Month: January 2018

Profound Sadness Fills My Heart: This Place Is Not Our Home

On By Geri UngureanIn Uncategorized9 Comments

This will be a piece unlike others I have written.  It will not be on current events and how they are tied to Biblical prophecy.  It will not be on the apostasy which has run rampant through the church,  causing so many to fall away from the faith.

I will write about the sorrow which seems to have taken up residence in my heart and my mind. I am not writing for the reader to feel sorry for me.  I believe that the Lord has urged me to open my heart so that others may see my struggles.  I do not know why God would want me to do this, but I must obey Him.

The Psalms

So many times we hear the brethren say “Read the Psalms – they will help you.”  This is true, you know.  So many times David was in such utter despair, he seemed on the verge of giving up. There wasn’t a Commandment that David did not break. And yet the Lord called him “A man after His own heart.”

David’s humanity gives me hope in dark times.  His love for the Lord, and his godly repentance brought him time and time again to God’s throne. There he would prostrate himself and confess to God that he sinned against Him and Him alone. God loved David’s heart.

O Lord, I have sinned

Satan loves to remind me that I fell away for a time after I was born again.  He made me believe for many years that God would not take me back. I wasn’t reading the Word as I should have been back then, so I had no defense against the accusations of the evil one.

I cried out to the Lord for almost 7 years.  I would say to Him “God I know that I am not worthy and I wonder if You have forsaken me. I would not blame you Lord. But I want to come back because there is no other place to go. The only time that I felt joyful and complete was when I walked with You.  Lord, will you take me back?”

I began to read Psalms and I had never felt so close to God in all the years since I was born again.  I saw in those Psalms the same sorrow, heartache and hopelessness in David as I was feeling. But I saw something else. I saw forgiveness – not forgiveness from an earthy father, but the kind of forgiveness which can only come from my Father in heaven.

“For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust”  (Psalm 103:11-14).

He knows that we are Dust

Yes, He knows our frame and how weak we can be when we are not walking with Him.  He knows that the enemy roams about the earth,  just seeking his next victim.   But God loves us with an everlasting love – and it is unconditional.  No earthly father can love us this way.  Only our Father in heaven.

Still, there is sorrow

Some mornings I open my eyes and I can feel them tearing up.  I don’t want to be here anymore.  I want to be with the Lord Jesus. I want to be away from this horribly wicked world.  Is this selfish?  Maybe it is. But as I said, I am opening my heart to the reader.  I want my brethren to know that the struggles that we face – we face together.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”  (1 Corinthians 10: 12-14).

Beulah Land

When I first heard this song – written and sung by Squire Parsons – I wept. All the yearning and aching in my heart to see Jesus in heaven;  to be snatched away by Him and taken to my real home  – THAT is our Blessed Hope. THAT is what we desire every day…….every minute.

We walk around on this guilty sod, knowing that this is definitely NOT our home. But He is coming and I believe that He is coming soon.  Only His Father knows the appointed time, but this I do know:  It will be the perfectly planned time to bring us home.

Lyrics:

Sweet Beulah Land

I’m kind of homesick for a country
To which I’ve never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
For time won’t matter anymore.
Beulah Land (Beulah Land) I’m longing for you (I’m longing for you)
And some day (And some day) on thee I’ll stand (Someday we will stand)
There my home (There my home) shall be eternal (Eternal)
Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land
I’m looking now, just across the river
To where my faith, shall end in sight (Shall end in sight)
There’s just a few more days to labor.
Then I will take my heavenly flight.
Beulah Land…Squire Parsons
MARANATHA

 

 

The DANGEROUS Truth About TAMIFLU That is Being Hidden From You

On By Geri UngureanIn Dangers of Tamiflu7 Comments

This article may shock you, and quite honestly, I HOPE that it does!

I have written numerous articles about Big Pharma and how they rack in billions of dollars from unsuspecting consumers.  Their cash cow used to be Chemo. That was only surpassed recently by Statin drugs, which are said to be prescribed to people who do NOT need the drug. But more importantly, Statins are harming people:

How Statins Degenerate Your Brain Health  (article by Dr. Mercola on the dangers of Statins)

Recently, my sister almost died from her Statins. She had lost 40 lbs in one year (without trying) and also lost muscle mass all over her body. She wound up in the hospital where doctors said that she had Encephalopathy (brain swelling) and problems with her liver. Thankfully, she was told to stop the Statins and a little over a month later, she finally began to heal.

Remember this:  Doctors get kick backs from the Pharmaceutical companies!

But this article is about an Over the Counter drug called Tamiflu.

This week we have read so many articles on children experiencing hallucinations after taking Tamiflu.  Here are some headlines:

  • 6-YEAR-OLD HALLUCINATES, TRIES TO JUMP OUT WINDOW AFTER TAKING TAMIFLU
  • Warning: Tamiflu Causes Mental Health Issues
  • Bizarre Hallucination in Kids Taking Tamiflu
  • 6 Year Old Girl Reportedly Suffered Psychotic Effects From Tamiflu
  • Tamiflu Turned My Kids Into Hallucinating Sobbing Wrecks (from 2009!)

And today from dailymail.com

Mounting Tamiflu terrors: Girl, 11 saw ‘the portal to HELL’ and had to be hospitalized for three months after she was treated for the flu

  • Lindsay Ellis of Indianapolis was given Tamiflu last year when she got the flu
  • Days later, she began to hallucinate intensely 
  • Tamiflu has been linked to a number of cases of hallucinations in children
  • Though it is banned for children in Japan, it remains one of the CDC’s most highly-recommended flu treatments
  • Ellis spent three months in the hospital, but has now recovered 

Her father is calling for more warnings of Tamiflu’s dangers

An 11-year-old girl from became convinced that she was hearing the devil’s voice with insects crawling all over her body after she took Tamiflu last year.

Lindsay Ellis’s father, Charles, decided to go public with her harrowing story yesterday after reports emerged that another girl – a six-year-old in Allen, Texas – tried to jump out of a window under the influence of the flu treatment.

Already this year, 30 children have died of the flu, and parents are turning to Tamiflu to treat their young ones at the first signs of sickness.

But, in rare cases, Tamiflu has been linked to hallucinations like this one, from Indianapolis, Indiana, whose delusions subsided after she was taken off of the drug.

Lindsay Ellis, then 11, was incoherent when her father took her to the hospital, where she had to stay for three months last year before recovering from a reaction to Tamiflu

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone for whom the flu might pose serious health risks – including children younger than five – get flu shots, and start taking flu antiviral drugs.

Tamiflu, or the generic oseltamivir, is one of three such drugs the CDC has endorsed for treating this year’s flu.

But every year, reports of terrifying neurological side effects emerge. – source

From newsweek.com

6-YEAR-OLD HALLUCINATES, TRIES TO JUMP OUT WINDOW AFTER TAKING TAMIFLU

After a 6-year-old girl in north Texas came down with the flu, her parents made the decision to give her a flu treatment called Tamiflu. But, they claim, the psychological side effects almost cost their daughter her life.

The girl hallucinated and ran away from school. She went home and upstairs to her bedroom. “The second story window was open,” the girl’s father said in an interview with KTVT on Friday. “And she used her desk to climb up onto it, and then she was about to jump out the window when my wife came up and grabbed her.”

Tamiflu is an antiviral that is supposed to block the flu virus from reproducing in a patient. But, like any drug, Tamiflu can cause side effects as well. According to WebMD, potential side-effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, and dizziness. The list also includes “delusions” and “hallucinations” as possible side effects from the medication, but they are very rare.

Furthermore, Forbes reported in 2013 that studies regarding the effectiveness of Tamiflu for treating the flu are flawed and funded by Tamiflu itself.

Does that mean that Tamiflu caused these symptoms in the 6-year-old? It’s hard to say. Hallucination is also a symptom of the flu itself, so it’s possible that the girl would have suffered the symptoms either way. After concerns that Tamiflu was causing hallucinations in children in Japan, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted a safety review. They wrote in a report that “based on the information available to us, we can not conclude that there is a causal relationship between Tamiflu and the reported pediatric deaths.”

According to the Tamiflu website, the function of the drug is to treat people who have had the flu for two days or less, or who have been exposed but don’t show symptoms yet. The website also says that it is not meant to be a replacement for annual flu shots.

The side effects on the Texan girl should be short-term, and the family sent a letter to the FDA about their experience.  –source

From althealthworks.com

The Dangerous Truth About Flu Meds That’s Being Hidden From You (Responsible for Deaths, Suicides, and Countless Psychiatric Episodes)

Analysis

Over 10 years ago (and before my natural healing journey), I was traveling through Europe and went to a pharmacy to treat common cold symptoms. I had no fever, no chills, and no muscle aches, and yet, the pharmacist talked me into taking what was then a still-new drug for treating the flu, Tamiflu.

Skeptical, but not seeing other options in a foreign country, I decided to try it.

What followed were 48 hours of hellish side effects — strange delusions and hallucinations, accompanied by fever and complete disorientation. All of this came from just one dose, one pill.

What would have happened if I had taken it for the recommended duration of twice-a-day for five days?

As I later found out, it is not uncommon to experience psychiatric episodes such as delirium, delusions, hallucinations, and nightmares with Tamiflu.

These symptoms have not only adversely affected people, but have been linked to dozens of deaths.

But despite that (and repeated call-outs from skeptical health whistleblowers and scientists), the drug remains on the market, racking up over 800 million dollars in 2016 for the California based pharmaceutical giant Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. and Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Unfortunately, most people still don’t realize the immense harm this drug is capable of causing, until it’s too late.

And according to one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, its claims for treating the dreaded flu virus each year may be highly exaggerated at best, if not a complete fabrication.

Tamiflu: A Dangerous Antiviral Scam?

Tamiflu or oseltamivir phosphate is an antiviral medication that was approved in the U.S. in 1999, and in Europe in 2002. Its maker Roche made big promises; the drug is marketed to both treat and prevent the flu virus – “the first pill to treat influenza.”

As has been discovered over and over again, it does not do what it promises, while underplaying serious side effects.

In 2012, the British Medical Journal called out Tamiflu on what it called “missing data” supporting the drug’s ability to actually work — claiming there is no evidence the drug can actually stop the flu according to CBS News.

A World Health Organization spokesman responded by saying the agency has substantive evidence that the drug can help to stop or hinder the progression of severe disease like pneumonia.

But the BMJ remained unconvinced.

In 2017, the WHO dealt a serious blow to the drug’s potential sales and reputation, removing Tamiflu from its list of “essential” medicines to “complementary,” in what the BMJ called a “vote for evidence based policy making, which will save money and harm.”

Meanwhile, however, the drug is still being sold, and as of 2012 it was also approved for children as young as 2 weeks old.

Today, Tamiflu is a common anti-viral drug to be recommended by doctors, who have bought into its marketing. But it doesn’t take a lot of digging to find the truth about the dangers of this “common” flu drug.

The Dangers of the CDC’s #1 Recommended Flu Drug

According to the CDC, Tamiflu is the first drug recommended for influenza each year.

But even though it may work for some, studies have shown that it only shortens flu symptoms for about half a day.

Its ineffectiveness was particularly evident during the swine flu pandemic of 2009. Europe spent millions on the drug, and studies later showed its surprising ineffectiveness. Instead, it may actually worsen flu symptoms.

Research from 20 clinical trials found that for some people, Tamiflu prevents their immune system from producing their own antibodies to fight the illness, leaving them more susceptible to it.

“This drug was given to 1,000 people a week over a phone line, but it was no better for symptom relief than over-the-counter medication — and you’re talking about potentially serious complications. I wouldn’t prescribe it to my patients,” said Dr. Carl Henegen of the University of Oxford.

Besides not working, the drug caused all sorts of horrible side effects.

“The stuff is toxic. It increased the risk of psychiatric events, headaches and renal events in one in 150 people. People reported nausea, vomiting, and constriction of the airways,” said epidemiologist Dr. Tom Jefferson of The Cochrane Collaboration. (This conclusion was reached after The Cochrane Collaboration retrieved data from Tamiflu, which was considered to be confidential).

The most extreme side effects of Tamiflu (one that I have experienced) is psychiatric episodes.

Psychiatric Nightmare: Child Deaths in Japan

Suicide is not a side effect that one expects from a flu medication, but this is exactly what has happened in Japan. At least eight kids and three adults reportedly committed suicide after taking Tamiflu, and there were over 1,745 cases of children experiencing psychiatric side effects as well in the country.

A total of 1,800 of these reports were delivered to the FDA in 2005, out of which 55 were from the U.S. There have been at least 70 reported deaths worldwide.

(Keep in mind that few people report negative reactions to drugs; I never reported mine. Japan requires adverse event reporting; the U.S. does not. Studies have shown that as little as 1% of all adverse events are being reported in the U.S.).

The Japanese cases got the most attention.

  • Two boys jumped from the second story of their homes.
  • A 14-year-old girl was diagnosed with delirium after she felt there was a stranger in her home when there was no one there, declared that her salad is poisoned, and finally said that she wanted to kill herself.

These three survived but others did not.

“He ran out into the snow barefoot in his pajamas, climbed over a 3-meter fence to cross train tracks and then ran into a truck,”said his father Haruhiko Nokiba.

Many others have reported depression and anxiety, and experiencing other psychopathic events.

While cases in Japan gained worldwide attention, patients in the U.S. who also had horrifying experiences took to the Web to warn others.

Customer reviews of the drug are confirming psychiatric experiences:

“My 7-year-old was prescribed Tamiflu. It helped his flu symptoms, but caused him to hallucinate, very agitated and feelings of wanting to hurt others.”

“Throwing up, acid in my stomach, insomnia and then got the panic attacks and depression…I am not on any anti-depression medication or anything. But I actually felt like I could die and it would be better. The thoughts racing through my head were horrible.”

“Within hours of taking TAMIFLU I was hospitalized because I could not breathe from throwing up so much, my nose was stopped up from the flu and throwing up blocked my airway…At one point while vomiting my eyes were so glazed over and I almost passed out because I was so weak. My husband was terrified for me and I honestly felt like I was having an out-of-body experience.”

*** To date, Japan is the only country which banned Tamiflu.

Near-Death Experiences in Europe and the U.S.

Besides psychiatric episodes, life-threatening reactions and events happened to many children in Europe and the U.S.

  • British TV host Andrew Castle’s daughter Georgina almost died after taking Tamiflu. She has asthma and experienced a respiratory collapse from the drug, which was given to her without a diagnosis. Castle told his story on television in 2009 and confronted health secretary Andy Burnham (in office 2008-2009) who was defending the drug.

This was the Swine Flu year when Tamiflu was recommended by the British government only later to be discovered by research that it was unnecessary and even risky for children to take this drug.

Adults have also been injured due to a Tamiflu side effect.

  • Samantha Goddard was in a coma for two weeks after an allergic reaction to Tamiflu. She was left blind, scarred, and with damage to internal organs.
  • Dr. Lawrence G. Roberts, known as “the father of the Internet,” totaled his car after blanking out and driving his BMW straight into a tree, hours after taking Tamiflu.

These are just some of the potential real life examples of the drug’s long list of  devastating possible side effects.

Tamiflu’s Other Side Effects

Tamiflu is made from oseltamivir phosphate and a cocktail of inactive ingredients, any of which could be adding to its severe side effects.

Its inactive ingredients are: pregelatinized starch, talc, povidone K 30, croscarmellose sodium, sodium stearyl fumarate. The capsule is made of gelatin, titanium dioxide, yellow iron oxide, and red iron oxide.

The powder for oral suspension contains: sorbitol, monosodium citrate, xanthan gum, titanium dioxide, tutti-frutti 19 flavoring, sodium benzoate, and saccharin sodium.

Besides psychiatric episodes, some people report the worst nausea and stomach pain they have ever experienced, worse than the flu itself can give.

Nausea and vomiting are one of the most common side effects with this drug.

Looking at its insert, we can estimate that if one million people took this drug, about 90,000 will experience vomiting; 70,000 – diarrhea; 20,000 will have headaches, and 20,000 will have abdominal pain. Other adverse events are bronchitis, dizziness, insomnia, vertigo, and fatigue.

But the side effects do not stop there. Here is the list of serious adverse reactions that were reported after the drug went on market:

  • Body as a Whole: Swelling of the face or tongue, allergy, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions
  • Dermatologic: Dermatitis, rash, eczema, urticaria, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis
  • Digestive: Hepatitis, liver function tests abnormal
  • Cardiac: Arrhythmia
  • Gastrointestinal disorders: Gastrointestinal bleeding, hemorrhagic colitis
  • Neurologic: Seizure
  • Metabolic: Aggravation of diabetes
  • Psychiatric: Delirium, including symptoms such as altered level of consciousness, confusion, abnormal behavior, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, anxiety, nightmares

What Is Next for Tamiflu Battle?

After everything that happened, instead of banning this drug, it has been approved for kids as young as 2 weeks old.

And a generic version of it was created in 2016 (generic drugs are oftentimes more dangerous because due to regulations, they are not required to update their warning labels even when new information about adverse reactions emerges and the FDA is not in a hurry to change this regulation anytime soon).

What’s worse is that Tamiflu together with the FDA and other organizations continue to refute links between Tamiflu and the adverse reactions it has been shown to cause.

However, independent reports including one by The Cochrane Collaboration found that many negative drug trials were left unpublished, purposefully hidden from the public – over 100,000 pages of information.

Still, the FDA has done nothing about it.

As Dr. Peter Doshi, who specializes in independently analyzing pharmaceuticals, pointed out, the issue is that we do not have real watchdogs. As he found out from his research, a watchdog for Tamiflu does not exist, and there is unlikely to be any action taken again this drug anytime soon.

For now, all we can do is spread the knowledge and hope consumers finally get the message that the FDA, and health organizations around the world for that matter, have been ignoring for so long.

The take away from this very informative article is found in just ONE statement:

“Still, the FDA has done nothing about it.”

And do you know why the FDA is silent on this toxic and incredibly dangerous OTC medicine?  It’s because the FDA and the CDC are both in the pocket of Big Pharma!

Yes, that’s right.  Many people are getting very rich from the sale of Tamiflu, while others watch their children experience the most terrifying hallucinations and anxiety of their lives!

This is beyond evil. These children are most likely emotionally scarred for life.

PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE!

MARANATHA!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebration of Transgenderism With Drag Queen in Jewish Day School

On By Geri UngureanIn Israel's Messiah2 Comments

A reader of my articles sent a piece from the Times of Israel to me.  She was very upset and even said that she believed that these are not “real” Jews.  Unfortunately, they are not only real Jews, but they represent the majority of my people.

The Jewish people, as a whole, are very liberal minded. I loved my mother very much – she died in 1999.  But I must be truthful with the reader about my mother’s ultra liberalism.

After I was born again in 1983, my mother told me that she was less upset about me believing in Jesus than she was at my becoming a Conservative thinker. These were her words:  “I can’t believe that I gave birth to a Conservative!”

She was pro- abortion, pro gay rights; pro “anything” that the Lord would consider as sin. She even defended Bill Clinton after his disgusting relationship with Lewinsky was made public.  She told me that powerful men need more sex.  I responded to her that powerful “married” men have wives for that.

Most Jews are Secular or “Reformed”  

My father was raised in an Orthodox Jewish home in Boston, MA. My mother was raised in a secular Jewish home in Philadelphia.  They met in D.C. at a Jewish Community Center during WWII.  My dad adored my mom and he gave up his Orthodox traditions and beliefs for her. Isn’t it interesting that the Lord put a hunger in my father to really know Him, but not my mother?

After my parents retired to Florida, I began to witness to my dad in letters. He wrote beautiful letters back to me. He would talk about the Ten Commandments, and how proud it made him that I cared about God. He began to watch Billy Graham Crusades on TV whenever they were on.  It made my mother a little crazy!

My parents moved back to MD after my dad’s health began to fail. The Lord allowed me the privilege of leading my father to Him on the night of his death in 1997.

From timesofisrael.com

Breaking down stereotypes, Jewish day school to host drag queen Shabbat ceremony

Massachusetts’ Lander Grinspoon Academy will hold ‘Sparkle Havdalah’ event in recognition of ‘all sorts of family structures in our community’

The Saturday evening event at a Jewish day school in western Massachusetts will in many ways look like a typical havdalah ceremony. There will be a musical interlude marking the end of Shabbat with a traditional braided candle, grape juice and spice bags.

But the event at the Lander Grinspoon Academy in Northampton will also feature storytelling by a less typical guest: a drag queen.

The school, together with local Jewish organizations, is hosting a Jewish version of Drag Queen Story Hour, a national program in which drag entertainers read stories to children. The goal of the program, launched in San Francisco in 2015, is to give kids “glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models.”

A local drag queen, Jenayah De Rosario, will be reading “Sparkle Boy,” a book by Jewish children’s author Leslea Newman, about a young boy who likes to wear glittery clothing. Newman will be on hand to read two of her books: “Here Is the World: A Year of Jewish Holidays,” and “Heather Has Two Mommies,” which when published in 1989 drew praise and controversy for portraying a family with same-sex parents.

The event will also feature plenty of glitter, including workshops to make sparkly spice bags and crowns, a photo booth with costumes and face painting.

Amy Meltzer, the school’s director of family engagement, came up with the idea for Sparkle Havdalah: A Drag Queen Story Hour after a local library hosted a drag queen story hour organized by Newman. Meltzer, who serves in the same role for event co-sponsor Congregation B’nai Israel of Northampton, said hosting the havdalah event aligned with the values of the local Jewish community.

“We live in a community that is progressive, has many LGBTQ families and really celebrates people being themselves and not being stuck with really rigid ideas of what gender needs to look like, so it felt like a really natural fit for our community,” Meltzer told JTA.

Lander Grinspoon Academy is a non-denominational day school that welcomes children “from all Jewish traditions and backgrounds.”

The area, which includes Smith College, Mount Holyoke College and the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts, has a national reputation for being LGBTQ-friendly. The event is co-sponsored by a range of Jewish institutions in the area, including the school and Congregation B’nai Israel of Northampton along with Gan Keshet Preschool, Abundance Farm, PJ Library of Western Massachusetts and the Upper Pioneer Valley, and the Beit Ahavah synagogue . The Harold Grinspoon Foundation, which runs PJ Library and is headquartered in nearby Agawam, is providing funding.

In 2014, PJ library, a non-profit organization that sends free Jewish childrens’ books and CDs to families, for the first time included a book featuring LGBTQ characters: “The Purim Superhero.” However, it chose to make the book about a young boy with two fathers available by request only, rather than sending it out to all who subscribe to the service. PJ Library drew both praise and criticism from the LGBTQ community and allies — praise for including the book, criticism for treating it differently than other books.

Newman said she sees the Lander event as a step forward.

“As far as I know, besides “Purim Superhero,” there hasn’t been a [PJ Library] book that touches on issues of LGBTQ families,” she said. “I would like to think that they at some point might consider heading in that direction. I know they have a very broad constituency, and it’s hard to please everybody, so I am absolutely thrilled that they are sponsoring this event.”

The local PJ Library service welcomes a diverse group of families, including interfaith, interracial and LGBTQ families, said Rachel Hirsch Schneider, the coordinator for the PJ Library of Western Massachusetts and the Upper Pioneer Valley. The branch operates under the umbrella of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts.

“We have all sorts of family structures in our community, and we embrace that fully,” Hirsch Schneider told JTA, adding that she hoped to plan future events for LGBTQ families.

Meltzer wants to attract families who might not otherwise attend a Jewish event. She is expecting a large turnout and has bought craft materials for 100 children.

“People have certain stereotypes that a Jewish community might have a narrower approach to understanding gender, so it’s a message that we’re a welcoming community and an inclusive community,” Meltzer said.

She noted that the event might not be a hit everywhere.

“We know this is a good fit for our community,” she said. “I have no suggestion that every community ought to have a drag queen havdalah.” – source

Brethren, most of the readers of this article are also readers of God’s Word.  I am sure that you remember that the Jewish people throughout the Word of God were called “stiff necked”  and so they were and are.  During the coming Time of Jacob’s Trouble, God will deal with His Chosen people who are unrepentant. Did you know that Tel Aviv is known as the “Gay Capital of the World?”

But don’t forget that there are more believing Jews in Israel today – more than ever before in history!  About 10% of Jews in Israel are Orthodox, and most of them live in Jerusalem. Jewish people in America are predominantly secular and do not even care for Israel.  Some of them are pro-Palestinian! I believe that this, along with the falling away of much of the church in America, will bring about the demise of our once great country.

Another Holocaust 

Unbelieving Jews do not know that a Holocaust is coming that is more horrific than the one they remember from Nazi Germany.  After Antichrist sits in the Temple, and declares that he is God – the eyes of the Jewish people will be opened. Antichrist will slaughter 2/3 of Israel.  1/3 will flee to the hills.

I pray that this article falls into the hands of many unbelieving Jews. And I pray that the Lord will use this to draw many of His people to Him – and their eyes will be opened before the Rapture.

And I do believe that we are so very close to the Rapture. Those left behind will experience the most horrific time this earth will ever know: 

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

MARANATHA!

 

 

 

 

 

Why Christians Should Not Give Money to Rabbi Eckstein of IFCJ

On By Geri UngureanIn Uncategorized16 Comments

I first wrote this article in 2015.  I have been seeing a lot on Facebook which prompted me to bring out this article once again.

Original Article:

We have all seen the commercials from Rabbi Eckstein of IFCJ (International Fellowship of Christians and Jews), asking for your money to support his cause. He shows Jews in Israel – so hungry, that they are fighting each other to get the boxes of food. He says “Jews are so poor; they cannot even afford to buy matzo for Passover.”

Well, I have a few things to say about the good Rabbi – did I say good? Maybe you won’t think so after reading about this man and his organization.

Years ago, I began getting emails and mail from IFCJ. At first I thought that this was wonderful. But I wanted to vet this man to make sure he was on the up and up.

I knew many believers who gave religiously (pun intended) to Rabbi Eckstein. They seemed to think this man could do no wrong, and wanted to be a partner in supporting the Jewish people.

I started reading about him. He was not a believer in Yeshua. As a matter of fact, he is an Orthodox Rabbi. I actually wrote to him several times, and told him of my belief in Yeshua. I told him that he could not be saved without the forgiveness and belief in Yeshua. I never received a reply.

A few years ago, I saw Rabbi Eckstein on a Christian TV station. He was singing Jewish songs, and talking about Judaism. It seemed to me that his purpose in doing this was perhaps to get his followers to become Jews. Now, with the Hebrew Roots cult abounding everywhere, I wonder how many of these folks were influenced by the Rabbi.

Before Moishe Rosen of Jews for Jesus went home to be with Yeshua, he wrote in “Moishe’s Musings” an article in which he spoke of Rabbi Eckstein. Here is an excerpt from his article:

“There is another kind of “lifestyle evangelism” that I can’t endorse. It’s the kind where people congratulate one another that actions speak louder than words, and that if others know they are a Christian, they need not say anything about Jesus so long as they live exemplary lives.

Isn’t it interesting that Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, an Orthodox Jew, promoted this kind of evangelism in his article “Witnessing vs. Proselytizing,” which was posted online at the Christianity Today website. Eckstein concludes, “If Christians want to share their faith with Jews, they should start by being good friends and neighbors, and wherever possible, ‘good Samaritans.’ Evangelicals call this style of witnessing ‘lifestyle evangelism,’ and it seems to me a self-evidently superior form of outreach.” [Before you take that ringing endorsement of how to witness to Jewish people, you need to know that] Eckstein is a man of great sensitivity and tact, but he is not a believer and his goal is not to see other Jews become believers. Helping people win Jews to Christ would make Eckstein anathema in the Jewish community. Yet some Christians regard him as an expert on how to successfully share their faith. Ecktstein claims to uphold the Christian mandate to witness, but eventually he discloses his opinion that it is arrogant for Christians to think that Jewish people need Jesus.

I think that Christians should be concerned that Rabbi Eckstein has gained quite a platform among evangelical Christians. As reasonable and affirming of the Christian religion as Eckstein might seem, his commitment as an Orthodox rabbi is still at odds with those of us committed to seeing all people, including Jewish people, find salvation in Jesus.

I’m afraid that some Christians have been so flattered by Eckstein’s approach that the utter lack of logic in using him as an authority on Jewish evangelism escapes them. In a way, I am glad that Eckstein speaks so highly of “lifestyle evangelism” because it affords thinking Christians the opportunity to reflect on how to fulfill the Great Commission. The kind of lifestyle evangelism Eckstein praises centers on how nice people can be, whereas the Bible centers on why the cross is so necessary.” [1]

And then there is the matter of his income. Oy vey – WHAT an income!

I found this information on many credible sites, but this from Charisma Magazine, articulated the facts so well:

As the head of a nonprofit that is almost entirely supported by donations, what makes Yechiel Eckstein’s compensation noteworthy is its proportion to his organization’s overall income compared to other ministries. While the salary and benefit package of the head of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is at least five times higher than any other leader of an Israel-related ministry, clocking in at $1.2 million, h a budget 10 times larger—earns.

Meanwhile, Billy Graham, founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), earned $228,448 in total compensation in 2011, and his son, Franklin Graham, president of BGEA, earned $115,307. The organization is similar in size to the IFCJ with $92 million in revenues in 2011.

Linda Lampkin, resource director for the Economic Research Institute office in Washington, D.C., calculated the average direct compensation for executive directors at similar-sized religious organizations and found Eckstein’s pay is well above the average, which is $276,807. The computer-generated comparison showed executive directors at organizations with similar-sized budgets—$100-$110 million—earned anywhere from $163,675 to $389,938 annually.

“It is fair to say an executive director at a religious organization who makes nearly $500,000 annually in direct compensation and also has significant other compensation is paid well outside the mean ranges of executive directors at similar organizations with an approximate $100 million to $110 million in revenues,” Lampkin told Charisma.

How much are those in charge of these Israel-related ministries actually making?

It’s often implied that any leader of a nonprofit ministry or organization who earns more than Mother Teresa is somehow gouging the public. Obviously, that isn’t true. Running a large organization—whether a college, a hospital or a church—is complicated and requires hard work. By not paying market-rate salaries, the talent needed to run such organizations tends to go to where he or she can be compensated commensurate with his or her ability. Even Jesus said a “laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7).

Some organizations don’t like to reveal what their leaders make, however, because they fear donations would decrease if people knew. In the world of Christian ministries, that’s especially true—as proven by such examples as the short-lived “scandal” surrounding Franklin Graham’s compensation package as the head of both Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

At the same time, in American culture there is a feeling that some financial matters should be out in the open. For example, it’s required by law that the public knows the salaries of elected officials. And those who run a publicly owned company must publicize the salaries of top management so investors can make investing decisions based on whether they feel those leaders are looking out for the investor or themselves.

Even the Bible says people do things differently in the light than in darkness. So in that spirit, Charisma inquired about the salaries of some of the ministries’ leaders.

We found ministry leaders’ pay ranged from zero to that of Eckstein. By comparison, leaders from three of the other largest Israel-related ministries earned substantially less: Jonathan Bernis earned $224,233 in total compensation (salary and benefits), Jews for Jesus Executive Director David Brickner earned $200,000 and Chosen People Ministries President Mitch Glaser earned $174,767. (The salary and benefit package of Christians United for Israel Executive Director David Brog could not be obtained.)

Among the other ministries, no salary was above $90,500. And with Eckstein’s removed from the equation, the average salary of those leaders willing to disclose their compensation—and including those who take no salary—was $85,856.

How We Came Up With This Report

Given the magnitude and importance of the mission of Israel-related ministries—and in an effort to help promote financial transparency, integrity in fundraising efforts and the proper use of donations—Charisma requested financial information from 17 Israel-related ministries.

To begin its seven-month investigation into the financial stewardship of these ministries, Charisma requested financial information from each organization, along with an interview with its president or lead representative. We also obtained the 990 tax returns that some of the ministries voluntarily filed with GuideStar, which tracks the finances of more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized nonprofits. Under federal law, ministries are not required to publicly disclose tax returns, but some do so voluntarily to be financially transparent.

In its examination of ministry finances, Charisma also consulted with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which accredits various ministries, and Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit organization that evaluates American charities. Of the 17 ministries, the following seven are accredited by ECFA: Chosen People Ministries, Jews for Jesus, Christian Friends of Israel, Bridges for Peace, Maoz Israel, Jewish Voice Ministries International and the Messianic Jewish Israel Fund.

Having worked with many of the ministries in the past and seen their fruit up close through the years, Charisma’s intent was not to dig up any figurative buried skeletons, but instead to inform our readers as to the unique vision, purpose and scope of ministry for each organization. We believe financial stewardship goes hand in hand with this and, as a result, celebrate those Israel-related ministries that are taking every precaution to be faithful with what God has given them. [2]

Over $1 million a year?? That is absolutely sinful and wrong on so many levels. There is a word for a person like this in Yiddish – Goniff. It means a thief. I’m sorry to have to use this term, but what else can I call him?

If you give to International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, you may want to find another organization to which to donate your money. The Charisma magazine mentions some very good ones.

Do your homework! We have the Internet, and you can vet a person or organization very easily.

Personally, hubby and I give to Chosen People Ministries. It’s a wonderful, transparent organization.

Please continue giving to the Jewish people. Some very good ministries help Jews in Europe to make Aliyah. Thank you for caring!

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!

[1]http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/march-2012/06

[2]http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/standing-with-israel/47010-worth-his-weight-in-gold