Blessing Israeli Believers January 2021

We at Blessing Israeli Believers are looking forward to 2021 with great anticipation even in the midst of the challenges we face in these troubled times. Thankfully, ours is an "all weather" faith in the Faithful One Messiah Yeshua! Having said that, we think it is fitting to start the year with testimonies from a few of many whom we together support here in Israel both prayerfully and financially.

Happy 2021 from Dov Schwarz and John McTernan,
Co-Founders Blessing Israeli Believers

Update from Ezra & Shulamite, Golan Heights

Praise & Prayer
2020 has been a difficult year like no other in our generation yet even at its darkest moments the love of God has shone through His servants. Through your prayers and sacrificial giving we were able to distribute blood pressure monitors this month to those over 80 yrs old in our community as well as food baskets.

Olga received a BPM and has asked us to visit her again as she desires to hear about the God of Israel. Others have also asked us to visit them on a weekly basis as Covid 19 has made them feel isolated, some who believe and others who are seeking the truth about the promised Messiah.

We were blessed to be able to meet with the Holocaust Survivors before Israel enters it 3rd major lockdown. What a blessing to see God working in the life of Larisa, who came to faith through these meetings 1.5 years ago and is now sharing her faith.

Larisa is also part of a group of our women who volunteer 2 days a week for the military, cleaning weapons, making alterations to uniforms and whatever else is needed. All while praying and sharing the love of Messiah with all who see the light within them. PRAISE THE LORD!

Update from Oded Shoshani - King of Kings, Hebrew Congregation

God's Faithful Provision
Throughout these months of the coronavirus we have been assisting some of our congregants in financial need. Together with this we also have seen how the Lord is supplying in a supernatural way to some of our congregants.

One family in which both spouses lost their job were living off of savings. Last week we asked them how they are doing financially and they shared that the Lord has been blessing them so much in the last few months that they are actually able to help others in financial need! Thank you for standing with us in prayer.

Baptisms
Praise the Lord this Friday we will be able to baptize one of the young adults who has been preparing! After such a long time waiting we are delighted to see this special step fulfilled. Thank you for your prayers for protection and peace and a fresh pouring out of the Holy Spirit!

Update from Ariel & Shayla, Tree of Life Ministry Team

"I Will Give You a New Heart" Written by Eliel
We've been continuing to reach out to Shlomit and praying with her. She is searching for Jesus Yeshua from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish background, and God has been working in amazing ways. After many phone calls, she has finally decided to put her faith in Yeshua as the Messiah! Hallelujah! She is actually considering making a public statement of her faith in Yeshua - even though it would almost certainly mean being completely cut off from her family and community!

In our latest talks, she was asking questions about how to build a strong relationship with Yeshua. I started to teach her about worshipping God in song, and shared one of my favorite songs with her, "Worthy of It All." She responded, "Wow, this is so new for me!"

She also wanted to learn more about prayer, so I taught her The Lord's Prayer. Whenever we pray together, she talks with Yeshua with such amazing freedom! It's wonderful to see her hunger for Yeshua and how she is excitedly reading the Word of God.

She recently said, "There's so much life in the New Testament!" Her heart has truly come to life! It reminds me of Ezekiel 36:24-28 - God has given her "a new heart and a new spirit"! At the end of our last talk when we prayed together, this is what she prayed:

"God, sometimes I think, 'Why am I doing this to my family, why am I causing so much trouble?' But then, when I think of what You did for me, how can I deny You? Thank You Jesus that I feel so much freedom in You and that I am no longer under the burden of the Law."

I could hear how genuine her prayer was! She's not struggling to find righteousness through the Law but has found it in Yeshua! Afterwards, she said she needed to go - she was eager to get off the call so that she could spend more time with Yeshua!

May our Savior Yeshua be praised for these powerful testimonies! Dov Schwarz