Posted in bolide, fireball, meteors, signs in the sky

Are there more meteors?

Posted on by elizabethprata

Wow, there are a lot of meteors, bolides, and comets crossing the skies these days.

A meteor crossed the skies of the United States last night and was seen from New England to Florida.
“East Coast residents were buzzing on social media sites and elsewhere Friday night after a brief but bright flash of light streaked across the early-evening sky –in what experts say was almost certainly a meteor coming down. Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environmental Office said the flash appears to be “a single meteor event.” He said it “looks to be a fireball that moved roughly toward the southeast, going on visual reports.” “Judging from the brightness, we’re dealing with something as bright as the full moon,” Cooke said. “The thing is probably a yard across. We basically have (had) a boulder enter the atmosphere over the northeast.” He noted that the meteor was widely seen, with more than 350 reports on the website of the American Meteor Society (AMS) alone.”

More at link.

Current data from AMS on recent meteor sightings

AMS Heat Map For March 22nd, 2013 Northeast Fireball

I wonder if there are more meteors. It seems like there are. But is that just because we have instant access to the internet, twitter, instagram, cell phones with video and photography abilities? Let’s look at the data that the American Meteor Society has kept. The AMS keeps track of called-in sightings and verifies each one. “The American Meteor Society has published a statistical analysis of fireball events reported to the society since 2005. This report is not intended to be a conclusive study regarding the rates of fireball meteors, but simply a representation of the data logged by our systems. The article also includes an appendix of the most significant sonic boom producing bolide events reported to the society over the last 8 years.” Here is their result–

Caption: “Not only are more reports being submitted , but also more unique events are being created. The following is a graph of unique fireball events registered by the AMS each year from January 2005 through February 27, 2013.”

You can see that there have been equal or more sightings reported in the first two months of 2013 than in the entirety of each year between the years 2005-2009. You can also see that 2012 was a banner year for sightings.

In a different kind of celestial display, the comet panSTARRS is visible in the northern hemisphere. As it rides higher it fades but one can still see it with the naked eye! They call 2013 the Year of the Comets, as this headline from Space.com explains,

2013 May See Brightest Celestial Show in Years
“This year could be the “year of the comet,” according to some astronomers keeping an eye on icy balls of gas and dust roaming through the solar system. Two comets will brighten the Northern Hemisphere in a potentially history-making fashion, with the first one coming into view this week.” (March 7). … Then, in November, the most anticipated comet of the year should come into view for stargazers. Comet ISON could be the brightest comet to grace the skies in memory.”

Here is a photo going around in Facebook of PanSTARRS, the comet mentioned above coming into view starting March 7-

Below, Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD): The broad dust tail of Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) has become a familiar sight for many northern hemisphere comet watchers, as the comet fades but rises higher above the western horizon after sunset. This view of the popular comet may seem a little fantastic, though. Sweeping away from the Sun and trailing behind the comet’s orbit, the curving dust tail also seems to stream away from a shining mountaintop castle. Comet Castle might be an appropriate name in this scene, but its traditional name is Castle Hohenzollern. Taken on March 15 with an extreme telephoto lens, the Comet Castle image was captured in exceptionally clear skies about 80 kilometers away from Stuttgart, Germany.”

The APOD comet pan-STARRS gallery is here if you want to see more photos.

With increasing interest in the increasing celestial displays, the question was asked as to what to do if a large asteroid was headed to earth and on collision course with NYC? The NASA guy said “pray.”

Large asteroid heading to Earth? Pray, says NASA
“NASA chief Charles Bolden has advice on how to handle a large asteroid headed toward New York City: Pray.”

“That’s about all the United States – or anyone for that matter – could do at this point about unknown asteroids and meteors that may be on a collision course with Earth, Bolden told lawmakers at a U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee hearing on Tuesday. An asteroid estimated to be have been about 55 feet (17 meters) in diameter exploded on February 15 over Chelyabinsk, Russia, generating shock waves that shattered windows and damaged buildings. More than 1,500 people were injured.”

“Later that day, a larger, unrelated asteroid discovered last year passed about 17,200 miles (27,681 km) from Earth, closer than the network of television and weather satellites that ring the planet. The events “serve as evidence that we live in an active solar system with potentially hazardous objects passing through our neighborhood with surprising frequency,” said Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Texas Democrat.”

“We were fortunate that the events of last month were simply an interesting coincidence rather than a catastrophe,” said Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, who called the hearing to learn what is being done and how much money is needed to better protect the planet.”

Yes, that’s what is needed, money to protect the planet. Sigh.

These startling and sudden events do have people thinking though. First, it tells us in no uncertain terms that we are more vulnerable than we thought we were to spaceballs lobbed at us from afar. Second, though the NASA guy’s answer to pray was undoubtedly off-hand, it does bespeak the adage that there are no atheists in foxholes. When we look around and there is no answer, look up.

God is in control of the cosmos and everything in it!

“To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” (Deuteronomy 10:14).

He orders the seasons. He named the stars. He set the planets on their courses. He said that as an indication of His soon return, He will alert us by showing us He rules the cosmos. In the Tribulation He will uncreate the cosmos as He created them in Genesis. Geneva bible states the timing in its discussion of the Luke 21:25 verse: “When the times have expired which are appointed for the salvation of the Gentiles and the punishment of the Jews:”

“sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up…” (Revelation 6:12-14).

“The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. (Revelation 8:10-11a)

“The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.” (Revelation 8:12).

That one is the one that gets me. How will the scientists explain a THIRD of the sun going dark. Whether that means literally a third will be a black stripe, or a third as much of the sun’s rays will shine, it will result in a third of night and a third of day. Only a God who controls the cosmos can do that.

Luke 21:25 sums it up, “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,”

There is no doubt that there are more meteors, historic and unprecedented solar and celestial activity, by the data and by their own words. There is no doubt that the LORD is in control of the cosmos, by His Own word. Therefore if there are more celestial anomalies and events  happening, it is the Lord’s doing.

What it means I leave up to you to pray for wisdom to learn. But, keep looking up.

Posted in aleppo, children, end time, rapture

The end time through eyes of a child

Posted on by elizabethprata

I work with five-year-old children for my job. It’s with kindergarteners at a public elementary school. I love children and I contend that I have the best job in the world.

Sometimes it’s a little disheartening, though. I just want the best for every kid, and some kids never get the best. Enough said.

The Lord is THE most sensitive about children. He spoke much about them and this is recorded in the bible. We know one of the most famous verses about children:

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:3-5)

“When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” (John 16:21). Therefore you can guess what the Lord thinks of abortion…just sayin’.

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” (Proverbs 17:6)

Look at the scene here in Mark 9:35-37-

“And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”’

Not just what He said but the scene. Picture it in your mind. Jesus had been teaching The Twelve all day and then they came to the house at Capernaum where they stayed. He continued teaching. And to illustrate His point, “He took a child”. So I ask, what child? Where did the child come from? Luke 9:47 says the child “was by His side.” Usually didn’t the children remain outside the adults’ purview, especially when important matters were being discussed? Yet Jesus hadn’t dismissed the child when He continued teaching the Twelve inside the house.

The idea there was that children are weak, powerless and innocent. You come to the Kingdom like that, with no achievements, no portfolio of awards, nothing to commend one’s self. Like a child.

Susannah Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, raised seventeen children and had these words to say about raising children: “The parent who studies to subdue [self–will] in his child works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil’s work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body forever” (cited in The Journal of John Wesley [Chicago: Moody, n.d.], p. 106).

In other words, children are important to Jesus.

I follow a guy on twitter who tweets from Syria. As you know, the situation there is one of chaos, strife, hunger and war. The rebellion against Dictator Bashar al Assad has been going on for two years and there is much shelling in all areas of the nation, including Damascus (Isaiah 17:1) and Aleppo, one of the largest cities in Syria. The gentleman posted the following last night:

A young child who looks to be about age 12 is interviewed after a rocket barrage had destroyed his neighborhood in Aleppo. The set of his chin, struggling mightily to not cry, the dignity and the cut-to-the-heart question of “Why”, brought tears to my eyes.

I post this not to depress you but that though we are mindful of the times, let’s also be mindful of the people. Especially the children. When we in America say ‘man up’ to a young kid usually we mean get along without your cell phone for half a day. ‘Man up’ for this boy means pulling out dismembered cousins from the rubble of their home and telling his father he is not injured so as to spare him further worry.

Please be in prayer for the people of Syria, and all children around the world who are experiencing unimaginable hardship, who don’t know Christ and don’t understand why this is happening.


Reporter: “Tell us what happened.”
Boy: We were sleeping. It was about 10 pm. At a point we heard a sound coming from above and we said get out of here. I screamed to the people to help me but those were the people who needed help. We entered and pulled out my brothers, cousins. 40 have gone. My grandfather’s family members have gone. The missile fell on their home, and there was a leg and there was a…what can I say to you? My grandmother was in 4 pieces, my aunt “flew away” because we have not found her. We don’t know. I just want to know, why is he shelling us? For the law of the powerful over the weak? Only for that?”

He goes on to say that though he was injured, he did not want to tell his father, who was having enough trouble with the situation. Throughout, he manfully tries not to cry.

Gabriele Galimberti photographed children around the world with their toys. That’s it. Accompanying each photo is a very short bio. That’s it. And though the photo is simple and the text is short, these photos are powerful in their storytelling.

Arafa and Aisha are twins. They sleep in the same bed, have the same clothes, go to school together and share the same toys. They live in a two-room house in which both of the rooms are bedrooms, and the kitchen and restroom are outside. The big photo above the closet is a portrait of the formal president of Zanzibar.

Bethsaida was born in Port-au-Prince where she has always lived in a house with her family since, almost 2 years ago, a big earthquake destroyed it. Her parents are both deaf and dumb but fortunately she’s not. Now they live in a camp site out of the city. The camp was built from an American NGO which works with deaf and dumbs, so in the camps almost 90% of the people can’t hear and talk. All the toys that Bethsaida has are donated from the NGO. She wants to be a hairdresser and loves combing her doll to practice, but unfortunately her brother has cut off half of the hair of the doll.

Chiwa lives in a small hut with her mother, father and sister. They don’t have electricity and running water. Chiwa used to help her mother to carry water at home from the river. In the village there are other 50 children (more or less) and they always plays all together outside. Chiwa has just 3 toys that some volunteers of a NGO gave to her when she was born. Her favourite is the dinosaurus because she says that he can protect her from the dangerous animals.

Tangwizi was born in a Masai village in the south of Kenya in a small hut made of dung and straw. His bed is made of a few rags on the ground. He always plays outside with all the other children of the village but every night he sleeps together with his unique toy: a little pelouche monkey.

Kalesi loves to cook for her dolls using her small cook tools and the mud from the garden. She has an older brother which goes to school every morning and she love to pretend to go to school too. She puts small toys and some paper in her back pack (the one from transformers is her favourite one) and she goes in the garden where there is a small table that she uses as a school desk.

Niko was born in a small town in the mountains of Alaska in the Kenai peninsula. His father is a fisherman and his mother is a teacher. Niko loves to play with Legos and similar games. He built a small Lego spaceship and likes to imagine he’s bringing little men up to space.

There are many more photos at the link. They are wonderful.

The end time is a time when mature Christians pray and sing and anticipate with joy the coming of the Lord to remove us from this earth and bring us to glory before the Tribulation. Often, this attitude is mocked by others who call us escapists, or weaklings. Aside from being the wrong attitude to have (because every Christian should want to be with the Lord more than cling to the sinful world and the things in it) I say that why wouldn’t we want the rapture to come…if that means that all the children will finally be safe??

Though the bible does not specifically address the issue of children being taken in the rapture, I believe it is consistent with the implicit verses in the bible, and consistent with the character of God’s mercy to take the children and babies in the rapture. GotQuestions thinks so as well.

O, come, Lord Jesus, remove us, and the children from the world. Its sinful effects are so towering and so devastating, and wear the most on those least powerful or able to comprehend.

Posted in clothes for church

Adorned in Christ, how should we dress for Holy Week?

Posted on by elizabethprata

I have a quandary. I never know how much or how little to dress up for church.

With Palm Sunday and Easter coming up, I’m thinking about it more than ever.

By nature, I like simple clothing, no makeup and little to no jewelry. However, for church, I like to make an effort to dress distinctively. It is a different day than the work-a-day weekdays, and errands-busy Saturday. It is the Lord’s Day. I want to look my best to show God His value to me.

However, the verse in 1 Timothy 2:9 says

“likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,”

First, I need to discover what this means in context. Is there a historical reason for this? We know that the richer people of the times wore purple. (Acts 16:14, Luke 16:19). It was the most expensive kind of garment because it was the most expensive kind of dye. It had to be processed from tiny mollusks. Wearing purple in those days was a deliberate statement of “I’m rich,” rather than a personal choice of “I like purple.” Do we do that today? Make clothing purchases that deliberately show our wealth and status, rather than having been purchased simply because it was a nice garment?

“Tyrian Purple,” the purple dye of the ancients mentioned in texts dating back to about 1600 B.C., was produced from the mucus of the hypobranchial gland of various species of marine mollusks, notably Murex. It took some 12,000 shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of the pure dye.” (source History, Shellfish, Royalty, and the Color Purple)

As for other adornments, the women used to treat their hair with fine curls and interweave jewels or pearls into them. The hair of a Roman woman or lady was dressed in plaited braids and worn at the back of the head as shown.

Roman women also wore headdresses especially if they had an important position in society. The image below shows the headdresses worn by Roman empresses.

Ladies would interweave jewels, pearls, or gold into their hair in complicated patterns-

Source

Barnes Notes:

That women adorn themselves – The apostle by the use of the word “adorn” (κοσμεῖν kosmein), shows that he is not opposed to ornament or adorning, provided it be of the right kind. The world, as God has made it, is full of beauty, and he has shown in each flower that he is not opposed to true ornament. There are multitudes of things which, so far as we can see, appear to be designed for mere ornament, or are made merely because they are beautiful. Religion does not forbid true adorning. It differs from the world only on the question what “is” true ornament.

Hmmm. So true. God loves beauty. Barnes continues:

“Not with broidered hair – Margin, “plaited.” Females in the East pay much more attention to the hair than is commonly done with us. It is plaited with great care, and arranged in various forms, according to the prevailing fashion, and often ornamented with spangles or with silver wire or tissue interwoven; see the notes on Isaiah 3:24. The sense here is, that Christian females are not to imitate those of the world in their careful attention to the ornaments of the head. It cannot be supposed that the mere braiding of the hair is forbidden, but only that careful attention to the manner of doing it, and to the ornaments usually worn in it, which characterized worldly females.”

OK, so the message seems to be ‘don’t go overboard.’ I can understand that. At some point, a lengthy bout in front of the mirror will begin to transfer attraction for the self instead of the One who is being dressed for. More Barnes:

Any external decoration which occupies the mind more than the virtues of the heart, and which engrosses the time and attention more, we may be certain is wrong. The apparel should be such as not to attract attention. It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery. When the heart is right; when there is true and supreme love for religion, it is usually not difficult to regulate the subject of dress.

That is why Peter says,
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear” (1 Peter 3:3)

For the holy days, Palm Sunday and Easter, and all the Sabbath days, I think we should dress in clothes that match the occasion and the place. We should never dress like the world. Of course we understand that means not so casually and also not so formally that we are rarified dandies, but modestly and separate from how the world dresses.

I have church clothes but they aren’t all that fancy. My personal tastes and my personal finances do not allow for finery such as I used to wear in the days when I was flush but unsaved. I’ve sold much of my jewelry to pay the bills and what I do still have I rarely wear. I just feel funny about putting it all on. I certainly don’t wear clothes that show my body immodestly. But I am sure that there are some who think I don’t dress up enough.

If I wear finery and my jewelry, am I consumed with how it makes me look? Am I trying to be an object of attention rather than blending in so that Jesus would stand out in the church service more than the flash of my jewelry? Or should I wear it so that I am dressing for my groom on a holy day that is separate from the days I dress for work, my boss, and my peers?

I think the happy medium is to dress in a way that doesn’t cause anyone to stumble, that is modest, and reflects Jesus in my heart rather than adorning an empty shell. This goes for men, too. He knows the heart. Christ is the adornment. I loved what Barnes said above, “It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery.”

Dress for Holy week with Him in mind. As GotQuestions advises,

“We would all benefit from a “spiritual bath” to confess and get rid of sin before we go to church. This is making ourselves pure. For some people, clean is their “best.” For others, their heart tells them that wearing their best is showing God His value to them. For still others, there needs to be a caution that their best isn’t merely showing off.

It is always the heart God is looking at, rather than the exterior. However, what we wear to worship our holy, pure God may be an indication of where our hearts are. If you have never considered it before, ask yourself, “Does it matter to me how I look when I am going to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? More importantly, does it matter to Him?” We must all be the judge of that for ourselves. It’s a personal choice, keeping in mind that having a proper attitude toward God Himself is important preparation for worship at church.

Posted in bible miniseries, exploitation, history channel, merchandise, roma downey

First the Bible Miniseries – and now the Bible Miniseries Computer Game

Posted on by elizabethprata

Timothy Dalrymple has the story at Patheos:

The Bible Miniseries – the Computer Game
March 21, 2013 By Timothy Dalrymple
“Brent Dusing is the founder and CEO of Lightside Games, which seeks to make computer games (so far they’ve mostly been Facebook-based games) that involve players in the stories of the Bible. Their Journey of Moses and Journey of Jesus have both been phenomenally successful. Now they’ve partnered with the History Channel’s Bible miniseries to create a hidden-object game — called Light the Way — that families can enjoy alongside the miniseries.”

After a lengthier introduction which I only pasted a portion of above, Mr Dalrymple entered a Q&A session with the game’s developer, of which I excerpt below:

Tell me how this partnership with The History Channel series came about?

“We knew some people involved with the Bible miniseries and began a discussion with them. Then I met Mark Burnett and Roma Downey and I was struck by their genuine love of God and their passion for making a great product. Lightside was established on the principal [sic] of making games that are fun, high quality, and biblically authentic. We’re really excited to be working with Mark and everyone else on this partnership.”

As for passion in making a product of Jesus and the Bible, the actual bible predicts this day would come-

“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2 Peter 2:3- KJV)

“And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2 Peter 2:3 ESV).

What was it like to Mark Burnett and Roma Downey?  

“There was an event organized by Focus on the Family. I was really struck by their genuine passion for the love of God. I spent a few minutes talking with Roma, and she’s really been working hard to make the film resonate God’s love.”

And here we see the leaven spreading throughout he loaf. Focus on the Family has for years been a conservative, biblical program. However, something went awry when the folks behind the program entered into a partnership with the History Channel people. The actual bible says,

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? ” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16a) .

And as Paul says, false teachings spread like gangrene-

“But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.” (2 Timothy 2:16-17).

The Interview between Dalrymple and the Bible Game developer continues-

Can you explain the concept of a hidden object game?

“I think the best metaphor is Where’s Waldo? If you remember those books, you’d look for where he’s hiding. What we’ve done is we’ve taken the scenes from the Bible series, and there are hidden objects inside of them. The faster you find the objects, and the fewer mistakes you make, the higher your score is. The images are presented in order, and of course there’s a narrator; in the beginning of the story it’s Daniel, and later Mary Magdalene. So they narrate the story for the player, and as the player gets the story they walk through the major events of the Bible and explain the thoughts and emotions and feelings of these real people who were going through God’s work in their lives.”

How can they tell what the bible people were thinking and feeling?? The bible says they cannot, it is only speculation and myths.

“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. ” (1 Timothy 3-4).

I hope that we have reverence for the awesome and holy God that is our Savior Jesus. More than in a video game.

I use the scriptures to show the true-life examples of what is occurring. When the bible says do not be unequally yoked, this is what it means: a Christian, well-regarded organization and a bunch of pagans mixing light and darkness. When the bible says that partnership will yield gangrene, myths, and speculations, this is what results:

Fear the LORD!

“Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:4).

Posted in anger, peacefulness, poor witness

Woman booted from Athens restaurant, calls manager a ‘Muslim’

Posted on by elizabethprata

I live in Northeast Georgia, near the city of Athens. My local newspaper is the Athens Banner Herald. Yesterday while on lunch break, I read the paper online. I came across this article. And upon reading it, I became quite dismayed.

Woman booted from Athens restaurant, calls manager a ‘Muslim’
A 68-year-old Athens woman caused a disturbance at an Oconee County restaurant Tuesday when authorities said the woman became irate at the food price and didn’t want to deal with a manager who appeared to be “Muslim.”

Oh, my. That is sad behavior… Then in the next sentence, we read this:

A deputy was dispatched to Ryan’s off Epps Bridge Parkway about noon when the woman, who was in the restaurant with a church group, complained about the price of the buffet.

She’s with a church group? Oh, my my. Here is the rest of the article:

When the manager spoke to the woman, she complained about his speech, telling the 43-year-old man that if he wanted to live in this country he needs “to speak clear English,” according to the report. When the manager asked her to leave, she became upset and a deputy was summoned. The deputy told the woman to leave and she did, but complained the deputy was taking the manager’s side because he was a Muslim.

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1)

I want to speak to this issue, but I don’t want to speak about this woman, specifically. I don’t have all the facts. I don’t know why she behaved that way. Maybe she was on a different medication that day and had a reaction to it. Maybe she had just received devastating news. Maybe she was coming down with Norovirus. Maybe she lost a loved one in the 9/11 attacks or in the Middle East to one of the wars and has let grief gain a foothold of bitterness that satan is exploiting. I don’t know.“A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.” (Proverbs 29:22).

What I do want to speak to is a Christian’s behavior in general. The bible has a lot to say about our behavior in the world. We are supposed to show the people that we are separate from the world, in it but not of it. (Colossians 3:5). It is our outward behavior that shows the distinction. If we behave with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; we are demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). In 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul explains that a saved person used to behave a certain way, but now we’re “washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

We’re told, “because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16). As Barnes’ Notes explains, “It is a great truth, that people everywhere will imitate the God whom they worship. They will form their character in accordance with his. They will regard what he does as right. They will attempt to rise no higher in virtue than the God whom they adore, and they will practice freely what he is supposed to do or approve.”

And you know the many verses about not being quarrelsome, such as this one from Titus 3:2- “of no one to speak evil, not to be quarrelsome — gentle, showing all meekness to all men,”

1 Peter 3:4 says that a gentle spirit is precious to God.

What is in us, comes out. Now, we don’t “live the Gospel.” The Gospel is Good News, and that is something we speak. But the Gospel is supposed to change us after justification occurs, we become sanctified and consecrated, a separate people different from the world. The unbelieving world hates the cross, it is an offense to them and a foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23). They wait in depraved skepticism for us to mess up.

Of course it didn’t take long for the pagans to chime in with comments on the article. There are already over 100 comments. Comments like these litter the discussion forum:

“didn’t want to deal with a manager who appeared to be “Muslim.” And she was with her church group? Not exactly christian of her.”
“On the contrary, sounds typically Christian to me.”
“No, not very Christian of her…but certainly VERY religious of her.”
“You just can’t make this stuff up”
“Gotta love the “church group” out there representing Christianity and Christ like love and tolerance. He should have just thrown her a** right out the door!”

Such behavior is not only gleeful for the pagans, but dispiriting to the Christians, too

“How true. I am a Christian, but, find it difficult to be in most churches these days. People like this woman is why.”
“Same here. I give up on the people but I never give up on my faith.”

Paul had his hands full with the Corinthians. Imagine planting a church where there never had been a church. Where people never had generations of being softened to the Gospel. Where the Christian commandments were the exact opposite of that life demanded in those days (love, charity, respect for life, submission to masters and governments…)

Being human, we are going to mess up. The gibbering demons have a field day each time we do. So what we need to do is try with all our mind, heart, strength and soul to limit the times we mess up so that our witness of Godly character isn’t tarnished. The key is not to give up on the people. I actually feel bad for that lady. Who could expect that your moment of weakness and tantrum was going to end up in the newspaper, archived forever, and commented on by hundreds of people? Her sin simply found her out, while others of us haven’t been found out …yet. (Above, The Resurrection, by Pericle Fazzini,  in Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall)

So let’s straighten up a bit, remember we are on stage and the audience is the world. Moreover, even if only one person, or no one, sees our tantrum, the One seated in the SkyBox sees all our hissy fits. I wonder, we besmirch His name, does He cringe? Does He furrow His brow? Does He write it down in His book?

I guess what I’m trying to say is “Be a Christian”, the kind the world does not expect but the kind the bible urges us to be:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

Posted in ban straight marriage, gay, green street, lbgtq, methodist

Methodist church bans straight marriage. Really.

Posted on by elizabethprata

Seen at the Reformation 21 site posted by Carl Trueman, his link leads us to this church’s website, where they dared to take a stand. I say ‘dared’ because the stand they took is against God. Doing that never ends well. (Genesis 3:23, Exodus 11:5, Leviticus 10:1, Jude 1:7…)

Public Statement on Marriage, Standing in Solidarity with LGBTQ members.
On the matter of same-sex marriage, Green Street UMC sees injustice in the legal position of state government and the theological position of our denomination. North Carolina prohibits same-sex marriage and all the rights and privileges marriage brings. The Leadership Council has asked that their ministers join others who refuse to sign any State marriage licenses until this right is granted to same- sex couples. Because the United Methodist Church prohibits its pastors from conducting same- sex weddings, excluding gay and lesbian couples from the holy sacrament of marriage, the Leadership Council has asked the pastor to refrain from conducting wedding ceremonies in our sanctuary for straight couples, until the denomination lifts its ban for same-sex couples.

LBGTQ stands for Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning. (like God made it unclear what sex you are). One thing should become abundantly clear. It is not the UMC which prohibited performing gay marriages, it is God who prohibited that. The object of their ire is misplaced, and indeed, their ire is misplaced, too.

God has ordered the sexes, and there are two of them. He proclaimed marriage between one and the other. (Genesis 2:24). He has condemned homosexual activity of all kinds. (1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). The sexual activity he has authorized is within marriage between a man and a woman. The bible condemns all sexual immorality. (Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 7:2; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 13:4; Jude 7).

Choosing to reject all that means that Jesus will judge him on the last day.

“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” (John 12:47).

Rejecting Jesus also means rejecting His plain word and His statutes, and there is always a consequence to that. Nabab and Abihu found that out the hard way. (Leviticus 10:2). So did Korah. (Numbers 16). I know that people don’t “like” that answer, but it is the answer.

While we shake our heads in amazement that the plain words of the bible are continually twisted and rejected, we can still continue to pray for our churches and Christian leaders. The blindness that is staining the hearts of people can be lifted by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Please be a part of that work in praying to Him who can heal all wounds, including spiritual wounds of faltering minds and hearts.

Posted in end time, middle east, psalm 83, syria

Red line crossed: chemical weapons used in Syria, Israel intelligence confirms

Posted on by elizabethprata

In other significant news:

Israeli sources: Chemical weapons used in Syria
“Chemical weapons were used on civilians in Syria on Tuesday, Israel security sources confirmed. These sources did not, however, know whether it was Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime or the opposition forces fighting to topple him that used the weapons of mass destruction, after each party accused the other.”

Syria attacked Lebanon the Monday, this was confirmed by Turkey.

This comes as a time when Obama is making his very first Presidential visit to Israel. The wheels are up on Air Force One and Obama will be in Israel by tomorrow. He plans to try and restart the moribund peace talks, and the scuttlebutt is that Obama will try and pressure Israel’s government to accept dividing the land.

What an amazing time we live in. Isaiah 17:1 says that Damascus will be destroyed, Joel 3:2 says the Land will be divided. Psalm 83 says that a conflagration among the near neighbors of Israel (including Lebanon) will erupt in the last days. The three news pieces I quoted match these future events closely. Is the rapture even closer? I like to think every day will be THE day. One day, that will be true.

Though times are tough and life is uncertain, it is amazing to be alive now at this time to see so vividly the work of the Lord in the world. He will bring His plan to pass, and we are witnessing it right before our eyes. It gives us all the more reason to praise Him. It is all the more reason to believe.

I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. (John 13:19)

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-20)

Posted in history channel, sunny shell, the bible

Watching The Bible miniseries is like eating brownies with cockroaches baked into them

Posted on by elizabethprata

Sorry to be graphic in the headline, but I find it helps sometimes to be blunt. We live in such a tolerant age where we are supposed to tiptoe around, not calling the Pope an antichrist, not calling false teachings gangrene (2 Timothy 2:17), nor calling false teachers by name (1 Timothy 1:20) nor judge their works as evil. (2 Peter 2:1).

Oh, wait, I do that every day. So much for political correctness here at The End Time. I live for Jesus correctness.

I’m sorry to write about The Bible miniseries from The History Channel again. I said at the outset that I was worked up, that I felt that this was an especially pitched spiritual battle. The January conference in Atlanta, “Passion2013” was a spiritual battle at a level I hadn’t experienced. Yet this miniseries coming along in March has raised the bar in terms of engagement.

Some people, including myself, have asked or wondered how to respond to people who understand that the Bible miniseries show is not optimal, but say anyway that God can still use it. A very insightful blogger called Sunny Shell, who was asked by the media producers of the television show The Bible to promote it, and declined, stated her reasons why. More on that in a minute. Here is her response as to why God won’t use ‘The Bible’ tv show to save people:

Q. Even though there’s a lot of error in this movie, still, don’t you think it’s a great way to show people who God really is, I mean, can’t God use anything to save someone?

A. No, I don’t think this movie is a great way to reveal the truth about God since it’s filled with lies about God. And yes, I realize God can use anything to save someone, but He only chose to use the message of the true Gospel to save all men (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Nowhere in Scripture does God command or allow His children to use the work of Satan to proclaim His truth. And God is clear, anyone who denies Him and defiles His holy character or word, works for the devil, not for God.

Sunny Shell

Here is Sunny Shell’s wonderful review of the flaws and errors and attacks on the Gospel in “The Bible”. For those of you (and me) having a hard time clarifying just what it is that is off about the series, her essay should being it into focus for you. For those of us wondering (as am I) if there is a list of errors, and a discussion as to why and where they vary from the biblical text- and why it matters, click on over to her review.

With the episodes coming up featuring Jesus, I want you to be aware of two glaring and blasphemous omissions in the series.

1. Although at the Supper Jesus recites the verse we are familiar with, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life,” ‘Jesus’ STOPS speaking and never says “no one comes to the father but through Me”!!! (John 14:6).

2. Worst, when ‘Jesus’ breaks the bread and lifts the wine, he never says it is for forgiveness of sin!! (Matthew 26:26-28). This is very bad!

You can see the clip for yourself at the link to the review above. There is a 5-minute excerpt from the series showing the Last Supper there.

Here is one nugget from Mrs Shell’s review, to encourage you to go there and read more:

Last Supper and Fifth attack on the Gospel: While the actor who portrays Jesus says the bread is the body of Christ and the wine is Jesus’ blood, he never says the most important thing: it is for the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28). Though all of Scripture points to the Gospel, in this mini-series, there is no Gospel message; only a message of man’s power to have enough “faith” to see himself through and lead others to a “better place”.

None of us are autonomous. If we are diligent, we have attached ourselves to a local church assembly which means we enact Hebrews 13:17. Or perhaps we are married which means we submit to our husband. Or perhaps we are under the leadership of a teacher or deacon in a home group. The difficulty comes in being both bold and submissive. We want to boldly proclaim Jesus and point to any infringement on His Person or Glory by false teachings or teachers. But at the same time we commit to submit to the pastor, leadership, or spouse’s guidance. The sticking point comes if one of those says, “Watch with bible in hand, and I’ll lead you through the errant parts and show you what to avoid…” Maybe your husband or teacher or pastor to whom you have submitted has said “Trust my decision to show/use/promote/reach from this.”

Becoming a member of a church, or married to a spouse, by definition means I submit in trust to their leadership. In the case of encroaching false doctrine, it is not about trust. Anyone can make a mistake. No one is infallible. Mistakes are not trust. And here I use the brownies example.

If a leader or husband or someone to whom you have submitted presents a pan of brownies and says “I baked this pan of brownies and I baked cockroaches into it. But trust me, I know where they all are so when I cut a piece, you probably won’t eat one.”

Now, I said it is not about trust. The question becomes, why is the leader or husband or pastor presenting infested food for your consumption in the first place?

Not when there is unadulterated food available just to your right, over there, in THE BIBLE- you know, the one that God wrote.

Navigating the infested minefield of The Bible show is the same. You may indeed be able to detect where all the cockroaches are, but why go to all that trouble, when you can have spiritually safe food right from God’s bible? Why?

For those reasons, I think it is incumbent upon us to warn people who are watching the show and gently warn leaders who are using the show as a springboard to preaching. (2 Timothy 2:25).

If they refuse to listen and heed your warning, pleas, or exhortation, then you have a decision to make. But whatever decision you make, whether to continue with the show or to sit out, or to continue warning, or to remain quiet, do so as Ephesians 4:2 tells us.

For those of us the Holy Spirit has gifted with discerning of spirits, (1 Corinthians 12:10), you know that it is not just an intellectual ability. Sure, we know stuff, like where the false doctrine is or who is spouting it, and we know it earlier and more deeply than others do. But knowing is only half the battle. He has also “gifted” us with an emotional and spiritual capacity for agony in the knowledge. Literally, sometimes it feels like jaguars ripped my flesh (HT Tim Cahill). I put ‘gift’ in quotes, only partly tongue in cheek. All gifts are good which come from above, but sometimes it will take until eternity for me to experience the goodness. Seeing what The Bible is doing to evangelicals, churches, friends, is like the agony of Jeremiah. I know it is bad, and it affects me deeply. I know it does for some of you, as well.

Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem
REMBRANDT (1630)

My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war. (Jeremiah 4:19).

Isaiah wasn’t immune to the agony of such knowledge either.

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. (Isaiah 21:3)

For the ones among us who feel these things deeply, the bible of course captures the feeling. I hate what I am seeing. I agonize over each person who is caught up in the web of deceit the History Channel series is producing. I writhe in seeing the blanket of confusion thrown over once-discerning heads.

O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? (Psalm 94:3).

Perhaps…not long. And then we will see TRUTH in human form appear in glory to call us home, and never agonize over such things again.

Posted in ecumenical, islam, muslims, third temple

Muslim wants Jewish Temple rebuilt

Posted on by elizabethprata

This opinion piece, appearing in the Jewish Press several days ago, is of interest. The author is Sinem Tezyapar, She is an executive producer at A9 TV, broadcasting from Turkey, Istanbul. She is a political and religious commentator and a peace activist. She is also a Muslim. She wrote a lengthy piece in The Jewish Press proposing that the Temple at Jerusalem, which is currently closed to Jews for prayer while open to Muslims, is a spot where both faiths could share. The piece is titled: A New Muslim Vision: Rebuilding Solomon’s Temple Together

Here is an excerpt of her piece:

“As a devout Muslim, I take pleasure when Jews pray to Almighty God, and their praying anywhere in the world, including at the Temple Mount, would be a glad tiding for me as well.

As a devout Muslim, it would be a joy for me to see Prophet Solomon’s Temple rebuilt as well. No, you did not hear me wrong. Prophet Solomon’s Temple being rebuilt in all its magnificence and glory would be a great delight for me, as it would be to any Muslim. Under different circumstances, in an atmosphere of trust, love and brotherhood, Muslims would welcome this with enthusiasm. The Temple of Solomon is also a historically important place, and rebuilding it would be a wonderful occasion for all believers to contemplate. Every Muslim, every believer, will want to experience the spirit of those days again, and strive to bring the beauty of those days back to life. Actually, it is everyone’s aspiration for that city to be adorned, to be beautified, and to regain the magnificent glory it had in the days of the Prophet Solomon.

Solomon’s Temple being rebuilt does not entail any harm to these shrines.”


This piece is only one opinion after all, so why do I take especial note of it? Because here is what the bible says the Temple will be like during the Tribulation:

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.(Revelation 11:1

There are three different areas of this holiest of sites that are mentioned in the verse.
–The temple building itself. This includes holy place, the holy of holies, the altar and the people who gather there to worship

–the outer court, the open area that surrounds the temple. In the verse John is told not to bother with that

–the holy city, the city of Jerusalem.

The temple will have been rebuilt by the time the Tribulation comes along. We know this because the antichrist stands in it and stops the sacrifices (Dan 9:27) Verses in Matthew 24:15 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 also refer to the temple during the Tribulation. For there to be sacrifices, there must be a holy place. For the antichrist to stop the sacrifices, they must have started.

We also know that the Temple Mount organization has spent much time developing all the items necessary to resume sacrifices. They have trained Levitical priests, practiced sacrificing, woven the priestly garments, and built an altar. All this they did according to Old Testament Law. They have even gotten the cornerstone and blessed it. It is like a pre-fab building, parts are ready and all they need is the go-ahead to build. It won’t take long, perhaps a month, I’ve read. Later today when I come home from work I’ll put up the links to all these so you can see how far along they are.

The only problem, aside from the political one and the religious one, lol, is the spot to build it on. Many people have said that there IS room at the Temple Mount to build a third temple, and not have to touch the Muslim Al Aqsa mosque which squats there like a buzzard. And according to the verse in Revelation 11, there does seem to be a picture of the two existing side-by-side at the same time.

End time students already know that the third temple will be rebuilt, the discussion has always been, where. Some have proposed that the last days wars of Psalm 83, or Ezekiel 38-39 would mean that the Muslim mosque is razed during the fighting. Others have said that a spot at Shiloh for the third temple is likelier, because Shiloh was the original place of the tabernacle for 400 years. Still others deny that any temple at all is built, but we see from the verses in Daniel and Revelation, among others, that this is the least likely scenario.

The most plausible one is that the two religions co-exist and the temple is re-built on the exact spot we all think it will be: atop the temple mount in the holy city of Jerusalem. There has always been room for a temple at the holy spot, despite the Muslim occupation at their mosque. And the Revelation verse proves it. What we could not imagine was the climate of the day allowing such a thing as side-by-side religious activity.

Today’s evil spirit is of an ecumenical bent. We see too sadly, Evangelical Christianity co-existing with Catholicism, Buddhism’s mystical side permeating fundamental Christianity, Chrislam, etc. Judaism and Islam will co-exist as revelation shows, exactly as the Muslim opinion writer proposes. The Lord will see His plan come to pass. Changing minds and hearts to see that it happens is the very power of God. Praise Him in all His ways!

Posted in bible, truth

The Commander of the Lord’s Army

Posted on by elizabethprata

Please consider this beautiful scene. It’s got it all-

The Commander of the Lord’s Army

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)

The Lord Jesus is the man who had the sword. How do we know? He received worship, and He said Joshua was standing on holy ground. We see that He is holy.

He said He is not for them nor for their adversaries because He was not there to help Joshua. He was there to take charge on behalf of the LORD God. His answer meant that Jesus was neither on one side or another but above all sides, and Joshua is meant to follow HIM. He is God.

Joshua’s answer, “What does my lord say to his servant?” and falling to his face is the perfect response- putting Jesus first and asking to how he, Joshua, could serve Him. He is worthy of praise. He is worthy of worship.

The answer to Joshua; that where Joshua was standing is holy ground, is proper, beautiful, and utter truth. Joshua did so, indicating his obedience. He is worthy to obey.

Jesus is so beautiful, I can hardly contain my joy at reading His word and learning more about Him. His pre-incarnate appearances, as when He appeared as a man to Abraham in sojourning to Sodom, appearing to Joshua here, speaking to Hagar in the desert, the man who wrestled with Jacob, and the man who appeared to Daniel…wonderful scenes of an involved and loving Jesus who is the image of God, guiding His people in the Father’s plan.

What a wonderful bible we have, the revealed God who loves us and who made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Read your bible and behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Start anywhere, the whole thing is pure gold 🙂