As I am writing today’s update, the tension and war drums in the Middle East are the highest they have been in a long time. The rumors and threats of major war are at a peak and the House of Blessing missionaries find themselves in what must feel like a cauldron ready to explode. Yet, even though they know anything could happen within minutes, they continue the work they have been called to. As you will see as you read the reports below, many hundreds are finding Jesus as their Savior and Lord every week. The brothers baptize them, the sisters serve communion, and all sing praises and worship until they part to go get a little sleep. Then, within days the brothers will fit as many new believers into classes as they can, and they are taught the basics of the Scriptures. I won’t say anymore at this time as the four messages from Abdelrahem and Dr. Nibras says it all. I have shared them below in the order I received them in the last 3-4 days.
A quick word of explanation for those that many do not know. Almost all of the reports I receive include the greeting, “Peace be upon you…” This is not necessarily a middle eastern cultural greeting. It actually comes directly from the Scriptures. We find it in a great many scriptures but I will only mention one. It was Jesus who said, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you. John 20:21
Now on to The House of Blessing…
The first report was from Abdelrahem on 1/20/2026:
Peace be upon you, brother Jack, and upon all the followers of Jesus. The elders, teachers, and leaders, along with myself, have gathered, and we have even been in contact with the mullahs and brothers, Omar, Spazi, and Shabo. We have conducted a very thorough study, and they have explained everything that transpired between us — including Dr. Nibras, Khalawi, and all the elders here. I ask you to share this with the brothers and sisters; all who read the updates from the House of Blessing. This is the first time in history that all the things Jesus warned against, which will point to the end times, have come together. We are facing the last of the “last days.” Only God knows how long it will be before the Bride of Christ hears the cry of Christ, along with the voice of the Archangel, and the great trumpet of God calling us home, but we know that it is very near. Paul writes about this glorious event in his second letter to the Thessalonians, vs 4:
“But I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve like others who have no hope.” If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will also bring those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Therefore we tell you by no means proceed those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
As I imagine this event I think about my favorite part of that passage. It is found in the last phrase: “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” The whole world is hurtling toward the prophesied end times, but God has promised that the Bride of Christ — the true Church, will be called from the face of the earth to meet our King in heaven. From there, we will ascend to heaven itself for incredible, glorious celebrations prepared for those who have made Jesus Christ, Lord of their lives while here on earth. For seven years, these planned heavenly events will continue until the seven years are over — the same seven years that will be God’s judgment on this Christ-rejecting world. Then Jesus will return to earth, as the Word of God foretold — not as the suffering Messiah the world saw two thousands years ago, but as the victorious King, God Himself. We, the true Church, will return with Him! So…comfort one another with these words!
For those of us in the West who have not experienced the turmoil and chaos that Christians in many other parts of the world are suffering, the promise of the Rapture fills us with great excitement and anticipation. But for those experiencing the persecutions of this hour in the Middle East, this reassuring word brings even greater joy and anticipation, promising an end to all things, especially for those who are faithful followers of Jesus!
The missionaries of the House of Blessing apply the commandments in Ephesians 5:15-17. The verse says:
“See then that you walk prudently, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
So, after I explained all this to them, believe me, the imams and elders understood the situation and said, “Where are we in relation to this day?” We thank the Lord that we follow Jesus. Woe to us, how foolish we were to follow others! We will work day and night to serve the Lord and his work, spreading His word and His Gospel. What an honor, what a greatness, and what a feeling of inner richness and a righteous soul to preserve and spread the Gospel!
I have spoken at length and I ask your forgiveness and the forgiveness of the brethren. We ask for your prayers for me and the brothers for the upcoming trip to graduate the new students because they will be carrying much of the responsibility that is on our shoulders. We feel as though transporting the Gospels and teaching booklets is like possessing the most powerful weapons in this world. What greatness! May the Lord bless you, my brother Jack. Please, please, we are in dire need of every Book and teaching booklet.
Your brother,
Abdelrahem, servant of the Lord.
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The second message I received was from Dr. Nibras on 1/21/2026. In his report, he mentioned some of the sisters who had been so severely beaten that their legs became infected and showed signs of gangrene. Miraculously, the Lord had mercy on these courageous women and healed them. They were healed so well that they took it upon themselves to leave the Deir ez-Zor area and walk west. They walked an enormous amount of miles, some all the way to Aleppo. Sometimes they were able to hitch a ride on the back of an open vehicle, but that was rare. These women, Ferial, Mufida, Sarah, Labiba, and Hafiza made the trip with about 200 widows who were assigned to work with them. They disbursed on the way across Syria into several HOB locations in order to continue the work of the ministry. These are incredibly courageous women! They had been instructed by the Lord to leave Deir ez-Zor and they must have had an angelic entourage with them as protection!
This is what Dr. Nibras had to say:
Hello, my brother Jack. After a discussion and prayer together between myself, Abdelrahem and Sheikh Zakaria, the sheikh was healed and his sight restored. We prayed over the phone and discussed and discussed God’s Word. The following became clear to us: For true believers and followers of Jesus Christ, there is no need to fear the days to come. In fact, one of my favorite Bible verses about the times we are living in now says:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness covers the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)
And just one chapter later, the prophet Isaiah said:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom for the prisoners…” (Isaiah 61:1-2)
The second verse was quoted by Jesus Himself while standing before the people in the synagogue. But these words do not apply to Jesus alone; they apply to every true follower of His. They are the words of Gospel ministry in action. This is how the missionaries of the House of Blessing live. They experience the anointing of the Spirit to proclaim the Gospel, to heal the sick and broken, to proclaim true freedom to the enslaved, and to open the prison doors for those spiritually imprisoned. This is the great commission in action.
Even with the ceasefire declared and subsequently broken, Sisters Ferial, Mufida, Sarah, Labiba, and Hafiza continue to offer Holy Communion to hundreds of people weekly — between 500-750 in the past few days. While these services are being held in the northern, eastern, and western regions of Syria, the same is happening in Fallujah, Mosul, Kirkuk, Basra, Najaf, and Erbil in Iraq. Sister Fatima offered Holy Communion to approximately 1,350 people. Sarah, Yara, Tasnim, Ibtisam, and Batoul, as always, and also in Azerbaijan, Sisters Ratiba and Zainab offered Communion to 350 people. People turn their gaze toward the true Christ. Then the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Holy Trinity, begins to touch the lives, souls, and bodies of the people. Until the early hours of the morning, they sing, praise, worship, and dance before the Beloved of their souls. When they finally depart to sleep, they leave refreshed and energized. How great is our God!
An unusual calm prevailed in Syria for at least a few days. But this calm did not last long. During this temporary lull, a war will erupt between the Iraqi Kurds and the Sharia-affiliated Sunnis. There will be significant problems between them.
Sister Sharifa (the woman who had approached Sheikh Zakaria with a bloody bag with remains of her children) and her husband have been able to share their miraculous story with approximately 687 to 1,100 other people, most of whom had lost children or family members. What God did for Sharifa and her husband has brought great comfort and encouragement to many who have suffered unspeakable horrors. The Lord continues to use her testimony to build bridges of communication with hundreds of lost souls. Eventually, they too become true followers of Jesus Christ.
Currently, there are about 380 HOB missionaries serving in northern Syria, particularly around Aleppo and the surrounding areas. This is the same region where Sister Mufida and her “widows” serve. In the past few days, they couldn’t leave the area. They returned on foot, and they were on their way to Abdelrahem. We were surprised that they returned. Don’t be surprised by the Lord’s promise to them, because the Lord spoke to them about returning to their places. They were given the opportunity to heal about 1,780 people who were seriously injured. Each of them prayed a prayer of repentance and became followers of Jesus. Abdelrahem reached Jaafar, Zalatimo, and Al-Hanini. He did everything necessary, sending the Gospels and booklets to their location for Omar, Dyrgham, Shahbandar, and Murtada. They are also continuing to teach very diligently. We ask for your prayers. May the Lord bless you.
Your brother, the servant of the Lord,
Nibras
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The third report was again from Abdelrahem and was received on 1/22/2026. Please note the things he had to say about how many Muslims are beginning to view Islam and why they are so anxious to hear the Word of God and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Peace be upon you, brother Jack, and upon those who believe and follow Jesus. There is a very important point to make: Millions of people raised in Islam are now searching for truth elsewhere. The Islamic truths to which they dedicated their lives have become a deadly trap. If you, as a devout Muslim, do not adhere to the specific interpretation of islam espoused by the man holding the gun in front of you, you will be tortured and killed. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are now ashamed of their faith, as the world is being shown that Islam is not a religion of peace, but a religion of hatred. What is being presented in the name of religion is beyond barbaric; it is demonic.
As Christian missionaries tell the story of God’s great love for humanity, manifested in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, desperate Muslims are finding a glimmer of true hope once again. There truly is a God of love, and His name is not Allah! There were indeed true prophets from God, but the Prophet Muhammad was not one of them.
The missionaries of HOB tell countless stories of how easy it is to convey the true message of the Gospel, found in the Bible, to Muslims. All we need is for the true story to be told, and the harvest of souls reaches hundreds every week!
A few days ago, I received an invitation to a mosque in Tikrit, along with the sheikhs, Zalatimo, Jaafar, and Al-Hanini, by the son of one of the senior sheikhs, Abu Jaa’our. The son, Kadhim, had requested to meet with his father with the HOB brothers. The sheikh, who is 74 years old, then met Jaafar, Zalatimo, and the other brothers. He leads a small mosque attended regularly by 250-300 men. When Kadhim began to share the message of Jesus Christ with his father, explaining His true identity and recounting the story of His crucifixion and resurrection, and the eternal forgiveness He offers through His blood shed for the sins of humanity, the sheikh asked his son to pray the prayer of repentance with him!
Now, we are now in the same mosque. Sheikh Abu Jaa’our told the story of what he had done, explaining that he had made a very, very grave mistake in teaching them incorrectly, and the reason for his actions, to all the worshippers gathered for Friday morning prayers. A short while later, after asking for their forgiveness, Abu Ja’our and his son Kazem led all the men in that mosque to pray before Jesus Christ. All 300 men became followers of Jesus by Friday morning, and now, as leaders in their families, they are leading their families to the Lord as well. Kazem managed to take 10 Bibles and 30 teaching booklets to begin teaching this new Christian community. The miracles never cease! My brother Jack, today I will continue the journey to Omar and Ma’touq, but the situation is very dangerous in the area. We ask you and all the brothers and sisters not to forget us in your prayers so that we may receive the great reward that every servant of the Lord desires. May God bless you all. We always pray for you.
Abdelrahem, servant of the Lord
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The fourth and last message I received was a very encouraging report, once again from Dr. Nibras. Part of the report is a reiteration of some of the things received and being taught to the new believers. I am amazed how anxious these folks are to learn about the Bible! Praise God! Please especially note Dr. Nibras’ comments in his last paragraph. Thank You.
Peace be with you, my brother Jack, and greetings from me and all of the House of Blessing. We were thinking about a great event that will soon take place. Soon, the Lord of Glory will return to this world which is becoming increasingly depraved and is facing incalculable destruction and restore His complete dominion over it. The psalmist wrote these words in Psalm 24:
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it, the world and all that is in it. For He found it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (verses 1-4a)
“Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and cast away their cords from us.’” (verses 1-3)
This is a unique psalm, for it is a dialogue between the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit initiates this dialogue, speaking in verse 5. Then the Father’s voice comes in verse six, speaking about the Son. In verse seven, the Son speaks Himself, and in verses eight and nine, the Father speaks again. The Holy Spirit concludes the dialogue in this psalm with these words:
“Now then, be wise, you kings, and give counsel, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, or He will be angry and you will perish in the way when His anger flares up a little. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” (verses 10-12)
We are living in a unique time. As the world hurtles toward another world war, God is about to intervene in the affairs of this planet by allowing a series of events foretold in the scriptures to begin — events that will be the most destructive and devastating this world has ever seen, even more so than the catastrophic days of Noah. At the end of this time, called in the Bible the Great Tribulation, Christ Himself, Jesus Christ, will return to rule this planet as God the King.
The advice in this inspiring psalm, referring to Christ’s millennial reign, as described in verses 10-12 of Psalm 2, is not advice most of this world’s kings, prime ministers, and presidents would likely heed until Jesus, the son of God — the Word mentioned in John 1:1 — intervenes in the affairs of this world. The Bible tells us that without His intervention, the world would have been completely destroyed. This is the inevitable consequence of the nation’s rebellion against God!
I find that the final phase of that psalm is something we, as believers, can, and indeed must, live by. The psalm says again, “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”
We have just spoken about the world sliding toward another global conflict. The region that could ignite this conflict is the Middle East. For years, in my study of many books on the current situation in the Middle East, I, along with Abdelrahem, the sheikhs, and the mullahs, have warned that the region is on the brink of a devastating regional war. I also saw this situation as highly likely to lead to another major global conflict — a conflict the world has never seen before. Were it not for God’s will alone, and His absolute power to orchestrate all events, this would not have happened. But it will inevitably happen, and it seems this “event” is imminent.
I have two reasons for delving into the details of what is happening in the Middle East. First, we need to be aware of what is going on because Jesus instructed us to “watch.” When you see “these things” (the things Jesus detailed in Matthew 24 and most of the Old Testament prophets) beginning to occur, “look up,” because your redemption is drawing near. The second reason is that the missionaries of the House of Blessing are directly on the front lines of everything happening in the Middle East, and they need your attention and prayers. Thank you for that. I just want to say something: I am a surgeon, and my success is due to the Bible and holding fast to it. We are nothing without knowing the Bible because it is everything in life. I am grateful brother Jack, for all the teaching you give us. We are only servants of the Lord, nothing more. May the Lord bless you. Please don’t forget us in your prayers.
Your brother, the servant of the Lord,
Nibras
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Thank you all for your earnest prayer support and your financial gifts. God is multiplying everything that is sent. The need is enormous, but so are the results of the faithful HOB missionaries. These folks have given their all — their lives are literally on the line every single day! If anyone has questions or comments, please contact either of the email addresses below. Thank You.
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)