Category: prophecy

Posted in bible, bible jesus, end time, nehemiah, prophecy

The only proper response to the Word

Posted on by elizabethprata

I read Nehemiah 8 this morning. It is a short book in the Old Testament, and it is good. Nehemiah was the fellow who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem and alongside Prophet Ezra help to purify the Jewish community that had re-gathered there. Nehemiah was governor and Ezra was the priest and the scribe.

The day came when Ezra called all the adults, and all children who could understand, to come and listen to the reading of the Law. They stood and listened. The Levites were there to help them understand what they were hearing. Soon there were tears, weeping, and crushed hearts. They fell on their faces. “For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.” The Jews realized how far they were from God. But Ezra said not to weep, for it was a day of rejoicing. The Festival of Booths was born, and the people celebrated, giving gifts to those who had nothing, and went their way eating and drinking. It is a short chapter. I recommend reading it.

The response of the people was the only proper response but it is one from which we can gather strength and praise our Savior all the more. First, the people listened to the word. Any walk with the Lord should begin with listening, either by reading yourself and listening with your mind and heart, or listening to a pastor. The people were instructed, and that is a good start.

Then they wept. There are a lot of reasons people weep when they read or hear the Word. It is precise,  beautiful, true, and convicting. It is a gift delivered once for all to the saints, and it is good for reproof, exhortation, and education. The Word also reminds us how far we are from Him, Him as savior and we as sinners forgiven by His blood and His grace. But the Word also reminds us of how close we can be to Him!

Then the people were glad. He restores us! He hears prayer, he regenerates us in His likeness, and we are glad, going forth in joy to know that we CAN know our Savior personally. They celebrated, and they gave gifts. We should do that as well, always being on the lookout for those who are in need to fill that need. Giving the gift of the Word, or our time, or our love or all three!

Finally, the people went away rejoicing but their response to hearing the Word did not stop there. They DID something. In this case it was to begin the Festival of Booths (Sukkot). The Israelites evidenced an emotional response but the instructors encouraged them to apply the words to a spiritual response, and they did so.

What is your response to hearing the word? Do you remain unaffected? Do you fall on your face? Do you weep? Do you rejoice….but remain inactive? Or does hearing the word motivate you to a response in the world that in turn affects others?

Our joy should be all the greater because not only do we have the word, we have the promise of the Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:1-5)

May He shine brightly in your heart today. If it has been a few days,…weeks…months since you have really listened to the Word, do it today. In Him is life!

Posted in asteroid, bible jesus, birth pangs, end time, prophecy

Newly discovered asteroid to swing closer to earth than some satellites

Posted on by elizabethprata

You can read or watch video the entire summary of the world’s recent weather here, from Irish Weather Online. Below is one short video focusing on the North Dakota flood situation, but there is so much more going on in the world! The Irish Weather link gives a great overview.

The situation in Minot ND is dire. The is about to be wiped off the map. Flooding has been particularly swift and record-breaking there, and 800 National Guardsmen have taken over the town to try and keep it above water. This report from AL Jazeera English acknowledges “Mother Nature’s” participation in this terrible event. Sigh. The soldier talking about it is at the .53 mark and generously gives ‘Mother Nature’ a vote in the proceedings.

Asteroid to Pass Extremely Close By Earth On Monday
“Here’s something to dwell on as you head to work next week: A small asteroid the size of a tour bus will make an extremely close pass by the Earth on Monday, but it poses no threat to the planet. The asteroid will make its closest approach at 1:14 p.m. EDT on June 27 and will pass just over 7,500 miles above the Earth’s surface, NASA officials say. At that particular moment, the asteroid — which scientists have named 2011 MD — will be sailing high off the coast of Antarctica, almost 2,000 miles south-southwest of South Africa.”

Er, the asteroid was just discovered on Wednesday. Four days’ notice?? With all the fancy telescopes and all the billions in dollars they spend scanning for, well, asteroids? The astronomer in this next piece tries to explain the oops. The headline from Space.com made me laugh out loud. It is exactly the headline one would expect to see in an end of the world spoof, but the headline is real.

Incoming! Asteroid to narrowly miss earth on Monday!
Astronomer Mark Thompson reports on the large asteroid that will pass within 8,000 miles from Earth and why we were given such short notice.
“This may sound like late notice, but astronomers have just spotted a rather chunky asteroid heading our way, set to narrowly miss us on Monday. In fact, it will be such a narrow miss that astronomers in the Southern Hemisphere should be able to spot the flyby with fairly modest telescopes. Coincidentally, I was watching yet another re-run of Armageddon the other night when the heroic Bruce Willis and his motley crew of oil drillers-turned-astronauts saved Earth from certain asteroid doom. On arrival at the asteroid, and having sacrificed many of the team, Willis et al. succeeded in dropping a typical Hollywood-style uber-bomb into the depths of the incoming asteroid and blew it to bits, giving everyone on Earth a glitzy meteor shower.”

‘Coincidentally’ the near earth asteroid passage made him think of an end of the world movie?? Hmmm, to continue the article from Discovery News:

“This newly discovered interplanetary interloper is thought to measure no more than 20 meters wide, making it no real threat — but it’s a warning all the same.”

Yes, it’s a warning! Jesus said He would send warnings. “Men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). It is unfortunate that though Christians correctly see this as the warning that judgment cometh, astronomers and secular people see this as a warning that they need better telescopes or something.

“If 2011 MD did hit us, then it would more than likely break up in the atmosphere and give us an amazing display of fireballs and meteors. As it turns out, it will sail harmlessly by at a butt-clenchingly close distance of only 7,500 miles, 32 times closer than the moon, and closer than some geosynchronous satellites.”

‘Butt-clenchingly close?’ Descriptive language for an astronomer. However, he mirrors biblical language.

“Then the king’s countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another.” (Daniel 5:6). In other words, the king didn’t clench his butt close enough, and he pooped his pants. That is a physiological reaction to seeing the power of the Lord unleashed and His imminent judgment against you. In Luke during the Tribulation, when they see these things they will faint dead away in perfect fright. There is nothing like the Power of a Holy God to remind us all that we are puny and He is mighty. And, that we are accountable.
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Posted in bible, end time, gay marriage, prophecy

New York State approves gay marriage law

Posted on by elizabethprata

NY legalizes gay marriage 42 years after Stonewall

“Champagne corks popped, rainbow flags flapped and crowds embraced and danced in the streets of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village as New York became the sixth and largest state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill shortly before midnight Friday, almost 42 years to the day that the modern-day gay rights movement was born amid violent encounters between police and gay activists at the Stonewall Inn.”

According to secular experts,When New York became the sixth and by far the largest state to legalize same-sex marriage, following a grueling overtime session in the state Legislature on Friday, it immediately transformed the national debate over the issue, legal experts said. … “I think that having same-sex marriage in New York will have tremendous moral and political force for the rest of the country — in part because New York is a large state, and in part because it hasn’t come easily,” said Suzanne Goldberg, a professor at Columbia Law School. The New York Assembly passed same-sex marriage legislation twice before, in 2007 and 2009, but in both cases it stalled in the state Senate, as it nearly did again this week. The bill passed late on Friday after legislators agreed on language allowing religious organizations to refuse to perform services or lend space for same-sex weddings. The new law’s impact can be measured in part by the numbers at play: New York is home to more than 42,000 same-sex couples, according to an analysis of U.S. census data conducted by the Williams Institute. This means, among other things, that the number of same-sex couples living in states allowing same-sex marriage has more than doubled overnight.”

Wasn’t that nice of them, to provide a footnote acknowledging that at the moment at least, the law won’t force people who honor God to dishonor Him by performing unbiblical marriages.

The photo above of the “revelers” in the streets exulting in the passage of the gay marriage law reminds me of what it will look like during the Tribulation, when revelers do all sorts of ungodly celebrating. One of those ungodly celebrations will be when the Two Witnesses are killed and they dance in the streets and send gifts over their dead bodies. “And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 11:10)

The bible regards homosexuality as immoral. Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26-27; and in 1 Corinthians 6:9 it is noted that the homosexual will not inherit the kingdom. Because of their unbelief, God gave them over to their degrading lusts. (Romans 1:24). The model for our marriages is the first marriage and that was between a man and a woman.

We can no longer think of the NY gay marriage law, which failed two times previously, as a Sisyphean effort. Sisyphus was the mythological man who was condemned by the ‘gods’ to eternally roll a rock up a mountain, only to have it roll back to the bottom again just as it reached the top. The rock has reached the top and has been loosed on the other side. It will gather steam as the forward progression of immorality continues ever faster in this labor pang world.

Our Jesus is a forgiving Savior and will open His arms to anyone who repents. God hates sin but He loves His children, and He wants to help them remove themselves from their degrading lusts with the aid of the Holy Spirit. He is gracious, and will send the Spirit to all who repent. He will regenerate that person into a new creation, one that is righteous and pure in His eyes.

For those who refuse to repent however, Jesus is the Rock.

As Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar ‘s dream: “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. “The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31-35).

It’s obvious the world is fallen and I believe the NY gay marriage law is indicative of that. Further, the passage of the law in that state means that we have pushed the rock to the pinnacle of the mountain and the next phase will be a fast downward slide that soon roars into a pell mell tumble into depravity. Revelers take note! Jesus is the rock who will crush the world’s fallen governments and establish His righteous Kingdom on earth!
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Posted in emergent church, false doctrine, prophecy

Tips on spotting Emergent church falsity in yourself or others

Posted on by elizabethprata

The false doctrines of emergent Christianity are permeating everywhere. I usually think of them as existing and infecting churches in Seattle or California, not in Georgia, not in the people I know. But those poisonous doctrines are everywhere, including right around me.

One of the typical doctrines of this false religious movement is incessant questioning under the guise of intellectual openness. They relentlessly cast doubt on the authority and reliability of Scripture. It is a lie from the first lie, from satan who said “Hath God indeed said…??” It is not intellectual openness to continually ask questions of biblical truth, it is a the chipping away of the absolute authority of God.

If you find yourself going in this direction you’re infected with it:

“I used to believe in the pretrib rapture, now I’m not so sure.” Substitute any word for pretrib and you have the same Emergent questioning tactic. “I used to believe in hell but now I’m not so sure.” “I used to know what ‘the wrath’ is but what is wrath, really?”

They say, “I’m being intellectually honest.” But they’re not, actually. They’re being spiritually dishonest.

Asking constant questions, and worse, always being available for the next or a different answer chips away at the absolute nature of Truth. That truth is found in the bible and once you let the Holy Spirit form the answer in you, to lead you to the verses where it is clear, then let it stay. It’s work to remain absolutely staunch but you have to do it. Here is the nut of the matter: as long as there is the possibility of a different answer, you don’t have to defend the one you’re temporarily clinging to.

Here is a tip: Any time you go from a stance of understanding to one of doubt you are going in the wrong direction. Now, I’m not saying questioning is bad. I do that all the time. I ask a million questions each day. I ask, why did Eve take the fruit? How did Satan convert a third of the angels to his way of thinking? Where is heaven? What are the physics behind the creation? How did Paul stay so positive in the faith throughout his trials? But here is the difference. God is the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2). He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). When you ask questions on doctrinal things and you turn to the bible for answers, if you are coming away with more questions than answers, you’re infected. If you come away with clarity and peace, you’re not. The bible satisfies answers. Satan is the one with the questions.
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Posted in bible jesus, prophecy, satan, slander

Satan’s merchandise: lies and gossip

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’m in the midst of watching The Fuel Project, a series of short videos explaining the roots of satan’s evil and his influence in the form of all the false religions of the world from Genesis to Revelation when he is finally defeated.  Kim from The Mystery of the Ages sent it to me and I’ve watched 40 parts already and have found it to be interesting when describing the secular and biblically sound when referring to the bible.

In the first 7 parts, Satan’s fall is explained, why and how. The narrator focused on Ezekiel 28 and especially verse 16 to describe how satan convinced 1/3 of the angels to follow him into rebellion against a Holy God whom they personally knew and  worshiped. I’ve often wondered how angels who saw God’s power in the creation (Job 1:6-7) and who visited the throne room (Ex 37:9) could possibly follow satan? What did he tell them exactly to make them a better offer?? That is answered in Ezekiel 28:14-16 —

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned.”

The scene here is a prophecy against the King of Tyre. The previous chapter is spent lamenting the city of Tyre (Lebanon) and its earthly ruler. But as we know from so many examples and passages in the bible, satan is often the puppet master pulling the strings behind the power that is shown through the earthly ruler. The Prince of Persia is another example. Satan is the power behind the throne, so to speak, in many cases. He is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4), prince of the powers of the air (earth and near environs; Eph 6:12) and at one point remember, he offered Jesus every kingdom on earth (Mt 4:8-9).

In the Ezekiel chapter the scene sifts from the earthly ruler in the flesh (Prince of Tyre, ch. 27) to the supernatural power of the King of Tyre (satan, ch. 28). It is said that wickedness was found in him and through his “widespread trade” he was filled with violence. In this case, the widespread trade does not mean economic traffic. Does one believe there were shops in heaven, with checkouts and money exchanged? No, surely not! What would satan possess that would be better than hat the angels already had? No, instead, the phrase widespread trade comes from the Hebrew word r’kullah, the main word rakil, meaning slander.

Satan went on a whispering campaign against God, the same as he did later to Eve (“Hath God said? Genesis 3). he went around and around and around ceaselessly to the angels, whispering that God was a tyrant, He was egotistical, He was withholding from them the good stuff, whatever that was. With Eve we know satan insinuated God was withholding the knowledge of good and evil. Whatever satan said to the 1/3 of the heavenly host that ended up following satan, it was lies and we know that he was a liar from the beginning.

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44). Devil means slanderer.

Revelation 18:12-14 alludes to this satanic lying bill of merchandise. When Babylon the false economic system is fallen, satan is accused of trading in “merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.” The last phrase, souls of men, is a merchandise not in the physical but in the celestial. A good, short study on ‘Satan’s Celestial Slander’ is from Dr. Richard Davidson from Andrews Theological Seminary (7th Day Adventist) here. If you want a thorough examination of the Hebrew word for merchandising used in this context of Ezekiel 28 and the wider exhortations in the bible not to be a slanderer, go here. (Truth Magazine).

A whispering campaign according to Wikipedia, is “A whispering campaign or whisper campaign is a method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are spread about the target, while the source of the rumors seeks to avoid being detected while spreading them.” Whisper campaigns are considered unethical, but are used frequently in political campaigning as a strategy. If you apply all the corruption, lies, and unethical behavior from any current Presidential campaign in the US to satan’s original merchandising campaign of busily flitting from angel to angel, painting himself as the better candidate for God-hood, you have the idea of the meaning behind the Ezekiel verse and satan’s method of achieving it. No wonder there are so many prohibitions against slander in the bible!

Agostino Carracci, Whispering Angels

His relentless whispering campaign worked. A third of the angels were swayed, followed satan, and are now forever damned.

If you also put in your mind the energy expended in any political campaign, and think of the Ezekiel verse where the visual image is of satan going all around heaven whispering his bill of goods to the angels, several other scriptures come to mind.

Job 1:1 “The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Job: 2:2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Dan 12:4 “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.””

It is the eternal restlessness of a fallen angel, now a demon, who seeks his will above all and is relentless in stalking the world and its inhabitants. One of the names for satan is Beelzebub (Baal-zebub) and the entire name is Lord of the Flies and zebub means fly. This kind of fly is a hard-to-kill, strong and biting fly that lives entirely by sucking blood of cattle or people. It is the zebub and also known as tsetse fly in Africa. Satan was given that name because he was supposed to be able to be lord over these much-feared flies that caused destruction to cattle and sickness to people. It is one of the reasons God sent a plague of flies to Pharaoh, to show HIS mastery over the flies in the face of helpless false gods. This name was given to the god because he was supposed to be able to avert the plague of flies which in that region was to be feared.Flies never settle for very long Anyone who is not saved will feel that eternal restlessness n his spirit as well. Satan is truly Baal-zebub, Lord of the Flies.

That is satan, flying here and there, to and fro, roaming up and down, claiming blood from victims and buzzing in your ear. There are two lessons here. One: satan is relentless. Flies always come back to garbage no matter how often you swat them away. Second: satan’s lies are powerful. He cold sway angels who knew God in person, in heaven, for perhaps eons. Do you think he cannot sway you? I know he can sway me, if I let him. I use my flyswatter often: studying the Word. It is, after all, how Jesus rebuffed that pestilential fly, He repeated the Word back to satan in each temptation.

Jesus has won the victory. Satan is merely a created being who was completely crushed at the cross and only has been in his frenetic death throes this last 2000 years. But the time the Tribulation comes, he really panics, for he knows he has but a short time. (Rev 12:12). For us, though, beware slandering each other, engaging in ‘widespread trade.’ Do not be a fly, going here and there, whispering things that murder someone’s reputation. Certainly be sterling in all your communications about the LORD. Because His are perfect unto us! And that is a campaign worth participating in!






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Posted in earthquakes, earthquakes are increasing, prophecy, tornadoes increasing

Are the number of earthquakes going up, or not?

Posted on by elizabethprata

I like charts. I like graphs. I like the presentation of large quantities of data in visual form. It’s just neat.

But there is a danger in charts, numbers and statistics. You’ve heard the phrase, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It was popularly attributed to Mark Twain. It’s a phrase “describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, and the tendency of people to disparage statistics that do not support their positions. It is also sometimes colloquially used to doubt statistics used to prove an opponent’s point.” Says Wikipedia. Two people can use the same data to prove opposite points- if you are unscrupulous. And there are a lot of unscrupulous statisticians, governments, and officials these days.

I read about earthquakes and volcanoes and tornadoes and unemployment and I know from past experience having been a reporter, that it is always in the Officials’ best interest to hide, manipulate, and change data. Did you ever wonder why Educational Standardized tests were radically changed every few years? Because it is a general good statistics practice to keep the testing methods the same for at least three years so as to get a baseline. So quite often, the test is changed and in year four and you suddenly find you can’t compare apples to apples anymore and the data comparisons are tainted.

I also know of cases where the data being compared was deliberately manipulated. “They wouldn’t do that!” you gasp. I know. You’re shocked, shocked. But it happens all too frequently. As a matter of fact, data manipulation is usually the default these days. For example, a School Superintendent I know who worked far away and many years ago, was sharing the proposed budget for that year with the community. He had “helpfully” put the information in graphs, and comparing the graph of the last two years with this proposed year, the budget didn’t look like it was going up very much. But he had left out certain information and it turned out that the data being presented for the previous years was actually a combination of a decade while the data for that year as stand-alone. Or something like that. In any case, it was a pure manipulation, which as a reporter, I exposed.

John Williams is a statistician and an economist who got tired of the Government changing its presentations for Unemployment every few years. For example the unemployment numbers for last year suddenly didn’t include short-term discouraged unemployed anymore. Those millions of folks were just dropped off the counts. Of course this flattens the spike, and makes it appear that there are fewer unemployed than there are. In 1994, they dropped off long-term unemployed, as if they simply didn’t exist. Williams decided to calculate unemployment the same way they have always been calculated. His website states, “John Williams’ Shadow Government Statistics” is an electronic newsletter service that exposes and analyzes flaws in current U.S. government economic data and reporting, as well as in certain private-sector numbers…” It is known locally as Shadow Stats.

When the United States Geological survey answers the question in April 2010, “Are there more earthquakes” this way, you just have to scratch your head: “China’s tragic magnitude 6.9 earthquake on April 13 and the recent devastating earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Mexico, and elsewhere have many wondering if this earthquake activity is unusual. Scientists say 2010 is not showing signs of unusually high earthquake activity. …With six major earthquakes striking in the first four months of this year, 2010 is well within the normal range. Furthermore, from April 15, 2009, to April 14, 2010, there have been 18 major earthquakes, a number also well within the expected variation.” What USGS doesn’t say is that the yearly average of ‘major’ quakes (7.0 mag and above) according to their own data was already exceeded by that point. He was comparing apples to oranges by comparing annual averages to expected variations.

What I always do it go to the raw data. I compare apples to apples, meaning, I compare a decade’s worth of activity to a decade’s worth of activity. I am consistent in the way I count. I use official sources where possible. Where there is a baseline, or an average, I use that. And generally, the longer the trend, the more stable the data. Comparing 2009 and 2010 earthquake activity doesn’t tell you as much as if you compare ten years’ worth. That is why the USGS data is so valuable, it goes back 111 years.

I have personally read these excuses from officials in answering whether there are more quakes, or volcanic eruptions, or tornadoes:

“It only seems like there’s more tornadoes because there is a higher population in the Midwest than there used to be.”
“It only seems like there’s more earthquakes because there is an increase in instruments placed around the world.”
“It only seems like there are more volcanic eruptions because there are more people in the areas where volcanoes are.”

Naw, there’s more of everything. Here is data, by the numbers:

EARTHQUAKES (As of June 15, 2011)

Source United States Geological Survey. Click on table to enlarge. One thing to let you know: for EQ’s in the 6.0-6.9 range for 2011, I put it in red even though it hasn’t exceeded the yearly average yet, because I wanted to highlight that we are only halfway through this year but quakes in that magnitude range already exceed the number of quakes that size that occurred in ALL of 2001. Also that the quakes for that particular magnitude are running way above normal pace compared to the yearly averages.

TORNADOES (June 1, 2011)
I was pleased to see that someone at Weather Channel experienced in meteorology and tornadoes in particular, decided to just do some data counting and did it with integrity. This is a ten-year look at tornado averages and the comparison to this year is amazing. The resulting article shows that the number of tornadoes is wayyyy up.
Source, Weather Channel: “Expert Says 2011 Tornadoes 106% Above Average”

VOLCANOES (Dec 31, 2010)
Source Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. As of Dec 31, 2010

Unemployment, from John Williams’ Shadow Government Stats (SGS)

John Williams’ explanation-

“The seasonally-adjusted SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate reflects current unemployment reporting methodology adjusted for SGS-estimated long-term discouraged workers, who were defined out of official existence in 1994. That estimate is added to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) estimate of U-6 unemployment, which includes short-term discouraged workers. The U-3 unemployment rate is the monthly headline number. The U-6 unemployment rate is the BLS broadest unemployment measure, including short-term discouraged and other marginally-attached workers as well as those forced to work part-time because they cannot find full-time employment.”

 Bank failures 2007-2010, source FDIC

 The same data of bank failures but in a line chart. Just a different visual presentation

I guess the lesson here is that statistics can be massively manipulated. That the government isn’t telling us the truth about unemployment the economy, and the number of natural disasters. Just like the biblical Bereans, who were commended for checking the scriptures daily to see if these things were true, be a civic Berean and check the data yourself. In some of these cases, I literally and personally counted each item. Others, such as USGS earthquakes you can search by year and a total result would be given. Be diligent, suspect the government at all times, and be relieved that you know you can ALWAYS trust the Lord!

PS: you can use any of the charts. I’d appreciate a link back. If you use Shadow Stats’ unemployment chart you have to link back to ShadowStats.






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Posted in boise industrial park, china, end of days, kings of the east, prophecy

America’s light on the hill is going out part 3; Boise Idaho, China’s beachead in America

Posted on by elizabethprata

In part one of this series, I explained what hegemony is and demonstrated the decades of American hegemony and America’s influence in the world of business, finance, diplomacy, and economy. In part two I noted that American hegemony is in decline and showed the prophesies related to the rise of Asia in the last days. In this third and final part, I now show that today’s news is a strong indicator that the final days prophesies of the rise of the Orient are here.

America’s glory is fading because we fail to give glory to God

Der Spiegel, the German weekly, has an article outlining a mega-industrial park slated to be built in Boise, Idaho…by China. The Industrial park will be as large as Amsterdam and will have a special zoning attached to it. It will be a self-sustaining city, right down to its energy needs. I am not making this up. The article likens Boise as a Chinese “beachhead for America” and “establishing a foothold,” though the German article notes that the military-type idioms used by the Idaho Statesman newspaper regarding this project caused such an outcry that the newspaper online webpage took down the quotes. Here is an excerpt from the Google-translated article:

“When Americans speak of Boise, they think of potatoes, jazz and the hinterland. The provincial capital of the state of Idaho produces mostly messages of limited scope. But soon expected to make the city between Seattle and Salt Lake City big headlines. For Boise (pronounced Boisi) is facing a controversial career as China’s beachhead in America. The dimensions are enormous: around the factories in Boise is a complete technology zone planned to warehouses, wholesale centers, logistic hubs and entire neighborhoods with their own energy supply. It’s an economically self-sufficient city, an island with an area of ​​129 square kilometers. This corresponds to the size of Amsterdam. The leading local newspaper, the “Idaho Statesman,” is talk of a Chinese special economic zone on American soil.”

For the Chinese, it makes sense. Boise is the largest city between Seattle and Salt Lake. The plot of land upon which the industrial park will be built is just south of the Boise airport, which is only 45 minutes in air miles eastward of Seattle. The land values in Boise, however, make the 45 extra minutes of airtime extremely attractive.

On the American side, Idaho has a higher unemployment rate than the US National average of 9.1%, of 9.7%. People are broke. There is even a story in the Idaho Statesman that people are stealing newspapers to get the coupons. It is so sad that the same generation who had strength of will to oppose Russia and foment the collapse of Communism, is the one where we voluntarily gave up land for a Chinese beachhead to hasten our own downfall. Is it justice that where we once sought cheap land in hapless, economically deprived nations to make American clothing lines in sweatshops will now be done unto us? No, you say?

American constructions companies whose bosses are crying for lack of ability to feed their families will be only to happy to accept dollars from the Chinese to build an industrial park. Do you think the sub-contractors who need the orders will refuse to make the purchases? Do you think the people stealing newspapers so they can get the coupons will refuse to labor for the Chinese?

The Statesman quotes a local official on the project, saying ““I think China’s coming over here shows they are willing to collaborate on the reinvigoration of the American industrial base,” said Jeff Don, CEO of Eagle-based C3, which is acting as an Idaho representative for the Chinese company, called Sinomach for short.”

I think that the official has never heard of the Trojan Horse.

More to the point of the end times, though, in the days of the Tribulation, the Kings of the East are extremely active. They mount an army of incredible numbers.

“And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.” (Revelation 9:13-16)

Perhaps the staging area and beachhead for this future campaign is helped along by labor and cheap land in the once powerful and shining America, whose light is slowly but surely winking out.






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Posted in bible, messiah, prophecy

Pray boldly, in confidence and thankfulness

Posted on by elizabethprata

We are humble before the Lord, but we should also look to the examples of our fathers and mothers in the bible to remember how strongly and boldly they prayed. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah is praying in thanks to the LORD for the gift of her son, but the song is so much more than that. Did you know that this prophetic prayer is the first time we read of a someone uttering the “MESSIAH’ or the “Anointed” in the bible? Here is the song, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, then some commentary about it, to encourage you

Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; upon them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Beautiful! In the bible, ‘horn’ is the symbol of strength. Hannah is not magnifying herself when she says that her horn is lifted high. She is saying that in Him, she is strong.

Clarke says, “she describes the promised Savior of the world as a King, before there was any king in Israel; and she first applied to him the remarkable epithet Messiah in Hebrew, Christ in Greek, and Anointed in English, which was adopted by David, Nathan, Ethan, Isaiah, Daniel, and the succeeding prophets of the Old Testament; and by the apostles and inspired writers of the New.”

As Barnes Notes describes, “The song of Hannah is a prophetic Psalm. It is poetry. And it is prophecy. It takes its place by the side of the songs of Miriam, Deborah, and the Virgin Mary, as well as those of Moses, David, Hezekiah, and other Psalmists and prophets whose inspired odes have been preserved in the Bible. The special feature which these songs have in common is, that springing from, and in their first conception relating to, incidents in the lives of the individuals who composed them, they branch out into magnificent descriptions of the Kingdom and glory of Christ, and the triumphs of the Church,”

Matthew Henry says, “Hannah’s heart rejoiced, not in Samuel, but in the Lord. She looks beyond the gift, and praises the Giver. She rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord, and in expectation of His coming, who is the whole salvation of his people….And here is the first time that we meet with the name MESSIAH, or his Anointed.”

Pray boldly, pray confidently. Know that your Savior, long prophesied from the time of Hannah, has come. The Kingdom she has alluded to, is soon to come. Picture the words from her mouth as musical notes wafting through time, woven throughout the pages of the epochs of the bible, to land in your heart, today. Love the Lord in all praise and confidence.

A biblical study on Hannah, here.

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Posted in dubbi, end of days, eritrea, eruption, nabro, prophecy

Spectacular volcanic eruption at Eritrea: last eruption was 1861

Posted on by elizabethprata

Last night’s quake swarm evidently did trigger or was a precursor to a volcanic eruption at Eritrea. There are several volcanoes in that region, though Nabro is said to have never erupted and Dubbi last erupted in 1861. The volcanoes in that area have been quiet ever since. Until last night. Here is the progression of the news:

Eritrea quakes
“A series of moderate earthquakes struck the Eritrea – Ethiopia border region on Sunday evening, seismologists said, but it was not immediately known if there was damage or if there were casualties. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a total of 14 light to moderate earthquakes in the border area on Sunday evening, with the strongest being two 5.7-magnitude earthquakes which were both centered in Eritrea.”

Seismologists, volcanologists, and knowledgeable laymen immediately noticed the unusual nature of these quakes. They were strong, and they were occurring in a pattern that suggested a circle around a known volcanic region.

Then people noticed what looked to be an ash plume forming, seen in successive satellite photos. The cloud seemed to be stationed over one area, but grow over time, lengthening in the all-too-familiar plume formation. It looked for all the world like an ash plume, not a thunderstorm. But how can this be? The area was thought to be fairly dormant for volcanoes?

Getting news from the area was difficult because of the nature of the remoteness and lack of infrastructure to disperse news quickly. The quakes were a fact, confirmed on USGS and EMSC. Whether these quakes were related to the Nabro or Dubbi volcanoes, I was not sure. I went to bed.

This morning, the net was alive with stories swirling about this unusual event. It WAS a volcanic eruption!! Irish Weather Online explains:

Major Eruption Of Nabro Volcano In Eritrea
“The Anabro (Nabro) volcano in the Northern Red Sea Region of Eritrea in Africa has erupted sending an ash plume more than 15 kilometres into the sky. Part of the Afar Triangle, the stratovolcano is one of many volcanic caldera complexes in the north easternmost part of the East African Rift valley region. It is located in the Danakil Depression, close to Eritrea’s border with Ethiopia and north of Djibouti, and has not erupted in at least 150 years.”

“The volcano erupted at 2103 GMT Sunday evening. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) said Monday that the 5,331 ft volcano has resulted in a large ash plume of up to 8 miles high. The eruption was preceded by seven moderate earthquakes yesterday afternoon. A 5.6 magnitude quake at 9.03 signalled the start of the eruption. The quake was centred 48 km south of the town of Edd (pop 11,259) and 199 km southwest of the city of Al-h’udaydah (pop 617,871). A 4.6 magnitude quake followed less than 35 minutes later.”

“The ash cloud from the volcano could potentially cause some disruption to air traffic in the region. According to Irish Weather Online senior forecaster Peter O’Donnell, the ash cloud is heading west towards Sudan. “The eruption happened in Nabro, a stratovolcano that has not erupted in historic times. (some early reports mention Dubbi or Dubbo to the north but satellite imagery confirms the source as Nabro). Potentially, there could be impacts on visibility and optics over at least parts of southern Europe and west Africa, the Middle East … but there would be no direct impacts on Ireland from present information.” The largest known historical eruption in Africa occurred on May 1861 when the Dubbi volcano, also located in Eritrea, showered maritime traffic in the Red Sea with pumice and plunged coastal settlements into darkness.”

The volcanism blog has the more scientific facts–

Ash cloud from Eritrean volcano Dubbi, erupted June 12

Volcanism blog: plume picture
A significant eruption is evidently under way at Dubbi volcano (although there is still some doubt about the precise identity of the volcano involved) in Eritrea, north-east Africa. An earthquake swarm occurred during during the evening of 12 June, with moderate quakes followed by two strong quakes of magnitude 5.7, all around 10 km depth:
12 June 2011 15:37UTC: mag 5.1 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)
12 June 2011 19:21UTC: mag 5.0 Ethiopia (USGS info)
12 June 2011 20:32UTC: mag 5.7 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)
12 June 2011 21:03UTC: mag 5.7 Eritrea-Ethiopia region (USGS info)

“A volcanic eruption appears to have begun around the time of the last 5.7M earthquake, at about 21:00 UTC. Toulouse VAAC identified the volcano as Dubbi and issued two Volcanic Ash Advisories so far for this eruption today: at 04:00 UTC the eruption was reported to have started at 23:00 UTC on 12 June 2011, and to have produced a plume between FL150/300 (15,000-30,000 feet/4,500-9,000 metres altitude), while at 06:00 UTC the volcano was described as being in ‘continuous emission’ with ash at FL300 (30,000 feet/9,000 metres altitude) and trending W/WNW.”

“Dubbi was responsible for the largest known volcanic eruption in Africa in historical time, in 1861: more than 100 people were killed, ash fell more than 300 km from the volcano and the lava flows travelled 22 km and reached the Red Sea. Other possible candidates for the current eruption include Nabro and Mallahle.  UPDATE. Thanks to Clive Oppenheimer of Cambridge University (via Earthquake-Reports) we have a useful news report from the Cambridge Geography Department site related to Clive’s Eruptions that Shook the World book: Eruption in Eritrea, 12 June 2011. ‘Loud explosions were heard in Afdera, across the border in Ethiopia, and ashfall is reported as far as Mekele in Tigray province’ … the identity of the volcano is still to be confirmed – Nabro or Dubbi?”

That is the news, and those are the scientific facts. Here is the biblical fact: Jesus said that the time between His ascension and the time He came back would be like birth pangs. We know that birth pains grow from almost unnoticed, to very frequent and painful. Then the rapture would happen and the Tribulation would begin. Jesus still has 7 years in the Decree stated in Daniel to work with His people the Jews. In that 7 year period he would punish them for their transgressions, and do 5 other things. Here is the link to the passage in Daniel 9:20-27 which explains the Lord’s purpose for the Tribulation.

We, the Church, have had our sins wiped away, they are remembered no more (Colossians 1:22; Colossians 2:14). Therefore we are not to be punished (Acts 3:19), nor are we appointed to wrath. The Tribulation’s wrath is stated to begin in Revelation 6 with the opening of the seals.

In explaining all this, Jesus sat down with His disciples at the Mount of Olives and answered their questions about the signs of the end of the age. Jesus said that one of those signs would be earthquakes in diverse places. I think a sudden and powerful volcanic eruption coming out of nowhere and the first in recent history qualifies as diverse.

Even more prophetically, the nations in that area are part of coming events. In Ezekiel 38-39 it is explained that an alliance of nations attack Israel- and almost win. This alliance includes Iran, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and the northern tier of Africa, where these quakes were and eruption was. Ethiopia, Libya, Sudan, are all mentioned. The larger context is that Cush and Put are the regions that will join with Iran to attack Israel, and those include larger territories than the nations’ borders of today. In effect, the northern tier of Africa decides to join with Russia and Iran and go against God’s people in an evil attempt to wipe them out and steal their riches. This is known as the Gog-Magog battle and though the timing of it is not stated n the bible from other events that occur before and after, we can put it in a general time of this battle being the gateway to the Tribulation.

While I was watching the Eritrea event occur last night, there was a powerful quake at Christchurch, New Zealand, and the Chilean volcano erupted again, sending the lower part of the world into a frenzy due to airplane flight cancellations because of ash. The birth pangs are occurring so frequently now that they overlap, and their increasing impact on the world is incredible. I feel that the time is so short that we may even hear the trumpet and the call to “Come up here!” any moment. Surely the time is near. Please repent, please seek Jesus as your savior and your Lord. Your eternal destiny depends on it.

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Posted in bible jesus, prophecy

The dangers of "The bible AND…"

Posted on by elizabethprata

A reader sent me an interesting story out of Maryland. An Episcopal church has decided to convert, en masse, to Catholicism. The parishioners, along with the pastor, wants to be under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and its pope. Why? “[C]hurch members said, they were satisfying their longing for a clear religious authority by welcoming the leadership of Pope Benedict XVI.” It was not because their denomination allowed gay and lesbian ordination of pastors. No, that wasn’t it, sad to say. It wasn’t because of bitter land disputes around the country costing tens of millions, either, as “Seven breakaway Northern Virginia congregations have been in court for more than four years with the Episcopal Church” over land issues. No, the congregation is converting because they want authority and they decided that the Reformation was a mistake. “It feels fantastic,” Delaney said. “It’s like correcting 500 years of history.”

The thirst for authority has come, they say, because of the dearth in leadership in their congregations, and the ‘absolute authority’ of the Pope is attractive enough to fill that spiritual void.  “In the Episcopal Church, bishops in one place say one thing and in another say another,” explained Patrick Delaney, a lay leader from Mitchellville. “That’s the crux of it. Each bishop has its own kingdom.”

They forgot that their authority is Jesus, the Word!

This story is emblematic of the larger problem of the prophesied apostasy. Apostasy is a falling away from the truth. The word Paul used in the prophecy of 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is ‘apostasia’ meaning a defection, or leaving a previous standing. Apostasy is not new to the church. Almost immediately, the church was infested with people falling away, and Paul even used these words to describe one group that defected [from the Truth]: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;” (Galatians 1:6).

But Jesus said that at the end of days and as a sign of His coming, defection from the truth would occur in widespread fashion. In Matthew 24:5 He said, “For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many.” And in verse 10 He reiterates, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,” and in Luke 18:8b Jesus asked rhetorically, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Other examples of a current falling away come to mind. Charismatics, many in holiness Pentecostal churches, allow personal revelation and spiritual experience to be added to the Divine Word. It’s gotten so bad in some cases that they allow personal revelation and ‘spiritual’ experience to be the authority for the congregation instead of the Word. When one member stands up and says “God told me and we should do the following,” they DO, even if it is against the Word!

In the case of Mormons, they have allowed an angel named Moroni bringing a different Gospel to become their authority. Even though Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” Mormons accepted what “Angel Moroni” had to say and a cult was born. The Mormon issue is serious because one who holds great political and cultural and political sway is Mormon Glenn Beck, and two candidates running for President are Mormon. (former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.). The article “Mainline Protestants need not apply” remarks on how none of the current 2012 Presidential candidates are from traditional Protestant denominations.

The figure atop all Latter Day Saints (Mormon) temples is the angel Moroni. Jesus is not given that high position of worshipful adoration, a false angel is, even though the Word says not to do it! (Rev 22:8-9)

In these three cases, either a fallible man (Pope) has become their authority, or personal experience has become their authority, or an angel has become their authority. The Catholics allowed the Word to be swamped under Tradition. The Charismatics have allowed the Word to be added to. The Mormons allowed the Word to be rewritten.

I believe all humans have an inherent compass that seeks ultimate authority. We chafe under authority sometimes but we all need it and we all look for it. In the cases of apostasy, that drive to find ultimate authority has been jogged off the path of righteousness toward a false authority of some kind or another. In all cases, from Paul’s time to this, the mistake is the same. They left their first love. The sin of the Church at Ephesus so described by Jesus in the Revelation 2:4 is that they declined in love, slipped and slid away from sound doctrine. They were not completely cold. But the condition of the faithful at the end of the age is one that WILL have lost all its warmness. Paul warns Timothy that people will be unholy and without love (2 Tim 3:2b-3a). Jesus prophesied that at the very end, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” (Mt 24:12)

When fervency for the Word is lost, other doctrines creep in, and so do other authorities. The bible and its doctrines are all-important because Jesus IS the Word, and the Word IS Jesus! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) When you submit to His authority you submit to the Word, and when you submit to the Word, you submit to Jesus. Accepting other authorities means you set Jesus aside and accept not the truth. Then begins a long, downward spiral. It’s like that 70s song by Johnny Lee, “Looking for love in all the wrong places“

Mark 12:24  Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

Romans 10:17  Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

The authority is not the Pope. The authority is not Moroni. The authority is not a spiritual revelation given by a dream or a word. The authority is Jesus and His Word. Do not leave your first love. Why? Because He first loved US! (1 John 4:19)

————————————-
 For fun, listen to the video again but through a filter of Jesus and the truth. Video.

I’ve spent a lifetime looking for you
Single bars and good time lovers, never true
Playing a fools game, hoping to win
Telling those sweet lies and losing again.

I was looking for love in all the wrong places
Looking for love in too many faces
Searching your eyes, looking for traces
Of what.. I’m dreaming of…
Hopin’ to find a friend and a lover
God bless the day I discover
Another heart, lookin’ for love

You came a’knocking at my heart’s door..
You’re everything I’ve been looking for..
…
God bless the day I discover
You, oh You, lookin’ for love

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