Art Katz - Urgent !!!

June 23, 2007

A Note from Sissie (Art's daughter):

At the time of writing, it appears that Dad is nearing his final hours here on earth and that soon he will be home with the Lord in an eternal resting place. Dad choose to stop all of his medication three days ago and his physical body is rapidly deteriorating. A few days ago he said, "I am looking death in the face."...how long? Hours?? At most a few days, unless the Lord raises him up. He is not eating and takes sips of water and juice with encouragement. We are all here at his bedside. Ariel is here from Florida. Currently, John MacDonald and his son Tim are here and we are worshipping God at Dad's bedside. Dad is ready to go, he is ready to be with the Lord. He is slowly loosing consciousness but is coherent from time to time. Please pray that he will by God's mercy and grace, fall into a peaceful sleep and wake in the arms of his Father in Heaven.

Blessings!

Sissie (Art's daughter) and family

Hhhmmm, iam speechless. Lets lift him up into God's hands in prayer.

Praying...........

I am looking death in the face."

The man of God looks death in the face like a fearless champion looks at a bluffing loser. Death, however, looks the unsaved man in the face like a wolf looks at a trapped rabbit. I've been in hospital rooms on the eve of a saint's passing...and you can sense the powerful entourage of angels waiting for the blessed moment. But I've also been around [i]unsaved[/i] people who are on the verge of death...and the presence of God is not there. There is only the sense of mysterious abandonment and impending doom.

If we only had the glasses to peer into the angelic realm which encompases Art's hospital room at this time, what sights we would see! We would be awestruck at the glory.

Was just there on Ben Israel last night ... this is a sudden turn of events from his recent release back home ...

Dear Lord

Please pray that he will by God's mercy and grace, fall into a peaceful sleep and wake in the arms of his Father in Heaven.

Praise the Lord.

I am very glad Art is doing this, it is bringing tears to my eyes though. Letting the Lord take him Home instead of trying to fight it with medications.

What a saint. What a life.

I am joining you in prayer for Art and Ben Israel as you all do.

I know from his sermons, Art would prefer martyrdom over sickness. Although the Lord denies him this form of death it is admirable how he is now looking forward to meet our beloved master.

Philip

praying for art.

i'm a little jealous to tell you the truth..

I'm praying for this wonderful man,i know he will see the Lord,but i'm heartbroken all the same..My prayers are with him,also his family & friends..
God Bless

andrew

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Christ is our deliverer. I am struck by the wonder and mercy of God and the awesomeness of this time. Should the Lord choose to take Art on I will truly feel the loss. This is a crisis hour. I have to know that God is in control and He knows what He is doing. For whatever reason this news causes me to do a lot of soul searching. Even at this moment God is using the circumstances of his life to speak to hearts. Art and his family are certainly on our hearts and in our prayers.

Christ is our deliverer. I am struck by the wonder and mercy of God and the awesomeness of this time. Should the Lord choose to take Art on I will truly feel the loss. This is a crisis hour. I have to know that God is in control and He knows what He is doing. For whatever reason this news causes me to do a lot of soul searching. Even at this moment God is using the circumstances of his life to speak to hearts. Art and his family are certainly on our hearts and in our prayers.

Indeed Robert, indeed. Have been almost methodicaly and slowly reading, no, apprehending this most recent transcription from the site [url=http://www.benisrael.org/writings/articles_artkatz/Beyond_Categories.html]Beyond Categories[/url] and in many ways it is emphaticaly the marrow of the man in his expression and his peculiar and challenging ... effrontery? It is the very in your face ... scrambling for adequate words here ... I can not think of a time where he did not bring you to a place of confrontation in the ultimate sense, he always has the sheer ability to be ultimately self effacing, highly suspicious and out right distrustful of the natural beasts that we are yet still in so many ways. The courage to challenge and speak those things where others would shrink back and still manage to do it without* putting on 'airs' as it were. Can't but help read without a whole backlog of review, personal encounter ... a sense of woe that I didn't take up the invitation to come visit, ah, even that would be meat for wrong [i]seeing[/i] to use his parlance.

Many questions, the soul is stirred, the marrow is bleeding love towards him, to God, to tension, to the Lords will ...

I am struck by the wonder and mercy of God and the awesomeness of this time.

*Edit: Correction, had 'with' erroneously prior

Father,
Be with Art and his Family at this trying, yet
Glorious time for Art.
Only You know the souls this man has won to Jesus Christ.
Grant his request, in Jesus Name.
Truly, He has fought a good fight, and kept the faith.
Your will be done, in Jesus Name.

crsschk wrote:

Christ is our deliverer. I am struck by the wonder and mercy of God and the awesomeness of this time. Should the Lord choose to take Art on I will truly feel the loss. This is a crisis hour. I have to know that God is in control and He knows what He is doing. For whatever reason this news causes me to do a lot of soul searching. Even at this moment God is using the circumstances of his life to speak to hearts. Art and his family are certainly on our hearts and in our prayers.

Indeed Robert, indeed. Have been almost methodically and slowly reading, no, apprehending this most recent transcription from the site [url=http://www.benisrael.org/writings/articles_artkatz/Beyond_Categories.html]Beyond Categories[/url] and in many ways it is emphatically the marrow of the man in his expression and his peculiar and challenging ... effrontery? It is the very in your face ... scrambling for adequate words here ... I can not think of a time where he did not bring you to a place of confrontation in the ultimate sense, he always has the sheer ability to be ultimately self effacing, highly suspicious and out right distrustful of the natural beasts that we are yet still in so many ways. The courage to challenge and speak those things where others would shrink back and still manage to do it with putting on 'airs' as it were. Can't but help read without a whole backlog of review, personal encounter ... a sense of woe that I didn't take up the invitation to come visit, ah, even that would be meat for wrong [i]seeing[/i] to use his parlance.

Many questions, the soul is stirred, the marrow is bleeding love towards him, to God, to tension, to the Lords will ...

I am struck by the wonder and mercy of God and the awesomeness of this time.

Amen ... there is something hanging in the suspension ... [i]Ah[/i]

Interestingly [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=3372]Beyond Categories[/url] was a sermon which after listening to only once, promised myself not to listen again until I had memorised and meditated upon Pslam 73 for myself. This all occurred in the months lead to Art's visit to Melbourne, and these two events marked and epochal event which has set the course of my life since. That being one of developing an ever increasing appreciation of "practical living martyrdom".

Reality is sanity, and the paradox is that the man is drawn to a near insanity in order to find it. Do we love God enough for that? Are we willing to suffer that kind of anguish of soul where it seems like our very faith is at threat and at risk? It is scandalously close to being violated or dismissed or made heretical. Are we willing to be stretched to the ultimate place of breaking, in a deepest kind of anguish that exceeds mere physical suffering – because it is a moral anguish in the prospect that God may not be God as we know Him, understand Him and desire Him to be?

At the risk of sounding strange or, dare I say, superstitious, I cannot help but feel that Art's exit from this temporal realm, will mark the beginning of a pivotal event in history, possibly even being a birth-pang of Jacob's Time of Trouble.

In a recent radio interview, Art proposed that the church has failed to apprehend the radical nature of its own faith and message in direct proportion to its neglect to engage Israel as a first priority in its missionary calling. This neglect has cost the church immeasurably. Jewish opposition to the gospel is ordained for the church's sake. "As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes." The formidable fortifications of Jewish unbelief constitutes an ultimate challenge for the church of the last days to be Davidic and apostolic. Nothing less than this task is so well suited to compel the church to do its homework, to 'dig deep' and study to give an answer. It is a task that demands nothing less than the reality of Pentecost to both demonstrate and defend the glory of the mystery.

We are all here at his bedside. Ariel is here from Florida. Currently, John MacDonald and his son Tim are here and we are worshipping God at Dad's bedside. Dad is ready to go, he is ready to be with the Lord.

June 24, 2007

Firstly, our deepest appreciation for the prayers that are continually being lifted to the throne of grace on our behalf, as well as the encouragement and support during this time.

Art is somewhat better today, more coherent. He has expressed his desire to go home and be with the Lord a number of times already. He did manage to get out of bed for a short time this morning to listen to the worship and prayers taking place in his living room.

Our greatest desire is the Glory of God. We pray and trust that the Lord will do that which glorifies Him most. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and is well able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think by raising Art up at so late an hour. If, however, the time has come for Art to cross over, we know he will enter into a realm that utterly exceeds anything he has known till now.

Appreciatively,

the Ben Israel family

via http://benisrael.org/updates/artkatzhealth.html

Why are words so inadequate to express our appeciation for a man of such stature; one who fearlessly proclaimed the TRUTH of God's Word without compromise. I will be forever indebted to SI for introducing me to Art Katz...his messages and books have been life changing. The sense of loss that I feel is heart wrenching and the sadness grevious...May the legacy of his life and ministry bring a rich harvest after his homegoing!

June 25, 2007

Art remains stable. We have noted slight improvements in his overall condition. He has been off medications for four days now, and has eaten very little. He does still manage to drink liquids. We had our daily morning prayer time at his bedside, and he was coherent for some of that. He still recognizes family and close friends.

As always,
Grateful for the prayers that are upholding us during this time,

Ben Israel Fellowship

via http://benisrael.org/updates/artkatzhealth.html

June 26, 2007

Art's condition is basically the same this morning.

Do pray that he will have soundness of mind and that the peace of the Lord will surround him and keep him in this trying hour.

via http://benisrael.org/updates/artkatzhealth.html

June 27, 2007

We have witnessed remarkable 'rallying' in Art's condition these past days. Yesterday was a very good day for him with clear periods of lucidity that were used by the Lord wonderfully as precious exchanges and prayers took place between Art and family members, as well as close friends. These times are contrasted by periods of unresponsiveness, even long moments of apnea (30 to 60 seconds). Such extreme changes are medically called "end-of-life rallying".

Art is not as lucid and coherent this morning as he was yesterday. This morning his lungs sound 'wheezy' which typically is a sign of fluid build-up in the lungs or pneumonia.

via http://benisrael.org/updates/artkatzhealth.html