s love for us and protection over us! Another thing you have to do to ensure God’s protection besides walking with God and obeying Him is to speak your faith. The psalmist declares, “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress’” (emphasis added).

The psalmist gives us a mighty tool in invoking the Lord’s protection. He reminds us that we must speak up. The tongue is a powerful force, either for good or evil. When we speak the Word in faith, it is a powerful reminder of God’s grace and favor in our lives. When faced with the temptations of the Enemy in the wilderness, Jesus did not just “think” His responses. No, He spoke out against the wiles of Satan. His physical weakness from the lack of food did not deter His faith in the Father. He declared the Word with power and conviction, and as a result, received the benefits of God’s protection.

Storms do come to us even though we would much prefer that God hold them at bay. However, “Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.” If you, like me, have ever seen God’s profound protection during times of tremendous trouble, you have benefited from an unfathomable grasp of His divine protection that may have been missed had He simply spoke, “Peace, be still,” to the storm. It is in these times that our faith is multiplied, and we receive new and awe-inspiring awareness of God and His matchless love. God’s mercy and shield are more than enough to keep us safe in the stormiest of situations.

No matter what diseases or plagues or economic unrest may come into your life, remember, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

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Remembering the Exodus

Remembering the Exodus

 

In March of 1947 the Exodus set sail for Israel. Aboard was a Christian Zionist Methodist minister, John Stanley Grauel. He was closely connected with the Haganah, but was there on the ship ostensibly as an undercover correspondent for the Churchman, an Episcopal journal. With that designation, he secured a visa from the British Consulate in Paris, enabling him to legally enter Palestine. His assignment was to make certain the world knew of the events surrounding the ship.

Once he had arrived in Europe, Grauel’s job was to arrange for the transfer of refugees from displaced persons camps to the Exodus. His tasks were many and varied—cook, distributor of supplies, administrator, and contact person between the refugees and the crew. The ship steamed toward Palestine with more than 4,550 refugees packed aboard. Just as she neared Haifa on the Mediterranean coast, the ship was rammed by the British Royal Navy cruiser Ajax, in a convoy with five destroyers, and was boarded by sailors.

This was not an easy task, as the SS Exodus had been fortified with barriers and barbed wire to discourage such actions. The British reportedly bombarded the ship with tear gas grenades in order to subdue the passengers. Captain Ike Aronowicz and his crew challenged the boarding party. One crew member, First Mate William Bernstein, a sailor from California, and two passengers were bludgeoned to death. The ship that had brought such hope to so many had been attacked by the British navy a mere seventeen miles offshore, in international waters. It was a wanton act of piracy for which the Royal Navy commanders were never charged. Grauel later reported that, as the Exodus staggered into the port at Haifa, those still able to stand gathered on the deck of the ship and sang “Hatikvah,” the hymn of hope.

Grauel, the only passenger onboard with a valid visa, was arrested but soon escaped with help from none other than the future mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek (who would become a very dear friend of mine years later) and the Haganah. He was approached by a reporter, who was a member of the Jewish organization. The unnamed reporter shepherded Grauel to the men’s room, from which he was whisked out a back door into a waiting car displaying American press credentials. The Jews on board the Exodus were then forced to disembark in Haifa and were eventually and unwillingly returned to British-controlled camps in Germany.

Grauel was summoned to Kadimah House in Jerusalem to give a firsthand account of his experiences during the voyage with the refugees to the United Nations Committee on Palestine. As he stood before that group, he leveled his heartfelt accusations regarding the treatment of the Jewish passengers on the Exodus. He later said of his testimony: “There was great gratification for me in knowing that my eyewitness report was now a matter of record. Inherent in the nature of the relationship between Christians and Jews was the fact that because I was a Christian, in this situation my testimony would be given greater credence than that of a Jewish crew member.”

Grauel’s witness proved to be an effective means of gaining compassion and support for the Jewish cause. His eloquent speech to the UNSCOP later earned him the moniker of “the man who helped make Israel possible.” Prime Minister Golda Meir believed it was Grauel’s recounting of the events surrounding the Exodus that persuaded the UN to support the creation of a Jewish state.

 

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You and the Lord of Hosts

You and the Lord of Hosts

 

Over 200 times, the Old Testament describes God as the Lord of hosts. David used this term more than anyone, and with good reason. David said, “The Lord of hosts is with me.” The Word of God is true—trust it more than anything else. Believe me when I tell you that your Good Father is much closer than you think. Believe that He is more committed than you think. And believe that God is more ambitious than you think.

Believe in God’s mighty Word. At times, you may have problems with words. You may get into disputing other people’s words. Did you ever hear anyone call someone else a liar? It is easy not to have a lot of confidence in people’s words. However, your mistrust of others will desensitize you to the words of God, so when you hear His words, you don’t trust them as you should. Before you go to sleep at night, let the last words that go into your spirit be the words of God. David declared: “The Lord of hosts is with us” (Psalm 46:11, KJV). In Hebrew, the word host means “an army ready and poised for battle.” David also said, “I am kept. The Lord keeps me.” The word kept in Hebrew means “to hedge about as with thorns, to guard, to protect, to attend to.”

What is God saying to you today? Can you hear Him? Listen, He is saying, “Will you allow Me to be the Lord of hosts in your life?” Many Christians do not have a philosophy by which they live—no objectives or goals. One positive thing I can say about my life is that I am focused. When God tells me to do something, nothing in this world can persuade me not to do it. Why is that important? Because many people miss the blessings of God by allowing themselves to be distracted. They stop focusing on God and turn their attention to something else.

Encourage yourself in the Lord. In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read that although David was greatly distressed, he encouraged himself in the Lord. Let me ask you this: Who says we must depend upon each other for encouragement? The world around us is totally co-dependent; it knows nothing of the Good Father’s Word and His ability to encourage and strengthen us. There is a dynamic truth in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His word that you learn when you are discouraged. Let me give you an example: When you die, I can’t do anything about it. No one can carry you through the valley of the shadow of death, except Jesus. This is a private matter between you and Him. You can reach out to people for support, but there is a great difference in having a support system and being co-dependent. Encourage yourself in the Lord.

Ephesians 3:16 says, “That he would grant YOU, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Verse 20 says, “Now unto HIM that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us” (capitalization added). One of the main reasons some Christians live in continual defeat is because they are ignorant regarding the sovereignty of Christ. They have not developed an intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not walk and talk with Him. How can you encourage yourself in the Lord? The only way is to spend time with Him.

You cannot be encouraged in the Lord if you are not nurturing your relationship with Him. You encourage yourself when you are walking with the Lord. If you are going to walk in the kingdom of God on a daily basis, you cannot make the church or any individual your source. You cannot make your wife or your husband your source. No one can be your source but the Lord. If you make the Lord your Source, you will have a breakthrough. Encourage yourself.

 

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The Jerusalem Prayer Team with Dr. Michael D. Evans exists to build Friends of Zion to guard defend and protect the Jewish people and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray for peace in Jerusalem because the Scriptures tell us to in Psalm 122:6. The Jerusalem Prayer Team was inspired from the 100-year long prayer meeting for the restoration of Israel held in the ten Boom family home in Haarlem, Holland. We are committed to encouraging others to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and God's Chosen People. Jerusalem Prayer Team members are also members of Churches United with Israel, Corrie Ten Boom House, Friends of Zion Heritage Center and Jerusalem World News. The Jerusalem Prayer Team mailing address is PO BOX 30000 Phoenix, AZ 85046 or you can call us at 1-888-966-8472. The Jerusalem Prayer Team is a dba of the Corrie ten Boom Fellowship. The Corrie ten Boom Fellowship is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is registered with the IRS, Fed Tax ID# 75-2671293. All donations to CTBF (less the value of any products or services received) are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Donations made to the Jerusalem Prayer Team are put to work immediately and are not refundable.