The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. (Psalm 24:1-2)
Man may explore it, learn its contours, manipulate its seasons, propose theories about it, change the daylight time, but in the end, the earth is the Lord’s. He knows what is on it and what is in it.
For example I wrote in December 2010 of a situation that was worrying the people and corporations making electronics. China has cornered the market in rare earths metals, which are necessary for making computer chips and the like. As their name implies, they are rare and they have to be dug out from the earth. At that time, China manufactured 93% of all rare earth metals, and could essentially hold the rest of the world hostage to a myriad of daily necessities. Try finding something these days that doesn’t have a chip in it…
Seven months later, in July 2011, a stunning discovery was made in shallow waters off Japan. In an article entitled, “Pacific Ocean Mud Holds a Wealth of Suddenly Not-So-Rare Earth Minerals” scientists wrote, “Vast deposits of rare earth minerals, crucial in making high-tech electronics products, have been found on the floor of the Pacific Ocean and can be readily extracted, Japanese scientists said on Monday. … “Just one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of deposits will be able to provide one-fifth of the current global annual consumption.”
Instantly, the Chinese market was crushed.
Then this week, another rare earths discovery was made, Scientific American reports, “Bounty of Rare Earths Discovered in Afghanistan.” “Recent exploration of rare volcanic rocks in the rugged, dangerous desert of southern Afghanistan has identified world-class concentrations of rare earth elements, the prized group of raw materials that are essential in the manufacture of many modern technologies, from electric cars to solar panels. So far, geologists say, they have mapped one million metric tons of these critical elements, which include lanthanum, cerium and neodymium. That’s enough to supply the world’s rare earth needs for 10 years based on current consumption, points out Robert Tucker, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist who is the lead author on a report released on September 14.”
The minerals have gone from rare to bounteous in the space of 10 months.
I hope you enjoy these (short) blog entries. They are written with sensitivity and thoughtfulness from Christian bloggers. If you need a short shot of encouragement, these will do nicely.
I invite you to listen to this very convicting and wonderful sermon on How to Recognize True Repentance by Pastor Don Green. It was delivered last month at the Truth Matters conference. You can listen to the sermon or read a transcript, but listening to it is the best way for you to have the impact. I was deeply moved by it, and was uplifted as always by the true words of Jesus in the Gospels the pastor shared throughout the sermon.
Fall surely is a great time of year. The air is freshened, the colors are out, and the seasons are changing. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Adam Clarke’s commentary of those verses says, “Every thing has its time and season. God by his providence governs the world, and has determined particular things and operations to particular times. In those times such things may be done with propriety and success. However if we neglect the appointed seasons we sin against this providence and become the authors of our own distresses. God has given to man that portion of duration called time; the space in which all the operations of nature, of animals, and intellectual beings, are carried on. But while nature is steady in its course, and animals faithful to their instincts, man devotes it to a great variety of purposes, very frequently to that for which God never made time, space, or opportunity.”
God is our first season and our last season, and He is the season at all times. Make sure your relationship with Jesus is not a seasonal activity, one that comes and goes, but is everlasting and sure. All else comes and goes, His love is eternal. Stay within it in prayerful attitude, grateful for blessings for all the things He sends to us in their own due season.
JESUS AS FORGIVER
The Lord is sovereign. He wields all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18) and that means our Lord has been given all authority to judge. He specifically said so in John 5:22. Repentance is the simple truth of the Gospel. It isn’t fixing social ills. It isn’t reaching out to have conversations with other religions. It isn’t simply “accepting Christ” as if WE have to find HIM acceptable…. It is personal awareness for your own sins, mourning over those sins, and appealing to Jesus for forgiveness of those sins, and finally, turning from those sins by making Jesus Lord and submitting to His will in us. It is repentance.
When I was living aboard the sailboat with my husband, there is a common adage all sailors know. It’s KISS, “Keep It Simple, Sailor”. When you’re out in the middle of the ocean you depend on each other and the systems aboard your boat to stay alive and make port safely. Everything is stripped away, and it’s just you, the boat, and the wind. KISS meant that the more complicated you make the systems aboard your boat, the more likely it is that they will fail, putting you at risk of death.
The Gospel is simple. Christianity, especially American Christianity, has made it complicated. We have been told that somehow we are failing if we are at odds with Catholics, or Mormons, or Muslims. Repentance isn’t to exhibit a display of hatred of other people’s sins. While it is OK to be upset at homosexuality or gay marriage or abortion, it should not be at the expense of mourning over and hatred of our own sins. We have been told that we must be peaceful and unite in our common love of love. Not so. Jesus is singular. He isn’t to be melded with other religions, He isn’t to be ignored, and He isn’t one of many paths. He is THE way, THE truth, and THE life. “Repent, and ye shall be saved. Refuse to repent, and ye shall perish.” (Luke 13:5) Jesus only, sin, and repentance. Keep it Simple, Sailor. We repent, and then we call others to repentance. That’s it.
Remember to KISS, Keep it Simple, Sailor! It is all about Jesus, our sin and His forgiveness.When was the last time you actually cried over your own sin? When was the last time you were broken and ashamed before God at the creature you used to be, and cried in joy at the grace He has afforded you to become a new creation? Think about it. If it has been too long, a good dose of prayerful repentance does the spiritual body good. “II Corinthians 7:10, NIV. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Anytime I see biometrics being used in a widespread way I take notice. Biometric identification “consists of methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits.” The antichrist uses biometrics in the Tribulation to keep track of who may buy or sell. (Rev 13:16-17).
A Florida School District is Taking Attendance by Scanning Students’ Fingers “Chipley- Roll call is a thing of the past in Washington County Schools. Students now check in with finger scanning devices. School Superintendent Sandra Cook said the old method just wasn’t cutting it. “We got to talking about attendance in our district and how it was inconsistent,” said Cook. The systems have been up and running for two months inside the schools, but since the majority of students ride the bus every day, district officials decided to move the devices there. But the transition hasn’t been easy. One of the biggest challenges they’ve faced is where to put the devices on the buses. State safety codes require the isles to be kept completely clear, so one of the ideas they’ve discussed is to put a laptop on one side of the steering wheel and the finger scan system on the other. The school district plans to test the equipment in a handful of buses in the next week and hopes to have each one operational by November or December at the latest. “When it’s all said and done, we’re going to find that this is going to be one of the most monumental things that Washington County has ever done,” said Cook. The finger scan device costs the school district about $30 per student each year. Parents can still opt for their children to sign in the traditional way.”
No, the following does not have a typo in it. There has been an increase to 7,200 quakes a DAY at Anak Krakatau volcano. I always take note of earthquake activity and seismic increases. Quakes are one of the Lord’s judgments. (Psalms 18:15;60:2; Isaiah 13:13,14;24:19,20;29:6; Nahum 1).
The Lord said that prior tothe Great Tribulation, the beginning of birth pangs, there would be “earthquakes in diverse places…” (Matthew 24:7). For example, a “rare subsea quake rattled Bermuda this week. IWO has the report.
“The western Atlantic Ocean island of Bermuda, which was hit by its first earthquake in over a decade in April, has been rattled by two moderate quakes. The earthquakes, both measuring 4.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale, struck at 10:18 PM and 10:36 PM local time on Monday. The subsea quakes, the strongest to be recorded in the region in more than 20 years, were centred about 80 miles south of Hamilton, the capital of the British overseas territory.”
Not to be outdone, the world’s famous and not so famous volcanoes are waking up, also, with quakes of their own. I’ve written recently about the increase in earthquakes at El Hierro. 9,500 quakes under that active volcano since July and still going strong. There have also been huge numbers of quakes under Iceland’s Katla and under Krakatau. Irish Weather Online reports of Anak Krakatau, “Anak Krakatau’s alert level has been raised to the second-highest level after the number of volcanic tremors soared from 200 a day to 7,200. A 2-kilometre exclusion zone has also been established around the Indonesian volcano prohibiting tourists and fishermen from getting close to the volcanic island, located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia.”
One of the Lord’s four sore judgments is beasts. (Ezekiel 14:21). One of the Seal Judgments is death by beasts. (Rev 6:8). This judgment is generally accepted to mean multiplication of beasts to plague the population, but I believe it also could mean the reverse, death of massive numbers of beasts so that the natural order of the cycles of growing and reaping and the balance of predator and prey is upset. My own speculations aside, millions of bees dropped dead in Florida at nearly the same time on the same day. No one knows why. They attribute pesticides as the cause of the deaths. Um, okay… By the way, the headline below from the Daily Mail is theirs in its original form-
The mysterious honeybee apocalypse: Up to 12 million bees found dead and dying in Florida and no one knows why “Honeybee carcasses coated the ground around hundreds of Florida beehives after a mysterious massacre claimed millions of bees and mutilated a way of life for local bee keepers. Experts have ruled out ‘colony collapse disorder’ and the bee keepers suspect that their bees were poisoned with pesticide. Florida agriculture officials and the local sheriff’s office are both investigating. No one can tell yet what killed as many as 12 million bees from 800 hives this week in Brevard County, on central Florida’s Atlantic coast.”
Israel, more isolated than ever, “took an unusual and rare step, the IDF’s General Staff alerted two reserve divisions as part of an emergency drill in army bases in central and northern Israel. The purpose of the exercise was “to test the soldiers’ level of response and readiness for war. The IDF is taking no chances on the eve of Yom Kippur.”
Yom Kippur, “also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”).” Israel is buttoned down, air space closed, and border crossings blocked. This is both so that the Jews can complete their religious duties and also to (hopefully) prevent attacks on their holiest day of the year.
This year Yom Kippur is from sundown Oct 7 to sundown Oct 8. “Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G‑d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Forty days after hearing G‑d say at Mount Sinai: “You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image,” the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G‑d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: “I have pardoned, as you have requested.”
Yom Kippur essentially begins ten days earlier, at Rosh Hashanah. “In Jewish thought, Rosh Hashanah is the most important judgment day, on which all the inhabitants of the world pass for judgment before the Creator. The Talmud states, on Rosh Hashanah that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed “to live.” The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days till Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are “blotted out of the book of the living.” (Psalms 69:29). Eternal fate then hangs in the balance for ten days waiting for all to repent, then they will be “sealed” on Yom Kippur. The assumption is that at the conclusion of Yom Kippur, everyone was sealed for the next year.
Christians know that their fate is not sealed until the moment of death, or upon having rejected Jesus so many times that their heart has been hardened. (Hebrews 3:13; Acts 19:9; Mt 13:4-5). Jesus seeks all who would repent with a sincere heart, calling on Him who is Lord to forgive their sins. (Luke 13:3; Mt 12:30; Romans 10:9).
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). We have a wonderful God, a loving and merciful God, who is worthy to be served.
Three of the Gospels tell the story of the Gadarene demoniac. Mark’s is the most specific but all three mention the man’s fierceness. (Mt. 8.28-34, Lk. 8.26-39)
Mark 5:1-5 “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gad’arenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
He lived in the tombs so he was homeless, and further, being among the dead made him unclean in a most extreme way to the Jews. He was so strong he could break chains, and no man could subdue him. And his screaming could be heard from mountain to valley, so much so that no one would go that way. In other words, they would walk miles out of their way to avoid this guy.
People think demon-possession is passe. That it only happened in bible times. It is true, Jesus spent a lot of His ministry exorcising demons because there seemed to be so many then and not so many now. But just because the bible times ended does not mean the demons went away. It is hard to think of similar things happening in this sanitized, scientific, hands-off kind of age. But they do.
Satan hates Jesus just as much now as he did then. He hates the Jews just as much now as he did then. He hates the Christians just as much now as he did then. He is still killing, stealing, and destroying. (John 10:10)
If we came up against a demon-possession in these days, what would it look like? I would say that it’d have similar characteristics to what the bible described: unnatural, untameable strength, total disregard for their welfare and the welfare of others, screaming and crying, anger and violence.
Well, the following footage has all that and more. The rest of this blog entry discusses specific demon possession and its effects. It is disturbing and contains video and descriptions of recent demon-possession. Stop reading now if you want to avoid the graphic matter contained in this piece.
Of the footage you are about to see, the synopsis from Youtube says, “In 2008, BBC cameras filmed two Swedish sisters throwing themselves into traffic on the M6. When it was shown on BBC One, nearly 7 million viewers were glued to their screens, and millions more watched it later on YouTube. The footage was shocking. One previewer wrote “On no account miss this documentary. It opens with what is perhaps the most extraordinary footage I’ve seen on TV”. But this amazing footage was only part of an even more incredible story, one which could not be told at the time for legal reasons. Now, two years later, this documentary reveals the full story of the hours just before the cameras captured that motorway footage, and the even more chilling story of what happened over next 72 hours, which left one of the sisters fleeing the scene of a crime, after she had stabbed a man through the chest. Those who were at the centre of this fascinating legal case, including the police and Crown prosecution service, reveal the complex issues involved in both bringing charges and taking this disturbing case to trial. A leading criminal psychiatrist, Dr. Nigel Eastman, explains the difficulties the judicial system has in achieving justice and deciding punishment when dealing with mental illness.”
The following is part 1 of four parts. I watched (through my fingers) part one and part of the second. I warn you, the footage is disturbing. It is graphic. You are warned.
What happened is that the woman, Sabina Eriksson, was frenetically pacing alongside the M6 highway and when approached by police, hurled herself in front of a car. She was run over, but survived and leaped up and ran off to the other lanes to repeat her action. Her twin sister also ran out in front of traffic, she was hit and run over by a the equivalent of an eighteen wheeler, and was thrown like a rag doll. However, both women survived. Police in the video describe the unlikelihood of this happening, ever. Ursula was incapacitated but after regaining consciousness, screamed at the medics attending her and had to be held down. Sabina meanwhile was grabbed on the other side of the roadway but could not be subdued. Several police officers attempted to get her under control, and it was only when several passers by also aided the police that she was subdued and cuffed. It took 6 men to handcuff one small woman.
A friend of the man that she later killed was interviewed in a newspaper article. He said, “When I saw the footage on the internet of her running out in the road it made me feel sick. She looked possessed in that film. I wanted answers from the court case, I wanted to know why she did what she did but I don’t think anyone will ever know.”
‘Heard voices’ — “Psychiatrists told Luton Crown Court that the mother-of-two was suffering from either induced delusional disorder or acute polymorphic disorder, which were both rare. Dr Carol McDaniel said: “Sabina said she heard voices but could not interpret what they were saying.”
The incident occurred in 2008, and after a two-year legal wrangle, in 2010 more information has started to come out. I note that the officials state she has turned to Christianity. This is a good thing. Demon possession would look very much like what happened on the motorway and in the days afterward, with Sabina killing Glenn Hollingshead and stabbing of the passerby who came to help.
In other strange news, another graphic incident happened this week. This one was in Italy, during a Catholic church service. A man worshiping during the service heard a voice and
graphic- stop reading- warning of graphic incident ahead–
pulled both his eyeballs out. According to Italian media, a mentally ill British man literally pulled both his eyes out during a church service. The man’s mother, who was with him when it happened, initially thought he had fallen and banged his head, because of the blood. When parishioners discovered what he had done, many of them fainted or fell ill themselves upon seeing the ghastly sight.
Ursula and Sabina throwing themselves in front of vehicles moving at high speed, a man suddenly plucking out his own eyes…this is what demon possession looks like. During the Tribulation, there will be a lot more if it. There will be things like this that people don’t understand, or are beyond the realm of comprehension.
One thing that is also beyond comprehension but is something to seek and not avoid is Jesus’ love. The Gadarene demoniac saw Jesus and recognized him, falling down to worship him. Jesus has power over the demons. Jesus’ power is unlimited, omniscient and powerful. With all that, He loves us gently and patiently. No sin is too big for Him to forgive. No deed is too bad for Him to wipe away. He seeks you. He sent the Holy Spirit to draw you to Him! He wants you. Please enfold yourself in the loving arms of Jesus today. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to the same demonic possession and harassment the people in this article had left themselves exposed to. And you really don’t want to be left open to be satan’s plaything, not when you can be Jesus’ bride!
I read this today on the Grace to You website, by pastor-teacher John MacArthur. It made me think of our pastor. It is pastor appreciation week. I hope that not only you appreciate your pastor but you appreciate the Lord sending you a good one who fulfills all these qualities as the bible outlines. It is increasingly rare for pastors such as the kind described below to even exist in these times of apostasy and coldness, but they do. Tucked into nooks and crannies of good, functioning, loving churches off the highways and byways of America and beyond, humble, loving pastors labor. Our pastor is one of these, and no, you can’t have him!
Some modern church leaders fancy themselves businessmen, media figures, entertainers, psychologists, philosophers, or lawyers. Those notions contrast sharply with the way Scripture portrays spiritual leaders.
In 2 Timothy 2, for example, Paul uses seven different metaphors to describe the rigors of leadership. He pictures the minister as a teacher (v. 2), a soldier (v. 3), an athlete (v. 5), a farmer (v. 6), a workman (v. 15), a vessel (vv. 20-21), and a slave (v. 24). All those images evoke ideas of sacrifice, labor, service, and hardship. They speak eloquently of the complex and varied responsibilities of spiritual leadership. Not one of them makes leadership out to be glamorous.
That’s because it is not supposed to be glamorous. Leadership in the church–and I’m speaking of every facet of spiritual leadership, not just the pastor’s role–is not a mantle of status to be conferred on the church’s aristocracy. It isn’t earned by seniority, purchased with money, or inherited through family ties. It doesn’t necessarily fall to those who are successful in business or finance. It isn’t doled out on the basis of intelligence or talent. Its requirements are blameless character, spiritual maturity, and above all, a willingness to serve humbly.
Our Lord’s favorite metaphor for spiritual leadership, a figure He often used to describe Himself, was that of a shepherd–one who tends God’s flock. Every church leader is a shepherd. The word pastor itself means “shepherd.” It is appropriate imagery. A shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects. Those are responsibilities of every churchman.
Shepherds are without status. In most cultures, shepherds occupy the lower rungs of society’s ladder. That is fitting, for our Lord said, “Let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant” (Luke 22:26).
Under the plan God has ordained for the church, leadership is a position of humble, loving service. Church leadership is ministry, not management. Those whom God designates as leaders are called not to be governing monarchs, but humble slaves; not slick celebrities, but laboring servants. Those who would lead God’s people must above all exemplify sacrifice, devotion, submission, and lowliness.
Jesus Himself gave us the pattern when He stooped to wash His disciples’ feet, a task that was customarily done by the lowest of slaves (John 13). If the Lord of the universe would do that, no church leader has a right to think of himself as a bigwig.
Shepherding animals is semi-skilled labor. There are no colleges that offer graduate degrees in shepherding. It isn’t that difficult a job. Even a dog can be trained to guard a flock of sheep. In biblical times, young boys–David, for example–herded sheep while the older men did tasks that required more skill and maturity.
Shepherding a spiritual flock is not so simple. It takes more than an unskilled laborer to be a spiritual shepherd. The standards are high, the requirements hard to satisfy (1 Timothy 3:1- 7). Not everyone can meet the qualifications, and of those who do, few seem to excel at the task. Spiritual shepherdology demands a godly, gifted, multi-skilled man of integrity. Yet he must maintain the humble perspective and demeanor of a boy shepherd.
With the tremendous responsibility of leading God’s flock comes the potential for either great blessing or great judgment. Good leaders are doubly blessed (1 Timothy 5:17), and poor leaders are doubly chastened (v. 20), for “from everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). James 3:1 says, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” end of excerpted article —————-
Much is required of today’s pastors. They lead cold and apathetic congregations, or congregations that are warm but busy, stressed, tired, and often ill. Fewer people are responding to altar calls, and even fewer are stepping up to serve in ministries. They are put upon, leaned on, counted on and sometimes stepped on. Yet they serve their people lovingly and preach the word faithfully every week. They have the world’s most important job in the most difficult times. Love your pastor and support him. Even better, tell him so, and pray for him. Tweethttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jshttp://www.facebook.com/widgets/like.php?href=http://the-end-time.blogspot.com/2011/10/few-good-shepherds.html
UPDATE Here is some more information about Krakatau, present and past.
Erik Klemetti (Professor of Geosciences at Denison University) wrote that the volcano “The volcano had been experiencing a very sharp increase in seismicity, numbering over 6,000-7,000 earthquakes a day (well above the background of 100-300 per day).” He said that quite a number of people had been writing him to alert him to the renewed activity at the volcano. This volcano holds the world’s attention for the reason that its 1883 eruption was one of the loudest and most globally-affecting events in historical times.
The volcano that exists today is actually called Anak Krakatau, or Son of Krakatau, because the cataclysmic explosion of Aug 26-27, 1883 destroyed the volcano completely. Anak has grown in its place.
The website “How volcanoes work” tells the story of Krakatau. “Early in the morning of May 20, 1883, the captain of the German warship Elizabeth reported seeing an ~11-km-high cloud of ash and dust rising above the uninhabited island of Krakatau, thus documenting the first eruption from this Indonesian island in at least two centuries. Over the ensuing two months, crews on commercial vessels and sightseers on charted ships would experience similar spectacles, all of which were associated with explosive noises and churning clouds of black to incandescent ash and pumice. From a distance, the largest of these natural fanfares impressed the local inhabitants on the coastal plains of Java and Sumatra, creating a near-festive environment. Little did they realize, however, that these awe-inspiring displays were only a prelude to one of the largest eruptions in historic times. A series of cataclysmic explosions began at mid-day on August 26, and ended on August 27 with a stupendous paroxysmal eruption. On this day, the northern two-thirds of the island collapsed beneath the sea, generating a series of devastating pyroclastic flows and immense tsunamis that ravaged adjacent coastlines. The events that began on August 26 would mark the last 24 hours on earth for over 36,000 people, and the destruction of hundreds of coastal villages and towns.”
It unleashed one of the most violent explosions mankind had ever seen. The results of that explosion were that the ash spread over the equatorial belt over only two weeks, and stratsopheric effects such as bizarre sunsets and sun haloes and other effects lasted two years and were seen as far away as London. The global temperature dropped be several degrees. The sound of the explosion could be heard 3,000 miles away!
The area near Krakatoa was enveloped in a strange darkness, as dust and particles blasted into the atmosphere blocked sunlight. And as winds in the upper atmosphere carried the dust great distances, people on the other side of the world began to notice the effect. When Krakatau rumbles, the world takes notice. Interesting article here
Prophetically, one begins to see how these events of Rev 6:12-14 would unfold. John wrote- “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”
Since Krakatau’s explosion affected the entire world for years, and affected the optics regarding the sun and moon, one can understand how a bigger volcanic explosion accompanied by a tremendous earthquake at Krakatau, or any volcano, would produce the terrors described in the Revelation verse. —————-update end—————-
video here and I used ‘google translate’ to translate into english.
Son of Krakatoa, Anak Krakatoa, erupts “Village of Mount Krakatau in Pasauran, Cinangka district, Serang regency, Banten, again increasing. Current status of the Son of Krakatoa are at level three alert, and experienced continuous volcanic earthquakes as much as 5773 times. Conditions that have occurred since Friday, September 30 yesterday, with a volcanic earthquake activity continued to increase until today. Elsewhere, conditions in the post monitors located in the Village Pasauran, a little overwhelmed to do the monitoring because of foggy weather conditions. According to the Head of Post Monitoring Child of Krakatoa, Anton, since the status of the Son of Krakatoa in three alert levels, volcanic activity continued to increase until today. (DSY)”
That s the question of the hour from the big thinkers. This article today from Space.com
Are Aliens Part of God’s Plan, Too? Finding E.T. Could Change Religion Forever “The discovery of intelligent aliens would be mind-blowing in many respects, but it could present a special dilemma for the world’s religions, theologians pondering interstellar travel concepts said Saturday (Oct. 1). Christians, in particular, might take the news hardest, because the Christian belief system does not easily allow for other intelligent beings in the universe, Christian thinkers said at the 100 Year Starship Symposium, a meeting sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to discuss issues surrounding traveling to other stars. In other words, “Did Jesus die for Klingons too?” as philosophy professor Christian Weidemannof Germany’s Ruhr-University Bochum titled his talk at a panel on the philosophical and religious considerations of visiting other worlds.” more at link
A ‘special dilemma’? LOL. ‘Religious considerations of visiting other worlds?’ “I come in peace. Take me to your pastor.” ROFL
First of all, extra-terrestrials DO exist. Off- earth, intelligent life, having superior capabilities than humans, a higher intellect, and a raised vibration even, are all around us. They visit the earth every day. They are angels.
The article continues:
“Aliens and religion can still coexist”
“Weidemann, a self-described protestant Christian, suggested some possible solutions. Perhaps extraterrestrials aren’t sinners, like humans, and therefore aren’t in need of saving. However, the principle of mediocrity — the idea that your own example is most likely typical unless you have evidence to the contrary — casts doubt on this, he pointed out. “If there are extraterrestrial intelligent beings at all, it is safe to assume that most of them are sinners too,” Weidemann said. “If so, did Jesus save them too? My position is no. If so, our position among intelligent beings in the universe would be very exceptional. “Another possibility is that God incarnated multiple times, sending a version of himself down to save each inhabited planet separately.”
“So, what does the Bible say? The earth and mankind are unique in God’s creation. Genesis 1 teaches that God created the earth before He even created the sun, the moon, or the stars. Acts 17:24, 26 states that “the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands…he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.”
“Originally, mankind was without sin, and everything in the world was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). When the first man sinned (Genesis 3), the result was problems of all sorts, including sickness and death. Even though animals have no personal sin before God (they are not moral beings), they still suffer and die (Romans 8:19-22). Jesus Christ died to remove the punishment that we deserve for our sin. When He returns, He will undo the curse that has existed since Adam (Revelation 21–22). Note that Romans 8:19-22 states that all of creation eagerly waits for this time. It is important to also note that Christ came to die for mankind and that He died only once (Hebrews 7:27; 9:26-28; 10:10).”
“If all of creation now suffers under the curse, any life apart from the earth would also suffer. If, for the sake of argument, moral beings do exist on other planets, then they also suffer; and if not now, then someday they will surely suffer when everything passes away with a great noise and the elements melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10). If they had never sinned, then God would be unjust in punishing them. But if they had sinned, and Christ could die only once (which He did on earth), then they are left in their sin, which would also be contrary to the character of God (2 Peter 3:9). This leaves us with an unsolvable paradox—unless, of course, there are no moral beings outside of the earth.”
“What about non-moral and non-sentient life forms on other planets? Could algae or even dogs and cats be present on an unknown planet? Presumably so, and it would not do any real harm to any biblical text. But it would certainly prove problematic when trying answer questions like “Since all of creation suffers, what purpose would God have in creating non-moral and non-sentient creatures to suffer on distant planets?”
It’s a tough crowd these days, isn’t it? Lots of people are hard of hearing when it comes to Jesus, sin, and things of faith. Atheists and agnostics are heart-hardened, and even more so these days. Liberal Christians are hardened to Jesus, too. They want to stop talking about hell, sin, judgment, and courts, but only speak of love, peace, joy, and freedom. They, and their mouth-pieces, the ACLU and the like, tell Christians to sit down and shut up. Others simply warn, “stop saying that!” But we won’t.
Consider Bartimaeus— [Blind Bartimaeus]began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:47-52)
Son of David was a Messianic title. The blind man’s choice to address Jesus that way was an immediate indicator that the blind man knew who Jesus is. His very next comment was a plea for mercy. Sinners know they need mercy, and this blind man knew he was a sinner, and that Jesus could dispense mercy to him.
But the people were shouting loudly for the blind beggar to sit down and shut up. I can just hear them say, “Hush! You’re making a scene“…when the crowd and the noise and the scene around Jesus must have been unlike any other near Jerusalem, ever! And they were telling the blind man to be quiet, over all that noise…that is how inappropriate they though he was being. But would the blind man be quiet? No. He shouted LOUDER.
Jesus stopped, and He called for them to bring the man to Him. Just as He told the disciples not to shush the children but bring them to Him instead, (Mark 10:14) He ignored the people’s warnings for the man to be quiet and said for him to be brought.
In the end, the man’s faith had made him well. His faith had saved him.
The world will call for evangelical Christians to be quiet and that is precisely the time when the world most needs to hear of sin, and the remedy for it, Jesus. Keep shouting, make a joyful noise, sing, rejoice, make a clamor! We shout redemption! We shout pardon from sin’s judgment! We shout the cross and Him crucified! Told to be quiet, we shout louder! We have the Good News, we see Jesus coming, we call out, take courage, stand up!
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech 9:9)
“O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.” (Psalm 47:1)
“They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD’s majesty” (Isaiah 24:14)
So, I’m sitting here with a terrible sinusitis thing and my head is pounding. I’m literally wondering if the pressure in my head can be tested, because it certainly seems outsized compared to the size of my head. I feel like I can pressurize a nuclear powered sub all the way to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. And normally I like to think of the big things awaiting me when I ‘get there’, like worshiping Jesus in person, thanking my ministering angels, seeing fellow believers worship in unity and spirit and truth. But today I’m thinking of the smaller things. Like, I won’t ever have sinusitis again. I won’t have to clean my place in New Jerusalem. (I’m speculating on this one). The strawberries won’t go moldy after just two days. I won’t have to worry about what to wear. I will never have to deal with kitty litter again. Because when my head is pounding, those are the biggest thoughts I can muster.
But I’m so grateful that HE has big thoughts. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8). And frankly isn’t that a huge relief? He is sovereign, controlling all. Large and in charge. For example, I was listening to a sermon on Job 1. The preacher was talking about how God was in charge of that whole situation, limiting satan and allowing only this and that. God says to satan “Have you considered my servant Job?” and it occurred to me, satan didn’t say “Job who?” Satan knows the Godly. Satan’s response indicated he knew Job, knew of God’s hedge around him, knew even how many flocks Job had and where they grazed. Satan knew Job, likely had been trying to get at him for a long time. Do you think satan knows you? I hope so. And I mean that in a good way.
Alternately, when the demons met the Jewish exorcists of Sceva, look at what happened. “But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:13-15.) Ouch.
If you are going through a trial, know that it might well be because satan knows you, and that is a good thing. It means you are being effective for the Kingdom. Know that God is in charge of it all, even if satan is hounding you. And we know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). And if His thoughts are above our thoughts, His purposes are above our purposes, and His purposes are good.
I can’t wait to get to New Jerusalem. I heard one sermon recently from Steve Hadley, and Steve preached about the New Jerusalem. He said that it is unfortunate that many translations put the word “mansions” in for “place.” He said, “we don’t get a mansion. It’s not like we show up at the gates and Peter is there with a map to a subdivision, saying, ‘Go down Glory Street and take your first left, your house is 1212 Faith Lane.” He said we will dwell WITH Lord and that means with. We’ll all be together in one place, with God.
There was this Australian engineer that added up the dimensions of New Jerusalem as given in Revelation. He found that the city is two million, two hundred and fifty thousand, square miles. Or 93 million acres. By contrast, London is 140 sq miles. So a city that big at the same density of population as London could hold a one hundred billion people. The ground level of the city will be nearly two million square miles, which is forty times bigger than England. And we will all love the Lord, forever, together.
