One Minute Apologist and Dr Edwin Lutzer. Question: How do you respond to atheists? Answer:
“Puffs of smoke…” The Word of God surely lives, doesn’t it!
How do you respond to an atheist?
“Puffs of smoke…” The Word of God surely lives, doesn’t it!
“Puffs of smoke…” The Word of God surely lives, doesn’t it!
El Hierro island bulges, plus other news
The following is from a still of a Youtube video made of the storm in Ireland today. They happened to be videotaping when one of the many lightning strikes hit the bridge.
Sferic map showing a lot of lightning strikes over many parts of the north and northwest at the moment. Irish Weather Online
Irish Weather Online– Flooding in Douglas, Cork. Image Eddie OHare
Waldo Canyon Wildfire, CO, described as ‘epic’, ‘catastrophic’, vicious’ (photo source). In my opinion disasters of this scale will only increase, but what’s epic is my heartbreak for so many people’s losses.
Does it seem like wildfires are increasing? If it seems that way to you, it is because they are. “Thousands of wildfires raged across the United States last year, 2011, burning a record amount of land, especially in the southern U.S. In fact, 2011 the third-most-active fire season since 1960 (when this record-keeping began) with respect to acres burned”
A late-June heat wave continues to rewrite the record books in the Rockies and Plains.
The heat is headed east, and we in GA and other areas up to the northern Mid Atlantic States will receive this dangerous heat tomorrow.
We need the rain here in GA and other parts of the south, but poor old Florida got way too much from Tropical Storm Debby. Here, a Nassau County FL bridge has been washed away. The cleanup begins.
Betty Crocker endorses homosexual marriage
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So Betty, (above) endorses this, (below)
You note that the above promotional poster is a deviant take on the Last Supper of Christ. The illustration depicts a homosexual, naked Jesus presiding over a table filled not with bread and wine, but sex toys.
Oh, Betty. Our clean and wholesome American Icons are continually being deluded and increasingly accepting that which is abominable to God.
Oreo fell to satan’s deception, too:
Kraft Foods has posted a beautiful gleaming color picture of an Oreo stacked with six different layers of brilliantly colored filling. They form a rainbow, which in this case is a symbolic statement of Oreo’s solidarity with the Gay Pride movement, covering gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons.
Newly elected president Morsi says the “Koran is our constitution, Prophet Mohammed is our leader, and jihad is our path, in this chilling speech
A Turkish military truck transports a mobile missile launcher to the Syrian border, near Kilis, Turkey, Thursday, June 28, 2012. (AP Photo). Turkey is furious with Syria’s downing of their jet.
In addition to looming retaliation from Turkey, Damascus has its own internal problems. A duo of powerful bombs went off today in Syria’s capital city, in front of the Palace of Justice.
Volcanic activity continues. El Hierro in the Canary Islands was again raised to Yellow.
“The most interesting volcano-related event at the moment is certainly the seismic crisis on El Hierro where the high-intensity earthquake swarm accompanied by tremor episodes continues. The quakes, still at “safe” 20 km depth, have now migrated to the El Julan coast where magma could be accumulating. This Spanish media reports the island has elevated itself 2 inches in 4 days-
With even more spectacular undersea eruptions continuing apace also, El Mundo reports.
“Mt Siple volcano in Antarctica might have become active and produced a steam plume recently detected on satellite imagery.” ‘Might have become active…’ aren’t we hearing that more often these days?
So that is a news roundup for you.It is only a slight bit, there is so much more going on int he world than one can possibly show even a representative window into. But the most important news is…
Jesus is in TOTAL CONTROL of it all, and He coming soon! Are you looking for Him? Do you know Him? Here is what it is all about if you don’t know: The simple, concise explanation of the Gospel.
Let the Word refresh you in troublous times
Today already has been a crazy day. Joel Rosenberg simply said, “SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS SOCIALIZED MEDICINE: Implosion more likely.” America took a treasonous blow, thanks to SCOTUS and the failure to see the Obamacare bill for what it is, Colorado is charred in catastrophic fires, dangerous heat waves are affecting millions, and in the Philippines tropical storm Doksuri, AKA the Giant Eyeball of Death, is blowing up to a deep convection never before seen by trackers.
America is scorched and burning. America’s President welcomes the Egyptian Jihadist, caliphate-seeking enemy of Israel to power. Are the two related? I believe indisputably! Things are only going to get worse from here.
Sometimes when the world is going crazy, the best thing to do is simply read some scripture. Feed on it, be bathed in its refreshing waters of truth, let it wash over you and calm your spirit. On days like this, when there is so much calamity, I just read. It is different than studying, or searching, or listening, or skimming. I just read His word and He restores me to equilibrium.
“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25) Let His word wash over you as cold water, refreshing you in good news!
I found John 15:1-11 and its parallel passages in Isaiah 5 to be my refreshment. How about you?
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Editorials in Major Newspapers increasingly point to prophecy
Israel National News: Jerusalem the Immovable Rock
“The call of the world at this time then, is the attempt to lift this ‘Immovable rock’, but in return, to only find that the word of G-d is the unshakeable truth. All who burden themselves with pressuring Israel in changing what G-d has said in His word concerning Jerusalem, will find themselves facing nothing less than G-d’s judgment. Jerusalem will be a cup of trembling to the surrounding nations attempting to take it over from Israel; the June,1967 ‘Six Day War is an example of the supernatural protection around this Holy Land. His word is faithful and true.’
Uganda The Observer: Are we seeing a prophecy on Damascus?
“Around 720 BC Isaiah prophesied that in the fullness of time (end times), Damascus, the Syrian capital, would cease to be a city and become a ruinous and useless heap of rubble. In the wake of the wider Arab Spring – a wave of upheaval throughout the Arab world – are we really going to see the fulfilment of this damning prophecy in our lifetime?”
” In Isaiah 17:1–3 the Bible declares: “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city. And it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken. They will be for flocks which lie down and no one will make them afraid. The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria. They will be as the glory of the children of Israel.” Whether in our lifetime or not, these words will surely come to pass because they were declared by God Almighty’. … What is the key message in all this? In Matthew 24, our Lord Jesus said that during the end times, there would be famines (brought about by economic hardships), wars and rumours of wars, earthquakes, etc.”
“Exactly what is happening now. He also said that nobody would know the day or hour (Matthew 24:36), but we would see the signs. For those with casual relationships with God Almighty, it is high time you repented (Acts 3:19, Jeremiah 2:13), asked for God’s forgiveness and began living a Christ-centred life. Time is really short and all of us will stand before God to give an account of our deeds, words and thoughts.”
EPIC FIRES IN COLORADO: Is God using natural disasters to get our attention?
‘Catastrophic. Epic. Historic. Apocalyptic. Is it possible God is using natural disasters to get our attention? As I write in Implosion, “Natural disasters continue unfolding one after another here in the at home and around the world as they always have. But have you stopped to notice that so many recently are described as ‘historic’ and ‘unprecedented?’
“Thousands of years ago, God told the Hebrew prophet Haggai to write down these words: “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations. . . . I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations’” (Haggai 2:6-7, 21-22). This is Bible prophecy. This is an intercept from the mind of the all-knowing, all-seeing God of the universe. It is a weather report from the future, if you will, a storm warning. It was given to us so that we would be awake and ready and faithful and walking close to Jesus when the tempests come. God told us well in advance that he was going to “shake all the nations.” That certainly includes the United States.”
Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) The Fight for Egypt’s Future
“To see how Egypt’s revolution has changed the lives of its 8 million Copts (Egyptian Christians), walk one block from its epicenter: Tahrir Square. Pass between the effigies hanging from street lamps, past the ramshackle tents of demonstrators, and turn right at the graffiti-covered concrete blocks barricading the newly elected parliament and loathed police headquarters. Here sits the largest evangelical Arabic-speaking church in the world–6,000-member Kasr El Dobara (KDEC).”
“The sturdy white sanctuary, lined with tall stained-glass windows depicting New Testament stories of Jesus, is half full on the Sunday evening before the first anniversary of military dictator Hosni Mubarak’s February 11 downfall. Attendance is low. Four days earlier, more than 70 soccer fans were massacred in the coastal city of Port Said. A short distance away, angry demonstrators clash with police. … Are Christians fleeing Egypt? Some, yes. Nearly every church can name a family that has emigrated. Many more families desire to follow suit but cannot. But the closer one looks, an irony emerges. Coptic leaders report that a significant number of Christians, especially in rural or poor communities, do fear the future. But many of the most ardently Christian–former Muslims who now follow Christ and have the most to lose under an Islamist government–are the most eager to stay. They hold to their love of country–and to their belief in God’s promise in Isaiah 19: “Blessed be Egypt my people.” But rather than seeking the first opportunity to leave Egypt, he and others like him choose to stay and exert influence behind the scenes. “Doctors stay in medicine; politicians stay in politics; advocates stay in advocacy,” he said. “The salt put in warehouses will just go stale. The salt needs to be in the food.”
1. God’s word is true and more people are noticing the news lining up with the prophecies because of it
2. We’re members of a local church (hopefully) but we are also members of a global church body that extends back to the 3000 saved at Pentecost and into the future when the Church Age ends. There are millions of Christians all over the world right now in pain, jail, torture or loss because of their witness for Christ. Please continue to remember our brethren, and that we are the member of the most glorious Bride of the Lamb, and we should each bear each other’s burdens as members of that worldwide, and soon to be heaven-wide, church.
You’d be surprised to see how many things are named after false gods…
Sometimes people have a hard time believing that satan is god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4). It doesn’t mean satan is outside the sovereignty of God, or that he is equal to God. It just means that he has been given authority for a time to operate freely in influencing humans.
GotQuestions explains it this way: The verse means that it “is the major influence on the mind-set expressed by the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His areas of influence also encompass the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.”
Since satan’s original sin was pride, it is natural that he would want to see himself reflected in anything and everything. He wants to use the earth as a personal mirror, reflecting himself back to himself in as many human endeavors as possible. To this end, he has been fairly successful.
For example, the names for the days of the week originate from Roman, Greek, and Norse mythical false gods. Anything from an ancient myth from any culture is not from God but in fact is satan’s attempt to create a false religion apart from God.
The days of the week are named after false gods in satan’s image:
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Sunday:The name comes from the Latin dies solis, meaning “sun’s day”: the name of a pagan Roman holiday honoring the sun god, whom Romans called Mithra and Apollo.
Monday: The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, “the moon’s day”. This second day was sacred to the goddess of the moon.
Tuesday:This day was named after the Norse god Tyr. The Romans named this day after their war-god Mars
Wednesday:The day named to honor Wodan (Odin). The Romans called it dies Mercurii, after their god Mercury.
Thursday:The day named after the Norse god Thor. In the Norse languages this day is called Torsdag. The Romans named this day dies Jovis (“Jove’s Day”), after Jove or Jupiter, their most important god.
Friday:The day in honor of the Norse goddess Frigg. In Old High German this day was called frigedag. To the Romans this day was sacred to the goddess Venus, and was known as dies veneris.
Saturday:This day was called dies Saturni, “Saturn’s Day”, by the ancient Romans in honor of Saturn. In Anglo-Saxon: sater daeg.
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| Mercury, planet and false god |
The planets are named after Greek gods, corporations and technologies are named after characters and gods in myths (Delphi, Oracle, Amazon, Aetna, Ajax, Juno, Nike, Pandora radio), the elements on the periodic table are named after gods, (Mercury, vanadium (Vanadis) and thorium (Thor); titanium was named after the Greek Titans.
And now we have a new mineral that has been discovered. So what do they name it?
“The name of the titanium dioxide mineral, which has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association, honors Pan Gu, said in Chinese mythology to be the first living being who created the world by separating yin from yang (forming the earth and sky).”
It is amazing how satan has saturated all cultures with things that divert from the one True God. (Matthew 16:22-24). It’s like the old subliminal advertising, subtly and not even consciously absorbing what satan wants you to absorb. As Christians operating in the power of the Holy Spirit we can see these ploys for what they are, and use our armor to ward off encroaching worldiness. But as a mental exercise, try to keep how many things in our world are named after false gods and you will be amazed at how long the list gets, very quickly.
God has all the power and the victory. He won and He will prevail at the end of days. Satan’s day will end and he will be tossed into the lake of fire, there forever to be tormented for his sins. (Rev 19:20). In the meantime, let’s continue praying for the people who are deluded into thinking that the false gods are real and the real God is not, and for revival of many hearts in these days of Noah.
Gaza truce immediately broken, 4 rockets fired, also, Bethlehem street named after Putin
June 17-22: More than 150 rockets fired from Gaza have struck southern Israel since the cross-border attacks began.
June 22:Hamas seeks truce with Israel
June 24: Netanyahu: Ready to Hit Gaza If Truce Broken
June 26: Rockets fired from Gaza hit Israel despite truce
Will Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu make good his threat to hit Gaza if the truce is broken?
News is breaking fast and furious. Syria declares it is in a state of war. Turkey is incensed and warns Syria to beware its wrath in return of downing their jet plane, and moves its tanks to Syrian border, Muslim Brotherhood representative won’t speak to Israeli journalist, Putin is in Jordan with King Abdullah while a ceremony is held in Israel to name a street in Bethlehem after Putin…
"Beware the Turkish wrath" and the pride of the rainbow cookie
Random headlines that stuck me today:
CULTURE
It isn’t a coincidence that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and Transgender movement (LGBT) is that they chose “Pride” as their motto, clarion call, and founding principle. Wasn’t that satan’s main problem, too? (Isaiah 14:12-15)
OREO unveils rainbow-stuffed ‘pride cookie’.
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| Image credit: facebook.com/oreo |
“America’s favorite cookie is stirring up more than milk today after Kraft Foods posted a gay pride Oreo on the cookie’s Facebook page. Oreo posted the photoshopped picture of an Oreo cookie stuffed with rainbow-colored layers of frosting Monday evening with the caption “Proudly support love!” Over the past 17 hours more than 157,000 people have “liked” the image, 40,000 people have shared it and 20,000 have commented on it.”
What struck me about this story is that the man refused to move! Man vs. Bison. BISON ALWAYS WINS!
Bison Gores Man In Yellowstone Park, Throws Him 10 Feet In Air
“Officials in Yellowstone National Park say a Massachusetts man was gored by a bull bison that threw him 10 feet in the air and then pinned him to the ground. The man, who is in his mid-50s, suffered a broken collarbone, shoulder blade, several ribs and a groin injury in Saturday’s encounter near the Norris campground. He was airlifted to an Idaho Falls, Idaho hospital and is expected to recover. His name was not released. Park officials say the man was not taunting the animal, but let the bull approach within a few feet of where he was sitting and refused to move away.’
Is man just getting stupider? He certainly is not “evolving” ever higher. As a matter of fact, there’s big news on the evolution front.
“Peer-Reviewed Paper Concludes that Darwinism “Has Pretty Much Reached the End of Its Rope“
“An interesting paper was recently published by David Depew and Bruce Weber in the journal Biological Theory. The paper bears the title “The Fate of Darwinism: Evolution After the Modern Synthesis.” … The second point of interest is the paper’s claim that “Darwinism in its current scientific incarnation has pretty much reached the end of its rope.”
CYBER
It isn’t your grandfather’s war any more. It’s invisible, it’s real, and it’s devastating
Cyber criminals may have siphoned off 2 bn euros from 60 banks
“Cyber criminals may have attempted to siphon off anywhere between 60 million euros and 2 billion euros in fraudulent transfers from at least 60 banks globally, a McAfee and Guardian Analytics study today said. The study highlighted a highly sophisticated, multi- tiered, global financial fraud ring that is comprised of at least a dozen groups use active and passive automated transfer systems to steal high value amounts from high balance accounts.”
World faces an ‘astonishing’ level of cyber threats:
“The West faces an “astonishing” threat of cyberattack and cyberespionage, the British spy chief said Monday. Thousands of hackers in underground, organized cybercrime networks are targeting businesses, universities and government data. And the threat isn’t only from criminals. Government-sponsored cyber-spying is widespread is certain countries – China chief among them, ABC News reported. “The extent of what is going on is astonishing,” said Jonathan Evans, director general of Britain’s MI5, in a speech to financial executives in London Monday. It was his first public address in two years.”
Al-Qaeda Trains Norway Islam Convert To Carry Out Terror Plots
“A Norwegian man has received terrorist training from al-Qaida’s offshoot in Yemen and is awaiting orders to carry out an attack on the West, officials from three European security agencies told The Associated Press on Monday. Western intelligence officials have long feared such a scenario – a convert to Islam who is trained in terrorist methods and can blend in easily in Europe and the United States, traveling without visa restrictions.”
MIDDLE EAST
Syria to get more arms from Russia soon-think-tank
“Russia is expected to deliver air defence systems, reconditioned helicopters and fighter jets to Syria this year worth nearly half a billion dollars despite international pressure to halt arms sales to Damascus.”
Russia’s modern-day Czar, Vladimir Putin, is making the rounds in the Middle East. Russia is prophesied to be a major end times player in the war of Gog and Magog, holding an alliance with Iran, Turkey, Armenia, and other Arab nations to attack Israel in the last days. Putin also visited Israel on this trip.
Putin due in Kingdom today
Amman, Jordan: “Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to begin a working visit to Jordan on Tuesday, during which he will hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah, according to a Royal Court statement. The talks will focus on bilateral relations and ways to develop them in various fields, the statement said. Discussions will also focus on political developments and changes in the Middle East, in addition to efforts to revive peace talks. Meanwhile, a Jordanian-Russian Business Forum convened in Amman on Monday to “strengthen investment and commercial relations between Jordan and Russia” . During his one-day visit, the Russian president will also attend the official opening of the Russian Pilgrimage House at the Baptism Site, where, according to Christian beliefs, Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist.”
We should pray that Vladimir Putin will be over come by the leading of the Spirit into repentance and submit to Jesus Christ as His sovereign!
Turkey sends letter to UN on jet downed by Syria
“Turkey sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council on June 24 over Syria’s downing of a Turkish warplane in the eastern Mediterranean two days previously. The letter, published by the New York Times, calls the shooting incident a “serious threat to peace and security in the region” and gives information on the coordinates of the location where the plane was struck and where it crashed.”
“When people say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.” (1 Thess 5:3 ISV).
NATO Backs Turkey Against Syria
“NATO on Tuesday firmly backed Turkey saying Syria’s shooting down of a Turkish jet was “unacceptable,” NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen condemned the incident saying, “We consider this act to be unacceptable and condemn it in the strongest terms…It is another example of the Syrian authorities’ disregard for international norms, peace and security, and human life.”
Erdogan tells Syria beware Turkish wrath
“Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told Syria to beware the wrath of Turkey after the shooting down of a warplane and said he had ordered the armed forces to react to any military threat from Syria near the two countries’ border. Erdogan’s warning to Syria reflected increased tensions not only on the Mediterranean coast, where the aircraft was shot down last Friday, but on a long common land border criss-crossed by rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad.”
Beware the wrath of He who wrote the words and promised His own wrath in the ancient prophecises, which will come to pass and may even be coming to pass today!
“Then the kings of the earth, the important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all the slaves and free people concealed themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to endure it?” (Revelation 6:15-17).
Curiosity Rover about to land on Mars
Did you know that another Rover is about to land on Mars? Its name is “Curiosity.” The following is an amazing short video of NASA technicians and engineers explaining the challenges in creating a machine that will go through space and land on Mars, successfully. On Aug 5, the rover “Curiosity” will land on Mars after what the scientists call the “7 Minutes of Terror”.
“From the top of Mars’ atmosphere to the planet surface takes seven minutes. Engineers at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have the challenge of going from 13,000 miles per hour to zero in seven minutes to safely touch down on Mars. Those closest to the project have dubbed this entry sequence window “7 minutes of terror.” It is the most critical time in the years-long journey and there is zero margin for error. Further complicating the challenge to rapidly reducing entry into the Martian atmosphere is the fact that Mars’ atmosphere is 100 times less dense than Earth.” (source)
http://cdn-akm.vmixcore.com/vmixcore/js?auto_play=0&cc_default_off=1&player_name=uvp&width=512&height=332&player_id=1aa0b90d7d31305a75d7fa03bc403f5a&t=V0klYOaUyJ5RL3Go9w5dZzumrSYmccwIHo
It is an interesting and amazing video in which the scientists who worked on Curiosity describe the sequence of events that has to happen for the small vehicle to hurtle through vast oceans of space, encounter an atmosphere, and make a precision landing. Interspersed with their comments is a computer model video showing what they are describing. As I watched the 5-minute video, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, awe, and gladness that I’m alive to witness such marvels of achievement. I was also thinking about the universe God created, and humankind that He created too, to do these things and to be conscious and sentient and have a mind, unlike ALL the other animals he made.
The video ended with a black screen and three words:
DARE MIGHTY THINGS
While I felt pride in humankind’s ambition and achievements on these astronomy and technical matters, my bubble of elation and awe was eventually burst. Of course God wants us to be proud of what we have accomplished, but to achieve such a technological marvel and not to acknowledge the One who gave us the mind, means, and opportunity makes the video more of a Tower of Babel moment than a Parting of the Red Seas moment. Moses was the visible manifestation of the power to part the sea but God was the power! Achievement without being grateful to God is empty. Pursuit of the wonders of the universe without acknowledging the One who created it is not daring nor mighty, but only judgment-worthy.
“because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Rom 1:25)
Why pursue the universe and not its Creator? because they have exchanged the truth with a lie. And in so doing, they may “dare mighty things” but as 2 Timothy 3:4 says, in the last days men will be “treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
The word conceited there means “I puff up, make haughty: I am puffed up, am haughty.”
Of many of these mighty men doing mighty deeds, unless they are saved by Grace, they will say “Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ (Matthew 7:22).
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;” (Revelation 6:15)
“For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49).
For Jesus, in His power and through His Spirit, that where is the daring to do mighty things comes from. On its own, no matter how cool the feat is at the time, it will be shown to be puffed up and paltry. Not mighty. Poor and worthless. As long as the focus of our eyes, mind, heart, and strength is Jesus, and that we do all for Him, we will be blessed. What a poor and empty life to dare mighty things but not have the Rock at the center of it? It will simply implode, like a collapsing souffle.
Jesus is the prize. He is the treasure. He is the mighty One! And He is coming in might and in glory!
“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62).
The Gospel is advancing
Though the world is dark and satan prowls, the Gospel’s power to transform lives and enlarge the kindgom is advancing!
As you shake your head is dismay at the darkness that is covering the world, remember the Light is advancing MORE because Jesus is the power! I dare you to watch these two trailers from the DVD Dispatches from the Front series and not be moved by the Gospel’s power and awed at the grace and love of our Savior. THIS is what it is all about: salvation
“Frontline Missions is an amazing ministry that produces the Dispatches from the Front DVD series. Here is what the ministry is all about: Frontline’s key objective is to advance the Gospel, forming vibrant, Word-centered, disciple-making churches, especially in those regions of the world that have the least Light. We are driven by the same desire that animated the apostle Paul who said it was always his ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not known (Romans 15:20). We pursue this goal by equipping Christians on the frontlines to reach their own people for Christ, by forming strategic partnerships with them, and by developing creative platforms in countries closed to traditional missions.”
Please support missionaries with your prayers and your money. They are on the frontlines. And lives are being changed, eternally.
Salon.com review of Night of Hope: "Joel Osteen worships himself"
Somehow I missed this last April:
Joel Osteen worships himself
At a D.C. rally, it’s clear that the megachurch pastor’s childlike faith is really about the power of narcissism
The article is from Salon.com, a fairly liberal media outlet. I found it interesting that Mr Osteen’s obvious narcissism is apparent even to someone who may be liberal and may be an outsider to the faith.
Pastor Mike Abendroth at No Compromise Radio says that when people realize he is a pastor, they try and make an attempt at spiritual connection with him by saying, “I listen to Joel Osteen.” He said as an example to one lady who’d shared that, he had replied,
“Joel Osteen doesn’t like to talk about sin because he says we all know about it and we all get enough about that so let’s talk about other positive things. Paul talked about sin first. Peter talked about sin first. John the Baptist talked about sin first. All the prophets talked about sin first. And Jesus even talked about sin first. If you don’t know you’re a sinner, you don’t need to know about your savior. If you know how great your sin is, you don’t need a greater Savior than all your sin.”
The Salon.com author Mr Chris Lehmann stated in the article that it’s obvious Osteen “subtly downgrades” the magnificent and transcendent God “into a glorified lifestyle concierge”…into a “genial cruise director,” “through talismanic faith in positive utterance.”
He wrote, “The believer’s chief task is to ratify the preexisting divine script of success in his or her individual life — and then to bear testimony to that joyous transformation in a community of like-minded success believers.’
He’s right, that is what Mr Osteen preaches, and it is a far cry from true worship of the Living God.
So what IS worship of the True and Living God? Exodus 15:2 gives one example: “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Psalm 66:4: “All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.’
Rather, in the article, Lehmann states, Osteen has the “outlook of someone possessed of grandiose fantasies about the imperial reach of the self.”
It is not about us. I don’t recall David preaching or writing one psalm that says we can have our best life now. I don’t recall Jeremiah the weeping prophet pronouncing that ‘it’s your time’. Mr Lehmann ends devastatingly with this thought on Mr Osteen’s approach, which is:
“theology-free success gospel, pitched exclusively to tales of individual triumph. Osteen’s sermons all begin with a self-empowering chant from believers. “This is my Bible,” it goes in part; “I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have.” But there are legions of dead — now confined by definition, it’s true, in the hated past — who come bearing the testimony that the Bible is not actually about you.”
It is about the Holy One of Israel, the Word made flesh!!
Woodcut, 1695, Title, “Word” by artist Johann Christoph Weigel. Source
Fear God! Keep your vows! “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1)
the-end-time.org 