ministry moments
From Johannesburg, Rob Berman reports,
“Vivian is a wonderful sister in the Lord who has been sharing Jesus with her Jewish school friends. When I was in Vivian’s area to speak at churches about ‘Christ in the Passover,’ one of her friends, Vera, agreed to meet with Vivian and me for lunch.
“We had a long discussion about identity and Jesus, and Vera explained that she has carried heaviness and depression with her since age 10, when her father committed suicide. Vera listened intently to all the Scriptures I shared with her. As our time together was drawing to an end, we asked Vera if she wanted to pray to receive the salvation offered to us through Yeshua’s sacrifice. With tears in her eyes, she said ‘Yes!’ After we prayed together, Vera’s feelings of heaviness and depression were suddenly gone! Praise God! Please pray for her to grow in the joy of her new faith, and also pray for Vivian as she continues sharing the gospel with her friends.”
From our Online Evangelism Team, Rob Wertheim reports,
“Joanne visited our website and left the following message: ‘I am a Jew and have had visions of Jesus since childhood but have difficulty with church and Christian rhetoric. I don’t identify, but I know Jesus is real. It feels like being lost between two worlds.’
“I met with Joanne on Zoom and was interested to hear that when she was a little girl, her mother had encouraged her to go with her friends to church, hoping that God would hear her prayers for healing from grand mal seizures. Joanne has always held a special place in her heart for Jesus and has attended churches many times. Yet she feels uncomfortable and out of place in church because she is Jewish.
“We looked at the Scriptures together, specifically Isaiah 53, and talked about having a personal relationship with God through Jesus. I asked Joanne if she believed that Jesus died in her place for her sins and was raised from the dead, and she did. So I asked if she wanted Him to come into her life to begin to change her, and again, she did. She offered a prayer of repentance and faith in her own words, and we will be meeting weekly to study the Gospel of John. Praise the Lord! Please pray that Joanne will not only grow in faith, but will also be able to feel at home and in community with other believers.”
From Tel Aviv, Alex Adelson reports,
“A man named David called our office, told me that it was his birthday, and said he wanted a blessing from Yeshua. At first, I thought he was joking and insincere, but as we continued talking, it became clear that he was genuinely seeking something meaningful.
David knew about Yeshua the Messiah, however, he struggled to understand the concept of the Trinity.
“David had already read the Bible, including the New Testament, and knew about Yeshua the Messiah. However, he struggled to understand the concept of the Trinity, which was a stumbling block for him. I took time to explain the roles of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and emphasized that they are all one God. As we spoke, David described an unusual light in his room, which I attributed to God’s presence and ability to make miracles.
“I invited David to pray and ask God to draw close to Him, as he had expressed a desire to know and get close to Yeshua. He asked me to help him pray, and I could sense his sincerity and willingness to receive Yeshua’s gift of salvation.
“I genuinely believe that David has received the best gift of his life, and I hope he will continue to learn more about God and follow Him throughout the rest of his life. This was a beautiful and meaningful encounter, full of passion and hope.”
Also from Tel Aviv, Svetlana Adelson reports,
“Ira is from Ukraine and works as a caregiver. Though she is not Jewish, she asked me to help her learn Hebrew, so we arranged a meeting. I started teaching her Hebrew, and after each lesson, I talked to her about God. During one of our meetings, Ira shared that she works for Abigail, a Holocaust survivor, who is 94 years old and lonely and would like to have visitors. I said I would come to visit her, and we arranged a time.
“The following week, I went to Ira and Abigail’s home, and we got to know each other. Abigail shared her life story and showed me pictures of her children. I also talked about myself and shared my faith in Yeshua with her. She had never met Messianic Jews before.
I asked if she knew God cared for her.
“A week later, when we met again, Abigail shared her concerns about an earthquake that had recently occurred. I read Psalm 90 to her, pointing to God’s protection and love for us. I explained its meaning and asked if she knew God cared for her. She replied that she didn’t know, so again, I shared the gospel with her about what Yeshua has done for us and how God loves us and wants us to turn to Him, repent from our sins, and invite Yeshua into our hearts. Abigail was ready to do just that! I prayed for her health and God’s protection.
“Then Ira, who was sitting nearby, asked me to join her in another room. She shared that she was feeling unsettled in her heart, and I offered to pray a prayer of repentance with her. She agreed, and we prayed together!
“Abigail wants to continue meeting, and I’m looking forward to spending time with her and Ira, and sharing more of God’s love with them. Please pray for both of these women to grow in their new faith.”
Names are changed to protect privacy.