Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Good Saturday Morning.

Today I hope the post will bless you as much as it has me. Yesterday morning I was touched by an email sent to me by a friend. Rev. Ralph Davis sends out a group emailing throughout the world named, The Encouragement Of The Day. Brother Ralph is a pastor and owns the local Southern Gospel Radio Station in Effingham County. I know when any of us send out encouragements to others we never know who is in need of it for that day and yesterday was a day that I needed to hear what he wrote.

When we look at all that is going on around us, we realize that it will take the Lord to straighten this old world out. When we look back at history and how God intervened, we can gain assurance that He Still Reigns! Brother Ralph shares some of these divine interventions in his writings and once again reminds us of this truth.

God will have the final say in world events and He will take care of His children. I am reminded of His greatness in the song, How Big Is God.
The words say that He is big enough to build a mighty universe and yet small enough to live within our hearts. Think about it! I pray that He is living in your heart today and if not all you have to do is ask him and he will.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Encouragement of the Day.

May 16, 2003

SPECIAL EDITION

Someone ask me yesterday if some of the Scriptures in the Bible are
repeated over and over again. My answer is YES and this below is Jeremiah
50-51, and I am not giving you the last time these Chapters will be used.
They have been used at least three times in History, and of course I have
missed other times, but in case someone might not know; "I AM HUMAN!"

I am reminded of the WWII Pilot that saw the Angels flying all around
his Aircraft during the Invasion of Normandy and the Lady in the World
Trade Center who cried out to God for help. She found an oxygen mask on her
face and discovered that she was being carried down 83 flights of stairs. Then,
the Gentleman (Angel) said I am going to lay you over here where no debris will fall on you.
She opened her eyes, and to her amazement she was being carried, but there was
no one to see with her human eyes! She said, "Thank You Lord Jesus for you
watch care!

When 50,000 of our American boys were out in the middle of the Iraqi
desert a few weeks ago a DIVINE WIND blew across the desert for three
days followed by a drenching rain.
The Muslim media said it was the worst sand storm in 100 years, and the
Mullahs in 20+ Muslim countries proclaimed that the storm was sent by
Allah when our troops were bogged down and couldn't move.

The left-wing media [CNN, CBS, MSNBC & ABC, the New York Times, The
Chicago Tribune/L. A. Times and lots of others] trotted out politicians
and military experts that proclaimed we were in a "quagmire" and they
all made dire predictions of gloom and doom. What they didn't report
[all except for Fox News and many smaller regional and hometown
newspapers] was that after the weather cleared, the Marine group that
was mired the worst looked out at the plain they were just about to
cross.

What did they see?
Thousands upon thousands of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines that had
been uncovered by the wind and then washed off by the rain. If they had
proceeded as planned, many American lives would have been lost. As it
was, they simply drove around them and let the demolition teams destroy
them.

Yes, it was a DIVINE WIND!

When George Washington was asked if he thought God was on his side, he
replied: "It is not that God should be on our side, but that we be on
His."

May I remind you that General George Washington (Mr. White Hair, as
called by the Indians) was shot by a sharp-shooting Indian Chief. God's Man,
General Washington, had 7 holes in his front attire and back attire yet
no bullet holes in his heart where the bullets should have penetrated!

In Christian Love,

Ralph E. Davis
Springfield, GA

"Oh, What a Mighty God is our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Thanks again Brother Ralph for all you do for Jesus!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?


John3:16

"A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders himself without reservation to the temporal claims of a nation, or a party, or a class is rendering to Caesar that which, of all things, most emphatically belongs to God: himself." --C.S. Lewis



Good morning everyone!

Today I have found an article that says everything I think about what is happening in our government. With all of the Patriotism running high these days, it has been almost impossible to say anything about our government without being criticized. However in this article posted at Hal Lindsey's site, Oracle, Brian Dotzler verbalizes exactly what many have been saying for many years. The behavior by the Democrats right now ought to sicken every American but no hue and cry is going out. The call for tax cuts are being ignored and a defiant Congress that has grown fat with the taxpayers money refuses to give back the people's hard earned money that I might add has been extorted from them through unconstitutional laws. People such as Gene Chapman are screaming out for answers but IRS and our wonderful Government of the People will not answer. To read about his death fast go to: One Mans Fight For Answers. Don't let Gene's "Ghandi" like appearance fool you. He is a born again Christian who loves the Lord. He is the third person who has gone on this fast til death and due to publicity, the government promised answers to the last two who ended their fast but never received the answers.

In this article, Brian Dotzler hits two of the nails right on the head. One reason we are in this mess is because we are a nation where the people at the government feeding troughs outnumber the people (taxpayers) who are footing the bills. Secondly, the national debt has made us slaves to the Federal Reserve which is a private corporation controlled by a syndicate of millionaire banksters who want to rule the world and with their control, now own all the money and the politicians ( you won't see them admit that to Dan Rather)! Just watch one of our Senators or House Members run against anything the Money Changers want and you will very soon see them destroyed politically.

The only question I ask is, Will the people ever wake up? The answer is, not unless they want too! At this time it appears that they do not want to really see what has happened to us or our great country. The status quo is more comfortable. If Ben Franklin and George Washington and John Adams and the rest had been of this mind, we would still be paying taxes to England and singing, God Save The Queen.

God Bless
Elaine Moreland



It’s not the Economy, Stupid; It’s the Government


It was bad enough trying to get unbiased information during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Politicians told us only what they wanted us to hear and most media outlets were more concerned with pushing a political agenda than they were in reporting the truth. Of course, the truth is of little importance these days since opinions are so much easier to defend.

And now, with the return of our soldiers from the Middle East, comes the heated debate over tax-cuts and America’s economic situation. But just how serious is this problem?

Like the truth, the economic situation in America is relative to whom it is that has a podium; it’s more a matter of opinion than a fact.

For instance, some politicians argue against tax-cuts for the simple reason that America’s budget can not afford it right now. They feel that the budget has been stretched too thin due to the war in Iraq and that right now is simply the wrong time to return tax dollars to the taxpayers.

On the surface, such an argument makes sense; it sounds responsible. However, there is a fundamental problem with this mentality: it is based on opinion.

So what is the truth? Are tax-cuts warranted or just a bad idea?

Before making such a decision, it might be wise to look at the Federal Government’s 2002 Annual Report and see exactly how much our government is spending and where our money is going.

In 2002, taxpayers spent nearly $310 billion dollars on defense, comprising 13.5% of the federal budget. Defense spending increases 7% from FY 2001 to 2002. One would think that, in the post 9-11 era, defense spending would be the big winner when it comes to government spending, but such is not the case.

Social programs paints another story. Last year the government spent nearly $1.4 trillion on the following programs: National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities; Departments of Agriculture, Education, Housing & Urban Development; National Labor Relations Board; EEOC; and the list goes on. (It might be helpful to point out the $2.75 million for the United Nations, the $2.5 billion in subsidies to the U.S. steel industry, and the $800,000 for … (get this) … THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION. Tragically, spending on social programs increased 9% from FY 2001 to 2002.

But not to be outdone is the huge chunk of cash being paid to … “no one.” That’s right; “no one” received 14% of this country’s budget in 2002, a whopping $333 billion!

You may be asking, “Who is this no good “no one” and why are we as a nation paying him so much “Johnny” (cash, that is)?

Well, “no one” is the interest we pay on the national debt, a debt that currently sits at close to $6.5 trillion. That’s quite a bit of “Robert” (dinero) to shell out with no services rendered.

So, what should we do? Whose plan is better, the conservative or the liberal? Should taxes be cut, increased, or just remain the same? Before coming to that conclusion, ask yourself a few more questions.

Is it true that tax-cuts can create jobs, lower unemployment, and spur the economy? Or is the opposite true, that only by increasing taxes can we fix the “sluggish” economy. (By the way, what exactly is it that determines a sluggish economy? Either the economy is growing at a desired rate, or it is not. Why not just say that the economy is growing slightly slower than we would like it to?)

Regardless of your political affiliation or economic background, it should be crystal clear that the government is ignorant when it comes to fiscal policy. The mere fact that in 2002 military spending increased at a slower rate (7%) than social spending (9%) is a colossal example of the government’s inability to control itself. Shouldn’t defense spending have grown at a greater rate since we are facing an enemy here at home, an enemy that has infiltrated our borders and has proven to strike with extreme prejudice? And what about the social programs, why are they growing at a faster rate than the economy?!

Speaking of social programs and all that is spent on them, are our children getting better educated? Are welfare recipients getting jobs? Is the unemployment rate falling? Are all medically uninsured children now insured? With all these tax dollars going to solve the ills of society, one can only assume that something must be improving. But in reality, nothing has improved; nothing has changed (except the amount of money being spent). The government hasn’t fixed anything. It never has and it never will. (History, my friends…read your history.)

About the only thing our government has had great success implementing is a competent military. Without question our Armed Forces have risen to the challenge time and time again without hesitation. Even when under-paid, poorly-fed, and greatly neglected (Valley Forge), the military has never despaired. It simply follows orders and marches ahead.

Yet when it comes to financing our soldiers, we have our priorities completely mixed up. How is it possible that the interest on our national debt comprises more than our defense budget? But an even bigger crime is the social spending.

As stated earlier, the social spending programs dwarf all others, yet produce almost nothing. (Some even argue that they produce less than nothing).

However, the military has been a giant success. Even with the mediocre (if not small) paychecks, military personnel (and their families) can live comfortably. They have health care, dental, housing, and incredible educational opportunities. As a matter of fact, you would be hard-pressed to find any type of educational incentives that can compete with the military’s G.I. Bill, College Loan Repayment Plan, and ROTC Programs. The billions of dollars wasted each year by the Department of Education would go much further as incentive programs for military personnel and their families instead of being thrown into the bureaucratic windstorm that succeeds in spending too much money on absolutely nothing.

The irony in all of this is that the many benefits the military successfully implements (medical, dental, housing, education, etc) are the same types of programs the federal government fails to make work. (But that’s another story.)

When it comes to government spending, how much bang are Americans getting for their buck? Is the money reaping any benefits, or is it going in someone’s pocket that didn’t earn it, doesn’t need it, and refuses to return it?

The government has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has no willingness to spend our money responsibly, it ignores all the financial principles that govern business and industry, and continues to bleed the taxpayer regardless of his income or situation.

Whether or not tax-cuts can stimulate the economy is irrelevant. That issue has no bearing on what this nation’s fiscal policy should be. While it is true that a large segment of the population believes social programs are a necessity, history proves these programs as utter failures; they simply cannot work because they lack accountability and competition.

Whoever coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid” obviously failed to look at all the facts. Someone needs to tap that fella on the shoulder and whisper, “Hey stupid, it’s the spending.”

Proverbs 31:10
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

I remember the warm touch of my mothers hand when I had the red measles back in the 50's. We had to lay in a darkened room and it was such a boring experience. I remember her tears when the doctor told her I had pneumonia and at the time viral pneumonia was killing it's victims unmercifully. I remember my grandmother Whaley's smile as we walked into her happy kitchen in Statesboro, Georgia and her special baked cookies at Christmas. I remember the love of my Grandmother Beery who felt like every bride should have a cedar chest in their home and proceeded to give them to each one of her grandaughters. Grandmother Beery cooked the most wonderful hamburgers in the world in her drugstore cafeteria in Pooler, Georgia. I remember my Great Granny Colley sitting on her porch with a cigarrette in her mouth ( that was before Virginia Slims) and smiling when we got there. She used to have big old German Shepards that would bite and scared us to death. I remember my Great Granny Helmey who lived right by us in a little house in Pooler. I inherited her beautiful Antique bed that I am so proud of. I remember Mother Moreland , my Naomi, who loved me unconditionally and shared that love in many ways. She even gave me a beautiful Squash Casserold Recipe that my family still enjoys today. Oh what memories that I treasure in my heart today. Yes, I remember all of these wonderful women who loved so much and gave to the families they loved. A virtuous woman is truly a gift from God. I have been blessed to know a few of them.



I thank the Lord for David, Mark, Melissa , Ronnie, Robin, Laura and Robbie. Because of them, I am a mother too.

I remember the day my daughter Robin brought us a beautiful little girl named Ashlyn and then preceded to add a little girl named Kerrigan and a little boy named Matthew. David's wife Julie has given us little Cooper and Marks former wife Mila gave us Joshua and Olivia. What a blessing these grandchildren are to me. Now our little Laura is about to marry and I pray that one day more little names will be added to our family. Then, I pray my other two sons will find that good wife the Bible talks about (AMEN)!

My mom is still with us and I look forward to worshiping the Lord with her today in church. I thank the Him for that blessing

*This note was sent to me in an email and it touched my heart. Thanks go to Betty Ambrose who sent it.

Source Unknown:

For those lucky enough to still be blessed with your Mom this is beautiful.
For those of us who aren't, this is even more beautiful.
You who are moms will love this.




The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?"
she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard.
And you will be old before you reach the end of it.
But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better
than these years. So she played with her children, gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams.

The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried,"Nothing
will ever be lovelier than this." Then the night came, and the storm; the path was dark,
and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and
covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid,
for you are near, and no harm can come."

And the morning came, there was a hill ahead
and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she
said to the children," A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and
when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."

And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and
said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned
fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage.
Today, I have given them strength."

And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up.. Lift your eyes to the light." And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory,
and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."

And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong and walked with courage. And when the way was rough they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them." And the children said, " You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.! " And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first
heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space, not even death!




PASS THIS ON TO ALL THE MOTHERS and CHILDREN YOU KNOW.
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED

Think About It!



The Bible Says:

1 Thessalonians 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.


The Roadmap says ( This portion of the roadmap is scheduled for 2004-2005)

* Parties reach final and comprehensive permanent status agreement that ends the Israel-Palestinian conflict in 2005, through a settlement negotiated between the parties based on UNSCR 242, 338, and 1397, that ends the occupation that began in 1967, and includes an agreed, just, fair, and realistic solution to the refugee issue, and a negotiated resolution on the status of Jerusalem that takes into account the political and religious concerns of both sides, and protects the religious interests of Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide, and fulfills the vision of two states, Israel and sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.

If these developments are not enough to get you fired up, then I fear your wood is wet! Do you hear these words. Peace and safety, Peace with security? With all the troubles in the world, it looks as if America and the rest of the world is being pulled into the land of Israel to fulfill every verse of prophetic scripture. Our President has been warned by preachers of Gods Word to stay away from forcing Israel to give up Covenant lands. It looks as if he is not going to heed those warnings. World events are going to happen just like the Bible said they would. It is now time to boldly speak forth the truth of Gods word and warn people of what is coming. Perhaps some will be saved out of the great tribulation that is coming upon this old earth. Tell them about our Jesus today!

God Bless
Elaine




TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND
Mideast peace 'road map' unveiled
Hamas vows to sabotage blueprint for Palestinian state

Posted: April 30, 2003
3:15 p.m. Eastern

WorldNetDaily.com
Hours after Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas took office, international Middle East mediators presented Israel and the Palestinians with the long-awaited blueprint for peace dubbed the "road map."

United States ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer delivered the road map to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon while United Nations Middle East envoy Terje Larsen conveyed the plan to Abbas.

Israel Insider reports the presentations were "symbolic" as both sides had already received copies.

The plan was drafted by the so-called Mideast "Quartet," which consists of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

It lays out conditions, phases, timelines and benchmarks for the formation of a Palestinian state – a move perceived by mediators as key to achieving "final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict" – by 2005.

The conditions include an immediate cease-fire, a crackdown on Palestinian militias, an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian towns and the dismantling of Jewish settlements erected since 2001.

According to the plan's timetable, a Palestinian state with provisional borders would be established by the end of the year, with full statehood coming within three years.

"This initiative is a vital element of international efforts to promote a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli tracks," reads a copy of the plan released by the State Department.

According to the plan, the road to peace begins with declarations from both sides. The Palestinian Authority must issue "an unequivocal statement reiterating Israel's right to exist in peace and security and calling for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire."

Likewise, Israel must issue an "unequivocal statement affirming its commitment to the two-state vision of an independent, viable, sovereign Palestinian state [and] calling for an immediate end to violence against Palestinians anywhere."

U.S. rebuilding and training would follow the crackdown on terrorism, the Palestinian Authority's rebuilding of a security apparatus and its reform of civil institutions, according to the plan. And an oversight board made up of representatives from the U.S., Egypt and Jordan would implement a security-cooperation plan.

The blueprint calls for two international conferences to be convened by the Quartet after the successful conclusion of Palestinian elections by the end of 2003, and to endorse agreement reached on an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders in the beginning of 2004.

"The plan establishes a realistic timeline for implementation. However, as a performance-based plan, progress will require and depend upon the good faith efforts of the parties, and their compliance with each of the obligations outlined below," states the plan. "Should the parties perform their obligations rapidly, progress within and through the phases may come sooner than indicated in the plan. Non-compliance with obligations will impede progress."

Sharon's bureau chief attorney Dov Weisglass recently presented the U.S. with a list of Israel's 15 "reservations" about the plan, according to Israel Insider.

In a speech to the Palestinian parliament yesterday, Abbas said the road map would be accepted without changes and implemented immediately.

Secretary of State Colin Powell is due to tour the Middle East in mid-May to push for implementation of the plan.

"The road map represents a starting point toward achieving the vision of two states – a secure state of Israel and a viable, peaceful democratic Palestine – that I set out on June 24th, 2002. It is a framework for progress toward lasting peace and security in the Middle East," said President George W. Bush in a statement released this afternoon.

"Both Israelis and Palestinians have suffered from the terror and violence and from the loss of hope in a better future in peace and security. An opportunity now exists to move forward. The United States will do all it can to seize this opportunity," the statement continued.

Bush announced last month details of the road map would not be revealed until someone of "credible authority" came to lead the Palestinians.



Abu Mazen

Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, was overwhelmingly confirmed as prime minister by the Palestinian Legislative Council yesterday and sworn in today at a ceremony at the headquarters of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Arafat created the post amid international pressure and condemnation that he represented a barrier to Mideast peace. He subsequently appointed Mazen, who has been part of the Palestinian hierarchy for nearly four decades.

As WorldNetDaily reported, an Israeli civil rights group doubts Mazen will be the reformer the international community seeks. Israeli attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of the Shurat Hadin - Israel Law Center claims Mazen provided financing for the terrorist attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.

The terrorist group, operating under the name "Black September," sent a squad of armed Palestinians to attack dormitories housing the Israeli Olympic team. The gunmen murdered a coach and a member of the weightlifting team, then took nine other Israelis hostage. The Palestinians demanded they be transported to the Munich airport where a rescue attempt by German police failed, and all nine hostages were murdered.

The mastermind of the Munich attack, Mohammed Daoud Oudeh, or Abu Daoud, claims Abu Mazen provided the funds to carry out the Black September attack.

The Islamic militant group Hamas rejected the road map today and vowed continued attacks against Israel.

"The road map aims to assure security for Israel at the expense of the security of our people. It is a plan to liquidate the Palestinian cause. It is rejected by us," Sheikh Ahmed Yassin told Reuters News Agency in Gaza City.

Terror ushered in the presentation of the road map. As WorldNetDaily reported a suicide bombing at a Tel Aviv restaurant killed 3 and injured 49.

State Department officials condemned the attack but vowed it would not derail the peace effort.

"This despicable attack was undertaken by those opposed to the restoration of dialogue and the peaceful pursuit of a comprehensive peace in the region," spokeswoman Nancy Beck told the Associated Press. "Attacks such as these will not deter us and the proponents of peace throughout the region from continuing down the path on which we have embarked."

The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, later claimed responsibility for the attack.


ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?


John3:16

Zechariah 2:8
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

Good Wednesday Morning Everyone.

Today I am going to post another article on the plan by the "Quartet", to force Israel to give away Covenant Lands in order for the Palestineans to have a homeland. This is an article from CBN and gives a little different slant on the issue. I have said it many times on these postings that the real area to watch in light of Bible Prophecy is Israel and Jerusalem.

We now have Mr Blair wanting to be President of the EU (formerly know as the Revived Roman Empire) and now our possibility of going into Syria after more terrorist. We have wars and rumors of wars and we have much pestilence. All these things must come to pass (Matt: 24). However when you begin to see the world assume control of Gods Land and interfere with a Blood Covenant that he gave to Israel then serious consequences will begin to occur. America should stay out of this mess. We have been blessed by the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Our Nation in the past was proud of her Christian Heritage and our leaders have been warned by Bible Believing Pastors and Leaders the consequences of getting involved with this issue. It truly is the birth pangs of bringing forth the Antichrist Government prophecied of in scripture. I pray our country will not involve itself in this ungodly course.

God Bless
Elaine

From the News Desk Of CBN

by By John Waage
Middle East Correspondent

April 22, 2003

When the world's power brokers get together to plan the future borders of the Middle East, there is little evidence to suggest that they are consulting the Bible.



CBN.com – JERUSALEM - Diplomats from the so-called "quartet" - the U.N., the European Union, Russia and the U.S. - are pushing hard for their "road map" to Middle East peace. But there are two very different road maps for Bible believers and the international community.

The quartet's road map calls for an end to the violence against Israel, and a Palestinian state within two years. But the violence hasn't ended, and the proposed state would be in the heart of biblical Israel: the lands of Judea and Samaria.

In the diplomatic minefield of the West Bank, nearly every town and neighborhood has its roots in Bible times. The Arab city of Nablus is the Jewish town of Shechem, home of Joseph's tomb. The Palestinian stronghold of Bethlehem is the Jewish city of David and the birthplace of Jesus. And Jerusalem is the Holy City, mentioned hundreds of times in scripture.

When the world's power brokers get together to plan the future borders of the Middle East, there is little evidence to suggest that they are consulting the Bible.

Elon Moreh is in the heart of biblical Samaria. It is the place where the Lord made a covenant with Abraham thousands of years ago, to give this land to him and his descendants forever.

In the Genesis account, the Lord promised to Abraham's descendants, Israel, the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates. Bible scholars differ about the lines of the exact boundaries. But it is clear that the biblical borders of Israel include all of what is now called the West Bank, the land earmarked by the quartet for a Palestinian state.

Reuven Berger is a messianic pastor who works and prays for reconciliation between Jews and Arabs. He says there is no provision in the Bible for a Palestinian state.

"Very simply, if we look into the scripture, we will find no such reality, no such promise. The scripture speaks of the promise of the land to the people of Israel, and a restoration that God will bring forth, physically and spiritually," Berger said.

Berger says it should not be a surprise that the international community is so focused on the Holy Land. He said, "Man and the whole Babylonian world system is going to absolutely try and find a human solution to bring peace to the Middle East, because they understand that this is the heart of the whole world issue. But actually they're going to have to deal with God. Because, first of all, God says it is His land."

The diplomatic push for a Palestinian state has gained strong momentum since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. For months, President Bush has promised such a state if the Palestinians, under new leadership, stop their violence against Israel and enact democratic reforms. He has also made it clear what Israel must do.

On March 14 of this year, Bush said, "The government of Israel, as the terror threat is removed and security improves, must take concrete steps to support the emergence of a viable and credible Palestinian state, and to work as quickly as possible toward a final status agreement. As progress is made toward peace, settlement activity in the occupied territories must end."

Most of the 200,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank - Judea and Samaria - would disagree with President Bush's contention that they live in occupied territory.

Miriam Fox, a resident of the Alon Shvut community, said, "Whenever people talk about the Bible, they kind of sound like religious fanatics. But at the risk of sounding like one, the Old Testament is very clear that this piece of real estate belongs to the Jewish people, that it's an everlasting inheritance."

Eve Harow, a resident of Efrat, said, "I think it's really unconscionable to think that Jews should once again be transferred out of Judea and Samaria."

Harow says for many Palestinians, the state of Israel is the real issue. "They have yet to accept not just the fact that Jews live in Judea and Samaria, they have yet to accept the fact that there are Jews in the Middle East, because that's really what this is all about. And all you have to do is look in their websites and their textbooks to see that their maps of the Middle East say Palestine in place of Israel, not next to Israel. It's not about Judea and Samaria. It's about the right of Jews to have a state of our own in this part of the world," she said.

But after decades of pressure on successive Israeli governments, even some leaders who helped build the Jewish communities in the West Bank now say they have resigned themselves to a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is one such leader.

In an April 13th interview, Sharon told the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz: "We are talking about the cradle of the Jewish people. Our whole history is bound up with these places - Bethlehem, Shiloh, Bethel. And I know that we will have to part with some of these places. As a Jew, this agonizes me. But I have decided to make every effort to reach a settlement. I feel that the rational necessity to reach a settlement is overcoming my feelings."

But that is not enough for many Palestinians, who learn from the time they are in pre-school that all of Israel is the land of Palestine. Leaders of Hamas and other terrorist groups vow to fight the road map and any other proposal that would keep Israel in charge of the land.

Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz Rantisi said, "I believe that we are going to escalate our resistance, because the resistance in Palestine (is) representing the hope of the nation."

The Palestinian terrorist groups have tried to make good on their threats. Israeli security forces fielded more than 60 threats of terrorist attacks during the Passover holiday, and at least 10 were arrested for planned suicide bombings.

Still, the Bush administration's road map partners - Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - want a faster timetable for a Palestinian state. But the quartet has been slow to explain what it would do to keep terrorists from killing Israelis.

In the meantime, Israelis who believe the Bible's promises for the land, say they are looking to the author of the scriptures.

Efrat resident Yacov Coblentz said, "The Jewish people couldn't possibly have settled the land of Israel; the Jewish people couldn't possibly have survived so many wars without Divine help. We were getting it the whole time. We'll get it (bezat hashem), we'll get it forever. If we pray properly, we'll get it."

Reuven Berger said, "God has a plan. He has a plan of blessing. He has a plan of peace. And you cannot bypass Israel. Israel is at the heart of that plan. And that's why the nations, in their hatred for Israel, they are depriving themselves of the very blessing that God has for them."

Note From Me: Have you read the new book out in the Left Behind Series entitled Armageddon? This book is awesome and will leave you hanging on until the next book. Way to go Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE?


John3:16

Matthew 28
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.



HE IS RISEN!

I wonder what it would have been like that day to be with the Mary's and walk to the tomb of our Lord and see a great Angel there telling the story of his Resurrection. Oh what a glorious morning when our Lord arose just like he said he would. How wonderful is the scripture for us that says:

"'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1st Corinthians 15 :55-57

World Net Daily today has reprinted an article written in 2001 about the cloth that was wrapped around our Lords face at his burial. However she goes so deeply into the history of the time that I thought it might thrill you as it has me. Today is the day we remember that our Lord fulfilled his
promise to man beginning in Genesis 3: 15 vs. 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Praise ye the Lord this day for great things he hath done! Praise him for his gift of forgiveness through his shed blood on Calvary's Cross. Praise him that just as he fulfilled this promise, he is coming again to set things right forever!

HE AROSE
Up from the grave he arose
with a mighty triumph o're his foes
He arose a victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with his saints to reign.
He Arose!
He Arose!
Hallelujah Christ Arose.

World Net Daily

THE MAN OF THE CLOTH
by Mary Jo Anderson

The first thing you notice is that the linen is so ordinary. An eggshell-colored rectangle of coarse linen, now dirty and discolored with blood, lymph and sweat, it is nonetheless a remarkable testament of the passion of Jesus Christ. The Sudarium Domini is that other burial cloth described in the Gospel of John, "He saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth which had been around Jesus' head. It was not lying with the linen cloths, but was rolled up by itself" (John 20:6-7).

The Sudarium, say researchers, authenticates the more widely known Shroud of Turin, a 14-foot swath of fine linen believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. The Shroud of Turin is familiar to believers and non-believers alike, yet few know of the existence of this separate cloth that has lain for centuries in a tiny chapel in the principality of Asturias, in northern Spain. The linen has only recently captured the interest of the scientific world. Hidden from view for more than a thousand years, the Sudarium surfaces at the dawn of the third millennium, thrusting into the modern world fresh testimony of the suffering and death of a crucified man.

After journalistic investigations into the "Cloth of Oviedo," as the Sudarium is also known, I departed on Ash Wednesday for Oviedo, Spain, to personally view the cloth that few have ever seen. Last summer I had traveled to Spain to interview the dean of the cathedral of San Salvador, Don Rafael Somoano, who explained how history and medical science have been unraveling the testimony of the Sudarium. On that occasion it was not possible to view the ancient cloth that contains the Blood of Christ. So profound was my disappointment that it seemed a physical blow. Unexpectedly, in February I received an invitation to return to Oviedo to see the Sudarium.

During the Ash Wednesday flight, I re-read Mark Guscin's "The Oviedo Cloth," as well as material on the passion: "The Day Christ Died" and the essay from the Mayo Clinic, "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ." In particular, I noted all the injuries to the head and face, since the Sudarium had been wrapped around his head while Jesus was still upright on the cross.

The mind recoils at the brutality inflicted on this victim -- whomever one believes him to be. Blood first fell from his brow in the garden at Gethsemane. In deeply human distress, Christ experienced the rare phenomenon of hematidrosis, when capillaries burst and blood and sweat mix. During interrogation by Caiaphas, the high priest, Jesus was spat upon and repeatedly struck on the head and face. (Mark 15:65)

The lacerations on the lower neck, back, buttocks and legs from the scourging left torn muscles gaping open and his flesh weeping blood. Medical evidence indicates two soldiers, standing on opposite sides of their victim, beat Christ. The patterns of the scourge marks are visible on the Shroud of Turin. The whips, a flagrum with lead balls or sheep bone tied to the tips of the leather thongs, slashed into the subcutaneous tissue.

Crowning with thorns was not a typical practice -- it seems to have been reserved for this singular victim -- as no record exists that reports its use before or after Christ. Descriptions of the crown of thorns -- more, a helmet of thorns -- cause one to cringe in sympathy with such agony. Spikes an inch or more in length were hammered into the scalp.

In the hushed Camara Santa, a small chapel dating from the ninth century, the priest set the Sudarium on top of its silver reliquary. The pattern of reddish bloody stains and the pale sepia stains of mixed blood and lymph cover areas where scabbed blood is clearly visible. The eye is drawn to small dots off to one side. I recalled what Guscin had written: "Shortly after death, the Sudarium was wrapped round the head in the following way: It was positioned beginning at the back of the head, where wounds were caused by sharp objects. …" Piercing thorns wounded his head; this cloth holds the very blood that oozed from that mocking crown. Centuries fall away and breathing ceases: I am gazing upon the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Herodotus, historian of the ancient world, writes that crucifixion was a grisly practice employed by the Persian king, Darius. Alexander the Great crucified 2,000 victims at the siege of Tyre. From the 20th century discovery of the Qumran scrolls, we have the Pesher of Nahum (Qumran Cave 4) that reveals that the Essenes, a Jewish sect, also practiced crucifixion. Jewish law called for the penalty of "hanging on a tree" as punishment for blasphemy or idolatry. Cicero named crucifixion as the supreme punishment, and the public spectacle of such a cruel death was meant to subdue the people. Our English word "excruciating" is derived from the agony suffered during crucifixion.

The second century A.D. Roman historian, Tacitus, recorded that "Nero fabricated scapegoats and punished ... Christians. Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius' reign by the governor of Judaea, Pontius Pilatus." The gospel relates that Pilate tried to release Jesus, asking, "What evil hath he done? I find him not guilty," but that the crowd shouted for the release of Barabbas. "Bar-abbas" means "son of a father." At the fulcrum of history, the Son of God is condemned and rejected while everyman's son, a convicted rebel and murderer, is preferred by the mob. The guilty man is unchained and the Son of God takes his place.

The news of CNN founder Ted Turner's Ash Wednesday gaffe greeted my return. "What are you, a bunch of Jesus freaks?" Turner accused his employees. The crowd is still urged to choose Barabbas instead of Christ.

Today, as in the time of Jesus' passion, conflicting messages vie for the attention of the masses. Tuesday of Holy Week, the Dutch senate passed a bill legalizing euthanasia. But in France, a simple annual ceremony at Sainte Chappele, built by King Louis IX to protect a fragment of the crown of thorns, draws pilgrims from throughout Europe. The king brought the fragment to France from his journeys to the Holy Land during the crusades. The young are especially silent and reflective as they file pass this artifact of the crucifixion.

In England, where human embryos are approved for scientific experiments, an Anglican minister sees the shadow of the fifth plague of Egypt in the bovine bonfires dotting his nation, now terrified by mad cow disease. Yet, an April 10 Church of England Newspaper article reports that a fragment of the titulus cruces (Latin for title board) that Pilate had affixed to the cross of Jesus, has been kept in the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. It was discovered in 1492 during the restoration of a 5th century mosaic that depicts "the legendary discovery of the True Cross in Jerusalem by the Empress Helena," mother of Emperor Constantine the Great (326 A.D.).

Recently, that walnut board was studied by Carsten Thiede, a German New Testament scholar who believes the evidence supports dating the titulus at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. Thiede, who teaches at the Ben-Gurion University in Israel and British journalist, Matthew D'Ancona, wrote a book, "The Quest for the True Cross." The book details their study of the titulus. They wrote, "What is certain is that this relic is one of the most potentially important in the Christian world." The titulus has three lines written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin containing part of the phrase "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Their book was the stimulus for an Icon Films documentary on the fragment aired in Britain on Palm Sunday. Icon was granted unprecedented access to the fragment; the Santa Croce monks removed the glass plates so that the TV crew could film the lettering at close range. Interestingly, the Greek and Latin lines are written backwards, perhaps by a Hebrew scribe who would think that to be correct, as it is in Hebrew language. Thiede claims that is not a mistake a fraudulent relic monger would make, since no patron would settle for such an obvious error.

There is something providential about the re-examination of many of the artifacts of the crucifixion that have survived into the third millennium. The Scripture says, "They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced." Forensic scientists, historians, NASA experts, artists, medical specialists and others have laid before the contemporary world sufficient evidence of that "pierced one. " Our age is not deprived of the evidence recorded in the gospels of the man who asked, "Who do you say that I am?"

Josephus, the Jewish historian (A.D. 37-100), wrote of Jesus: "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man: for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive truth with pleasure. … He was the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, condemned him to the cross … he appeared alive again on the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold."


I pray everyone has a blessed Easter!

Hello From The Beautiful Smokey Mountains.

I am sitting here looking at the most beautiful mountain scenery ever. How someone could believe that all this just happened I do not know. They have to be blinded by the enemy of our souls. The hills are both brown and green depending on the elevation of the area and all throughout this mounatin region are the most beautiful blooming dogwoods I have ever seen. I think the Lord must have added a special little touch of creation to these mountains and I always sense his special presence here.

Happy Easter Everyone.

Because He lives we can face whatever is coming.
Because He lives we have hope eternal.
Because He lives we know that we will see our loved ones again.
Because He lives our sins are forgiven, forgotten and buried in the depths of the sea.

Praise the Lord!

On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame.
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

Thank you WePraiseHim.Com for this reminder of what our Lord endured.

What Is Crucifixion?

A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.

The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backwards against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain- the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber.

Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over-the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues-the tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues...Finally, he can allow his body to die... All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:24). What wondrous love is this?

Many people don't know that pain and suffering our Lord, Jesus Christ went through for us...because of the brutality, crucifixion was given a sentence to only its worst offenders of the law. Thieves, murderers, and rapists would be the types of creeps who got crucified. Yet, here Jesus is being crucified between two hardened criminals...What did Jesus do? Did he murder anyone? Did he steal anything? The answer as we all know is NO!! Jesus did nothing to deserve this type of death, yet he went willing to die, in between 2 thieves, so that we might be saved. And there, in between the sinners, was our savior slain for our sins.

Passing this on to 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 people won't get you good luck, no free pair of Gap Jeans, no cruise, no money, but it might open someone's eyes.

God Bless




Have you settled the question of where you will spend eternity?



John3:16:For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.