This is a sweet and moving biography of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers. One hour. From The Sound Doctrine youtube channel. I shed more than a few tears at spots. Enjoy
Israel’s economy in 2012: did the recession affect her?
A few days ago, a reader asked me to look into the Israeli economy, to see if this past year had impacted it more than other countries. Of all the world’s nations, Israel had been consistently in the top echelon of nations that were growing in many different sectors, irrespective of the downtown. 2012, especially the latter half, saw a slight change in that.
The Israeli economy is slowing, but not as much as the rest of the world. Here is the news from the last week:
CBS report: Israeli economy declining
Gad Lior, Published: 12.26.12, 15:16 / Israel Business
Figures released by Central Bureau of Statistics point to slowdown in nearly all industries in August through October. Bank of Israel sees similar trend
“The Central Bureau of Statistics has released a negative report pointing to a decline in the Israeli economy. The few positive figures included in the report are still worse than in previous months. The figures reveal that the total export of services fell by 4.5% in October, amounting to just $2.2 billion, following a lower drop of 1.8% in September. The export of business services dropped 8.4% compared to the previous month, with revenues from tourism falling by 2.5%. It should be noted that the data are seasonally adjusted, considering the fact that some of the High Holidays took place in October. Without the seasonal adjustment, the declines would have been sharper. A 2.9% drop was recorded in industrial production in August through October, excluding the high-tech industry. The entire industry, including high-tech, registered a 3.5% increase.”
“A sharp 4.6% decline was recorded in the proceeds from sales to the local market of Israel’s industrial factories. The same period also saw a 0.4% drop in the number of hired workers’ jobs in the manufacturing industry and a sharp 2.7% drop in the number of working hours in industrial factories. Things are not looking good in terms of the proceeds of all industries either. Although August through October saw a 3.3% increase in the income according to an annual calculation, May to July recorded a double increase of 6.5%.”
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GDP expanded 3.3% last year in slowest annual pace since 2009
The Israeli economy grew in 2012 at its lowest rate since the economic crisis of 2009, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported yesterday, citing preliminary figures.
“Israeli GDP grew only 3.3% in 2012, after two years of higher growth: 4.6% in 2011 and 5% in 2010. In 2009, which was a difficult year for the global economy, Israeli GDP grew only 1.1%”
The article above presents a graph, and you know how much I love graphs, but they also can be used to skew the data or alter the reader’s perception. Here is the graph:
Though the tag “Netanyahu’s government” makes the graph seem like the blip in the economy is his fault, I think recovery in 2009 from the negative to ABOVE where the economy was in 2005 is astounding. We’ve all become used to the downturn, recession whatever the economists are calling it today. But the fact is, the 2008 crash was a global failure that tanked whole nation’s economies (Iceland…Ireland…).
Germany is called the engine of the European Union’s economy. So let’s compare Germany’s GDP before the crash and afterwards to Israel’s. Click to enlarge–
You can clearly see Israel is far ahead, even in these dark days.
However, the prophecies indicate that no matter what happens in the near term, Israel will be abundantly rich in the future. So rich, the alliance recorded in Ezekiel 38-39 makes Israel’s further neighbors jealous. (Ezekiel 38:13).
In recent years, Israel has discovered huge oil, shale, gold, and gas reserves. It won’t take long for Israel to begin extracting, producing and then exporting. I wrote about some of that, here.
I’d said,
“Remember this promise of blessing from Deuteronomy 33:19 -“They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer sacrifices of righteousness; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand.” God gave Israel treasures, among them, riches under the sea and under the sand. Matthew Henry Commentary says that this prayer is a prophecy, that they would keep His favor and that the tribes shall always receive the earthly blessings that the Lord had bestowed on them: including what was under the sea and under the sand.”
No matter what the economic forecasters say, this is what God has said about Israel:
“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” . . . Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.” (Isaiah 46:9-10, 12-13).
No matter what, God has blessed Israel with the promise of salvation. There is no greater treasure.
I don’t make resolutions
But I do resolve to push ever forward to the goal: I want 2013 to be a year in which I aim my life even more to live for the glory of God.
I cringe that some days I forget that. Sometimes I hate that I live for myself. In quiet times, I think back in reflection and I know that things I say or do besmirch His glory, and I mourn. The only reason I am on earth is to bring glory to Him, who loved me first. I love Him deeply, and the only thing that matters in life is His glory. I want to grow this year so that even more weeks, days, minutes, seconds are lived for Him in His Christ-likeness, than the weeks, days, minutes, seconds before. Lord, sanctify me in growth toward the goal.
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 13b-14)
For more information on this goal, listen to John MacArthur’s From glory to glory.
Meanwhile, I am resolved.
Encouragement for the New Year
These essays are wonderfully encouraging. Happy New Year! His grace abounds, His love is steadfast.
2013: A Year Of The Encourager
“As I read through various blogs and facebook pages I see many people are hoping to have a good new year. It is natural for us to desire to have a better year than what we just experienced, desiring peace and prosperity. But I want to challenge you on something as we stare into the dark abyss of this mysterious brand new year. I challenge you to be determined not to look to what you desire in the new year but instead to desire to make it a good year for other people. I challenge you to be an encourager this year…”
When the Perfect Comes . . .
“Another year is passing away. Thank God. Not only for the massive amounts of unquantifiable grace we have received from him, but also because we are one year closer to the passing away of this partial age and all of its incumbent sorrow and weariness. “When the perfect comes.” Those inspired words stir up deep longings for a time we have never known and yet desperately want.”
23 Reasons to Be Joyful (Philippians)
“I am asking the Lord to train me in a pattern of joy. Perhaps this is an area where Christlike growth is needed in your heart and life too. Toward the goal of re-training our hearts, consider the following reasons to be joyful. Let this list be a starting point for you to meditate on the Word of God…”
Enjoy this verse:
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
May 2013 be the year.
Earthquake update: how was 2012 compared to previous years?
Now that the last day of 2012 is here, I updated the earthquake chart I’d posted on Dec. 23 to see how many we have had this year, in comparison to previous years. 2012 surprised us by being the first year after three straight years in which the number of quakes in magnitude categories had exceeded the average number set by the USGS. See for yourself (you can click to enlarge):
You can see that the average number of quakes in the magnitude 5 range far exceeded the United States Geological Survey annual average. The number in the 8 range surpassed the annual average expected quakes for that magnitude. And the number of quakes in the 7 range came close but did not surpass the annual average. And the number of quakes in the 6 range did not come close at all. Data from USGS.
An earthquake shall precede the Great and Terrible Day of the LORD:
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)
Here is some other earthquake news which indicates some heavy earthquake activity in localized areas of the world:
Over 3,000 Noticeable Quakes Hit Japan In 2012
“Quoting the Japan Meteorological Agency, the NHK broadcaster reported that a total of 3,134 quakes had been felt across Japan until Sunday (December 30) which is about 1,000 more than the annual average from 2001 to 2010.”
The article goes on to show that even though Japan endured many quakes in 2012, there was a noticeable decrease in number of quakes from the year prior (when there were 10,000).
Earthquakes are visible tokens of the LORD’S power over the earth and heavens:
“Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” (Hebrews 12:26)
Costa Rica saw most seismic activity in past 62 years during 2012
“According to the Costa Rican Volcanology and Seismology Observatory (OVSICORI), after the magnitude 7.6 earthquake which occurred on September 5th, 2012, the country registered the highest level of earthquake activity it has seen in 62 years.”
Given the numbers of quakes for the last three years reported in the article above, a graph of them would look like this:
Revelation records that in the time of the Tribulation there will be some major, MAJOR quakes. The word in the Greek is mega seismos and you can tell even without using a translator that they are big ones.
Revelation 6:12, Revelation 8:5, Revelation 11:13, Revelation 11:19, Revelation 16:18 record future quakes. The verse in Revelation 16 says that it was a quake such has never been seen on the earth before by man, ‘so great was that quake’.
The Guardian Las Vegas reports,
Don’t panic! Preliminary data suggests earthquakes are indeed increasing worldwide
“Earthquakes and Volcanic eruptions have always been closely related. For instance, if you look at a map of quakes worldwide and compare it to a map of volcanoes, you’ll find that they match closely. … In recent weeks, earthquakes have exponentially increased in magnitude worldwide, worrying some researchers as they provide the fuse that ignites volcanoes. … In recent weeks, worldwide earthquake data indicates an increase in the magnitude and a significant increase in the frequency (magnitude > 5.5) of earthquakes.”
The bible says that earthquakes are often accompanied by volcanic eruptions:
“He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” (Psalms 104:32)
So that is your final 2012 earthquake update! (Unless something happens in the next 5 hours, which I hope it doesn’t!)
Summary of the Therapeutic Gospel: Trevin Wax’s "Counterfeit Gospels"
In listening to Todd Friel’s Drive By Discernment, lecture 55 and 55 today, I was introduced to Pastor Trevin Wax. He has written two books, one is called Holy Subversion and the other is called The Counterfeit Gospels. The two lectures in Drive By Discernment are on one of the six kinds of false gospels Wax writes about. It is called The Therapeutic Gospel.
Here is Pr. Wax being interviewed by Christianity.com on his book. Its short explanation offers an overview of the 6 false Gospels Wax identifies in his book. The 6 are,
1. The Judgment-less Gospel
2. Therapeutic Gospel
3. Moralist Gospel
4. Quietist Gospel
5. Activist Gospel
6. Churchless Gospel
Here is a chart summarizing the 6 false Gospels Wax writes about-
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| Source, The Gospel Coalition |
In a session of the discernment series Drive By Discernment, Trevin explained “The Therapeutic Gospel”. We hear much of this Gospel today. It is all about us. It is about our self-esteem. our feelings. What God can do for us to make us happier.
I’ve included extended excerpts below, but understand that his 2 lectures totaling 30 minutes was tight, well-articulated, and built to a powerful point. It was hard to extract segments and have them make as much sense on their own than the entire lecture did. Even extended excerpts cannot do it justice. But here is a bit of what Pastor Wax said:
The Therapeutic Gospel at its root confuses spiritual symptoms with spiritual disease. Whatever it may be, a troubled marriage, maybe it’s anxiety, maybe it’s anger issues, perhaps an addiction, we take these symptoms and we confuse the symptoms with the disease – which is sin. Our own evil. Our rebellion. And because the diagnosis is superficial, the treatment is superficial as well.
So what are some of the superficial diagnoses we see in our world? Well here’s a few we can spot. One is the Happy Meal Gospel. … [He talks of his young son here] We realized fairly rapidly that it wasn’t the soggy McNuggets and the French fries that our son liked so much but it was enjoying but the happy meal toy and the playground. That’s what captures the heart of a child- promise the toy.
I’m concerned that we package the Gospel in a way that makes God out to be a Ronald McDonald type who wants to give kids a Happy Meal. … When ‘God wants me to be happy’ becomes the measuring stick for making our decisions, we have fallen for a counterfeit.
Here is the irony in all this- God does want us to be happy. The Therapeutic Gospel takes the right words and puts it in the wrong context. God does want our joy and happiness, but to be found in Him- not in a way that’s defined by 21st century American culture. God’s desire for our joy goes beyond the Happy Meal.
[In the emphasis on our feelings and the craze for preaching on self-esteem] Notice what has taken place. Instead of understanding that sin may lead to a lack of self esteem, sin has been re-defined as a lack of self esteem. See the difference? It’s subtle, but all counterfeits are subtle. It is a confusion of symptom as the real problem. … Scripture is clear, our biggest problem is not that we feel guilty- it is that we are guilty. We don’t have empty hearts in need of fill-up, we have deceitful hearts in need of replacement.
If low self esteem is the problem, then therapy is the solution. But the question for us as Christians is why does this version of Christianity need Jesus? Why is a bloody cross at the center of our faith? If our biggest need is for someone to tell us we’re all right, he could have sent Oprah. If our biggest need is to have peace in our family, then God would have done fine sending Dr Phil. No, God sent His son to die a brutal, horrifying death as a payment for human sin. Surely that is the sign that our sin is much more heinous than just, “We feel empty inside.” The Therapeutic Gospel can never deliver what it promises because it doesn’t recognize the severity of the problem.
The Therapeutic Gospel does something else that’s devastating. It leads us to believe that it is our worth that motivates God’s action to save us. The thinking is, Jesus came to save us because we are so valuable to God. There is some truth in this. We have an inherent dignity, because we’re created in His image. It is a true concept that has a gradual drift. It is more Gnostic than anything else. A good example comes from comparing two parables. [see below]
The true Gospel is Christ centered. The Therapeutic Gospel ultimately fails to satisfy because it switches out the great reward of knowing God for the lesser reward of receiving something from God.
Pastor Wax compares the subtle shift in a counterfeit Gospel from being Christ-centered to man-centered, by comparing the parable of the sheep as they are presented in Luke and in the false Gospel of Thomas. Here is the Gospel of Luke:
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)
The other is from the non-canonical, false Gospel of Thomas.
“Jesus said, “The kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, ‘I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'” (FALSE, NON-CANONICAL “Gospel of Thomas”)
What has happened here, said Pr. Wax, is that in the counterfeit Gnostic gospel the writer has shifted the emphasis. The point of the parable in the counterfeit is about the worth of the sheep, instead of the work of the Shepherd.
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Christ is the ultimate possession. Nothing that the Therapeutic Gospel offers can ever satisfy. Anyway, consider this blog entry a kind of whetting your appetite for being on the alert for false Gospels. I’ve written and written about staying in the Word. Knowing His word in the bible is the best defense for spotting a false Gospel. Make sure you know the real thing!
Trevin Wax’s book is called Counterfeit Gospels.
Here is Tim Challies’ review of The Counterfeit Gospels.
Todd Friel’s Drive By Discernment is available on instant download, for $19.99. It contains 72 lectures that are under 15 minutes each.
Don’t fall for a therapeutic Gospel. Resolve to keep Jesus as the center of everything this year. With Jesus as your glory and your hope, it is the best start for the New Year and every year thereafter. Thanks to God’s grace, there will be an eternity of them for the believer.
John the Baptist did no miracles: the Truth is the miracle
Do you realize that? John the Baptist performed not one miracle. As a matter of fact, until Jesus came and changed the water into wine at Cana, no miracle had been performed in Israel for 800 years! Not since the time of Elijah and Elisha. No prophet had spoken to Israel as the messenger of God for 400 years, not since Malachi! No angel had appeared to the people (as far as we know) for 500 years!
So why was the greatest man who was born of woman until his time, (Mathew 11:11) and who was one of the greatest (and most successful) Old Testament prophets never been given the power to perform one miracle?
Above, Matthias Grünewald, detail of the Isenheim Altarpiece, “He must become greater and I must become less“.
I have no great insight, no commentary I’ve used, and no sermon I can point you to. I just want to focus on the holy Word of God and its effect on hungry, despairing hearts.
John the Baptist was a forerunner to the Messiah, one who was prophesied to come and who did come. (Isaiah 40:3-5; John 1:23). He had one message and one message only: repent and be saved. (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:4). One would not think that a man with a singular message of sin, sinners, repentance and baptism would be popular. Men who preach that are not popular today. But John the Baptist had throngs of followers who listened to him. He had throngs who followed his preaching with a life choice to become baptised in water, in preparation for the Messiah’s coming when they would be baptised by fire. Even King Herod liked to listen to John, even though John was no shirker of his responsibility to point out to the King his sinful actions! (John 6:18).
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| Giovanni Tiepolo: John the Baptist preaching |
“Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” (Matthew 3:5-6).
Of course, some undoubtedly followed John because they loved hearing him charge the religious leaders of the day with hypocrisy. Some undoubtedly followed John because he was the most interesting thing going on. Some undoubtedly were excited to think of their Messiah coming in all glory to rip the Romans from the death-grip they had on the land. But those were likely in the minority.
The fact is, John was filled with the Holy Spirit at birth, and a man speaking truth about the Messiah from a pure, Holy Spirit-filled heart is the most powerful miracle there is.
You can read about how demon-drenched the place was. (Luke 6:17-19). No prophet had spoken. No angel had come. No miracle had occurred. The religious services were saturated with hypocrisy, filthy lucre, and idolatry thanks to the failure of the leaders of the day and the years before and the generations preceding. The people were tired of sin- their own and others’. The whole land was crawling with demons.
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| St John the Baptist Preaching, Gaulli |
So they listened.
In my opinion, John’s ministry was miraculous in the way that it shows us what preaching the word does to weary hearts. Weary hearts want the word. They want to hear about the Messiah. They want hope of His coming to enter their hearts and fill them with knowledge of His glory.
Their hearts were hungry for message of hope, and even for a message of hard truths; a message of their sins and the hope of the coming of the Perfect who would deliver them.
You can imagine how hungry hearts are today. And as it was true then, it is true now: the preaching of repentance and the coming of the Messiah prepares us for Him
Though our generations will not be blessed with national revival, but instead be cursed with global apostasy, (Revelation 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4), we know that individual hearts are still hungry. Individual hearts still thirst for the Living Water and we still need to proclaim it.
My New Year’s wish for us all is that we resolve to cling to the Holy Word by diligent study, knowledge of, and living it out. I pray for us that we resolve to speak it, proclaim it, contend for it. His word, the holy bible, is now the miracle that sustains us and is His sign that He is living and active. (Hebrews 4:21).
Can we resolve to focus on the coming Messiah? Can we dedicate our lives to serving Him? Can we devote ourselves to proclaiming the only message worth sharing? The power of the holy Word has been demonstrated throughout the record of the bible. It has demonstrated itself through its staying power throughout the centuries. It has shown itself powerful by its ability to penetrate hard hearts and claim souls.
Do you know it? Do you read it? Do you hide it in your heart for the moment the Spirit might prompt you to share a message of sin and repentance?
In most artistic renderings of John, he is shown with a hand or a finger pointing up toward heaven. My New Year’s resolution for myself and my hope for all Christians everywhere is that we follow the example of John in pointing our lives toward Jesus. Do not seek after signs and manifestations, but rely on the sure word.
Left, John the Baptist, by Preti, MetMusum. “Saint John the Baptist is shown seated in the wilderness exhorting the viewer to repentance, his right hand pointing heavenwards, his skin tanned through years in the desert. The lamb stands for Christ, the “lamb of God.”
Isaiah said that one like John would come–
“A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3)
John did come.
“He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:23).
As we view 2013 ahead, we all feel like we are each in the wilderness as John was. I know many of us feel that we try and try but no one is listening. We know from the Word that as each year passes it won’t get better, it will get worse. But the truth does have an effect. It does penetrate hearts. Maybe you don’t see it right away but the fruits will become visible someday. That’s why we can’t lose heart and we have to stay true to Him. The Proverbs say for us-
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)
“The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,” (Proverbs 11:5a)
Keep on the straight and narrow, and always point to Christ. Here is a wonderful New Year’s gift to us all:
“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:16-17)
Theological math
Add
The preaching of the true word of God always pierces hearts.
“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)
Subtract
However, taking away from that word will bring condemnation to those who subtract from it:
“and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:19)
Multiply
We love God’s word so much we share it, not sparingly but liberally. To His own glory, the Lord multiplies what is needed in the sower so they can return and multiply their doing good again and again–
“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10)
Barnes Notes explains, “Multiply your seed sown – Greatly increase your means of doing good; make the result of all your benefactions so to abound that you may have the means of doing good again, and on a larger scale, as the seed sown in the earth is so increased that the farmer may have the means of sowing more abundantly again.”
Divide
But make no mistake, proclamation of, living by, and protecting the word will bring division. Doctrine DOES divide.
“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” (Luke 12:51)
In efforts not to have “division” but a (false) unity based on a watered down version of the Gospel, you really have nothing. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing, said Billy Preston.
John MacArthur on doctrine dividing, from his sermon A Call for Discernment: “When you don’t even lay down clear doctrine at the level of the Gospel, where are you going to go from there? And the cry is, as one man said to me when my book on The Gospel According to Jesus came out, he said, “Your book is divisive!” You want to know something? He’s right. He’s right. Want to know something else? Doctrine divides. People say, “Oh doctrine divides … doctrine divides.” I say, “Amen, preach it, doctrine divides.” You know what it does? It confronts error. It separates true from false. It makes judgments. Today’s climate, however, of unity in the priority of relationships, that’s not tolerable.”
Yes, but many are tolerating it. And this is what he said will happen–
“You know, I believe…I believe that when evangelicals are willing to depreciate doctrine and when they’re willing to set aside unpopular convictions, and when they’re willing to stay silent on biblical teaching that offends people in error and sin, opposition will disappear and we could all get together. I believe that. I could start a unity movement…eliminate doctrine, set aside unpopular convictions, don’t say anything that offends and we’ll all get together. That isn’t any surprise. But you know some other things are going to disappear too along with doctrine, like truth, conviction, discernment, righteousness, holiness, discipline, true love and spiritual maturity. They’re all gone too and then God will disappear, Ichabod. That price is too high. That will produce a church victimized by hell’s deceptions.”
He preached that 21 years ago and it has come to pass. People too afraid of division fail to add to and multiply God’s love.
I pray you are not in a church victimized by hell’s deceptions, but are in a church that adds to its numbers because of faithful hearts multiplying His love in fellowship.
But here is the new math of God’s kingdom: His infinitely extravagant grace! There is no counting it and no end to it. Praise the Lord that His grace and mercies fall on us every day. I can’t add the number of times I’ve been a grateful recipient of it.
“Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite.” (Psalm 147:5)
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
Revelation 15: God’s magnificence in holiness and wrath
I am reading John MacArthur’s sermon on Revelation 15:3-8. It is a tremendous picture of God’s wrath and His holiness. It is a beautiful exegesis of the verses. Here are a few quotes that moved me. Of course they are better read in context, and better still, heard as the sermon it is. I encourage you to listen to “The Final Wrath of God, Part 1 and Part 2.” These are from Part 2.
“In Job chapter 21 and verse 30 it says, “The wicked is reserved for the day of destruction. They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” God’s final wrath is coming.”
“God’s plan is holiness. God’s plan is peace. God’s plan is perfection. God’s plan is joy. That’s indicated to us, as we shall see, when we get to chapter 21 and read of the magnificence of the eternal state. And the One who lives forever and the One who promises eternal joy and eternal peace is not going to allow sin to live forever.”
“Those who refuse to drink the cup of salvation will drown in the bowls of wrath.” (Revelation 15:3-8; Psalm 116:13)
“And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. … “The glory cloud will stay until the earth is completely purged and cleansed and prepared for the King and His Kingdom.”
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| “God’s Grace”, Source |
“Once the wrath of God was placed on Jesus Christ because of what He was doing for sinners. In the future, the wrath of God will be placed on sinners because of what they are doing to Jesus Christ.”
“After the judgment or the righteous acts of God have been revealed, the elect from all nations will enter the Kingdom to worship the King.”
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| Worship, Source |
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photo credit: Rennett Stowe via photopin cc
photo credit: dtcchc via photopin cc
Japanese man recognized as oldest male in recorded history
BNO News reports– “A Japanese man was Thursday recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest verified male in recorded history, surpassing a Danish-American man who set the previous record when he died in 1998. The new record-holder is also the world’s oldest living person. Jiroemon Kimura was born on April 19, 1897, when Emperor Meiji ruled Japan as the country rose from a feudal shogunate to become a world power. This made him 115 years and 253 days old on Thursday, one day older than Christian Mortensen when he died in California at the age of 115 years and 252 days in April 1998.”
Interesting on what the world calls the official record keeper. Guinness? Give me a break.
Here is the record for oldest living man, ever, a record kept by God:
“When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.” (Genesis 5:25-27)
The Japanese guy is 115 years old? A baby! Methuselah hadn’t even become a father yet. And I happen to know on good authority that the bible is an impeccable record of genealogies.
BAM! BOO-yah!
the-end-time.org 