Thursday, May 25th
1 gift set, 1 French bible and about 20 Shavuot and Anti-Semitism pamphlets were given.
A team of two ladies were at a local mall on a pleasant, sunny day. For part of the day the mall was full of cars but aside from a few Orthodox Jewish people the majority were of other nationalities. Suddenly many school age children descended upon the mall and the team realized that they were let go from class early as it was Erev Shavuot (the evening when Shavuot starts).
A Gentile man was approached and given the Anti-Semitism pamphlet. He stated that his family had been involved in the Jewish community for over twenty years and asked the member if she had a bible as he had been looking for one. Receiving one, he listened quietly to the redemption story and how Jesus is the Messiah who the Jewish people were waiting for. He mentioned that he knew that Jesus was God and that he spoke to Him each day since being rescued from death three times. Each time he was rescued, he said he saw the Light from heaven. The team member replied that God was not finished with him, but was calling him to be a light to the Jewish community. He then asked to have a set for a Jewish friend and was given one.
A young Jewish man was standing a distance away from his two friends when he was approached by a team member. He received the set with gladness and listened to the woman speak about Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 where it describes a future blood sacrifice of the One who would come to save them. He thanked her and returned to his friends and a few moments later returned to give the set back. He exclaimed that his friends told him that the Tanakh was not the same as the one in the synagogue and that it was false. He was obliged to return it in front of his friends and apologized indicating that he had no choice but to return it. Please pray that the seed sewn in his heart would lead him to the Messiah.
An elderly man in his 80’s was approached and offered the pamphlet when he said that he was a Protestant and that he was saved. He was eager to chat while he was waiting for his wife to return and listened while the member spoke about true salvation bringing a commitment and a desire to commune with the Lord daily. She spoke about Romans 10:9 and the confession with one’s mouth that “Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead and then you will be saved”. He agreed and received prayer for his and his wife’s health.
A young lady from Morocco and a man from the Ukraine both received contact cards.
In the park across the street, a Muslim woman from Algeria received the Anti-Semitism pamphlet and was eager to talk about what was happening in Israel. She was directed to the Scriptures to read about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She said she wanted to know more as her children were always asking questions and she could not answer them. She took the business card and was shown where there were 3 places she could find what she was looking for: the office for Beth Ariel and the website, Radio Shalom at WCHP 760 AM and OnePlace.com for the program Messianic Viewpoint. She wanted the set but could not take it and said that it was something very sacred and was not to be taken lightly.
As the team was leaving the park, they came upon a young Jewish woman who said she had received a gift set last year downtown. She spoke of knowing about Jesus and would like to know more so she too was given the contact card and encouraged to go online.
The team was surprised how quickly the time passed and were thankful that there was no serious opposition. They thank Yeshua for His protection and faithfulness and for all the prayers of the saints covering their outing.
Tuesday, May 30th, 2023
Two team members went back to a Jewish area for the evening outreach. At the first house, there was a remote camera and microphone system in place. A man quickly answered that he was not home, but to leave any literature in his mailbox. We had not even introduced ourselves to explain what we had before he ended the communication, but we left a set there for him. We pray the family read their new precious gifts.
We met a young mother who had just bathed her three young daughters. All four came to the door together. We chatted about the Shavuot holiday with her, and she gladly received a full set of Scriptures, saying we would be blessed for our work.
A friendly man with an easy smile responded at another door so we presented our gifts one by one. He was pleased with each one and quite surprised by the quantity of what we gave him. A bit taken aback at the Brit Chadeshah, we suggested he read the first book, which he said he would do.
A young man assured us that he already had a Tanakh, so we presented the Brit Chadashah to him. With a smile he gladly took it, as well as the prophecy bookmark and Shavuot tract on the story of Ruth.
An Asian woman was house-sitting for the owners, who were out of the country. Since she said she would like to have a Bible, we went back to the car and gave her one for free. She was quite happy, since she hadn’t ever read it. Before leaving, we put the Ruth tract in the gospel of John for her to begin learning about Jesus, which she wanted to do.
Another woman quietly received a set from us after she heard that even though our congregation was in the NDG area of town, one team member lived close by, which reassured her.
Toward the end of the evening, we met S., a middle-aged man who was sitting in his garage. We were surprised to hear him say he already believed Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and so we asked how he came to that conclusion. We listened to him express his humanist ideas tainted with re-incarnation which he said came from Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah. We explained what it meant to be biblical Jews and not rabbinic Jews. Although from the tribe of Levi, he had no concept of sin or atonement, instead trying to be “a good person.” We reasoned with him for half an hour or more. He told us he would read from the set we gave him, which he gladly took. We also left him with a business card so he could connect with us on the internet as well as the radio.
Many thanks, as always, to those who support this ministry through prayer, as we see the fruit of your intercession. May many choose to take to heart and fully receive Yeshua’s permanent atonement.