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Thursday, July 3, 2008
5:49:11 PM EDT
Happy Birthday America
God Bless all our troops- past, present and future who have made it possible for me to live free in America~
God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever
Thomas Jefferson
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
Benjamin Franklin June 28, 1787
We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.
(Quote attributed to James Madison in 1778)
From George Washington to his troops- July 9, 1776:
The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country.
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary."
James Madison
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He hasrefused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock
New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Written by lifesabench6
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
9:28:01 PM EDT
More From From Matthew 24- Famines Updated
From Matthew 24
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
Last time I posted the prophecy concerning famines, I said, One thing I will never claim is that I'm a prophet. Unless God gives me the gift of prophecy, any opinions that I give, remain just that- opinions. That said, as I was thinking about the above verses, I was thinking about the first, famine, in that it is not only physical famine, or lack of food, but also spiritual famine- lack of belief and/or faith. Let me explain what I mean here. Famine as Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary explains is 1) A widespread scarcity of food, 2) scarcity of anything. We are used to seeing pictures of people around the world when there is a famine from food- sad pictures of little kids with extended stomachs, surviving on very little if anything every day. The mothers looking as frail and skinny as skeletons. This kind of famine is unfortunately a typical way of life in many poor countries around the world- many countries who's leaders could avoid slow starvation of their people, but for power or egotistical reasons, refuse. Places like North Korea, who's Kim Il Jong would rather spend any moneys coming into the country on building up the military, acquiring nuclear arms and putting dissenting citizens in concentration camps. Places like Rwanda, Somalia, Zimbabwe and Sudan, where people are terrorized because of their religion, or who are caught between opposing militias trying to gain political power often lead to the innocent men, women and children having to either leave their homes and belongings, or being burned our driven out by warlords. Some places suffer for lack of water and crops, insect infestations and other catastrophes. Places such as Burma where people suffer because the junta won't allow foreign aid after a huge disaster. For many decades, it has been countries like the USA who have been at the forefront of sending aid to these countries, tons of bags of wheat, rice and other food stuffs. Now, we are seeing problems in this country- in that some places are experiencing over farming and soil erosion, some places are experiencing insect or other natural disasters. Major flooding in recent weeks in the US heartland is wiping out corn and other crops. There will definitely be famines and food shortages to come, possibly worse than anything ever experienced in the world.
We're now seeing the food shortages all around the globe which are leading to riots. Skyrocketing prices due to a mix of the global warming hoopla and major crops of corn going towards a questionable "green friendly" fuel sources. A growing Asian economy and demand for more wheat, corn and beef is leading to shortages world wide. Shortages and high prices of the basic fertilizers needed by farmers. Crop failures in places like Australia, crops plowed under for corn and the high cost of feed for cattle and chicken and other animals is raising the price for eggs, cheese, milk and beef. Oil prices through the roof is making transport of everything from basic fruits and veggies, meat and dairy is making the cost of food almost unaffordable for many poor,even in the US. Add all of these together with new strains of disease such as salmonella and E coli, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where this is all heading. It's only going to get worse.
As for spiritual famines, I believe we have been seeing this for decades- both inside and out of the Christian church. See my previous entries of the slow demise of the church and how culture is influencing the church more than what it should be-which is the other way around. It has been the Church's calling to influence culture by spreading the Gospel and loving people by the Truth. Even in recent news that over 50 percent of Americans polled who say they are evangelical Christians don't even believe in the main points of being a Christian. They don't believe in a literal hell, they don't believe in a literal second coming of Christ and as for Christ, they do not even believe that He is the only way to the Father. Many, many christians believe in the biggest fraud of all time- that there are many paths to heaven. They don't read their Bibles enough, nor do they receive proper and true Biblical teachings and training, so it is not shock that many people who believe they are christians believe what if contrary to the Biblical truths. Our churches, all around the world are facing a serious spiritual Famine- which Jesus talked about when He warned that many would fall away from the faith, and that even the elect could be deceived by false teachers and prophets. For people to claim to be Christian- one would have to believe all of which Jesus Christ taught and said. We can not put Jesus in a box, that is, we can't conform Him to what we would like Him to be. He is the One and only begotten Son of God- He is God the Son, He told His followers about hell, and He told us what to watch for before He comes again. He is the only way to eternal peace with our Father in Heaven. He is the Way the Truth and the Life. I read many interesting stories during the past few years that are not all that uncommon, that show the spiritual starvation of so many people, that they are not being fed the Truth of the Gospel, so they are turning elsewhere to be fed, or they are sampling from the 'smorgasbord' of beliefs that are available. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness with a loaf of bread, His answer to Satan was "Man can not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Jesus was and is talking about God Almighty- not new age gurus, not Mohammed, not Rev. Moonie, not the new Hollywood craze of Kabala,not any and every other god- but The God- author of all time, the beginning, the end and everlasting creator of the Universe. Jesus knows that people can survive physically on food, but without His Word, people will die spiritually- from famine. For those who equate Jesus as just one of the many good teachers or prophets of ages past, another enlightened and good teacher- He believes in the God Breathed Book of Holy Scriptures. He knows that the Bible is Truth, or He wouldn't have quoted it so much. Therefore, either He was a liar, quoting something He knew to be corrupt or nothing more than fairy tales, some book that could be changed or interpreted according to societal and cultural changes, or He is who He says He is. It is your choice in which to believe, but how can a good teacher, or enlightened prophet be a liar?
Written by lifesabench6
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Wednesday, June 25, 2008
12:54:55 PM EDT
OBAMANATION: SOME EVANGELICALS WANT THIS MAN AS THEIR PRESIDENT? ...aggressively supporting the death of unborn children IS a deal breaker beloved
Consider this as you consider this:
For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Youreyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. -Psalm 139:13-16
HT: James White Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com Read and post feedback
Written by lifesabench6
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Monday, June 23, 2008
9:50:30 PM EDT
Feeling Angry
Racism and Hate Crimes
I know that I've been kind of jumping from topic to topic lately. I know that there are many of us who see all of this as part of a larger picture- but I still find myself getting angry about certain things which I see as lying, deceitful and manipulative. Things that effect not only a few people- but which affect much of the population of this country. I have two things on my mind this evening which have made me angry. Not surprised, unfortunately, but angry that these things are happening- even though the Bible warns us that things will get worse. But just because we know they will get worse, doesn't mean we can't still show emotions such as anger and a profound sadness for a world of lost people. Does that make sense?
First item, I am angry that the first Black presidential candidate, someone who claims he will unite this country, someone who claims that he can be for all people- is basically saying that the Republican party is racist.
Now, am I taking something out of context here? I don't think so. In a recent speech, Obama said the following,
"We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid. They're going to try to make you afraid of me. They're going to say you know what, "He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. Did I mention he's black?"
OK, I have to agree with the inexperienced part- and yes, his name is full of mystery because he doesn't like to have people reminded of his Muslim roots. But- I could care less what color the man is. Most conservatives, Christians and republicans that I know have never made this a race issue! It is repugnant to me that all race related issues that have come up in this campaign, have all come from the liberal democrats! Need I remind some of these people, that much of anything having to do with race, race baiting and hatred for other races have not been engrained in the republican party? Need I, a foreigner to this wonderful country, remind some of those that it was Lincoln's Republican party that put an end to slavery? It was the democrats that ordered batons, water hoses and large dogs on the peaceful protests throughout Birmingham and Selma? The democrats who fought against Brown vs Board of Education (scroll down to the social implications and look through the names). Much has been made of of seemingly racist republicans, but hardly a word spoken about such racism of democrats- one, which still serves in the Senate, one Robert Byrd, D, W.V.
Now, why am I bringing all of this up? Just to show that many liberals have been playing the race card for a long time. It just used to be a lot more popular back in the old days. I wrote a post a while ago about the race thing. It makes me angry when white people lump all black people in a group, and it makes me angrier when blacks do the same with white. Why angrier? Is it because I really am racist? No- it's because when white do it- it is racist, but when blacks do it- it's either black pride, or their just due. I get tired of the race thing, no matter where it comes from. And when it comes from Obama- the one who disses his white grandmother who raised him, who "forgets" his white roots, who spends 20 years listening to anti American, anti Semitic and anti white rhetoric from a so called pastor, who surrounds himself with and I quote again, "To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. TheMarxist professors and structural feminists." One who says things like, "The point I was making was not that Grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn't. But she is a typical white person..." and "That’s just how white folks will do you." Then this same Obama turns around and claims to be a uniter, rallying against fear mongering, and divisiveness, before saying that republicans will make this a race thing because he's black- that is just a disgusting, and audacious thing to say. The fact that the media makes a thing about it- claiming that Obama is smart to bring this up and make it funny, fawning all over him as usual, is the scary part of this whole Obamessiah campaign. It really disgusts me, but I am not surprised, as the Bible warns us, that among other things, people will be lovers of money, boastful, proud, ungrateful, unforgiving and slanderous. And in Obamessiah's case, having a form of godliness,but denying it's power.
Second thing that's making me angry is I hear a story this evening about a violent attack on an 86 year old local woman. She was attacked in her own home, buy two guys. One punched her in the face before she was raped. The only thing that savedher was that she pressed the button on her medic alert necklace, that alerted 911. Now- would you say this is a hateful crime? One that was based on hate? I may be naive at times, but I can not see this as anything but hate. Hate and evil in the hearts of the men who did this.
Now, what, may I ask, would be the difference between an attack like this on a poor defenseless old woman, and if it happened against a gay person? Naive me, I don't see a difference. Both would to me, be hateful attacks. Well- there just may be a difference someday if the National Hate crimes bill ever passes. I've talked about this too- and for now, it's not on the table, but make no mistake- the liberals will bring it back. they will keep bringing it back until it is passed.
Why am I talking about this now- and what does it have to do with what happened to this poor woman? Well, if they ever catch the degenerates which did this to her- they will certainly serve jail time. I am not really an eye for an eye type of person, but I really think jail is too good for these people, but I digress. Say, they will serve 20 years for assault and 20 for sexual battery. If the same thing happened to a person who happened to be homosexual, they would serve 40 years, plus 40 years, only because it is perceive to be a hate crime because of the victims sexual preferences.
I ask what the heck is the difference? Hate is hate people. As long as people live in sin and have hate in their hearts, there will be hateful, evil crimes. Only when we start to catagorize levels of hate, do people have lines blurred about what is truly good and just. The Bible talks about what is truly good and just- but if this bill passes some day, people will not be allowed to hear the whole message of the most true, good and righteous Judge- Jesus Christ, because, you see, in many countries where they have hate crimes laws- His Word is considered hateful.
Some day, I won't have to be angry with perverted, nonsensical and deceitful behaviors anymore. I look forward to that time when the One who made us and the One who saved us will rule in His perfect peace.
Written by lifesabench6
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
10:44:19 PM EDT
From Matthew Chapter 24
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
One would have to be hiding in a cave for the last century not to see what turmoil this world has been in. While there have always been wars, in the last century there were more wars than in all the last 2000 years total. When World War 1 came upon the scene, I'm sure those who lived and fought in it thought that it really would be the war to end all wars. Same with World War 2. Since that time, not only have there been wars between nations, but civil wars and wars between government- dictators and their own people. Untold billions have been slaughtered all over the earth due to war and evil atheistic dictatorships.
While I hate war- the one we are currently fighting, and any other kind of war- I know that there will be no true peace as long as man continues to live for himself without a belief in God or a savior, which is Jesus. While man continues to believe he can solve his own problems, control his own fate, we will constantly be at war with some one else. Why do I believe this? Because when people believe their own viewpoint only- religious or not, there is no standard to say who is right or wrong. There is no rule to follow- if everyone believes they are right and have all the answers- yet on the other side, those believe they are right and the other wrong. Some believe if we only did away with all religions the world would be a better place and war and bloodshed would stop. Unfortunately, this will never happen, and war would not stop even if it did. While there has been a lot of war in the name of religion, there has actually been more blood spilled in the name of humanism and human reasoning-with no thought of a 'higher' intelligence. Some who believe in evolution, that survival of the fittest and we are evolving into a better race of people only need to look at the world today to see there are serious flaws in this thinking. If people have been evolving since the big bang or apes or whatever we supposedly came from, we would be a better society now than 100 or 1000 years ago. This is not true, as we only have found better and more effective ways in which to kill or maim each other. If the survival of the fittest theory was fact, then we would not have sickness or disease. Again, with many newer strains and more deadly diseases than ever have been killing millions in the past 100 years. The world is sick, but there is only One Healer. Just because Bible believing Christians trust in Jesus Christ as the ultimate peace maker, healer and redeemer, does not make us those who are causing war. Our beliefs are totally opposite to every other religious and philosophical belief, and as I have said, as long as there are differing opinions and beliefs- someone will always be wrong. Some will always believe their way is the only way, but some of those will stop at nothing, not even war and murder to try and prove their point. At this time in history, It is not the Bible believing Christians who are the ones trying to cause war and rumors of war, but our beliefs are driving many others to make war.
I wish there was no war. Ever. I can't stand to see people fighting as if we were no better than animals. War is brutal and bloody and contrary to who we are as God's children made in His image. However- that said, I do believe in fighting against evil, and that's a lot of what war is. Plain evil. It's when people no longer believe in the standard of right and wrong that people think all fighting is bad, and that there are no good guys or bad guys. That's what's been happening during the past 10 years- or even longer if you look at those who sympathized with the north Vietnamese during that war. It's sad and a little frightening when you hear people calling Islamic terrorists things like freedom fighters and American soldiers as occupiers. It's disturbing to say the least when people actually believe that America deserved what happened on September 11, 2001- and feel that groups like al quaida had a good reason for murdering all those people and those they've slaughtered since then. When there is no such thing as evil to many people, for them, there is no standard in which to judge what's good.
With this war, many believe we don't belong, and congress have been thinking of any way they can to bring our soldiers home. Unfortunately, now that the surge called for by President bush and some of our most trusted Generals is working, we have our esteemed politicians giving credit NOT to our troops- but to sworn enemies such as Iran for cutting down on the amount of IED's and other weapons going into Iraq. If it is not Iraq that if we quit too soon, it will be Iran- of which rumor has been going around that they are close to involving themselves through their new nuclear capacities, into war with Israel and the USA.
Then there is North Korea. As so many would like to believe them when they say for food and financial aid, they will stop developing nuclear weapons, one only has to go a short trip back to a decade and a half and know them to be liars. When Kim Il Jong would choose to treat so many of his own people with such hatred and in a dispassionate way, why would he care about those of us in the west.
Last, but least, we have countries such as Zimbabwe with warring political crazy people, China with their 2 hundred million strong army, Syria and all the terrorists surrounding Israel. Many of our esteemed politicians like to remind us to no end that so many countries dislike or hate the USA. This is true, but not because of our policies- although that does play apart, I'm sure. The real reason is because it is keeping with the prophecies of the Holy Bible, and since the US has always been a main player on the world's stage for the past 200 years, it will be involved until either this country ceases to exist as she has, or because we will always be willing to aid our neighbors in their time of need.
I still pray for peace, but I know because of the Word of God- there will be no true peace until Jesus comes back and makes all things new. Until then, these are the beginning of the birth pangs He talks about when we will see war and hear rumors of war- and because of Bible prophecy- it would be imperative to keep your eyes on what happens in Israel, especially Jerusalem- a place that He said all will fight over. With all that's happening these days, I wouldn't pass these prophecies off as fantasy. If you do, you just might find yourself too deep in a place where you won't be able to save yourself. That's what Jesus has offered already.
Written by lifesabench6
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Friday, June 20, 2008
12:48:27 PM EDT
My Sentiments Exactly!
2012: TEOTWAWKI
Witnessing Tools Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Jack Kinsella - Omega Letter Editor If you are a Christian, and you believe that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled in this generation, then you are probably the oddball in your church.
In fact, scratch 'probably'. It is pretty much a dead-bang certainty that you are. It is fascinating to me that a person can be pro-choice, anti-Israel, pro-gay marriage, and be labeled a 'Christian progressive'.
But if you believe that God not only knows the future, but recorded it for us in advance, well, then you're a nut.
Most Christians are ok with the idea that God created the universe. Whether or not they accept it as a literal 'creation' or some kind of modified evolutionary scheme notwithstanding, few Christians would argue that creation is beyond God's power.
For reasons nobody has ever been able to logically articulate to me, Christians have no problem agreeing that the First Advent of Jesus Christ was prophesied.
But prophecies pointing to His Second Advent are merely symbolic and not to be taken literally. If YOU do, then you are a nut.
There are some churches, on the other hand, that are wholly given over to the study of Bible prophecy for the last days. If you are a member of a church like that, not only are YOU a nut, but you probably belong to a cult.
If you wanted to draw a cartoon in which you wanted one of the characters to be instantly recognized as being a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, the most recognizable way would be to draw a guy with a long beard wearing a burnoose and brandishing a sign saying, "Repent! The end is near!"
And that's just the way the subject is treated by other Christians. To the world, if you study Bible prophecy, you are probably not just crazy, but dangerous.
If you believe Nostradamus knew the future, you're a harmless eccentric, if you believe the Mayans calculated The End of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) you are an historian. If you believe St Malachy, you are a Catholic theologian.
But if you believe that the God of the Universe has a Divine Plan that culminates with the judgment of mankind during the Tribulation Period, based entirely on a literal reading of His Word, then there's something wrong with you.
The Mayan Indians, whose culture died out 1400 years ago, developed a complex calendar system that continues to fascinate scientists to this day.
The Mayan Calendar divides the history of man into five distinct 'ages' and this present age is scheduled to end exactly at 11:11 am (Greenwich Mean Time), on 24 December, 2012. The Mayans believed that on that date and time, the world as we know it will end with the final destruction of mankind on the earth.
Nostradamus is credited with having predicted the 9/11 attacks as kicking off the end of days. According to one celebrated 'quatrain' a King of Terror wearing a blue turban will attack 'the "Great City", etc., etc.
Although his most famous quatrain makes reference to the 'King of Terror' "in the seventh month of 1999" and the 9/11 attacks took place in the 9th month of 2000, for Nostradamus fans, that was close enough.
An 12th-century Irish priest recorded a prophecy in which he allegedly named the rest of the Popes in human history, from Celestine II (1143-1144) to the last pope at the end of the world.
According to St. Malachy, there would be exactly 112 Popes. Malachy predicted the second last Pope would be called 'a Benedictine.' I wrote about St Malachy's 'Benedictine prophecy' in April, 2005, as the new Pope was being selected.
Cardinal Ratzinger chose, as his papal name, "Pope Benedict the XVI". According to St Malachy, the Benedictine's reign will be short, (Ratzinger is in his 80's) and he will be succeeded by the last Pope, "Peter the Great."
The various adherents of the Mayans, Nostradamus, St Malachy (and there are others) all share the same basic worldview that could be paraphrased thusly: let every man be true and God a liar.
All the various secular 'prophets' prove is that Satan knows his time is short. There is a singular difference between secular prophecies and Bible prophecy that reveals the source of the information.
Secular prophecies can only 'predict' events, not outcomes. Bible prophecy tells how they turn out. "I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." (Isaiah 46:9b-10a)
Satan is the universe's master deceiver. His ultimate goal is to be received as God. Only God is capable of prophecy.
But Satan has a counterfeit plan of his own, and he has had six thousand years to develop it. Since he knows what he has planned, it is no trick to reveal the plan to some secular 'prophet'. Satan doesn't know how his plan will turn out, any more than any other created being, but he DOES know what he has in mind.
From our dimension of time, it seems like prophecy. Remove the element of time, and what seem now to be prophecy would no more than the outline of a plan.
Extra-Biblical prophecies, are part of that overall plan to counterfeit the miracles of God, so that, one day, " he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2nd Thessalonians 2:4)
If one examines the extra-Biblical prophecies for the truth they contain, rather than looking for the sensational, what what learns is that it isn't just prophecy nuts who believe in Bible prophecy. Satan believes it, too, or he wouldn't be trying to counterfeit it.
What it DOES establish is that even Satan has an idea of the time of the end -- and Satan thinks it will be some time around 2012.
We know that, of the day and hour, no man knoweth, but we are told we WILL know that it is 'near, even at the doors.' And from that time, Jesus tells us,
"Verily I say unto thee, this generation shall not pass, until ALL these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:34)
TEOTWAWKI on December 24, 2012? I don't think so. But soon?
No doubt about it
Written by lifesabench6
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
11:51:38 PM EDT
What a Pile of Hot Air!
A few days ago, I was visiting Tom's Blog, and commented on my anger at the whole "green thing". I am so tired of being told by Hollywood and political yahoos to reduce my carbon footprint. I explained my "greeness". Now, I can imagine that I could do better, and I do try to work for a better stewardship of what God has given me, even though I do NOT believe in the theory of global warming/ climate change as being caused by humans.
There is much scientific debate to whether the earth is warming or cooling- which makes the theory of climate change better to swallow, but still much evidence shows this to be a natural fluctuation that has happened all through out history- if one would actually look at the evidence. Contrary to what blowhards such as algore like to tell us, human beings are not killing the earth- there are many contributing factors to the changes which are happening. From sunspots to volcanic eruptions, which produce way more toxic gasses than cars.
However, I don't want to debate on whether or not global warming is true. What I am so sick of is hypocrisy.
Algore and his cronies love to tell the average joe and jill how to buy into environmentally friendly cars and light bulbs, how to reduce our footprints by buying offsets- which are heavily invested in by algore and co. all the while not doing much in their own lifestyles to change their own "footprints", excepts for maybe buying offsets, which in algores case, giving money back to himself in profits.
Now, my family lives out in the country. I have a small car, which does not take our two mile dirt road very well. I fill my car up twice as much as I did when I had a jeep. I "car pool" with my mother in law whenever we go shopping. I line dry our laundry- even during hurricane season, or sometimes if it's too flooded, I save up all our dirty clothes and hit the laundromat in town. I use propane gas for cooking. I recycle everything. We recycled all of the stuff that burned down around here during last year's wildfire. We have (had more but the fire burned a good portion) a lot of trees. I grow some of my own food- using natural fertilizers from our hog and chickens ( and we don't have to worry so much about e coli and salmonella poisoning~). I haven't gone on an airplane in over 12 years. Our house is probably smaller than algore's garage. And even in south Florida- where, trust me, it is darned hot in the summer- we don't have air conditioning. We use fans. So. Last month was one of our larger electric bills- at 453 KW hours. The average US household is 11,040 KWH - I'll let you do the math.
I got this report from News Busters. You may remember the flack algore took last year on how much his mansion in Tennessee uses in electric power. His own lifestyle showed that he is an energy hog of global warming proportions. He vowed to do better, admitting that maybe he could go greener in his own home, and vowed also to buy a few more offsets from himself in the meantime. This year, his increase was 10 percent- up from 213,210 KWH !
Mr. Gore, may I make a suggestion to you? Instead of harping on the rest of us who have no extra money to spend on offsets- maybe plant your own trees, get Tipper to invest in a clothesline, and maybe cut back a little on the A/C? At least until then, keep your hot air to yourself, you're contributing to global warming!
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