Friday, May 15, 2020

Teaching Moment Battle Arrows from Zion 5/15/2020

Press Release & Ward Simpson & Ron Cantor on the opposition to Shelanu)

We knew there would be opposition to the new Hebrew-speaking Messianic  channel in Israel, but what a surprise that Christians would be weaponized against the Israeli believers! It is a tragedy that so many Israel-supporting Christians remain so uninformed of the over 1 million Jews who have faith in Yeshua. Shelanu-TV represents the 20-30,000 Messianic Jews of Israel.

 An Open Letter to Laurie Cardoza-Moore
by Ron Cantor

Laurie Cardoza Moore is the Special Envoy to the UN for the World Council of Independent Christian Churches

The campaign of religious opposition in Israel to the new Shelanu-TV faith channel on the HOT network kicked into overdrive when a popular Israel-supporting Christian called on PM Netanyahu to kick GOD-TV off the air in Israel.

Here is Ron Cantor's informative response:
Let me start by saying thank you for loving the Jewish people. I know that is where your statement, asking the Prime Minister of Israel to silence the voices of Messianic Jews, came from. But with all due respect, as a citizen of the nation of Israel, let me say to you, this is not your fight!

Evangelical TV Host Calls on Netanyahu to take down GOD-TV

Imagine if I wrote President Trump and asked him to revoke your first amendment rights because you are butting into the affairs of another nation. That is what you have done. Do you value freedom of speech just for Americans? You will say, “No, I just don’t want outsiders like GOD TV interfering.”

But here is what you don’t know. Shelanu is a partnership between GOD TV and the Messianic Jewish community in Israel. Our board is 80% Hebrew speaking Israelis. One of our members is an Israeli Arab. I was the one who brokered the deal with Hot, as a Messianic Jewish Hebrew-speaking (not perfect!) Israeli. There was no confusion about our intentions and I have proof.

So, without checking with your actual believing brothers and sisters, you asked the Prime Minister of a sovereign nation, not your own, to silence Jews and Arabs who love Yeshua. Maybe you thought you were writing to the Ayatollahs in Iran or the Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia. But you didn’t. Israel is a democracy. And even those who have different opinions are free to share them.

Should we tell the young Messianic Jewish music artists that are now featured on Shelanu TV that Laurie Cardoza-Moore wants to shut them up? Should we inform the believers who record their testimonies to share with their fellow Israelis, that you oppose them? What Gospel have you believed Ms. Cardoza-Moore? You actually unwittingly accused Israelis of being anti-Semetic!

“Instead, they have chosen to stand on the wrong side of history, empowering the anti-Semites.”

How does Israelis sharing Yeshua with Israelis empower anti-Semites? Next time, pick up the phone and get your facts straight.

You wrote: “Our only mandate to the Jewish people is to love and support them because they are God’s chosen people. Any attempts to convert Jews or downgrade their religion will only sow undue hatred at a time when we should unite in the face of darkness.”

First, I have never, ever asked a fellow Jew to convert, and I did not myself. I discovered my Messiah in Yeshua, just like the first disciples, who also did not convert. But have you even read the New Testament that says salvation has come to you, Ms. Cardoza-Moore, to "provoke Israel to jealousy"? (Romans 11:11) The gospel is “to the Jew first,” says Paul (Rom. 1:16). He also said that he would be willing to go to hell for the sake of the Jewish people.

"I speak the truth in Messiah—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Messiah for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel." (Romans 9:1-4)

It was the founder of Jews for Jesus, Moishe Rosen, who said that the greatest form of anti-Semitism is to not share Yeshua with Jewish people. Now I understand as an evangelical, facing 1,900 years of gruesome anti-Semitism, and even murder, against the Jewish people by so-called Christians, that explaining that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah to a Jewish person is difficult. But don’t you dare try and silence Jewish believers from reaching our own people—and that by petitioning our Prime Minister.

Just imagine if you wrote the same letter to Iran. Don't forget Christians killed many Muslims in the Crusades. Maybe you should reach out to the leaders of Muslim nations to apologize for seeking to reach them with the life-saving message of the Messiah.

We face intense opposition here in Israel from some, not all, in the ultra-Orthodox community. A teenage boy had a bomb blow up in his face by someone opposing the gospel. It is only by a miracle that he survived. Some have had tires slashed, buildings bombed, or their face plastered on posters and then placed all over their neighborhood, with warnings, “Missionary, beware!” Just today I have received vulgar hate mail. But you come to the aid of the persecutors, not ours—your believing family.

Here’s the deal. Messianic Jews in Israel will not seek to silence you; don’t you seek to silence us. I understand that many evangelicals want to bless Israel. Thank God! Wonderful! Continue. Israel knows that evangelicals are their best friends. But your first commitment should be to your brothers and sisters in the faith here in Israel.

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Gal. 6:10)

I am speaking of Israeli Messianic Jews who serve in the army, risking their lives, being a witness to others in the IDF. How do you think they would feel to see your words rebuking them? Asking our Prime Minister to take away their basic human rights of freedom of speech and expression is horrendous and shameful.

I call on you and every other evangelical to ask yourself: Whose side are you on? Can you love Israel and be true to the Gospel? Or do you have to sacrifice the commands of Yeshua that implore us to share His message? I say no. It is both possible to love your elder brother, the Jewish people, and in a tasteful way, be honest about your faith. But your actions are tyrannical in calling on the Prime Minister to silence his citizens. I call on you to revoke your request to the Prime Minister and apologize to your Messianic brothers and sisters.

Normally I would approach you privately, but did you grant us that courtesy before your outrageous actions? If you had, armed with the truth, you probably would have thought twice.

To learn more about the issues involved, please refer to the
Press Release of May 13, 2020 from the Board of Shelanu TV which is underwritten by GOD-TV made available on Facebook.

Ron Cantor writes, Friends, there has been a ton of misinformation regarding our new channel in Israel. Please help us get the truth out by sharing. Thank you.
________________
by Harun Ibrahim

[Harun Ibrahim is a former Muslim, now Christian. He is Israeli and has a powerful ministry to the Muslim world as General Director of Al Hayat Ministries, Harun serves also as a Shelanu TV board member.]

Dear Sister, You’re asking God TV to close Shelanu even though 80% of its board members are Israelis, one of whom is an Israeli Arab. You’re interfering in a ministry that does not belong to you. I would not come and advise you what to do in your own State, asking your governor to shut you down because I don’t agree with what you do.

Secondly, you’re saying your position is one of love for the Jewish people, for Israelis, which I do not doubt. But what kind of love would ask the Prime Minister to shut down a channel that is sharing the love of the Messiah, the Redeemer, with His own people? You are asking the Prime Minister to censor the best message of love that mankind has ever known – the message of Yeshua, who came and died for our sins. You would rob Jews of this privilege? The kind of love you are showing is more likely to kill than to give life.

As an Arab, before accepting Yeshua as my Savior, though I personally did not hate Jews, I was aware that those in my former religion did hate them and understood that the more Islamic I wanted to become the more I would need to oppose Judaism. But, when I accepted Yeshua in my heart, there was no longer anyone whom I could call an enemy. Rather, there was love, and the best love I could show to anyone was to introduce them to the power that changed my heart.

What you’re saying, my sister, is very dangerous and I would like you to think twice about it. What you have said and encouraged others to do, “to teach Christians about their biblical responsibility to stand with our Jewish brethren and the State of Israel” without offering them knowledge of their Messiah, abandons the hallmark responsibility of all Christians – to preach the good news of the Gospel. What biblical responsibility or authority is above that post-resurrection, pre-ascension mandate of Yeshua, who said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Of course, our responsibility is to love people. But is it love to neglect telling them a life-saving truth so as to avoid offending them? That is a very dangerous kind of love.

I remember when we, at Al Hayat Channel, started to boldly preach the Gospel to Muslims. We found our greatest opposition came from our Christian brethren. What a sad day it is when I read your article and see that history is repeating itself. What you have written is exactly in the same spirit of that which Christians wrote to Al Hayat to discourage us from preaching the Gospel to Muslims. “Don’t do that. Stop it. They will be mad at us. They will kill us.” So, it’s better to leave them uninformed, misguided and lost?

If I were an unbeliever and had an enemy whom I hated and wanted to destroy, I would, perhaps, kill him. But if I were a believer with an enemy whom I wanted to destroy, I would simply not tell him about Yeshua. He would perish and I would have my revenge. Not only would they suffer in this life but also in the life to come. But is that our definition of Christian love? Or is that evil?

When we started to preach the Gospel to Muslims, what happened? Over the past eighteen years, hundreds of thousands of Muslims were reached with the good news of a Redeemer whom we call the Messiah, Yeshua. Thousands of them, destined to be terrorists, instead became loving brothers. From enemies, they became friends, supporters in prayer, and true friends of Israel. That is what Al Hayat did. And if that is what you are actually opposing, I must wonder, “Did Yeshua make a big mistake? Will He have to return to apologize to the Jewish people for having come, as a Rabbi, a holy man, to perform miracles among them? Should He apologize for proclaiming the truth and dying on the cross for them? Does your theology mean this was all in vain? How much of the epistles of Paul – who said, ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first…’ (Romans 1:16) – would need to be abandoned under your theology?”

If you have adopted this position to be politically acceptable within Israel, I understand. But, as an evangelist, if you’re appealing to your supporters on the basis of ‘love for Israel’, then you’re deceiving your supporters by asking donations for Christian work that you’re not doing. Israel does not need the ‘ministry of tourism’ as much as it needs the ministry of truth. It is wonderful that people will buy ambulances, medicines, support hospitals and social projects – we are thankful for all of these. But, above all, the best help for this nation is to show them the real love of God, so perfectly displayed in Yeshua. That is what Shelanu is doing.

I hope you’ll rethink what you’re doing. I would never have imagined, one day, an Arab would need to defend his Jewish brethren from a so-called friend of Israel who is unprepared to pay the price to encourage them and who is even ready to destroy a fantastic Christian ministry.

**UPDATE: Every day brings a fresh round of Christian opposition to the Israeli Messianic believers to the surface. for 20 years it has been my great sadness (and anger) with how many Israeli-supporting Christians embraced Israeli religious and government authorities who do not know Jesus, while turning a hostile back to the Israeli Messianic Jews who do follow the Lord. Yet another Christian has come out excoriating Jews sharing faith with Jews.  Read Ron Cantor's Open Letter to Mark Biltz. The Nationalist Religious settlers have cleared weaponized their Christian allies against the Israeli Messianic community. Please consider this of the highest prayer priority.

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com

Tikkun Global 5/12 As CEO of Tikkun Global, Ron Cantor wrote about the fierce opposition over the launch of Shelanu—the first-ever Hebrew language cable channel for Yeshua. " I am personally getting hate mail." Please pray for Ron and all the team overseeing the station. He also writes about the continued humanitarian help they are doing in the midst of the Covid-19 shutdown. Plus these articles by Dan Juster The Need for the Prophetic and the Last Days, Guy Cohen:  In the Midst of Trials. Eitan Shishkoff asks What Are You Searching For? and Leon Mazin fills us in on the Return to Zion congregation, Building in More Ways than One.

Maoz ministries writes with good news: "the sick rate has dropped so dramatically that this week about half of Israeli kids went back to kindergarten and school. Malls and shops are reopening, some public spaces, sports workouts and even gatherings up to 50 are allowed. Masks are still required, and everyone is expecting new cases, but the initial wave has been stalled and has given enough time for healthcare workers to prepare. This week, whole wards that were dedicated to treating virus patients have returned to their original designation. Praise God! You can feel the release in the air."

They write about how Israelis have been pulling together under the pressure and write about how a painful recovery is touching many business what will not open again and families who didn't have any margin for the mandated no work/stay-at-home orders. Please pray as the most vulnerable struggle in wake of all the bad things that have come out of the need to protect the nation against this virus. Pray also about a terrorist prisoner exchange for the remains of two Israeli soldiers, and the sickening appeal of Jewish religious terrorists Jack Teitel seeking early release from two life sentences plus 30 years for murdering several non-Jews and attempting to murder members of a Messianic Jewish family with a package bomb he left on their doorstep. He succeeded in severely wounding the teenage son. " We ask that you defend the rights of the Ortiz family – and believers in general – to be free of this man. Forbid that he ever return to walk the streets of Israel. At his sentencing, he said he did not regret his actions."

From Pastor Najeeb and Elizabeth Atteih in Haifa Immanuel Church, they report that while every nation is faced with the same situation, "Our family has chosen to have a positive perspective, knowing that God is in control. He has allowed this happen at this time and we thank Him for it. There is so much we can learn through this." They are not eligible to receive the Israeli version of Social Security because they do not have salaries...but they have not let this stop them from helping others as they could - sending food & drinks to medical personnel, taking in an man and his son as the family is going through enormously rough times with another young son battling cancer. The father has received Jesus while staying with them the past several months. They are meeting with the church by Zoom meetings and people are even getting saved. Their newlywed son, Tino, has to be on base during the Covid outbreak, as he is an officer, only getting a day with this wife once every 2 weeks. Please pray over them for the work that God has given them and for provision to meet every need.

Dov Bikas reports that the Women's Shelter has finally a new, spacious rented home and one resident living in it who has suffered violence from a boyfriend. The young woman is not Israeli, is deaf-mute, overly skinny and crying a lot. ...gradually she is getting better. They are expecting the anti-violence org to send them more women, as the domestic violence rate has so increased due to the quarantine. In the Beer Sheva rehab for men they have about 14 guys in residence and the house minister, Oleg has a big heart for the work with men. Pray for them all as the struggle to stay clean and sober is such a tough one for those just beginning down the path of finding true salvation in the LORD. Dov as they continue in the Tel Aviv outreach - even in compliance with the Health Ministry regulations, to distribute food packages and reach out to addicts on the street. Pray for the forgotten people Yeshua desires so greatly to save.

From Asher Intrater of Revive Israel Corona, Comfort & Compassion, how Corona is making people everywhere worried and stressed...but "we have a measure of faith and strength on the inside. We have the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, to be able to deal with it." Yes and amen! thank God! Also view the VIDEO Global Broadcast Live from Israel with Praise, Prayer, Prophecy, Preaching. And let me encourage you to watch the re-play of The Unveiling: On Earth as in Heaven - a Zoom call on 5/14 with David Demian, Asher Intrater, Bill Johnson, Francis Chan, and Mike Bickle. It was a most Holy Spirit touching time of hearing from an international group of leaders. There are links for many languages available for this on the Revive Israel Facebook Page.

Israel Pochtar also writes of a time of challenges but even bigger breakthroughs, Challenged by religious opposition, their new building was ordered closed by Ashdod authorities, even though they held the proper permits. Now Prayer Answered — Temporary Permit Granted! They have another Awesome testimony of salvation during Covid-19. Plus video by Pastor Israel on Second Passover — The God of Second Chances and now on Wednesdays & Fridays for life-saving preaching WATCH Pastor Israel live on Facebook at 18:00 Israel time @israel.pochtar. A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of our pastoral team, who was diagnosed recently with colon cancer, and despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises. Read in her own words, as she has been prepared for chemotherapy which will begin next Monday

Chuck Cohen of Intercessors for Israel files this Friday Prayer Points 5-15-20. This Shabbat's prophetic portion closes with the perfect verse summing up how Israel has escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. Heal me, O YHWH, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for You are my praise. (Jer. 17:14) Amen! We praise You for Your power and desire to heal and save Your people (Psa. 6:2; 106:47).... Prayer points covered: Government, Security, Annexation, Trump's Peace Plan, Security in Judea & Smaria, Security concerning Iran, Covid 19 & Israel.


Messiah's Mandate mailing Ron Cantor writes about the stress of getting your  car inspected in Israel (much less during a Covid-19 shutdown). But it had to be done in order to deliver grocery gift cards for Holocaust survivors under complete lockdown. "Please continue to partner with us so we can be God's hands and feet for these precious souls....and many others left behind by the government. Don't get me wrong—Israel's welfare apparatus has been overwhelmed. Thank God that many organizations, like ours, have sought to find them and feed them." (This included 70 very poor Filipino Families in Israel during the quarantine VIDEO)

Ron has launched a series with his daughters Watch! Israel Good News! and writes with amazement about how FAUDA Becomes the Most Watched Show in the Arab World. Who would have thought?!

The Back Story

The Latter Rain
by Avner Boskey 

(This is but an excerpt
read in full at the David's Tent website)

Vindication by water | The prophet Joel lets us in on a spiritual secret concerning His End of Days dealings with Israel. Just prior to the final outpouring of God’s Spirit (“it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit”; Joel 2:28 in English), YHVH announces to the Jewish people that He will pour out “the early rain for your vindication . . .  the early and latter rains” (Joel 2:23; the Hebrew words are moreh/yoreh and malqosh, the two yearly periods of rain in October/November and March/April).

YHVH announces that this pre-revival rain is a sign of His favor. Huge agricultural bumper crops of wine and oil will result. All Israel “will have plenty to eat and be satisfied and praise the name of YHVH . . . who has dealt wondrously with” Israel (Joel 2:24-26). The God of Jacob stresses two times in a row, “My people will never be put to shame” (Joel 2:26-27)!

When God opens the physical heavens and pours out His rains, Scripture lets us know that this is a sign to the nations that He still loves Israel, He still favors Jacob, and He is still pressing forward with sovereign resolve to restore Israel.

Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders and believers with urgent health needs

URGENT PRAYER NEED A prayer request for Naomi, for a dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed recently with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in her own words, as she has been prepared for chemotherapy which will begin next Monday. |  Ronit Bender whose cardiologist told her that her irregular heartbeat is SEVERE, and is suggesting further tests. Please intercede for Ronit: No weapon formed against her shall prosper! | Olga Bikas severe back pain has kept her in "quarantine" for the past 4 years or so! Please pray for God to do a miracle of healing for Olga. | Please pray for Rachel Netanel's brother who is in dire health | Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva  | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a miracle for Ruth.| Pray for Rania Sayegh who asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy, and complete healing.



Donna Diorio  donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
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