Some things are simply difficult to explain. And then there is the power of prayer and divine intervention.

On Tuesday, a would-be robber walked into a Fort Worth McDonald’s demanding customers’ property. Surveillance cameras captured the man pulling the trigger of his gun at least five times, but the gun did not fire. When he stepped outside the restaurant and tried again, a shot rang out.

The man returned to the store, and the same thing happened. He walked outside again, and the gun fired.

No one was injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, the mother of suspect Jestin Anthony Joseph, who had told police hours earlier that she feared her son was suicidal, along with other members of the family prayed for her son, whom she believes had a mental breakdown. 

Joseph’s mother told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram she believes the gun malfunctioned because they were praying.

“Last night, I told God to keep Jestin, and that’s what I do believe happened,” said his mother, who asked not to be identified to avoid any repercussions for her and her other children. “The only thing I can say is that it was not my son. He was not in his right mind.”

Fort Worth police robbery Sgt. Joe Loughman could not offer an explanation as to why the gun did not fire inside the restaurant.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Loughman told the Star-Telegram. “It must not have been their time to go.”

Loughman said there were about 15 people—employees and customers, including young children—inside the store at approximately 9 p.m. when a man walked into the store and asked for a cup of water. He then brandished a semiautomatic handgun and demanded their possessions.

Referring to the video, Loughman told the Star-Telegram, “It appears that he is pulling the trigger, but the weapon does not fire.”

The surveillance video shows at least one man tried to wrestle the gun away from the suspect. Loughman said after the suspect went back outside, he got the gun to work and fired two shots at a passing vehicle that did not stop. The suspect then fled the scene and ditched the gun but was arrested shortly afterward, and the gun was retrieved.

“We are extremely grateful that no one was hurt during the situation that occurred on our property Tuesday evening,” McDonald’s USA said in a statement. “The safety of our customers and employees is extremely important, and we are fully cooperating with the Fort Worth Police Department in their ongoing investigation.”

The Star-Telegram reports that Allen Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jon Felty said Joseph has had several run-ins with police previously, including tickets for possession of drug paraphernalia and arrests on a narcotics-related warrant and assault.

The Star-Telegram also reports that Joseph’s mother said the boy’s father had a history of mental illness as well.

“I would have never in a million years thought that he would have gone to that point,” she told the Star-Telegram. “I know that the same spirit that grabbed hold of his dad and took his dad mentally, grabbed Jestin. I could hear that with Jestin, in the things he was saying.” 

We’ve all heard about the number of people suffering from hot flashes, night sweats, loss of libido, PMS, sleepless nights and fatigue, which occurs when our hormones and chemical brain messengers get out of balance. But did you ever realize stress is what keeps throwing our hormones and brain out of balance?

When we are stressed—in that “fight or flight” mode—our adrenal glands produce our primary stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. These are two primary hormones that are needed for survival; we can’t live without them. Unfortunately, many of us are staying in that stressed state for too long.

When this happens, we call it adrenal fatigue. Our adrenals aren’t able to make enough cortisol and adrenaline to deal with all the stress, nor are they able to produce enough of the other hormones that regulate our metabolism, mood swings, blood sugar, reproductive cycle, energy levels and fat-burning ability.

It’s a Matter of Priority

When we think of hormones, we often think of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. But we need to understand that these hormones are really secondary hormones. The primary hormones, which are the ones we can’t live without, are cortisol, adrenaline and insulin. These three hormones are responsible for so many functions. When they get out of balance, they can affect our health in so many different ways.

The adrenal glands are responsible for making many other hormones in addition to cortisol and adrenaline. All of the hormones made by the adrenal glands can be compromised due to the large demand we put on our adrenals to make more cortisol and adrenaline. Many of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands regulate our blood sugar, activate our immune system, stimulate our heart and blood pressure, balance our fluids, and help make our reproductive hormones. (See illustration below.)

This is why stress can affect our health in so many different ways. It has a domino effect. We know stress is what triggers it—we just don’t know in what area our health will be affected.

Our bodies were not designed to handle continual, long-term stress. They were designed to handle short-term stress. So when we stay in a stressful mode for too long, we begin to overproduce cortisol and adrenaline while underproducing others. This is what is known as chemical or hormonal imbalance.

Constant stress triggers an increased production of cortisol and adrenaline. Unfortunately, to make cortisol, our adrenal glands will steal progesterone. This causes a drop in the amount of progesterone that is needed to regulate your menstrual and reproductive cycles, because the progesterone is being used to deal with stress as opposed to regulating your reproductive cycle. It throws your ratio of estrogen to progesterone and testosterone out of balance, which causes all types of problems: loss of libido, infertility, depression, PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, etc.

Additionally, the excess amount of cortisol and adrenaline triggers the body to burn calories from carbohydrates and protein (lean muscle tissue) instead of stored body fat. When this happens, people tend to have a hard time losing weight and keeping it off. Unfortunately, infomercials want us to think cortisol is the problem. The real problem is our adrenals are exhausted. There is more detail about this in To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question.

Adrenal fatigue is a major underlying problem to many of our health issues simply because stress has become constant, and the adrenal glands are not able to make enough cortisol and adrenaline. Some of the common symptoms for adrenal fatigue are weight gain, fatigue, cravings, indigestion, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, hot flashes, insomnia and loss of libido.

Restoring Hormonal Balance

Again, our bodies are designed to handle short-term stress, not continual, prolonged stress. Our adrenal glands can make all the necessary hormones if we rest and nourish them properly. Unfortunately, most people don’t get the proper amount of rest and nourishment in their day. This, combined with extended periods of stress, results in the inability of your adrenals to produce enough of the necessary hormones you need each day. 

Simple Steps to Overcoming Adrenal Exhaustion:

1. Make sure you get at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
2. Get at least 20-30 minutes of sunshine a day.
3. Keep your blood sugar stable. You cannot skip meals or eat refined, processed junk food. It further depletes your adrenal glands. You will never restore your adrenal glands if you don’t keep your blood sugar stable.
4. Use digestive enzymes if you struggle with bloating, gas, indigestion, heartburn or irritable bowel problems. An irritated, inflamed intestinal tract causes an increased production of cortisol and further depletes the adrenal glands. Hidden food allergies are common. Avoid (for at least two weeks) all dairy, wheat, corn, soy, caffeine, MSG and artificial sweeteners.
5. Nourish your body with a good adrenal support formula such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, cordyceps, ginseng, vitamin C, vitamin B and zinc. I recommend Adrenal Fuel.
6. Add a good, high potency fish oil. Eat fish, raw nuts and seeds. Cook with olive oil. Avoid trans fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) are critical in the production of our hormones and are deficient in many diets.

7. Begin or continue an easy aerobic exercise routine. Refrain from intense anaerobic exercise for at least 2-4 weeks. Easy aerobic exercise is stress-reducing while weight training, spinning and other types of intense exercise are stress-producing. Yes, intense exercise may seem like it is stress-reducing, but biochemically, it is an additional stress, which is taxing your adrenals.

Remember: You will never be able to restore your hormones (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone) if your adrenals are exhausted!

Recovering from any health ailment is more than swallowing a handful of supplements. We need to properly nourish our bodies with good supplementation, as well as stop doing the things that are making us worse. If you continually skip meals, struggle with digestive problems and don’t get a good night’s sleep, you are always going to struggle with adrenal exhaustion.

The whole process outlined above will help you restore normal function to your adrenal glands. Adrenal fatigue is a multi-layered problem. It creates a vicious cycle with our hormones, metabolism, blood sugar and digestive system. This is why our “IRS Steps” protocol addresses these issues first. Give these simple steps a try. You will be amazed at the difference you will feel within 30 days.

Dr. Len Lopez is a nutrition and fitness expert and creator of the Work Horse Trainer.  He speaks extensively on diet, exercise and how stress can affect your overall health and wellness.

For the original article, visit .

You don’t have to be super-creative or break the bank to create memories with your wife. There are several simple yet meaningful activities and routines you can start to help bring you closer to your wife and at the same time create memories you will always look back on.

Here are 10 ideas to get you started. And don’t miss out on these “34 Memory-Making Things to Do with Your Kids,” either! 

1. Weekly date night. Simply spending quality time together is probably not enough to prevent a relationship from getting stale. Here’s how to reinvent date night.

2. Exercise together. This is a win-win. Both you and your spouse benefit from the exercise and, additionally, the relationship benefits from the time together.

3. Develop each other’s interests. This week you attend the play she wanted to see but you could care less about. Next week she accompanies you to the game. Compare notes. Laugh at yourselves.

4. Volunteer together.

5. Eat together for at least one meal a day. Talk about favorite meals. Make plans for future meals together.

6. Communicate throughout the day. Take our “23 Ways to Love Your Wife with Your Phone” challenge! 

7. Travel together. We’re not talking Vegas here. Try connecting with your church on a mission trip where you serve others as a team.

8. Watch your wedding video every anniversary.

9. Host an annual holiday party.

10. Have a game night. Pull out Scrabble, Monopoly, Apples to Apples or your favorite game—and eat ice cream too.

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

(Pure Flix)

Sometimes forgiveness is extremely tough to come by—and the enemy’s lies make it even more challenging, as the Pure Publicity film Taken by Grace reveals.

Lucas (Angus Macfadyen, Braveheart), an unbeliever, has lived with an unforgiving heart since he went to prison, harboring ill will against Trig, the man who killed his son. Now this father is bent on revenge.

Upon being released from prison, Lucas violates his parole by breaking into a house and stealing a gun and a bottle of whiskey—but nothing else. Later that evening, at a campsite, he encounters Shawn (Bradley Dorsey) and his wife, Carrie (Haylie Duff), a young Christian couple struggling in their marriage due to Shawn’s infidelity.

After kidnapping the couple and forcing them to take him to find Trig, Lucas learns of Shawn’s adultery and mocks the couple’s feeble attempt at reconciliation. Forgiveness, he says, is simply not possible with people—even those who believe in God—when someone has been so hurt by another.

Yet when they’re faced with the reality of dying, the couple realizes forgiveness indeed is possible with God. As they search for grace within themselves, they begin to feel sympathy for their kidnapper. Lucas, however, continues in his intent to kill Trig.

While the film includes only mild violence and no inappropriate language, the drama may be a bit intense for a younger audience. The potential threat of violence looms large throughout the movie due to Lucas’ unpredictability.

A suprise ending helps make Taken by Grace, set for release Oct. 15 on DVD, a must-see. And with a compelling story, it reminds us that God’s grace is enough—and that He can heal any situation and even the most shattered heart. —Shawn Akers 

Chauncey Crandall is a huge proponent of fasting and notes that it is more beneficial to the body than the average person might think. The leading heart doctor says that during a fast, a metamorphosis occurs. The body undergoes a tearing down and rebuilding of damaged materials.

For this reason, fasting is famous for its ability to rejuvenate and give the body a youthful tone. Fasting dissolves diseased cells and leaves healthy tissue. Fasting is beneficial for arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure, lupus, chronic fatigue, colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, cases of paralysis, neuritis and more.

“There is an unwarranted fear of fasting that strength diminishes from the catabolism of proteins from muscle fibers,” Crandall says.

Even during long fasts, the number of fibers remains the same. Healthy cells, though they may reduce in size or strength, also remain perfectly sound. A well-nourished man can live from 50 to 75 days without food, provided he is not exposed to harsh elements. Human fat is valued at 3,500 calories per pound. Ten pounds of fat are equal to 35,000 calories.

“Most of us have sufficient reserves, capable of sustaining us for many weeks,” Crandall says.

The human body has many ordinary modes of achieving elimination: the lungs, liver, kidneys, colon. When these are overloaded, the body will resort to “extraordinary” methods of elimination: boils, mucous and other discharges, sweat, vomiting, diarrhea.

If elimination is impossible, the toxic overload will go into storage forms in the joints, vessels, muscles and organs. While fasting, the body is highly conservative of its energy and resources. During this rest, toxin intake and production are reduced to a minimum while elimination proceeds unchecked. Anabolic processes, such as tissue and bone healing, also proceed at a maximal rate during the fast. 

The first stage of cleansing removes large quantities of waste matter and digestive residues. The first few days of a fast can be rough due to the quantity of waste passing into the blood stream. After the third day of the fast, there is a little desire for food. The second stage is cleansing of mucous, fat, diseased and dying cells and the more easily removed toxins. As the fast continues, the cleansing process becomes more thorough. The last stage is the cleansing of toxins that have been accumulating in your cellular tissue from birth and the microscopic tubes that carry vital elements to the brain.

“Cleansing is the last layer, only possible through a combination of juice fasting, water fasting and a healthy diet high in raw foods,” Crandall says.

To overcome a severe disease like cancer, he says it is important to continue through a series of fasts to the point where the full scouring action of catabolism removes the disease from the tissue.

One of the surprises that comes from fasting is an increase in mental acuity. Large amounts of blood and nervous energies have to be sent to digestive organs to digest a meal. During a fast, these energies are not required and may be used by the brain for better thinking. This increase doesn’t usually happen until after the first few days of a fast because the body is busy cleaning out toxins.

Chauncey Crandall is chief of the cardiac transplant program at the world-renowned Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and practices interventional, vascular and transplant cardiology. 

Sending your kids to college can lead to a tremendous financial adjustment for your family and your child’s future. Two-thirds of students are graduating from college with some level of debt, an average of $26,000. 

As parents, we have to keep an eye on the future, not just the needs of today. Our goal is to give our kids the best possible chance to succeed. Limiting or avoiding college debt is one major way we can do this.  Below are five ways to limit college debt starting today.

1. Prepaid tuition plans. Knowing college costs are continuing to rise, a prepaid tuition plan could save you thousands by paying for college at today’s prices. Prepaid plans vary from state to state.

2. Start with community college and work part-time. Maybe your kids are at the college age and your time is limited.  Starting at community college, while working, can lessen the financial burden and eliminate the need for debt. Plus your kids will have an additional adjustment to college itself.

3. Say no to private school now and later. Sending your kids to private school for several years before college can be a hefty investment. That money could be saved or invested to pay for a great college education that allows them to graduate without debt. Going to a private university will also be more of an investment. You may have to weigh your options and determine which is more important.

4. Change your spending habits now and save. The cumulative effect of eating out for years vs. eating at home can be huge over time. Find any holes you may have in your spending habits and change them. Eating out three times per week vs eating at home can cost $6,000 per year. The money you save can go toward your kids’ college tuition. 

5. Limit your spending on traveling. Those family vacations are amazing. But what if you alternated years on big trips. Odd years you could take a stay-cation and even years could be your big trip.  Huge savings and contributions to your kids’ college tuition will be the benefactor.

In what ways have you made adjustments and been able to save money for your kids college?

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

U.S. President Barack Obama feels very much relieved. In a display of czar-like chivalry, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin pulled him out of the fire that burned in Congress and among the American public. The Tomahawk missiles are going back into their boxes, and those who maneuver the mighty aircraft carriers are folding their flags while playing the American national anthem. The flags’ stars have been turned off, and the stripes have been painted black. The U.S. is now like a stealth bomber moving fast under the radar, but in the wrong direction.

The current world order—founded on universal basic morals and a vision shared by all humanity—has collapsed into a black hole of violence, cruelty, genocide and narrow personal interests. The U.S. never served as the world’s policeman; it was a lighthouse that provided hope to the world and its rights. Due to some sort of malfunction, the light in the lighthouse has now gone out. I was not happy to learn of the possible attack in Syria by the U.S., but the reports bolstered my faith that a system of reward and punishment still exists where human lives had lost all value.

For many years, Israel has relied heavily on American financial, security and political assistance. It is an alliance between two countries that share common values and a commitment to a better world. There is no doubt that American assistance has been a key component in maintaining Israel’s military superiority. I’m afraid that in light of the recent dramatic changes within American society, as demonstrated in the last U.S. elections, Israel will soon find itself on its own again in the face of fundamental, existential challenges. This has been our fate ever since Abraham stood on one side of the river and the entire world stood on other side.

Now the U.S. has backed down, and the global axis of evil has drawn its own conclusion. In China, Iran, North Korea, Lebanon and Syria, they now know that American threats are actually empty. When red lines morph into retreat lines, Putin can afford to smile as he retires to his dacha on the coast of the Black Sea. Obama’s impressive speeches and the various media analyses cannot make up for American weakness.

In this new reality, precipitated by the U.S.’s retreat from its threats, it is entirely clear that ultimately, Israel will have to pay the price for Obama’s lost dignity. American pressure on Israel to strike a peace agreement with the Palestinians will intensify tenfold, forcing us to make significant concessions and relinquish swaths of the Jewish people’s historic homeland. Obama desperately needs a parade of Israeli and Palestinian delegations to prance across the White House lawn so that he can give his dovish “historical breakthrough” speech.

Just like in the days leading up to the Yom Kippur War, this time, too, the writing is on the wall—in enormous letters. Time after time, every Israeli concession in favor of the Arabs known as Palestinians has resulted in tragedy and victims. The security of the state of Israel, in addition to the Jews’ historical rights, require that we retain control over every part of our homeland. Every territorial concession, even outside the settlement blocs, means the establishment of another terror outpost.

Within the madness currently raging in the Middle East, relinquishing one grain of land or one shingle of one roof would be to put ourselves in real danger. The leaders of Israel must always remember that Yasser Arafat’s 10-point plan is alive and well, and it is keeping Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas going. Anyone who says, “If I am not for myself, then who will be for me?” (Hillel the Elder) knows that the same is true for Judea and Samaria. After 2,000 years, the Jews are entitled to take their time. Patience, people. Patience.

Dr. Haim Shine writes a daily column for Israel Hayom. For the original article, visit .

Taking vitamin B supplements may help reduce your risk of stroke, a new review shows.

Previous research has yielded conflicting findings about whether taking vitamin B supplements affects the risk of stroke and heart attack. Some studies have concluded that taking vitamin B supplements may actually increase the risk, according to the review authors.

They analyzed the findings of 14 clinical trials that included a total of nearly 55,000 people. All of the trials compared vitamin B supplement use with a placebo or very low-dose vitamin B.

The participants were followed for a minimum of six months. There were a total of nearly 2,500 strokes among the participants in the studies, all of which showed some benefit of taking vitamin B.

Overall, vitamin B supplements reduced the risk of stroke by 7 percent but did not appear to reduce the severity of strokes or the risk of death from stroke, according to the review, which was published in the Sept. 18 online issue of the journal Neurology.

The researchers found that folic acid, a supplemental form of folate (B-9) that is common in fortified cereals, appeared to reduce the beneficial effect of vitamin B. They also found that vitamin B-12 had no effect on stroke risk.

“Based on our results, the ability of vitamin B to reduce stroke risk may be influenced by a number of other factors, such as the body’s absorption rate, the amount of folic acid or vitamin B-12 concentration in the blood, and whether a person has kidney disease or high blood pressure,” review author Xu Yuming, of Zhengzhou University in China, said in a journal news release.

“Before you begin taking any supplements, you should always talk to your doctor,” Yuming added.

One expert agrees, noting that strokes can be caused by many varying factors.

“Ischemic strokes can have many different causes, the most common being hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity,” says Dr. Rafael Alexander Ortiz, director of neuro-endovascular surgery and stroke at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“There is a group of patients that may suffer a stroke due to deficiency of vitamins and enzymes. It is appropriate to perform a comprehensive work-up, including [for] vitamin deficiencies, in patients that have suffered a stroke.”

Another expert says the findings are important.

“[The report] identifies a substance which is readily available and has been demonstrated to have a positive effect in stroke risk reduction in certain population subgroups,” says Dr. Albert Favate, director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. “The article also reflects the increased public thirst for dietary prevention of stroke.”

The below suggestions come from the book Educating the Whole-Hearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson, and we think they’re right on!

All Pro Dads, you know your wife is happy when you:

• Initiate and lead regular planning times with your wife without the children (and you plan the babysitter!).
• Take the kids regularly for several hours on planned, meaningful outings (i.e., take them away—see below). Taking them to the Chick-fil-A playground while you have coffee and read the paper does not qualify as an outing. Your wife wants to know that the time will be more than just babysitting.
• Assist with the “uppers” whenever possible, and be sensitive to the “downers.”
• Defend and protect your wife’s time boxes against time consumers (people, distractions, children, calls, etc.).
• Plan in time boxes to be with your children during the day and the week, especially when it gives your wife free time or when it makes her tasks easier (such as while she is preparing dinner).
• Budget in your heart and mind (and checkbook) for paid household help, if you are able, especially when your children are young. Any help goes a long way.
• Prepare an arsenal of ideas that you can do with the children on a moment’s notice (see below).
• Be sensitive to the end-of-the-day stress level, planning ahead to take control of the kids at the end of the day even when you are tired.

Here are some activities Dad can do with the kids to give Mom time alone.

Big Times (outings):

• Take them to the park.
• Take them to a nature center.
• Take them to a lake or beach area.
• Take them to a museum.
• Ride bikes in the country with them.
• Take them on a mini field trip.
• Go on a hike with them.
• Go swimming with them.
• Take them to the library reading time.
• Play tennis with them.
• Take them to special events.
• Take them to seasonal festivals.

Little Times (innings):

• Read books to them.
• Play a game with them.
• Throw a ball or shoot baskets with them.
• Take a walk around the block with them.
• Teach them something.
• Clean up the yard together.
• Make a tent with them.
• Build something with them.
• Give them driving lessons.
• Play table tennis with them.
• Overhaul bicycles (clean, tighten, etc.) together.

Dad Dates

Every child needs individual time with Dad. Plan regular times to take each child on a date to be together and talk about life.

• Go out for breakfast to the child’s choice of restaurant, even if it’s the donut shop. Go as early as possible to make it more special.
• Go to a favorite park, playground or outdoor area. Take a picnic meal or snack. Play and talk.
• With sons, plan an overnight campout. With daughters, plan a dress-up night out for dinner.
• Take them for a special shopping trip.

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

The response to my article earlier this week has been encouraging. Truthfully, I suspected it would strike a chord inside of those who are tired of listening to wealthy preachers make false promises of blessing and prosperity during what appears to be nothing more than a religious infomercial.

Both on my personal blog and the Maoz blog, we have received a tremendous response. Also, on Charisma News and Charisma’s other magazine sites, thousands have read it. I got a call from a Detroit radio station yesterday asking to interview me.

This morning I even received an email from a well-known television minister, thanking me for challenging him. Clearly, people are weary of this type of ministry.

But many people asked, “Why not name names?” Excellent points were made:

1. There was concern that good ministries might be blamed for the deeds of those with less integrity if folks didn’t know to whom I was referring.

2. Others felt that people needed to know who these people were in order to warn others to stay away from them.

3. Some quoted Scriptures where Paul publicly called people out.

So, why didn’t I?

I have never spoken to the people in question about their error, and while their sin is public, until I have a chance to communicate with them directly and give them the opportunity repent of or defend their position, I don’t feel that it is biblically ethical for me to name them.

However, my good friend and colleague Dr. Michael Brown, whom I had asked to look over my article for theological accuracy before I posted it, interviewed me yesterday about this on his nationwide radio show, The Line of Fire. Dr. Brown, who has a Ph.D. in ancient Semitic languages (i.e., Hebrew and Aramaic) has, in fact, reached out to these individuals to give them a chance to defend their Day of Atonement sevenfold blessingtheology on his show.

If they will not appear or respond, then we will name names, as we will have given them a chance to respond. If they do come forward for public examination of their doctrine, then you will also know who they are. So either way, very shortly, it will be clear who they are.

I have heard stories of some of these million-dollar pastors threatening critics with slander lawsuits. While I have no fear of such things—a lawsuit would only further expose them—the Bible gives us a clear outline. Let’s follow it.

Who knows? Maybe they will repent and then be truly qualified to teach on the Day of Atonement. Repentance, not “double portion, sevenfold blessings,” is the theme of this great day.

Ron Cantor is the director of Messiah’s Mandate International in Israel, a Messianic ministry dedicated to taking the message of Jesus from Israel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Cantor also travels internationally teaching on the Jewish roots of the New Testament. He serves on the pastoral team of Tiferet Yeshua, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tel Aviv. His newest book, Identity Theft, was released April 16. Follow him at @RonSCantor on Twitter.

For the original article, visit .