Saturday, January 30, 2010

Today's Headlines

Israel, the Middle East and the End of Days


Libya and Russia discuss possibility of $2 b. arms deal ** Both listed in Battle of Gog and Magog in Ez. 38.


The rise of a One World Government and Economy





The Lie of Universalism and Doctrine of Demons--Evolution (2 Peter 3:3-9)

Of Sex and ‘Soulmates’ It is not about nature or nurture, but a sinful heart. Given 1000 years of

perfection during the Millennial Reign, some men will still rebel at the end only to be instantly

destroyed. Rev 20:7-10


Big Daddy: New Tyrannosaur Discovered

What you are not told is that some of these fossils contain soft tissue that could not last 75 million years and that these fossils all contain radioactive carbon that would be undetectable in as little as 75 to 100 thousand years!

Last Days Concepts

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,..." 2 Timothy 3:1-2

As I was reading last night, I read a portion of scripture that I have read and preached on for many years, but a portion of one of the verses jumped out at me as never before. I will eventually get to that verse but I want to show that we are close to the coming of the Lord by understanding the mindset of the world in the end of days. Paul was mentoring this young pastor, Timothy, while giving him great insight into the moral depravity that will be prevalent in the last days. While this list of sins will grow exponentially after the church has been removed, the fact that we see these sinful practices so saturating the mind of men reminds us that we are ever closer to the coming of Christ. Like Lot, many believers are getting so accustomed to these sinful practices that they are compromising in their service of Christ. We don't always realize that the enemy of our souls is out to neutralize our effectiveness as a witness by using our inconsistencies against us. Keep your robes white and eyes on the prize my friends! The Lamb is coming soon!

1. Mankind will become selfish. "...lovers of their own selves..." Selfishness is the very root of all sin. It comes from the mindset that I know better than God. Satan's flawed reasoning that we will be like God knowing good and evil leads us to think that we are the captains of our soul, so we don't need God the giver of life. It is the ultimate expression of selfishness. This is why most today are designing their own beliefs systems--their own way of salvation. Unfortunately, without Christ, our beliefs are futile and foolish.

Christians often mask their shortcomings using the excuse, "God knows my heart". You are right, so he warns us that our heart is desperately wicked and that we need the unchangeable Word to keep us on the right track. (See Proverbs 19:3, 19:21, Jeremiah 17:9) Our heart is so wicked that the only hope for your heart is the blood washing of Jesus Christ. In Noah's day, the heart of man thought of only evil continually, and Jesus warned us that the last days will mimic the days of Noah. Our selfish hearts must be given to Christ by faith and guided by the clear, revealed truth of scripture; scripture that is as unchanging and eternal as its Divine author.

2. "Covetousness" When does it seem that we ever have enough. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements, commercials and advice that says we need more and more to stay happy. It seems the eyes of man are never satisfied. We need better cars, bigger houses, and finer things even if it means working continuously while neglecting our God given duties (our relationship with Him, family, church, benevolent deeds etc.). This is in direct contrast to Christ's words to not lay up temporary treasures here, but to lay up treasures in heaven. It is the opposite of the two great laws of love. I can't take my new living room suit to heaven, but I surely can influence my family and friends so that they will be there in eternity with me! The craze for more and more has grown so much in the last few years, and it is a sure sign that we are too focused on the temporal rather than the eternal. Unfortunately, it seems to be the focus of a majority of "preaching" these days. "What does it profit a man..."

3. "Boastful and proud" These are the twin sons of selfishness. The educated are too proud to receive a simple plan of salvation. The rich are too successful to risk God directing their finances. The poor are too proud to be looked down upon for having faith. Pride simply keeps us from needing God. We are too proud to humble ourselves. Today, many are so proud that they see no need of God since they are gods themselves.

We will be going farther with the rest of this text over the next few days, and I will share some deeper insights soon. Stay with me; we are going somewhere. God Bless.


Thursday, January 28, 2010

Jerusalem is the Great King's Capital!

Here is why Jerusalem is the focus of the world attention. Squatters on God's territory are trying to steal it! No worries. God saw this coming!


'J'lem will be Palestinian capital'


This is a part of the series of prophecies that end at the God Magog war. In order: Ch 36 God blesses the land but some try to steal it, Ch. 37 God regathers the people after a shaking and dry bones--WWI and Holocaust/WWII, Ch 38-39. Gog Magog war. We are in the middle of all these being fully revealed and fulfilled! Praise God!

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey." Ezekiel 36:5

School today. Back late!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Today's Prophetic Headlines

Israel, the Middle East and the End of Days




As In The Days of Noah--A Rise in Godlessness

The World's Focal Point--Jerusalem

"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." Zechariah 12:2-3

What do the following cities have in common?

1. Tokyo, Japan - 28,025,000
2. Mexico City, Mexico - 18,131,000
3. Mumbai, India - 18,042,000
4. Sáo Paulo, Brazil - 17, 711,000
5. New York City, USA - 16,626,000
6. Shanghai, China - 14,173,000
7. Lagos, Nigeria - 13,488,000
8. Los Angeles, USA - 13,129,000
9. Calcutta, India - 12,900,000
10. Buenos Aires, Argentina - 12,431,000

Give up? No! I gave you their population. Wow! Those are huge numbers. According to the World Atlas .com site Jerusalem is not in the top 100.

So what is the point? How often do you hear about these cities in the news? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? With only a couple of exceptions, I can't remember when I last heard these cities in the news. Yes! We hear of New York, LA, or Mexico City often, but that is due to their proximity. I dare say that the majority of these cities are not mentioned in the news weekly or even once a month.

Jerusalem comes in at a whopping 2,550,000 people. Now, when was the last time a day went by when the city was not mentioned in some news outlet? While it may not be mentioned every single day, I can't ever remember a week going by in years when the city was not mentioned. It seems that all eyes are on Jerusalem. Why? Because that is exactly what God told Zechariah and the other prophets that He would bring to pass. Let's not forget the New Testament and Jesus' focus on Jerusalem either.

This is a rather new phenomena! Just a little over 100 years ago, the city was in the middle of a wasteland. Here is Mark Twain's comment on Jerusalem during a visit in 1867, "“A fast walker could go outside the walls of Jerusalem and walk entirely around the city in an hour. I do not know how else to make one understand how small it is.”

However, God promised it would become the center of world attention at the end of the age. The UN has deliberated more on Jerusalem and Israel than any topic at all. News agencies from every continent routinely carry articles and stories with news about Jerusalem and the Middle East. Recently, (also prophetic) discussions appeared almost daily worldwide about splitting Jerusalem in pieces.

Since Jerusalem is now the burdensome stone for all people, shouldn't we pay close attention to the way we live seeing the Lord is coming soon? Since we see this cup of trembling now the main news item in the world, shouldn't we quit playing church and looking for temporary, monetary blessings (this seems to be the entire focus of many ministries today!) and share the gospel individually more than ever?

A focus on Jerusalem! Another clear sign we are near to Christ's coming. It is even at the door!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Earthquakes in Diverse Places

"And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." Luke 21:11

There have always been earthquakes, but the number of major earthquakes seems to be increasing yearly over the last decade. This was noticed by seismologists back in 2002.

Are Earthquakes on the Rise?

This report does point to lower number in the nineties and increased sensitivity of seismographic equipment. However, the article mentions that they saw more in 2002 than ever recorded. So what has happened since 2002?

After hearing someone discussing the rise of major earthquakes in recent years, I had to check the numbers for myself. I went to the USGS site and counted the 6.0 and higher earthquakes by decade. I may be off one or two per year as I was counting fast so here is the site.

Let's Start with the number of 6.0 in 2002 and work forward to today.

6.0+ by Year
2002-- 21
2003-- 37 31,00 killed in Japan
2004-- 35* This includes a 9.1 off and that killed 225,000+ people
2005-- 33 Pakistan quake kills around 86,000
2006-- 26
2007-- 47
2008-- 48 Sichuan, China quake kills around 87,500
2009-- 56
2010-- 5 in the first 26 days including the killer Haitian quake that rivals the death toll of the 2004 quake.

Nearly 650,000 have been killed by earthquakes since 2002. *see below*

Maybe we need to pay close attention to the church's instructions when these type signs increase? "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28

*Largest and Deadliest Earthquakes by Year


2010 rate--If the rate of five continues per 26 days, divide 365 days in year by 26 days so far and you get around 14. 14 x 5 quakes=70 potential 6.0+ quakes at this rate. (taught math for years:)



Today's Prophetic Headlines

Israel and the Middle East--God's Prophetic Timepiece


But God Loves Us!

"But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." Luke 12:5

The other day I shared an event (the death of a believer) in my mom's life that had a great impact on her walk with the Lord. It was not the only time she was at the deathbed of a loved one as a child. She was there when another family member also died--I will not mention the relationship for the sake of sensitivity. By all accounts, this was a good person. Once, this individual braved cold and a long walk to deliver groceries to a family in need. If good works and a decent life saved us, this person would be a candidate. It serves to confirm the word, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25

Salvation is found only in Christ! It is certain that we cannot save ourselves since we are all found guilty before God. Solomon saw this truth when he wrote, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." Ecclesiastes 7:20 John elaborated greatly on this in 1 John 1:8-10 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Love would compel God to make one way so as to not confuse mankind. He would surely make that one way stand out above all error; virgin birth, detailed fulfilled prophecy, death and resurrection, etc. God would do this because the penalty for not accepting Him is so high.

Unfortunately, we are living in a time when men take great liberties with scripture. They attempt to alter the message especially when they don't like its clear teaching. Yet, God is immutable, unchanging, and unmoving as love would require Him to be. We may wish God might treat us different than others, but to do so would be unjust. In love, God must remain immutable, He cannot lie, and He must faithfully warn us of impending disaster. Maybe that is why Jesus spoke on Hell more than any other person in all of scripture! In love He shared truth and He shared this truth in a loving way. He knows what horrors are in store as He created it. His word is not like a buffet line. We can't take what we like and throw the rest away if it doesn't suit us! We must cultivate a greater respect for God than that!

At death, this good person began to curse and swear. Shouts of "I'm burning, make it stop" and, "They are clawing at me" were heard. Yet, Christ was never once named. This person began calling on another family member to make it stop, but Jesus was never called on. It is for this very reason that we must pray for and witness of God's love for all men. God does not desire any man to miss salvation! Listen to His pleading voice in Ezekiel 33:11, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Only a love like God's would reach out to a terrorist, a prostitute, or any other wretched sinner! Why! He does not want to send them from His presence, but in love He must honor the choice they made.

Since there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, we must share the good news in Christ. God's love constrains us. We must take God's word as it is on these "touchy" subjects or risk losing the world around us. Maybe we need to consider again Paul's admonition about changing the word to suit our tastes. " But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8-9 I may not like what it says, but it is clearly not my message to mess with! I also can't change the immutable God to suit my needs or wishes! "For I am the LORD, I change not;" Malachi 3:6a Since we seem to be in the last days, remember Jesus always started His teaching on theis time with the warning to let no one deceive you.

He does love us! That is why He risked such a heavy price at Calvary to purchase our redemption. Jesus blood was eternal blood and the price of rejecting it has eternal consequences. But that same, precious blood has the power to wash away every sin and stain!