Friday, April 26, 2013

Discuss the significance of the idioms of the Ram and the He-Goat as they relate to whom they represent. 522 - 9-5

A shofar is a curved ram’s horn and the blowing of it incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Blowing the shofar was used to announce the start of a war perhaps best remembered from Joshua 6:4, “And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.” This gave rise to the song goes, “And the walls came tumbling down.”
 
The goat may be used as a sin sacrifice. It also is an idiom for those who will be condemned during the judgment of the sheep and goats.

The Ram and He-Goat vision of Daniel was in the year 554 BC during the reign of King Belshazzar. In his vision, Daniel was at Shushan in the province of Elam by the river of Ulai, many miles from Babylon. In his vision Daniel saw standing before the river a ram which had two horns one being higher than the other. The two-horned ram would be indicative of the kings of Media and Persia, with Persia being represented by the greater of the two horns. This ram was pushing westward and northward and southward and no beast/ country was able to stand before it including Babylon which fell to the Persian Empire without a battle.

Later in Daniel’s vision a he-goat came from the West running so fast it appeared that his hoofs did not even touch the ground. The he-goat had a horn between his eyes, the symbol of the ancient Macedonians. This beast represented Alexander the Great who conquered the Persian Empire. Later the horn of the he-goat was broken into four representing the four successors of Alexander.

Two years earlier Daniel had another dream/ vision which involved four great beasts that came up out of the sea. Two of these beasts were idioms of those in his present vision. The second beast in that vision looked like a bear that was raised up on one of its sides; a ram with unequal horns. The third beast of this vision looked like a leopard with four wings like those of a bird; a he-goat who hoofs seemed not touch the ground. The leopard had four heads; the break-up of Alexander’s empire. The four head and the broken horn woud be Cassander, Lysimacus, Seleucus and Ptolemy.

The horn was an idiom for Antiochus IV who “subjugated the people and land of Israel, desecrated her temple, interrupted her worship, and demanded for himself the authority and worship that belongs to God.” Antiochus IV was a precursor of the Anti-Christ to come in the Last Days.

Prophecy is history written in advance and so Daniel's prophecies involved the so-called 400 silent years between the last book of the Old Testament and the ministry of John the Baptist.

Contrast Jacob and Esau. How is God's sovereign choice NOT due to His omniscience? 534-2 - 13-3

With thanks to Wikipedia, “Omniscience (pron.: /ɒmˈnɪʃəns/[1]), mainly in religion, is the capacity to know everything that there is to know. In particular, Hinduism and the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) believe that there is a divine being who is omniscient. An omniscient point-of-view, in writing, is to know everything that can be known about a character, including past history, thoughts, feelings, etc. In Latin, omnis means "all" and sciens means "knowing".

I came across this gem as I was reviewing the Book of Daniel for another class, Daniel 2:20-22, "Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.”

When Jacob and Esau’s mother Rebecca was pregnant God told Rebecca Genesis 25:23 “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” Jacob earned his name which means heel grabber; as Rebecca was delivering her son Esau Jacob had a hold of his heel trying to pass him as they exited the womb. Esau (red) became a skillful hunter and a favorite of his father while Jacob stayed closer to home and was favored by his mother.

Romans 9:13, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” God is not confined to our lineal sense of time as he stands outside of it. He knows the beginning from the ending and the ending from the beginning. Add to that God is sovereign and it is up to him who he loves and who he hates. That said, I don’t belief that we serve a capricious God who loves and/or hates without reason. God knew that Esau would value his birthright so little that he would sell it for a bowl of porridge to gratify his carnal appetite of hunger. When Esau cried that he wanted his birthright restored it was too late. Herein lays a lesson for those preferring subsidence for the flesh rather than for the spirit.

Later, Isaac wanted Esau to make him a savory stew and bring it to him and he would give Esau his blessing. Rebecca and Jacob tricked Isaac into giving his blessing to Jacob. Jacob fled his home fearing revenge from Esau. Rebecca told Jacob to go to her brother Lehman where he was in turn tricked by Lehman. Finally Jacob earned Lehman’s daughters Rachel and Leah and between them and two concubines Jacob had 12 sons and one daughter.

Were Rebecca and Jacob really devious or just doing God’s will (election)? IMO, God always intended that His Covenant would pass to Jacob.

How can NOT understanding God's plan for Israel affect our view of the current situation in the Middle East? 534-2 - 13-5

Not understanding God's plan for Israel leads to Replacement theology; the claim that as Israel rejected Jesus as Yeshua she forfeited the promises/ covenants made to her by God and these passed to the Church which became “spiritual Israel.” The concept of replacement theology marginalizes Israel and the Jewish people making it easier for the world to turn its back on the Jews, most notably during the Holocaust. Israel is all too often referred to as the aggressor and occupier of land given to her by an unconditional covenant of God. God will take care of Israel; Psalm 121:4, "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" As for the rest us, Genesis 12:3, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

For centuries America has been blessed by God most likely due to our support of Israel. That support has grown lukewarm and in my opinion, God is spitting us out; World events would indicate that any hedge of protection of God has long since been removed from many other countries and is being removed from American.

A resent panel discussion on the Trinity Broadcasting Network April 5, 2013 featured Bill Salus, Irvin Baxter and Jonathan Cahn; three diverse individuals with three diverse presentations.

http://www.itbn.org/index/detail/lib/Networks/sublib/TBN/ec/ltNzVvYToMaBfuM8seXT3nCAp2KkCSxt
Author and Prophecy Analyst Bill Salus presented a brief review of the Psalm chapter 83 prayer and a little about the Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 scenario. Mr. Salus talked to the defeat of the “inner ring” of Muslim countries which will allow Israel to live in peace and un-walled villages, a prerequisite for Ezekiel Chapter 38 and 39. Mr. Salus authored the book “Revelation Road” that dealt with the fulfillment of Psalm 83. As the narration ended the battle of Psalm had ended, the Church had been Raptured and Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 scenario was beginning. He also authored a book about Psalm 83 as well as a DVD.

Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn is the author of “The Harbinger: the Ancient Mystery that holds the secret of America's Future.” Rabbi Cahn's compared the reaction of the Northern Kingdom to the attack from the Assyrians to our reaction to 9/11 here in the United States. 9/11 was a “first shaking” of America to get our attention and an unanswered call to repent. Along with repenting, I believe it has to do with our turning our back on Israel. Perhaps the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon was another shaking.

Irvin Baxter Jr. is a Pentecostal minister and the founder and president of Endtime Ministries. Pastor Baxter presented his case for a post-trib Rapture and had little to say about Israel’s role in the tribulation. In my opinion, Pastor Baxter is more representative of the Christian community that either Mr. Salus or Rabbi Cahn.

Although TBN head Paul Crouch seemed confused and his son Matt rather uninformed, I’m grateful to TBN for bringing these men together.

Discuss the evil deeds of Antiochus IV and how he foreshadows the Coming World Leader. 522 - 9-6

Antiochus IV, was the son of Antiochus the Great and became the king of Syria (175-164 B.C) after the murder of his brother, Seleucus IV. He called himself Epiphanes, “the god who appears or reveals himself.” Perhaps Antiochus Epiphanes’ greatest claim to fame was his desecration of the Temple that led to the successful Macabbean revolt and the rededication of the Temple, celebrated as Hanukkah.

Antiochus tried to eradicate the Jewish religion and replace it with Greek polytheism. The observance of Jewish laws and practices were forbidden under the pentality of death. Sacrifices to the pagan deities were to be observed in all cities of Judea. Once a month homes were searched and possessing a copy of the Law or having observed the rite of circumcision was punished by death.

Antiochus’ “Abomination of Desolation” was a bridge too far for the Jewish people. With thanks to CM and his commentary “This Generation? Resolving the Olivet Discourse:”

“In Jerusalem on the 15th of Chislev in December 168 B.C. Antiochus “broke the league that he had made” and a pagan altar was built on the Great Altar of Burnt Sacrifices. On the 25th of Chislev (His birthday) a sacrifice was brought on this altar for the first time (1 Macc 1:54,59). He offered a swine in every village (Josephus, Antiquities, XII v4) and erected an idol to Zeus in the Holy of Holies: “a desolating sacrilege” (1 Macc 1:54). He called it the “Temple of Jupiter Olympius” (2 Macc 6:1-7).”

In speaking of the end times during the Olivet discourse Jesus said that the Jewish people were to flee when the Abomination of Desolation took place. Matthew 24:15-16, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understandsmile Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” 
 
The abomination of desolation will be the start of the three and a half year period known as the “Great Tribulation.” Any pretense of his covenant of peace and protection for the Jewish people signed at the start of the tribulation is cast aside and the antichrist will initiate extreme persecution of the Jewish people. The cruelty of Antiochus IV will be minor compared to the cruelty of the antichrist in the last days. Matthew 24:22, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”
As an aside, during 2012 there was attempt to rebrand circumcision as “child abuse” echoes of anti-Semitism after two plus millennium.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Daniel 7:21 and Matthew 16:18 522 - 8-5

Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Daniel 7:21, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;”

In answering this discussion question one should consider the two different groups involved. Jesus was talking to his disciples about the Church. Jesus identifies himself as the rock, the cornerstone of the church. As for the Church, the believers, those of us still alive at the time of the Rapture will be snatched up before the appearance of the antichrist, "The Little Horn."
While we born-again Christians can expect to escape the horrors of the tribulation, already we see discrimination against Christians here in the United States. To get a real flavor of the persecution visited upon Christians in many countries today read the newsletter published by “The Voice of the Martyrs” or visit their website, http://www.persecution.com/.

What of those who are left behind at the time of the rapture? I suspect that any number of them will remember a born-again Christian friend who had warned them about the soon coming of Jesus for his Church. I would expect that many, me included, have left breadcrumbs for family and friends who will be left behind. Several prophetic websites have information for those who are left behind which will no doubt be taken down fairly rapidly after the rapture. However, in the meanwhile people should be able to go to such sources as the Rapture Ready website and read some very helpful information dealing with what happened and why they missed it and what they can do to make sure that they don't fall under the spell of the antichrist. The Rapture Ready website has a section titled “Information For Those Left Behind.”

Those left behind will possibly consist of several groups. Perhaps the largest group will be those who are totally deluded by the antichrist and take his mark thereby assuring their condemnation for eternity. Another group will be the militants and the preppers who survive the tribulation. As an aside, today there is quite a market in building shelters and storing up massive amount of foods against the coming evil that most people seem to intuitively feel is coming. Within this group will be the saved and the unsaved. Those who are saved will go into the millennium. The final group would be called the Tribulation Saints against whom the antichrist will prevail. These are the people that come to faith during the tribulation and refuse to take the mark preferring a quick bite of the blade and then spending an eternity with Jesus.

A week of Creepiness 522 - 8-8

We’re only three days into this week at just seems like a pervasive feeling that something evil is afoot is invading my personal space. It is not the weirdness of the people around me, although Southern California has its share of weird people, it's just a feeling of impending evil. Perhaps it was brought on in part by the fact that this week is the remembrance of the Holocaust.
I “Liked” and shared a post, “Holocaust lessons that don't force guilt or anger? Yes, for Jew and gentile alike,” by Dennis Prager.” Dennis Prager is always a voice of reason in an unreasonable world. Replacement Theology and the Christians who either didn't speak up or used anti-Semitic slurs are at fault as well as the Nazi. Also, I've read that the Roman Catholic Church had a mutually beneficial agreement with the Nazi. The US refused to bomb the railways leading into death camps and the ship that made it to the American shore was turned away. Today there is a rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric. In this upside-down world it is helpful to remember, Psalm 121:4, "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

There has been so much activity coming out of Rome with the advent of a new pope, Francis I. I’m trying to reconcile the book "Petrus Romanus: The Final Pope is Here,” by Tom Horn and Cris Putnam with the fact that the name Francis I simply is not Peter. Saint Francis of Assisi's original name was Francesco di Pietro di Bernardone, a rather weak link to the name Peter. However, Francis I is a Jesuit and really strange stuff seems to co-exist with the Jesuits, the people who, in part, brought you the Great Inquisition.

As I was surfing the Internet I came across a description of Tom Horn’s new book, “Exo-Vaticana: Petrus Romanus, Project LUCIFER, and the Vatican's astonishing exo-theological plan for the arrival of an alien savior.” According to Rebecca Boyle of Popular Science Magazine, “L.U.C.I.F.E.R., which stands for “Large Binocular Telescope Near-infrared Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research,” is a chilled instrument attached to a telescope in Arizona. And yes, it’s named for the Devil, whose name itself means “morning star” [and which] happens to be right next to the Vatican Observatory on Mt. Graham in Tucson.”

I ordered the book and meanwhile I'm reading it online. Sure seems like “The Times of the Gentiles” is heating up. Rather than Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” it will be an alien come to evangelize us humans, you think?
I also found a free download of John Foxe’s very informative “Book of Martyrs,” a topic for another time. For now the Internet is a goldmine to be explored and files copied against the day…..

Daniel prayed three times daily with his window open toward Jerusalem. Paul tells us to "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thess 5:17)... 522 - 7-4

“The tallit, Jewish prayer shawl, is worn over the outer clothes during the morning prayers (Shacharit) and worn during all prayers on Yom Kippur. The tallit has special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners. Most traditional tallitot are made of wool. Tallitot are often first worn by children on their Bar Mitzvahs. In orthodox, Ashkenazi circles, a Tallit is customarily presented to a groom before marriage as part of the dowry.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallit.

Although Daniel knew that being seen praying could cost him his life he followed his daily practice of donning his prayer shawl, opening his window and facing Jerusalem as he prayed three times a day. I feel confident that Daniel also prayed ceaselessly throughout the day.

To me there is value both in prescribed prayer time with God and with praying ceaselessly. I pray both as I wake up and as I go to bed. Often in the morning I comment to God that we are still here rather than having been rapture during the night. At night I often suggest that this would be a wonderful night for Jesus to come and rapture his Church. I also pray silently several times a day. I may pray for Israel or maybe something as simple as a thank you. While most of my prayers are silent, when I am enjoying a meal in public with my BAC friends we do offer a quiet prayer of Thanksgiving.

Jesus had quite a bit to say about prayer in the book of Matthew. He referred to the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites.

Matthew 6:5-6, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

Perhaps by downing a prayer shawl the Jewish supplicant is entering a facsimile to his closet.
Matthew 26:5-7, "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi."

Luke 12:3, “Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
What a wonderful testament this is to the power of prayer spoken quietly to God.

Added later:

Here Jesus could be speaking to the Roman Catholic Church known for repetition in their liturgy. Matthew 6:7 "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” And what could be more pagan and repetitious then the hundreds of repetition of Hail Mary? I was surprised by the following article that included: “The New Testament depicts Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant, the New Eve, the Temple Gate surrounding the New Temple, Christ, and the builder of that New Temple.”

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross” – Fulfillment of Prophecy! 522 - 7-8

I was able to get back to my home in Arizona for four wonderful days and attended Good Friday service, Resurrection Sunday morning service and Sunday evening fellowship. During the fellowship service, Pastor Bruce talked about “The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross.” I was inspired to look into some of the prophecies that were fulfilled while Jesus hung on that cross.

# 1. Forgiveness: Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Numbers 15:26, “And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.”
Psalm 22:18, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

#2. Salvation: Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

#3. Relationship: John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Psalm 69:8 “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.”

#4 Abandonment: Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

#5 Distress: John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

Psaml 69:20, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

#6 Reunion John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

#7 Triumph: Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”

Discuss what path the center of world religions has taken and where it may end in the End-Times scenario according to Zechariah 5:5-11.522 - 6-4

I remember seeing a movie starring Burt Lancaster years ago titled "The Prince." He made a statement that has stuck with me through the decades, “Things must change so that they may remain the same.” This certainly could be said of Babylon. It seems that in the final days Babylon will come full circle.
 
Babylon is mentioned over 300 times in the Bible. It was the capital of the 1st World Dictator, Nimrod/ Rebel, meaning "a mighty hunter in defiance of the Lord." Babylon is expected to be the capital of the Last World Dictator. Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” So while not a king I’ll still search out the matter.

Pride and defiance in the face of God certainly gets people in trouble again and again. However, it just seems to be what fallen man does. And of course God has the last word. Genesis 11:6-9, “And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

Fast forward to the time of Belshazzar and “The handwriting on the wall” Babylon fell, however, the destruction of Babylon as prophesied in Isaiah 13, 14 and Jeremiah 50, 51 has not occurred. The early and simple gospel of Jesus was lost in the maze of church liturgy. The church of Pergamos represents the marriage of the early church to the pagan world followed by the medieval Church of Thyatira with its primary location in Rome. Revelation 17-18 sure seems to refer to the Roman Catholic Church as Mystery Babylon. In the final days, the Roman Catholic Church will morph into a one world religion (harlot) and will be relocated to Babylon.

As for the ultimate fate of the harlot, Zechariah 5:5-11 speaks to a woman labeled as wickedness being transported in ephah by two women having wings of a stork, an unclean bird. The woman was “To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.” The ephah represents a measurement of volume and a talent of lead represents a weight. To me this is a little reminiscent of Belshazzar; Daniel 5:27, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting being weighed and found wanting."

Damage Done by Christians with a Weak Hermeneutics 522 - 6-8

A weak Hermeneutics leads one to an allegorical hermeneutic which in turn will tend one toward Amillennialism. This can lead one to the heresy of “Replacement Theology" and to the view that:

1. Israel forfeited her promises when she rejected her Messiah

2. The promises to Abraham passed to the Church

3. All the Old Testament covenants were conditional

Bill O'Reilly of Fox news has, as I understand it, the most popular show on cable TV. Actually I think he has surpassed network channels as well. I usually watch and enjoy his show but I've noticed a trend lately. I think the history series “The Bible” has been making him nervous. Of course he's a Catholic and talks about attending Catholic school as a child and has even written a book about it. What is disturbing to me is that he referred to the Old Testament as mostly allegorical. I kind of tapped my ear to be sure I heard him correctly and then again a few nights ago he repeated this. Bill was interviewing Roma Downey and her husband Mark Burnett about their production of the miniseries, The Bible" on the History Channel. He tried in every way possible to get a rise from them by again saying the Old Testament was allegorical. I seem to recall that Bill even asked Roma if she believed in creation all that “stuff.” He obviously was looking for a reaction from her, however, she answered in a positive but non-argumentative way, indicating that she considers the Bible to be the word of God.

What is disturbing is the fact that Bill O'Reilly is so popular and is a professing Christian who is denying biblical truth. I've said before that I'm less concerned about the damage done by atheists than I am by those who profess to be Christians and then speak the lies of the father of liars.

As a discussion question in session 5 I wrote about missed Opportunities in the mini-series, “The Bible” and was rather critical about the many missed opportunities. "The first three of five episodes of the miniseries 'The Bible' ignored most messianic prophecies so an opportunity to lend more credibility to the divinity of Jesus was missed. The prophecy of Isaiah concerning the virgin birth was about the only messianic prophecy I caught. While beautifully done, the manger scene was reminiscent of the Christmas pageants of my childhood."
 
So while the miniseries "The Bible" left much to be desired from the standpoint of ignoring fulfilled prophecies, it certainly did get much of mainstream America involved in the story. Good for you Roma Downey and your husband and shame on you Bill O'Reilly.

How are the Gentiles to relate to the Jew? How do you relate to Israel today? 534-1 - 12-3

So how should Gentiles relate to the Jew; in my opinion, with gratitude. The Jew gave us the Word of God and the gift of Jesus. Jesus was born to Jewish parents in a Jewish part of the world. I find that many who call themselves Christians, including the clergy, gloss over the Old Testament in favor of the New Testament. Perhaps this is to hopefully ignore the Jewish roots of our Savior, Yeshua and to claim the covenants God has with Israel through the heresy of Replacement Theology.
 
I relate to Israel both in obedience to God and in gratitude; obedience as God tells us in Genesis 12:3, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" and in gratitude to God, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Someday we'll all be judged by God and, as for me, I expect to be judged at the Bema Seat Judgment. Hopefully I will not be found wanting and sent to the place of outer darkness. However, I expect that I will be at the feet of Jesus prostate and ashamed of my many failings.
What so many who openly or covertly hate Israel and survived the tribulation do not understand is that they will face the Sheep and Goat Judgment. CM points out that Matthew 25:40 relates to how we treated His people Israel, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Today I relate to Israel with concern for their physical safety and their salvation. God will protect His chosen people; however, they are under open and nearly constant attack by their Islamic enemies and by the more subtle undermining by most people on planet earth today. I openly and verbally defend Israel and often point out that they have 1/10 of 1% of the landmass that the Muslims have. And that even that little bit of land is unacceptable to the Muslims. Over the years I have contributed to various Christian/Jewish causes and would like to do more. I pray for the peace of Israel knowing that Psalm 121:4, “Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

Why did God choose the descendants of Israel to be his special people? What does this teach us about God’s selection process? 534-1 - 12-5

I like what Chuck Missler said, “The Jews are God chosen people because he chose them!” God is sovereign!

At the time Abraham was called, all nations had pretty much forgotten about God. God chose the Jews to be a witness of his reality. God wanted His own people and established the “Abrahamic Convent” with the righteous Abraham, “The call of Abraham” was the beginning of the Jewish nation. God protected Israel when the people obeyed Him and scattered them when they didn’t. Israelites intermarried with the pagans and fell into idolatry and apostasy bringing God’s wrath upon then. The people repented and God provided them with a deliverer until the next time they again fell into sin. As is often quoted, “The Jewish people went into Egypt as a family and came out as a nation.”

King David may have been the apple of God's eye; however, he certainly was not without fault. After King David’s son Solomon died the Kingdom was divided into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians and the people were dispersed. The Southern Kingdom was so sinful that God pronounced a blood curse on King David’s males dependents. The Soutern Kingdom was conquered by Babylon. Our God who knows the end from the beginning provided a solution to this blood curse He pronounced on Jeconiah. In Genesis chapter 3 we learn that the Messiah would be the seed of the woman. Jesus descends from the blood line of his mother Mary and the legal line of His stepfather Joseph.

In Ezekiel 36:22-23 God states that his reestablishment of the Jewish people will be to affirm his holy name. God points out that his name has been profaned both by the Jews and by the people of the nations in which the Jews were dispersed. Ezekiel 36:22-23, “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.”

Ezekiel 37:21 and say to them, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.”

God is sovereign and the descendants of Jacob/ Israel were and are His special people.

According to this study, what was Belshazzar's fatal mistake as he enjoyed the party the night Cyrus conquered Babylon? 522 - 5-4

Pride led Belshazzar to make a grave military mistake by being complacent due to the seemingly impregnability of the city. Rather than being on the alert the arrogant king kicked back with his subjects and partied. Daniel 5:1, "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand." Meanwhile the River Euphrates that protected the city was diverted allowing the Persians to cross and enter the city.

As Belshazzer and his guest were drinking, in his arrogance he committed a fatal mistake; Daniel 5:2, "Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

As an even further insult, Daniel 5:4, "They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." It is hard to comprehend the arrogance of Belshazzar in using sacred vessels stolen from the Jewish Temple to drink from and toast his pagan gods. However, it is easy to understand the anger of our righteous God.

Suddenly the “Hand writing on the wall” appeared, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.” So much for pride and spitting in the eye of God. In keeping with prophecy, Belshazzar embarrassed himself in public.

Mene meant that God had numbered the kingdom of Belshazzar and finished it. Belshazzar was weighed in the balances and found wanting. His kingdom was divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel 5:30, “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.”

Meditate on John 17 and then share your insights. 534-1 - 11-5

With a word limited, I selected a few verses:

17:1, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:”

Jesus knew that he was about to face the trial that he had been destined for from the foundation of time. Proverbs 8:23, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Always a faithful servant, Jesus was committed to glorifying the father.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Jesus was the unblemished Lamb of God. No other sacrifice would serve as an intersession between God and fallen man. When Jesus cried out “tetelestai“ He provided us a path to justification by faith.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

God stepped out of eternity to take the form of a man that through His sacrifice we could be justified before our righteous God.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

Jesus was/is the Way-shower. I cannot even imagine what this world would be like had he not chosen to step into this fallen world both as a servant and as the Messiah.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

How very privileged are we to be the ones given to Jesus by his Father and to know that Jesus is praying and interceding for us.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Hosea 5:15, “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
As believers we will never be lost, what a wonderful assurance we have!
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
As a believer I am a sojourner, just passing through this world to a far better one. Pity the earth dwellers that are conformed to this sinful world.

Missed Opportunities in the mini-series, “The Bible” 522 - 5-8

I originally planned to answer DQ#3. Belshazzar repeatedly offered the one who would interpret the "Hand Writing on the Wall".... However, this Sunday's third in the series of five episodes of “The Bible” touched on the Babylonian captivity. The whole episode of “the handwriting on the wall” was left out of the series. This was a missed opportunity to point out that Belshazzar was co-regent with his father and ruling Babylon at that time. Biblical critics use the claim that Belshazzar's father was king as a means to discredit the Book of Daniel. The offer by Belshazzar to promote the Chaldean who could interpret the handwriting on the wall to the position of the third ruler of the kingdom seems to be overlooked by these experts.
 
The first episode in the series had some impressive special effects.The flood and the parting of the Red Sea were phenomenal.

Episode Two included realistic violence in keeping with biblical fact. What was not brought out was that when God ordered the destruction of an entire city he was not being capricious; rather he was ordering the elimination of bloodlines that had been totally corrupted. The Nephilim would have been in a bridge too far for the mainstream so God came out looking more like a bully that a righteous God.

The fall of the northern kingdom seems to have been totally ignored in week three. Daniel and his friends were portrayed as 30-40 year-olds, not as teenagers. Daniel was shown as terrified when he was thrown into the Lions’ den, not the brave Daniel of the Bible. The gates of Babylon were thrown open to allow Cyrus king of Persia entrance, rather than Darius’ slipping into the kingdom in advance.

The first three of five episodes of the miniseries "The Bible" ignored most messianic prophecies so an opportunity to lend more credibility to the divinity of Jesus was missed. The prophecy of Isaiah concerning the virgin birth was about the only messianic prophecy I caught. While beautifully done, the manger scene was reminiscent of the Christmas pageants of my childhood.
This series seems to be reaching the mainstream public. Little wonder the lame stream media felt the need to criticize it as being too white. It seems that the good guys are really rather white and the bad guys are of a darker complexion. Actually, Samson was played by a black actor, go figure. There was a comment made that the character playing Satan looked like Obama.
“'The Bible': Satan Actor Looks Like Obama In History Channel Miniseries”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/18/the-bible-satan-obama_n_2900509.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment

“The Bible” is produced by Reality-TV producer Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey who starred in the TV series "Touched by an Angel". Trying to shoe-hone the Bible into 10 hours would be difficult at best. If the series encourages people to pick up the Bible and actually read it what a blessing.

Discuss the relevance of the "Prayer of Nabonidus" and how it relates to and confirms the text of Daniel Chapter 4 522 - 4-4.

As is my usual modus operandi, after I listened to CM's commentary, reviewed the PDF and read the text, I surfed the Internet. All I can say is that we are fortunate to have the guidance of serious biblical scholars such as CM.

In my surfing I found that even the latter-day Saints weighed in on the discussion. The article didn't seem to be able to distinguish between father in the contemporary in the usual sense and as used in biblical times.

“Chapters two, three, and four of Daniel purport to contain accounts about Nebuchadnezzar. But only the first and best-known of these—the account of his dream about the great statue destroyed by a stone cut out of a mountainside—is actually about him. The stories in chapters three and four, as well as a reference in chapter five, are actually about another king named Nabonidus, not Nebuchadnezzar. [Dan. 2; Dan. 3; Dan. 4; Dan. 5]”

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/09/nebuchadnezzar-or-nabonidus-mistaken-identities-in-the-book-of-daniel?lang=eng

Another source seems to imply that someone plagiarized much of the book of Daniel based on the "Prayer of Nabonidus."

“Fragments of a document called The Prayer of Nabonidus were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The fragments tell the story of King Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, who was afflicted with a disease for seven years while in Teima, Arabia, and prayed to God for salvation. He was then told by a "diviner" that he must proclaim and give honor to God:"
“I was afflicted [with an evil ulcer] for seven years…and an exorcist pardoned my sins. He was a Jew from among the [children of the exile of Judah, and said,] ‘Recount this in writing to [glorify and exalt] the Name of the [Most High God]’” (I.3-5).

"The Prayer of Nabonidus parallels the biblical story in Daniel 4, in which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is afflicted for seven years and his condition is explained to him by Daniel. The Prayer of Nabonidus may have served as a source for the author of Daniel, or it may simply preserve an older version of the story.”

http://cojs.org/cojswiki/Prayer_of_Nabonidus

I'm not quite sure what the author is trying to say in the final paragraph. While he says that the prayer of Nabonidus parallels Daniel Captor 4 is he by saying that the prayer may have served as a source for the author of Daniel and is he further trying to say that someone other than Daniel wrote the book of Daniel? That it was plagiarized from an older source.
As for me, "The Prayer of Nabonidus" closely resembles what King Nebuchadnezzar wrote in Chapter 4 of the Book of Daniel. There are the usual distractors who use/ will use it to undermined the authenticity of the Bible and/or redact it. These protagonists of confusion should read the Septuagint, written nearly 300 years before the birth of Christ.

What sin do you think God hates the most? Why? What is the "fruit" of pride? What is the "fruit" of humility? 522 - 4-1

The fruit of pride for Nebuchadnezzar was to crawl around on all fours and eat grass for seven years. Once recovered, he wrote a chapter of the Bible. As a fruit of this humility he will likely greet us when we get to heaven.

Proverbs 6:16-20, “ These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”

A proud look, pride was the reason for Satan’s fall when he thought he could rise above God. Satan appealed to Eve in the garden first through doubt and then by appealing to her pride by saying “you could become like God.”

Hands that shed innocent blood, what of the hundreds of thousands of abortions performed each year. A woman carrying an unborn baby will say it's my body and I have the right to decide what happens to it. Pride allows her to elevate herself above the life of her unborn child.
Often through pride mankind rejects the Creator and worships the created. In Romans Chapter 1 we are told that through the creation we are without excuse. One of the judgments pronounced on man due to rejecting the creation is homosexuality. This is so prevalent today and is being promoted as a normal lifestyle. I can almost picture Satan whispering into the ear of a man that he should be proud of himself for being above/ not confided to the normal order of things.

Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for their pride and hypocrisy. Just one example is found in Matthew 23:27, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness."

Perhaps the worst form of pride is the claim that the covenants that God had given to the Jewish people have passed to the church because of the rejection of Jesus by the Jews. This is blasphemy and calling God a covenant breaker.

To me, one of the greatest illustrations from the life of Jesus concerning the fruit of the humility was when he washed his disciples’ feet. What a tremendous lesson he taught them and all of us. Humble as the new Pope is said to be, I still can't envision him washing anyone's feet. And yet, our Lord did just that.

What can separate us from the love of Christ? Under what circumstances? 534-1 - 10-3

To quote CM, “Chapter 8 opens with no possibility of condemnation, and closes with no possibility of separation." Wonderful and true!

The apostle Paul always says it so well. Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

If we are truly a child of God, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. That said, if I had to depend on myself, I don't know how I could maintain my salvation. When Jesus ascended he said that the comforter would come. I am justified through Jesus' death on the cross and my acceptance of that gift so freely given. By the continuing activity of the Holy Spirit in me I am growing towards sanctification.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” I know that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ, however, it is not through my effort but through the Holy Spirit working through me.

I have wandered away from the Word a number of times throughout my life. At those times nothing really worked out well in my life. Then the Holy Spirit would seem to nudge me the back to living more in accord wit the Word.

Years ago I crewed on a small sailboat a few times. It was fascinating that we could go forward by going against the wind. In this case we would tack into the wind at an angle and the boat would be propelled forward. How often I seem to be propelled in a direction that I really don't want to go. I have to hold fast to the faith that all things work together for good for most assuredly, I love God.

In Genesis 22, Abraham tells Isaac God will provide "Himself" as a lamb for the burnt offering. Make a list of at least three other places God is proclaimed to be a Lamb. 522 - 3-7

And here the operative word is “Himself” as only a pure and perfect sacrifice would be acceptable to a righteous God. After Adam and Eve took their infamous bite, God made them clothing from the fur of animals. This provided mankind with the lesson of the requirement of a blood sacrifice.
 
As the Israelites were preparing their Passover meal on the eve of their departure from Egypt they were told to mark their doorframes with blood from an unblemished Lamb. Through the death of Jesus on the cross, we are reconciled to God by Jesus, our unblemished Lamb.
Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

Jeremiah 11:19, “But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.”

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 1:36, “And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God”

John wept because no man was found qualified to open the seals on the scroll. Then in his vision, he saw the lamb that had been sacrificed. The only one qualified to break open the seal. Revelation 5:6 “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”

Revelation 7:17, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes”
The Book of Leviticus spoke to “The Burnt Offering”. For example, Leviticus 4:1-3, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering.”

When we stand before Jesus in the Bema Seat Judgment, our earthly activities will be burnt, Will they be gold and silver or Hay, wood and stubble.
 

What links do you see in the precepts of Islam and the Satanic agenda? 534-1 - 10-6

After the terror attacks of 9/11 I decided that as I knew nothing about Islam, it was time to get myself educated. So I started reading various books. As often happens, once I become knowledgeable in an area I go all in so I hosted a chat room called the politically incorrect club and also had a website with the same name. The chat room and website have long since passed on to the cyber boneyard, however, I now maintain a blog.

Posted July-08-05: From a book written nearly a century ago by Rev. J.L. Menezes and published by Roman Catholic Books; "The Life and Religion of Mohammed". And I quote: "The religion of Mohammed was founded on human passions; it encourages fatalism, despotism and sensualist; it reduces humanity into unutterable degradation and it gives no guarantee for the after happiness of one's immortal soul. “

And here are a few of the Islam sensitivities towards non-Muslims: Tabari IX:69 Killing disbelievers is a small matter to us. Tabari VIII:141 The battle cry of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah that night was: Kill! Kill! Kill! Bukhari:V5B59N512 The Prophet had their men killed, their woman and children taken captive. Ishaq:489 Do the bastards think that we are not their equal in fighting? We are men who think that there is no shame in killing. Quran 2:191 And kill them wherever you find and catch them. Drive them out from where they have turned you out; for Al-Fitnah (polytheism, disbelief, oppression) is worse than slaughter. End of July-08-05 post.

Joel Richardson wrote a book titled “The Islamic Antichrist: The Shocking Truth about the Real Nature of the Beast” in 2009. Many Christians are surprised to find out that the Quran mentions Jesus several times as well as Mary as the mother of Jesus. Surely this means that Islam is a peaceful religion doesn't it? Not at all. All one has to do is to dig a little deeper into the Quran to understand that the Jesus of Islam will come back with Mohamed and declare his allegiance to Allah. He will then kill those who refuse to convert to Islam. The Islamic Jesus is an equivalence to the false prophet of Revelation. Could it be that the antichrist so long assumed to come out of the revised Roman Empire may actually be Islamic.

As an aside, Osama bin Laden provided interesting insight; “Americans love life and we love death." Fortunately, Seal Team Six obliged Osama bin Laden.

As for the satanic agenda, it seems obvious that there is a movement even among some evangelical leaders to equate the Allah of Islam to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is absolute heresy. IMO, rather than the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mohamed, it was the fallen angel Lucifer.

The Islamic lie that the Israelis are occupiers is the mantra all too often picked up by our lame stream media and those are on the left.

What does it mean to be a metachoi? Why will some folks be disappointed when they arrive in heaven? 534-1 - 9-3

This is my attempt to integrate the reality of “Eternal Security” and “Inheritance and Rewards.” Paul was a faithful and very productive servant but still “lived his life in a type of paranoia”. Add to that there was the question dealing with “good deeds” that would favor us before God. And if that were not enough, in my Revelation class there have been questions as to why there will be “tears in heaven.” CM alluded to tears in heaven due in part to the loss of our inheritance and rewards upon entering heaven.

What is a metachoi and how does one become one? What Is the actual difference between being an overcomer and bearing fruit? What’s the difference between just simply being allowed to enter the Kingdom and to actually inheriting it. As I understand it, a metachoi is a sort of partner in a work. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 pretty much spells this out, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” Romans 8:4 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

As we stand before Jesus during the Bema Seat Judgment, works done in our current incarnation will be subjected to a purifying fire. All those accomplishments that we think so highly of such as job promotions, education, a bigger and better house and car, etc. will be as wood, hay and stubble. What will be accounted to us as good will sharing the Word, if necessary suffering for Christ, helping others, our support of Israel and other such works.
The apostle Paul is certainly worthy of great inheritance and rewards, far more so than most. That said, is it possible that there will be any jealousy in heaven? I would think very likely in the Millennium Kingdom as children are born to those who survived the Tribulation. When will we rule and reign with Jesus? Will this be during the millennium or after the New Jerusalem comes down to earth. Will I be physically limited to the New Jerusalem. Will I be able to dance across the planets and dive into the sun in my glorified body as I sing praises to God? Will the whole universe implode on the day Jesus stands on the Mount of Olives? So many questions and so few answers! There are many opinions as there are experts.

Added Later:

 There is lots of information available concerning salvation and the millennium Kingdom. however, what of Heaven?
From CM’s "Heaven: What Will it be Like?"
"The joys of Heaven include a newly created environment unsullied by moral evil that houses the ultimate model city: “New Jerusalem.” There will be deathless existence in resurrection bodies: knowing and loving God maximally in fellowship with all other believers. We will retain our gender and ethnic characteristics. We will have renewed intellectual, emotional and volitional abilities."
CM added 1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
According to CM's “Inheritance and Rewards” we will receive crowns:
• The Crown of Life is promise for those who have “suffered for His sake.”
• The Crown of Righteousness is promised to those who loved His appearing.
• The Crown of Glory is promised for those who “fed the flock.”
• The Crown Incorruptible is promised for those who press on steadfastly.
• Crown of Rejoicing for those who win souls. 1 Thessalonians 2:19, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”
 
Now to me being in the presence of Jesus is reward enough for me.

How do you feed the flesh? How do you feed the Spirit? 534-1 - 9-6

For those who are very insecure about the state of the world today, there are websites that cater to this paranoia. There is a group of people known as the preppers. Rather than trusting in God, they place their faith in their ability to take care of themselves whatever may come. While we all should be responsible enough to have a several day supply of food and water on hand in the event of bad weather, earthquakes or forced evacuation; being a prepper first seems like an oxymoron. Can one really be prepared for the horrors that will descend upon this earth during the tribulation? What happens in the event the Middle East finally goes nuclear? There is a reality series on cable about preppers where families are graded on a scale of 1 to 100 based on just how prepared they are. This is a typical website catering to preppers.

http://www.preppersworldstore.com/

There are so many conspiracy theorists claiming everything from FEMA building concentration camps for citizens to small drones armed with a handgun and facial recognition.
I am so thankful that I can place my trust in God to see me through these admittedly scary times. I cannot imagine facing today's upside down world without my strong Christian faith.
As for how I feed the flesh, apparently too much as I am overweight, have to take meds for blood pressure and have mild diabetes. That said, I have little interest in a flashy car other than something that gets me from here to there. My physical surroundings are not that important as long as I'm comfortable and not in need of creature comforts. A huge house with high maintenance has absolutely no appeal to me.

I feed the spirit through my studies at KI as well as immersing myself in the Word, reading and listening to praise and gospel music. While I have to admit to having a sinful nature and an electronic gizmo habit, the small, still voice within me guides me. Were it not for the Holy Spirit I might wander too far afield. Now that I am assured of my justification I am trying to more fully cooperate with the Holy Spirit in my sanctification. However, I'm not naive enough to think that I will be sanctification until the Blessed Hope