Posted in christmas, Piano Guys

Piano Guys: Angels We Have Heard on High

Posted on by elizabethprata

So, soo pretty….

The Shepherds and the Angels
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:8-14

Posted in America in prophecy, revelation, United States

This is why the United States has to disappear as world leader

Posted on by elizabethprata
Wikipedia commons

I was born in 1960. I grew up seeing the United States respond to President Kennedy’s exhortation to put a man on the moon and bring him back safely to earth, which was accomplished in 1969. I saw rockets lift off and wondered at their power, and marveled at a country that could make it happen. I watched the ticker tape parade for the returning astronauts. I watched interstates be built and cars and more cars emerge from Detroit. I saw President Nixon resign, and while that was a sad moment four our country, I was filled with pride as Gerald Ford took the Oath of Office and loved how our nation was orderly in transition. I saw the space shuttle take off and set down, cradling space travelers inside. I saw The US Olympic Hockey team beat the Russians, a truly heroic athletic feat. The US was always by Israel’s side. I was proud that we, as a nation, would stand by our friends and that they knew it and took strength in that fact. We were no France.

This was the food of my youth and early adulthood. My country was a shining city upon a hill. I mean it was literally a shining city, the full name of the statue is “Liberty Enlightening the World”. Liberty’s torch glowed out over New York Harbor and to the Atlantic Ocean, beckoning millions to our shores in search of a better life, including both my paternal great-grandparents and my maternal grandparents. America’s might was known throughout the world. Our generosity in humanitarian aid was known too. It was a given that our diplomats would be at the table, no matter what the issue was. After 1991 when the old Soviet Union collapsed, the United States of America was the only remaining world superpower.

USS Nimitz, Wiki photo, public domain

A world without the United States continuing the same as it had been was incomprehensible.

That was why, in 2006 and 2007 and even 2008 as I studied prophecy, it was strange to read in Zechariah that in the last times, Israel would have no friends? WHAT?!?! No United States with arm around her side? Impossible, said many. America is an exceptional nation!

The last days prophecies show that multitudes are famished and lack even enough money for a loaf of bread on every border, including America’s. WHAT?!?! Not the incredibly wealthy United States, many said. They pooh-poohed the notion that the US could be anything than it was- in the thick of things, even in prophecy.

How often in the last few years so we see on forums and Q&As the question. “Where is the US in prophecy?”

People forget that God is so powerful nations are as nothing to Him except a tool to bring about His will. Moab had Petra, the ‘impregnable’ rose red city. And yet He brought it down. Obadiah told them:

Petra, Commons photo by Bernard Gagnon

“The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.” (Obadiah 1:3-4)

As Warren W. Wiersbe says in his book Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament, the Prophets,

“The Moabites were a very proud people because they thought their nation was impregnable. (Isaiah 16:6). Moab was located in the high moutnains, with the Dead Sea to their west and the desert on the east. God told them He would bring invaders through their “inaccessible” northwest border, (‘flank’, Ezekiel 25:9 NIV) even though it was made up of sheer cliffs; and He did. It was the Assyrians who invaded and destroyed Moab. Today Moab is no longer remembered as a nation.”

America was exceptional. So was Assyria. So was Moab. So was Egypt; all in their times, for a time. However, there is only one Exceptional nation (capital E)- Israel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For many years the United States has acted as the world’s police force. This is appropriate. The world needs a police force.

In John MacArthur’s sermon War in the Gulf: A Biblical Perspective” he explained that there are three components to war. One is evil aggression. A second is protection. He explains Romans 13:3,

USAF aircraft of the 4th Fighter Wing
(F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by
the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
USAF photo

“And then in verse 3 he puts some leverage in the hand of authority, and some power, “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.” In other words, the government exists to make people who do wrong afraid. And if government can’t make them afraid, then they’re going to continue to do wrong. Very simple.”

In my opinion this is the role the US has taken over the last century. I believe it has been God-given. Dr MacArthur continues,

“Government is not symbolic. Government is not a pageant. Government has real power, and its power is in its sword. Now, what do you do with a sword? Rap people’s knuckles? No. Spank them? No. You kill them. That’s what you do with it. You take their life away. What restrains ultimately the evil aggressor is the power of the sword, the deadly force that government can bring against ultimate acts of evil. That’s God-ordained. In fact, he says, “not only does it not bear the sword for nothing, it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

BTW according to the sermon, the third component to war is Divine judgment.

 Now, the US has acted as world policeman for at least 100 years. Yet lately since 2009 we have seen a serious and sudden decline in the power and might of the United States. Financially, diplomatically, militarily and economically, we are failing. The Washington Examiner notes this in an article from this past Wednesday:

Poof: Public says America’s world leadership has tumbled to 40-year low
“For the first time in nearly 40 years, a majority of Americans believe the United States is less important around the world and that it should mind its own business, a stunning rejection of President Obama’s foreign policy just four years after he received the Nobel Prize.  A new Pew Research Center poll found that 53 percent of people believe that the U.S. is playing a less important role as a world leader than a decade ago, the highest figure since 1974.”

Note that 1974 is the year President Nixon resigned the United States Presidency in disgrace.

Photo National Park Service, public.

The United States HAS to disappear as world leader so that we will not protect the nations from evil aggressors when prophesied wars erupt. (Revelation 6:4). The United States HAS to crumble and leave a leadership vacuum so that the antichrist will emerge as the clear candidate for that role. The US should decline because ultimately all war is about divine judgment in some way, and we are no less judgment-worthy than any other nation, exceptional for a short time or not.

Ultimately, America must be made as nothing so that the true Exceptional Nation of all time will rise up in glory, Israel. (Zechariah 14:10). There can be no competition.

Therefore don’t ask, ‘where is the US in prophecy?’ Exult that the US was used by God to protect the nations from evil aggressors. Exult that He is finished with us and will lay us low in our sins, for He is glory itself. Exult that this formerly wonderful and respected nation has done good work but that it’s now over; we are being laid down in our sins. Prophecy is coming to pass. Do not cling to artificial borders of artificially created nations on earth, for our citizenship is in heaven.

The rapidity with which the LORD is removing the height from America is astonishing. It’s stunning. Think of where we were before 2008, and where we are now. But not so astonishing when you think how quickly other nations suddenly collapsed. The going out of America leaves a leadership vacuum. It is my opinion that the next person to step into that vacuum will be the antichrist. Christians won’t be on earth to witness that however. Our next stop on the prophetic timeline is rapture. Goodbye America, hello New Jerusalem. It’s a good trade.

Posted in God, miracle, power

Feeding the 5000 is an incredible miracle

Posted on by elizabethprata

John 6:1-14,

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Annie Vallotton drawings _Good news bible

I listened to John MacArthur’s latest sermon, True and False Disciples, which is an expounding on part of the above verses (and also part this sermon, from Nov 24th).

He said that the feeding the multitudes is an incredible, incredible miracle. 5,000 men were there which means women were there and children, heightening the tally to about 20,000 to 2,000 people on the hillside. Jesus brought food out of thin air, created it on the spot. It was not cursed b the ground nor by man. It was heavenly food, literally, which is probably the reason for the little detail they got as much food as they anted. It was probably so good they ate and ate until they were filled to busting.

It was incredible for another reason- every person participated in it. They didn’t just see it, or hear about it but took part in the miracle by eating of the food.

Here is a little scientific fact. In the sermon, Dr MacArthur quoted a scientist (sorry, I didn’t catch the name even though I listened several times, transcript will be up soon.) The science question is, if 20,000-25,000 people each ate half a pound of food, how much energy would it take to convert that into mass?

It’s Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc2.

Answer: It’d take all the electrical power on earth working at 100% output, 100% of the time, for 4 years, to create the energy to create that meal.

Jesus did it without breaking a sweat. Do you see why it’s such an incredible miracle? Now, get this:

He created the sun by His voice (John 1:3, Genesis 1:14). The sun consumes 600 millions of matter per second, generating enough energy in 1 sec to supply all US energy needs for 13 BILLION years. And God simply said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night.” And there was.

Posted in Jews for Jesus, messiah, messianic jews, savior, Yeshua

Messianic Yeshua campaign causes buzz in Israel

Posted on by elizabethprata

And the toughest missionary field in the world is…Israel.

This is because God has partially hardened their hearts to His truth until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:7-8, 25).

Nonetheless, God weeps over His rejecting people. Through Isaiah, He drenched Moab with His tears. In Luke 19:41-42, Jesus wept over His people Israel as He approached Jerusalem.

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!“

They rejected the Messiah of peace, and to this day they are at enmity with God, in a hostile war between souls of sin and the Soul of holiness.

In that day, the people cursed His name! (Matthew 12:24, Matthew 27:23, 25). The very people whom He had healed and personally fed, wanted Him dead. The Pharisees sought to kill Him! (John 8:58-59; John 10:30-33).

Not much has changed since then, as evidenced by this interesting news article I read. It is from the publication Israel Today. The article in its entirety is extremely interesting as you read the flow and its context. Please read the full essay to get the full effect.

Radio Darom broadcasts in Israel and as usual with other radio stations, there are radio hosts and there are radio guests. On one such program, super conservative member of the Shas party, Ofer Karadi was appearing along with the deputy mayor of Beersheva and a local Jew for Jesus, AKA Messianic Jew. (who was not named in the article). Things, shall we say, got heated.

I’ll post a few quotes here:

Yeshua Campaign Causes Buzz in Southern Israel
“While the gospel campaign by Jews for Jesus created a lot of buzz among local residents, not everyone was as sympathetic toward the Messianics as the general. “May his name be cut off forever,” screamed Ofer Karadi“

His fervency and hatred is striking isn’t it? That is because it is demonic. (Genesis 3:15, Revelation 12:12, Revelation 12:17).

“How can you give a platform for these empty-headed people,” cut in Karadi. “They are extremists. They are causing a civil war here in Israel!” (what this really means is that if Messianic Jews keep preaching the gospel in Israel, the orthodox will rise up with violent resistance).

Source

Have things changed? Not one bit. The LORD’S plan was set from the foundation of the world and He is enacting it in His sovereign timing and His sovereign will. Though the missionary field of Israel is a hard, stony place for His seed to grow, never forget He has left behind a remnant, elected by grace. (Romans 11:5). By His grace there are Messianic Jews proclaiming His name in His land! What a beautiful sight, even if is it met with spittle spewing Orthodox Jesus haters. This is not a surprise.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you… John 15:18-20a)

I praise the Lord for His remnant, for His people on a hard and rocky mission field. I praise the Lord for His tears, His love for the lost people, and for His future plan to bring them to His bosom. It is written,

“And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
~Romans 11:26-27

By Yoav Dothan. All rights released (Public domain)
Posted in cleon, ice storm, last days, prophecy, weather

Rare Weather Phenomenon Fills Grand Canyon with Fog; plus intensity limits of severe storms is increasing

Posted on by elizabethprata

A study on Weather and the Bible shows just how much God is in control of it and how much He uses it for His purposes. Far from an indirect happenstance, all weather is causal, and originates with God.

Some of it is brought about by satan, insofar as God allows him. As the author of the Weather and the Bible page I mentioned above, Diane Dew states, “However, Satan’s efforts must pass divine approval and are limited to the extent God allows.“

For example, He sends the frost to kill the trees (Psalm 78:47) and He sends the dew to refresh the land (Genesis 27:28). He sends the dew even to refresh the people. (Numbers 11:9).

God sends the thunder and lighting and rain and floods and hail and wind, and well, everything. As we see above, He has purposes of building up and sustaining, and He has and purposes of tearing down. Sometimes it is to show His power and sometimes it is to bring about repentance.

Therefore every weather event is from God. However not every weather event is a word FROM God. Sometimes a tornado on a Monday in 1912 may have results of an impact God wanted to make on a Tuesday of 2013. We don’t know, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8).

However, there is one overarching fact about the weather and it ties in with the general curse of the world. Things will devolve. Things are always going to get worse over time. This includes sin. It includes the world’s curse. (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20, Hebrews 6:8). It includes weather.

We are told that in general, because the world is cursed and things will get worse, the end times will have worsening weather. The end times are between when Jesus ascended and when He comes back, including the last 7 years of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble AKA the Tribulation. (Hebrews 1:2, James 5:3). We are in the last days. But we have been since NT bible times.

The weather will get worse because the curse gets worse and everything is going to be like labor pangs. Labor pangs start off with a gestation, build to the moment of water breaking, and culminates in ever shortening pains. Then the bloody birth.

Luke 21:11 speaks of earthquakes, and Luke 21:25-26 speaks of roaring waters and signs in the heavens. Matthew 24:7 speaks of famines and Revelation 11:6 speaks of droughts. The Holman Bible Dictionary explains, “A famine is an extreme shortage of food, and a drought is an excessive dryness of land. The Bible reports or predicts the occurrence of several famines and droughts. Drought was the most common cause of famines mentioned in the Bible.”

I’ve long noted that increasingly, weathermen claim that unusual phenomena are occurring. They have used superlatives like “rare” and “never before seen.” They use terms like “unexpected”, and are often “perplexed” over why or how these weather things are happening. When they run out of superlatives, having reached the top level in descriptors, they double up in attempting to describe what they are seeing. In one recent case, the Joplin tornado, the rough and tumble weather man just stood there and cried, his mind unable to come up with fitting descriptions for the devastation he was seeing.

This is an example to me of prophecy coming alive. When we see people who are in the know (or who claim to be in the know) struggling to explain on the ground an event that was once something only theorized in textbooks, then it is indicative of something out of the norm of human experience. Prophecy is the intersection of the explainable and the supernatural. I believe we’re at that point now.

Regular readers will know that I keep track of how many earthquakes are occurring over time. Earthquakes are mentioned in many of the prophetic texts as the indicator of the last days, including Luke, Matthew, and Revelation. Jesus mentioned them as a sign. Hence my interest.

On the last day of each year, I post a long-term trend chart in seeing how many quakes have occurred that year in four different magnitudes, using US Geological Survey data and their norms. I started peeking into this year’s results in early November, as we are coming up on Dec 31st. Initially when I looked at the data at the beginning of November, the number of 5.0-5.9 quakes was very far below the annual average posted by USGS. However, that has picked up significantly. Whether we read or exceed the average number is unknown, as it is unknown as to what it means if we do (or don’t.) But here is where the number of quakes stands now, as of December 5, 2013. I’ll post the final chart on the 31st in the evening. Click to enlarge

In fact, here are two more examples of this intersection or the normal and the supernatural in terms of weather.

Found on My Modern Met: yet another rare, once in a decade event, happening twice in three days!

Rare Weather Phenomenon Fills Grand Canyon with Fog
What an awe-inspiring sight! A few days ago, on Friday, November 29, The Grand Canyon was taken over by a rare weather phenomenon that filled the entire canyon with a thick layer of fog. The occurrence, called a temperature inversion, caused everyone, including rangers, to flock to the rim to take photos of it. As the Grand Canyon National Park Facebook page stated, “Rangers wait for years to see it. Word spread like wildfire and most ran to the rim to photograph it. What a fantastic treat for all!” If you stayed just a few more days, you could see it again as it happened twice in three days! Visitors to the canyon both on Friday and Sunday were able to witness the stunning, once-in-a-decade event.

Photo: NPS Photo by Erin Whittaker

What does it mean that the rare, once-in-a-decade event occurs twice in three days? I believe it is the Lord speaking to us. Now, if that was the only event happening, that in itself is not indicative of anything, except maybe a furrowed brow and a verbal “huh.” However the totality of global events occurring which align with prophecy, are increasing like birth pangs, and are unusual by any standard, is of more interest and deserves some attention and meditation by Christians.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is another event, happening now as I write. The meteorologists are saying “epic storm!” (notice the use of superlative, epic). They are “predicting power outages to last “5-10 days in some areas!”

Epic Ice Storm Possible; Millions Could Lose Power

This winter storm is bringing record snow and record cold to a huge swathe of the middle of the US. They are describing the storm as crippling.

Was it only 10 months ago that another “historic” blizzard pounded New England? Nemo? Remember? (Feb 6, 2013).

How often has the new term ‘snowmageddon’ or ‘snowpocalypse’ been used lately? A lot, says Wikipedia.

  • North American blizzard of 2009 (Snowpocalypse)
  • February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowmageddon)
  • February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowmageddon: Snoverkill)
  • February 25–27, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowicane)
  • December 2010 North American blizzard
  • January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American blizzard
  • February 2013 North American blizzard
  • Winter of 2009–2010 in the United Kingdom

It’s obvious that increasingly the severe weather we are experiencing all over the globe is only getting worse. And we’re not done yet. Earth’s people have experienced the world’s biggest/worst storm, in October with typhoon Haiyan hitting the Philippines. The NBC Science News editor says:

“Experts say Typhoon Haiyan was about as strong as it could theoretically get when it swept through the Philippines, killing thousands of people and driving hundreds of thousands from their homes. But intensity limits have been rising over decades past — and climate models suggest they will keep rising over the decades to come, with the potential for bigger and more devastating storms.”

If you are in the path of this ice and snow storm named Cleon, please be careful and listen to the officials. I’ve already seen so many photos depicting empty shelves swept clean in a shopping frenzy, no bottled water, or bread. There have been fatalities and sorrow already, panic and anxiety. Be anxious for nothing, though, the Lord has the weather in His hands, and you as well.

Posted in encouragement, praise

A praise on the occasion of the tenth year anniversary of my salvation

Posted on by elizabethprata

Yesterday, ten years ago, I became a child of God.

In this modern, fast and furious age, ten years is a long time. It’s enough to become vested in a business’s pension fund. It’s a long marriage. It’s tenure. It’s an entire decade. Wow.

In Christianity, ten years is only enough to become acquainted with the depths of my sin and the fact that I know nothing. It’s enough to understand that understanding has just begun. It’s a tiny plod away from the ball and chain of my sin and toward the gates of heaven.

Yet ten years is an eternity. The moment I stepped over the threshold, salvation meant glory with Jesus forever, beginning at that moment on the floor of the office where I cried out to God, my heart’s defenses crumbling like Jericho. An eternity that began with the choice of Jesus to elect me to salvation and bring me to His bosom.

The depth of my gratitude knows no bounds. I can’t express it in words, paltry faltering words that are mere letters, squiggles really. What are words to compare to the glory and beauty of this wonderful Man-God who delivered Himself to death and rose again, for our sakes? Who left His heavenly abode to live three decades on a cursed earth, reaching out to His sheep? His mercy and His blessings and His love are overwhelming to me. And to think before I knew Him, I’d run away, mock, and scorn Him and His children. He is the Good Shepherd.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

What a change He has wrought in me! This is a change only He can do. My dark and gangrenous heart has been made new by Jesus. He surely is the Redeemer.

To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:5).

I can’t say the entire ten years has been all-joy. Some of it meant heartbreak and hard truths and rejection. But it all has been amazing, because Jesus is amazing. He has never left me nor forsaken me. He is with me always and His spirit dwells richly in me.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

My love for him in return can’t match His incredible heavenly love, but what a pleasure to be able to thank Him in person someday.

“I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.” Psalm 35:18

Posted in curse, earth, planes, prophecy, rapture, to and fro, travel

Planes in the air, to and fro

Posted on by elizabethprata

I saw a graphic on Thanksgiving Day and it struck me deeply. My jaw dropped open I think. Here it is. It is from Planes in the Air Now-

Now, tell me, what does that picture remind you of? Anything? Anything? How about this one?

Pic from Mark J Norman ‏Twitter handle, @markjnewsman, shot Nov 27 with the caption: “Penn Station is hell right now”:

It reminded me of the prophecy in Daniel 12:4,

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Speaking of to and fro, many people go back and forth on exactly what this prophecy means. I believe the consensus among scholars is similar to what Pulpit Commentary explains:

“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. This is to be looked upon as a description of the last time, when circumstance shall remove the seal from the book. The translator of the Septuagint has been led away by the idea of the time as one of sorrow. The verb, however, translated “going to and fro” may be rendered, as it is by Ewald, as “to peruse.” The veil then shall be removed, the seals broken when men peruse the prophecy carefully, and knowledge is increased.”

Or as Gill’s explains,

“many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased; that is, towards the end of the time appointed, many persons will be stirred up to inquire into these things delivered in this book,”

Or as John MacArthur explains,

“run to and fro- The Hebrew movement always refers to the movement of a person searching for something. In the Tribulation, people will search for answers to the devastation and will discover increased knowledge through Daniel’s preserved book.”

However, in seeing the graphic of all the planes in the air over the US on Thanksgiving Day, and seeing the crammed people at Penn Station, it just strikes me how overburdened the earth is. I’m not talking overcrowding, like the eco-hippies talk about. I know there are many places with room to spare. But overburdened, as in sins piled up to heaven. Tottering sins piling up to heaven. I read Ezra’s prayer:

“saying: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.” (Ezra 9:6).

I read Isaiah 59:12, “For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities:“

I think of all those planes and all those people crammed in at the station and I think of all that sin. All those sinners traveling to and fro, carrying their sin with them, and so many people and so much sin, the earth groans!

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Romans 8:19-22)

More people on the earth just means more and more sin.

Doesn’t it feel like the earth would be groaning under all that bursting pressure and sins and people and to and fro and activity and curse?

Sometimes I wonder how much more the balloon can be filled up before it pops. Seeing an airplane graphic like this one makes me wonder how soon the rapture will be here.

The promise of the glory that awaits is compelling. It draws my thoughts often. I so long to worship the risen Jesus in person, in glory, seeing Him full in the face! I can’t wait to sing with the brethren and the angels of His holiness and purity. Sure, I’m tired of this world and I’m tired of my own sin, but that’s not the total reason for all this longing. It’s to be with Jesus, in His place He has prepared for us! It is to finally sing hallelujah for His work on earth and praise and exalt Him to the utmost, with no sin nature in me to pollute it.

Scenes like these flood my thoughts:

“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.” (Revelation 4:2-6)

O, that emerald rainbow!

Or this, in Revelation 5:11-12,

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”

We will be there, singing with them someday! Singing TO the Risen Jesus.

When I drag my mind back from the heavenly scenes and think of all those planes in the air, pointlessly going to and fro for sinful reasons and craven reasons and all the sin we carry, who wouldn’t want to be in the purity of a heavenly abode, so beautiful?

“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Someday it will be us in the air. Come soon, Lord Jesus.

Posted in Ahab, encouragement, prophecy

Ahab learned the hard way, you’re either all in, or all out. There’s no halfway

Posted on by elizabethprata

1 Kings 22. King Ahab of Israel wants to go to war.

Earlier, Ahab had truly repented in sackcloth and ashes, and the LORD saw that his heart was truly saddened for his sin. So God delayed the prophecy’s fulfillment that Ahab would die in battle and dogs will lick his blood until later in Ahab’s life.

Meanwhile, Ahab and Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, wanted to get the city of Ramoth-gilead back but they have to fight the king of Syria to do it. Ahab sought the prophets, who, of course, told Ahab exactly what he wanted to hear. Except for the real prophet, Micaiah, who delivered bad news. And of course Ahab went ballistic and ordered Micaiah to jail and Ahab decided to go to battle anyway.

“But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” (1 Kings 22:34)

However…

When Micaiah said that Ahab would die in battle against BenHadad, king of Syria, and all men would scatter like sheep, Ahab ignored the prophecy but still feared it. He disguised himself and told Jehoshaphat to keep on wearing his own royal robes. Yet a stray arrow shot at random still found its mark and wound its way into Ahab’s breastplate. Ahab died that night, and his blood covered his chariot and it had to be washed in the pool at Siloam, where, according to prophecy, the dogs licked Ahab’s blood.

The battlefield disguise made no difference to the LORD, who sees all things–

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

The notation in the verse about the randomness of the arrow shows just how powerful God is, it was no thing for Him to direct the arrow to pierce the fragile flesh of a man who feared God only as long as the prophecies were good to him.

Ahab should have listened to Micaiah, and he should have known that the Lord speaks truly and certainly. Fear the LORD fully, and you will do well.

God is all or nothing. He is truth, or He is not. He is all-powerful, or He is not. He sees all, or He does not. What is it in man who thinks we can out-wait, out wit, out-think a God such as this?

Ahab was in it part-way, and he lost all.

It’s foolish to fear God because He’s God, but then think a mere clothing disguise will prevent Him from seeing you. If He is the God who can make all things come to pass, a few inches of metal on your body aren’t enough to shield you from His eye nor His will. You either fear Him or you don’t fear Him, You either rebel in your own will or you accept His will. Ahab was playing a child’s game of costume Trick or Treat and he forgot God is the omniscient God of the eternal.

Remember, there is the broad way, and the narrow way. Foolish virgins and wise virgins. Heaven or hell. With Him or against Him. No ‘Bible PLUS tradition.’ There’s no tricks, no disguises, no argument. Read Matthew 7:21 to see how far the arguments carry.

Don’t be an Ahab. Fully embrace Him. And why not? Jesus is glory and beauty and truth and love and perfection.

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:3)

Posted in foxe's book of martyrs, martyrdom, Sunday martyr moment

Sunday Martyr Moment: "Cyprian to the beasts!"

Posted on by elizabethprata

 Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. According to this summary from Christian Book Summaries,

Writing in the mid-1500s, John Foxe was living in the midst of intense religious persecution at the hands of the dominant Roman Catholic Church. In graphic detail, he offers accounts of Christians being martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ, describing how God gave them extraordinary courage and stamina to endure unthinkable torture.

From the same link, the book’s purpose was fourfold:

  • Showcase the courage of true believers who have willingly taken a stand for Jesus Christ throughout the ages, even if it meant death,
  • Demonstrate the grace of God in the lives of those martyred for their faith,
  • Expose the ruthlessness of religious and political leaders as they sought to suppress those with differing beliefs,
  • Celebrate the courage of those who risked their lives to translate the Bible into the common language of the people.

Text from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

We have been looking at Chapter 2, the Ten Primitive Persecutions. Chapter 1 looked at the first persecutions, beginning with Stephen, and the Apostle’s and companions’ deaths and ending with Barnabas in AD 73.

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs Chapter 2 is about the first generations of martyrs, from AD 73 to AD 303. This post represents an overview of part of the second half of the 8th persecution under Valerian, A.D. 257.

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Source

In Africa the persecution raged with peculiar violence; many thousands received the crown of martyrdom, among whom the following were the most distinguished characters:

Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, an eminent prelate, and a pious ornament of the Church. The brightness of his genius was tempered by the solidity of his judgment; and with all the accomplishments of the gentleman, he blended the virtues of a Christian. His doctrines were orthodox and pure; his language easy and elegant; and his manners graceful and winning: in fine, he was both the pious and polite preacher. In his youth he was educated in the principles of Gentilism, and having a considerable fortune, he lived in the very extravagance of splendor, and all the dignity of pomp.

“Carthage is a suburb of Tunis, Tunisia and was the centre of the Carthaginian Empire in antiquity. The city has existed for nearly 3,000 years, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC into the capital of an ancient empire.” Wikipedia

About the year 246, Coecilius, a Christian minister of Carthage, became the happy instrument of Cyprian’s conversion: on which account, and for the great love that he always afterward bore for the author of his conversion, he was termed Coecilius Cyprian. Previous to his baptism, he studied the Scriptures with care and being struck with the beauties of the truths they contained, he determined to practise the virtues therein recommended. Subsequent to his baptism, he sold his estate, distributed the money among the poor, dressed himself in plain attire, and commenced a life of austerity. He was soon after made a presbyter; and, being greatly admired for his virtues and works, on the death of Donatus, in A.D. 248, he was almost unanimously elected bishop of Carthage.

Cyprian’s care not only extended over Carthage, but to Numidia and Mauritania. In all his transactions he took great care to ask the advice of his clergy, knowing that unanimity alone could be of service to the Church, this being one of his maxims, “That the bishop was in the church, and the church in the bishop; so that unity can only be preserved by a close connexion between the pastor and his flock.”

Source

Left, Roman Carthage.
In A.D. 250, Cyprian was publicly proscribed by the emperor Decius, under the appellation of Coecilius Cyprian, bishop of the Christrians; and the universal cry of the pagans was, “Cyprian to the lions, Cyprian to the beasts.” The bishop, however, withdrew from the rage of the populace, and his effects were immediately confiscated. During his retirement, he wrote thirty pious and elegant letters to his flock; but several schisms that then crept into the Church, gave him great uneasiness. The rigor of the persecution abating, he returned to Carthage, and did everything in his power to expunge erroneous opinions. A terrible plague breaking out in Carthage, it was as usual, laid to the charge of the Christians; and the magistrates began to persecute accordingly, which occasioned an epistle from them to Cyprian, in answer to which he vindicates the cause of Christianity. A.D. 257, Cyprian was brought before the proconsul Aspasius Paturnus, who exiled him to a little city on the Lybian sea. On the death of this proconsul, he returned to Carthage, but was soon after seized, and carried before the new governor, who condemned him to be beheaded; which sentence was executed on the fourteenth of September, A.D. 258.

The disciples of Cyprian, martyred in this persecution, were Lucius, Flavian, Victoricus, Remus, Montanus, Julian, Primelus, and Donatian.

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The lesson here is how quickly false doctrine attempts to gain entry. It never sleeps and it always crouches at the door. (Genesis 4:7). The moment Cyprian was in hiding, it came in with full force and caused division among the brethren. As lay-people we need to do our part in being students of the Word and prayerfully understanding of the precepts Jesus laid down. Deacons too. Don’t over-rely on the pastor for discernment or wisdom. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom to all who ask, with no reproach. (James 1:5). The overseer of the flock is important but we have our job to do as well. (Philippians 3:14, 2 Peter 1:5-7).

 Have a blessed Lord’s day.