Dear Prayer Partners!

We want to thank you again for committing to pray with us during the month of January as part of our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign. On our Jerusalem staff, we began the first Wednesday of the new year with a time of examining our own lives so our hearts would be ready to intercede for the needs of others. It is so vital to come into the Lord's presence with "cleans hands and a pure heart", as the Psalmist wrote, so nothing will hinder our prayers (Psalm 24:4; 66:18; 1 Kings 8:37-40). But God is also faithful to forgive, and to hear our prayers as we humble ourselves before Him (Psalm 143:1; 1 John 1:9).

On the second Wednesday of January (14/01/15), we want to turn to praying for Israel and the region. As we enter 2015, the Middle East remains wracked by violence and turmoil, making it hard to decide which prayer needs deserve the most attention. But faith says God is at work even in the midst of it all.

First, Israel is heading for new elections in March and the campaigning is intense. It is not clear yet exactly what will sway voters in this election - whether domestic issues like social needs and housing costs or the familiar security concerns over Palestinian terrorism and the Iranian nuclear threat. The Palestinian unilateral campaign for statehood is also a huge diplomatic challenge.

Meanwhile, the Syrian civil war has raged for nearly three years now and shows no sign of abating. The death toll may exceed 300,000 and the fighting continues to spill over into Iraq and Lebanon. Millions have fled their homes and many are suffering through a harsh winter in refugee tent camps in Jordan, Turkey and elsewhere.

Among the refugees of this conflict are tens of thousands of destitute Christians. The plight of Middle East Christians continues to worsen as radical Islamist forces gain footholds throughout the region. There are some positive developments, such as the al-Sisi government in Egypt displaying a friendlier attitude towards the ancient Coptic community, and the enhanced status enjoyed by Arab Christians in Israel. But overall, the region is proving to be quite hostile to our fellow Christians.

And finally, Iran continues to deceive the world and buy time to advance its nuclear weapons program. High-level talks will resume in Geneva this month and the stakes could not be greater for Israel, as the Western powers appear ready to compromise by allowing Tehran to retain its enrichment capabilities. Jerusalem, of course, hopes they will stick with earlier demands that Iran completely dismantle its nuclear program.

So there is much to take before the Lord in prayer. And we covet your joining us on Wednesday, 14 January for a special time of intercession. If you can fast as well, please do so.

We will also be building towards a 24/7 around-the-world prayer chain during the final week of January, from 25-31/01. You will receive more instructions on how to be a part of this prayer chain as we move closer to the end of this month.

Thank you again for your commitment to our ministry!

Yours in Christ!
 
David Parsons
ICEJ Media Director

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PRAYER POINTS FOR SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY 2015
The next day of prayer and fasting in our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, 14 January 2015. Please join us!

Please pray with us for the following areas of need:

1)  Pray for the Israeli elections
Pray for honesty in the campaigning and clarity as to who should be the leader in Israel. Pray for a sense of national unity and purpose among the voters in the face of Israel's many internal and external challenges. Pray for elected leaders who know how to deal with the nation's security and diplomatic concerns.

2)  Pray for an end to the Syrian/Iraqi conflict
Pray that the bloodshed would finally end in Syria and Iraq, and that a new leadership would emerge in Syria that respects democracy and opposes radical Islam. Pray for the millions of refugees of this conflict, especially those currently enduring harsh winter conditions in refugee tent camps.

3)  Pray for the region’s embattled Christians
Pray for the dwindling Christian communities of the Middle East, who remain under threat from Muslim militants. Please pray for their safety, that their witness would remain strong, and that they would have patience to endure through any hardship.

4)  Pray for the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program
Pray that Iran's nuclear deceptions would be fully exposed. Pray that the Western powers would hold firm and insist that Tehran completely dismantle its nuclear program.