By Shira Sorko-Ram
Most Roman Emperors were either homosexual or bisexual. Nero played
his fiddle with his lovers while Rome burned. Rome had absorbed the
Greek culture which idolized the male body, and rulers had no reason not
to indulge in whatever type of sexual pleasure they wished. Obviously,
the populace followed in their leaders’ footsteps. The city of Pompeii,
which was destroyed instantly by a violent eruption of Vesuvius in
A.D.79 at a magnitude of 8, left many remains in tact of the city’s
homosexual lifestyle.
Hadrian, crowned emperor in A.D.117, pushed the envelope by being the
first emperor to actually present his male lover with an officially
public edict. He also killed 580,000 Jews who had rebelled against the
Roman Empire, completely destroying Jerusalem, and is believed to have
run a plow over all or part of the city. He also changed the name of
Judea to Palestine.
The first mention in the Bible of homosexuality is a description of
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the angels told Abraham’s
nephew Lot, “we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry
has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy
it.” The decree came immediately after the men of the city demanded the
angels be handed over to them for homosexual sex.
THE HOMOSEXUAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?
Skip now over some 3,500 years in this same country to Tel Aviv which
has become a magnet for homosexuals from all over the world. The mayor
of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai, interested in more tourism, has made one of his
primary goals that Tel Aviv become the homosexual capital of the world.
But for gays that was not enough. Besides the debauched and depraved
yearly parade through the streets of Tel Aviv, gay organizations were
also determined to have a yearly parade in - where else - but Jerusalem.
In 2005, the mayor of Jerusalem who was ultra-Orthodox, tried
valiantly to ban the yearly parade. However Israel’s high court not only
ordered the parade to proceed, but also forced the municipality to
decorate the city streets in gay colors, and pay $13,000 in fines for
damages to the gay parade organizers for trying to limit their rights to
equality and justice. Furthermore, the court ordered the mayor to pay a
fine out of his own pocket for his part in opposing the gays’ right to
parade through Jerusalem.
A Chick-Fil-A patron stands for freedom to practice her faith and belief in family values.
IT’S ALL ABOUT “FUN”
In Israel, it is against the law for Messianic Jews to share the
Gospel with Israelis under 18 years old. But the gay community is free
to have homosexual youth clubs where any teenager can walk off the
street and be totally accepted into the atmosphere of “love and
freedom.” And the media continually describes how “fun” the gay
lifestyle is. One friend of ours here in Israel who works closely with
the press, says he has been amazed to find so many journalists are
themselves homosexuals.
Here is an example of a very sympathetic journalist reporting on the last Tel Aviv gay pride parade:
Drag
queens, flamboyant dancers and vivacious topless joyful people partied
through central Tel Aviv today as people packed the streets... the party
was awesome - lots of booze, boobs and bums... drinks were flowing and
love was all around. How fantastic!
For people with no Biblical foundation, all the average person knows
is that he or she doesn’t want to be “against nature” or be a purveyor
of hatred.
This culture of acceptance has permeated Israel because homosexuals
have sold a bill of goods that same sex is “natural” and people are born
as homosexuals, lesbians or transsexuals. (And surely you can’t fight
the way God created you.)
Only sustained intercession of God’s people around the world will break these principalities in high places over Israel.
But for Israel’s salvation they must be taken down. Please include Israel in your prayers!
Now take a deep breath. There is more. In short, the spiritual forces
behind the gay movement are focused on making homosexuality in all
western countries with a Judeo-Christian value system as common and
accepted as it once was in the Greek and Roman pagan cultures.
If gays have their way, those who believe in Biblical values will
have to keep their views secret in order to run their businesses, as
torrents of boycotts, legal suits, physical and vocal harassment will
all be directed at believers.
THE GAY STRATEGY: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN
The biggest prize for the conversion to a homosexual culture would
be, of course, to win over the next generation. In some schools,
children are already brainwashed with books teaching the beauty of all
families, including two moms or two dads. They are being taught by gay
teachers, counselors and coaches.
Just as Islamists want to conquer the world and destroy Israel
because it is interfering with their goals, so is the homosexual
movement wanting to conquer and neutralize the nations that were once
based on Biblical principles.
For that reason, I wish to point out the importance of the actions of
three organizations in the U.S. which are standing up against the
spiritual tsunamis attempting to destroy Biblical and family values and
freedom of religion.
Two courageous men: Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-Fil-A, who stood up for Family Values
against a barrage of Gay Outrage, and former governor Mike Huckabee who called on America
to stand up against those who would abolish religious freedoms.
CHICK-FIL-A
Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, expressed his belief in Biblical and
family values. The part that most infuriated the gay community was his
statement: “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we
shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what
constitutes a marriage.’” Cathy continued: “I pray God’s mercy on our
generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we
have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”
When mayors of major American cities began attacking Cathy with
bombastic threats against Chick-fil-A opening restaurants in their
cities, and the gays went into full swing with their hate accusations,
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, rose to the occasion and made a
call for Americans to support the embattled restaurant chain. And
outraged Americans rallied and acted! Hundreds of thousands stood in
lines across America, some for hours.
This act of defiance and courage in the face of evil was a great
victory! The press certainly didn’t know what to think! The people who
fear God and believe that the Bible is His standard for life, had said,
“Enough!”
I do want to add that when we looked to buy a picture for this issue of the Maoz Israel Report,
there was not a single one from AP or Reuters
and the like, showing the long lines at Chick-fil-A. Guess it wasn’t
newsworthy enough. There were lots of pictures of gays kissing on the
grounds of the restaurant chain, even though in some locales the press
probably had to look hard to find them.
THE BOY SCOUTS
The gays have the Boy Scouts in their sites. What better place to
station homosexual counselors than in this organization of children, so
well known for having an extraordinary imprint on the character of the
boys. Pressure from gay activists has been enormous, but since 1991 the
Boy Scouts of America has barred openly gay individuals from
participating in its program at any level. The gay laser guns are still
constantly focused on this organization, explaining how much they want
to “restore the social relevancy of one of this country’s great cultural
institutions.”
But in 2010, a special committee of Scout executives and adult
volunteers concluded unanimously that the anti-gay policy was the
“absolute best” for the 112-year-old American branch of the organization
with its 3.7 million members and adult volunteers. The Scouts have lost
major donors by taking this stand. Of course the gays went to the U.S.
Supreme Court already in the year 2000, but the court amazingly sided
with the Boy Scouts in a 5-4 vote.
Gay activists are determined to bring in counselors and boys who are openly gay to the Boy Scouts of America.
However, abcnews.go.com states that AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson,
an executive board member of the Boy Scouts of America, said he was
committed to ending the ban. He takes over as president in 2014. Do we
understand what we are up against?
The Eagle Scouts is another association altogether. Boys can become
Eagle Scouts at the age of 18 if they meet the requirements during their
time as Boy Scouts. This prestigious organization has now succumbed to
accepting boys and counselors who are openly gay. Homosexual activists
have succeeded in gaining entrance to this organization of teenagers who
are just coming into manhood and are now inundated with a culture that
teaches them that all sexual preferences are equal, normal and
honorable. In fact, their counselors and leaders are free to express
their personal sexual orientation.
There is nothing your child or you can do about it - except to leave the organization.
However, Christians and Messianic Jews can still stand in force with the brave Boy Scouts leadership.
COALITION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PASTORS (CAAP)
Ben Jealous, the NAACP’s president, said in June that the civil
rights group’s board was overwhelmingly in favor of endorsing gay
marriage.
But an organization of black clergy members traveled to the NAACP’s annual convention in Houston to protest its recent decision.
The Rev. William Owens of Memphis Tennessee, founder of CAAP, said
that the NAACP had abandoned its core mission by supporting same-sex
marriage. Owens protested that if they had asked members, they would
have lost. “They had to do it under cloak of darkness,” he said. The
CAAP with membership of 3,742 African American pastors, asked to see
President Obama to protest his new stance of supporting same sex
marriage. Owens said, “He has not given us the courtesy of any reply.”
Rev. William Owens leads the coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) who stand for family values.
The African-American pastors are standing up against the current.
Owens declared, “The time has come for a broad-based assault against the
powers that be that want to change our culture to one of men marrying
men and women marrying women.”
WHERE ARE THE EVANGELICALS?
The Catholic Church is also coming out strong against the powerful
evil force. Where are the Charismatics, the Pentecostals, and the
Evangelical denominations? They must rise up to fight this battle or the
next generation will be lost to pagan ideologies.
Every single Christian periodical, TV station, radio show and
Internet media outlet should be standing strong and vocal against this
onslaught of spiritual powers.
And here’s the good news. The percentage of American people who stand
for Biblical morality far outweighs the number of gays and their
sympathizers. The Alliance for Marriage (AFM) which advocates a
constitutional amendment to protect marriage, released a poll on March
4, 2012 showing that 63 percent of Hispanics and 62 percent of African
Americans support an amendment defining marriage as between a man and a
woman.
But gay activists, though a small minority in comparison, are vicious
and active and completely determined to turn the U.S., Canada, Europe
and South America and all democratic nations into a global Sodom and
Gomorrah, with laws forbidding any opposition to the homosexual value
system.
Steve Strang, founder of Charisma magazine, reminds us that there is
strength in unity. He states forcefully how Evangelicals in California
joined arms with Mormons to pass California’s Proposition 8 in 2008.
That fight was over whether to legitimize homosexuality. Now with the
U.S, president advocating same-sex marriage, Strang asserts that this
election is becoming a referendum on homosexuality. He pleads, “We must
unite with those who believe what the Bible teaches about sexuality and
morality - whether they are Orthodox Jews, conservative Catholics or
Mormons.”
I love my adopted country Israel. But I know that the God of the
Bible will bring judgment against sin. The number of believers in Israel
is still so small that we cannot yet affect the country’s acceptance of
homosexuality. And Israel, as will all nations, will reap the wages of
sin - until her promised return to the God of Israel, and to the Lamb
who paid the price of her atonement. Please pray for Israel!
However in America, you can still push back the dark forces. If you
will! The Lord is looking for His people to stand in the gap so that he
can delay the judgment that will certainly come to the nation that
forgets God.
If we truly believe that disobedience to the word of God brings eternal separation from our Creator,
then the most loving thing we can do for this dying race is to proclaim the truth - with tears and with a broken heart.
There is no place for arrogance and self-righteousness. Just a broken
heart for a race doomed to the same end as Sodom and Gomorrah.
A WARNING FROM BILLY GRAHAM
Right is wrong and wrong is right. If you are
against same sex marriage, you are an
intolerant hate-filled bigot, a racist,
a xenophobe. If you are for same sex marriage,
you are a freedom loving, tolerant soul,
full of love for all peoples.
Evangelist Billy Graham´s letter calling America and its “deceived
people” to repentance is one in a series of escalating warnings that
America is in growing danger of God´s judgment, prominent faith leaders
told Charisma News.
“This may be our last chance to call the nation to pray,” says Anne
Gimenez, national chairperson of America for Jesus - The Awakening,
which expects hundreds of thousands of people to gather at Independence
Mall in Philadelphia Sept 28-29 to pray and intercede for the United
States.
In his letter, “My Heart Aches for America,” the 93-year-old Graham
wrote that he recalled how his late wife, Ruth, once expressed concerns
about the nation´s “terrible downward spiral” - exclaiming, “If God
doesn´t punish America, He´ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Graham, who has preached to more people than any other Protestant in
history - 2.2 billion - wrote that he wondered what Ruth would think of
the country today where “self-centered indulgence, pride and a lack of
shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.”
“My heart aches for America,” wrote Graham. “The wonderful news is
that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In
Jonah´s Day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower - wealthy,
unconcerned and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled
to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented. I
believe the same thing can happen once again, this time in our nation.”
Jack Hayford, the founding pastor of The Church on the Way in Van
Nuys, Calif., says Graham’s letter comes as the nation is in a “very
grim hour as we approach the election this year.”
“What we need is something on the order of shock troops at this hour,
and I can imagine that can be raised,” Hayford says. “I don´t feel
despairing. I do feel the urgency. We are at a point that desperate
action is needed.”
Rick Scarborough, chairman of 40 Days to Save America, wrote: “Today,
our nation faces multiple crises - pending economic collapse, moral
disintegration and international terrorism - but all have spiritual
underpinnings. The crises confronting us are beyond the power of human
beings to resolve without divine guidance. Nothing short of a Third
Great Awakening can save us.”
For another Great Awakening to occur, Hayford says the church and
believers must engage in “gut-level, spiritually-impassioned
intercessory prayer” - something lacking in most churches today, few of
which even hold prayer meetings anymore...
As Sunday, September 16 ushers in the Biblical Day of the Trumpets, will the Army of the Lord muster at the Trumpet Call?
THE BIBLE'S VIEW
Now before they [the angels] lay down, the men of the city, the
men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter,
surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are
the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know
them carnally.”
So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut
the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so
wickedly! See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man;
please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you
wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have
come under the shadow of my roof.”
And they said, “Stand back!”
Then they said, “This one [i.e. Lot] came in to stay here, and he keeps
acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.”
Then
the men [angels] said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law,
your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them
out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry
against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord
has sent us to destroy it.” (Genesis 19:1,4-9,12-13)
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination. (Leviticus18:22)
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them
have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their
blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their
women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way
the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed
with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men,
and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
And,
although they know the judgments of God, that those who practice such
things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give
hearty approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:26-27, 32)
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Expanding Our Media Outreach
Rev. Leehee Ainav, one of the very finest Messianic teachers in Israel, prepares to record one
of her 52 Hebrew-language three-minute Bible Portions of the week.
Ari and Shira greet our partners, wishing them a Happy New Year on the eve of the High Holidays.
Moments In the Life Of
Congregation Tiferet Yeshua In Tel Aviv
Ron Cantor, one of our regular team of preachers, gives the word of the Lord on Saturday morning.
Our fourth and newest elder Gil, and his wife Tamar are dedicated to the work of the Lord.
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Forty Two Israelis Attend the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America Yearly Conference
We were so proud to host this wonderful group of Israelis from 12
congregations who beautifully represented the Body of Messiah in Israel.
We introduced our Israelis on Israel Night at the conference -
explaining what cities or areas they come from, their professions and
other interesting details!
This picture is so very special to us personally. Pastor Jack Hayford
spoke at the conference and afterwards the leadership of the MJAA
placed on Pastor Jack a tallit (prayer shawl) and yarmulka and then
blessed him in prayer.
Pastor Jack has been our encourager for 35 years - especially when things didn’t go like we had hoped.
To his right is Jeff Forman, also a Maoz Canadian Board Member and to
his left is Paul Liberman, on our U.S. Maoz Board. At the outer left
and right is David Chernoff and Joel Chernoff, also close friends for 35
years.
Actually everyone in the picture has impacted our lives: to the back
left of Pastor Jack is David Shneier who helped us start our first
little group meetings in Israel; in front of Joel is Hope Chernoff
Edelstein and Marty Goetz - all part of our family of Messianic Jewish
pioneers!
Our Tiferet Yeshua worship team led the praise and worship - in
Hebrew! We projected the transliteration on the screens so everyone
could sing along!
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Helping the Poor In Cities
Under Rocket Attacks by Hamas
The Messianic Jewish Alliance of America has a fabulous humanitarian
aid organization by the name of The Joseph Project. Through this
channel, the MJAA has been able to ship to Israel over $90 million of
goods given to them by businesses all over the world. Much of the
donations they receive are used for shipping the goods, and, indeed,
they have sent nearly 400 large shipping containers into Israel in the
last 12 years.
The Joseph Project is licensed in Israel to provide humanitarian aid
from their 30 independent centers, blessing victims of terror,
unemployed, hospitals, firefighters, soldiers, the disabled and much
more - in fact up to 60,000 - 70,000 people a year.
They are now able to increase the flow of containers into Israel, but need more room for which to stock and distribute.
New Humanitarian Aid Warehouse in S’derot of which MJAA Joseph Project will take possession in November.
Its first stock will be survival kits (for use in bomb shelters) for families living under the poverty line,
as well as other wartime aid.
To accommodate their increased ability to serve Israel they have
acquired a new “southern command” warehouse in the town of S’derot near
the border of Gaza.
This besieged city has endured thousands of rockets from Gaza, constantly terrorizing and oppressing the population.
The Joseph Project’s immediate need is to construct floor-to-ceiling
shelving for distribution of goods to the whole southern area of Israel,
including Eilat, Beer Sheva, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat aid centers,
currently the areas most attacked by Hamas terrorists.
Example of type of palletized shelving Maoz Ministries has committed to supply for the new S’derot warehouse.
Maoz is delighted to give our co-laborers the opportunity to invest in such a worthy project. We have committed to raise $50,000 in order to shelve the entire building in S’derot.
Dear Ari and Shira,
This is to thank Maoz Ministries for the generous interest taken
in bringing humanitarian aid to Israel’s poor. Your $50,000 commitment
is the largest contribution and pledge in the movement-wide effort to
get a new 15,000 square foot warehouse up and running.
The
facility has been recently leased and some 42 cargo containers are
expected to be shipped during the upcoming year. Each contains some
$150,000 of donated goods. Shelving is needed, even before the first
shipment arrives and it cannot be acquired and installed in stages.
The amount of the Maoz funding will cover this entire cost and clear the way for immediate action.
This is a strategic move, which will help tens of thousands of struggling Israelis (particularly immigrants), every year.
May the Lord bless you and your donors always for this stretch in your giving.
In Yeshua,
Paul Liberman
President
Messianic Jewish Alliance of America
Dear Maoz,
This warehouse is on the front lines of the war with the enemies
of Israel and I couldn’t be happier that we are following the Lord’s
leading to “plant the flag in the face of the enemy” of Israel and show
the same courage to do so that David the shepherd did when he stood up
to the Philistine bully, Goliath, and claimed a great victory for
Israel.
Joel Chernoff
Chairman of the MJAA Joseph Project
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Happy Jewish New Year 5773!
Once again, this year we are pleased to offer our partners a beautiful 16 month Hebrew Calendar, beginning September 2012, for
your gift of $35 or more!
You will simply love the photographs of the beautiful mountains of the Holy Land.
There is a limited supply, so be sure to
request yours when you make your online donation to Maoz or any of our projects.
*Online offer valid in U.S. only. To order your calendars in Canada please contact maozcanada@maozisrael.org. In the UK and Europe email petra@maozisrael.org. In Ireland contact miriam@maozisrael.org.
September 2012
Happy New Year 5773!
The reborn state of Israel has existed for these 64 years only by the
absolute grace of God. When has there ever been a nation so despised
and hated by almost every country in the world?
Tens of nations would love to completely destroy her inhabitants.
Almost every meter of her borders is on fire with terrorists who live
for the day she will die.
And yet, GOD. God doesn’t break promises. And in this persecuted,
sin-sick nation, a little twig has pushed through the dry and cracked
ground.
Several thousand Israelis have been washed in the blood of the mighty
Messiah. A new generation of bold believing youth have made their
appearance.
Yes, the Bible clearly states that war comes to a nation because of
her sins. According to II Chronicles 7, disasters such as drought and
famine, pestilence and such come when the people of God forget Him.
But, “when My people who are called by My Name humble themselves...”
For the Jewish people, this month of Tishri is a month of afflicting
one’s soul, of searching one’s heart, of fasting and praying.
But, the Bible says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”
That’s why we’re here in Tel Aviv. That’s why you and we are
co-laborers. To bring the knowledge of God to the chosen people of
Israel - chosen to be a light to the nations.
We are here to preach the Good News - to reach out through our Tel Aviv congregation, through
music and recordings, through Internet and
Hebrew books, through personal discipling, through home groups and local and national conferences.
As members of His Body, we are here also to
bind up the broken and strengthen those who are hurting. Preaching good tidings to the poor, and healing the brokenhearted. Bringing spiritual life and physical help.
That’s what we’re about.
That is why we are
partnering with the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America
to prepare a treasure house of goods for people who are without. A
warehouse holding tons of fine merchandise and products to be
distributed throughout the whole southern area of the nation.
Together, we will
see the shelves of this warehouse be fitted against its walls and filled with goods to bring HOPE and LOVE!
Together, we are Maoz. Together we are His Body, His hands and His feet.
Together, through prayer and action we will see the Light of Life born into the people of Israel.
May you have a blessed and prosperous New Year,
Your co-laborers,
Ari & Shira Sorko-Ram
P.S. With your gift this month, be sure to request your Messianic Jewish calendar. Happy New Year!
