"...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus...."
Hebrews 12:1-2
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse, that you must not quit.
Author Unknown
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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Well, good morning to you all!! This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
By the way, I like the poem....
me too
thought for the day
What if you woke up today with only what you had thanked God for yesterday?
Scary, sobering thought, Jib.
Interesting article, here:
Catholic mystic foresees heavenly intervention in current events
Ned Dougherty has been having "locutions", or interior voices, from "Jesus the Redeemer" for the past 25 years, ever since he experienced a near-death experience. These locutions have not been either accepted or rejected by the Catholic hierarchy -- they are still in the process of being evaluated. Use discernment.
<><
I saw on the news tonight that an agreement had been reached between the President and congressional leaders in both the House and the Senate. Obviously, the deal has to be voted on and passed in both Houses before going to the President for his signature.
Anyway, I've been watching this whole "debt crisis" deal and have been wondering how things might play out. Perhaps I should preface my comments by saying that I have never been to a Tea Party meeting and don't identify myself as a "Tea Partier" though some would probably say my political views are closely aligned with much of those associated with the Tea Party movement.
I think there are several interesting possiblities as to how this debt crisis will turn out:
1.) The agreement gets signed and we avert any major finanacial upheaval in the near future. Of course, being able to continue to go deeper into debt in order to continue to continue paying all of our debts and buying all the goods and services currently purchased by the federal government may create further problems down the road. Anyway, possibility #1 is that everything will work out reasonably OK with this agreement (assuming it is signed and it does what they hope it will do).
2.) The Tea Party faction in the House (who want to see more spending cuts than the current deal provides) along with liberal Democrats who don't like the spending cuts that the current deal provides end up providing enough opposition that the deal doesn't pass. It ends up causing financial chaos, panic, and upheaval. The Tea Party gets blamed. People see that many are Christians and sought the Lord for guidance during this whole mess. Persecution begins as a result.
3.) Same as #2 above with the added problem of the world blaming the United States. Somebody appears on the world stage and has a plan to solve the economic chaos that has essentially been caused by the United States. We as a country become the scapegoat. Much is blamed on Christians in the United States but the whole country is blamed. The economic and political leadership and power of the United States evaporates very quickly.
World warns of disaster if no debt deal done
Jim C.
My discernment tells me that this guy is not of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and that the Father sent to us.
According to the article, he said; “I am here to tell you now that there will be great changes coming to all of you here on Earth to bring about a New Heaven and a New Earth, a New Jerusalem, which will be to all of you more a state of mind initially than an actual physical location..."
But according to Scripture, Jesus will return the same way he left. Physically, quickly, and in the clouds.
Acts chapter 1
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
If any of you haven't watched Joel Rosenberg's Epicenter Conf 2011 videos, I recommend especially the "Concluding Panel" segment. Wayne Hilsden's talk about his watch was exciting.
And I think that was you in the audience just after the 8 min mark LL Lisa?
http://www.epicenterconference.com/
I am constantly amazed that God tolerates us.
Poll: God has better approval rating than Congress
"The poll -- which was conducted by the Democratic research firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) -- surveyed 928 people and found that 52 percent of Americans approved of God's overall dealings, while only 9 percent disapproved."
JIM G.
I agree with you about the man that thinks he is hearing from Jesus! Made my hair curl and that isn't good!
Last night, as we heard about the debt/budget deal, a very sobbering thought seemed to steal my joy about the news. You all know that our illustrious Congress/Senate has a bad habit of doctoring the bills and what is to keep them from doing such a thing this time? Like little hidden 'give me' that would ruin the whole purpose for all of this distress?
The whole world will hold us responsible if this mess doesn't clear up quickly! I can't say that I would blame them. It has brought back a quote from the 1960's when JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!". How long ago did I inquire? Been a long, long time!
Grany
Putin says U.S. is a "parasite" on global economy
"They are living beyond their means and shifting a part of the weight of their problems to the world economy," Putin told a Kremlin youth group while touring its summer camp north of Moscow.
"If over there (in America) there is a systemic malfunction, this will affect everyone," Putin told the young Russians.
great news! my brother was hired for a teaching job today!
Someone said they saw me @ the Conference chomping on gum. I've been procrastinating looking @ the vid of my mug shot. }: The watch testimony was great!
Why the Rapture of the Church Has To Happen Before the Seven Year Tribulation
You were pretty poker-faced there, LNL. I wish I had been there. I'm going to watch again when I have time.
We had a basement flooding where water gushed up from the floor storm water trap. I've never seen anything like that! (being an aussie) Alesia had to come home to calm me down. Anyway, looks like I'll be vacuuming water up the next 2 days.
Great news on your brother, Jib!
Jim G, the US has been the most charitable nation on earth. Putin is...well Putin.
JIB,
Rejoicing with you over dear brother's placement. Yippee!
LNL, I know that I saw you in one of the video conferences and yes, I wish I could have been there too. I love Israel and I truly, truly mean that with all of my heart.
When I was so blessed to go there, I felt like I had finally come home. I didn't meet any Apples that were unpleasant and I know it sounds strange but I made lots of friends with the Apples of God's eye.
Mr. Hyde, if you can locate a Rental shop, they have a commercial size water vac that is great. I love basements and up until I moved to Oklahoma, always had one. However, they are the perfect low spot for excess water. The name I was trying to remember,finally did, Sump Pump.
Thanks Grany. I hired a vac from Home Depot and have just finished getting it reasonably dry. We have a plumber coming tomorrow to asses what needs to be done.
But Alesia tells me there's another storm heading this way tonight!
Mr. Hyde, feeling for you with your storm problems. Last Wednesday we had a major storm here in Dubuque -- somewhere between 11 and 15 inches of rain fell. One estimate says about one-half BILLION gallons of water fell in a 12-hour period, and lots of people had flooding in their basements.
Jim G., your points are valid only if you believe that Jesus will be physically present on Earth during "the thousand-year reign." The Catholic Church specifically teaches against the idea of the Millennial Kingdom occurring within history. Many Catholics (myself among them) see the thousand years as more of a "thinning of the veil", where the Holy Spirit dwells among us. This (the non-physical presence of Jesus) would also explain how at the end of the thousand years the Antichrist could again be in the earth wreaking havoc before finally being cast into the pit for all eternity. (I could never understand how, with Jesus being physically there in all His Glory, as He was during the Transfiguration, people would abandon Him to follow the Antichrist at the end.)
<><
Jib, great news about your brother!
I remember years ago, in the days of Joel's blog, someone talking about a dream involving a disaster at Niagara Falls. That thought was going through my mind while I was reading these two articles:
America's Psychic Highway
Nature's First Altar
<><
My sister and I had the dreams of Niagra Falls. Grany had thought her dream might have been Niagra, but I think that she came to the conclusion that it was the New Madrid Fault line... But then again, that was a couple years ago.
The dream I had is still vivid in my mind.
Whenever I dream of waterfalls...I know what it means for me.
Mr. Hyde, you must really consider a trip to the restroom before retiring! LOL
Thanks JIm. It looks like I'll have to rip the carpet up. I prefer no carpet in the basement anyway. I don't need one for the gym and Alesia will have a workshop.
If I remember correctly, the RCC is amillennial. They use Augustine's method of reinterpreting the OT using the NT (?).
Therefore OT chapters such as Isaiah 65 are understood spiritually.
Mr. Hyde, amillenialism was popular, but it never became doctrine. Amill was only one of four end-time teachings proposed by St. Augustine. He developed these teachings in response to the Chihilism heresy.
Chihilism (from the Greek word for 1000) taught that the saints would have 1000 years to enjoy all the s*x and drugs and rock'n'roll (i.e., all the carnal pleasures) they denied themselves in their lives, before being taken up into heaven at the end of time. St. Augustine proposed four alternative teachings to show that Chihilism was false. While amill was the most popular of these teachings because of the honor it gave the Church, it wasn't the only teaching.
<><
Jim, amill has recently become very popular among the "Reformed". Kim Riddlebarger's book on the subject is both interesting and frustrating.
I'd never heard that chiliasm entailed the "carnal" pleasures of sex and drugs etc. That would be heretical and not biblical. Yet the 1000 years is definitely taught in Revelation and the sex part may be tied to the OT esp Isaiah where it is under the legitimate union of marriage.
Perhaps Augustine, and the teachers that followed, had an issue with believing that the Millennium was a physical event here on earth.
Lori,
Jim C. is the one convinced that the vision/dream I had takes place in the New Madrid Fault region. The dream I had was not confined to a localized area but Jim did present some very interesting arguments and facts.
I still can see that dream in full detail but it doesn't shake me up as bad as it used to. Niagara Falls did seem to be a part of the dream but not the only part. One reason the calmness has settled in my heart is being comforted that God is in control and He will be glorified in all things.
JIM C., are you enjoying your new job and how about Dubuque? I used to have some very good High School days friends that lived there but they have now moved to the Lake of the Ozarks area. If they had still lived there, they would have given you a place to live. Wonderful people and if memory serves me correctly, they are all RCC. Would have been nice, eh!
Grany
Jib, great news on your brother.
Maranatha
Mike
Hyde, you wrote:
Perhaps Augustine, and the teachers that followed, had an issue with believing that the Millennium was a physical event here on earth.
It's not so much not believing that the Millennium will be a physical, earthly event. It's not believing that Jesus will be materially present and physically ruling nations during that time, in historical time. You're describing Jesus running a political organization, such as the Zealots wanted Jesus to set up in opposition to the Romans.
Given that Augustine lived at a time where branches of Gnosticism were teaching that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had children, it was important to fight not only against a secular/carnal "1000 years", but against a tendency to want to set up a dynasty tracing its roots to Jesus.
<><
Perhaps the zealots wanted to push the Kingdom along and that made Augustine sheepish. Regardless, Scripture does speak of a literal physical Kingdom with Christ present as King (Rev 5:10, 12:5, 19:5).
I never even considered the literal 1000 yr reign of Christ to be secular and/or carnal. He will rule w/a rod of iron & @ the end those who don't want his rulership will be desposed.
JIM C.
I take the literal WORD of God very seriously and there is nothing to indicate that this will be a 'less than physical' 1000 year reign. If it were 'Spiritual', it would have to be either in heaven or the domain of Satan. According to scripture, Satan has already been dealt with by Jesus Christ, when he sets his foot on the Mountain Top from where he ascended. That is the beginning of the final reign of terror until JESUS opens the pit where Satan has been confined for 1000 years.
Can't help what some ancient man interprets the Word of God as. That is what I call Perverted. I believe Scripture will bear me out when I say that there is a very stern warning about tampering with and changing God's WORD!.......
You know I love you like a brother but brother, this is too much to accept.
Grany
this is part of what Ken Hamm gets so on fire about. Consider-yes you can be a real Christian and believe in Evolution or even old earth, gap theory and what have you but it is a matter of the authority of God's Word. Keep in mind that God's Word is not just the scripture but Christ himself. So when we fail to submit to the authority of God's word we are in effect failing to submit to Christ. Once you open the door a little, the next generation will open it a little further. aren't we seeing the results of that?
Unfortunately the whole teaching of Augustine makes sense in an historical context-doesn't make it accurate it just makes sense. Keep in mind that replacement theology as we know it today is also a product of Augustine as well. When you don't take the scripture at it's word that God is not finished with the Jews, that the Jews will be nationally saved, confuse the promises to Israel with those to the Church, see that the Jews are still dispersed, it is quite easy to to come up with amillenialism. It's not that far a stretch. If you combine it with what the Gnostics were teaching about Christ having physical children.... It makes perfect sense. It just doesn't happen to be Biblical. But as with other things which have been taught as being scriptural, not rightly dividing the Word it has caused and continues to cause havoc to this day. Having said that, there are a number of protestant denoms that are also amil or if they do hold to some sort of millennial theology it is the church and not Israel at the center. Israelology, which i have yet to complete, discusses this topic in detail. One of the men who visits our church in the winter, a published Presby pastor in his own right, said he has no idea why the nation of Israel even exists today because God is done with the nation. And he taught the Sunday school class on Romans!
just remember, let us correct doctrine with love and not attack the person.
"just remember, let us correct doctrine with love and not attack the person."
Well said, Jib.
Here's a brief summary of the "evolution" of biblical interpretation (esp Origen, Augustine, Revelation etc) by Mal Couch.
The Allegorists Who Undermined the Normal Interpretation of Scripture
Hyde,
Don't forget, though, that Origen and his contemporaries are called the Early Church Fathers (ECF) for good reason. They were the people who were taught Christianity either by the Apostles who were taught by Jesus, or they were taught by the people who were taught by the Apostles. As such, their views and interpretations should probably be given more weight and consideration than some of the modern scholars.
Mr. Couch seems almost to be faulting Origen for not doing a line-by-line teaching of the Gospel. The problem was, there was no Gospel, not in the sense we have today. The ECF were responsible for spreading the Good News and explaining this new faith WITHOUT MODERN BIBLES. They not only had the works of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, they also had the Gnostic and false Gospels. They had works that claimed to be written by the Apostles, such as the 4th Letter of John, and works that were very spiritual and instrumental in early Christian formation, but which did not belong with Holy Scripture (such as "The Shepherd of Hermas"). All of which had to be carefully discerned by the ECF when used for teaching either by sermon or by letter.
The canon of the New Testament would not be fixed for another two hundred years. The ECF had the writings of the Old Testament prophets assembled into a canon (the Septaguint, which was used in the Greek-speaking areas and most of the Jewish world outside of Israel). But the great majority of the information they imparted to the new Christians was in oral form, and they used the oral forms of teaching that they had been taught, which included the use of allegory.
Keep in mind, also, that the Canon of the New Testament was determined just before Augustine's death. So all of his writings were done based not only on the writings that were coming to be accepted as Scripture but on the writings and commentaries of the ECF. For these reasons I think Mr. Couch is being a bit harsh in his judgments against Origen and Augustine.
<><
Jim, unfortunately, as far as the dichotomy between Israel and the church and the interpretation of Scripture (especially the OT), the ECF went out of kilter after the last apostle passed away. In fact Paul was correcting false doctrine while he was alive. Even the letters in Revelation carried warnings for the churches.
Couch did note that Augustine was a godly man – however godly men are quite often wrong and his hermeneutics predisposed him to re-interpret the OT via the lens of the NT. It is one thing to recognize the official NT canon and quite another to interpret it or use it to pre-understand the OT. The Gnostic gospels came after the four. The standard of the content easily determined that they were false gospels.
But it isn’t just Augustine; the (Evangelical) trend today is to shy away from a plain understanding of the Revelation verses I quoted above and the prophecies of Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel etc.
Not only do theologians re-interpret the OT using the NT but they also apply their theologically driven hermeneutics to the NT as well.
A classic example is in Acts 1:6. Guys like Stephen Sizer will casually mention that the PRE-Pentecost disciples asked Jesus the question about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Sizer thinks they had it all wrong until after Pentecost when they finally got it. Yet what these guys fail to address is that, not only did Jesus not correct their aspirations, but He had spent 40 days teaching them about the kingdom (Acts 1:3).
In the end it seems to me that if a plain reading of Revelation tells me that there will be a1000 year reign on earth with Jesus Christ as King – then I have no valid reason to think otherwise.
I just love listening to you guys discuss these things!
Revelation is just a summation and ordering of OT prophecies.
We have a tendency to forget that the church did not invent eschatology the Jews did. If you look at the questions that make up the Olivet discourse the disciples want to know-essentially when the end of the age is, when the kingdom will be restored and when will these things be. or something to that effect. It is quite clear from their questions and Christ's answers that He also taught that there would be a real physical kingdom. The reason that Christ answered Pilate about His kingdom not being of this world was because by this time the Jews had rejected his Messianic clams some time before and the physical kingdom could not be established at this time because of that rejection.
you can present the Gospel completely from the OT if you know how-it is after all how the early church did it.
finally-a real physical heir to a physical throne was promised to David-no where does it appear that David though that this was a spiritual throne or kingdom but a real throne and kingdom. If you look at Daniel-it is quite clear that he knew when the diaspora of that time was to end and he though that Messiah would also be coming to establish the promised kingdom. The reason that Gabriel was sent to Daniel was to correct this thought that the kingdom was to be established soo. Again the understanding of both Daniel and Gabriel is that there would be areal physical kingdom. The presence of the church does not take away from this
Try again...
Matt Weymeyer’s talk on amil etc at last years Shepherd’s conference is very worth while to listen to if anyone is interested in these matters. You have to download onto your PC to listen. Click on the link “Thy Kingdom Come”.
Shepherd’s Conference: Matt Weymeyer on Revelation 20
Nearly forgot...very good points, Jib. In fact the disciples relied on the OT (as did Jesus) as a basis of their understanding of the future.
While there is "progressive revelation" that PR does not abrogate the plain meaning found in OT passages. There isn't any real excuse to re-think the meaning of the OT unless you disagree or have a pre-understanding of what it should mean.
And as Dr Fruchtenbaum points out in "Footsteps" the book of Revelation reflects what's written in Daniel and the other prophets.
via Amanda Connell: URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!! PLEASE RE-POST!! KAYLA SCOTT'S 22 MONTH OLD SON SHOT HIMSELF IN THE CHEST WITH A BRAD NAILER~ IT WENT IN HIS HEART~ HE IS NOW IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND NOT DOING WELL ~ NEITHER IS HIS MOM ~ PLEASE START A PRAYER CHAIN FOR THIS BABY~ PLEASE COPY & REPOST ......AS YOU WOULD WANT SOMEONE TO...DO IT...FOR YOU, thanx guys
this came from Christine
Praying for the baby. How desperate the Mother must be and my heart goes out to her.
Also, you all might be interested in reading this LINK from Jimmy De Young's Prophecy Today site. When I read it I immediately wondered what was taking the world such a long time to spring into action.
Good discussion going on regarding the inerrancy of scripture.
Grany
Alesia,how is the baby doing?
I'm not sure. I asked Christine but she hadn't heard anything.
so...keep praying :)
argh....
The baby story is an apparent hoax!
Snopes-Nailgun
Sorry :(
Don't feel bad about it Alesia. I know we have all been taken in by various stories on the internet but hey, none of our prayers went for nothing. Never can tell there is always the chance that a small child somewhere has suffered a similar mishap.
We got up this morning and it was absolutely wonderful....cool and a very distinct feeling of rain in the air. Our prized Magnolia trees in the back yard are just about all brown, not pretty. But we have been laying a sprinkling hose on them every evening and hopefully they will come back before long. At least, maybe next year.
Makes me so sad to see the suffering of our beautiful green trees. They remind me of the suffering masses all over the world and yet, most of those afflicted don't get to come back next spring.
Life is full of drama but God is so good.
Grany
Mr. Hyde,
You wrote:
While there is "progressive revelation" that PR does not abrogate the plain meaning found in OT passages. There isn't any real excuse to re-think the meaning of the OT unless you disagree or have a pre-understanding of what it should mean.
I definitely agree. The challenge is comes when what appears to be the plain meaning conflicts with a literal interpreation. There was a story in our local paper a month or two ago about a man who was donating an old map (copyright 1893) to the Library of Congress. The map was called Map of the Stationary Earth. The author of the map, Prof. Orlando Ferguson, claimed that there are "Four Hundred Passages in the Bible that Condemn the Globe Theory, or the Flying Earth, and None Sustain It. This Map is the Bible Map of the World."
As you know, there are honest disagreements among believers about what the Scriptures teach about the age of the earth. I tend to believe the earth is much older than say 10,000 years and that such a view is quite compatible with Scripture, just as I believe the idea that the sun doesn't literally rise and set (it appears to rise and set as the earth rotates).
I just think that people on both sides of any debate about Scripture need to approach it humbly. God's Word is perfect, inspired, and true. It is our interpretations that are flawed. Thus, we need the Holy Spirit and other brothers and sisters in Christ to help us understand what it means.
Map of the Square and Stationary Earth by Prof. Orlando Ferguson
Just to be clear, I'm not super firm in my "old earth" view. I definitely understand how folks can take a straightforward reading of Scripture and with some inductive reasoning, arrive at a "young earth" view.
What I do become more and more convinced of the longer I live is that all of this world (or should I say universe) is an absolute miracle. To say that it happened by chance is absurd. The wonders of creation are such that it really doesn't matter how old the earth and all that is in it is. All of creation is a testament to our wonderful Creator and Heavenly Father.
If you've ever read how Kim Riddlebarger or Paul Motyer get out of acknowledging a "literal" meaning of OT sections such as Isaiah 65 you'll understand the frustration premils have with amils.
Go to Joel's Epicenter Conference, click the Replacement Theology video and listen to Dr Rydelnik's experience with RT theologian Gary Burge. People like Burge, Riddlebarger etc allow the NT to transform a physical-literal promise, given in the OT, into a spiritual one - or abrogate it.
Burge complained to Rydelnik that the latter used OT verses and that it was an unfair advantage. Seriously! These guys really do think the NT should takes precedence and that it changes the OT.
Re the flat earth stuff and taking things literally vs figures of speech, I know that Creation Ministries International have articles debunking that premise. Atheists like to point to figures of speech in the Bible to try to show that it was written by flat-earthers.
http://creation.com/countering-the-critics-questions-and-answers
I was following some links on IMDB.COM, and ran across this miniseries:
The Republic
What happens to a typical America family when the government collapses? How does a family stay together through bad water, food shortages, power outages, and burgeoning civil war? Can they fight back? Or it is too late?
I thought it sounded interesting, and started clicking around to find info on it. I finally found the show's main page. Read the show's "About" page:
About "The Republic"
In short, what would America become if the right wing got its way in everything?
In twelve searing episodes, see how an average American family is ruined - along with the country - by the new "Freedom Laws", and how they slowly recover and learn to fight back.
Or is it too late?
The only good thing is that this miniseries had it's premier back in April of last year, and they're still looking for a network or cable outlet. That, to me, shows just how bad this show is.
<><
May I tell you what my 'insides' are telling me? Or better still, let's see what scripture has to say about our specific era.
We have all read, heard or turned off the teaching on the End Times but isn't it kinda strange that God's word has painted the exact picture scene that we are now living in? Man learns to love sin, comes to hate God and all that he stands for and demands that all Christians shut up!
In fact they have stated over and over we are not supposed to tell the world of God's great love and personal sacrifice to save all of us from sin.
Now, take into account that Israel has moved back into the pages of History and what was is again. No new thing on earth. They are despised, rejected, humiliated and chased by the nations of the world. Christians have increasingly become aware of their renewed State as a very clear warning and fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Jerusalem has become a cup of great trembling and the nations are growing more and more hostile to her. To the point of actually making plans to divide God's Own Personal Property, Jerusalem.
Governments are failing all over the face of the earth; the WORLD is reeling from the financial chaos and no one is trusting government. The gangs of rioters are slowly but without mercy, taking over the cities and countries of the World.
Great deception has made powerful inroads into the Christian foundations that have stood for centuries and that movement is gaining strength daily.
All of this is leading up to a one world government and the USA will either join it or be ruined forever. If this last statement isn't true, then please tell me why after all of the 200+ years we are inept and being led by Inept Politicians.
I fully believe, and I hate saying it, that the One World Government is just a blink away from each and everyone one of us. Whether we live in the USA, Africa, Sweden, Italy, France,etc. One monetary system that will be the starting point of the next act in this great drama.
I don't put much value in the coming elections making much of a difference no matter who wins.
If we are indeed heading faster than a bullet towards the OWG then nothing will change those that are setting their faces against Abba Father and His People. Us and the Apples are in for a real race and even with all of this, I know that we win! Why? Because I read the last verse in the very last book of the New Testament and because God Said So!
Look up, for your redemption draws so very close and like Jack Kelley sez, "I can almost hear His Footsteps".
Grany
It posted twice and once is enough!
I love all of you wonderful people and just in case anyone is wondering, I am not dreading the coming days at all because Jesus Christ will shine forth and God will be glorified.
Win, win situation
just published some thoughts on my blog.
as an excerpt
"Our day is somewhat like the days just before the flood; people would by and large still rather trust in their own ideas, wishes and especially in culture and society rather than take the deliverance provided by God. There are many Noahs out there telling of God’s ways and His deliverance. Unlike the original Noah however, we face much more than ridicule. The stakes are a bit higher this time because the deliverance is not a boat made by human hands but God himself. With such love on display, Satan has increased his attacks beyond mere ridicule to include death for some who proclaim God’s Word."
Hi...thought of you all when reading this article: Hope all is well! Nice posts Grany and JIB!
Mideast Quartet alarmed by Israel settlement plans
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The so-called Middle East Quartet of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations on Tuesday said they were alarmed by Israel's latest announcements about new settlement plans.
"The Quartet is greatly concerned by Israel's recent announcements to advance planning for new housing units in Ariel and East Jerusalem," the mediating group said in a joint statement.
I had a tour of Ariel when we were in Israel. Our Pastor & the Mayor are buds. I saw the areas where the construction was halted due to the UN mettling in Israel's affairs. Its probably that area they want to re-start building. The Orthodox Jews are waiting for their own section of housing. Right now they have temp housing - long trailers w/families stuffed in them. They try to make it as nice as they can but its still cramped.
Really interesting, Lisa! I would love to get over there sometime!
My daughter is online editor of YES! Magazine, which is a very left leaning publication that tries to find new solutions to governmental, environmental, financial and other current problems. They are about to promote a "one-week carbon cleanse". The idea is to try to reduce your "carbon footprint" just for one week and blog about your efforts on their website.
I'm telling you about this because she is looking for a more diverse group of people to participate. IOW, not just the young leftie environmentalists but people from all ages, political perspectives and religious affiliations. I told her I would participate and would also pass the word on to others I know who have similar views. She is trying to encourage the left leaning people she knows to engage with those they disagree with respectfully and not to just dismiss them (me!) as nuts!
So, there it is, visit the site if you are interested. You can see what it was like last Jan when they did it here
Jim C, BTW, I told my DD about your idea of washing clothes using the five gal bucket and clean plunger. She loved it!
Anne
sorry no can do. The whole global warming thing and carbon footprints are based on faulty and fraudulent science.
plus
did you all see that 1.8 million of those "safe" cfl's were recalled because they can fall apart and shatter with no warning? nice.
Oh boy, I went to check out the site Anne and nope! Can't do it either. Too old to go back through that stuff again.
I read a very good article by Jack Kinsella HERE about the term Resurrection and it was very good.
Can not access my bible right now so I am asking all of you, is there 2 instances of Gog and Magog being mentioned regarding end time attacks? If you will read Jack's article linked above, you will see what I mean.
Gotta skoot and get my meal planned for this evening. Stay cool everyone and safe.
Grany
Hi Wilma there are two references, Ez 38 and also in Rev 20:7-8 after the 1000 year reign.
7And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his place of confinement,
8And he will go forth to deceive and seduce and lead astray the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth--Gog and Magog--to muster them for war; their number is like the sand of the sea.
Wilma
yes there are two mentions. Dr Ice just did a series on this I think with the prophecy blogspot. if not you can probably go to his site and read.
the reason it is felt to be two different instances are due to the extent of the attack, who is doing the attacking and whom is being attacked.
the Ez attack is directed against Israel alone, is confined to the area of Israel or there abouts and they are being attacked by a defined confederation. The Rev attack involves all those who are not saved at the end of the 1000 yr reign (ie. everyone less than 100 years of age) and is against Christ. The location is not precisely the same if memory serves. anyway-that is the cliffnotes version
Thanks Mike and JIB,
I thought I was seeing double and I have enough problems seeing one. I was about half asleep when I was reading in Rev. 20 so it didn't register with me. The complex discussion about the Ez. 38/39 confederation was the only instance I remembered. I know this sounds weird coming from me but, it is really difficult to read my beloved books anymore. On the computer I can adjust the size of the fonts really quite easily but my books,....
If you could see the volumes of books that I have accumulated from years and family you just shake your head and groan. Even giving away a bunch of the reference books to the church didn't make a dent and they don't have much more space.
DJH helped add to the volume when both of his parents passed away. His mother was a school teacher, loved reading and taught Latin, Spanish, music and drama. Dad loved to read also but his interest was more into geography, science and there are really some very old books in them.
I hope no one hauls them to the dump when we are gone.
Anyway, will the Gog and Magog faction regain their military strength to the point that they take on such a projected battle? And please, don't try to convince me or anyone else that it is all symbolism or some other poppy cock. I have no intention of becoming Religiously Correct on top of not even wanting to try for the Political Correct standards.
I love you all but foolishness isn't on my agenda this late in the game. Or should I say AGE. Church Age that is.
Grany
Grany, how about this: "Gog and Magog" in Revelation isn't symbolic per se; but after the events described in Ezekiel "Gog and Magog" become titles: they're not the same nations/peoples as listed in Ezekiel, but their actions are so much like the historical Gog and Magog that they are called that by the people.
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Jim, I happen to agree with you!
Grany, Douglas Berner "The Silence is Broken" has a great deal to say about the Gog-Magog topic. He examines the Ezekiel and Revelation verses and compares the theories. You can get his book on PDF format. I think he does an excellent job critiquing the different views.
http://www.thesilenceisbroken.us/
I a going to try using my iPad. Something major is wrong with my main. So please excuse any strange or mistyped words.
Jim, wouldn't that still be symbolism?
Hydedacookies, I am heading to the suggestion. Thanx!
Progress report: Fixed the computer and away I go,wheeeee!
I think a major squeeze is being applied against Apple anything by MS. I have worked on getting to the root of the problem with my desktop, main computer and the only thing that was a possible candidate was the Apple Update App and also, much to my chagrin was the actual Apple iTune, etc. programs. After I deleted, cleaned up the left over files and did a disk clean up, restarted the computer and everything is fine.
I have had Apple on this computer for at least 6 years (purchased the computer in 2005) and never had any problems until just recently. Thank God Apple started the icloud operation and I can still update my ipad without hooking to the PC.
OK, now to the link of Hydedacookies, read some of his material and have to say I agree with Dr. Fruchtenbaum's opinion. Or maybe, it is because he does a great job in explaining it. But I am going to continue to study the link because he really has some great material that gives other possiblities to a lot of subject matter.
Thank you kindly Hydieho. I don't ever want to get stuck in a mindset that will never allow other avenues of thought into my remaing grey matter. Considering that not many years ago no one believed anything about Ez. 37, 38 and 39.
Just because we don't understand and believe passages in the bible doesn't change God's word at all. It just removes us from the promises a little bit further.
The Gog discussion is one that I am very interested in and it is for a purpose that the Holy Spirit inspired the scribes to record Ez. 38/39 as it is and then Jesus Christ displayed another facet of God in Rev. 20. I don't believe they are the same but I have to understand why.
Gotta get to work in earnest now.
Grany
Something to make you smile: This year is the 100th anniversary of the Iowa State Fair Butter Cow. (When you go to the link, be sure to click on the slideshow.) 600 pounds of butter are slathered onto a wood and wire-mesh frame and then lovingly sculpted into a cow by an artist working inside a huge 40-degree cooler. There are also different companion sculptures -- one year it was the Peanuts Gang, another year it was "The Last Supper". (Don't know what it is this year.) It is THE most popular attraction at the fair.
Oh, and BTW, there's a new treat available at the fair this year: deep-fried butter. A stick of butter is frozen on a stick, dipped in batter, and deep-fried. The melting butter is absorbed by the batter. You then drizzle frosting on the now-hollow shell, and consume. Yum! (But only one, just so after my heart attack I can tell the people in the emergency room that I really ate one.)
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Oh, and the butter cow has now entered the Presidential race (http://buttercow2012.com/), campaigning for "A Butter Tomorrow." Currently it's polling at 62%, over President Obama's 16%.
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Oh,wee JIM C.
You brought back great memories of Iowa State Fair days and years. I really miss going and tasting all that they have or did have to offer. One Butter Cow during the days following the War had a very difficult time of surviving due to the extreme heat that year. As a kid we loved the huge Anheuser-Busch team of horses and their beautiful wagon. During the 1946 fair I had the terror of sitting astride one of them and promptly got down. The person in charge of the exhibition thought it would be a great demonstration of the relative size to have a child sitting up there. It terrified me!
We loved the races that they held and that year was one of the first with the cars racing again. Before that and during the war, gasoline was very guarded and not wasted on such trivial things as racing. Harness racing was one of my favorites and still is.
Thanks for the memories Jim!
Happy Birthday, Jim!!!!!
:)
Jim,
How does it feel to be 29 again? Hope it was Happy, happy, and deliriously so.
Grany
must be a midwest thing. Ohio State fair has a butter cow also
Jib, that may be, but do they also have a butter Elvis and fried butter on a stick? I think NOT!
And Grany, it's 54. The Irish King Cuchulain, while traveling, once spent the night in a cottage in the woods where there was only a beautiful young girl and an old, old man. The old man said that no one could overcome him (and he proved it, too), while the young girl continued to tell Cuchulain over and over again, "You had me once, but you'll never have me again."
The next morning, Cuchulain woke up in an empty clearing in the woods, the cottage having vanished while he slept. It turned out that the old man was Death, which no man can overcome (this was before Christianity came to Ireland, mind you.) And the girl was Youth, which he had had once but will never have again.
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You are just as young as you feel and it is up to you to keep on feeling good! Wise ole woman in Okieland said that.
Grany
Why the Rapture of the Church Has To Happen Before the Seven Year Tribulation
Part Two
Part Three
I dunno, Lisa. Can you really trust a guy who wears a shirt like that?
Ha Ha! Have you seen Perry Stone's outfits? Makes you practice a lot of grace! I like this trucker guy too:
Tribulation Trigger? 5 Weeks until they divide God's land
More Signs the Tribulation could start
Mostly Christian Bumper stickers
Lately I’ve been listening to Craig Blomberg. He’s an historic premillennialist who thinks that dispensational premils inappropriately privilege Israel. He believes that posttribulationism is more “academic” and less “populist” than the more “comfortable” pretrib view. He thinks there’s no reason to believe that there has to be a temple or a national Israel in the land prior to the second coming of Christ.
You can find his lecture in the link below. It goes for about an hour. I’d love to hear what you guys think as I’m going to do a post on it at my blog.
"Inappropriately Privileging Israel: Why Historic Premillinnialism Trumps Dispensationalism" -
http://www.denverseminary.edu/resources/international-conference-on-historic-premillennialism/
hmm sounds like a replacement theologian to me.
both Frucht and Dr Ice have addressed this but can't point you to specific areas for Ice. Frucht covers this in Israelology at some length because historic premill position is just covenant theology with a premil twist. Frucht at length goes through each of the camps for covenenat theologians- amil, premil and post mil.
the bottom line is either God keeps all of His promises made or can he be trusted to keep any of his promises?
Thanks for your input, Jib. I have Israelology. Dr Blomberg, unfortunately represents and ever-growing trend that tries to de-legitimize Israel’s existence in the land. He’s a supporter of Colin Chapman and Gary Burge and so, by default, anti-Israel activist Stephen Sizer.
The irony is that he denies that he’s a replacement theologian yet when you listen to him you realize that he wants to absorb Israel into the church so that the church shares in all the privileges Israel is destined to. I’d call that absorption theology. The worst part is that he picks and chooses OT verses he wants to be literal and misrepresents dispensationalism. At one point he mentions Two Covenant Theology which isn’t normative disp. John Hagee?
You can download a PDF file of Dr. Thomas Ice "What Is Replacement Theology" HERE and it is worth the reading.
A while back I came into possession of Dr. E. W. Bullinger's book, "COMMENTARY ON REVELATION". He addresses the whole complex understanding of this one book in the bible as a very simple formula. The first four chapters of Revelation of Jesus Christ are for the Church Age. The rest of Revelation of Jesus Christ is to the Jews. They understand all of the symbolism as it was a part of their everyday life back in John's time.
One reason that I have put great value on his study is the very fact that what he has put forth is being fulfilled today. Right in front of our eyes we are witnessing the great prophecies being fulfilled. I get really emotional about the attempt to bedevil the Word of God by men who can not and will not accept that God's Word is TRUTH and not to be trifled with.
For too long man has felt that he has the right to corrupt Holy Scripture and without any fear of doing so. Is it because they have no "fear of God" or is it because they think more highly of their own selves? Probably a little bit of both but then I remember that we have a few young men of this age who are trying to pervert the Word of God in new ways.
We see Jerusalem as a great flash point now in the Middle East. Never before in history has the whole world been so charged up to devour Israel, divide Jerusalem and allow the destruction of the Apples of God's eye. Never!!!
I have to say that I doubt seriously the trueness of their being Born Again, Blood Bought Christians. Some of you will say "no one can judge another's salvation!". Oh, Really? Tell me something, if this is true, then how are we to tell if their fruit is good or rotten? Their testimony lacks a major ingredient of the conversion experience: humble and reverent regard of God's Word.
You might say that I am too hard on such things but people, it is a lack of hardness and respect of God's word that has led to the disrespect of most Mainline Denominations today. We have allowed the dicing of God's Word with nary a peep out of us.
We, too, are being led to the slaughter by our letting it all pass without rebuttal.
Grany
Here is another link to Dr. Fruchtenbaums The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation
Another great book I've just stumbled across is Alva McClain's "The Greatness of the Kingdom" 531 pages. He has incredible insights and I cannot recommend the book highly enough.
The pity about "academics" like Blomberg, Wright and co is that they tend to gloss over the "Left Behind" books/phenomenon rather than trade verse for verse with scholars like McClain or Fruchtenbaum.
BTW, E W Bullinger's Revelation Commentary can be downloaded as a PDF:
http://www.esnips.com/doc/68083507-f5ca-4751-92c8-aaa906fe5d59/The%20Apocalypse.%20736%20pages%20-%20dr.%20E.W.%20Bullinger.
Did any of you feel the earthquake that happened in Virginia? Then the one that took place in Colorado.
Hey Lisa, I agree with you about Perry's wardrobe and everytime I watch his program I have this tremendous urge to grab my scissors, threads, sewing machine and head to Tennessee. But I really do look forward to his programs, which I watch most often on the internet.
Had to giggle when I read your comment because I had just finished watching him and thought the very same thing.
Grany
Hydieho,
Thanks for that link. I am to the place now that reading an actual physical book is very upsetting and finding these great references on the internet is wonderful. Thanks you kind sir.
Grany
P.S. Dear DJH has been having a rough time this summer coping with the extreme heat and add on to that, very little physical ability to walk like he loves to do. Heartbreaking to see him struggle to walk 2 or 3 blocks but it has gotten much worse no. His feet are continually swollen and a dark red. Would appreciate your prayers.
Praying for DJH, Grany.
Hi..just checking in. Looks like some interesting links and readings posted recently...thank you.
We did not feel the earthquake up this way, although some apparently did. I checked in with a friend in VA who did not feel it either! Crazy!
I will definitely keep your husband in my prayers, Grany, and will check other prayer requests and keep them in my prayers, too.
I also pray that He will use us all to share the gospel with the many unbelievers out there and bring them all to Him. In Jesus' holy name, amen!
I thank you all for your prayers in DJH's regard. He is getting pretty discouraged over the whole thing and I sure don't want him slipping into depression. That is a very ugly word in my opinion and not something that is going to be allowed in this Household. As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord very gladly.
I spent the afternoon visiting with some very wonderful Christian friends of a few years ago and it helped me so very much. Sharing the joy and presence of a wonderful Savior and Holy Spirit is the most uplifting and blessing anyone can have.
Feel like I can make it one more dance! Now that is a Holy Dance and done only unto the Lord.
Mac, I truly do thank you for linking Dr. Bullinger's material and I never even thought about it being available on the internet. I am now set to dig in and earn at the Master's feet one more time.
Wouldn't it be great if the Holy Spirit would SUDDENLY lead the lost to the Cave again and hearts would be turned to a Loving and wonderful heavenly Father. Oh, Abba, make the way clear and blessed that your gospel would go into all of the world and the number of fulfillment would take place, SUDDENLY!
Even so, come quickly Lord!
Grany, you always make me smile.
Please pray for my mother. She turns 90 next month but she's now in hospital and it looks like she's dying. Her body is giving up and she wants to go home to be with the Lord. I'm waiting for a call from my brother and I'll be heading back to Melbourne to say goodbye to her.
Please pray for Alesia and Michelle who will be on their own here while I'm gone.
MAC
You have my prayers, syarting right now.
From a FB friend...
*****BREAKING NEWS ALERT***** The USGS has determined that the epicenter of the VA earthquake was in a graveyard just outside of DC... The cause appears to be all of our Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves.
Grany,
I hadn't checked into the cave for a while. I'll definitely pray for your dear husband.
Be sure and tell him as an encouragement that "if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." Rom. 8:11
Hyde,
Will also pray for your dear Mom, you, Alesia, and Michelle. May the Lord's peace rest upon all of you.
Mac,
My prayers are with your blessed mom and your family. If you have to head back to Melbourne, may you be in time to say good bye and tarvel mercies to you:-)
God Bless
jeri.
Grany,
Praying for your beloved and you. May you have the strength and endurance to lift him up.
God Bless
jeri.
Sorry to hear about your mom Mac but also happy 4 her at the same time. I almost can't wait to get out of here ~ my spirit is vexed by what's going on in this world. 90 years old ~ what a long life!
Speaking of The Revelation of the Catching Away is this month's series on the Manna-fest Program.
He's making some very good scriptural arguments in favor of Pre-Trib.
You know some people think we're in the Trib already? Not me.
Grany, I'll keep you hubby in mind when I log in w/the Lord.
The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond
On the UFO front - there is ongoing sightings/weird stuff continuing as one would expect in the end of the last days.
Mac, please know that my thoughts and prayers and with your mom, your brother and the rest of your family in Australia and with Alesia and Michelle.
MAC,
gladly keeping Beloved Alesia in my prayers along with all of your family. Total agreement with all of prayers.
Thank you all for your prayers for DJH; I shared your comments with him and will keep on doing so until those feet are no longer puffed up and he is dancing with me in joy and celebration to the Lord.
I am so looking forward to the SUDDENLY SHOUT!!!!!
Enough is enough and yeah, I can believe the USGS report of the Graveyard Roll in DC.
Grany
I thought a bit about posting this link. It's from "Cracked" magazine, a Mad-magazine-wannabe, and the language is admittedly crude. Still, these are some pretty amazing photos:
8 Real Photographs That Prove Hell Exists on Earth
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Mac
traveling mercies for your trip and how wonderful she knows the Lord.
I have been watching an acquaintance die by inches in the ICU and in so far as I know she does not know the Lord. She isn't conscious much but I did pray aloud over her today. She responded to my voice when I told her who it was. Pray for Alva and her soul
Grany
praying for your hubby too
Have you seen this one? The Earth is Groaning
Neat pictures Jim C.!
@Lisa, thanks! My oldest daughter wants that gecko.
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You Must Now Constantly Seek My Face Prophetic Word
USA POLITICS, RICK PERRY & the N.A.R” – Andrew Strom
(Seems like Rick Perry is w/the "Take the Kingdom by Force" apostasy group.)
This probably won't strike everyone's funnybone, but as someone who has had to sit through more than his share of program installations where you just need to click "OK" or "NEXT" except for the times when you need to click "NO", I thoroughly enjoyed it:
How God Is Managing the 2011 Rapture
And I last saw this over 20 years ago. It's been updated since then:
World Economic Model. Unit: Cows
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Har, har, har JIM C.!
I needed something to laugh at today and I thank you.
We had some wonderful rain this morning and it feels so nice and smells so good. A shame that the ones that don't need the moisture got plenty and all of us dried up Southwestern folks are begging and praying for more.
Has anyone heard from Mac about his Momma? Still praying and believing for all of them.
The Third Temple
Lori, good article. Our Pastor mentioned that some people think the Holy of Holies was located in the "Dome of the Spirits" which located some distance away from the Dome of the Rock.
That Dome of the Rock is a beautiful Structure but such an abomination! It’s hard to believe that “Muslims” actually have control over the Temple Mount & they wield that control over every one who’s not Muslim. It’s “in your face” over there. It was a really strange feeling.
Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most
confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are
filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.- Corrie Ten Boom.
I'm still in Oz and missing Alesia and family in the US. We thought we'd lose mum the other day but she rallied. However her body is slowly giving up and she's suffering.
Got the following from Jan Markell. Jack Kinsella has some disturbing things to say about Glenn Beck:
Stolen Blessings: The LDS Connection
Praying for your mom and your entire family Mac. It is not easy to watch our loved ones go through these things.
The state I live in has been battered by Irene. We were not expecting this destruction. Major roads have major damage....several towns have no access in or out.
It's just unreal.
So, anyone live near Brentwood, Tenn? My daughter and son-in-law announced their moving there on Oct 1st. They've been praying and feel led to move quickly.
Not a surprise to me, the Lord prepared me. Thanks God :)
So weird, my youngest is moving to Nashville, TN in two weeks, two weeks later my daughter is moving just south of there.
Who's next? hmmmm....... Ross or us, Ross or us, Ross or us? lol
Lori,
Will they be close to Cleveland, TN? Perry Stone is building a Bible Institute there and wouldn't that be great.
We are supposed to have 2 more days of 100+ temps and I will be very happy when the cooler climes come. We have had a few little showers but not much else. Just enough to make us renew our hope. Trees are really suffering from all of this and the birds, squirrels and all the small warm blooded animals are suffering. Poor little creatures.
Thanking God for Air Conditioning and shoes!
Grany
I went to college in Tennessee - (Collegedale, near Chattanooga and Cleveland) - a beautiful state! I'd love to live there. Lori, at least you'll have a lovely place to visit!
When we were in TN we lived near Brentwood. That's the high class area of Nashville. Very nice w/beautiful estates.Total Sub-burbia but w/lots of land.
We lived in Franklin which is more old time quaint style. Nice but not as showy.
Leipers Fork is the most beautiful area & is where the Country stars all have their estates. Rolling Hills, Streams, Lakes, Farmland, etc.... It's unreal! Well, at least for a country girl.
I love Nashville! My 2nd home.
I don't think I told you all we are hosting a Chinese Exchange student? He's coming Tues pm. 16yr old Christian - Andy.
He's going to the same school our kids already attend.
Hal Lindsey Report
Wanted to post a link to a pretty amazing picture:
SIGN OF THE CROWNED SON OF GOD COMING WITH A HUGE SWORD!!!!!!!!!
The photo was taken at 3PM. What struck me was something that the photographer was unaware of, and that's the Catholic tradition of 3PM being "the Hour of Divine Mercy."
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Sounds like they're moving towards a revived Roman empire.
"...And that is why, despite all the political obstacles, Europe appears to be inching closer to a more centralized fiscal union that would eventually turn the euro zone into something resembling a United States of Europe."
"For the most part, such efforts are still being conducted behind-the-scenes and many of the ideas have yet to hit official agendas or the public arena. But several longtime financial and central bank officials and staff members said there had been a substantial step-up in planning for a closer European fiscal relationship to match the unified monetary union under which the euro zone has operated for more than a decade."
Reluctantly, Europe Inches Closer to a Fiscal Union
I don't know who originally wrote this; I just found them over at the Catholic Prophecy web site:
13 REMINDERS OF GOD´S LOVE
1. BAND AIDS - "For I am the God who heals you" Exodus 15:26
2. CANDLES - "Your Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path" Psalms 119:105
3. ERASERS - "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us" Psalms 103:12
4. TAPE - "God sticks to you like tape - No Matter What"
5. BUBBLE SOAP - "The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook"
Proverbs 18:4
6. BATTERIES - "God has given us a Spirit of Power......" II Timothy 1:7
7. BUBBLE GUM - "The thirsty soul (ground) will become a bubbling spring" Isaiah 35:7
8. CAR - "Race to the Finish - With God!!"
9. MARKERS - "Color your world for Jesus"
10. MEMO PADS - "Write them on the tablet of your heart" Proverbs 7:23
11. MUSTARD SEEDS - "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains" Matthew 17:20
12. SALT - "You are the salt of the earth" Matthew 5:13
13. LOLLIPOPS - "Taste and see the Lord is good" Psalms 34:8
May these things always remind
you of the love of the Lord! :)
(For me, I'd substitute "Tootsie Pops" for #13 -- I remember the commercial that showed it only takes 3 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop.
I love the 13 reminders, Jim!
JIM C.,
Like those reminders and I agree about the Tootsie Roll pop. Ob boy, does that bring back fond memories.
It is so beautiful here in Okieland today and we actually have all of our windows open just to enjoy the fresh air. I can even plan on doing some serious baking today and fresh yeast rolls tomorrow.
My DJH needs your prayers, big time. It seems as if all the cares of 8 decades is making him very weary and discouraged. He loves to walk and it was his favorite pass time and exercise. Now he is having difficulty just going a block or two. He stretched his self a little too far yesterday, walked at least 6 city blocks and now his legs are so very weak. I know this is part of growing older but I am not of the mind set to accept it for him because we are not of this world and not due to the curse of those who reject God in any manner.
Anyway, enjoying the sound of music being orchestrated by my Heavenly Father and the sound is alive and well. God is still on His Throne and Jesus Christ is right there beside him, always interceding for all of us.
Shalom,
Grany
The destruction and heartbreak that has taken place due to Irene is just unbelievable.
Never in a million years did I think something like this could happen to our beautiful state.
But why not? He did say there would be birthpangs before his return!
Come Lord Jesus!
Obama 'star' of Palestinian ad
Friends
As Walid predicted based on the Bible Ezekiel 30:5
Ethiopia(Sudan), Libya and Lydia (Turkey/Asia Minor) all the mingled people and Chub (also Sudan) and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
Turkey set to sign military pact with Egypt after cutting trade ties with Israel
By Zvi Bar'el Haaretz Newspaper pubished in Israel Sept 9 Israel time
A military and economic alliance with Egypt is set to be signed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The deal should be clinched when Erdogan visits Cairo next Monday - the first such visit paid by a Turkish prime minister in 15 years.
The alliance is not intended as "revenge" against Israel; Erdogan's intention is to extend Turkey's influence to areas it has not reached in past decades.
Under former President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt rejected Turkish overtures; Mubarak viewed Erdogan as an interloper in regions that were under Egypt's, and Saudi Arabia's, influence. The new Egyptian government, however, seems eager to develop economic and strategic ties with Turkey.
After keeping mum on the subject of sanctions on Israel for three days, Erdogan has made his position clear: He believes that Israel-Turkey relations are not a personal matter between himself and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but rather a Turkish national interest.
Erdogan decided on Tuesday to reap the political profit from his stand against Israel, and announced to reporters that Turkey is suspending military and commercial relations with it. Additional sanctions, he suggested, could be implemented, and Turkish warships will be seen "more frequently" in Mediterranean waters.
"If steps taken up to now were part of plan B [designed to force Israel to apologize for its actions in last year's Gaza flotilla incident, and pay compensation], there will also be plan C," declared Erdogan. "Israel has always acted as a spoiled child in response to UN resolutions pertaining to it. Israel assumes that it can continue to act like a spoiled child, and evade punishment."
....
Subsequently Erdogan's office clarified that private trade relations are not subsumed by the sanctions; these commercial ties are valued at three billion dollars a year. Instead, military agreements are being suspended. This clarification was issued after Turkish businessmen demanded to know whether they are being required to cut off ties with Israel, lest they face legal punishment.
The alacrity with which Turkey reached its decision to impose sanctions derives partly from the fact that it believes Israel is responsible for leaking the UN's report on the flotilla to Gaza. Turkish sources insist that Israel made a U-turn regarding the UN investigation, since it originally demanded that the report's release be deferred.
"We agreed to defer release of the report for a few weeks, but not for six months, as Netanyahu wanted," one senior Turkish official explained. "We could have discussed issues regarding the text's formulation, and even forged an agreement, but Israel's leak of the document broke all the rules."
This demonstration of strength against Israel is backed by the senior leadership of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party. However, some members of the party have doubts about specific steps taken by Erdogan.
"Sometimes the prime minister acts on gut feelings, and then later tries to repair what he's done," explained one member of parliament who asked to remain anonymous. "But you have to distinguish between Turkey's widespread support for the demand that Israel apologize and pay compensations, and criticism about the country's diplomatic procedures. We were the ones who demanded that an international investigatory panel be formed; we send a delegate, and now we must come out and challenge the panel's conclusions. The report does not order Israel to apologize; instead it merely recommends that Israel express regret. In other words, there is a need to discuss the matter with Israel and work out acceptable language," the parliamentarian said.
Turkey's media is divided in its response to Erdogan's actions regarding Israel. "Was there really a war that we have to win?" asked Murat Yetkin, a prominent journalist for Hurriyet Daily News. "The answer to this question is simple. No, there is no such war."
Yusuf Kanli, former editor of the Turkish Daily News, wrote that, "were the Turkish government to respond to developments in the Middle East with a less emotional, non-religious attitude, relations between Israel and Turkey would not degenerate to their current state."
In contrast, Prof. Aysan Dey from Ankara suggested that Israel ought to get used to the fact that this is a "new Turkey," that Israel must realize this is not the 1990s when Israel maintained working relations with the Turkish government and the Turkish army, "and showed disdain for what the public really wanted."
Recently, the foreign policy of the "new" Turkey suffered a blow when Syria ignored Turkey's "advice," and when Iran decided to criticize the Turks for their policy toward Syria. Turkey is now trying to rebuild its foreign policy, founding it upon a new strategy of appealing to resurgent Arab states such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and the nascent state of Palestine.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2011
A date that should never be forgotten by any of us. Whether a citizen of the USA or not, this was the date that Evil made a deliberate and wicked giant step to destroy all hope and faith for peace. It was a beautiful day in New York City, Washington DC, and Shanksville, PA. No one was expecting the unthinkable to happen but SUDDENLY evil started killing non combatants and the world changed drastically.
Here is a very fitting article that might bring some positive reflections on what happened in the Spiritual realm on that day!
'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I!
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.'
I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'
I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.
I was in Texas, Virginia,California Michigan, Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all knew Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.
Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.
I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?
Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'
I will be in the stairwell of your final moments."
Shalom, all. Here are some heavily edited posts I made over at Grany's at at Catholic Answers Forum. It was in response to questions about Egypt and Palestine.
They (the Palestinians) are backing off the plan to have the Security Council vote on the statehood resolution. The US has been making noises about actually using the veto. If that were to happen, the plan would be to introduce a resolution into the General Assembly granting "Palestine" observer nation status. This means they could sit on committees but not vote.
Given the political situation in the US, now it looks like that's the course they'll take and bypass the Security Council altogether. Observer member status would give them standing to file charges against Israel in the World Court.
What the Palestinians don't seem to grasp is that if they want to be treated as a real state, there will be consequences to their actions.
Back in 1967, Jordan and Syria stood up in the UN and made speeches about how there had never been peace treaties with Israel, only an armistice, and so a state of war still existed between their states and Israel. They did it so they wouldn't be condemned for the attacks they were planning to do the next day. They didn't seem to realize that the same reasoning could be used against them by Israel.
If they're going to be enough of a state to be able to bring charges against Israel, then they are enough of a state for Israel to retaliate when missiles are launched from Gaza into Israel.
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Once the vote is passed, regardless of the US's veto or non-veto, there will be an attempt by the Islamic groups to take over the government of Egypt, in order to prevent the combined US and Jewish financial cabal that controls the American political system from dictating to the Egyptians how they will treat Israel (or something like that). The Egyptian military will fight back, and there will be civil unrest for a time. It will last a week or so -- long enough to keep Egypt out of the events to come.
Meanwhile, the events in the UN will bolster the terrorist movements in Gaza. The number of missiles and grenades launched into Israel will dramatically increase. Israel will start fighting back. This will be the cue for all the nations around Israel to launch their own attacks, setting off the War of Psalm 83. This, plus the civil unrest in Egypt, will take place about the second week in October. I expect the War of Psalm 83 to last about 3 weeks, maybe less, and to be finished by the first week in November. (It does get cold in the area, and snowy, and you don't want to start military operations in the winter if you can help it. Ask Napoleon or Hitler how well that worked out.)
Surprise, surprise, Israel will win.
So we'll start 2012 with an Israel that is safe and secure in its borders for the first time in its history. This time I don't see the Israelis stopping the fighting because the US tells them to. During the Yom Kippur War, Israeli forces got to within a few miles of Damascus before they began pulling back due to pressure from the US to stop the fighting. Not this time, though. Not until they've established a security buffer, and completed their acquisition of the West Bank. The security buffer will include a good deal of land inside what was Jordan, and I think they'll start deporting troublemakers into Jordan. Part of the terms of the peace treaty that Jordan will sign will be their declaration that they are the Palestinian state in the region, and they must take in any Palestinians who wish to relocate there.
In short, the war will be a major defeat for the Islamists: once again, even though they have been practicing the most devout forms of Islam, Allah has abandoned them. The growing number of Christians in the region will begin to stand up and reclaim their heritage. There will be a large number of open conversions, especially in Egypt, in reaction to the Muslim losses, and the REAL Arab Spring will come. Saudi Arabia will start to pull into itself -- the growing distance between the wealthy rulers and the poor will lead to major unrest. The threatened disruption of Saudi oil supplies will be made up by the new oil fields that have been discovered in Israel.
Buckle your seat belts. We're in for a bumpy ride.
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Jim C.,
Interesting and thought provoking. Thanks for taking the time to share with us here.
I realize that our hope is not in politics or politicians but it is in the Lord. Of course, he asks us to be a salt and a light and to be wise. I love my country and am thankful to have been born in and lived in the United States. Of course, I am saddened by the downward direction we have moved in terms of culture and public policies over the past 40 years.
Having said that, I'm curious. Of the current candidates, who do you think most has:
1.) An abiding faith in Christ
2.) An established track record of supporting and furthering public policies that are consistent with a biblical worldview and faith in Christ
3.) Is wise
4.) Has a track record of integrity and consistency
5.) Has won general elections in swing states and/or swing districts
6.) Is not generally viewed as a polarizing or extreme figure by politcal moderates.
My answer would be Senator Rick Santorum.
Thoughts?
Jim G
I think anyone worth their salt is going to be viewed as polarizing by moderates. Reagan for example was not well thought of by moderates so I think if we want another Reagan we need to quit worrying about the moderates.
and I posted something new on my blog if anyone wants to read it
(That last delete was mine. Too many typos. I'll try again.)
Jib,
I'm a big fan of Ronald Reagan. I was fortunate enough to live in CA during the 8 years he was governor and then live in the US during the 8 years he was president.
On the political spectrum, I would definitely be considered more conservative than moderate on both social and economic issues.
I would argue that Reagan, although he definitely was conservative, appealed to moderates. I'm not talking about so called moderates within the Republican party. I'm talking about people who vote in presidential elections that consider themselves moderate. They are the swing voters.
He was able to communicate the conservative message in a way that both true and winsome. The fact that he won the 44 out of 50 states in the 1980 presidential election and then 49 out of 50 states in the 1984 election I think demonstrates that Reagan appealed to independents and moderates. He even won over a fair amount of registered Democrats.
The point here is that one doesn't have to sacrafice one's conservative convictions in order to appeal to moderates.
Whichever party wins the White House in the upcoming election will do it by (a) maintaining their base (those who virtually never break party lines) and (b) winning over moderates and independents (swing voters).
I highly recommend Jib's new post.
thanks Hyde I appreciate it.
Jim G
I agree and disagree. Even when Reagan ran the party hacks for the GOP insisted he was too polarizing because he actually had positions and held them, they felt that he would not appeal to the independent and moderate voter. They were of course wrong because the fact that he had principles and held them and could communicate them was what attracted the moderate and independant voter. additionally the media at the time, at least from what I remember, tried to portray him as too old, too stupid and out of touch. They also kept harping on his movie actor days as well. The general public at that time was much more aware and less likely to by into what the party hacks and media kept saying but not so much anymore.
For crying out loud they elected a man to our highest office based on his skin color despite the fact it was clearly obvious that he was underqualified for the job and a raging marxist. The public these days is much less aware and much more likely to believe what the media and the party hacks want them to believe.
So if there is someone from the GOP considered too polarizing by the media or the GOP hacks that might be the best person to win. In my view, they would be the most conservative, most likely to be principled and most likely to actually have convictions and stick to them.
I guess it depends on whose definition of too polarizing you are considering. If the MSM isn't labelling them too polarizing I am not sure I want that person in office-they aren't a threat you see.
Yes, great post on your site, Jib!
Keeping you and everyone else in prayer!
Here's what I posted at the Omega Letter Prayer & Praise forum re my recent trip to Oz to see my mother:
Firstly, thank you all for your prayers.
I’m sorry that I’ve held off updating you. Mum had rallied somewhat but we weren’t sure if this was temporary or not. Quite often elderly people momentarily get better and then rapidly decline. This has happened to mum.
She is now in an Intensive Care Unit. Her lungs are failing and it’s just a matter of time.
I’ve had a good two weeks at her bedside. My brother and I had the privilege of spoon feeding her when she could keep her food down. All through this she joked around and found some humor in what was happening.
One of the pluses is that she interrogated both my brother and I about our respective faiths in the Lord and that opened the way for me to quietly talk to my brother about faith and eternity. I don’t know how much got through to him. I couldn’t push him too much as he hates talking about religion and politics. But I’m praying.
My brother informs me that mum isn’t in any pain and that she’s happy as a kid in a toy store about the prospect of going to be with the Lord.
************
PS I'll update the blog tomorrow.
Jim G, I nearly forgot to mention - I visited a second-hand book store and found a $5:00 copy of "Elect In The Son" by Robert Shank. So I added it to my collection.
Good to have you back on US soil Mac and still praying for your momma. I know it must have blessed her greatly to have you both at her side even for a short time.
JIB, will head over to your blog in a second but first I wonder if any of you are believing the rhetoric being put out by the news media about the GOP candidates and why aren't they as observant of the Great Brown One? I know we know they are all on the same page as any other Progressive but isn't it odd that they couldn't find out anything on BooHoo before he took office.
Here is something that you all might like to check out. Seems to me it is an attempt to create a little bit of Egypt in NYC. I am praying that it will pour down cats and dogs and wash away their hellish attempts to overtake the US. Anyone want to join me in that prayer?
This is what I am speaking about. Thousands of protesters to 'Occupy Wall Street' on Saturday
Still praying for your mom and your wife.
Message from Uncle Bob
Amazon has a special limited time promotion for my latest book, Wonder No More, in which we can purchase 4 copies for the price of 3 and get free shipping so long as the total is over $25. That means we can order books for an incredible $2.94 per copy, with no shipping cost at all, so long as we order nine books or more. The specific site to go to in order to get this special deal is:
http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-No-More-Endless-Debate/dp/146358539X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316237145&sr=1-1
Hyde
praying for you and your family. a friend's husband just recently passed and he was excited about his homegoing also.
as an aside please feel free to share my blog address with anyone anytime.
New post is up.
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