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Pictured the Bibas funeral, thanks to Michael Beener
To move forward in
the Faith of Yeshua
A Nation in Tears
In the Midst of Pain, God is There by Youval Yanay
In the midst of all the turmoil and uncertainty here in Israel, I
often find myself wondering, Does God really see me? Does He see this land and its people? Not just in a broad, distant way, but in the raw, unfiltered
reality of who I am—the good, the bad, and the broken places.
I often find myself returning to Psalm 139
because it doesn’t just talk about God—it invites us to step into His presence
and be fully known. “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my
sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.”
– Psalm 139:1-2
There’s no pretending with Him. No hiding.
He sees us completely—our strengths, our struggles, the things we don’t even
admit to ourselves. And yet, He still loves us.
It reminds me of Yeshua’s name:
Immanuel—God with us. He didn’t just watch from a
distance; He stepped into our world, into our pain, into our humanity. He knows
what it’s like to feel weak, rejected, or alone. At a time when so many feel
unseen, when fear and loneliness feel overwhelming, this psalm speaks directly
to our hearts: You are not alone. You are not invisible.
There have been times in my life when I felt
like running. Maybe you have too. Not physically, but spiritually avoiding the
deep places, covering up wounds, and keeping busy so we don’t have to deal with
what’s underneath. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee
from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in
hell, behold, You are there.” – Psalm 139:7-8
I
love that phrase: “If I make my bed in hell…” How many of us have been
there? Not literally, but in our choices, our regrets, the places we thought
were too dark for God to enter. Yet Yeshua, the Good Shepherd, goes after the
lost sheep. Even when we hit rock bottom—even when we run—He never stops pursuing
us.
This
psalm also speaks to something deeper: our identity. The world tells us
that our value comes from what we achieve, how we compare to others, or what
others think of us. But Psalm 139 cuts through the noise: “For You formed my
inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made.” – Psalm 139:13-14
Do we really believe this? Do we truly
live as if we are fearfully and wonderfully made? Or do we carry the lies of
the past—words spoken over us, failures, shame—allowing them to define us? The
truth is: We were created out of love. “For we are His workmanship, created
in Messiah Yeshua for good works.” – Ephesians 2:10 Yeshua doesn’t just see
us; He restores us.
The
end of the psalm is a challenge. A call to stop running, to stop covering up,
and to invite God into the deepest parts of who we are. “Search me, O
God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is
any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm
139:23-24
This is not a comfortable prayer. It’s a
dangerous prayer because it means surrender. It means releasing control. It means allowing God to remove things that
don’t belong. It means being real with Him—and with ourselves. This is the
invitation of Yeshua. Not to fix ourselves before coming to Him, but to come as
we are and let Him do the healing.
In Israel today, there is uncertainty,
division, and pain. But Psalm 139 reminds us that even in the darkest places,
God is there. “Even the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night
shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.” –
Psalm 139:12
This
is also the heart behind what we do at Revive Israel—not just
working the land, but cultivating healing, restoration, and renewal. We want
people to encounter the love of God—not just in words, but in tangible ways.
So here is the invitation: Stop running.
Stop hiding. Let yourself be seen. Yeshua sees you, loves you, and extends
His hand to you. The question is: Will you let Him in?
Read this online and
explore the online resources of the Revive Israel community.
Arrows
from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer
Requests Israeli Ministries
Continuing with the rest of the report from Youval and the Revive Israel team, a communal
ministry in the Messianic village of Yad Hashmona, they report a cold snap in
Israel, and the observation, “when it snows in
Israel, life stops; but when there are rockets, somehow, everything keeps going!”
They write, “We are entering an
intense season in the community,
dedicating time to seek God’s face and receive a clear vision of what’s ahead.
We ask you to join us in praying for wisdom, vision, and guidance in every
step. There is so much to do, and we
are excited to see how God is leading us forward!
Also The
Almeida family has safely returned from Brazil. (report next week). . . . We
are grateful to have you with us as a part of this journey as one heart before
God. May you be filled with God’s love and grace.”
Joel Jelski writes the Fields of Wheat report this week, “It’s
a rainy and stormy day here in Israel. February 20, 2025. As I write this
update, with tears in my eyes, our nation is re-living and mourning the horrors
of October 7, 2023. How symbolic it is that as our nation weeps and mourns, tears fall from above on
our land as we grieve.”
The Bibas family especially, are
symbols of the horror of October 7. Oded is the second oldest hostage
taken, and Ariel is the youngest child ever to be kidnapped and held hostage.
The pictures and video of the kidnapping of Shiri, holding her children, filled
with fear and protecting her children, were burned into our collective
memory. It took us right back to images not seen since the 1930’s and 40’s in
Germany and Europe. They were taken alive, and today they were returned
dead. Honestly, I’m Angry . I
have to be honest. I’m angry. So, so angry. . . . I don’t know how to
imagine and hope for a world in which there is peace with people who would be willing
to kidnap small children and elderly people and slaughter them in cold blood
for their pleasure. . . . What hope is there for the people
of Gaza who have been brainwashed into an extremist ideology, so extreme that
even the Arab nations around them don’t want them in their country because it
would destabilize them and be a security concern? Something has to change. But God Provides Hope
Even Amidst Grinding Grief ... and He Will Have the Last Word. . . . Gaza and its people need a deep
transformation, and I know for certain the only hope for that is through Yeshua. Nothing else will work. I don’t have
answers today, only questions. But I press into the words of Psalm 27:13-14 "I
believe that I (and the people of Israel) shall look upon the goodness of the
LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your
heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” May the Lord be our Shepherd and Father
today. Please pray for our people and our nation. Thank you, Joel Jelski
From Michael Beener of the City of Life
in Sderot, “Mourning Our Dead but Flourishing Again | A Heartbreaking Farewell: Thousands Mourn Ariel, Shiri, and
Kfir Bibas On a day filled with sorrow,
the community of Kibbutz Nir Oz gathered to honor and say their final goodbyes
to three members of the Bibas family, four-year-old Ariel, his baby brother
Kfir, just nine months old, and their mother Shiri. After being abducted by
Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and held captive in Gaza for months, their
bodies were finally released on February 20, 2025. The funeral procession
was a deeply emotional event, with thousands of people filling the streets to
mourn the loss of the Bibas family. . . . Children, the elderly, and families were all
victims of Hamas' brutal assault, and the Bibas family became symbols of that
unspeakable loss. . . . As we
reflect on the lives lost, we also ask for prayers for the Israeli hostages
still being held in Gaza. Their fate remains uncertain, and we continue to hope
for their safe return to their families.
Also sent: The Prophecy
That Comes to Life in Israel Every Year |
Watch this color-filled
VIDEO | PURIM | In these challenging times, we want to bring joy
and hope to children and their families with a special Purim event that we have
lovingly prepared. | WATCH OUR VIDEO Constant
Persecution On Our Ministry | What's Next? |
Whether through prayer, financial support, or spreading the word, together we
can face this challenge and witness the Lord working miracles in the midst of
adversity. We trust that God has great plans for His work in Sderot. Thank you
for walking with us on this journey of faith. | And Could you take a moment to subscribe to our YouTube channel and drop a comment on the video?
Kobi & Shani Ferguson of Maoz
Israel Ministries write: “Hamas didn’t kidnap the Bibas family …. What most people don’t know though, is that
Shiri Bibas and her two red headed babies weren’t kidnapped by Hamas. They
were kidnapped by Gazan civilians.
On
October 7th when Hamas invaded and saw such little resistance, they sent
messages back to the Gazan population that this was their chance to fulfill
their wildest dreams. “Come steal, rape, kill….Israel is weak!” So
they did. Hundreds if not thousands of unarmed but vile Gazan civilians dropped
everything and ran over and fulfilled their hearts desires which included
kidnapping the weakest members of our society - women with their babies.
Some of these Gazans weren’t even ideological in their depravity. Some just
stole and went home a few hundred shekels richer. Most telling however is that for over a year, hundreds of Israelis and foreigners were held
captive in Gaza - many in apartments with families - and virtually no
“innocent civilians” reported their location to outside sources. And
when these hostages were returned in coffins - Gazans came to watch and brought
their kids for this “cultural” event. The celebratory event included
wedding music and a huge banner depicting Bibi Netanyahu as a vampire who is
responsible for the four dead hostages. . . . This war is nowhere near
over. Just last night
two buses exploded prematurely in a parking lot. One exploded minutes after
it was evacuated and two more devices were found. This isn’t surprising as
we’ve just released hundreds of murderous terrorists. During the cease fire Israeli villages and towns
near Palestinian-ruled territories are gearing up with cameras, drones, guard
posts and other security measures to be able to protect their residents if and when they are attacked the next time. If
you’d like to help us get them this equipment, you can give here. ALSO Watch
the War Update
From Pastors Pochtar at Beit Hallel & Voice of Judah ministries in Ashdod, The Prophetic Battlefield of Armageddon | VIDEO with Pastor Sason Pochtar | The land of Israel holds profound historical and spiritual significance. Every location tells a story, and one such place stands out with a prophetic narrative that spans both the Old and New Testaments | PODCAST: Inside Israel’s War – An Israeli Soldier’s Powerful and Unfiltered Perspective | READ Proclaiming the Gospel from Yeshua's Hometown - Nazareth and Bringing Light to Israel's Children with Purim. | Women’s Meeting: A Night of God’s Presence | The recent women’s gathering in Ashdod was nothing short of a divine appointment. Women from all walks of life came together to worship, pray, and encourage one another in faith.
From David & Josie Silver’s Out
of Zion Ministries, son Stefan who is also a pastor at the Kerem El
congregation, write of the Numbers 22-24 account of the Failed Attempt to Curse
Israel. “As Israel encamped near Moab, Balak became fearful
of their strength, size and divine favor. Knowing that direct confrontation
would be futile, he sought to weaken Israel spiritually by calling upon
Balaam, a seer known for his ability to bless and curse. . . . Three times
Balaam attempted to curse Israel, and three times God turned the curse into a
blessing. In his final prophecy, Balaam even went beyond the immediate
situation and foretold the coming of the Messiah who would bring blessing to
all nations and peoples. . . . That which God blesses is blessed, and no man,
woman, enemy, religion, no king, and no spiritual attack can reverse it. “God is not man, that he should lie, or a
son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19).
. . . . God’s Blessing Continues
Today | Since its founding, Israel has faced relentless attacks from
hostile neighboring countries, terrorist organizations, and global opposition.
. . . And yet, against all human odds, Israel not only survives but thrives.
Despite wars, threats, boycotts and political pressure, Israel has become a
global leader in technology, agriculture, defense, the arts and much more. This
resilience is not merely human effort, it is a testament to God's enduring
promise and irrevocable blessing – "How
can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the
Lord has not denounced?" (Num. 23:8). . . . Please be praying for Israel over this coming weekend as the
nation mourns the lives of the slain hostages being returned while rejoicing
over those returned alive. Proclaim God’s blessing on His people, proclaim
comfort, peace and above all, salvation by knowing the savior, Yeshua.
DD: Please keep praying for David
Silver to be fully restored from the darkness of depression from
the war. Please continue your prayers and support of this ministry too.
Chaim Malespin of the Aliyah Return Center and The
Faithful Galileans writes, “The future of Gaza and the lives of the
remaining hostages hang in the balance. . . .Much prayer and wisdom is
needed in the coming days. These are the circumstances that we can see on the
ground. However, as heavy as our hearts may be and the longing for this
suffering to end we encourage everyone to not lose hope, to look up, hold on
tight to the promises of God, read through the Psalms, and to be strong and
courageous like the angel exhorted Joshua. Pray that Israel will walk the
path that God has destined for us to walk in.
Consider
standing with us, and supporting the Aliyah Return Center —whether through
prayer, financial support, or spreading awareness. Together, we can bring
comfort, strength, and hope to those who need it most. Donate | Click the link above to see the
many outreaches the ARC is doing!
Plus Chaim reports A
huge Miracle happened this week | A
massive terror attack was planted in the Tel Aviv area! Terrorists from
Judea and Samaria planted bombs on several buses. And by some miracle, the
attack was foiled! A lady noticed something suspicious on the bus and told
the bus driver, so then driver asked everyone to get off the bus. Afterwards,
he drove the bus to the nearby bus parking lot. Then a few minutes later as
they were waiting for the police, the bomb went off! Praise be to God, that no
one was injured. And simultaneously, two other bombs went off in two other
empty buses that were parked in different areas in the surrounding cities. This
is nothing short of a miracle. Furthermore, additional bombs had been
planted on other buses and were set to go off Friday morning. Thankfully
they were discovered and dismantled. Hundreds of people’s lives were saved from a terrible
disaster. THANK YOU GOD!
From Sally Shiff of the HaMaayan congregation (Sally is
now in the US speaking in many states). Sally writes 2/24, “I am busy with face to face meetings always lending
to the opportunity of sharing about Israel. What I am also finding is how
much I need healing for the effects of the war. . . . I am slowly recovering
from my cold, but yes, it’s really recovering from the stress of the war which
I didn’t even know I had. . .but just so you know (and can pray) I am on the
road to recovery.
2/23 “Our nation is mourning the
Bibas family. . . .I watched how the world is mourning them
too with buildings all over the
world illuminated in Orange. (English subtitles)
But to be
honest, I was taken aback by the small amount of information given by news
outlets here in America vs. Israel. I heard a very watered down version of
the events surrounding the forensic findings of the Kfir and Ariel. I question
how much true or factual information the world outside of Israel is actually
getting. As I travel and share events such as the pagers of Hezbollah or
that the cease fire is actually a "pause" and not the end of the war,
I am shocked (not shocked) of how many people have no knowledge at all. So I continue
sharing....
Tanks have
moved into central Israel (Samaria) for the
first time in years. The IDF is steadfast in protection. (point of prayer, God
would give wisdom and intel to the military and government for fast and
accurate battles disarming the enemy.
Hamas
funding US school protests ...so much more I
can share, God is STILL on the throne, and He is the Captain of the Hosts. In
Him I hope.
Dov Bikas who leads the Tel Aviv Ministry outreach that Messianic Jews from all over Israel come to be volunteers in – because addicts and abused women from all over Israel come to live on these streets in Tel Aviv – sent a wonderful account this week called “I Can Give You Something No Money Can Buy”. The “story of Artyom*, one of Aviv Center’s visitors, told by a volunteer team leader, Igal” is too long for me to share here, but I can give you a link to the Aviv Ministry Facebook page where this story is told. It is so encouraging and so are the other posts they share on Facebook. This is a special ministry reaching out the ones who are abandoned by all – all except Yeshua and His disciples. This is a perfect ministry to support “the least of these, My brethren.”
Avi Mizrachi of Dugit puts an appeal out for the Bat Zion Women’s Conference will be held in March—so the clock is ticking and we are down to less than a month to finalize all the details. As we do every year, we have invited women from across the nation to lift their hearts and voices in prayer for healing, hope, and salvation. We will bus them from wherever they live to our gathering. So many of these women have endured unimaginable loss—family members lost in war, homes uprooted, and lives forever changed.
From Tikkun Global VIDEO A Stake in the Ground | Tikkun Global Broadcast today with teaching from
Asher Intrater | Join us TODAY as Asher shares the excitement of being in the
new ministry center, in one of in the highest buildings in the heart of
Jerusalem.” But, this has been a hellish year and a half in Israel. The
physical war—the losses, the trauma—have taken a toll on the Jewish people. The
spiritual battle over the international prayer movement has also been devastating
to the Body of Messiah. However,
despite the sorrow, Asher notes that Israel is awakening to a new spiritual
hunger. The people are reading the Psalms for themselves, listening to
music about the love of God, looking for truth. And, regardless of the painful
blows to the prayer movement, God is continuing to raise up a people who will
pray from the place of His ascension with power and call forth His
purposes. Day and night. Faithfully.”
Shining the
Light to Survivors | by Katy
Sorsher | For several years, Tiferet
Yeshua has been hosting special holiday events for Russian-speaking Holocaust
survivors in the greater Tel Aviv area.
Lastly from Jennifer Guetta, Plant
Hope Israel, “Here in Israel we
are living with mixed emotions. One the one hand, we are grieving from the
terrible losses of lives. … On the other hand, we are also seeing the
fulfillment of God's promises, as He is planting us in the land. Last week
God moved us from the ministry house in Poriah to our own house. One year
ago, God said He was moving us to a new house and this week that was fulfilled.
16 volunteers came and helped us move, from Holland, the UK, the Alijah Return
Center and more. God kept sending us angels to make it possible (see pics
below). At the end of the day of moving, a double rainbow appeared over our new
house!
“God set us free both physically and spiritually. It is
amazing to be part of Gods promises and I am thanking God every day. But it is
also heartbreaking to see the suffering of so many people who didn’t make it
and people who are going through trauma. I do not know why God saves some
and not others. It is a question that is hard to understand. But I do know that
we can trust in him completely, no matter what happens. He does the
impossible and opens a way through the Sea.
Let us focus on the miracles!
| In the last year God has done many
miracles to save His people. Twice He saved us miraculously from an
attack from Iran. He destroyed Hezbollah with the beepers, and last week he
saved us from a huge terrorist plan to explode buses, by simply changing the
time with am to pm. This gives us great hope for we know God is alive and still
saving His people. The God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. He is the
same, yesterday, today and forever. And if you are in an impossible situation,
please remember that what God did for Israel, He can also do for you! In the coming
months we are expecting another battle with Iran. But we put our trust in the
Lord to protect us.
“. . . . LIVE Teaching and Discussion |You are invited into archaeology and the reality of the spiritual world in a Live from Israel Zoom with Jennifer every other Wednesday at 8 PM Israel Time. March 5: Spiritual warfare & the book of Esther.| March 19: The Presence and the search for the Ark of the Covenant.| April 2: The Mystery of Time | April 16: Passover and the Search for the Exodus. | Email Jennifer and Eliahu Guetta for Zoom details | Support Plant Hope Israel here.
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