Blog – Page 6 – Blessing Israeli Believers

Blessing Israeli Believers October 2020

October 15, 2020 by BIB Admin

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
John 12:46

Once again, I want to say that I am so very blessed to be a Jewish disciple of Messiah Yeshua -partnering with precious Israeli Believers here in the Promised Land during this critical hour of time. And I am also so blessed to be partnering here in the Land with precious believing partners all over the world - we truly are Team Yeshua for such a time as this!

As you read this update from our partners - please remember (and pray accordingly) that at the time of this writing Israel is in a full lockdown with some of the worst Coronavirus numbers in the world. Incidentally, our Israeli healthcare system and hospital network was overwhelmed before the virus. Our Kingdom partnership at this time is more important than ever and truly together we are shining the bright light of Israel's only hope - our Messiah Yeshua!

A Word of Thankfulness from one of our Partners in Haifa

Greetings in Yeshua to all of you at "Blessing Israeli Believers"!

Thank you for your faithful help during these very hard times that are affecting you and the whole world! I am still privileged to play on our worship team (with Dov's son Yaakov) as we "gather" via "live feed" on youtube.

The nursing home I serve at continues to be so blessed with protection by the Lord from corona!! The staff gets tested once a week by Magen David Adom. There are stories in the news about other nursing homes in Haifa, and around Israel, that have as many as half their residents infected with the corona virus, so we consider ourselves miraculously blessed!

Our CEO, head nurse, house mother and house managers are very serious about the application of the Department of Health rules and regulations, and our staff is serious in compliance. We pray before shifts, and praise the Lord for His blessings and continued covering! In one of our recent inspections, the Dept. of Health representatives remarked that they didn't even feel they needed to enter the premises to look around, for they already knew that all would be in order!!! That was just such a huge compliment to Jonny our CEO, and all of the staff!!

Thank you blessed people once again, and may the Lord watch over you and keep you safe from "the pestilence that lurks in darkness".

Love and appreciation, Janet

Update from Ariel & Shayla, Haifa Israel

We've had about 6 times as many orders of New Testaments and evangelistic materials in the last 2 months compared to usual! God is stirring a hunger in Israelis to know the Messiah!

Here are a few of the many marvelous stories:

A man named Haggai ordered the New Testament and an evangelistic book. When Eliel called him, he said, "I'm kind of busy - I'm in the back seat during a driving lesson."

But then, surprisingly, he began talking with great boldness about Jesus, Yeshua. Eliel asked him if the books had arrived and he said, "Yes, I'm really glad to have received the New Testament, and I'm reading it!" Eliel asked, "What do you think about Yeshua?" He responded, "Wow, based on what I'm reading, Yeshua's amazing!"

Just a few years ago, most Israelis weren't willing to talk about Yeshua at all. Now they're extolling Him in the middle of a driving lesson in front of their non-believing friends! The Good News is spreading and God is changing hearts!

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A lady in her 50's named Niba made an order on our website, and when we spoke with her we could see she was very open to Yeshua. We sensed that she's really searching for the truth, and she even asked, "Is there some kind of group I can join that learns more about Yeshua?"

We've connected her with a women's Bible study group that is being held online now because of the virus. Lord-willing, she will connect personally with believers in her area soon as well.

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A few days ago a prominent Israeli rabbi ordered an evangelistic book from us about Isaiah 53 and the Messiah!

This rabbi - we'll call him Nathan - is especially known for his prophecies, and loves speaking about the Messiah. Often, when people see our Isaiah 53 video, they order this same book in order to learn more. Maybe this rabbi is beginning to see that his own "prophecies" weren't in line with what God Himself had said about the Messiah in the Tanakh, Old Testament.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6

We wrote him a personal letter explaining how the Jewish leaders rejected their own Messiah - "The stone whom the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" (Psalm 118:22), yet now many Israelis are beginning to look upon Him whom we pierced (Zechariah 12:10). We encouraged him with God's promise: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

His organization runs multiple educational institutions across the country, including those training future rabbis, and is estimated to have property worth about $30 million. This man is a "teacher of teachers." Let's pray that he will become like the Apostle Paul, turning to the Light of Messiah and passionately declaring the Gospel!

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Romans 15:26-27 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal (material) things.

Blessing Israeli Believers September 2020

September 15, 2020 by BIB Admin

A note from BIB Co-Founder Dov Schwarz
Dear friends,

This month's letter is full of uplifting and blessed reports, which are fitting given the season we are in on the calendar. The Jewish month of Elul is one of prayer and repentance leading to the Fall Holidays Yom Teruah--Day of Blowing Trumpets (traditionally Rosh Hashanah), Yom Kippur-Day of Atonement, and Succot-Feast of Booths or Tabernacles beginning Mid-September. We pray your lives will be full of the presence and eternal blessings of Messiah Yeshua during this special season.

Update from Melech Ha'Mlachim, Hebrew Congregation -
King of Kings, Jerusalem
Pastor Oded Shoshani & David Boskey

Dear BIB Partners,

We are thrilled to update you on how the support of BIB has enabled us to bless a local family here in Jerusalem who faithfully attends our congregation.

You recently sent a special gift to help the M family who welcomed the births of twin boys into their home roughly a year ago. While H receives some disability from the government due to several health issues, he is unable to adequately work to fully support his family. On top of the health issues, the M family recently had to move apartments. Your support both enabled them to have a stress-free move as well as some crucial food cards to subsidize their financial setbacks.

We greatly appreciate the consistency with which you empower us to be our Lord's hands and feet to the needy saints in our midst. We ask that our God would continue to bless you all and your ministry that channels God's support to the local Body.

Update from Efraim & Jeannie, Nahariyya, Israel

Shalom! - ! שלום Blessings and peace to youall during these days of pandemic and uncertainty. "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

On August 1st we returned to Israel directly into a government mandated quarantine of 14 days. What a 'welcome home' after being away from home for five months. Our planned Sabbatical was different than we expected (Proverbs 16:9). Instead of doing all of the many things that we had planned, we were sheltered in place for the whole time with our son and his family. We had a wonderful time with the grandchildren, which, was something we had hoped for, just not in the way we expected.

Here in Israel, Covid-19 is still running rampant and the government is considering ways to curb the effects of the virus. People will be praying fervently during the month of Elul for the Lord God to stop the pandemic and
seeking forgiveness through His mercy. Pray that with all that is going on in Israel and the world, this would be a real time of repentance and turning to God.

Update from Ariel & Shayla, Haifa Israel

Yeshua Heals a Muslim Lady!
A couple of days ago Shayla, the kids and I went to a park. I had been praying fervently that the Lord would open a door to share the Gospel that day as we were out and about. When I saw a Muslim woman with a crutch going by with her family I knew the Lord wanted us to reach out to them.

We walked over, greeted them and said, " We noticed that you have a crutch and we wanted to see if we could pray for you. We've seen God heal many times."

They were intrigued by this and wanted to hear more about us first. After sharing some, Shayla and our girls laid hands on her and prayed in Yeshua's name.

We asked her to gently try something that would usually hurt and see if it still hurt. She had broken her leg and had surgery and whenever her foot would be pushed back toward her shin in physical therapy it would give her excruciating pain. So she asked her husband to push her foot back a tiny bit. Surprised, she said "A bit more...now more...more..." He pushed it back as far as it would go, but she didn't hurt anymore!

This opened up the door to share the Gospel with them for about 1.5 hours! Praise God! One of their family members was very intellectual and well versed in religions and philosophies so it was quite an in-depth and challenging discussion, but I saw God working in their hearts. Although we've had a number of opportunities to reach out to Muslims, I was stirred by this encounter to learn more about how to share the Gospel more effectively with them.

Please pray for this Muslim family and others like them - that God would stir our hearts as believers to reach out to these precious people, just like Yeshua reached out to the Samaritans as well as to the Jewish people, and that there would be revival in their midst, just as there was in Samaria (see John 4)!

Update from Ezra & Shulamite, Golan Heights, Israel

We wanted to take this time to introduce you to Victor, a Holocaust Survivor, from FSU (Former Soviet Union) who has graduated to heaven earlier this month. It was through the demonstration of your love and prayers that prepared Victor's heart to hear and receive the Word resulting in his accepting Yeshua as his personal Lord and Messiah.

Victor truly is a new creation with new desires, he only read his Bible, or listened to worship music every day for the last year of his life. Please continue to pray for the Holocaust Survivors in our town to receive Yeshua.

Victor said, "God has given me one more birthday to celebrate with a few of my close friends, until we meet in heaven."

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Blessing Israeli Believers August 2020

August 14, 2020 by BIB Admin

An Encouraging Update From Dov Schwarz Co-Founder Blessing Israeli Believers

Our Adonai Yeshua (Lord Jesus) has taught me something about His grace and mercy that is full of His presence in these difficult times. Oh, please hear this: His presence will overtake the darkness and discouragement of these times! That "something" is "grace giving" directed where He is powerfully and prophetically working.

I could give you so many examples, but here is a simple one that helped me sleep with a smile on my face recently. I was getting ready for bed-it was late and I had just glanced at a very difficult headline in the Jerusalem Post. The sad article, which was no fun to read just before going to bed, stated that about 50% of Israelis do not know how they are going to make it financially because of the Corona Virus economic downturn.

Truly, what the Lord did then turned my frown-upside down! I found myself asking Abba Father in heaven a question and I believe I was asking by the fullness of the PRESENCE of His Holy Spirit through Messiah Yeshua. As I was putting on my pajamas I looked up and asked Abba if there was any Israeli believer in Messiah Yeshua I needed to help beyond our normal monthly support we had already given.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)

I was asking our Heavenly Father about someone in the household of faith here in Israel who He knew needed help so that I could be an agent of His love, grace, and mercy for them. We Israeli believers are so thankful for the warmhearted Christians who love Israel-and most here would not mention this-but often times Christian support to Israel leaves out the Israeli believers in Messiah Jesus. Again, we are so thankful for the outpouring of love and support for Israel-but we also believe like the Scripture above states-that it is best to start with the support of believers in Messiah Jesus.

Well, back to my testimony. I went to bed and was half asleep when my wife nudged me as she was reading a recent email on her phone she had not seen. The email was from a precious Israeli believing family who really needed financial help. We know them, they are very special people, and we have not been in contact with them for a while. As I listened to my wife read the email I was immediately reminded of the prayer from just minutes earlier. I told my wife with a rejoicing smile on my face of my prayer and our opportunity to be involved with some provision at the hands of our Savior Yeshua!

That night I did not go to sleep with the sadness of a bad news article - I went to sleep with the good news of Messiah Jesus! And remember something, many of you reading this article are just as involved in this grace and mercy from our Savior for this precious believing family as we are here in Israel! And maybe you have not done so yet, but you can begin to prayerfully and financially join us now in Blessing Israeli Believers.

One more thing before you hear from Helen-the wife and mother of this family who sent my wife the email requesting assistance. You should have heard her voice when I called her the next day - Oh what rejoicing in our Savior King Yeshua! She and their entire family were so thankful to our Lord and also for you who are agents of His grace and mercy!

An update from Helen & Eldad living in Israel

Dear Blessing Israeli Believers,

On behalf of my family I would like to thank Blessing Israeli Believers for blessing our family with much-needed financial aid during the Coronavirus pandemic these past few months. Your generous support has enabled us to provide for our family during this crisis. I would especially like to thank Dov for hearing and acting on God's answers to his prayers!

We are a Messianic Jewish Believing family living in Israel. We have four children, with miracle baby number five due in September! Six years ago my husband Eldad contracted a virus that attacked his peripheral nervous system, a condition that leaves him unable to walk without aid. Eldad continues to experience pain and is still walking with a leg brace. But we have seen an improvement in his health, and he is recovering.

In September 2016, we were the first-place winners of the First Fruits Business Plan Competition. We invested our fantastic cash prize into founding our business Lily-Pops. We produce 100% all natural frozen pops. We are a small family business with a very big heart. Over the past four years we have overcome numerous challenges. However, while the world around us remains turbulent, we keep trusting in the Lord because He is our strength.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic which caused complete lockdown from March 2020, Lily-Pops launched an on-line, Facebook and Instagram advertising campaign. In April and May 2020, Blessing Israeli Believers very kindly reached out to our family and asked if we needed help during the lockdown. We were so grateful to receive funds from Blessing Israeli Believers. The Israeli economy has suffered, and we have noticed that our on-line sales have drastically slowed down. Despite our healthy business attitude and passion to succeed we are struggling to keep our business up and running and provide for our family.

On behalf of my family, thank you so very, very much for always walking with us, for praying for us and for loving us as your family in Yeshua. Thank you for supporting Blessing Israeli Believers, your kindness and generosity has touched our lives in so many ways!

We thank God for His Goodness and His provision and for using everyone at BIB and BIB's supporters for reaching out and blessing our family.

In Messiah's Joy, Helen and Eldad and family

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Blessing Israeli Believers July 2020

July 23, 2020 by BIB Admin

A Note From BIB Co-Founder Dov Schwarz

As I was prayerfully considering what to share with you regarding our lives, partnership, and ministry in Messiah Yeshua here in Israel, all I could think about is two words - GIVE THANKS! These words are throughout the Bible, yet see how they are repeated in Psalm 107:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:8

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:15

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:21

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:31

One of the great things about understanding Bible prophecy, including how it relates to Israel and the Nations, is that while it may appear that everything is falling apart-we know the opposite is true! Just like the shepherd boy David needed a Goliath to help him become King David, and since our Savior Messiah Yeshua needed a cross to save us from our sins and to become the Resurrected King of Glory, these difficult times for us will be our opportunity to shine and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

We who live in this critical generation will receive eternal rewards directly associated with our faithfulness to believe and abide in our risen Savior Yeshua! Having said that, where should we start? I want to lead by example and commit this letter to giving thanks.

I am so very thankful for our Father in Heaven who has given me eternal life in Messiah Yeshua-every day I am thanking Him for saving me! Let's thank Him and draw near to Him with gratitude and thanksgiving. Remember, we who have been born again have ETERNAL LIFE!

I am so very thankful our LORD has given us the opportunities to have many Kingdom purposes during this special hour of time. Here are just some: disciples/witnesses of Messiah Yeshua, fathers, mothers, children, gospel ministers, righteous servants, neighbors, and more! Here is a question: What are your Kingdom purposes for which you are thankful? Count your many blessings one by one...

I truly am thankful our Savior raised up this ministry Blessing Israeli Believers! I am so grateful to have such ministry partners here in Israel. It is truly amazing to see how such a tiny percentage of our nation's population is successfully carrying out such a great mission. Along with being a holy preserving influence in the Promised Land-our partners are getting out the gospel, making disciples, saving babies from abortion, helping Holocaust Survivors in Messiah Yeshua's Name, helping poor saints in Israel-and much more!

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,The remnant will be saved.
For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."
And as Isaiah said before:
"Unless the Lord of Sabaoth (Hosts) had left us a seed,
We would have become like Sodom,
And we would have been made like Gomorrah." Romans 9:27-29

I am also thankful, almost beyond words but I will try, for YOU! ~ our BIB partners in the nations! Many of you truly have tapped into our Heavenly Father's heart:

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that
they may be saved. Romans 10:1

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all,
especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10

For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Romans 15:26-27

Truly, I know my help comes from the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth. However, I am so very thankful that He has raised up such faithful ministry partners in the nations who help us so faithfully and generously. We pray for you often and know, according to Bible promises, that you are tremendously blessed. I want to end my note with two words to so many of you: THANK YOU!!!

From Beit Tfilah, House of Prayer - Golan Heights
Comfort, comfort My people... Isaiah 40:1

After 3 months of living in a world with Covid-19 many things have changed. The most difficult change for us is social distancing in other words the lack of personal interaction. We went from total lockdown and holding 10 meetings a week using today's technology to having meetings in our garden and finally in our facility. Things never stopped they just changed, as my Pastor always said, "Blessed are the flexible they will not break." Thanks to the support of Blessing Israeli Believers we were able to distribute shower chairs and food to the Holocaust Survivors bringing the chur

ch to them at this time.

Praise & Prayer
We praise the Lord for all of your prayers and sacrificial giving during this difficult time. Many good things have transpired during lockdown such as more family time and individuals drawing closer to the Lord, there has also been more prayer and interaction by every one in our meetings.

Please pray for our town as Israelis from the cities are coming up north to enjoy the beauty and solitude, but also bringing Covid-19 with them. Our schools have re-locked down because of infections and we are adapting to the new normal.

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Blessing Israeli Believers June 2020

June 11, 2020 by BIB Admin

We are so thankful for our special Israeli Believing Partners here in the Promised Land. We are equally thankful for our praying and giving Partners in the Nations. Let's rejoice together in Messiah Yeshua in the gospel outreach, discipleship, and helping the poor saints here in Israel that you will see in this Blessing Israeli Believers partner update!
Dov Schwarz, Co-Founder Blessing Israeli Believers

Update from King of Kings Hebrew Congregation, Jerusalem

Shalom Dov,

David Boskey here again - an elder at Melech Ha'Mlachim Congregation in Jerusalem who works alongside Oded Shoshani. Much has happened since our last correspondence and we wanted to continue to thank you for the support that Melech Ha'Mlachim is receiving from Blessing Israeli Believers.

Through your giving we have been able to support another single mother with 4 children. Her single status is a recent and heartbreaking development that we are walking through with her. Apart from having to move apartments amid this turmoil, she suffers from certain physical disabilities that make working a significant challenge. Even so, the government's assessment of her limitations does not put her in a category where she can receive ample financial assistance. She has placed herself under our oversight and through support from Blessing Israeli Believers we are able to help her through this difficult time.

Thank you so very much for holding up our arms so that we can administer God's love directly to the needy. We pray that God will continue to bless you all and your ministry that channels God's support to the local Body.

Update from Efraim & Jeannie, Northern Israel

Dear Friends,

Shalom! Blessings of health, strength and hope for the future to you. Usually we write these updates with a sense of anticipation of what lies ahead for us and our ministry, but these are times where the immediate future is unsure. In
times like these, we have a sure word of hope found in the Scriptures. I have been finding comfort in the opening verses of Psalm 91:1-3:

My Refuge and My Fortress
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.

The troubles from plagues, pestilence and wars were experienced personally by the psalmist. However, there was the biblical history of the people of Israel recording all that the people of Israel had lived through. In the midst of trials and tribulation, our peace and protection come from the Lord.

The psalmist gives the assurance that the Lord God watches over those who seek shelter in His love. As we follow the Lord we are living in a sure and secure place; we are in His Place. Twice, he makes reference to where we dwell. Three times are references that the Lord is our refuge, fortress and deliverer. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul summarized this by saying:

"If the Lord is with us, who can stand against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Update from Ariel & Shayla, Haifa Israel

Shalom Friends! We pray you're doing well!

An ultra-Orthodox man named Jacob saw our evangelistic videos and said that he hasn't been able to stop thinking about Yeshua since then. He spoke with one of our staff and then with me, and many times when we read together with him verses about the Messianic prophecies or about the Gospel, he said "Wow," and these truths amazed him. When we weren't in the office for a few days, he called 30 times! Apparently you could say that he is hungry for the truth!

He started reading the New Testament and had a lot of questions. He's also
started praying together with us, and even asked us to pray for him over and over in Yeshua's name, because he could feel something happening.

He even was quite open to how the Tanakh shows that the Messiah is God Himself. He prayed in his own words: "God, if Yeshua isn't the Messiah, then show me quickly. If he is the Messiah, then show me even more quickly!"

It seems to me that perhaps he's already persuaded in his mind that Yeshua is the Messiah, but his difficulty is with the cost of following Him. He understands that he could lose everything, including his wife and many children. He brought up the topic of Yeshua to his wife, and she responded severely: "Don't ever say that word! Don't ever talk about him!"

Please pray for him, that Yeshua would reveal Himself to him in an indisputable way, and that he would have the courage to take the difficult step and give his life to Yeshua. Please pray that the Lord will guide us in every conversation with him! And let's pray that there will be many more like him from the ultra-Orthodox community!

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Blessing Israeli Believers May 2020

May 15, 2020 by BIB Admin

A Reminder and Encouragement from BIB Co-Founder, Dov Schwarz

It is days like these that test and purify our faith in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). All of Psalm 91 is such an important Bible chapter upon which to meditate. For brevity's sake I have included and bolded three places in which the Coronavirus is mentioned. Let's do the first two things-dwell and abide-and then thankfully experience the promised protection.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
Psalm 91:1-3

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Psalm 91:5-6

No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:10-12

Update from Ariel & Shayla in Haifa Israel
The Gospel goes viral in Israel during coronavirus!

In these days of uncertainty, one thing is sure: God is still at work and His Word is not quarantined! In the midst of this coronavirus crisis, with all its real challenges, there's also something incredible that God is doing.
The world is being shaken! Economies are collapsing, healthcare systems are overwhelmed, governments are perplexed, and many are full of fear and uncertainty. Now is the time for us, as children of God, to rise up, demonstrate His love, and spread the Good News of hope and eternal life found in Messiah!

Amazingly, since the crisis started in Israel, we've reached twice as many Israelis with the Gospel per day! We're excited to see what God will continue to do as we follow up with them!

One surprising conversation we had was with a young man from Bnei Barak, one of two most ultra-Orthodox cities in Israel. He saw our videos, then started mocking us, but at the end of the conversation, he asked us to send him the New Testament!

Another Orthodox Jewish man named Judah called and said, "I'm confused. All my life I've been religious, but something is missing for me." He was looking for something real.

And secular man named Asaf asked three good questions in a row: "What does God want? How can I have a relationship with God? And how do you give your heart to God?"

One lady we reached out to, named Alona, told us her tragic story: She lost her father, then her brother, then her husband left her and their baby. Then when her mother came to live with her and help, she suddenly had a stroke. Alona was broken, lonely and disappointed with God. We listened, then read Isaiah 61 together, how Yeshua, Jesus, came "To preach good tidings to the poor...to heal the brokenhearted...to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes."

We shared some testimonies of how God used losses in our lives to help us see our need for Him, and how Yeshua's given us new life through His death. After we prayed for her, she smiled and said, "Wow, I feel like something good happened in my soul!" She was glad to receive the New Testament and said she would begin reading it immediately. Please pray for these and many other precious Israelis. Pray that God will open many more hearts through online evangelism and in the upcoming outreaches to the poor!

Remember, when Paul was in "quarantine," he used the time to write letters still transforming lives until today. Let's use this crisis as an opportunity to draw closer to God than ever before, and to bring His Kingdom here on earth.

We'd like to say to all those who are standing with us in prayer and support, thank you from the bottom of our heart. You're an important part of the harvest here. We deeply appreciate it and don't take it for granted!

Update from Beit Tfilah, House of prayer
Comfort, comfort My people... Isaiah. 40:1

The world is facing an unprecedented situation in our lifetime where people are faced with many uncertainties. I love what my Pastor used to say, "When faced with the unknown fall back on that which you know," that God is still on the throne. He still is a God who tells us to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us. We want to thank all of you for standing with us, enabling us to continue distributing food to the Holocaust Survivors and we were able to purchase them shower chairs & BP Monitors.

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Blessing Israeli Believers April 2020

April 11, 2020 by BIB Admin

Passover and Resurrection Sunday (First Fruits)
A Note From BIB Co-Founder Dov Schwarz

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:6)

At the time of this writing Israel is under increasing lockdown, which is being enforced with fines and up to six months incarceration. The hospitals in Israel just cannot handle a widespread outbreak of this virus. So, all that is possible is being done to contain it. Eerily, it reminds me of our people being in their houses when the final plague swept across Egypt. Interestingly, a plague of millions or even billions of locusts from Africa have begun to sweep across the Middle East and are projected to cover Saudi Arabia, Yeman, the UAE countries, Iran, and Iraq. The charted path given by those who forecast such things say that it looks like they are going to avoid (pass over) Israel. And get this-the modern day Biblical plague will be covering these lands during Passover!

As Israeli believers in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) we see that we can do our part by not only obeying the laws and guidelines of our government-but also by prayerful intercession for the Land and People of Israel! Just like Moses stood between the dead and the living in intercession and the atonement of his day-Numbers 16-we stand between this plague and our people relying upon the atonement of the blood of the Lamb-Messiah Jesus.

So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun." Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Numbers 16:46-48

With the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of our hearts here in Israel, and wherever you are, we can be praying that this disruption of our normal Passover season will be an opportunity to share about the Passover Lamb Messiah Yeshua-and that this plague will pass over our Land very soon.

Thank you for your prayerful and financial support during this very difficult time. May our Savior and Lord also make this virus plague pass over you and your loved ones according to His mercy that endures forever!

Blessings, Dov Schwarz

Thank you from Janet, one of our BIB Partners here in Israel:

Dear "Blessing Israeli Believers",

Wow....just wow!!!
I am so overwhelmed!!
You have poured out on us so abundantly and hilariously, your kindness and your generous gifts to me and my husband!! God Himself knows who you are, and He will not forget you!! I know that even so, some of you are likely also in need yourselves, especially now in these current days with the virus affecting world commerce, and yet in faith and love, you give!! I am overwhelmed!!
You remind me of the Macedonians:

2 Cor. 8 : 1-4 NKJV
"Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."

You have and ARE ministering to the saints in Israel! My husband, a Jewish non-believer in Yeshua, who sees this witness of yours in Yeshua Messiah, was so amazed, he went and wrote a bagpipe tune and named it : "The Gift." (He writes a lot of music for the bagpipes, and is well known in international piping circles! We actually MET in a bagpipe band!) I am going to post the tune on "Watch Therefore TV" on facebook! This gives great glory to God our Father, and our beloved Bridegroom for sending this help from you, exactly when we needed it! (Our old rusty water pipes finally blew and we had to replace the lot!)

Soon, I hope, sooner rather than later, we shall all be together before Him rejoicing for all eternity, married to The Lamb of God!!

Thank you, thank you,
With overwhelming gratitude!!!

In Messiah our Saviour,
Janet and David

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Blessing Israeli Believers February 2020

March 24, 2020 by BIB Admin

Update from Ariel & Shayla, Haifa Israel

Noam, from a religious Jewish background, saw our evangelistic videos and started spewing out curse words at us. But then something beautiful happened.

Noam (name changed for sensitivity reasons) grew up with a religious Jewish education and hated anything having to do with Jesus, Yeshua. When he saw our evangelistic videos on Facebook, he started cursing us publicly and in private messages.

But as we answered his objections (sometimes it was a test of patience!), slowly something started to happen. The curses were replaced with honest questions. The hostility was replaced with a genuine search.

Two years passed like this. Then suddenly, one day we received an order for a few New Testaments. Someone wrote that he wanted to give out some copies to friends, but since it's impossible to find them in bookstores in Israel, he asked us for them. God is able to overcome even the most intense religious opposition. So we called, and...it turns out it was Noam! Not only had his heart softened, but he had actually come to faith in Jesus, Yeshua, and wanted to share his new faith with his friends!

He told us that our videos and our conversations with him helped to understand who God really is. "I really appreciate what you're doing - it's wonderful work!"

What's beautiful about Yeshua is that there's always a place for forgiveness.

We were really touched to hear him say, "I want to apologize and say I used to be like many others and used to oppose you. I used to curse you on Facebook. I'm really sorry."

We responded, "What's beautiful about Yeshua is that there's always a place for forgiveness. We're brothers now." He continued, "I was searching all over, but now I've found the Truth and I'm certain of it. I'm really glad God showed me the Truth."

Please pray for Noam and many others like him from religious backgrounds who have come to faith but are facing major opposition from family and friends - that their faith would flourish, that they'd be bold to put Jesus, Yeshua, above everyone else, and that their witness would have an impact on their community.

Update from Efraim & Jeannie, Northern Galilee

Shalom! - Blessings and peace to you as we charge forward into a new year and a new decade. May we remember that it is the Lord who goes before us and guides our way.

As the year 2020 started, we were under a cloud of threats and rumors of war from Iran after the assassination of its terror leader, Qasem Soleimani, by the United States. Here in Northern Israel, our military was put on high alert and the citizens cautioned of potential terror attacks or retaliation from Iran and its Hezbollah backed forces.

While the Nation was on high alert we were given an unexpected gift, heavy rainstorms for ten days. The Land of Israel greatly needed these rains but one of the unfortunate results was a day of intense flooding in our city of Nahariyya.

In the Scriptures, rain in the Land is considered a blessing from God and we are the first to give praise to the Lord for this blessing. We recognize that all we have is from His hand and this is expressed well in Psalm 98.

Psalms 98:7-9
Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein;
Let the floods clap their hands;
Let the hills sing for joy together
Before Jehovah; for he cometh to judge the earth:
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with equity.

However, in the aftermath of the intense flooding considerable damage was done to Nahariyya and some of the surrounding communities. From people in our Or Hagalil Congregation we began to hear about those who were affected by the flooding and had their homes devastated. We began to think: how can we help
our neighbors?

Then in the nearby city of Acco, a local Congregation having contacts with aid organizations wanted to help us. As a result we received a group of aid workers from Tennessee, uniquely equipped for providing aid to flood victims. We are hoping that much help can be given to those families
in need and that a strong testimony of the love of the Messiah Yeshua will be extended to these people.

Jeannie and I are so grateful for having friends like you who stand with us united in prayer and support. We always want you to feel you are standing alongside of us as we serve the Lord in Western Galilee.

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Blessing Israeli Believers March 2020

March 13, 2020 by BIB Admin

Special Blessing Israeli Believers Purim Report
from Co-Founder Dov Schwarz
BIB Co-Founders: John McTernan and Dov Schwarz

Purim March 9-10, 2020

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom
for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

Purim (The Feast of Lots) Then

Though there are many special Feast Days (Appointed Times) on the Biblical Calendar, certainly Purim has a very unique and timely significance RIGHT NOW! You may remember from the Book of Esther how wicked Haman deceived the Persian King to sign a decree to kill all the Jewish people under the control of the Persian Empire. Haman was doing all that was in his power to wipe out the Jews as a people. He was so arrogant that he cast lots (dice) to decide when to kill the Jews.

Of course King Ahasuerus chose Esther, an unknown captive from Judah, to be his bride and the new queen. She had a cozy position in the palace and may have sat this one out regarding trying to save her people. After all-she was the queen and may have been tempted with the option to try and skirt this new law. Mordecai, her older cousin and caretaker until she was made queen, helped her understand why she had been placed in such an important position. Hence, the above verse which brought great clarity in case there was any confusion.

Queen Esther fasted and prayed and great deliverance did come to the Jewish people. This chosen vessel of grace and mercy risked her life to save the Jewish people, fulfill her calling, and establish her own personal destiny. Here are her words that should be the clarion call for all disciples of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) today:

"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law;
and if I perish, I perish!" Esther 4:16

Purim Today

You may also know that for many centuries Persia (Iran) and Israel were off the world's radar screen of global significance. Yet today, with great frequency and according to Bible prophecy, Israel and Persia are back on the world's radar screen with increasing global significance. The prophetic end-times scenarios have cast Israel and Persia with opposing supporting roles on the world stage. Once again, the voices of powerful Persian leaders regularly threaten the Jews with annihilation Of course, this all points to the Star of the show-King Messiah Yeshua returning to save His people Israel!

Tragically, so many in the body of Messiah are silent and distracted as they are missing the Purim of today. But here is a great truth and opportunity for disciples of Messiah Yeshua in our generation: This King Messiah Jesus has called we who have been born again into His Kingdom for such a time as this!

How can we think about the "if I perish-I perish" self-less attitude for our generation in this New Covenant? The words of our great Savior remind us that as we lose our lives for His sake, we actually gain eternal life. This is an essential element of His disciples.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:24-26

While so many are chasing after-even living for the things of this world and life, we can, and should, be concerned about Kingdom and Covenant matters such as being watchmen (and women) in prayer and support for Israel-especially in this season as we are reminded by the Purim of today here and now! That is where Israeli Believers in Messiah Jesus becomes so strategic.

The Israeli Believers in Messiah Yeshua are a light in the darkness in Israel. They (we) are getting out the gospel, saving babies from abortion, making disciples of Messiah Yeshua, helping Holocaust Survivors and poor and needy in Messiah Yeshua's name-and much more! To see the Biblical mandate for all these things you can go to the "What Does The Bible Say" page on our website: BlessingIsraeliBelievers.com

For me personally, these Purim matters became all too real as our Messiah and Lord called my family to live in Israel. To leave your country of birth in your 50s and move to the Middle-East, a completely different culture and lifestyle, is a kind of death to self. Yet, where there is a death to self for the Kingdom of Messiah there is also resurrection power available to make the way! The "such a time as this" opportunity was and is too big to miss!

For anyone reading this letter who bears witness with these things you can begin, or continue, to prayerfully and financially support our Israel preserving and blessing witness and work. Like never before, remember in this Purim season-you and I have been called to the Kingdom of Messiah Jesus-for such a time as this!

Blessings, Dov Schwarz

A special note from King of Kings, Melech HaM'lachim Congregation in Jerusalem

Shalom Dov,

This is David Boskey, an elder at Melecha Ha'Mlachim Congregation in Jerusalem who works alongside Oded Shoshani.
We wanted to thank you so much for the continued support that BIB sends to us at Melech HaM'lachim.
One of congregants who we have been able to support is a single mother with a one-year old baby. After a season of not walking closely with the Lord, she found herself pregnant. The father pressured her to abort the child, but she felt very strongly the calling to be a mother to this child. Through many hardships and struggles, she returned to the Lord and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Through your support she has been able to devote significant time to raise her son in this first year of his life, as well as being able to have the freedom to grow deeper in her relationship with the Lord through community life in our congregation.
We are so grateful for your care, which is extended through us to these precious ones.
May the Lord continue to bless you and you serve as His vessel to blessing many in the Israeli Body of faith.

Blessings, David Boskey

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Blessing Israeli Believers January 2020

January 15, 2020 by BIB Admin

Dear Blessing Israeli Believers Friends and Partners,

"Happy New Year" is the common phrase for this time of year. However, while it may or may not be a "Happy" 2020 for some ~ for those who are participating in the Lord's prophetic plans and purposes, we have something about which to be very HAPPY!! Keep in mind Israel is the center of Bible Prophecy.

Today, and thankfully temporarily, much of our land and many of our people are in darkness. During this brief window between the time of darkness and the glorious light of the soon coming Kingdom of Messiah Yeshua-we have this incredible opportunity. We can participate prayerfully and financially with those who are the shining light to Israel today-Israeli Believers in Messiah Jesus! Remember what our Savior told the first Israeli Believers:

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

There are so many unique challenges associated with living in Israel - especially as a disciple of Messiah Yeshua. That is one reason I have said for years that one of our goals is that the last thing our Israeli Believing Partners and myself would have to think about is money. We have families to support, ministry expenses associated with our Kingdom work, and a very high cost of living in Israel. Remember what this work is: getting out the gospel, making disciples, ministry to needy and Holocaust survivors, saving babies from abortion-and so much more!

Dov's Special 2020 Announcement!
We enter the New Year with great excitement as we are participating with the Holy Spirit, along with a few friends from our Home Bible study, in making a new disciple in Messiah Jesus! What an honor to be involved with this man's life by sharing the gospel and upon him receiving Yeshua as his Savior, baptizing him in the Jordan River! His first name is Omer-please be praying for him.

A Bible Prophecy Update/Reminder

The burden against Damascus.
"Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,
And it will be a ruinous heap.
(Isaiah 17:1)

Damascus is one of the world's most ancient cities and the things written in this passage have not yet happened. However, since Israel's War of Independence and the Scriptural prophetic fulfillment of Israel's physical re-birth as a nation, Syria has been begging for the LORD's judgment. Their headquartering of the world's worst terror actors through the years is about to come to an end.

Isaiah prophesies about this time, which I was reminded of last night by what is becoming a more common occurrence in our neck of the woods. We live on a mountain by the Sea of Galilee and one evening close to midnight we heard the familiar sounds of IAF (Israeli Air Force) jets overhead. I figured they were headed to or back from Syria. These days Israel is frequently bombing the outskirts of Damascus, which is being used as an Iranian hub for weapons and troop transfers to encircle Israel from Lebanon to Syria in the North.

Literally minutes after we heard the sound of the planes over our house we watched as a reporter on FOX News announced the airstrikes on Damascus. Folks, your prayers and support are a true Kingdom partnership of Bible Prophecy leaping off the pages onto the TV screens all over the world-Hallelujah! We often stand outside-with arms stretched toward our Northern borders as we intercede for Israel and pray according to the Biblically relevant passages of Scripture. With that in mind-let's keep going together for King Yeshua-our great Savior Jesus!

Blessings, Dov Schwarz

A special Thank You from one of our partners, Janet in Haifa

Greetings to the partners of "Blessing Israeli Believers"! You really DO bless Israeli believers! I am so grateful for your kindness and generosity; my life would be very different without it!

You know, I had recently gotten quite discouraged and despairing about the burden of being the sole money earner at my age, the difficulty to make it to the end of each month, and I was questioning the Lord why this burden He has given me to bear. His answer to my fears, anxieties and depression was to give me a vivid revelation of the EXPENSE my salvation cost Himself personally. He accepted the Father's cup of wrath for my sin, even though He had asked if that cup could be passed by Him!! He was bruised, beaten, He was cursed and spat on while He carried that heavy splintery wood cross on His back flayed open by the Roman scourge. And He trudged step after blood stained step up to Golgotha to be nailed onto that wood, and experience the horror of separation from the God and Father He loved. Separation that was due me. I saw that any cost of my obedience to His will would never come close in comparison to the exorbitant cost of His obedience to the Father's will for my sake. I am absolutely silenced. And His promise:

"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" (Isaiah 46:4).

I continue to work at Ebenezer Home for elderly believing Jews and Arabs, these mover/shakers from the early years of building the body of Yeshua in the land of Israel. It is a pleasure and an honor to care for these elder brothers and sisters! They laid the foundations in the ministries that thrive and expand today.

Last Shabbat we had our outreach effort in Haifa during "Chag HaChagim" (Holiday of Holidays) the inter-congregational Christmas festival that draws many non-believing Israelis and tourists. I led worship and did prayer cover with other intercessors for the evangelism team that went out into the crowds. I also continue to play guitar and sing on our worship team for our Shabbat meetings.

May God greatly bless you all, and visit you with a great and fresh revelation of Himself! May His presence be manifest in all your lives!

~Janet

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