They Found Nothing!
Twenty-five years ago, when my son was 8 and my daughter 10, I nearly traumatized them. We were relaxing at home, enjoying one another’s company, when I looked at the…
Inspirational
A Hill Called Calvary
Was Jesus crucified at Calvary or Golgotha? Would it be shocking to hear it was at both? Both names point to the same location outside Jerusalem. The word Calvary in…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2014
The day I was scheduled to return home by plane after my military service in the Sinai desert, a terrible sandstorm broke loose. Our tents were blown away like so many…
O Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say!
In days gone by it was common for parents to resort to washing their children’s mouths out with soap as punishment for using foul language. Gutter talk, locker-room jokes, bathroom humor…
Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2014
Recently I was again called up for a term of military service. There were a number of fellows with me who knew me personally. Out of sheer boredom, one of them tried to start an argument with…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2013
On Friday nights, when Shabbat begins, many people go into the Old City of Jerusalem to pray at the Kotel, the Western Wall. Some seem to spend most of their lives there because they believe God hears them better when they are close to where the Temple once stood.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2013
New neighbors have moved into our area in Jerusalem, and they think their duty is to fight against people who want to share their faith in Christ. It is not difficult for them to find…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2013
Many people here know I believe in Christ. So they come to me wanting to know why I changed my faith. I tell them I have not changed my faith. I am still a Jew, but I believe in God according to…
Zvi May/Jun 2013
This week I was preparing to visit an ultra-Orthodox synagogue when my wife, Naomi, said to me, “Zvi, you know I have much trouble with my feet. Please…
What Are We Searching For?
For several years Google has displayed on YouTube, its Internet video platform, an end-of-the-year review in images, photographs, and news…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2013
I want to wish you all the best as we approach the great days of Passover. This is a holiday to remember how God delivered the Jewish people from their bitter bondage in Egypt. Today we are free, but many people would like to see us return to bondage and remove us from the land God gave to us as the descendants…
Inside View Jan/Feb 2013
Love is a tremendous motivator. I was reflecting on that thought recently as I considered the founding of The Friends of Israel. In 1938 Jewish people lived in tremendous…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2013
Living in Israel is like living on a volcano. We are surrounded by enemies who want to destroy us. Those of us who believe in the mighty Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, even have…
The Septuagint: The First of the Bible Translations
Over the centuries, God’s Word has penetrated many nations and cultures through translations that have made it available to people in their native languages. The Septuagint, from the Latin word…
When God Steps In
A rapidly rising tide of aggression is aimed at Israel, and the West seems impotent to stem it. But there is One who is omnipotent, and He has made promises He intends to keep.
A Savior Who Is Christ the Lord
A few miles from the hubbub of Bethlehem, you can visit a spot where the message of Christmas remains pure and undiluted. Relax, and let this wonderful article take you there!
When God Broke the Silence
Sometimes silence is a welcome friend. Sometimes it can be deafening because of what it conveys, such as disapproval. With the final verse of the book of Malachi, the Hebrew…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2012
A few months ago, a young ultra-Orthodox man whom I did not recognize came to our home with some of his friends. He was not nice or friendly. In fact…
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder
It was Sunday afternoon, and my grandmother and I were seated comfortably in the high school gym waiting for the movie to begin. I was 9 years old and had no…
Just Passing Through
Is life getting you down? Don’t be discouraged. This life is not all there is. Read this, and take heart.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2012
I have lived in the same neighborhood in Jerusalem for 37 years, and now I am becoming important to my Arab neighbors here. Why? Because I speak Arabic and am willing…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2012
I am always looking for a chance to speak with people about our Savior, Yeshua Hamashiach (Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah”). And often people are looking for me, but they…
Zvi May/Jun 2012
Many Orthodox people here in Jerusalem have known me a long time. Sometimes it seems they almost have a competition to see who among them can put me down and become …
Zvi Mar/Apr 2012
Living in Israel is like living on an active volcano. It has been this way ever since I came here more than 65 years ago. More than 150 million Arabs…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2012
I have lived in the same neighborhood in Jerusalem for 37 years. Most of the people here know me, and we are good friends. But some people do not like me because…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2011
Miracles do not happen every day. But one happened recently while I was in a clinic waiting to see a doctor. Usually there are long lines, and it is difficult to speak to people.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2011
Anyone who remembers our War for Independence in 1948 knows about Latrun. It is an area in Israel located on a hilltop on the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2011
I look forward to meeting Dr. Haldor Lillenas in heaven someday. This pastor/evangelist was a prolific writer of some 4,000 hymns and sacred songs extolling the Bible as God’s Word…
God Was in Our Boat
One of my favorite sites in Israel is the Sea of Galilee. It’s a great experience to take a boat ride across its calm and quiet waters. Although we know…
The Power of God’s Word
The Bible is not merely another book. It has the power to transform lives. If you don’t believe it, this article is definitely for you!
Keeping Up With False Teaching
Throughout history God sounded the alarm to His people to be on guard for false teachers. The Torah warns of false prophets (Dt. 18:20–22). The Gospels warn of wolves dressed…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2011
Something happened recently that was hard even for me to believe. But as we say here in Israel, “When God wills it, everything is possible.” Not long ago my wife was in the hospital.
Zvi May/Jun 2011
This May it is 63 years since Israel became a state. I remember it well. Much time has passed, and I have grown much older. After everything I endured in my life…
The Heart of Prayer
Early on New Year’s Day a car bomb exploded outside a church in Alexandria, Egypt, killing 21 worshipers and seriously injuring dozens more. The next day was Sunday, and Christians throughout…
Reasons to Pray
All was quiet except for the windshield wipers swishing vainly back and forth as heavy snow reduced visibility to zero. It was a good time to pray—for many reasons
Service of the Heart
It was to be a day of trouble, rebuke, and blasphemy (2 Ki. 19:3). Assyria, the most powerful military force on Earth, invaded Judah. King Sennacherib demanded Jerusalem’s surrender, all the while mocking…
For Roses and for Thorns
It’s easy to thank God when things go right. But what about when things go wrong? Scripture has lots to say on the subject of thanksgiving.
Jesus’ Prayer for You
Did you ever wish you could speak with Jesus face to face? Many times I’ve longed to see His face, hear His voice, look into His eyes, and simply share what…
Elliott and Intercessory Prayer
How often do you go to the throne of grace on behalf of others? This excellent article explains why doing so may be one of your most important ministries.
Teaching Teens to Pray
Some sat on the floor, others in camp chairs, and a few reclined on the stairs. The students, ages 14 to 22, listened curiously as I posed five simple survey questions.
Zvi Mar/Apr 2011
Never has anyone come to our church to investigate those attending. Yet so it was recently. An elderly woman came because she had heard about me and that I am a Holocaust survivor.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2011
“I’ve rarely felt such fellowship and trust among Christians and Jews.” That’s how Jewish author Dr. Stephen Spector reflected on a remarkable event held recently at Ohev Shalom in Richboro…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2011
As it is written in Proverbs 19:21, “There are many plans in a man’s heart; nevertheless the Lᴏʀᴅ’s counsel—that will stand.” A few years ago, a religious school invited me to speak about…
Hope We Can Believe In
Are you worried about the future? Politicians tell us “change” is what we need. But God knows what we need, and He delivered it around 2,000 years ago.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2010
We live in a special situation in Israel. Most of the world is against us, particularly the Muslim countries that surround us. I have lived in this part of Jerusalem…
The Man Who Got Things From God
One morning the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder, and no money to buy food. The children were standing waiting…
A Martyr for Messiah
In every generation God raises up men who are faithful to Him in even the most difficult circumstances. One such man was Pastor Isaac Feinstein, a Jewish believer in Jesus who befriended…
An Old Man Wept
Due to the prayers of an old German carpenter named Christian Wolfkes, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, founders of The Voice of the Martyrs, came to faith in 1938. Soon they led Jews…
Let the Little Children Come
A little girl in one of George Mueller’s orphanages told Mueller she wanted God to answer her prayers as He answered his. Mueller assured her God would answer her prayers…
The Story of Richard Wurmbrand
He endured imprisonment by the Nazis and torture by the Communists to become one of the 20th century’s most inspiring men of faith.
God Changed the Wind
In the prematurely cold weather of November 1857, the boiler that heated one of George Mueller’s orphanage buildings in Bristol, England, developed a serious leak. Because the boiler was encased in brick…
God’s Call for the Directionally Challenged
Is it really possible to receive a clear directive from God? If you’re wondering whether God is calling you to missions, this article may help.
A Missionary First, Last, and All the Time
How much impact can a person make for Christ if he dies at the young age of 26? An enormous one, as Bill Borden showed the world.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2010
I recently had a big surprise. From time to time I go to the ultra-Orthodox synagogues where I have long, involved discussions about faith in the Lord. You cannot go…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2010
For many days I had been asking myself, How do I find people like me, who survived the Holocaust, so that I may bring them the gospel of Christ? Speaking…
Oh How He Loves You and Me
In studying God’s Tribulation judgments, it’s often easy to forget how much God loves us. Many wonder how a caring God could allow such affliction on Earth. Many years ago…
Remembering Miep Gies
The first line of the play The Diary of Anne Frank demonstrated Miep Gies’s concern about the wellbeing of others. “Are you all right, Mr. Frank?” she asks a broken…
Zvi May/Jun 2010
It is written in Proverbs 19:21, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lᴏʀᴅ’s counsel—that will stand.” We cannot know what tomorrow will bring, so we must…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Mar/Apr 2010
Many Jewish people these days are increasingly inquisitive about the unique phenomenon of Christian support for Israel in the face of growing anti-Israel sentiment worldwide. They want to know what really…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2010
We often have many surprises in life. And so it was one week when a neighbor came to my home to confront me about my faith in Christ. He was not friendly…
God and God Alone
Does it ever seem like everything is falling down around you? That disappointment or fear dogs your every step? One Web site offers a solution: Grab some wool and knitting…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2010
In Proverbs 27:10 it is written, “Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.” We have lived in this neighborhood in Jerusalem for more than 35 years. I know…
The Birth that Changed the World
Hymns, tinsel, decorations, and good cheer used to flood America’s public schools at Christmastime. Though these have all disappeared, one thing will never be erased.
Entering Eternity
Ask what figure symbolizes death in our culture and most likely you’ll hear a description of a specter whose glowing eyes peer through a black-hooded shroud, while its bony hand…
A Stranger in the Night
What better time of year than Christmas to relate a true story I heard on the radio in 1995. If you do not believe in angels, I strongly suggest you reconsider…
Erica’s Angels
It was bizarre to see myself lying on the floor of my allergist’s office. I lay at a slight angle in the narrow hallway, flanked on all sides by the clinic…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2009
Now we are approaching the most important holidays of the year: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Many people in Jerusalem where I live are going to the rabbis asking for help…
Looking Back to See the Future
The mantra of the moment embraces the idea that we should never look back because all hope and promise are found in looking to the future. Or, to quote Satchel Paige…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2009
Believe it or not, many schoolchildren in Israel have never heard of the Holocaust. So when Holocaust Memorial Day draws near in the spring, schools look for survivors to come and tell…
Zvi May/Jun 2009
Now, after so many years have gone by, I cannot believe I am still alive. During the Holocaust of World War II, many people died before my eyes. I was brutally…
A Promise Kept
The passing of old friends often brings a mixture of sadness and relief to those of us left behind. Such was the case in the recent homegoing of a friend of more than half…
10 Good Reasons to Keep Looking Up
Discouraged? Feeling depressed because of personal or world events? Perhaps it’s time to take a little spiritual inventory. If you have truly been born again through faith in Jesus Christ…
What If There Had Been No Easter?
As Christians, we rejoice because Christ arose. But what if He had not? The world would be a different place indeed. And it’s not a pretty picture.
Actual or Absurd?
Cynical journalist H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) once said, “What I got in Sunday school…was simply a firm conviction that the Christian faith was full of palpable absurdities.” No doubt many today…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2009
Not long ago I met a group of ultra-Orthodox men in our neighborhood in Jerusalem. They have not caused any trouble lately. It has been quiet for two years. But now…
Who Is Responsible?
Several years ago singer Barbra Streisand publicly berated actress Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) for her adamant stand against abortion. Asked by Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly to comment, Heaton replied…
Invest in the Future
It seemed set in stone. Any family celebration that took place in my family took place at Mom’s house. For 50 years she directed every facet of every event, decided…
The Way We Are
The world in which we live is crazy. Sometimes it seems as though societies have gone totally mad. For example, on July 16, 2008, Israel returned four living, breathing terrorists…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2009
Some days you can plan what to do first and what to do second. Other days, things happen that you never expect. And so it was recently when my wife sent…
Merry Christmas 2008
Gone are the days of Studebakers, five- and-dimes, and the much-anticipated gifts of sweet, juicy oranges stuffed into Christmas stockings. But two important facets of the holiday will remain forever.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2008
We are approaching the great holiday of Christmas. At this time of year, people do not forget me. In fact, some of the ultra-Orthodox men to whom I have spoken about the Lord…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2008
A while ago I had a long conversation with our Arab neighbors here in Jerusalem. They came to me to convince me that they are holy people who are more humane than we.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2008
As it is written in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.” And this is so. When I go to people who consider themselves good servants of God, they always ask me the same questions…
The Friends of Israel Turns 70
It’s difficult to believe that FOI has been around for 70 years. Well, maybe not so difficult when you learn how we began and what has undergirded our ministry to this day.
Zvi May/Jun 2008
Not long ago I was out walking, and four ultra-Orthodox men stopped me on the street. “Do you recognize us?” one asked. “I am not sure,” I replied. “We had a long conversation with you…
Extraordinary People
Sometimes special people cross our paths, showing us the best of what Christianity is all about. Let us introduce you to a few of these saints who have made a difference in life on this earth.
Why I Love Israel
And your eyes need to be there as well because the Jews are God’s people, and Israel is the land of destiny. Israel is God’s measuring rod and blueprint for what He is…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2008
I live in a neighborhood in Jerusalem where many Russian immigrants live. I have lived in this home 34 years, but many of them arrived recently and do not go to synagogue…
They Feared Man So Little Because They Feared God So Much
They were boiled in oil, tortured, and persecuted in the most heinous ways. But they endured because they understood an important, eternal truth that we should not forget today.
Making Melody in Your Heart
Being a believer in Jesus is not always easy. In fact, more often than not it brings persecution, trials of all kinds, and many deep valleys through which the child of God must walk.
Zvi Jan/Feb 2008
Our Muslim neighbors are doing all they can to begin a new war. If they succeed, it will not be the first time. I have lived in Israel 60 years…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Nov/Dec 2007
When Halina entered the room, we immediately realized we were in the presence of someone special. Now 89 years old, Halina has logged 45 years of service with The Friends…
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
At this Christmas season, do you have joy? True joy comes from something you might not associate with it. But once found, it lasts forever.
Strength for the Journey
Jesus is, indeed, knowable. And He can bring us through the toughest times, give us peace like a river, and be an anchor for our souls—as this article demonstrates.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2007
In my lifetime I have had many surprises. But the greatest surprise came a few months ago. As most of you know, all of my family died during the Holocaust of World…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2007
I have lived in Israel almost 60 years, and I have never heard a good word spoken about those of us who believe in Christ. Usually, people here oppose us all…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2007
Where had they gone? For many months I had not seen the ultra-Orthodox from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement who were trying so hard to convince people that their late leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson…
Zvi May/Jun 2007
It seems that people come to Israel from the ends of the earth. We have many Arabs in our area of Jerusalem and also many Jewish people who consider themselves…
‘There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood’
William Cowper (pronounced Cooper, 1731–1800) was one of those enigmas of life where creative talent is torturously combined with introspection and melancholy. Cowper was the fourth of seven children born…
Saved by Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton
Most people know him as the godly writer of “Amazing Grace.” But Newton’s life was far from godly before the Lord saved him and changed him forever.