God’s Festivals: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Prayer Focus week 43 (Sunday-Shabbat)
The first festivals of God’s sacred calendar are: Passover, followed by Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. The LORD instructs that we are to observe His festivals forever; and that we are to explain them to our children. Yeshua, Himself, stated, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you,” Luke 22:15, NIV.
Passover (Pesach):24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.” Ex 12:24-27 – CHALLENGE: bow down and worship God when He instructs us! (as opposed to resisting Him)
Unleavened Bread (Hag haMatzot): “On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD ‘s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast,” Lev 23:6 – CHALLENGE: eat nothing with leavening for seven days.
First Fruits (Bikurim):The 16th of Nisan is the festival of First Fruits. (Lev 23:9-14) Today Jews rarely celebrate First Fruits; however, it is the resurrection of our Messiah. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” I Cor 15:20 (also verses 22-23; also Luke 24:44-47) – CHALLENGE: meditate on all the Messiah’s resurrection gave to us, His followers.
Prayer:we blessed to be allowed to intercede for the needs. Some answers come within a few days, others may take weeks or months. Regardless of what we see with our natural eyes, HE is working. We need to continue to be faithful inintercession!
“You are the Great I Am. You have delivered us from spiritual Egyptian bondage, even as You delivered the Hebrews from physical Egyptian bondage. Thank You for bringing us into covenant with You. We worship You! Thank You for continuing to answer and work in all the situations we bring before You. Help us to walk ever more upright before You. Be with and protect our soldiers – bring them home spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally whole and stronger than when they left. Turn the hearts of our country men and Israelis to You. Bring Your peace to Jerusalem. In Your most holy Name, we ask these things.”
Hallelujah: lots are great action THIS week!
o Jeannette’s pain is almost totally gone!
o Rhonda got a job!
o Terry (Bev brother): did not have heart attack! Prayer for salvation.
o Norman: cell phone had died – after prayer, the Lord caused the basic phone to work!!
o Pamela: doctored is amazed at the healing of her shoulder – it is 1 month ahead of schedule!
o Art: completely moved out of his apt
o Marita: has been in Israel for 2 weeks. Where it appeared there was no door, God opened one!
o Paul: knee replacement surgery went amazingly well. Last week, he didn’t have a walker at service Oxana meeting: fantastic! Anointed!
o Ophelia Armenta, one of Beth Sar Shalom's longest members, shot last week during the robbery of her home. Ophelia is in intensive care and in stable condition. Bullet was surgically removed.
o Families are drawing together!!
o Bob (Chantell’s grandfather): thumb is much better, which was caught in a tractor engine.
o (Yvonne’s friend): breast cancer surgery: much less invasion than expected. Prayer no malignant cells in lymph nodes. She becomes a believer.
o FINANCIAL MIRACLE: Danielle (Phyllis’ daughter): DEBT MIRACLE! She received back-pay, finally!, and was able to get a working car!!
o FINANCIAL MIRACLE: Joan (Les’a’s mother): huge financial blessing – totally unexpected. (Each homeowner was to be assessed $1200 for termite treatment. The company was so impressed with homeowners’ integrity by homeowners reminding company of not being billed. Company reduced the price to $535 and extended warranty almost an extra full year!!)
o FINANCIAL MIRACLE: Tere received unexpected financial blessing.
o Jon (Phyllis’ son): reading his Bible, praying, going to church and AA. He also said he plans on doing everything he can to better himself while he is in prison!
o Joe: “is fine!!” He sounds better than he has in months! Hallellujah!
o Chantell and the boys are well!
o Miracles have happened with medicine week.
o Lori: Miracles have happened at work!
o Brother (Phyllis): continues going to a Messianic congregation!
o Don: shingles gone! No pain!
o Joan’s steadiness: better every week!!
o Aunt (Paul’s wife): at peace with her Messiah!!
o Natan’s unit: God’s protection continues!
Requests: (please email updates on these situations)… we blessed to be allowed to intercede for these!Some answers to prayer come within a few days, others may take weeks or months. Regardless of what we see with our natural eyes, HE is working. We need to continue to be faithful in our intercession!Reminder: Don’t forget to email answers – even baby steps are answers!
o Joe: vein issues in leg
o Brother (Frank): back surgery 2 wks ago & unable to walk
o Pray the Passover week will draw individuals to our Lord and families together.
o Pamela: left leg and ankle swollen. This is not normal for her.
o Phyllis, John, and Rhonda; Ray & Sharon Sanders (Christian Friends of Israel, Jerusalem): health and vitality.
o Yvonne: that the Lord’s spirit will continually cleanse her work place.
o Jeannette: Pray for complete recovery from surgery and total eye & pituitary gland healing.
o David (Bev & Ruben): his mom’s request “he quickly come to the end of himself and look up. Protection for him and all of his family.” Warfare in intense.
o Leonard (Phyllis’ brother): chemo 24/7; radiation M-F: healing and peace
o Marita: easy transition back into Israeli society – hand-picked room-mate and apartment
o Natan: activity is escalating: please pray for sound mind, safety, protection, and calm
o Prayer for our soldiers safety and for the hearts of morale for these soldiers who have lost fellow soldiers
o Call to Prayer intercessors: Debt-free by the end of 2012!
o Pamela and Norman: jobs
o Betty & Harold’s friend: brain tumor stage 4. Cancer.
o Paul: knee continued healing.
o Christine’s mom (Bev and Ruben’s friend): very ill. Prayer for total healing.
o Prayer for intercessors who are hurting because of the challenges their loved ones are facing
o Unspoken various family matters – that God will bring families into a tight bond in Him.
o Tina (Phyllis’ daughter-in-law): turn heart and life to the LORD; peace and direction
o Joan (Joan’s friend): collapsed lung.
o Phyllis: son (in jail).
o Tracy & others: healing from intense migraines.
o Diane (Jeannette’s friend): shingles on face and in eyes – very painful!!!
o Natan: please pray he can enter green-to-gold program.
o Paul: upcoming total knee replacement.surgery and pre-surgery complications.
o Les’a: swelling in foot to continue lessening and flexibility in toe to continue increasing.
o Hurting hearts & bodies would be healed.
o Carol (Maxine’s friend): lump in rib.
o 2012: wisdom and self-control that we can all achieve financial freedom.
o Jeanne (Bonnie’s friend): stage 4 ovarian cancer. Salvation and healing with the understanding it was God Who healed her.
o Phyllis & Dawn: continued prayer for total healing of their knees.
o John: continued health and financial challenges.
o Jobs (Betty, Deb, and all those who not listed): those who need work. That God will give them fulfilling and rewarding employment where they will have great favor!
o Keith (Dawn’s grandson): come to the God of his parents and grandmother.
o Debbie and family (Maxine’s daughter and grandkids): prayer for their healing as they transition to life without Matt. Also, prayer for Frank and family during their transition without Judy. And for Karen and kids with their loss of Fred.
o Rudy (Les’a’s friend): cracked skull resulting in major mental complications.
o Financial needs.
o God to continue strengthening and building family relationships!
o God will protect our soldiers – that He will give them wisdom.
o Natan (Les’a and Don’s son and his family): Pray for wisdom, accuracy, and knowledge. God will bring them home whole: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. And God will be with their families.
o The hearts of Americans: turn to God!
o Marita: plans to return to Israel.
o Families(all of our families): to be whole and walk in the ways of the Lord!
o Grandson: pray that his mom and her boyfriend treat him with love.
o Marriages to be healed.
o Jon: That God intervenes and places him where he will be encouraged to make good decisions, impacting his family for good.
o God’s protection over Israel
o David: return to the God of his youth — that his family will be encouraged.
o Healing of family relationships.
o Intercessors for The Call To Prayer: wisdom and tenacity to continue on to see victory!
o God’spower, anointing, and favor on pastors.
o Sheri: migraines would permanently leave.
o Peace of Jerusalem!
o Debt-free in 2012!
o Pima County Sheriff's department.
o Those who need jobs will get jobs — God-chosen jobs.
o Deb: migraines and onslaught of the enemy.
o Need total & complete healing for hearts of my family that are wounded; forgiveness for offenses; & new found understanding & commitment to family, restoration & unity
o Need for increased income with wisdom & self-control, in order to pay off credit card/legal fees.
o Josiah D.: favor, protection & a heart like King David.
o Favor & wisdomin the work force: We would be excellent in the work place – even as Joseph, Daniel, etc. were – blessings to the companies because we are there!
o Bob: special prayer for physical healing.
o God will healour land
o Three sisters to meet godly men.
o Children will stop runningand will turn to God.
o Corbin (Jim’s acquaintance): God will open his eyes to accept Jesus as his Lord and that he will accept the word of God.
o God will supplythe needs of those in ministry.
o A’s daughter in law: her heart, drawn to her husband; she will receive info from her father-in-law,that the Lord would place believers in her path.
o A’s relationship with his daughter: healing and mending of hearts.
o A’s Medicare situation to be straightened out – to his financial benefit. And for doctors to find the right solution to his health issues.
o T (Les’a & Don’s friend & a man of God): the Lord would bring him the perfect helpmate – to share his life and to be a partner in ministry.
Assignments:
o Email me: results & challenges,we want to hear – we love you and are here for YOU!
o Visit: www.ifmypeople.info!
o Assignments:
1. Speakthe Word to these situations.
2. Fast: Wed-Thurs (you choose whether liquid/water/juice fast or no pleasant bread fast (giving up a food or drink that you love) for these two days. Several are fasting longer to break the chains that are ensnaring.
3. Pray earnestly for the rest of our Watchmen. We lift up each other’s arms as Moses were lifted by Aaron and Hur.
