The Jerusalem Prayer List – February 9, 2024
By Joseph Shulam
Israel is still at war in Gaza with Hamas and on the North border with Lebanon with Hezbollah, an Iranian Proxy with radical anti-Israel views and a desire to delete Israel from this Earth. The place of Jewish Disciples of Yeshua in Israel is going through a major change and challenge. There is a significant number of Israeli soldiers who come from the ranks of the Messianic Congregations throughout Israel. There have been a few soldiers who have died and a few who are severely wounded in this horrible war. It is definitely a sad and painful loss when any Israeli soldier is killed or injured, but on the other hand, these victims of the war cement our place and our participation as one people with one national loyalty to all of the people of Israel.
What is important is also the massive participation of Jewish Disciples of Yeshua, who have supplied a significant amount of tactical equipment like helmets, ceramic bulletproof vests, and warm clothing for our soldiers on top of the snow-covered Mount Hermon. Advanced and essential tactical equipment like special drones with night vision and other technologies have been provided to our men on the battlefields to save lives. This very practical participation in the war and care for the welfare of our men on the battlefield changes the attitude and perception of the Israeli public toward Jewish Disciples of Yeshua.
The value and importance of the contributions, participation, and sacrificial giving of brothers from Asia to South America, North America, Europe, and the South Pacific – i.e., worldwide- is incredible. I would like to bless every brother and sister who has given and taken place in the supply and support and love gifts for all Israeli military men and women who received a blessing from you. The value is not only the “now” blessings you have given to the men and women on the battlefields in Gaza and the North. God bless all of you, dear brothers and sisters worldwide. Please keep praying for Israel and for the men and women on the battlefields and for the home front, the women and children who are at home and have to contend with life and children alone. Pray for the thousands of wounded soldiers and their recovery. Pray for the doctors and nurses caring for thousands of young men and women.
Also, pray for Marcia and me. I have pancreatic cancer in the early stage 1. Also, two lymph nodes are malignant in the lungs. It is a significant and very challenging situation for Marcia and me because I must take care of Marcia, and in Israel, we don’t have family here.
The Torah portion of this Shabbat, February 9th, 2024, is Mishpatim (Judgments or Rules) from Exodus 21:1-24:18.
The reading from the Prophets (The Haftarah in Hebrew) is from Isaiah 66:1-24. This text is essential because it describes the worship scene of the last days of history. To make it easy, it is in New Jerusalem. Gentiles, Jews, and men of all races will serve and worship. From the New Testament, the reading will be from the Gospel of Mark 9:40 -50. It is a short reading but has significance.
I will start my commentary for this Shabbat with the reading from the New Testament: Mark 9:40-50. I will start a few verses earlier to put us in the context:
“Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” “Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched — where “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched — where “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire — where “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another.” (Mark 9:37-50 NKJV)
The beginning of discussion between Yeshua and His disciples starts on the road to Capernaum. The disciples of Yeshua began to argue among themselves about who is the greatest. I could confess that this virus of argument “who is the best” – “who is the greatest” is a very human problem, but it is especially an Israeli tendency. Yeshua brings a different paradigm based on a different standard: Yeshua gives a major paradigm shift in this discussion.
Yeshua reverses the issue and turns it upside down:
“If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
According to Yeshua’s statement, being last means being “a servant of all!”
Yeshua reverses the desire to be great in a community or a fraternity of men like His disciples. One of the final events before Yeshua was arrested and crucified was a dramatic demonstration of the principle he was trying to teach his disciples. On the evening of Passover, Yeshua washes the feet of his disciples. They object to it, but he says that if he can’t wash their feet, they can’t be his disciples. Yeshua is demonstrating that He performed as a servant for all the Apostles. This act of “serving” all his disciples is based on the verse from Genesis:
And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”. (Genesis 25:23 NKJV).
The typical paradigm of GREATNESS is that the least (the youngest) shall serve the older (strongest – most important – the leader…). This paradigm is not so simple to implement because it is contrary to the norm in all human civilizations from the very dawn of history. Having the “Great” leaders serving their workers is unnatural. You don’t often hear of a General in the Army polishing the shoes of the privates and sergeant in his brigade. You don’t hear of the company’s CEO volunteering to cut the grass for the janitor who works there because he is sick.
Most Jewish and Christian religious leaders generally ignore this teaching of Yeshua. The demand is generally the opposite, and the “BOSS” is because most Christians are part of an exclusive and sectarian church denominational hierarchal structure. Yeshua’s statement and the demands of His Apostles are very bombastic and counter social norms. My statement is harsh and strong, but it is not a condemnation. It involves all leaders, especially Jewish, Muslim, and Christian leaders, in their organizations and denominations.
Let me give you a straightforward commentary on what Yeshua is saying. The discussion among the Apostles is a discussion of greatness. Following the tour of Galilee in which Yeshua (Jesus) issues a second warning about His approaching death and resurrection (9:30–32), He returns with the disciples to Capernaum (9:33a), the home village of at least four of his apostles, Peter, John and his brother, and Jacob = (James). Capernaum was the home base for the Apostles, and Yeshua was there for many months. Yeshua performed miracles, healings, and teaching in this Galilean village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Yeshua demonstrated his humility and power in Capernaum at the same time. The word used for the work of Yeshua in Capernaum is the Greek word diakonia = service! Yeshua even healed Peter’s mother-in-law. I am sure Peter’s wife was pleased that her mother was healed.
This selfless act of Diakonia (service) offers an ironic and unflattering counterpoint to the self-aggrandizing tendencies of Peter and the other disciples. Yeshua countered the human tendency to want to be considered “great” and “worthy” even when the service is not the desire to be considered “great” and “wonderful.” After Yeshua gave this new idea, a new paradigm of greatness, He said to His disciples and us even today and now!
“And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” (Mark 9:35-37 NKJV).
My private question is this: “Joseph, can you take seriously Yeshua’s teachings on this issue of “who is great in the Kingdom of God?” And start to practice it more, and don’t seek the rewards and approval or medals and awards from the men around you! I have to ask myself this question more often and remember Yeshua’s washing His disciples’ feet and teaching us to take out our coats and give them to those who need them more!
The Torah portion is also full of essential laws and rulings, as they say in Hebrew, “Iron Sheep and Goats,” immovable and compromising rules often forgotten and ignored by all leaders. Especially “when that proverbial liquid goes to our heads!” We all need a good wife who, when it goes to our heads, immediately steps in to remind us of who we are and how much we have to come down from our imagination of grandeur to the base reality of our limitations and weaknesses! And get up, put on an apron, and wash dishes and floors.
Don’t forget, and please go through the prayer list below and at least remind some angel in heaven to look and help and heal our brothers and sisters worldwide. It can be just two words, but start serving this world-encompassing list of sick and needy brothers and sisters around the world.
The WAR in GAZA and the North is still raging, and there is no peace or return for the nearly 130 hostages that are going through hell in the miles of dark and humid tunnels under Gaza! Please pray for Israel and stand with Israel and help Netivyah Israel and Netivyah International help those men and women on the battlefield of this war of light against the darkness!
For updates or request please email us at Prayer@netivyahinternational.org Pray for faithful brothers and sisters in Israel. If you want to post an encouraging message there are multiple public platforms you can do it on. This will provide you a way to connect with the family of faith on this list who can access Facebook, Internet Website and Instagram. Netivyah International Socials Web: https://www.netivyahinternational.org/news/categories/jerusalem-prayer-list Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/netivyahusa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netivyah_international/ Joseph Shulams Socials Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josephbshulam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephshulam/ Your prayers for brothers and sisters whom you don’t know personally is a pure love and pure building of the Body of the Messiah. It is really Agape Love since you are doing this without any selfish interests and casting a vote in heaven for someone who is your brother but you don’t know him or her, and God looks at these prayers that are unselfish and true expression of love and care for another link in the long chain of love and faith that binds us together even though we might not know each other in this world. When we all get to heaven what a joy it will be to meet people that we prayed for and sometime even cried for brothers and sisters who are physically strangers, but spiritually a part of the same body of Christ that one day we will have the privilege to seat together and share: “I remember praying for you to be healed!” “I remember praying for you to be safe when you were fighting in Gaza to free the hostages from the cruel hands of the terrorists of the Hamas in Gaza Serious prayers for our war with Hamas to end soon and all the hostages to be returned safe and in one piece home to their loved ones! Pray for our soldiers and especially for the soldiers that we know and appreciate: Yuda, Emanuel the son of Victor and Ayala, Amiel and Solomon and Ezekiel Intrater, Reuven and Clil Kovner, and any other children of Believers and of course for all of the men and women serving this country. I hate that our boys, the men of our congregation, still serve in the Army and most of them in reserves have to fight and use weapons and do war to protect the civilian population of Israel from terrorism driven by hate and blindness. Please pray for the Middle East and for the world to see and understand what the reality is here in this part of the world. The lands that provided King David, the prophets, and Yeshua the Messiah – want peace with our neighbors. But they don’t want the hand that is stretched out in peace. They want to kill all the Jews and take their land, which is flourishing and a blessing for all the world, and make it a dump like their own place in Gaza and in the Arab countries. In Jerusalem pray for the following brothers and sisters who need divine grace and the gentle touch of the hand of God for healing and strength. [note from Barry Shulam] update Joseph Shulam has Cancer Pancreatic Neuroendocrine tumor grade 1. Additional PET Scans are scheduled for next Monday. Please keep Joe and Marcia in your prayers. If you are compelled to help the Shulam family, support can be provided through https://www.netivyahinternational.org/support-us Tentatively Mom and Dad are scheduled to visit the USA in late February [-----------------------------------------------------------------]
Batya Segal is coping with treatments for lymphoma. Please pray for her to be free of pain and free from fatigue. Restoration of her health and freedom from cancer
Ilana Ahijervie, is a dear sister who is 98 years old and suffering from memory problems. Please pray for our dear sister Lea Kurkey. Sarit, a sister born in Jerusalem, over 88 years old, lives alone. Has no close family, and suffers from several old-age illnesses. Please keep praying for Marcia Shulam my wife. Pray that Marcia’s memory will stop weakening, that her arthritis will be healed and stop being active, and her strength to return to where she can take more care of herself. Also, ask prayer for me and my family and all the sick and needing healing and grace from our Heavenly Father! Your prayers for Alexander, Sarah, and Andrew, who were raised as believers and have left their faith behind, have been answered, the Divine Shepherd guided these members of the same family gently back to the fold, please keep praying for their general and spiritual welfare! Pray for Adam’s father and mother, Barry and Dalia. They too have some health problems and challenges. Pray for Miriam and Hannah her daughter. Miriam is a dear sister and has lost her husband recently. Pray for Daniel S. and his children. Our dear leader in the Ro’eh Israel congregation, Gary, and his health, and for his wife Melanie and their family. Pray for Um Mahmud Abu-Eid and Jimmy Abu-Eid and all of the family. This is a dear family of old friends that needs healing and wisdom for the children and their work. Please pray for the Romero family who live deep in the Negev desert. It is hot there and they are far from our congregation and we miss them. Please pray for Shannon’s father, Michael McGoff, Michael had heart surgery and we need to pray for his full recovery. Pray for brothers and sisters in the U.K. We bless our dear sister Celestine with health and blessings from Heaven for her life and her family. We pray for the Lord to be her comfort and provide sister Celestine with all her physical spiritual and social needs with His grace. Pray for Deborah Isaiah. I pray for the Lord to find Deborah Isaiah and lead her to a blessed life and family and a solution to her problems. Pray for our dear brother Dennis D’Costa and his family, as they find their way and have a clear vision of what and where God wants them to live and serve and grow their family. Lord open the right doors for Dennis D’Costa and his family. Pray for brothers and sisters in Australia A dear friend from Hong Kong, Bonnie, asked that we pray for her brother who lives in Australia. Bonnie’s brother’s name is Ray Chen. Please mention the name Ray Chen and ask God to show this man the grace of God and God’s powerful healing of body and soul and restoration of faith and life of holiness and sanctity. In Finland, we have some precious and dear brothers and sisters who need our prayers:
Pray Mauno Lemponen, he has been diagnosed with cancer in advanced stages. We are asking for Gods Will to be done giving him healthy days with family. Prayers for Hilka, Miika and Ester who are supporting each other.
Pray for Keijo and Salme, our dear partners and fellow workers in God’s flock. Both Keijo and Salme have some challenging heart issues. Sipra, our dear sister in Nokia is a widow with some health issues. Satu-Maria, Sinni Tuuli, Anne Mirjami, our dear sisters, and all our other brothers and sisters in Finland who need our prayers: Eva H., Patty, Andrea, Julia and Victor, Aaron Tani, and Hillel. Please don’t forget to pray for the health of Kari Antilles in Finland. He is a dear brother and supporter in prayer for Netivyah for many years. In Brazil Pray for the congregations related to Netivyah in Brazil, to have the strength and stamina to face the challenges in front of them with courage and strength of faithfulness to the Lord, and the vision of the restoration of the church and Israel. Pray for the millions of victims of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition who have been forced to convert to the Catholic church, and now want to return home to the land of Israel and the faith of our fathers. Pray for the state of Israel to open the doors for these lost Jews to be able to return and fulfill God’s promises to the prophet Ovadyah: “But on Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau, For the Lord has spoken. The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” — Obadiah 1:17-21 [NKJV] Pray for a dear young man, Paulo, from Curitiba, Brazil, who seriously needs our prayers for sanity and mental health. Pray for Rita Sassai, from Vitória, ES. Please pray for a dear sister with the name: Claudia Rita Souze Arau. She has cancer and needs God’s healing hands to touch her with healing. Fatima Maria Docarmo Guimararaes - pray for her health and her granddaughters' twin babies. Pray for Livia Schnell Nothen, she has some issues with her physical health and a growth in her adrenal gland. And other health issues. Guilherme Antonio Nothen Becker is suffering from back problems. Aratuza de Oliveira his wife. Pray for this 3-year-old child that has serious problems with his eyes and ask the Lord to give healing to his eyes. This child’s name is Caique de Oliveira Becker. Please pray for Bruno Henrique Cardoso Jr. for his studies and his health. A 70-year-old Pastor Paulo C. Pereira Braga Dias, is the father of a dear sister in Brazil and suffers from diabetes. Pray for Roberto Morias, a dear brother who is going through heart surgery and an angiogram. In Asia, we have several brothers and sisters who need our prayers. Please pray for a dear 71-year-old sister called Bee Kim. She lost consciousness on February 26, 2023. She has not regained her consciousness after a massive stroke. Pray for pastor T.J. in Taiwan. Brothers and sisters in China Pray for Deborah Ruth a dear sister from China Pray for sister Reiko Ishiida and Elder Takeo and his wife Tomoko from Tokyo, Dr. Yuizawa, Pastor Yushida, and his family. Pray for Sister Yoko Nagumo in Japan. In India, Pastor Isaac, from Chennai, needs our prayers. Pastor Isaac is suffering from kidney problems and has to have dialysis several times per week. Tony Tam and his wife Luisa and son Marco need special prayer for their situation. We continue to pray for Zhou Wenrian, the Abe family, Toru San, Yumi Ohara, and her family. Deborah Ruth, Ayla, and Daniel and their daughter. Dr. Song, and his wife Sister Harriet Kim. Please pray for Ruby K. from Hong Kong. Ruby has gone through a very complicated surgery for multiple cancers in her body. The surgery was very long, and Ruby is back home now recovering. Please lift Ruby K. and ask the Lord to heal and deliver Ruby from Hong Kong. Pray for family and friends and dear brothers and sisters in the United States of America. Ray Jimenez from California is batteling leukemia. Pray for god to sustain him and his time with the family. update Troy Jr. is in the hospital in Roanoke VA. This is one of Beth's uncles. Continue to pray for improvement of his liver function and strength. We are hopeful he will transition to a rehabilitation center. Rabbi Levy had a Stroke in Dallas, please pray for doctors and his recovery. Please continue to pray for the daughter of Bill Culwell, who is very sick with cancer she is receiving a second round of treatment. Please pray for success and healing. Jonathan Bernis is in a long six-month recovery from a liver transplant. We thank God for this match. Please pray for this new liver to function and provide much-needed function. Please pray for Elisangela and the girls and also for the doctors and nurses who are attending our dear brother Jonathan Bernis. Andrew Huffines, has complications from long-term covid. Please pray for my family in the United States: Barry my son and his wife Beth, and for Joey my grandson. Pray for their divine protection and health. Pray for Danah my daughter's health issues. I pray for the Lord to give Danah wisdom peace and calm in life and her work. Pray for Noaam my granddaughter. She is working two jobs now and needs good health and wisdom to make the right choices and plans for life, education, immigration to Israel, and just general protection from all harm. Pray for David Young the preacher in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who is back to preaching after recovering from medical issues. Please keep David in your prayers. Aaron Hook, Nancy Hook’s oldest son, needs our prayers for wisdom and healing from past issues of life. Lift for blessing and healing Jonathan B. and his wife Aviva and their new baby, his mother, and his brother Daniel. Pray for these very important men of God: Rabbi Salt, his family, and Rabbi Hasselblad. They are both older and need protection and blessings. Also, pray for Ilana Avramov who is married to my cousin Nissim and lives in New York City. Ilana has fallen and is now in rehab learning how to walk again. We pray for her full recovery. She and Nissim both need our prayers. Steve Mock - His cognitive condition has declined, and we ask for the grace of God and His Healing and strength. Steve and Josie’s son Joseph- named after Joseph Shulam – has received a wonderful and glorious report. After the last bone marrow transplant the report is that the doctors didn’t find any leukemia in his body! Praise the Lord! Pray for three women of God in Canada who need healing, Lynda, Sandy, and Joanne. I am asking a special prayer for a dear brother and friend who is now doing greatly important work in a very dangerous and precarious part of the world. Just mention DadyLion in your prayers, and ask for divine protection and angelic accompaniment for this man of God. For updates or requests please email us at
Prayer@netivyahinternational.org
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