Ezekiel 38
18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.

19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;

20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD


Hello everyone,

It is amazing how the Lord works in our lives and directs our steps. While I was planning to use this blog site for political exposé’s and happenings in our nation, it seems as if the Lord wants this site used as an indicator for His soon return. I pray if this is so that someone will chance upon the site and through it, find the Lord as Savior. I believe with all my heart that He is coming soon and we must be busy winning souls for His kingdom.

I fear for America as our leaders are flying about in the Middle East and forcing Israel to give away Covenant Land. Condoleezza Rice is busy doing this and she informed Mr. Sharon on this trip that the evacuation of the Jews must occur on time. No sympathy is given to the Jewish people who have developed these lands, loved them and built them up from nothing. They are going to be rounded up and herded out of their homes.

Take a look at the heat wave in this nation that is killing people. Take a look at the weird weather patterns. In Europe, which is also forcing this agreement in Israel, they are experiencing heat waves and death, terrorist bombings, dust bowls and much more. Italy is even being hit with a plague of grasshoppers. I believe as we see these nations entangle themselves more in the God of the Bible and Israel's business, the more trouble they are going to experience. Gods Word says so.

I am posting an article by Hal Lindsay today that is so pertinent for this time. We have to remember that as watchmen, we must remind others of what the Lord has given us in His Word. This article by Hal Lindsay does so. May you have a blessed new week.

Elaine

Israel: The True Wonder of the Ancient World

By Hal Lindsay

I thought, “How amazing that the world will focus on Nostradamus’ predictions, which at best are so nebulous that they are capable of many interpretations.”

But it did impress me how interested the average person is to discover what is going to happen in the future. The tragedy is that the world ignores Ezekiel’s prophecies that are amazing beyond compare. They pinpoint an exact time, place, and precise historic conditions of a future world catastrophe. Ezekiel names the peoples and nations involved in an intricate convergence of history. And he predicted all these things more than 2600 years ago.

Ezekiel chapters 36 through 39 contain one of the most amazing series of prophecies in the Bible. Certainly it is more amazing than anything the so-called prophets of the world have to offer.

In chapters 36 through 38, Ezekiel foresaw the following events. And remember, this must be seen from Ezekiel’s perspective of 7th Century BC.

(1) The Israelites would be driven from their land for a very long period of time

(2) The Israelites would survive as a distinct people

(3) Their land would be confiscated by the surrounding nations

(4) These nations would be descended from Esau and Ishmael

(5) These peoples would have a perpetual hatred of the Israelites

(6) The land of Israel would become an utter desolation and not respond to the agricultural efforts of the usurpers

(7) Against all odds, the Israelites would return and become a nation

(8) The land would miraculously respond to them and flourish

(9) The Arab nations would conduct an unending war against the Israelites

(10) Israel would survive all assaults and prosper

(11) This will finally provoke a confederation of the Russians and a Persian led Confederacy of all the surrounding Muslim nations to Israel

Most important to this prophesy is WHEN if would take place. Ezekiel carefully pinpoints the time:

“After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8 NAS)

Note that when Ezekiel made this prediction, Israel had not been scattered throughout all nations. Its land had not been reduced to “a continual waste”.

Its people had not been brought back to the land from a very long worldwide dispersion. It was not “the last days.” And Israel by no means was restored to the land to dwell securely.

Historically, this can only apply to the events that began to take place in the early 20th Century and culminated with the creation of the State of Israel in May 1948.

Moses first predicted that this would happen. He predicted that this would occur in the second destruction of the nation. The first was the Babylonian Holocaust. The
Second was the Roman Holocaust of Titus and the Roman Tenth Legion in AD70. Moses predicted both the Babylonian and the Roman dispersion.

About the second destruction, Moses forewarned, “Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, `Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, `Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see.” (Deuteronomy 28:64-67 NAS)

All of this is assumed by Ezekiel’s prophesies in chapters 36-39.

One of the most amazing wonders concerning the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is that they could remain a distinct people in spite of the centuries of exile and relentless persecution.

Ezekiel clearly predicts that God would scatter them among all nations, “Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them.” Yet he predicts that in the latter days God would gather them from all nations, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24 NAS)

Ezekiel forewarns the surrounding nations of the Arab people who confiscated HIS Land;

“Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the forsaken cities which have become a prey and a derision to the rest of the nations which are round about, therefore thus says the Lord God, ’Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all EDOM, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with scorn of soul, to drive it out for a prey.” (Ezekiel 36:43-5 NAS)

Ezekiel forewarns the Arab people of the last days who would confiscate Israel’s land;

“Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two lands (Israel and Judah) will be mine, and we will possess them,’ although the Lord was there, ‘therefore as I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy which you showed because of your hatred against them; so I will make Myself known among them when I judge you.’” Ezekiel 35:10-11 NAS)

The whole world has been drawn into this ancient conflict. No one has been able to resolve it because of the supernatural hatred that has been enshrined in the Muslim religion toward Jews.

When Ezekiel made these predictions, Israel was not an utter desolation. But he foresaw the terrible desolation that would come upon the land during the centuries the Israelites would be scattered among the nations.

Ezekiel refers to this desolation when he predicts Israel’s restoration to the land; “After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel WHICH HAD BEEN A CONTINUAL WASTE; but its people were brought out from the nation …” (Ezekiel 38:8)

Samuel Clement, or Mark Twain, said of Israel while touring there in 1867;

“ ... [It is a] desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds—a silent mournful expanse ... A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action ... We never saw a human being on the whole route … There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of the worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.” (From his book, Innocents Abroad)

This was the condition of the land until the Jews began to return around the end of the 19th century.

When the British Christians began to argue for what became the ‘Balfour Declaration’, they argued for returning the Jews to Palestine by saying, “A people without a land for a land without a people.” That is how desolate and barren it was.

Ezekiel predicted that the Israelites would miraculously begin to return and become a nation again in the last days. God made it clear that He would do this despite the fact that the Israelites did not deserve it. God said He would do this for His great name’s sake. He swore an oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He would establish David’s Throne and kingdom on earth. So His Word is at stake.

This is why God said, “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:22-28)

Something that is almost as great a miracle as the rebirth of the people scattered throughout the world for 2000 years is the agricultural rebirth of the land. Yet Ezekiel predicted this would happen:

“But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown.”

None of the people who occupied the land during Israel’s exile could ever make it productive. But when the Israelites returned, it became a modern agricultural marvel. Fruits and vegetables from Israel supply most of Europe today.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict continues to upset the whole world. The world’s great powers have sought to resolve this conflict without success.

Since the world’s economy depends on a steady flow of oil, and since most of the world’s oil supply is controlled by the Arab/Muslim nations, whatever troubles the Arabs troubles the world. And Israel troubles the Arabs most. And with the Muslims, the real issue is not economically based. It is religiously based.

The Muslim’s third holiest place on earth is Jerusalem with its Temple Mount. Whatever agreements of peace with Israel can only be temporary. Ultimately, Islam will never accept a Jewish State in what they consider their sacred land.

Ezekiel predicts that this will ultimately cause a war that will envelop the whole earth.

Zechariah predicts this also:

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3 NKJ)

Jerusalem will become a cup that causes all the surrounding Muslim nations to become intoxicated. That will make them do irrational things. This will cause all the nations of the world to become involved and go to war. Current events certainly are moving that way.

No matter how we seek to resolve this conflict, there is no way to satisfy the religious issues that are at the very heart of both Islam and Judaism over possession of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel predicts that Israel will miraculously survive all attempts to throw her out of the land. Not only this, he predicts that Israel will become very, very rich. According to Ezekiel 38:1-7, this will cause an all out invasion of Israel led by a power from her extreme north. There is only one nation to Israel’s extreme north – Russia. Russia will arm and lead a Muslim confederacy headed by Persia or modern Iran.
Israel has prospered and gathered much wealth, but not of the kind that would provoke this kind of reckless invasion. I believe that Israel will strike oil in a big way.

This will cause Israel to become a world economic center. Ezekiel predicts the rationale for the Russian led invasion;

“and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.” (Ezekiel 38:10-11)

Israel will apparently be living in the false security of the Antichrist’s covenant that Daniel predicted they would sign. This will cause them to tear down the security walls they are now building to protect against Palestinian terrorists.

Everything except this final invasion is already a matter of history. Iran is moving quickly into the leadership role of Islamic Fundamentalists with a full-blown nuclear program. Russia has been arming and siding with the Muslim nations for decades.

So nothing in Ezekiel’s scenario is out of line with what is happening before our eyes. There are only a few details yet to be fulfilled. I believe that Israel must have a vital chip to play in the world arena to survive. And I believe that ‘chip’ is the discovery of a large oil reserve. Watch! I believe that will happen soon.

Folks, we are really at the very threshold of the Lord Jesus’ return. It is all happening so fast. The things I have looked for some 50 years are already here.

All of this proves that we can have total confidence in God’s Word.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24 NAS)

Isn’t that wonderful? All who believe in Jesus as his Savior has already passed out of judgment and death into eternal life. And as the days get darker, Christ’s sudden return to snatch us up to meet Him grows nearer.

These are the most exciting days to be alive -- if you are a Christian. If not, they must be terrifying times indeed.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?



JOHN3:16

Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

When President Bush and the Republicans won their first election, I warned that we must see what they do and not what they say. Anyone with eyes to see realizes that we are on a slippery slope in this country and forces beyond our control are pushing us into a New World Order and One World Government. To the Christian who has knowledge of Bible Prophecy, this is no new thing. However,I fear many have put their faith in a government that promises one thing and does another. The above scripture gives us a gauge as to understanding the actions of others. Along with this one, forcing Israel to give covenant lands is a great sin against America and the Bush Administration is the leader in this project. We will pay for this inteference because we are going against Almighty God and his love for Israel. We must pray for our leaders but we must also be "wise as serpents". Remember that the "proof is in the printout".
The article below is just one more piece of mounting evidence that indicates the secret plans of our government. May the Lord help us.

Have a great weekend,
Elaine


The LOST Treaty

Hal Lindsey Oracle
As part of the overall public-relations makeover strategy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared the president wants to see the Senate ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty ratified "as soon as possible."

The Law of the Sea Treaty, or, appropriately enough, LOST, would effectively turn control of seven-tenths of the earth's surface to the United Nations. Ratifying LOST would empower the U.N. to collect royalties on seabed mining and regulate exploration and commercial development anywhere in any of the world's oceans.

Overseeing the LOST provisions is a multinational bureaucracy that sounds like something out of an Ira Levin novel.

At the core is the International Seabed Authority, or, as it likes to call itself, "The Authority." "The Authority" supervises a mining subsidiary called "the Enterprise," which is all ruled by "the Assembly," which then answers to "the Council," etc.

Mining operations would be approved or rejected by the Authority based on rules set by the Authority and enforced by the Enterprise for the good of the Assembly. Companies allowed to mine would owe substantial fees to the Authority and be required to do surveys for the Enterprise, their government-subsidized competitor.

According to Dr. Rice, "Joining the convention will advance the interests of the United States military," she claimed on Jan. 18. "The United States, as the country with the largest coastline and the largest exclusive economic zone, will gain economic and resource benefits from the convention. ... And the United Nations has no decision-making role under the convention in regulating uses of the oceans by any state party to the convention."

As Dr. Rice noted, the U.S. already has the largest coastline and economic zone. Ceding it to U.N. control won't make it bigger. It will only make it taxable.

As far as Dr. Rice's assurance the U.N. will have no decision-making role, Article 2, paragraph 3 of the treaty says, "The sovereignty over the territorial sea is exercised subject to the Convention and to other rules of international law." By ratifying LOST, the U.S. is, in principle, ceding territorial sovereignty over our own seas to the U.N.

History suggests that placing 70 percent of the ocean's surface under U.N. control will advance U.S. military interests only if they are interests shared by the United Nations. If the U.N. restricts the Navy from the Persian Gulf, do we obey? Or go to war with the U.N.?

Among the provisions buried in LOST is the recognition that the seas are reserved for peaceful purposes. The Navy could legally interfere with ships from other nations to investigate or interdict piracy, slave trade or some forms of unauthorized broadcasting, but not terrorism.

Under LOST, the U.N. will finally have the tax and regulatory powers it has lusted after for so long, together with a commercial income stream, independent of the purse strings of national legislatures. Any entrepreneur wishing to explore or mine the ocean floor would have to pay the Authority and provide technical assistance to the Enterprise, the ISA's own commercial ocean mining corporation. Articles 192 through 237 are loaded with environmental legalese that will provide U.N. autocrats and their NGO allies at Greenpeace and the Sierra Club with unrestricted power.

But with all of this, the administration is still bent on having the Senate ratify it. At first glance, it might seem like a good idea for a "quick fix," but on closer examination, it's much too high a price to pay to erase the "stain" of unilateralism from our national resume.

Proverbs 14:12 warns, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."


NOTE FROM ME! I did a search for information on an interesting organization known as the CFR, Council on Foreign Relations. Here is a few descriptions of the group and it is is my understanding after numerous searches on the internet that Condelezza Rice is a member. You can research this for yourself because there are many articles online. The quotes are as follows:

The late Carroll Quigley (Bill Clinton’s mentor), Professor of History at Georgetown University, member of the CFR, stated in his book, "Tragedy & Hope":
"The CFR is the American Branch of a society which originated in England, and which believes that national boundaries should be obliterated, and a one-world rule established."

Rear Admiral Chester Ward, a former member of the Cfr for 16 years, warned the American people of the organization’s intentions:
"The most powerful clique in these elitist groups have one objective in common — they want to bring about the surrender of the sovereingty of the national independence of the United States. A second clique of international members in the CFR comprises the Wall Street international bankers and their key agents. Primarily, they want the world banking monopoly from whatever power ends up in the control of global government."

And Dan Smoot, a former member of the FBI Headquarters staff in Washington, D.C., summarized the organization’s purpose as follows:

"The ultimate aim of the CFR is to create a one-world socialist system, and to make the U.S. an official part of it."

In other words, the CFR’s activities are treasonous to the U.S. Constitution. Their goal is to put an end to the United States of America, and to make the country a part of their global government scheme.

Watch the Fruits!!!!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?



JOHN3:16

We are headed into the New World Order like Bee Martins to the gourde and the people in this country are asleep!

For the most part, Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats for getting us to this juncture of our history. Most of the Republicans are supporting the Bankruptcy Bill that is being voted on in the Senate today. This will take away the relief that the people of this country have had in the past for over-extention of their debts. Bankruptcy has grown in America and it is not just that people are poor stewards.
If you add up Slavery Income (voluntary)Tax, State tax, property tax,county taxes, sales tax, gasoline tax, telephone tax, environmental tax, day care, medical bills, clothing bills, church tithe, use taxes, car tags, car insurance, rent or mortgage payments and on and on, you can see why the American people are strapped to the hilt with indebetness. Now the Banksters and the Congress have joined up to enslave them more.

Also, thanks to a treaty the the U.S. signed with the World Trade Organization, we are now under a law that as of June will prevent us from buying Vitamins and Supplements from anyone but Pharmaceutical Companies. If the US. refuses to abide by this law, they will be taken to the World Court! Hmmm! Now that is interesting.

The article I am posting today is from News With Views. It speaks the truth about what is going on in America today.

Elaine


THE BEAST OF JEKYLL ISLAND

John Newby
March 10, 2005
NewsWithViews.com

If it wasn’t so serious, I’d chuckle reading the latest quote from the news media’s intellectual owners, the AP wire service, it reads, “Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan seems like he’s everywhere these days, peering out from black horn-rimmed glasses and waxing on about Social Security, Medicare, deficits, consumption taxes, FINANCIAL ILLITERACY, even liquefied natural gas.” The key words here are ‘financial illiteracy.’ This is the state of mind our mainstream media occupies and thus so does the majority of otherwise intelligent Americans. Why do I say this? I say this because your average American hasn’t a clue as to the devastation dished out by the banking cartel called the Federal Reserve System which was created in secrecy on Jekyll Island.

To better explain. First, let’s determine what the Federal Reserve System isn’t. It isn’t a government entity as most believe. While the name was carefully crafted to deceive, it isn’t a Federal institution nor does it have any reserve. The only system likeness is that of a mafia-like arrangement set-up to fleece the American people. The fact of the matter is, it’s an international banking cartel made of the largest banking and financial personalities in the world. Now if that doesn’t at least raise an eyebrow, this should. The federal income taxes you pay don’t go to run the government, this ceased years ago. The federal taxes you pay go to the Federal Reserve to be loaned to the USA and other countries. Just imagine; we pay all our taxes to the fed who in turns lends that and more back to us with interest. Let me further explain.

All tax dollars go to Federal Reserve. For every $1 the Federal Reserve receives, it loans $10. Where does this $10 come from? It’s simply created from absolutely nothing. But the real kicker, the Fed charges interest on the entire $10, so in essence they’re collecting high interest on nothing from the American people. Then to make matters worse, they artificially induce inflation to increase interest payments on that nothing. Just imagine the amount of money going into the coffers of the international cartel at our expense. The interest being received from purchases, mortgages and so forth in our country is far more than our minds can comprehend. Quite a productive scam if I might say so myself. Some might even classify this as criminal.

Let’s get back to the quote by Greenspan. He and the Federal Reserve System are banking (no pun intended) on the FINANCIAL ILLITERACY of the American people. We go to work each day and pay far more than is due Caesar. Fifty years ago, Americans paid 3% of their income in taxes. Today that 3% has grown to over 52%. But at least there is a bright side. Our 52% assures that millions are aborted each year, assures dictators around the world will stay in power, assures the UN will continue to siphon off our dollars in massive ways, assures corporate welfare will continue, assures many continue in a state of perpetual poverty and continue to fund the international bankers drive for more power, corruption and gain.

I guess what is even more alarming is the mindset of the American shee-ple. Most appear not to care or worse, they know something is wildly wrong and refuse to acknowledge it and do their own homework. In fifty years we have gone from 3% to 52%, the chickens will come home to roost. What will our children be shackled with? Even worse, what will our grandchildren be shackled with? But at least we’ll go to our graves not having rocked the boat and let our children and grandchildren deal with the outcome of our fears, apathy and ignorance.

I’ve used the word ‘patriots’ in the past, most really don’t know what that means. For the sake of keeping it simple, a true patriot is one that will stand up and say, enough is enough without fear of reprisal because they are fighting for their children’s future. However, on the other hand, apathy and fear create a common coward. Unfortunately, we have far too many cowards than patriots willing to stand up and be counted and that is an indictment that we; no, our children will have to live with.

© 2005 John Newby - All Rights Reserved

John Newby is currently the Circulation Director and Columnist for the Moline Dispatch Publishing Company. Prior to his current 15 year career in the media industry, he served his country as a Weather Forecaster in the Air Force. He's a regular speaker at industry training sessions and enjoys the opportunity to present his ideas.

While not adored in most newsrooms, his columns consistently generate excellent response as he concentrates on media biases, fact-less reporting and the ongoing attacks on the Constitution. John is happily married to his eternal partner Kathy and have been blessed and kept busy with their nine wonderful children.





Those people who are not governed by God will be ruled by tyrants. -- William Penn

News and the Bible

Jeremiah 8:7
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

What awesome things have happened in our world since the Christmas Holiday's.
More and more the birth pangs bringing forth the deliverance of our sin sick world increase in frequency and intensity. Jesus is coming and I am excited that one day we are going to meet in person our Savior and Lord! Hal Lindsey at his website:
http://www.hallindseyoracle.comhas posted the following article and it is really one I pray many will think about. So many have not been taught about the rapture and return of the Lord for a Thousand year reign of peace on this earth but nevertheless it is going to happen and our job is to help bring many to Jesus before that great and glorious day. Call on the Lord today if you do not know him and he will forgive your sins and save you from the coming great tribulation.

God Bless
Elaine


Assessing Current Events

It is a world in which a Catholic archbishop can cause headlines by referring to homosexuality as "epidemic."

It is a world where people find no contradiction in demanding that everybody else conform to their narrow views because the view of the majority makes them feel like outsiders.

A world in which the prevailing legal view is that there is a "God-given right" for the God-haters to not be offended by the mention of "God" in public.

A Houston, Texas judge ruled that a Bible in a courthouse might give the impression Houston's Harris County has a preference for Christianity. A Bible in a courthouse! Is he kidding?

Up seems to be down and black seems to be white. For the first time in the history of mankind, the main topic of debate is over a question no previous generation would even entertain. The question baffling this generation is not "where did I come from?" or, "Is there an afterlife?" That doesn't seem to be as important as whether marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Meanwhile, the Earth itself seems to be in rebellion. The Asian mega-quake that changed geography caused the planet to vibrate like a tuning fork. It knocked the planet far enough off its axis to momentarily change time – and this may only be the beginning.

There are warnings of a sudden shift in the Earth's poles, a reversal of the Earth's magnetic fields and the fear of the onset of a new Ice Age.

Environmentalists warn that global warming will raise the world's sea levels, resulting the catastrophic flooding and loss of life. Many scientists warn that the shift of mass from the concentration of solid ice caps due to melting and being distributed in the oceans could further exacerbate the Earth's wobbling axis.

Meanwhile, the sun continues to convulse, sending out massive showers of debris into the solar system, while irradiating the Earth with unprecedented doses of solar radiation. It is, according to some prominent Russian scientists, the most active period of solar activity in 8,000 years.

The past year broke all the records in terms of natural disasters. This year began with earthquakes, floods, unseasonably cold weather in some places, unseasonably warm in others, and nobody seems to be able to explain what is going on.

The economy is at once both robust and growing and teetering on the edge of catastrophe. Economists warn that it would take just one push in the right direction at the right time for the whole house of cards to come collapsing around our ears.

Meanwhile, NASA just spent hundreds of millions to launch a spacecraft designed to impact with a comet in deep space to see if it is possible to deflect a killer asteroid. Does anyone else beside me feel like he is in a Stephen King movie?

The Bible prophets describes the last days as a period of ever-increasing wars and natural disasters. Jesus, Himself, predicted that there would be wars and rumors of wars, great earthquakes, plagues of deadly diseases, cataclysmic weather changes and famine just before His return. He likened all these things to birth pangs. He said that as the time approached, they would increase in both frequency and intensity.

He spoke of signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. He warned of the distress of nations, saying things would grow so frightening that men's hearts would fail them for fear, just in looking at what is coming.

But all these terrors are just the beginning of a period of catastrophe and death so profound that Jesus, Himself, said no time in history has ever been like it before – nor ever will be again.

Amidst all the fear and uncertainty, however, Jesus promised great hope. He said that, just before the beginning of the 7-year period, He would come again and receive to Himself all those who put their faith in Him and receive the gift of pardon He paid for with His own blood.

We see the shadows of predicted events that tell us the time known as the Tribulation Period is almost upon us. To those who understand the prophecy of the Bible that means time is extremely short. Do not put off receiving the gift of pardon that Jesus purchased for you and put your name on it. Don't get left behind. The consequences of that will be beyond anything you can imagine.


Jesus is coming soon!
ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?



JOHN3:16

Hello Everyone. Joseph Farah today wrote an article that is wonderful to think about. I am reminded of the phrase adopted by Jack Van Impe, "Perhaps Today"!
God Bless
Elaine

When will Jesus return?Joseph Farah: World Net Daily

Posted: December 22, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness. From then on and forevermore ..."
– Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this week and prepare for 2005 next week, I can't help but think about how close we must be to the Second Coming – when the Lord will return for His church and personally rule over the Earth for 1,000 years.
Oh, I know, some of you don't believe in such things. You think it's just a bunch of silly superstition. Even some Christians don't believe in the Second Coming. Many prefer I stick to writing about news events of the physical world rather than arcane spiritual matters.

But, as a journalist, I can't ignore hard evidence – no matter where it may lead me. And the more I study the prophetic scriptures of the Holy Bible and look at the condition of our world today, the more convinced I become that we are nearing that time. In fact, I think we are very close.

For just as Jesus' virgin birth in Bethlehem was foretold by the Hebrew prophets hundreds of years earlier, so, too, was His return to Earth predicted. The only question is when.

The most dramatic evidence for His imminent return our generation has witnessed was the rebirth of the nation of Israel more than 50 years ago. The Jews, God's chosen people, were, as prophesied, scattered over the whole earth for nearly two millennia beginning shortly after Jesus' death on the cross. Yet, in my opinion, the scriptures leave no doubt that the Jewish state would exist once again before He returned.

Interestingly, Orthodox Jews have long taught that the world would last for 6,000 years before the Messiah would come and usher in a 1,000-year period of restful human history. Since God created the world in six days, according to Genesis 1:31, and rested on the seventh day, according to Genesis 2:1, they reasoned the world's history would climax the same way. They cite Psalms 90:4, which says: "For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by."
Likewise, Christians have looked to II Peter 3:8: "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

The early church understood this "six-day theory" of world history. It was widely accepted teaching for the first three centuries of the church. From the time of Adam, we've got genealogical records to show that 4,000 years passed until the time of Christ. From Jesus' time until the present age represents another 2,000 years for a total of 6,000 years or six days.

There's also a three-day theory: Jesus rose on the third day. Would the beginning of the third millennium – or thousand-year period – not be the likely time for His return to Earth? There is even strong scriptural evidence for such a theory provided in Hosea 6:2: "After two days will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." Note that this prophecy is not about the Resurrection of Jesus – it's either about the resurrect

ion of Israel after 2,000 years of dispersal or the physical return of the Lord.
In 1772, Edward Gibbons published "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," in which he cites early documents suggesting the Christian disciples of the first century were taught that Jesus would return after 2,000 years. We'll soon find out if they were right.

For many reasons, I believe Jesus is returning soon. But I'm especially drawn to II Timothy 3:1-5, which describes the state of the world in the "last days." Tell me if this doesn't sound like our world:

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

To me, that sounds like our world today.

Christmas represents a time of great hope for Christians. Of course, we're grateful that Jesus came about 2,000 years ago and died for our sins. Now we should be hopeful and expectant of His imminent return.

Merry Christmas. And happy birthday, Jesus.

FOR THIS HE CAME!

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Hello to all my friends in cyberland. Can you believe that Christmas is this Saturday? It is astonishing how fast time is passing. My mother always said, "the older you get the faster it goes" and now I believe her!

I wish I could post a happy Christmas article today but I have found this one at World Net Daily and felt that we all need to know what is really happening. I do not wish to think badly of anyone but the actions speak louder than words and I will simply post the facts and then you can decide. Be prepared to see more of this type of thing occur as we see the approaching fulfillment of Bible Prophecy. Remember that there must come a falling away by a portion of the Church before the Rapture and the Man of Sin is revealed.

Satan and his demons hate the cross where our salvation and freedom from their control was purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostate churches will hate the cross also and will join hands with anti-christ to put down the True Church. The good news if they fail! We get taken out of here before all hell literally breaks loose.

I have posted a second link to a World Net Daily Article regarding decorations at the White House. You decide for yourself what to think about these events.

God bless you all with a wonderful Christmas and may we all remember the Blessed Assurance that our Lord is in control.

Love
Elaine

P.S.
The picture at the bottom of the article shows a pastor throwing his cross into a dumpster. Think the Great Apostasia has begun???? This picture is not a fake. This event really happened.


Bush supports cross-hating movement
President's father also praises work of Rev. Moon-linked clergy group
Posted: December 21, 2004
2:10 p.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Both President Bush and his father have expressed their support for a group of mostly black church leaders that endorses the practice of throwing the cross into the trash – literally.
According to an online column by John Gorenfeld, the American Clergy Leadership Conference sponsored a nationwide "Tear Down The Cross" day for Easter 2003 during which pastors led ceremonies where traditional sanctuary crosses were tossed into dumpsters. Over 100 crosses reportedly were trashed.
Writes Gorenfeld, "This [cross removal], movement leaders said, cleared the way for a new age and second messiah."
Last week, the movement's leaders presided over a Washington prayer breakfast featuring messages of thanks from both Bush presidents.
Though ACLC's website says part of its purpose is to "promote through fellowship the unity of the body of Christ," it also aims to "foster cooperation and understanding among all religions." That cooperation is evidenced by the involvement of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church who was dubbed the king of peace at a coronation ceremony in the Dirksen Senate Office Building earlier this year.
The organization also works closely with both Muslim and Jewish clergy.
Two sponsors of last week's breakfast, the International and Interreligious Federation of World Peace and the American Family Coalition, are both affiliated with Moon.

"One series of photos found on Moon's website, but purged after receiving unfavorable attention earlier this year from evangelicals, shows Massachusetts preacher John Kingara taking down the cross from his church, hauling it behind the old brick building and hoisting it into a dumpster," writes Gorenfeld. "Another shows a ritual in Israel disposing of the cross in the earth.

Pastor John Kingara of Worcester, Mass., throws his church's cross in the dumpster.
"Kingara, embracing the ACLC's new gospel, declared in remarks found in the Unification News, 'The fact that the cross is a symbol of division, shame, suffering and bloodshed prove that it is not of God but Satan.' He continued, 'On this 18th day of April 2003, we are beginning a new history. Pastors, please, help me to bring the cross down, because it is not of God but the devil.'"

Moon was the keynote speaker at the Washington breakfast last week.
Writes Gorenfeld: "In Moon's teachings, God himself is shedding tears over mankind's obsession with the cross, which prevents us from recognizing the real 'returning lord': Moon himself. It's no secret. This is something he's patiently explained to many audiences of congressmen and former Republican presidents over the years, in Washington pageants that hardly ever make the news."

The columnist says Bush sent a "warm letter" of support presented at the breakfast by a state senator, in which the president and first lady sent best wishes to the sponsors -- and thanked them for rallying his "armies of compassion."

Pastor John Kingara of Worcester, Mass., throws his church's cross in the dumpster.


Read about the White House Decorations at: World Net Daily
ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?



JOHN3:16

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas. Yes, it is almost the celebration day for the birth of our Lord. I have always loved Christmas and my family always went out of their way to make it a wonderful time of year.

The only thing more exciting to me that the scriptures telling of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord is the fact that they also tell us he is coming again.

I believe this fact as much as I believe we need air to breathe. He is coming again and I believe it will be in our lifetime!

Jack Van Impe calls it the Terminal Generation. Won't it be an awesome day when we meet our Blessed Savior face to face and celebrate His birthday live and eternally!

Jack Kinsella once again has hit the nail on the head as to what the Bible says about the times in which we live. I pray this article will be a blessing to you and that if you do not already know my Jesus that you will bow your knee and ask him into your heart this very day.

Again, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

God Bless
Elaine Moreland

"If the formation of the European Common Market were an isolated development in the line of Bible prophecy, then it would have no significance for our study."

"However, combined with the other pieces of the prophetic puzzle which we are attempting to develop for you, it takes on immense importance. We believe that the Common Market and the trend toward the unification of Europe may well be the beginning of the ten-nation confederacy predicted by Daniel and the Book of Revelation." (The Late Great Planet Earth, Hal Lindsey, 1969)

Thirty-six years ago, when Hal confidently named an as-yet non-existent ten-nation confederation arising out of the heart of the old Roman Empire, Europe's unification was still only a dream.

It had only been some twenty-one years before that the fledgling Brussels Treaty that created the Benelux Customs Union had been signed on March 17th, 1948.
At the time Hal was writing the Late, Great Planet Earth, the ten nations of Western Europe that form the core of the WEU (and who remain the only nations to hold full membership status) had not yet reached their full number.

The Western European Council was still debating applications for membership from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and Norway. It wasn't until 1995 that the Western European Union's roster of ten full members was filled when Greece was accepted into the fold.
The European Union is NOT the Western European Union, but the Western European Union IS the EU. That sounds confusing -- I'm not even sure I can explain it coherently, but I'll try.

Modern Europe was born OUT of the Western European Union, but the WEU itself continued on as a separate organization.
The requirement for full membership in the Western European Union is membership in both the greater European Union and NATO. The modern European Union was born out of the 1957 Treaty of Rome.

The Western European Union was born out of the 1948 Brussels Treaty as a replacement to the failed European Security and Defense Assembly under the terms of the 'Modified Brussels Treaty' signed in 1954. (NATO was created in 1949)
The EU and WEU formed a partial merger in areas of defense and security. A full merger had been planned by 2000, but as of 2004, the WEU is still very much alive and most European military planning takes place within its constituent cells.
A book published recently by New York University entitled, "Defending Europe" argues that events of the first four years of this century point more toward a revival of the WEU than its absorption into the greater EU.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the WEU is composed of the delegations of the member states to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which, fearful for its future existence with the winding up of the WEU, has been lobbying for itself to be recognized as the "European Security and Defense Assembly".

In a speech delivered to the WEU Assembly gathered in London in February, 1996, by NATO'S Deputy Secretary General, he told the WEU delegates;
"First, the question of NATO's European component. That function is currently fulfilled by the WEU. The WEU, of course, performs a dual role. The Treaty on European Union refers to the WEU as an integral part of the development of the EU and requests the WEU to elaborate and implement decisions and actions of the EU which have defense implications."

Javier Solana's deputy went on to exhort the WEU delegates;
"So let us remind ourselves of one central fact: NATO, the WEU and the EU have the same strategic interests - shaping the security environment of the future for the better and enhancing stability and security throughout the wider Europe."
Hmmm. Sounds almost Biblical -- 'these three are one'.
The fact that the WEU is taking steps to strengthen its existence and power within the framework of the greater EU, instead of allowing itself to be absorbed, is of great significance when trying to understand the whole 'ten toes' of Daniel prophecy.

Simply put, the greater EU, now consisting of 28 member states, needs the WEU to ensure its security.
And since the ten core nations of the WEU are simultaneously the most powerful states in Old Europe, the EU is really an extension of the WEU -- and not the other way around.
The European Union is the administrative and economic arm, but the WEU is the hand that holds the hammer.

King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the prophet Daniel to interpret a dream he had that had baffled all his counselors and sorcerers. The king couldn't even remember the dream, only that it greatly troubled him.
Daniel was tasked with both telling the king what his dream was, and interpreting its meaning.

Daniel told the king that he saw, in his dream, a great image of a man, with a head of fine gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, with two legs of iron and his feet part of iron and part of clay. (Daniel 2:28-33)
Daniel went on to describe what troubled the king the most, even though he couldn't recall the details:


"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:34-35)
The image, as you undoubtedly know, described four successive world empires; the head was Babylon, chest and arms was the Medo-Persian Empire, belly and thighs was Alexander's Greek Empire and the two legs of iron represented Rome, which eventually divided itself into an eastern and western empire.
The Western Empire was ruled from Rome, the Eastern Empire from Constantinople, until both finally collapsed under their own weight.


Insofar as the feet of iron and clay, Daniel told the king:
"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay." (2:41)
Iron mixed with clay is partly strong and partly weak. So is the revived Roman Empire partly strong, and partly weak.
Without the strength of the member states of the WEU, the greater EU would soon collapse. Without the economic power, infrastructure and participation of the greater EU, the WEU would be just another military alliance.
Donald Rumsfeld divided Europe into two categories; "Old Europe" and "New Europe". So did the prophet Daniel.


"And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." (2:42-43)
Daniel's description could not be more specific. And, as a side observation, its fulfillment is dripping with symbolism.


'Old Europe' came to the foreground as a consequence of its opposition to a war to invade Iraq (ancient Babylon) for the purpose of removing Saddam Hussein, a dictator who claimed to be the reincarnation of Nebuchadnezzar.
When he was restoring the old city of Babylon during the 1980's, Saddam had bricks struck that superimposed his profile beside that of Nebuchadnezzar. In 1988, he commissioned a coin celebrating himself as the second Nebuchadnezzar.
The removal of the 'second Nebuchadnezzar' split both NATO and Europe down the middle, with most of the newly admitted member states to the East siding with Washington, and the majority of Western Europe opposed.
'Partly strong, and partly weak, but they shall not cleave together' is the way Daniel described it.


The WEU is, as of 2004, a ten-nation core of powerful European states in charge of maintaining Europe's military security. It controls NATO, the world's most powerful military alliance and it insists on retaining a separate identity to keep its voice from being diluted by that of the greater EU.
Often at odds with its own members (as in the Iraq War), it remains, nonetheless, the heart and soul of greater Europe. And it is committed to replacing the United States as the world's only superpower.
And, according to the prophet Daniel, it will be the world's last superpower.


"And in the DAYS OF THESE KINGS shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (2:44)


ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?



JOHN3:16