What the Bible says about light and seed

The True Light "In him, (the Lord Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world,…the world didn’t recognize him." John 1:4,9.

The Good Seed and the Weeds “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seeds in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. Matthew 13:24,25.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Where's the Comfort? Terry James

Republished from raptureready.com
 

Pre-Trib belief antagonists are on the rise. Rapture critics, even among those who claim to believe in the eventuality of a Rapture, just not the pre-Tribulation view of that event, purport to present evidence on every side that our times trumpet the obvious: The world is about to enter the Tribulation. Christ's call to believers, they say, just isn't going to happen before Christians suffer at least part of the terrors of that beastly era. 

They offer that anyone with knowledge of issues and events going on should recognize that the New World Order bunch is transforming America and the world into the kingdom of Antichrist. All is about to come together for the Gog-led invasion into the Middle East. As a matter of fact, many hold that World War III has already begun.

Advanced computer and other control technologies and instrumentalities are in place for locking everyone on the planet into fiscal bondage and physical slavery to the final empire as prophesied by Daniel. 

Those of us who believe there is coming a supernatural Rapture-escape from these judgments on sinful mankind are just living in fantasyland is the collective message I infer from emails and articles that increasingly assault my senses. That I, and all of you, should begin prepping with food, water, gold, silver, and finding a good bunker in which to hunker down during these upcoming days seem to me to be the things these Rapture naysayers are presenting. Seldom do I hear coming from our opponents on the question of the Rapture the admonition to be trying to witness with all our might the gospel of Jesus Christ. I guess there will be plenty of time for that once the Antichrist regime is firmly in place. 

While the Pre-Trib proponent holds at the heart of his effort winning as many souls to Christ as possible so those saved won't go through that time of horrors, many of the anti-Rapture antagonists want to do things to make sure they are more comfortable while trying to survive that hellish time. 

Coincidentally--or perhaps not--these just happen to, in some cases of TV and other ministries who openly disdain the thought of Rapture, offer for sale all of these things for survival. The packaged food items invariably are proclaimed to have shelf lives of three decades or longer. So, we can, if we survive, have these supplies to partake of well into the Millennium, I suppose. This, based upon the general theme that they believe the seven-year Tribulation, not the Rapture, is imminent. There have been over the past few years a number of debates taking place on whether there will be the Pre-Trib Rapture or not. The best I've heard was the one at the Pre-Trib study group meetings when Dr. Mark Hitchcock completely destroyed the anti-Rapture arguments of the Bible Answer Man. 

There are some such debates scheduled for prophecy conferences in the near future. These will perhaps offer new food for thought, but I doubt whether they will change minds on either side of the controversy. 

Personally, I believe the time for debate on this matter is past. It is time now to just offer the assurance of that soon to come exhilarating moment when Christ will say "Come up here!" (Revelation 4:1). 

There are so many scriptural assurances of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture that we could fill many articles with them. As a matter of fact, we have done just that on the Rapture Ready website. 

I wish to mention only one Rapture factor here, because I believe it is the most reassuring of all truth in God's telling His children that they are not appointed to His wrath. Here we interject the question proposed in our title: Where's the Comfort? By that we ask: What comfort is there in the argument that Christians will go through the Tribulation?

Paul the apostle first assures us of this fact: "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). But, it is the next thought from the mind of God that should cause warm reassurance in the spiritual heart of every believer: "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1 Thessalonians 5:11). 

Get it? We are to "comfort" ourselves, not wring our hands looking for these things to destroy us or to look for Antichrist. We are to be looking for our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13).
There is no comfort --nor is there directive in God's Word--to be had in anticipating going through the time of God's wrath and almost certain martyrdom (probably by beheading). There is no comfort in looking for the worst dictator in the planet's history to hunt us down and lop off our heads. 

Here is what God's Word promises instead of the dreaded scenario proposed by the Rapture antagonists: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) --
--Terry

Sunday, May 29, 2016

The Parable of the Lost Son … A Prophetic Perspective

Republished from gracethrufaith.com

Most of us are familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son, but here’s a slant on it you may not have seen before. I take my authority for interpreting the parable this way from Hebrew scholarship.

Since ancient times Hebrew scholars have spoken of 4 levels of meaning to be found in the Scriptures. Today many in the Church feel the same way.   The first level is the plain or simple meaning, reading something just as it’s written.  The second is an implied meaning, where a specific situation might also apply generally.  All parables are intended to be understood this way   Third is a conceptual meaning. Those who preach an entire sermon from one or two verses are demonstrating an example of this.   And fourth is the hidden or mystical meaning.  I believe the interpretation of the parable of the Prodigal Son I’m presenting today is an example of this fourth level of meaning.


It’s important to understand two simple rules of this “multi-level” interpretation. First, not all verses have all four levels of meaning.  Many are meant to be taken just as they’re written.  And second, no deeper meaning of any verse can contradict the simple meaning of either that or any other verse in the Bible.

Many people have been taught to reject these deeper level meanings because of the numerous errors of interpretation committed by people who ignore the rules.  But I was taught that these deeper levels were put there by the Holy Spirit who reveals them to us as a reward for diligent study. Let’s read the parable.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'” (Luke 15:3-32)

The Prophetic Perspective

Last time we looked at this parable from a personal point of view, but there’s also a prophetic angle, wherein the father represents God, the older son Gentile Christianity and the younger son the Jews. (Remember, if Abraham is the father of the Jews then technically everyone was a Gentile before him, making the gentiles older than the Jews.)

A quick read of Israel’s history shows how the life of the nation parallels that of the younger son. Having been given a rich and generous inheritance, Israel abandoned the Lord and squandered it on false gods to a point where the nation nearly ceased to exist, and in fact as far as the rest of the world was concerned was no more.

Meanwhile just like the older son, the Gentile Church for the most part stayed “close to home” and while working for God appropriated Israel’s blessing and inheritance and assumed the role of God’s heir on earth, calling itself “spiritual Israel.” This position is known as replacement theology, or supercessionism, as in the Church has superceded Israel in God’s plan.

The Prodigal Returns

The advent of Zionism in the later part of the 19th century resulted in the Balfour Declaration after WW 1, (in which Great Britain stated an official desire for a Jewish homeland in what was then called Palestine) and finally the reappearance of Israel in 1948.   No one seemed less thrilled about this than the World Council of Churches, an international alliance of Protestant denominations that adheres to replacement theology to this day,  is decidedly pro-Arab in its political outlook, and sees no need for the existence of Israel in the End Times. This attitude will become more pronounced as the end of the age draws nearer.

Can’t you just hear mainline Protestantism in the voice of the older son? “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
The church has fielded missionaries, founded schools, formed congregations without number, with buildings and programs to meet every need, and in many other ways worked long and hard for the Lord, without ever receiving any of its promised reward.

Now, after a nearly 2000 year absence, dragging the Lord’s name through the mud all the way, has Israel come back to reclaim their position in God’s family? Is the Lord going to allow this? It isn’t fair!
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” Though the brother had called him “your son” the father called him “your brother.”

The church will receive all its promised reward, but God’s promises to Israel never expired and weren’t conditioned on past behavior. In addition, as the End draws near the Bible tells us, “They will look upon Me Whom they have pierced” (Zech 12:10) speaking of Israel’s acceptance of the Messiah, and the promised Messianic Kingdom will be theirs.

The Promise To Israel

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “It is not for your sake, O house 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. 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 show myself holy through you before their eyes.

“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezek 36:22-28)

Now lest you fall for the interpretation given by some in the church that this passage was fulfilled in the return after the Babylonian captivity, look at the phrases “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean,” and ” I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” These phrases describe the effect of being born again, and in the context of the passage take place after the re-gathering of Israel in the late 1940s. So while this is ultimately still in the future for us, its fulfillment has begun and continues as you read this.

The Problem With People

To the people of the world, Israel was dead and gone. No nation so defeated and dispersed has ever come back to life again. No language once discarded has ever come back into common use. No land once appropriated has ever been returned. For us in the USA it would be like the American Indians reclaiming their lands, restoring their languages and cultures and becoming a group of independent nations with a voice in world affairs. It’s hard to imagine.

But for God it’s simply keeping a promise. And though the nations conspire against Him in their attempt to bring to naught that which He has ordained, Israel has returned to the land God gave to Abraham, speaks the language Abraham spoke, and is an independent nation again. And no one, not even the Gentile Church can dispute that. And what’s more, they’re here to stay. (Amos 9:14-15)

We in the church who are the true believers look at our leaders and shake our heads in wonder at their resistance to such an obvious fulfillment of God’s promise. If they don’t believe He should fulfill His promises to Israel how can they trust Him to do so for them? Do they believe that the Church has been any more faithful to Him than Israel? More deserving? It’s so human; demanding others be brought to justice, while expecting mercy for ourselves.

Sadly, many in the church today share the attitude of their leaders. If you’re one of them remember another promise God made to Abraham. “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” (Gen. 12:3) And what about the one Jesus made to Gentile believers at the end of the age? “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:40) Selah 2-1-04

Me Before You…Is NOT Disabled Friendly.

Republished from servehiminthewaiting.com

Wow! Amen, sister! I felt the same way when I saw the trailer for that movie. As someone who is watching this culture crash and burn and trying to raise an alarm about it, I recognized within the first few frames of that trailer how this movie was going to turn out and it made me incensed because of the fact it romanticized suicide as IF it were the most Unselfish thing in the world.
I am not wheelchair-bound but I have conditions that have drastically curtailed what I can do and depression dogged me for a lot of years. But too many people embrace depression instead of fighting it. The culture of death that has become so prevalent in the world today is straight out of the pit of hell.
Yes it is hard to keep going after everything in your life is changed, but people fail to take stock of what remains, which is the love of people whose opinion of you and estimation of your worth are not diminished one iota by the fact you are not the same as you were in some ways.
If you can change a “bad situation” great, do it, but if you can’t change something you still have the power and option to change the way you think about it. The “Progressive” society we now live in has conditioned people not to think but to make feelings “king”. It unfortunately is also true in a lot of churches.
Thank you for speaking up! The “platforms” God gives are often not as “elevated” as what the world looks for, but God knows things we don’t. He lowers us in order that He may be lifted up, and when we humble ourselves, as you said, then HE lifts US up! James 4:10
The previews are awesome. Finally…another beautiful story of love with a person with a disability! But don’t be fooled!
Please watch my opinion of this story. It is a strong one that I make no apology for. I will be running videos through this blog, as they are shared with me, to show you the positive side of what it means to all live boldly…with those around us…for a realistic view of our wonderful lives with disabilities.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Lord, what time is it?

Written and posted by Jean-Louis.
It is interesting to look back and take stock of what was happening back then and see how far we have gone.
Here is a reprint of a note I wrote in 2012 on a morning meditation in May 2010.
Jean-Louis Mondon
February 9, 2012 ·

Notes from morning meditation on II Kings 5:26 5/23/2010.
"Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flockes herds or menservants and maidservants?"

In others words to be beholden to others, especially when they think it´s a token of partnership, or alliance even if there is no intention or word on our part to agree to more. Of importance is the impression or the expectation that people have . As prophet, Elisha was a representative of Israel and of the God of Israel. Naaman was an officer of Aram´s army who was there for a personal matter, not on state business.

Aram was at war with Israel and accepting anything from the enemy could be construed as a conflict of interest. Elisha was serving the Kingdom of Israel whose King was the almighty God. Gehazi disobeyed his master who himself showed him what to do. After disobeying, he then lied about it. the consequences was leprosy for Gehazy and his descendants forever.

There are times when we cannot and must not do business as usual. As an example, Jeremiah was told not to marry. Now is the time of separation, time to go home to our roots (our spiritual birth as the entrance into eternal life in Ephesians 1:11-14 , as in the Revelation 2:4 warning to the church of Ephesus who had forsaken their first love. Repent is the word for this season and do the things you used to do at first. We are God´s possession having been bought with a price and we wait with groaning for the redemption of our bodies guaranteed by the indwelling promised Spirit in the believer. 
Romans 8:22-24
 We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?…:


"Then those who feared the Lord talked to each other and the Lord listened and heard. They will be mine in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them just as in compassion a father spares his son who serves him. And you will see again the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve the Lord and those who do not". Malachi 3:16-18.

The hour is late, look at all the events and signs taking place at an even increasing and faster pace. Now is the time to get ready to meet our Lord Jesus-Christ.
Jean-Louis.

Another essay of the same theme:  God, what time is it?

Read more: http://thelightseed.blogspot.com/#ixzz3jXNt5lPt

Venezuela: this is what a financial collapse looks like – apocalyptic social meltdown, no food, and violent crime

Republished from The Extinction Protocol page - FB


A C 2
May 2016VENEZUELA The United States is increasingly concerned about the potential for an economic and political meltdown in Venezuela, spurred by fears of a debt default, growing street protests and deterioration of its oil sector, U.S. intelligence officials said on Friday. In a bleak assessment of Venezuela’s worsening crisis, the senior officials expressed doubt that unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro would allow a recall referendum this year, despite opposition-led protests demanding a vote to decide whether he stays in office.
 But the two officials, briefing a small group of reporters in Washington, predicted that Maduro, who heads Latin America’s most ardently anti-U.S. government and a major U.S. oil supplier, was not likely to be able to complete his term, which is due to end after elections in late 2018. “You can hear the ice cracking. You know there’s a crisis coming,” one U.S. official said. “Our pressure on this isn’t going to resolve this issue.”
 
Mobs in Venezuela have stolen flour, chicken and even underwear this week as looting increases across the crisis-hit OPEC nation where many basic products have run short, and the U.S. officials said this could spiral into widespread unrest. Soldiers fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters on Wednesday as Venezuela’s opposition marched to pressure electoral authorities into allowing a recall referendum against Maduro. –Reuters
A Collapse Venezuela
Running out of food: Lines at supermarkets stretch for blocks on end in Venezuela. Often when you finally make into the store, the “shelves are already barren,” reports many residents. –AP
Over the last several years we have documented with clockwork regularity Venezuela’s collapse into failed state status, which was cemented several weeks ago when news hit that “Venezuela had officially run out of money to print new money.”  At that point the best one could do was merely to step back and watch as local society and civilization turned on itself, unleashing what would ultimately turn into Venezuela’s own, sad apocalypse.
As we wrote then these are simply hungry Venezuelans protesting that their children are dying from lack of food and medicine and that they do not have enough water or electricity. As AgainstCronyCapitalism added, this is a country with more oil than Saudi Arabia, and the government has stolen all the money and now they bottleneck peaceful protesters and threaten them with bombs (or haul them to prison and torture them).
AC Rate 
As pure desperation has set in, crime has becomes inevitable. A man accused of mugging people in the streets of Caracas was surrounded by a mob of onlookers, beaten and set on fire, who published a pixeled-out but still graphic video of the man burning as mob justice is now the supreme arbiter of who lives and who dies: “Roberto Fuentes Bernal, 42, was reportedly caught trying to mug passersby in the Venezuelan capital, and before police arrived at the scene, the crowd took the law into their own hands.” 
Now, in the latest shocking development, Venezuela saw a new wave of looting this week that resulted in at least two deaths, countless wounded, and millions of dollars in losses and damages. According to Panampost, on Wednesday morning, a crowd sacked the Maracay Wholesale Market in the central region of Venezuela.  According to the testimonies of merchants, the endless food lines that Venezuelans have been enduring to do groceries could not be organized that day.
As time went by, desperate Venezuelans grew anxious over not being able to buy food. Then they started jumping over the gates and stormed the supermarket. “They took milk, pasta, flour, oil, and milk powder. There were 5,000 people” one witness told Venezuela outlet El Estímulo. People from across the entire state came to the supermarket because there were rumors that some products not found anywhere else would be sold there. As a result of the massive crowd, the authorities were unable to preserve the peace. “There were 250 people for each National Guard officer… lots of people and few soldiers. At least one officer was beat up because he tried to stop the crowd,” another source told El Estímulo.
Other food dispensaries run by the government were also looted by the people. Far from the promised socialist paradise, as the massive group of people moved, an entrance gate collapsed under the weight of the crowd, leaving several wounded. –Info Wars
The dominoes are starting to fall in large numbers. There are a host of other countries that are in serious financial trouble that you may not have even heard about. Without serious reform or aid; they are likely headed for a financial collapse. The repercussions of their collective collapse will be nothing short of a global financial market Armageddon. I warned of this coming nightmare two years ago in my book, Utopia the Collapse. Prepare yourself and get ready.  -Alvin Conway

Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God - by Hal Lindsey

Via Omega Letter community - FB
In 1927, James Weldon Johnson published his classic book of poems, God's Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse.

One of them is called, "The Prodigal Son." It begins with the famous words, "Young man -- Young man -- Your arm's too short to box with God."

Apparently the powers that be in American sports disagree. I'm not talking about individual athletes. I'm referring to the big professional sports leagues and the media that cover them.
Though they have nothing to gain and everything to lose, it appears to me that they have decided to go to war against God. Further, it seems to me that they have also decided to go to war against the average American.

And that seems an odd thing to do since the average American fan is the one who puts money into their pockets.
And what life or death issue has caused these normally perceptive business people to place themselves as arbiters of right and wrong in America? And also to publicly threaten to punish the citizens of states which disagree with their political point of view?

Restrooms.
More precisely: Your right to feel safe and secure when you visit a public restroom.
Even more precisely: Your mother's, wife's, mother-in-law's, sister's, daughter's, grandmother's, granddaughter's, niece's, cousin's, girlfriend's, co-worker's, or female friend's right to feel safe and secure when they visit a public restroom.
And why? So that .003 percent of the population can live out their fantasies and use the restrooms of the opposite sex.
No. I'm not making this up. I wish to heaven that I were.

But this is America 2016, where being politically correct trumps common sense. Where bowing and scraping to the LGBT lobby (which, by the U.S. government's own figures, comprise less than 3% of the total population) trumps the traditional values of the vast majority of Americans.

To allow a man to freely and brazenly enter a public womens' restroom and do his business (and maybe more?) simply because he says he "feels" like a woman that day is beyond nonsense, it's insanity. But that's where ESPN, The National Basketball Association (NBA), The National Football League (NFL), American Airlines, PayPal, Wells Fargo, and Target, to name but a few, have chosen to make their stand and invest their credibility.
And I'm not just talking about tacitly agreeing to such nonsense, I'm talking about firing people who disagree and publicly threatening to wreak economic harm on the citizens of entire states if they do not capitulate to their way of thinking.

That's what is happening in North Carolina. When the state legislature passed a law requiring people in the state to use public restrooms that correspond to their birth gender, an incensed NBA threatened to pull the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte. PayPal vowed to stop its involvement in the state, which meant the withdrawal of several billions of dollars in construction funds and jobs. American Airlines and Wells Fargo made similar threats against North Carolina's citizens.

The state's governor, Pat McCrory ignored the threats and signed the bill the day it was passed.
Not like Georgia, where a similar bill was passed by the Georgia Legislature. The NFL threatened to stop having Super Bowls in Atlanta and the governor folded and vetoed the bill.

All of this over the issue of letting transgender individuals, and any others who so wish on a given day, decide to use the restroom for the opposite sex. These common sense laws simply say that if you have outside plumbing, you use the men's room. If you have inside plumbing, you use the ladies. Or go into the private restroom and lock the door behind you. Your sexual preference doesn't matter. This is a simple, physical determination.
But that's not good enough for the LGBT crowd. They want us to do it their way or suffer the consequences from their corporate enforcers.

Folks, this is nothing short of corporate persecution. But it's not about religion, you say. Not yet. But it is about being punished because we make common sense choices based on certain moral values. Moral values that the elites and other powers that be want to see eroded so that one day they can do what they choose, when they choose. Morality be damned.
But, you may protest, when corporations make vague threats against entire states, it doesn't really affect individuals.

It affected Curt Schilling.
The pitcher for the Boston Red Sox cemented his place in baseball history when he won Game Six of the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS) over the New York Yankees. He pitched just days after ankle surgery and endured a sore and bleeding ankle to go seven innings and allow only one run. His bloody sock became a part of Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series. Schilling has three World Series rings.

ESPN, the major American sports broadcaster, hired Schilling to work as a color commentator for its telecasts. But Schilling is an outspoken man with conservative values. Last year, he was disciplined by the network when he made the comment on his personal social media outlet that people claim that only 5% to 10% of Muslims are extremists. He noted that when Hitler rose to power, only 7% of Germans were part of the Nazi party. Then he asked, "How'd that go."
He almost lost his job.
Last month, Schilling posted a picture on his personal Facebook page of a grotesquely dressed transvestite man. The caption asked if you wanted to let this man into the restroom with your daughter. It noted that if you didn't want that to happen, then you are considered narrow-minded, judgmental, unloving, and racist.

Every word he posted was true. Like his first post in 2015. But each one bore consequences.
This time, Schilling was summarily fired for his personal, non-work-related view. Which ESPN has every right to do.
But not only did ESPN fire him, they went back and completely removed the portion of a documentary program on that 2004 ALCS series that showcased Schilling's performance in the critical Game Six. Coincidence?
But ESPN may suffer consequences, too. When it starts punishing people for expressing a view outside of work that is held by the vast majority of Americans, it should expect some blowback.

And maybe it's already started. For a variety of reasons, ESPN, once a model American success story and cash machine for The Walt Disney Company, has started hemorrhaging. Its value has declined dramatically recently. So much so that it has begun to affect Walt Disney's bottom line. Coincidence?
ESPN, Walt Disney, the NFL, the NBA, American Airlines, Wells Fargo, PayPal, Target, and others may soon learn the hard lesson that, "Your arm's too short to box with God!"
But that's not all I'll cover on this week's program.

I'll discuss the recent election of Sadiq Khan as Mayor of London. With his selection, London becomes the first major western city in history to elect a Muslim mayor.
And on May 30, France is hosting a meeting of major players to plan a Middle East peace summit later this year. All the usual suspects will be there. In fact, it appears to be a reunion of the infamous "Quartet" of organizations and states: the UN, the EU, the US, and Russia. The goal of the summit? Devise a plan for dividing Jerusalem and finally bringing peace to the Middle East through a two-state solution in Israel.
And if Israel doesn't adopt the plan? Well, France vows to then officially recognize Palestine as an independent nation.
137 nations already do, but the United States provides cover for Israel at the UN Security Council. But now it appears that Germany is starting to turn its back on Israel, too. A Middle Eastern news outlet insists that Europe is turning against Israel as a result of the leadership of the American White House. It insists that, "This belated European insight was the result of American inspiration." (Al-Monitor)

Folks, the prophet Zechariah predicted that in the last days, "...all of the nations of the world will be gathered against it (Israel)." (Zechariah 12:3) We are seeing that happening right now.

Finally, I will discuss the differences between the Bible and the Koran. The world considers both of them to be "holy books." One is said to have been handed down intact through an angel, with no human involvement, and committed to the page hundreds of years after the "revelation."

The other is "God-breathed." Written by 40 different authors from various times and places, it coordinates perfectly and seamlessly. It does not contradict science, history, or nature, but confirms them, though primitive men wrote it.
Its prophecies have thus far been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. In fact, its test for the validity of a prophet is either 100% accuracy or death by stoning. Tough standards.

It miraculously combines "spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." (I Corinthians 2:13) And though it does not make sense to those who are spiritually "dead," it promises that anyone who wants to experience a spiritual rebirth can do so and become "spiritually alive."
Tune in this week to discover which book is which. (If you don't already know.)

Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, The Word Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Check your local listings.
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God Bless,
Hal Lindsey
mail: HLMM, P.O. Box 470470, Tulsa, OK 74147
email: comments@hallindsey.com
web: http://www.hallindsey.com

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Punished Before Our Wedding? Biblical Qs and As

Republished from https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher

Q. A Bible teacher whom I respect greatly wrote an article concerning our judgment for sins after we die as Christians. My whole Christian life I have been painfully aware of my sins. The only hope I have is the knowledge that all my sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. I have been looking forward to the Rapture when all the things of this life will be no more and we will be free from this burden of sin.

But according to the Bible teacher this won’t happen. As soon as we die or are raptured we will face God’s judgment and and have to answer for every sinful thought and deed we ever had. I am almost in tears thinking of the shame I will feel. Now the rapture doesn’t seem like something we can look forward to but is something to dread. How can we encourage each other about the rapture if there’s a big judgment coming right after it?
A. Stop and think. God knew every sin of your life before He went to the cross, and died for all of them. Your sins can’t be pinned on you because they’ve been nailed to the cross and taken away (Colossians 2:13-14). He did this before you even knew Him, because He knew you and loved you enough to die for you so you could live in eternity with Him (Ephesians 2:1-7).

Now that you’ve professed your love for Him does it make sense that He’d make you answer for the very things He has already paid for with His life?

Stop listening to the opinions of men and stay focused on what God has said. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). If you’re in Christ you’re a new creation (1 Cor. 5:17) with a righteousness from God that comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:21-22).

You have been washed (cleansed of your sins) sanctified (made holy) and justified (rendered righteous) in the name of Jesus by the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6:11). As part of a radiant Church, you are without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (Ephes. 5:27).

Your sins have been removed from you as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12) and God will never bring them up again. From His perspective it’s like they never happened. Reclaim your joy and be encouraged in the name of the Lord.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Analysis from FB post.

 Note from this blogster: This is a reprint of a friend´s analysis of the controversy surrounding the NC use of the bathroom debate that rages around the nation on this election year. The following comment is mine. You cannot let such a good music go to waste. Don´t worry, my tongue is still in my cheek.
                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
"The issue on which bathrooms people should use came at an interesting time. The Democrats controlled NC for generations and this never came up. If it is such a moral issue why did they not solve it when they controlled the state? Is it only a moral issue now that they are no longer in control? After many generations of Democrat control the state was running a huge deficit, jobs were leaving, the state economy was in bad shape and we had no issue about which bathroom to use. The Republicans took control of the NC House, NC Senate, and Governors Mansion after generations of Democrat control and now, after only a few years of Republican leadership, our teachers are receiving pay raises, we now have a budget surplus and we were just ranked tied for first with Texas for business climate. I do not think the Democrats want to discuss those issues. This debate has nothing to do with bathrooms and a lot to do with the fact that the Democrats are looking to change the discussion. The only thing this debate has in common with bathrooms is the Democrats have soiled their undies realizing that the Republican economy is working and they are looking for a place to change them. While in there they may as well create a controversy to avoid a discussion about the strong economy. They have nothing else to run on in November. Do not be fooled by the shiny object."
Comments
Jean-Louis Mondon
Jean-Louis Mondon Very good analysis Joe .Smoke and mirrors. Too much weed smoking will distort the mirror image. or if you prefer, second hand "Smoke gets in your eyes", let us hope that we don´t get a third one. That´s what they mean by transparency. It´s getting really dark, my friend. I prefer the original one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2di83WAOhU
 

The Platters - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Ser, Tener y Hacer



Compuesto (2009) y traduzido (2010) del francés por Jean-Louis

Una tarde, mi velero abrigado
Del viento y de la lluvia
Bien a gusto en el puerto
Disfrutando de su confort.

La vela cambiando una melodía
Allegre, suavemente
Entre el mástil y la jarcia
Mi barco anclado en la melancolía
Soñaba de un respingo

Un pequeño soplo,
Un aliento simple,
Quizas un ballet de ballena
O de cachalote
Para mover el bote
Y balancearlo.
Solamente una sensación,
Para rellenar el silencio vacío
Entre dos olas tranquilas.

Sediente de plenitud,
Rodeado de soledad
En esta vida llena
Bien encerrada,
La bodega bien tapada,
El aire acondicionado,
El timón sumergido
En el espacio reducido
A una espera indefinida.

Nada, sino una calma chicha,
Nada en el horizonte,
Sino un vuelo de pelicanos
Batindo sus alas con el ritmo
Que estuve marcando
Con la punta de mi zapato.

Eso debe ser el llamado,
El eco del piélago
La respuesta en armonía
A todo estremecimiento
Del corazón surgiendo bajo de la tierra
O sobre un suelo
Elevandose en crescendo
Hasta nuestros pensamientos
Allá donde se encuentra a clave
Sea en do, o sea en fa.

Sin ni siquiera osar
El sonido sordo de una flauta
Desperta de su sueño
Una musa del fondo del mar.

Entonces, sin querer
Ella revela su poder
Dejando escapar
Una melodía encantadora,
Aliento miraculoso,
Un viento alisio
Bendición inesperada.

A flauta para de tocar
Asombrado por la sirena
Mientras esperaba
Ver surgir una ballena,
El marinero titubeando,
Pasmado, tropezando
Se aferra al mástil danzando
De todas sus forzas como en un ballet
Arreglado en compás sincopado.

De repente, una sorpresa bienvenida,
Un viento de popa imprevisto
Viene hinchar su vela.
El casco cruje bajo el impulso,
Y todas las uniones se juntan
Para entonar una sinfonía,
Pues, el velero se aleja rumo a la armonía.

El marinero, lejos de analizar
Esta brisa fortuita,
Este soplo salvador
Le pregunta a ella con humor:

“¡Oye! ¿tú eres muy hinchada?”
“¡Mas no!” responde ella.
Mi único error, yo creo
Es que hinché tu vela.
Ahora, tú, sigues tu estrella.
Después de todo, eres tú
Que me despertó
Con tu flauta y tu ritmo.
¿No es lo que quisiera?

¡Vamos! Marinero de vela,
No se puede todo revelar.
Más que todo, no te deshinchas.
 A tus palabras, añades tus pasos.
Y paras de reir, porque después de
Haberte escuchado y entendido,
Yo he sido hinchada, es decir,
Ahora, te toca a ti agir”.