8.9 - WOW! Japan shakes violently. 8.9!!
Luke 21:25-28 came to my mind:
And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then will they see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
There used to be a time when I did not witness to this passage. This is pertinent because I have believed that we are approaching the close of the age for over thirty years now. I could not, however, agree with those of like-mind who attempted to witness earthquake swarms and volcanic eruptions as signs that this passage was being fulfilled before our eyes. The intensity was simply not there to arouse my faith that that particular declaration in Luke was being made manifest. That condition is rapidly being reversed in my mind. This, however, is not the emotional and intellectual thrust that surfaced when I learned of the quake and subsequent damage.
We are living in a world that is realing from hatred, rebellion, duplicity, natural disasters and economic insolvency. Political and union thugs are justified in Wisconsin, militant Islam is winning the day because of greed and appeasement, the visible church is not outraged by the onslot of spiritual apostasy, the international community is about to have a financial crash, Arab nations are in rebellion with the only winner being the Muslim Brotherhood, and in the midst of it all the Western world is snake-bit. - 2 Tim. 3:1-5 comes to mind. - And now, 8.9! So, what are we to do?
Jesus tells us "to lift up our heads" Let me put it this way: beloved, we need to have this insane world drive us into the bosom of Christ. We are not a sobered church. Whatever Christ demands from us at this time of our lives should cause us to respond with sobriety and an intensity that the current world condition demands that we respond. I sense that there are many 8.9-like conditions in areas other than natural disasters that await this world.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Why Small Groups?
I watched this clip recently concerning a possible soon coming world-wide food shortage. The thought that immediately came to my mind was to share this with our Christian small group fellowship. We had talked in the past concerning the efficacy of storing food goods, etc. in the light of a possible inflationary period that would run up prices for food and other goods due to an excess in the printing of money to counter the ever-rising international debt that seems to loom as an elephant in our collective living rooms. See what you think. However, the thought also came to my mind that it would be productive to attach an article that I had written in the past concerning the value of Christians gathering in settings such as our living rooms as we see hard times approaching in general. Here it is:
Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. (Heb. 10:24,5).
The question may better be phrased: What value is uniquely gained when one conducts small groups in the days in which we live? If one can postulate that we are living in the days that are approaching the close of the age, then a sense of sobriety and a sense of commitment to the church family is not only suggested, but is required. Two values immediately come to mind:
I. To stimulate one another to love and good deeds is not easily accomplished. One can not intellectually desire for koinania-like love and cause it to be realized within. Such internal fruit-bearing is a function of time and the working of the Holy Spirit Himself. Christian intimacy and love is not easily nourished during the exercise of the formal Sunday church service. Neither is it nourished during a formalized Bible study. As valuable as these two functions are, they do not encourage the formation of the internal fruit-bearing demanded by the Gospel message. Such a transformation is best realized in the intimacy of one’s home. In such a setting, small groups are able to interface with one another in an atmosphere removed from any formalized condition that tends to paralyze Christian camaraderie.
II. The maturing up of the Body is best realized in such a setting. Again, this is a process. Its realization is a function of time. When Christians fellowship in a venue such as one’s living room, weekly sharing the joys and the pain resident in each persons life, Christian love and commitment becomes self-generating. It is here that long-term learning is best attained, whether through Bible teaching, observation of current events as they pertain to the Church, the studying of topics that may be pertinent, or any other topic worth pursuing as the moment demands. It is under these conditions that our unity is forged. As the months and years pass by, our faithfulness to one another will have been tested, and the chords that bind us will be less easily broken.
It may be apparent that this position has been motivated by an eschatological mind-set. If indeed this position is adopted, then the implications become not only intellectually, but experientially critical. If we indeed are approaching the very close of the age, it must then be assumed that our faith will be severely tested (Mt 10:22; 24:13), apostasy will surround us (Mt. 24:10; 2 Thes. 2:3; 3:13) and the temptation towards a humanistic-like religiosity will woo us. One cannot be isolated at such a time. One needs to be surrounded by a community that is encouraging one another, nourishing upon the Word of God, observing the current events generated by the godless international community, remaining faithful to Christ and remaining faithful to His church community under conditions of severity. Such a womb-like atmosphere is best found in a home environment, is overseen by a church eldership, and will birth fruit only through a period of time.
We are a called-out people. Under the current, dynamic and godless world conditions, it seems to me that the essence of a small group home fellowship resides in its gathering together. Further as a tactical means of accomplishment, it seems wise that such fellowships observe the ever-changing world conditions and be strengthened by mutual Christian support so that faithlessness and apostasy may be avoided. The home fellowship may be the instrument by which the Lord physically, as well as spiritually, separates us out of a religious world-view that is more akin to worldliness than it is to Spiritual separation. The greater is the world’s hostility; the greater will be our physical and spiritual separation. The greater is the world’s hostility; the more pure and intense will be that separation. We are a called-out people. It is not subject to our approval.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The End of the World
Here is some big news: Namely that the "the end of the world" will occur on May 21, 2011. This sobering fact has been declared by Harold Camping recently and needs some sort of comment, wouldn't you think? Now, it will not be the intent of this site to disprove Mr. Camping, although I firmly believe him to be wrong. Rather, it will be my intent to plead for a little more sobriety before making such claims by various members of the body of Christ and further to demand a little more discipline when "exegeting" various texts from the Bible.
Mr. Camping uses the utterance of Gen. 7:4 to be symbolic of 7000 years as a prediction of the final judgement of mankind when the end of the age is upon us. The LORD speaks thus unto Noah: For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every thing that I have made. The reasoning goes thus: Seven days of grace was given to Noah before the flood; one day is as a thousand years to God (Ps. 90; 2 Peter 3); the flood occurred in the year 4990 BC (? - Campings number), thus 7000 years after 4990 BC, God will again destroy the earth - May 21, 2011 is upon us!
Now, I have no problem believing that,at times, in Scripture one could speculate that one day might prophetically equal one year, or even one millennium; but to emphatically predict the end of the age and even to word it such, namely that it will be "the end of the World", is not justified. How much harm will be done to some Christians with fragile faith when hopes arise, or serious acts of response are exercised and the event does not take place? It is lazy exegesis, or even non exegesis, to use the passage in the Psalm, or the one in 2 Peter to use the day-equals- millennium as a formula to predict the very end of the age. Peter is screaming to his readers "stop mocking believers who think that the end of the age is here; God is patient - one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day. Don't mock; He will return and will deal with all rebellion. Be sobered and don't mock." The Psalmist would agree. This is not a formula.
Noah Hutchings has an excellent and succinct article in the Prophetic Observer (Jan. 2011). He concludes that Camping is as much as 2552 years off. He words it this way:
HOWEVER...the most recognized biblical chronologist, Ussher, states that Noah entered the Ark on Sunday, December 7, 2438 B.C. Scofield and a vast majority of other biblical chronologists agree within ten years of Bishop Ussher's date. IN OTHER WORDS, CAMPING IS 2,552 YEARS OFF. (His bold)
BTW, if Camping is correct, believe me, I will be with him when it happens. Let's just be a little more careful. Eschatology is not to be handled as a toy to extol the "brilliance" of Christian commentators.
Mr. Camping uses the utterance of Gen. 7:4 to be symbolic of 7000 years as a prediction of the final judgement of mankind when the end of the age is upon us. The LORD speaks thus unto Noah: For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every thing that I have made. The reasoning goes thus: Seven days of grace was given to Noah before the flood; one day is as a thousand years to God (Ps. 90; 2 Peter 3); the flood occurred in the year 4990 BC (? - Campings number), thus 7000 years after 4990 BC, God will again destroy the earth - May 21, 2011 is upon us!
Now, I have no problem believing that,at times, in Scripture one could speculate that one day might prophetically equal one year, or even one millennium; but to emphatically predict the end of the age and even to word it such, namely that it will be "the end of the World", is not justified. How much harm will be done to some Christians with fragile faith when hopes arise, or serious acts of response are exercised and the event does not take place? It is lazy exegesis, or even non exegesis, to use the passage in the Psalm, or the one in 2 Peter to use the day-equals- millennium as a formula to predict the very end of the age. Peter is screaming to his readers "stop mocking believers who think that the end of the age is here; God is patient - one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day. Don't mock; He will return and will deal with all rebellion. Be sobered and don't mock." The Psalmist would agree. This is not a formula.
Noah Hutchings has an excellent and succinct article in the Prophetic Observer (Jan. 2011). He concludes that Camping is as much as 2552 years off. He words it this way:
HOWEVER...the most recognized biblical chronologist, Ussher, states that Noah entered the Ark on Sunday, December 7, 2438 B.C. Scofield and a vast majority of other biblical chronologists agree within ten years of Bishop Ussher's date. IN OTHER WORDS, CAMPING IS 2,552 YEARS OFF. (His bold)
BTW, if Camping is correct, believe me, I will be with him when it happens. Let's just be a little more careful. Eschatology is not to be handled as a toy to extol the "brilliance" of Christian commentators.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Universal Card
And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty -six. (Rev. 13: 16-18)
So, how close are we to getting such a mark, one might ask? Consider this article authored by C. W. Getz in The American Thinker (Dec. 10). Alluding to the insecurity of various cards to correctly identify the card holder, whether they be ID in nature, credit cards, drivers licences, etc., etc, the author says this:
Some complex problems have simple soutions. Gaining acceptance and implementing the solutions are often complex. Consider these four seemingly disparate problems: (1) pernicious, intrusive passenger security measures at airports, (2) credit card fraud, (3) stolen personal identity, and (4) illegal immigration. They do have an element in common: personal identification.
The author goes on to consider the motivation for solving these various problems. If we can consider that there are many more problems that will some day force the issue, may we posit as a given that the motivation for a solution will soon be so strong that that solution, whatever it will eventually be, will be demanded and thus will eventually be accomplished.
His solution? A national ID card that ties the bearer of the card with the card itself. That card would be one's social security card and the vehicle for tying the card with the bearer of said card would be a biometric identifier such as fingerprints or eye/face scans. Perfect - complete - foolproof - simple! Biometric technology would authenticate the bearer of the card as the person that the card claims him, or her, to be. The technology is already here he claims. And, of course, that technology is indeed here. One could reasonably claim that the technology demanded by Rev. 13:16 is also available at this time. The only impediment to such usage is a world community that is not quite ready to collapse. The technology is here - the international will is yet to be - the strongman/beast awaits.
What is of interest here is the fact that the author ties none of this sequence with the biblical narrative. He (and the entire godless world-community) thinks this to be a good idea - And it is! In the natural realm it is. The passage that the revelator John narrated will be accomplished. The implication here is that it will be accomplished in the soon future.
In the natural realm this is a reasonable, logical and productive activity to accomplish.
In the spiritual realm it will force a terrible decision-making sequence to all who claim the name of Christ. Now is the time for sobriety; now is the time to prepare for such a day. Please do not make the mistake of implying a hand-wringing mentality here. The technological transition from card to hand or forehead will be effortless. The response to such a scenario will be eternal. Stand firm!
So, how close are we to getting such a mark, one might ask? Consider this article authored by C. W. Getz in The American Thinker (Dec. 10). Alluding to the insecurity of various cards to correctly identify the card holder, whether they be ID in nature, credit cards, drivers licences, etc., etc, the author says this:
Some complex problems have simple soutions. Gaining acceptance and implementing the solutions are often complex. Consider these four seemingly disparate problems: (1) pernicious, intrusive passenger security measures at airports, (2) credit card fraud, (3) stolen personal identity, and (4) illegal immigration. They do have an element in common: personal identification.
The author goes on to consider the motivation for solving these various problems. If we can consider that there are many more problems that will some day force the issue, may we posit as a given that the motivation for a solution will soon be so strong that that solution, whatever it will eventually be, will be demanded and thus will eventually be accomplished.
His solution? A national ID card that ties the bearer of the card with the card itself. That card would be one's social security card and the vehicle for tying the card with the bearer of said card would be a biometric identifier such as fingerprints or eye/face scans. Perfect - complete - foolproof - simple! Biometric technology would authenticate the bearer of the card as the person that the card claims him, or her, to be. The technology is already here he claims. And, of course, that technology is indeed here. One could reasonably claim that the technology demanded by Rev. 13:16 is also available at this time. The only impediment to such usage is a world community that is not quite ready to collapse. The technology is here - the international will is yet to be - the strongman/beast awaits.
What is of interest here is the fact that the author ties none of this sequence with the biblical narrative. He (and the entire godless world-community) thinks this to be a good idea - And it is! In the natural realm it is. The passage that the revelator John narrated will be accomplished. The implication here is that it will be accomplished in the soon future.
In the natural realm this is a reasonable, logical and productive activity to accomplish.
In the spiritual realm it will force a terrible decision-making sequence to all who claim the name of Christ. Now is the time for sobriety; now is the time to prepare for such a day. Please do not make the mistake of implying a hand-wringing mentality here. The technological transition from card to hand or forehead will be effortless. The response to such a scenario will be eternal. Stand firm!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Substituting Darkness for Light
And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born. (Zech. 12:10)
Do you believe that Zechariah 12:10 is yet to be? If you do, does it not seem reasonable to believe that Zechariah 12:1-9 is also yet to be? All that is just to suggest that God is not yet done with national Israel. I will deal with that subject-matter many times in the near future. It is both controversial and important.
Israel came to my mind recently as I was browsing through my favorite places and found a site that I must have added in the far past but never retrieved for use, at least not to my memory. The site is called Watcher's Lamp and it contained a video that seems to sum up the present spiritual paralysis that so dominates the so-called Middle East peace process. The video is entitled What Really Happened in The Middle East.
The video speaks for itself. I will not comment on it except to remark that reason, logic, fair play and diplomacy is not destined to win the day in this world - rather - spiritual drunkenness, violence in the name of freedom, international betrayal and false claims of peace will.
What then are we to do as Christian believers at this present time? In following the very reason for this site I would encourage more sobriety on our part concerning the moment in which we live. Peace and fair play is not destined for this planet until the day comes when we will all look upon Him whom we have pierced and spiritual darkness will no longer be allowed to substitute for His marvelous light.
Check out the site and see what you think.
Do you believe that Zechariah 12:10 is yet to be? If you do, does it not seem reasonable to believe that Zechariah 12:1-9 is also yet to be? All that is just to suggest that God is not yet done with national Israel. I will deal with that subject-matter many times in the near future. It is both controversial and important.
Israel came to my mind recently as I was browsing through my favorite places and found a site that I must have added in the far past but never retrieved for use, at least not to my memory. The site is called Watcher's Lamp and it contained a video that seems to sum up the present spiritual paralysis that so dominates the so-called Middle East peace process. The video is entitled What Really Happened in The Middle East.
The video speaks for itself. I will not comment on it except to remark that reason, logic, fair play and diplomacy is not destined to win the day in this world - rather - spiritual drunkenness, violence in the name of freedom, international betrayal and false claims of peace will.
What then are we to do as Christian believers at this present time? In following the very reason for this site I would encourage more sobriety on our part concerning the moment in which we live. Peace and fair play is not destined for this planet until the day comes when we will all look upon Him whom we have pierced and spiritual darkness will no longer be allowed to substitute for His marvelous light.
Check out the site and see what you think.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Hallelujah in the Market Place
Got this email from a friend. It may be making the rounds, but if you have not seen it, then, enjoy - even worship.
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlphabetPhotography
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlphabetPhotography
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Beginning of Wisdom
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron ; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. (Rev. 19:13-15 - bold added)
In chapter 19 of this book God is about the business of summing up all of human history. The wrath of the Lamb (an oxymoron in natural terms) is being unleashed upon all who are in rebellion to His authority and who are in rebellion to everything that He requires of human kind. Psalm 2 is about to be realized in its entirety. What is of interest to me here is the use of the NASB terminology “the fierce wrath of God”.
There are two Greek words used in the New Testament that are translated as “wrath” in the English. The one being orge; the other being thumos. The former is by far the more used of the two words. However, John, the author of the book of the Revelation, has chosen to fixate upon the later of the two to reveal to us the seeming mind-set and even the very viscera of God at this time of history. In this one chapter (19) the author has alluded to this aspect of God’s wrath more than all of the references to it in the rest of the New Testament. If one can imagine that John is the very amanuenses of God Himself then one becomes somewhat sobered by the thought that God is speaking to us in our day concerning what is about to be. What should be our response to such a scenario?
W. E. Vine (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Zondervan, 1982 – I, pp.55-6) sums up the use of the two words thus:
Thumos, wrath is to be distinguished from orge, in this respect, that thumos indicates a more agitated condition of the feelings, an outburst of wrath from inward indignation, while orge suggests a more settled or abiding condition of mind, frequently with a view to taking revenge. Orge is less sudden in its rise than thumos,but more lasting in nature Thumos expresses more the inward feelings, orge the more active emotion.
Am I being tedious here? Why is this important other than as an academic nicety? Well, I suppose that to whatever degree one believes that all of these events have already occurred in history, or that the book of Revelation is mostly symbolic and that the events contained within the book will not be literally realized, then, to that degree this evaluation is not all that meaningful. However, to whatever degree one supposes that these events are yet future and will indeed be literally fulfilled, then to that degree, the scenario becomes quite sobering, do you not agree? What became even more striking to me as I contemplated the usage of these words was the fact that both words were found together in verse 15. Both thumos and orge were used in the sentence; the first being used as an adjective of the second. He Who sits upon the white horse is about to wage war (v. 11). The fury of His wrath will be contained no longer! We need to be far more serious in our Christian walk. The day may be soon upon us. Jesus is not coming to reason with godless man; He is coming to divide!
When did you last hear this taught or preached?
In chapter 19 of this book God is about the business of summing up all of human history. The wrath of the Lamb (an oxymoron in natural terms) is being unleashed upon all who are in rebellion to His authority and who are in rebellion to everything that He requires of human kind. Psalm 2 is about to be realized in its entirety. What is of interest to me here is the use of the NASB terminology “the fierce wrath of God”.
There are two Greek words used in the New Testament that are translated as “wrath” in the English. The one being orge; the other being thumos. The former is by far the more used of the two words. However, John, the author of the book of the Revelation, has chosen to fixate upon the later of the two to reveal to us the seeming mind-set and even the very viscera of God at this time of history. In this one chapter (19) the author has alluded to this aspect of God’s wrath more than all of the references to it in the rest of the New Testament. If one can imagine that John is the very amanuenses of God Himself then one becomes somewhat sobered by the thought that God is speaking to us in our day concerning what is about to be. What should be our response to such a scenario?
W. E. Vine (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Zondervan, 1982 – I, pp.55-6) sums up the use of the two words thus:
Thumos, wrath is to be distinguished from orge, in this respect, that thumos indicates a more agitated condition of the feelings, an outburst of wrath from inward indignation, while orge suggests a more settled or abiding condition of mind, frequently with a view to taking revenge. Orge is less sudden in its rise than thumos,but more lasting in nature Thumos expresses more the inward feelings, orge the more active emotion.
Am I being tedious here? Why is this important other than as an academic nicety? Well, I suppose that to whatever degree one believes that all of these events have already occurred in history, or that the book of Revelation is mostly symbolic and that the events contained within the book will not be literally realized, then, to that degree this evaluation is not all that meaningful. However, to whatever degree one supposes that these events are yet future and will indeed be literally fulfilled, then to that degree, the scenario becomes quite sobering, do you not agree? What became even more striking to me as I contemplated the usage of these words was the fact that both words were found together in verse 15. Both thumos and orge were used in the sentence; the first being used as an adjective of the second. He Who sits upon the white horse is about to wage war (v. 11). The fury of His wrath will be contained no longer! We need to be far more serious in our Christian walk. The day may be soon upon us. Jesus is not coming to reason with godless man; He is coming to divide!
When did you last hear this taught or preached?
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