We have two outings to report, one which took place January 20th, where we were one team of two people. The other report took place this past Monday, the 27th of January, when we were two teams.
Montreal
Monday January 20th:
We began the evening by visiting H., the woman to whom we had given a set the previous week. She had asked that we return with more sets for her children. She graciously accepted three more sets and we spoke once again about religious systems and the Truth which vanquishes despair, the Messiah Yeshua. She mentioned that she would try and come to the services at the congregation. Please pray for that precious seed laid.
At another door a woman accepted a New Testament saying she already had the Tanakh but had never read the Brit Chadasha. We said it is good to read for ourselves instead of hearing everything people are saying about it. She answered that it is healthy to have an open mind. Now she will face that challenge as she reads. May she be willing to receive the Spirit’s help in her search.
Another woman accepted a full set. We had a long conversation with her as she recounted that she (like H.) was hurt by religion. She spoke about how she still misses those occasions in her youth when she so enjoyed the family get togethers around the Jewish Feast times. She said it used to be so simple and beautiful. We shared that this joy is still possible because though man makes new philosophies and traditions which can rob the Word of its true purpose, God never changes. He Who loves us wants to restore us. She seemed to receive that well and while we spoke together, she held the books close to her heart. She was grateful we came to her door. She thanked us many times and pointed us in the direction of her neighbor, who she said would be interested in receiving the bible. The neighbor was her friend, a Jewish woman who had removed her mezuzah from her door because she wanted nothing that had to do with religion. We gave her a tract on Isaiah 53 and left.
We knocked on a door and a man answered. He told us it was not a good moment to speak but we added that this set was free for his reviewing. He took the set and thanked us.
At another door, a woman accepted a set. We did not have much conversation, but we took a bit of time to pet her little dog who did not want us to go!
We then reached P.’s door. She shared that she was very sick, with brain cancer. It was so touching that she said it was a good moment to receive this. We also gave her the handout on Isaiah 53 assuring her that God is always there and that we would keep her in our prayers. We blessed her and left her door as we could see she was very touched by God’s timing and His desire to reach her, even now. May He bless and comfort her! May the Spirit of the Lord convince her that Yeshua is Messiah. Amen.
Monday, January 27th
First, we went back to P.’ s door (the woman with brain cancer). We left her a pamphlet on anti-Semitism and told her that we were praying for her. She was touched and thanked us. We left her door blessing her.
At another door, a woman greeted us. She said, “I have to show my father the Bible, because he is living here, with me. He came, and took a set in French, saying he had a collection of books (the Zohar). We told him that what we gave him was the Book of books. He agreed and he said that in the Talmud they spoke badly about Jesus calling him by the Hebrew acronym of Yeshu (this means may his name be blotted out). He agreed that this was not a good name and he joyfully welcomed the New Testament into his house. Then, while still at the door, his nephew arrived. We spoke with him a bit. He told us that he was a speaker and knew the writings of the various religious books quite well. At that moment another young man and woman came to the door. We understood it must have been a family reception going on. So the father, the nephew and this young couple each took each one set. So, three sets were received at this door plus one pamphlet on anti-Semitism.
Another young man, at another door, did not want the Bible, but did receive a pamphlet on anti-Semitism.
We went back to see a woman, a holocaust survivor, who we met two weeks before. She was very happy to see us, and joyful as usual. She said she would like us to visit her during the day because she goes to bed early! She said, “You are very close to me and I like you both”. We have her phone number and will set up a time to meet her in the next week or two.We blessed her and left.
We then went downstairs to wait for the other team to finish, and while waiting, the nephew of the man we had met upstairs happened to pass by. He started to engage in conversation with us. He wanted to talk because he was a speaker! He began sharing about the Oral Law (Mishna) and the Zohar. He had reasoned that Yeshua was a highly educated human with powers through his skilled learnings. He also said that there were certain mystical codes in these writings, that without them we cannot read or understand the Word.
We in turn told him that it is only by faith that God reveals Himself, and that the Word is enough. We read him passages from Proverbs 30, from John chapter one and had him read Isaiah 53. We explained the story of redemption and the importance of blood atonement and the fact that sacrifice is necessary, but with no temple how do we get it. We emphasized that Yeshua was the final sacrifice. He agree with some of the things we mentioned. He said he had studied with some Catholics. We shared some of the erroneous doctrines concerning the Pope and that a true believer of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would never stand behind some of the atrocities that the Catholic church was guilty of, in their killing of so many Jews (i.e. during the Crusades). In the middle of the conversation, the other team came down to meet us in the lobby, so we were now all joined together to feed this man much of what God wanted him to hear.
We spoke of what it meant to be Jewish and the task they had in this world. He said that if Yeshua was the Messiah it would be written. He kept asking for His name in the Old Testament. We told him that His name was seen through His many attributes. He was resistant and said he just wanted to “know” and not to “believe”. We were so grateful that every time he brought in an esoteric commentary, we showed him how it refuted Scripture. He was very gentle and did not lose patience throughout our conversation. We also said that if he wanted, we could pray for him. He accepted… and he left with a French New Testament in his hand.
Now may our God protect the seed and the speaker first hear, then speak truth concerning God’s Word. Please keep all these people in your prayers. YOU alone are God, our Savior, our Yeshua! Adonaï Ts’vaot, please remember them!
The Second Team’s Report
We returned to see B., a man to whom we had already given a set. At that time, he mentioned that he once had a Yiddish Tanakh so we came this evening to give him a Yiddish New Testament. On opening the door, he said that he did not want to receive the book as his friend had told him he should not have them in his home because we were Christians. He had actually brought them down to the lobby last week so that others might take it if they wished. (When we were in the lobby we did not see the bibles anywhere).
But when he saw that we had a Yiddish New Testament, he gladly took it and said he felt sorry that he had given the other set away. He asked for a Hebrew Tanakh and an English-only bible as well. He said he knew of our congregation and the name of our pastor and that when his leg was better, he would come and visit us for a Shabbat service.
We then knocked on the door of a woman from Morocco who received the set in French. We spoke about the two comings of the Messiah. We said that she should read Isaiah 53 to get a deeper understanding of salvation. We told her that we are all sinners, and no one can fulfill the Law.
We gave an English Tanakh to a woman who came to the door with her daughter. She was surprised and very thankful asking if she could give us a donation, but we assured her it was a gift. We also had another request to deliver a French Tanakh to that home.
Then, we had a lengthy conversation with a rabbi who came to the door in a wheelchair. He stated that he had taught all over the world and had stepped on a bomb in Afghanistan damaging his legs. He said he was house bound and very lonely to the point where he wanted to end his life. He was happy to speak with us at the door and was looking at the Tanakh when a man came from behind us and told the rabbi not to take it, as it was not a Jewish, but rather a Christian book. We told this man that it really was the choice of the rabbi to decide. So the man left while the rabbi just continued to lovingly turn the pages of the book. At this point we discussed the two comings of the Messiah and the rising of anti-Semitism. We asked if he would like to have a visit from us to study the Word which he willingly agreed to and wished God’s blessing upon us.
Thank you all for your continued support of this great ministry. May the Lord be lifted and glorified. Amen.