Dear Prayer Partners,
One of our greatest assets as Christians is the privilege of free access into God’s presence. Through the Passover celebration last week, we were reminded how Jesus was slaughtered as a spotless lamb for the sins of this world. By shedding His own blood, He purchased full access for every believer into the throne room of God.

Most conferences, concerts or sporting events provide green rooms or VIP lounges for special guests where the privileged few mingle with so-called “very important persons.” Many airports have separate priority lines for preferred customers only. But there is no such thing in Heaven. God’s throne offers First Class access for everyone without preference. The poor and the rich, the great and the small, people of influence and people without; they all stand equally before the most important Person of the Universe – the God and Creator of the world.

When the Bible calls Jesus “the forerunner” (Heb. 6:20), this is a unique concept with no equivalent throughout the Old Testament. No high priest would have ever considered himself to be a forerunner. On the contrary: According to Jewish tradition, the high priest entered the holy of holies with a rope tied to his leg to pull him out if he dropped dead in God’s presence. Bells tied to his garment rung constantly at his every move, reassuring those who waited outside that the priest was still alive. For the high priest, it was a dreadful thing to enter as a sinful man into the very presence of God.

But all that changed with Jesus. His sinless blood was shed on our behalf so we now may enter freely into the presence of God. As a forerunner, Jesus went before God, saved us to the utmost, secured an eternal salvation and thus paved the way for you and me to follow Him without fear. As the book of Hebrews boldly declares: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)
Jesus’ atoning work makes us the most privileged people on earth. Let us take full advantage of that privilege as we set aside this day of prayer for Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. We know that God will hear us.

Yours in Christ,

Jürgen Bühler
Executive Director, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem
 
PRAYER POINTS
For May 2016
The next day of prayer and fasting in our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, May 4th 2016. Please join us!

Pray with us according to the following guidelines:

1. Jerusalem:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, especially in the light of the recent bus bombing.
Use Psalm 121 and Ezek. 28:26 in your prayers.
Please pray for wisdom and leading of the Spirit of God in the government of Israel.
Use Ps. 122:5-9 in your prayers.

2. Israel:

Surround Israel with mercy and grace through your prayers!

Use Ps. 32:10-11 in your prayers.
Pray for healing and salvation of the land and people of Israel.
Use II Chron. 7:14 and Ezek. 37:9 in your prayers.

3. The Middle East region:

Pray for the fear of the Lord to fall on the entire Middle East.
Use Psalm 2:8-12 in your prayers.
Pray for the surrounding nations, as they are jealous of Israel, to discern and recognize that Israel is a light of hope in the region.
Use Is. 60:2-3 in your prayers.

4. ICEJ ministry:

Pray for our Jerusalem staff to be good representatives of Jesus’ love to the people of Israel, as well as good representatives of their home countries.
Use Rom. 11:13-15 in your prayers.
Please pray for abundance of resources for every good work of the ICEJ, so we may continue to be a blessing to Israel as servants of the Lord.
Use Is. 60:5 in your prayers.