Well, let's see. In just a day or so the enemy has attempted to physically harm you with a semi, caused the loss of money and information, tossed in some costly and aggravating delays, and overall tried to bring discouragement. I'd call that an attack.

Imagine what could have happened if so many people weren't praying for you. I think we need to double our prayers.
Don't be discouraged.

I almost always experience some type of attack just before a holy day. Yom Kippur is usually the worst. Usually, the car will break down. Last year, we woke up to find the water heater busted. One Hanukkah we had to replace the furnace. Plumbing problems abound at Passover. It has become my habit to pray for protection in the weeks leading up to a holy day.

I remember one year my mother, a Catholic, saying, "Maybe you should try another religion." How's that for an indication of where the trouble is coming from?

Hang in there guys.

MJ

MJ Belko | July 3, 2007 1:53 PM

Indeed Baruch HaShem no one was hurt. I'll take this blog entry to be a call for increased diligence (on my part) on praying for the ministry and message of FFOZ especially with regards to the "To Whom" message. Meanwhile, I look forward to the DVD release from the full conference version..

Tami B. | July 3, 2007 2:47 PM

B,T,S,D & J,
I'm glad you all are fine. The enemy does make it very easy to see that you/we are on the right track. I guess the time to start worrying is when there are NO more attacks huh? And now after all this traveling "SH" has officially been broken in. Bracha vehazlaha achi's.

-Achichem Jay

jay | July 3, 2007 3:22 PM

I will pray for your safety. However, its not as if HaShem doesn't control ha satan or anything. If you are experiencing opposition, it is because He is allowing it or sending it for some reason. Maybe it's just a growing experience or a change for you to continue to say 'Baruch HaShem' after He has gotten you through it. I wouldn't immediately go into the assumption that satan is trying to stop your work and that somehow HaShem doesn't know about it or isn't involved. Just my opinion.

***Reply (Boaz): Thanks for the note. It may be the fast or something, but I just re-read Toby's post and did not see anything about ha satan. I agree the HaShem is in control and these are learning opportunities. ***

Andrew

Andrew | July 3, 2007 5:18 PM

One more thing that happened (in the FFOZ offices) during the conference: substantial amounts of water leaked into the ceiling above the office, and a few of the the acoustic ceiling tiles filled with water like sponges, falling through onto one of the computers.

A second leak happened directly above a bunch of "stock" messiah magazines. The "ironic" thing is the issues which were ruined happened to be the newest "Christology" issue, primarily containing written material from the "To Whom Shall We Go?" conference.

On the good side, all the families and kids who stayed behind were safe and have remained healthy....with the exception of the temporary hour on Shabbat when we had to listen to our weather radios and warnings of nearby tornados. The storms never made it to our area, thank God.

Amber Michael | July 3, 2007 6:23 PM

Sorry Boaz, I didn't mean to say Toby was blaming things on ha satan. I was more responding to what others were saying. May HaShem bless you today as you fast and seek Him.

Andrew

Andrew | July 3, 2007 6:26 PM

There is also the possibility that maybe HaShem doesn't want something said that is in the material?

***Reply Boaz: I suppose this could be as well...***

Andrew

Andrew | July 3, 2007 8:33 PM

You guys think that's bad? What a day we had yesterday! Let me tell you what else happened:

Moses broke the two tablets of stone on Mount Sinai;
The daily burnt offering ceased to be brought while Jerusalem was under seige;
The walls of Jerusalem were breached (proceeding to the destruction of the Temple);
Prior to Bar Kokhba's revolt, the Roman military leader Apostomus burned a Torah scroll, fueling the revolutionary energy that ended the 2nd Temple era,
During the days of King Manaseh, an idol was erected in the Temple.

What makes all of that even worse is that it was a fast day, and I had a caffeine withdrawal head ache all day long.

All the more reason to long for the coming of Messiah when these days will be turned to days of feasting and joy.

D. Thomas Lancaster | July 4, 2007 8:44 AM

First of all, I too am glad that no one was hurt. And I am also increasing my prayers not only for the message, but also for the saftely of the whole FFOZ team as they travel around the world.

After being at the conference I truly beleive that the message of the conference is blessed by G-d, as are the men who are presenting it. The things that are happening are (in my opinion) things that happen every day. When you travel alot, events like these (no matter how sacrey) are going to happen.

I am not convinced that the things that are happening are happening in opposition to the message. (If anything I can see it stregthening the message and the resolve to share it. May it be so!) I think that many of them can be brought down to pure human sinfulless, which often afftects other people. With as much traveling as you all do, you are bound to have a thing or two happen from time to time.

I would concentrate on the fruit of the message. Are people seeing the wisdom in the teaching? Will this benefit the movement? Is it already benefiting the movement? Is G-d being blessed? Are you staying true to the Word? What fruit is it producing?

I will increase my prayers for your safety! And I continue to pray for the minsitry everyday!

Shalom,
Bill

Bill Beyer | July 4, 2007 10:09 AM

Praise God you are all safe! I have not seen the presentation - I will try to be at the next one in Ohio/Michigan area.

Some of the responses on here actually raise an interesting question, one worth contemplating and discussing. the idea of spiritual attacks, satan is not omnicient, so he cannot be everywhere all the time - yet so many people instantly blame satan for various things....a group I spend time with was wrestling with this issue for quite some time ( I cannot possibly write down every thought we shared on this topic, but a very interesting conversation indeed!)This question leads to so many other questions - and situations and etc etc etc.

anyway - off my tangent! thanks for the update, and again, praise God you are all safe. Thank you for all you do,

Rob
Toledo, Oh.

Rob | July 4, 2007 12:39 PM

Daniel,

Maybe you could get a coffee filters and tear off a small piece. Then put a teaspoon of coffee in it, make it into a ball, and put it between yer cheek-n-gum. Then you can absorb the caffeine and not break the fast....;] who knows.....it may work.

-Jay

JAY | July 4, 2007 1:15 PM

B"H

The Gemara teaches that all tribulations and every little bit of anguish are gifts from Heaven which help improve our character and thus spur us on to a greater desire to strengthen our emunah and our cleaving to G-d (see Berachot 5b and Arachin 16b). It is also taught somewhere that everytime someone does Hashem's will then the person will thereafter encounter a tribulation for two primary reasons: 1) so that the person's ego will not grow due to his success in performing G-d's will and 2) to help strengthen emunah. It is also taught that if a person doesn't receive a difficulty at least every 40 days, then Hashem is ignoring him due to a transgression that separtates him from his Creator. The difficulties Hashem sends us are loving gifts from our Father in Heaven because He deals with us as sons "for good so that we may share His holiness" thus "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

-----------------

Reply: Thank you.

Brian Reed | July 8, 2007 3:39 PM

The message of truth, which has been so silent for nearly 1900 years is being loudly proclaimed. You must be doing the work of HaShem or it would flourish without problems. Look at the so called "ministries" which are full of error and deceit, who are making countless millions, and one can see that truth is a struggle.

Keep on keepin on, y'all are blessing to the true body of Messiah.

Les | July 9, 2007 12:56 PM