Tov Rose: Personal Update, Passover/Easter, Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Tov Rose: Personal Update, Passover/Easter, Upcoming Speaking Engagements Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. February 2012 In This Issue Tov Rose: Personal Update Passover/Easter Upcoming Speaking Engagements Keep Up With Us Facebook Twitter Personal Update By Tov Rose Thank you for praying with us! We’ve had wonderful success raising new financial supporters. Praise God! However, due to the economy, some have reduced or stopped supporting us! At a time when we are attempting to reach our target support level, we are still $2500 short every month. Starting this month, Michelle and I have begun calling churches to schedule speaking engagements for me in partnership with Midwest Hebrew Ministries, which is a wonderful way to help raise support. If you could help open the door at your church or congregation that would help a lot! Michelle and I have some wonderful ministry opportunities before us, like helping revitalize a local organization that has a heart for helping Jewish people understand and know their own Messiah, Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), organizing missions trips to help the poor of Israel, and helping to organize trips for pastors and educators to Israel to teach ministers there to disciple believers. The pastors in Israel are short on discipleship skills, while strong in Evangelism. We are partnering more closely with my Israel-based brother with his private Christian school in Israel, and working to bring missions teams to Israel to help struggling congregations and persecuted believers, as is done by American Christians in many other countries around the world. We need your help! Should everyone receiving our prayer letters increase their giving by $17 a month; we’d reach our monthly target salary. If a few people would give a special financial gift, we should be able to begin moving forward with confidence. Should a few people consider supporting us for the first time or renewing their support, we could make our goal. We know that not everyone is able and we understand. It’s not easy living on a tight budget, praying every month for enough to come in. Even if you’re not able to support us financially, would you pray with us that enough comes in for us, all of those people who do support us? How can you help? 1. Increase your monthly praying. 2. Increase your monthly giving (if you are able). 3. Invite Tov to speak at your church or group. 4. Host a lunch or dinner where you share about our ministry with people you know, encouraging them to pray for us and support us. Ask them to contact us directly to learn more! We can provide video and other materials for this. 5. Actively share about what we are doing with those around you. 6. Contact your local Christian Radio Station encouraging them to interview me about my ministry and books 7. Buy some books! :-) Please contact me with questions. We can also send materials about our ministry. Anyone wanting to support us financially may do so through PayPal, using the email address: chaplains@thechaplains.org. You can also send a gift to us in care of: Tov & Michelle Rose c/o Midwest Hebrew Ministries P.O. Box 43953 Minneapolis, MN, 55443 Blessings in Yeshua (Jesus), -TOV    Tov & Michelle Rose  651-686-5600  PO BOX 22231 | Saint Paul | MN 55122  Email: Chaplains@TheChaplains.org  TheChaplains.org | TovRose.com  Facebook.com/TovRose TOV Rose is the author of several books, including The New Messianic Version of the Bible, The Book of GOD: For Men, The Paranormal GOD, The Paranormal Seams of the Hebrew Bible, Fall of the American Babylon, Volume 1, Is It Not Written In The Book of Jasher?, Is It Not Written In The Book of Enoch?, and the upcoming, Book of GOD: Genesis Unbound. Invite TOV and Michelle to your event, or schedule an interview! Phone: 651-686-5600 or  http://www.TovRose.com/         IMPORTANT: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential. They are intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you have received this email by mistake, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to anyone or make copies thereof. EVIDENCES OF JESUS' RESURRECTION "I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history ..." - E. M. Blaiklock - Professor of Classics, Auckland University The Resurrection of Christ is the most powerful event in history.  It has affected the last 2000 years of history and politics, from peasants to kings to nations.  Christianity has spread across the entire world, into every country and into a vast number of ethnic groups and languages. Billions of people have experienced the life-giving, healing, forgiveness and freedom offered by God because Jesus Christ conquered death and rose again from the grave. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor 15:12-22 that without the resurrection of Christ, the Christian faith is useless. "And if Christ be not raised," Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." There are many skeptics who disregard the resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth as a fable.  However, the evidence for Jesus' resurrection is extremely strong, even to the point of converting some who sought to disprove it: The Empty Tomb: Though well-trained Roman soldiers guarded the tomb of Jesus Christ, it was empty 3 days after Jesus' death as Jesus had repeatedly foretold (Matt 12:40, Mark 8:31).  The guards had fled (a death penalty offense). The massive stone had been rolled away, and the body was gone – and was never produced by the enemies of the Christians.  The linen grave clothes in which the Jews bury their dead were still in the tomb, undisturbed. From the Jewish historian Josephus to a compilation of 5th-century Jewish writings called the "Toledoth Jeshu", even Jewish sources and traditions admit that the tomb was empty.  The body was never found. Living Witnesses:  There were a multitude of witnesses who saw Jesus Christ alive after his death.  The disciples, the travelers on the road to Emmaus and a number of women all spoke to Jesus alive. Thomas doubted until he was able to put his fingers into Jesus' wounds (John 20:26-27).  He later spread the Gospel all the way to India.  The apostle Paul tells of 500 people to whom Jesus appeared at one time, most of whom were still alive and available for questioning when Paul wrote his letter  (1 Cor 15:6).  When several people testify in a courtroom that they witnessed an event, and their accounts are found consistent with each other, their testimony is considered factual information.  Jesus Christ was seen alive many times by hundreds of different people over the course of forty days after his death (John 20-21, Acts 1:3). The Disciples:  Christ's followers, who had been fearful and who had run away when Jesus was arrested, were completely changed after the Resurrection and became courageous witnesses.  Peter, who had denied knowing Christ when recognized by a simple servant girl, became the powerfully bold leader of those who had seen Christ alive, speaking to the thousands gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Shavuot – Pentecost.   A person may die for a lie if they do not know it is a lie.  But people do not give their lives up and face severe persecution to spread a lie they themselves invented.   The fact that the disciples willingly suffered beatings and persecution and death is strong evidence that they had actually witnessed the resurrection they refused to stop telling people about. Saul of Tarsus:  A devoutly religious Pharisee, who persecuted the Church and had Christ's followers thrown in prison, Paul had his life absolutely changed by his encounter with Christ.  He became a devoted follower of Christ himself, spreading the Gospel throughout Turkey and Greece in the face of beatings and shipwrecks and imprisonment and, finally, execution. "If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt." - F. F. Bruce, Manchester University Skeptics' Arguments Against the Resurrection: The Hallucination Theory claims that the witnesses who met the resurrected Jesus were all "seeing things" - they were hallucinating.  However, this goes against common sense as well as psychological principles. Five hundred people do not all hallucinate the same thing.  Jesus appeared to many people at many different times.  Also, the body was never produced. The Swoon Theory argues that Jesus did not die – that he simply fainted from loss of blood and exhaustion.  However, this also goes against common sense.  The Romans were professionals who severely whipped Jesus, hung him on a cross, and then stabbed him in the side with a spear to make sure he was dead. He was in the grave for three days, wrapped head to foot in a burial cloth, without food or water or medical treatment.  When he appeared to his disciples he was completely whole and healthy and his appearance inspired awe and worship that lasted throughout the rest of the disciples' lives. The Disciples Faked the Resurrection:  Discouraged, fearful fishermen and former tax collectors, whose teacher had been viciously murdered, were in little position to take on a detachment of trained Roman soldiers guarding the tomb.  They would have had to create a fantastic plan in order to fight off or bribe the professional soldiers, raid the tomb, unbind the grave clothes from Christ's body, take the body away, and hide it where nobody would ever find it. The Roman soldiers faced death if they failed in their guard duty, and the disciples had little money for bribing anybody.  Many people would have had to be involved in the conspiracy, and all those involved would not only have known the truth, but would know that they were risking meeting the same fate as their recently crucified leader. And what purpose could it possibly serve, if Jesus were dead?  They would have had nothing to gain.  Their leader was gone and they would have only faced persecution and death for their invented resurrection story. And again, the disciples' attitudes completely changed after the Resurrection and especially after Pentecost. They became bold and courageous in spreading their message, fearless of beatings or imprisonment. They never sought to fight Rome or to establish any position or kingdom or authority for themselves.  They had nothing to gain, physically speaking.  They simply went about the known world, telling their story in spite of persecution and suffering, poverty and ridicule. Their message quickly spread across the Middle East and Europe and even into Asia without any military conquest or political support involved - and in spite of strong opposition. Only belief and hope based in the reality of their experiences would have produced such dedication in the lives of Christ's followers. His Miracles Today: Perhaps the greatest evidence today of Christ's resurrection is the work that he is still doing in the lives of every day people.  In the name of Jesus, people are still being healed emotionally and physically and spiritually by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  Sinners are being freed from the burden and pain and shame of sin – sometimes immediately, sometimes after long years of steady work by the Holy Spirit in their lives.  Hearts are being mended and lives are being turned around.   The best evidence today is the faithful follower of Christ who can say, "He saved me, and I am not the person I used to be" just as the apostles testified 2000 years ago. (For more in-depth coverage of the above arguments, as well as many further evidences and related information, please see the links below.) Related Links: Evidence for the Resurrection - Leadership U Contemporary Scholarship and the Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Leadership U The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? - F.F. Bruce Evidence Supporting the Bible - CARM - Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry His Unfamiliar Face - Koinonia House The Jesus Tomb - Koinonia House Reflections of His Image: Pride vs. Humility - Koinonia House   The New Messianic Version of the Bible - This changes everything. Get it:http://www.TheBookOfGod.org/ The preview editions of Volume 1, Volume III and Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, available now! Looking for all of Tov's Books? They are here: http://www.amazon.com/Tov-Rose/e/B004WLJN1K

Copyright © 2012 TovRose.com, All rights reserved. Not everyone remembers how they got on someone's mailing list. Everyone on this list agreed to be in touch with Tov Rose in one form or other. Since I am Tov Rose, I'm keeping in touch! Hello! How are YOU? :-) Please be in touch! Don't forget to tell your friends about this new book. They really do want to know about it! The Book of GOD:Everything you Ever wanted to know about God that no one would tell you! by Tov Rose Get it here: https://www.createspace.com/3582133 Our mailing address is: TovRose.com PO BOX 22231 PO BOX 22231 Saint Paul, MN 55122 Add us to your address book

Why are Christians Offended When I Teach?

So today I was teaching a little bit at our twice per month Saturday evening Bible study. I guess someone was shocked when I mentioned that the Bible's Enoch and Elijah were actually dead and unable to return as the "Two Witnesses" in the Book of Revelation. Why is that controversial? 

Sure, most of Western Christianity teaches that that Enoch and Elijah will be coming back to preach and die in Revelation chapter 11. But does saying something other than what the majority believes make me controversial? 

Does it matter that there are even some extra-Biblical books that confirm that Enoch and Elijah are dead right now, and even accepted books of the Bible that contain information confirming that these two men died?

I've been in this place a few times, where someone has accused me of reading a Bible passage out of context, then finding an extra-Biblical source to back up a theory. However, for the record, I do not teach nor believe that extra-Biblical Books or even Apocryphal books are the inspired Word of God. However, if one of these additional works confirms something that the Bible clearly says, shouldn't it be okay to at least discuss and consider the issue? Maybe God is trying to teach us something? 

Maybe I'm wrong. I've been wrong before.

FOR THE RECORD:

I am not even going to give my teaching on Enoch and Elijah. I haven't written a book about the issue, but there is a guy who covers that subject in his own book. So I am going to do something I rarely do and encourage you to go read this guy's book. I'm not the only one teaching that Enoch and Elijah were dead in the dirt long before Jesus walked this earth.

Did the Bible's Enoch vanish into thin air?

Mystery ends right now! Find out what really became of Genesis hero ...

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Posted: March 07, 2009
8:45 pm Eastern
© 2011 WND

This 1728 engraving by Gerard Hoet and Joseph Mulder depicts the common misconception that Enoch cheated death and was miraculously brought to heaven.

When some people hear the name of Enoch from the Bible, they often wonder what really happened to this Old Testament prophet.

They know the Bible says "Enoch walked with God," and that "Enoch was translated that he should not see death."

But what do these puzzling verses really mean?

Did Enoch, a champion of God from the Book of Genesis somehow cheat death and get miraculously transported to heaven? Or is there a much simpler answer, one that's actually revealed in the Bible?

After all, it is "appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27),  "as in Adam all die" (1 Corinthians 15:22), andJesus Himself said no one has gone to heaven except Himself(John 3:13).

"Some think what happened to Enoch is a huge mystery that we won't be able to solve until Jesus returns, but you can find out the truth of Scripture right now if you just crack open your own Bible and see the words on its pages," says WND Executive News EditorJoe Kovacs, author of the best-selling book,"Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told."

"I think I underestimated the public's confusion about what happened to Enoch, so I didn't focus on him in my book. But I'm very happy now to help people see with their own eyes what Scripture actually says, as well as what it doesn't say."

Yes, the Bible is completely true, but you may never have heard the spectacular, ultimate destiny God has in store for you. It's far more glorious than just floating around on clouds in heaven! Find out what you've never been told, direct from your very own Bible!

First of all, the King James Bible does not say Enoch never died, vanished into thin air or was somehow was whisked off into heaven, the unseen dwelling place of God. Those words are simply not on its pages.

If you look closely, though, what the Bible actually does say is that Enoch died.

Yes, it's in your Bible. Enoch died.

"In Hebrews chapter 11, there is a list of famous heroes from the Old Testament," says Kovacs. "There are great names mentioned including Abraham, Noah, Abel and Enoch. And guess what the Bible says about these outstanding characters who followed the true God of the universe. It says theyall died."

• Theseall diedin faith, not having received the promises (Hebrews 11:13, King James Version)

Feel free to open up any translation of your own Bible right now, and you'll see that these Old Testament heroes all died.

• All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them ... (New Living Translation)

• All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised ... (New International Version)

The Bible clearly says Enoch and the others "all died." Now that you're aware of that, what about those puzzling verses?

Some people get confused when they read, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5).

Note what this verse does not say. It does not say Enoch went to heaven. Remember, Jesus said no one, and that includes Enoch, has gone to heaven except Jesus himself:

• And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven (John 3:13, KJV)

• No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man (John 3:13, NIV)

The confusion is caused by the word "translated" in Hebrews 11:5. In its original Greek language, the word is "metatithemi," and means transported, transferred, removed, taken away or carried over.

That Greek word "metatithemi" is used just four other times in the Bible, and never has anything to do with not dying or sauntering off to heaven.

For instance, in Galatians 1:6, it's rendered as "removed":

• I marvel that ye are so soonremovedfrom him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel

OK, now back to Enoch.

Enoch was a preacher of righteousness and we're told that he "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22) and that "God took him" (5:24).

Incidentally, Scripture also says "Noah walked with God," and Noah did not vanish into thin air to dwell with God in heaven. Noah died at the ripe old age of 950 (Genesis 9:29).

As mentioned before, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

We already know that Enoch did in fact die, so what does it mean when the Bible says "God took him," "God had translated him" and that he should "not see death"?

"It means exactly what it says," Kovacs explains. "God literally took him. God transported or removed Enoch from his location so that he would not be found. Why? Because apparently there were people who wanted him dead."

More specifics about Enoch are provided in Jude 14, 15 where it mentions Enoch blasting false prophets: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

Enoch was a tough talker of his day, preaching a righteous message the ungodly of the world did not wish to hear. So it's not hard to understand that some of these wicked guys wanted to kill him.

"We're not given the details," says Kovacs, "but we are told that God transferred Enoch so that he would 'not see death,' in other words, not be slain. Remember,God also transported Elijah miraculously, airlifting that prophet to another location.Elijah did not go to the heaven of God's home, but merely to the 'first heaven,' the sky, and came back to live out the rest of his days right here on Earth. He even wrote some less-than-pleasant mail to the evil King Jehoram of Judah after his famous angelic chariot ride in the sky." (see 2 Chronicles 21:12-15)

"God took Enoch away from those looking to murder him, but the Holy Scriptures tell us outright that Enoch eventuallydied, not having received the promises. It's time to put away the fables and get back to the facts. The Bible does agree with itself when people read all of it."

Don't wait another second to find out the truth about heaven and what really happened to the likes of the prophet Elijah. Get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally autographed by the author. If you prefer ordering by phone, call WND's customer service line toll-free at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266) between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.

Yet another "whisking away" happened in the New Testament to Philip, who was miraculously transported by God at the moment he baptized an Ethiopian eunuch.

• And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus ... (Acts 8:39-40)

(Story continues below)

In"Shocked by the Bible,"Kovacs also explains that if people just read for themselves without any preconceived notions, they'd quickly discover:

• "Three Wise Men" are never mentioned in the story of Jesus' birth, andno wise men at all are shown present at the manger scene the night Jesus was born.(They showed up later at a house when Jesus was a young child)

• The Bible doesn't outright declare the day, month, year or even season Jesus was born

• There's no mention of a Christmas tree or any tree in the gospels recording Jesus' birth. However, there is a custom mentioned in the Old Testament that shows people decorating trees with silver and gold. You might be astounded to find out what God says about such a practice

• The Bible never says Jesus died on a Friday orfrom the grave Sunday morning

• Scripture does not say Noah's Ark rested on "Mount Ararat"

• Noah brought a lot more than just two of certain animals aboard the Ark

• The word "Easter" has vanished from modern Bible translations

• God sought to kill Moses, shortly after telling him to lead the Israelites to freedom

• Jesus did not come to make everyone understand His message, and personally said so

• Jesus made personal appearances in the Old Testament

• The worst case of hemorrhoids in history is recorded

And these are merely the beginning of hundreds of facts that will stun even those who thought they had a strong knowledge of the Bible.

"If you've never been into the Bible, or even if you have, there's no need to fear," says Kovacs. "I make it quick, easy and fun for you to find out the juiciest, most interesting stuff that never seems to get mentioned in church. And I'm not talking about trivial facts and difficult names no one can pronounce."

"Shocked by the Bible"has become an instant smash since its release, hitting No. 1 in three Bible-related categories several times on Amazon.com withreaders giving it high praise, and theauthor being interviewed on dozens of radio shows. Denver's No. 1 host, Peter Boyles of KHOW Radio, raves,"I'm drawn to this book. It is so well written."

"Shocked by the Bible" skyrocketed to the No.1 spot in three Amazon.com categories several times since its release

It reached the No. 1 spot on the WND Best-Seller list several times. International demand has even led to a deal to have "Shocked"translated into the Korean language.

"If you think you really know the Bible, better think again," warns Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. "Your parents never told youthis stuffwas in the Bible," adds radio talker and author Melanie Morgan. WND founder Joseph Farah simply says, "'Shocked by the Bible' is nothing short of genius."

Kovacs, the executive news editor of WND, has written countless reports in his 25-year news career. Many have focused on biblical issues such aschariot wheels said to be found in the Red Sea, searches forNoah's Arkand theArk of the Covenant, and controversies overChristmasand Easter holidays as well as theSaturday-vs.-Sunday Sabbath.

He has received many awards for news excellence from the Associated Press and United Press International. He's run television, radio and print newsrooms in the U.S., as well as Budapest, Hungary. Kovacs is also regarded as one of the premier creative headline writers in the news business today.

Be a champion of God and stand up for the absolute truth of Scripture! Get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally autographed by the author. It makes a brilliant gift that will be remembered for a lifetime.

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To interview Joe Kovacs, author of "Shocked by the Bible," pleasecontact him.

Read more:Did the Bible's Enoch vanish into thin air?http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=88310#ixzz1WIVPde1z

Growing Intolerance for Christianity in U.S.

Growing Intolerance for Christianity in U.S.
 Article: Perilous Times

"In a world of political correctness devoid of the rule of law, tolerance has come to mean total rejection of Christianity and moral standards. Modern tolerance redefines words like 'marriage,' 'discrimination,' 'equality,' 'morality,' and even 'absolutes.' The word 'tolerance' as it is used today never includes opposing arguments or competing worldviews. Tolerance has become Orwellian and decidedly intolerant." - Matthew Staver, Dean and Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law. A few examples of recent intolerance for Christianity: · The Supreme court determining to exclude anyone who prays in Jesus name from a rotation of officials who open city business meetings
· The removal of US military Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, over the issue of praying in Jesus Name
· UCLA's prohibiting a graduating student from thanking her "Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" in her graduation speech
· Colleges making special accommodations for foot baths and Muslim only prayer rooms, while a Muslim group membership may be suspended or revoked for 57 reasons including but not limited to: unbecoming behavior, insubordination, or inactivity; but denying Christian groups campus recognition "because it requires its officers and voting members to agree with its Christian beliefs"
These incidents have raised several questions that Brannon Howse, author and founder of Worldview Weekend, agreed to answer:
CP: Would you consider these examples of intolerance shocking or unexpected?
Howse: Not at all. Jesus said all nations will hate you. If you are a Bible-minded believer such persecution should not be uncommon or a surprise," he stated, quoting 2 Timothy 3:12 "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Without a sound theological foundation, when persecutions increase, and they will, according to scripture, many who call themselves believers won't want to be marked as Christians. Those only committed to culture war will give up with no hope.
Our culture is doing what Scripture said - getting worse and worse. The books of James and 1 Peter tell us not to be surprised at fiery ordeals ...[when they come - not if] as though some strange (or foreign) thing were happening to you. Suffering, intolerance and persecution are building us up for the best part of life - which is yet to come.
Intolerance for righteousness is to be expected and embraced as an opportunity to live so that anytime Christians are persecuted, the world will watch and wonder why are they willing to persevere and not compromise.