(no title)

Be encouraged–God DOES NOT remember your sin

Posted on January 19, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

My dear brethren who are laboring under the tsunami of the world’s sin, grieving over hating your own, and mourning over others’- I offer a small message of encouragement, by way of a large message from Charles Spurgeon.

This Age of Grace is rapidly accelerating to the time of the end and the resumption of the Age of Law and wrath. Gaps are widening, we see that clearly. Believer vs. non-believer never had less in common. Poor vs rich were never more far apart. Those who are strengthening versus those who are apostasizing were never more numerous. It will all deepen and widen more tomorrow…and tomorrow… and tomorrow…

So those of us who are large in number globally but perhaps few in groupings locally, are daily made more aware of our sin. We thus are ever more knowing of our own wretched condition, which is forgiven sinner. We’re always heaping gratitude to Jesus when our sins prick up more vividly to our heart as each craven day passes. Sometimes we hate our own sin so much that we totter, weakened as we see the horrific face of it. But far better than we feel weak in our heart, fainting in knowledge of our sin, than our conscience be weak, failing to feel its prick.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Here is the encouragement. Charles Spurgeon preached a message to his congregation in 1882, called “God’s Non-Remembrance of Sin.” Far from being antiquated or irrelevant, it is even more alive today than it was when it was delivered, I dare to say. The bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit and it’s is 2000 years old and still relevant. In the same way, any sermon delivered by wisdom of and submission to the Holy Spirit is also alive today, and fresh.

The sermon I linked to is 8 pages long and wonderfully concise and encouraging. If you are feeling low because of your sin and the state of the world, if hopelessness starting to fray the edges of your mind and heart, take hope from this sermon. Our sins are not only forgiven, but forgotten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All too often we focus on our sin and plead with the Spirit for strength to withstand them another day. We confess and repent, and rely on His Goodness and Grace to forgive, but we still remember. He does not!

I’ll excise a few pieces of Spurgeon’s sermon for you:

“What the Law asserts, the understanding, also, supports, for within the awakened man there is the memory of his past offenses—and on account of these his conscience passes judgment upon his soul—and condemns it even as the Law does. “God must punish wickedness,” is the utterance of conscience. “He were not the judge of all the earth if He did not do right and if He does right, He must visit my transgressions with the threatened penalty.” Thus, the thunder of Sinai is echoed by conscience. Meanwhile, many natural impressions and instincts assist and increase the clamors of conscience, for the man knows within himself, as the result of observation and experience, that sin must bring its own punishment.”

“Thus, for once, the devil craftily cooperates with the Law of God and with conscience—these would drive men to despair, but Satan would go further and compel them to despair as touching the Lord, Himself, so as to believe that pardon for transgression is quite impossible.”

“With the desponding I shall try to deal at this time and may the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, help me to console them–“

“Our first theme is this—THERE IS FORGIVENESS. Our four texts all teach us that doctrine with great distinctness. Is not that a sublime assurance, “I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins”? Does not Paul put it sweetly as from God’s own mouth, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Remember how the Psalmist, in the 130th Psalm makes this a special note of thanksgiving “There is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.” Let us adore the Lord because He delights in mercy!”

“Secondly, THIS FORGIVENESS IS TANTAMOUNT TO FORGETTING SIN. This is a wonder to me, a wonder of wonders—that God should say that He will do what, in some sense, He cannot do—that He should use speech which includes an impossibility and yet that it should be strictly true as He intends it. God’s pardon of sin is so complete that He, Himself, describes it as not remembering our iniquity and transgression.”

“The Great Father’s heart is not brooding over the injuries we have done—His infinite mind is not revolving within itself the tale of our iniquities. Ah, no! If we have fled to Christ for refuge, the Lord remembers our sin no more! The record of our iniquity is taken away and the Judge has no judicial memory of it. Sometimes you have almost forgotten a thing and it is quite gone out of your mind—but an event happens which recalls it so vividly that it seems as if it were perpetrated but yesterday. God will not recall the sin of the pardoned.”

“I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for My own sake,

and will not remember your sins.”

Isaiah 43:25.

“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 31:34.

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their

iniquities will I remember no more.”

Hebrews 8:12.

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

Hebrews 10:17.

Please take heart, beleaguered ones! Please do read all of Spurgeon’s gem. Spurgeon ends it this way:

“Always repent and always praise the Lord. Honor the forgetfulness of God in not remembering your faults and, from now on, tell this blessed news to everyone you see—there is forgiveness, such forgiveness as was never heard of until God, Himself, revealed it by saying of His people, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” God bless you dear Friends, from now on and forever. Amen.”

photo credit: Sukanto Debnath via photopin cc

end time, russia, snowpocalypse

Snowpocalypse Russia: Snow ‘tsunami’ swallows streets, cars, buildings

Posted on January 19, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Another example of extreme weather gone wild in the last days. Yes, I know it’s winter. Yes I know it’s snowy Russia. But take note of the word in the lede- ‘unprecedented.”

From Russia Today:
“Unrelenting snowfalls have caused unprecedented travel chaos in Russia. Over the past week the country has seen scores of traffic accidents, flight delays, and in some cases, the complete isolation of some remote settlements and towns.”

“As more than 10 inches of snow fell in Moscow – more than half of the average snowfall for the whole of January – the already congested city is on the verge of a traffic collapse. Traffic measuring portal Yandex reported Grade 10 (out of 10) jams on Friday, as strong winds created blizzard conditions and built imposing snow drifts. More than 12,000 de-icers and snow sweepers are out on the streets, working around the clock.”

More photos and the rest of the story at link above. It’s really an incredible amount of snow! Amazing photos!

CNN reports, “Survey: One in three Americans see extreme weather as a sign of biblical end times”
“Thirty-six percent of Americans say that the severity of recent natural disasters indicate that we are at the precipice of Jesus’ second coming and the end of the world, according to the survey, released by Public Religion Research Institute.”

God is in charge, all ways, all the time.

“For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth…” (Job 37:6)

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!” (Psalm 148:7-8)

My opinion is that this snow in Russia is a demonstration of both His power and His restraint. God is in charge of the world, He is powerful. God could inundate the world with snow if he wanted to (as He did in the flood with water.) But that He doesn’t yet is a demonstration of His restraint.

His restraint will come to an end, and at some point after the rapture, He will release His wrath and fury. Please repent now, repent, ask Him to forgive your sins and believe on Him as resurrected Savior. And then to you O saved one, when the wrath comes, He would say–

“Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.” (Isaiah 26:20)

false worship, messiah, newsweek, Obama, savior

Newsweek depicts Obama’s second inauguration as the Second Coming of Christ

Posted on January 19, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Well, this is just gross. Newsweek calls Obama’s next presidential term, The Second Coming.

I’ve discussed before that the Messianic language and pictorial representations of Obama abound. They have been foisted on us since 2007 when Obama first ran for President. He has been called Pharaoh (in the nicest, most king-y way), Messiah, and The National Groom. He has been depicted with halos, in crucified pose, as part of nativity scenes, and ministering to his adoring proselytes. He’s been called the New Hope, the Last Hope, and Hope and Change. He even discovered a likeness of himself on an Egyptian tomb. He’s been called the Healer-In-Chief. He has been proclaimed savior outright. You can see many, many of the Obama halos here.

One accidental depiction, OK. One wayward artist, fine. One lapdog photographer, I understand. But please note that the media has purposely and constantly presented this man as Messiah for five years. It is not an accident.

Obama says these things himself about himself. His campaign slogan was “Believe”. He said in NH in 2008, ““… a light will shine through that window, a beam of light will come down upon you, you will experience an epiphany … and you will suddenly realize that you must go to the polls and vote for Obama” (Barack Obama, Lebanon, New Hampshire, Jan. 7, 2008)”

OK, so those were the facts. The media, whose power to influence and reflect a skewed reality is immense, has for years shown us and told us Obama is a messianic figure here to save us. What does all this language and Obama-idols mean?

It means America (and parts of the world) are deep into idolatry. It also means that America (and parts of the world) have a monumental gullibility that satan will monumentally exploit. First, our nation’s gullibility.

The unsaved population is under satan’s sway. They will believe anything. The bible says that deception in the last days will abound.

–“while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13)
–“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Timothy 2:16)
–“and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:11)
–“and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

It’s clear, deception abounds to all those who refuse to believe the truth.

All the unsaved believe satan’s lie. The bible shows us that they are the most gullible people in the world, ever. That gullibility will find its final expression by the time Revelation 13 comes to pass:

“One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” (Revelation 13:2-4).

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)

Aside from the gullibility of the unsaved, at eternal risk from satan, the second meaning of all this Obama-worship involves idolatry. Credible watchmen and mature pastors recognize and preach Romans 1 in terms of the biblical statement on the downward progression of a society. Sexual sins and homosexuality/lesbianism are the benchmarks by which it is written that judgment comes.

However, let’s not forget the sin of idolatry. Idolatry will kill a society faster than you can say “Barak Obama”.

GotQuestions deals with the topic of idolatry: “The definition of idolatry, according to Webster, is “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.” An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God.”

And wouldn’t you know it, we’re right back to Romans 1 and read that the Omniscient Lord knew that our tendency is to worship the created and not the Creator.

Holman Standard says it well:

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:23)

When people worship a person, whether it be Lance Armstrong sports star, or Oprah Winfrey media darling, or Hitler the political genius, or Obama the savior, they’re engaging in a most dangerous practice. When the majority of a society idolizes something or someone besides God and gives it worship, Romans 1 comes into play. What that means is, judgment looms.

Deluded Americans dangerously heap Godly worship unto Obama, who gladly accepts this false glory. What can one expect of a nation and/or an individual who do these things? Well, when Herod accepted Godly worship unto himself, he died.

“Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.” (Acts 12:20-23)

Nebuchadnezzar took the glory that was God’s and put it onto himself. And the judgment came and was swift:

“All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,…” (Daniel 4:28-31).

It is a dangerous thing for a society to replace the one True God with any idol, whether it be persons living or dead, image or animal.

We are living in the Age of Grace. How wonderful to have a Savior who bestows so much grace to us while we are still sinners! Who even replace Him with craven images and sinning men! The Age of Grace is upon us!

Jesus is so wonderful. His grace abounds. You don’t have to believe the damnable lie, but bask in His grace and believe the truth. We worship the ONE God and no other. And with a God as glorious as He is, why would we need another?

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10).

drones, end time, mockers and scoffers

What next? Oh, it’s drone proof clothing on the runways

Posted on January 17, 2013 by elizabethprata

I read this article the other day in RT about drone-proof, anti-surveillance clothing. A NY artist is ‘about to unveil a whole line of garments designed to make the wearer nearly invisible to drones’, RT reported,

“Brooklyn-based artist Adam Harvey used to work primarily with photography, but he undertakes an entirely different medium with his newest project. He says that in the years since the United States post-9/11 PATRIOT Act has been in place, cameras have stopped becoming “art making tools” and have instead become “enablers of surveillance societies.”

Too true.

I am old enough to remember when bar codes on products at the grocery store came into use. The bar codes looked vaguely sinister and technologically suspicious to us. Of course, along with bar codes the clunky old checkout cashiers had to be upgraded. The old ‘punch ’em’ keys on the registers you toted with your fingers and your brain were now upgraded to lightly ‘binging’ smooth talking machines that rang up the groceries in infrared. This was another suspicious advance it took a while to get used to.

Can you imagine a world where there were no surveillance cameras on street corners? None in the stores? Actual store guards used to watch for shoplifters, not cameras.

Nowadays we have so many cameras in the sky watching us that enterprising artists and fashionistas are creating clothing that will deflect the drone cameras. This is a good thing, because some “surveillance drones “can zoom in and read a milk carton from 60,000 feet,” according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.”

As the RT article says, “Ultimately, it’s a fashion statement that says an earful to those enabling a growing spy state.”

It has only been 39 years since the bar code was used commercially, and only 36 years since the first realistic desktop personal computer was sold. Yet the technological advances have been massive- and concerning. It will all culminate in the mark of the beast.

So much has been written about this mark. It comes from Revelation 13:16-18.

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

John MacArthur preached on the verses in 1993. He said,

“In other words, you can’t be involved in daily commerce, you’re going to starve to death frankly. You can’t buy anything and you can’t sell anything. You can’t get any food, you can’t go to the source of food and buy it because you don’t have the brand. And you can’t get anybody to buy it from you because you don’t have the brand and you can’t get any money, you can’t involve yourself in daily commerce, the needs of life are therefore cut off to you. Except the one who has the mark. Now you get the picture. One world power ruling the globe, one system of economic operation, one central controlling computer with the name of everybody. Very likely currency is gone. Controlled credit takes over. And rather than a card, which can be stolen or lost, you have a mark…a mark which identifies you as a part of the system.”

Since at least 1975 with the latest advances of computerized technology the road to the end has closed fast. If you step into Revelation and see the prediction of the global economic system’s massive reach into the lives of every person on the planet, and look backward to the mid-1970s you can see how we global citizens have been slowly boiled frogs. It has been just in my own lifetime that we went from non-computerized to humanoid robotic, drone-surveying society!

Years ago, if you were a born again believer and you read these verses, you’d shake your head and wonder how it would all come about. Well, today, unfortunately, we see. A drone can fly over and note who you are, mark your location, read your license plate…

The exciting thing is, as you look backward from the perspective of the bible’s end, and you see the closeness of the prophetic fulfillments, it means that Christ is even closer to calling us home. If we can see not only the end from where we are today and also see how the end might come about, then the rapture would be even closer than that.

When He does call, I think we will be so surprised that it was at THAT moment. Whenever it happens, it will seem sooner than we thought. Peter wrote an epistle to his flock to remind them that the Day of the Lord will come.

“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,” (2 Peter 3:1-2)

This reminder goes quadruple gazillion for us, two thousand years later!

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:11-13)

Peter asked, knowing the will come, ‘What manner of people must we be?’ It is a good question. What manner of people may we be??

Clarke’s Commentary answers–

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be? By holy conversation and godliness, expecting and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, etc.’ We are the opposite of the mockers and scoffers Peter mentioned in the same chapter, verse 3. We are speaking confidently of His coming, while earnestly looking for Him and desiring righteousness to come reign over our hearts and our world.

The world seems so solid, hard with rocks and deep with caverns and high with mountains- but it will be dissolved! Yet we, our ridiculous flesh that is so weak, will remain! Therefore what manner of person will we be? Godly, I hope. Expectant I trust. Eager, I pray. We will not wear drone proof garments to block out the infrared light, but robes of righteousness that shine the light of glory. Soon, and soon.

jesus, salvation

Kendrick Johnson’s sad death

Posted on January 16, 2013 by elizabethprata

I’m listening to John MacArthur’s latest sermon, John 3:1-3, “Jesus Teaches the Teacher.” What a blessing this pastor is to the global believing church! This sermon is wonderful, wonderful.

I’m cooking scrambled eggs for supper and preparing the last notes on the Wed night bible study I attend. We are looking at Colossians 3:18-25. It opens with “Wives, submit to your husbands…” Should prove to be a good discussion. 😉

We are supposed to get a winter storm coming through tomorrow afternoon and overnight. Friday is supposed to be sleety and rainy cold and generally yucky. Thursday is my usual day to grocery shop but in advance of the storm I went to get groceries today. (And yes, I bought milk and bread, lol).

That cramped down my time between work and church to do a blog entry. I’m looking at so much to write about, but I can’t do it justice in the next hour. I will relate a quick story though.

Here in Georgia there was a tragedy. A young high school athlete died suddenly…and weirdly. Kendrick Johnson climbed a roll of wrestling mats in the gym after hours, they dislodged, and he tumbled down, upside down, inside them. He hung there, all night…until he died. They found his body the next morning.

When you hang upside down for a long period of time, the extremities lose their blood and rushes to the head, you pass out, and eventually stroke and/or heart failure follows, says the article. It must have been incredibly scary for that young man to hang there, trapped. Alone. In the dark. And then to die.

No one expects to die when they do, except for perhaps people with long-term diseases. Certainly the 17-year old boy didn’t think that was his last day on earth. Johnathan Edwards preached in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God the Deuteronomy 32:35 verse “Their foot shall slip in due time.” This means that as you slip on the ice as you’re walking on a winter’s day, suddenly you are not standing but splayed out flat on the sidewalk. Boom! You’re down. That has happened to me. It happens fast. In spiritual terms, God is holding you up and suddenly your foot slips and you are catapulted into your eternal destiny.

Maybe you have been approached by someone asking you about church…or if you know Jesus. These things niggle at you but you put off thinking about it more because, after all, tomorrow is another day. These things niggled at Nicodemus, the teacher of all Israel. He had reached the height of his religion and yet he was troubled by a feeling that maybe he wasn’t right with God. He sought out Jesus and asked of Him what he should do. (John 3:1-21)

Maybe you have been meaning to approach someone who is on your heart to share the Gospel with them. You’ve been meaning to give out that tract in your wallet. You’ve been meaning to pick up the phone. But suddenly, they die. And you never get that chance again.

Jesus is such a great treasure. Please share Him.

“For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

goliath, jesus, phil robertson

Take umbrage, Brethren!

Posted on January 15, 2013 by elizabethprata

We don’t take umbrage at the rudeness against our God any more. People say the most horrible things about God and Jesus and blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and Christians look the other way. Where is the outrage? Why are we not offended on behalf of our Holy God at some of the things that happen in His name, or are defiance against His name? Here is a story from the Old Testament which made me think of this.

The Philistines were lined up one mountain, and the Israelites were lined up on another. For 40 days Goliath the giant had stomped out and made his challenge to the Israelites. And for 40 days the encamped Israelites did nothing…except for maybe impotently shudder and quake.

He [Goliath] stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. (1 Samuel 17:8-11)

Day after day this went on. Day after day the Israelites stood by, listening.

One day David’s father Jesse ordered his youngest son David to bring some provisions to three of his eldest brothers who were in the fight and encamped with the Israelites. David fulfilled his duty to the commanding officer and delivered the provisions and went to see his brothers. At that time Goliath got up his usual speech. “And David heard him.” (1 Samuel 17:22b). As usual, “All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:24).

But David took umbrage. He said–

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

(1 Sam 17:26b)

The men had forgotten who they were fighting for. But David did not forget. He held His God in the highest esteem, and knew that His holiness and His power were supreme. He is the highest treasure, and to have his name defiled is (or should be) of concern to every believer.

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

The first thing that David did was take offense. He didn’t mount up on a horse. He didn’t suit up in armor. He certainly didn’t ignore the defiance. He turned to his brothers and said, “did you hear what that guy just said about God?!” Then David took action.

We’re all used to the many good sermons and lessons from the passage about how if God is with us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

But the focus today I want to make is that David was offended at their statements and actions. He heard it, he resolved to find out more, and when he had, he took action. Why don’t we do that?

Now, I don’t know what defiance against God might look like in your sphere, whether it is church, or work or the gym or wherever. Of course I am not suggesting you go out and fling a stone at the defiant one and go chop off his head or hit him with your best shot. But too many Christians are not offended at the things we should be offended at. I can give one example from life today.

I watched a video of Phil Robertson of Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty television fame preach. In that segment Phil said that he was on the phone at Duck Commander headquarters taking an order for a duck call from a guy in Alabama. Phil said that the man was using God’s name in vain, that every other word out of the guy’s mouth was “G-d this and G-d that.” Finally after about the fifth time, Phil couldn’t take it any more and he asked the guy, “Why are you cursing the only One that can rescue you from death?”

David had listened, then researched more by asking his brothers about Goliath, then he made a plan of action. Phil Robertson didn’t leap on the guy on the phone, nor scold him, but reasonably asked a question. This was because it hurt Phil’s spirit to hear the Lord’s name taken in vain so casually and blasphemously. It offended him.

The guy on the other end of the phone from Phil, by the way, hung up. But then the next day he called back and asked Phil to explain what he meant. This led to a personal visit several weeks later and then a conversion and a baptism. Phil got in the battle by confronting the guy, and God took care of the rest. David got in the battle by confronting the guy, and God took care of the rest.

What can you do? Maybe you can prepare some responses in your mind ahead of time, gentle rejoinders that make a person think. Have some verses ready. Phil didn’t know the man on the phone other than he was a voice on the other end of the phone. You don’t have to get all seeker-sensitive and create a relationship for 5 years and then confront the guy over lattes. Confront, gently, but be stand up for God. Be offended!

The battle is the Lord’s. But first we have to get IN the battle. The Israelites were all standing on the sidelines, either watching the defiance and cursing of our Holy God, or simply ignoring the defiance. It was when David took up his part in the battle that something happened.

The more Jesus is a treasure to you, the more you’ll take umbrage when something blasphemous happens. Be ready with a word in reply, kindly, lovingly, but directly. David directly told the giant:

“This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

The battle is the Lord’s. But are you willing to speak up for Him?

don't sit in my pew

Don’t sit in my pew

Posted on January 15, 2013 by elizabethprata

lazarus, miracle, sin

The chief priests wanted to kill Lazarus

Posted on January 14, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.” (John 12:9-11)

“Crowds of the Jerusalem Jews hastened to Bethany, not so much to see Jesus, whom they knew to be there, as to see dead Lazarus alive; and this, issuing in their accession to Christ, led to a plot against the life of Lazarus also, as the only means of arresting the triumphs of Jesus (see John 12:19)-to such a pitch had these chief priests come of diabolical determination to shut out the light from themselves, and quench it from the earth!” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary).

How incredible the power is sin is. The chief priests, endowed with the sacred cause of ministering in the holy Temple and interceding for the people, instead plotted murder of Lazarus, the living miracle! (As an aside, I wonder how Lazarus felt being a tourist attraction…if it pointed to Christ, which it did, I bet he felt pretty good about it!)

Sin is so dark and strangling, the Priests’ hearts were dwindled down to a shriveled pea but as dense heavy as a black hole. Yet so was my heart, before I was saved! Our Lord is so loving and precious, He first loved us. (Romans 5:8).

I guess just be warned by the fact that sin will make you as heartless as the priests and Pharisees, who wanted to quench the Light and douse the triumphs. And be encouraged that no matter what your sin, if you repent, and seek Him He will forgive you.

photo credit: Lel4nd via photopin cc

al-qaeda, mali, rapture, wars and rumors of wars

Is Mali France’s Gaza? America’s Afghanistan?

Posted on January 14, 2013 by elizabethprata

I wrote yesterday about a concerning situation in Mali, whereupon it seems that Al Qaeda/fundamentalist Islam is taking advantage of a local insurrection to install a base of operations there. France, Mali’s former Colonial Overlord, began a military campaign to stop this.

It is not going so well for France. Not well at all. al-Qaeda carved out their own statelet in Mali and is digging in, literally.

“On Friday, France deployed 550 troops and launched air strikes against the Islamists in northern Mali, starting battle in what is currently the biggest territory in the world held by al-Qaida and its allies.”

Yet,

“Deep inside caves, in remote desert bases, in the escarpments and cliff faces of northern Mali, Islamic extremist fighters have been burrowing into the earth, erecting a formidable set of defenses to protect what has essentially become al-Qaida’s new country. They have used the bulldozers, earth movers and Caterpillar machines left behind by fleeing construction crews to dig what residents and local officials describe as an elaborate network of tunnels, trenches, shafts and ramparts. In just one case, inside a cave large enough to drive trucks into, they have stored up to 100 drums of gasoline, guaranteeing their fuel supply in the face of a foreign intervention, according to experts.”

France is home to 4million Muslims, who are not too happy about France’s military incursion. Neither is al-Qaeda. They vowed to retaliate. Mali Islamists threaten to retaliate ‘at the heart of France’

Meanwhile the largest Jewish newspaper in America is stating the obvious:

Mali is France’s Gaza

“France is now going to war in Mali because it says “we cannot have a terrorist state at the door of Europe,” but when Israel launches a defensive operation to protect its citizens from missile attacks from terrorists in Gaza, all the French newspapers and television commentators scream about Israeli aggression. The distance between Bamako and Paris: 6266km. The distance between Gaza and Israel: 1km.”

Israel is dealing with an election coming up on January 22, to elect a Parliament. Israeli liberals on both sides of the pond are shocked that a conservative young Israeli leading his party seems to be surging in the polls to become, if pollsters are right, the second or third largest party in the Knesset. Joel Rosenberg analyzed the situation, saying that The New Yorker argues that this is because–

“…the Israeli electorate is moving sharply to the right because they are exhausted by the conflict with the Arabs; disillusioned with the peace process; increasingly convinced the Palestinians will never make peace; anxious about the instability and anti-Israeli hostility in surrounding nations like Syria, Egypt and Jordan; worried about the Iranian nuclear threat; and convinced that the Israeli left has no fresh ideas and no dynamic leaders”

…and while the New Yorker is liberal and biased, that analysis does make sense.

France had said that the incursion into Mali to root out al-Qaeda would be a short one. Like, Afghanistan short?

While Europe falls apart and America becomes irrelevant, Islam advances. The fundamentalist Muslims have taken more ground. Nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom. The ungodly rise up and the Godly are smashed down. That is all as it is prophesied to be. Sin must run its course.

What we can pray for is peace to come to these areas. That leaders be elected who are Godly. That Christians in the line of fire in these nations in civil war be protected by the Holy God of Israel. Or whatever comes to your mind to pray for. Be stalwart and do not fear. This is not our home, but we can share the Good News of Jesus with as many as we can so as many as possible can go home with us when we are called up in the rapture.

prophecy, tuareg

Civil fighting in Mali worsens, France goes in, and calls UN Security meeting

Posted on January 13, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

In April 2012, I had written about a series of coups and counter-coups in the north western African nation of Mali. The tribal people Tuaregs had wrested control from the democratically established government and declared an independent state in Azawad. ‘Mali?’ you ask. Think Timbuktu. Here is a map

You note that Mali borders both Algeria and Niger. It has been almost a year since that uprising and the situation has dramatically worsened.

From American attorney Matthew Belcher’s Facebook page, a good summary: “The Tuareg rebels are Berber nomadic tribesman caught inside the borders of four different Northwest African countries (the western “Maghreb”) within the French sphere of “influence”. They have for decades sought independence and hoping to take advantage of the recent southern-Mali power vacuum seized the north Saharan-area of Mali and proclaimed an autonomous region for the Tuareg people. However, a power struggle then erupted in the north between the Tuaregs and local al Qaeda-linked radicals, who wound up in control of a large area as the Tuaregs retreated.”

The problem is that if Al Qaeda establishes a base and operates in that region it would be a catastrophe for the world in the long term (the terrorist group can can reach out to Boko Haram in Nigeria, the GIA in Algeria, etc.).

The Pulitzer Center for Crisis reporting published a good summary today as part of a e-book (you can purchase) regarding the situation.

Dispatches From the Lost Country of Mali
“What happens when a country suddenly splits in two? In 2012, Mali, once a poster child for African democracy, all but collapsed in a succession of coups and countercoups as Islamist rebels claimed control of the country’s north, making it a new safe haven for al Qaeda. Prizewinning author Peter Chilson became one of the few Westerners to travel to the conflict zone in the following months to document conditions on the ground. What he found was a hazy dividing line between the uncertain, demoralized remnants of Mali’s south and the new statelet formed in the north by jihadist fighters, who successfully commandeered a long-running rebellion by the country’s ethnic Tuareg minority to turn Mali into a new frontier in the fast-morphing global war on terror.”

Mali only earned their independence from France in 1960, and neighboring Algeria got their independence from France in 1962. France is interested in that part of the world, and despite other African countries and the UN have been talking and talking and talking and talking about doing something about Mali, this week, France stopped talking and went in.

France bombs Islamist strongholds deep in north Mali
“French fighter jets pounded Islamist rebel strongholds deep in northern Mali on Sunday as Paris poured more troops into the capital Bamako, awaiting a West African force to dislodge al Qaeda-linked insurgents from the country’s north. The attacks on Islamist positions near the ancient desert trading town of Timbuktu and Gao, the largest city in the north, marked a decisive intensification on the third day of the French mission, striking at the heart of the vast area seized by rebels in April.”

In last April’s essay, I said to “note that the nations just to Mali’s north, that African northern tier, are both Arab Spring nations, and also Gog-Magog nations, meaning, nations that are prophesied to ally with Russia and Turkey and Iran to attack Israel in the last days.”

Let’s take a look at the nations prophesied to come together to attack Israel in the last days in a battle that Ezekiel describes in Ezekiel 38-39:

Magog: Southern Russia and Northern Iran. The Baltic States. All areas with a Muslim majority. Turkey & Armenia. Iran, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya. Not just the borders of those nations today but larger tracts. The Northern tier of Africa, in other words. For more information on the nations involved etc. see Joel C. Rosenberg’s essay on the Gog/Magog battle

The incursion of France into Islamist-held northern Mali also is another intensification of the East against the West which is really Islam against Christianity. As North and South Sudan split along religious lines last year (northern being Islam and southern being Christian) and the northern tier of Africa is prophesied to ally with the other Arab states and attack Israel in the last days in the Gog Magog war. The Mali situation is another indicator of rapid prophetic shifts in preparation for the end-game seismic shift we know as The Tribulation.