Peace and grace to you in Jesus name!
FINALLY!!!!!!! Well as I advised you sometime ago, we had a household move in our immediate future, house renovations plus various ministry trips. We are still working on the renovation part but at least we are home now for a while and I am able to spend time in my new office.
Actually it is both Brandy's office and mine. Roughly translated that means that my desk is on one end of a 27 foot room and her's on the other. The word "TIDY" comes to mind but that really means "small and cramped" because we have office equipment, supplies, projects and mementos from our various missionary journeys occupying literally every single square inch with a narrow hallway down the center.
In our spare time I have thought about getting a small ball and some of those little plastic bowling pins. Yikes, did I actually mutter the words "Spare time"? The strain must be getting to me. Ok, raise your right hand (the left is ok if you are holding your coffee cup), if days and weeks are flying by and you find yourself longing for "night night" by 4 p.m.? Or no matter how hard you try, little actually gets done and your entire life seems to be consumed with "the tyranny of hecticity"? Well you are not alone and by the way don't try to look up the word "HECTICITY" because some poor pastor before me made it up. It has however---for several years now---become a mainstay in my vocabulary regardless of what Noah Webster may have to say about it. By the way, did I neglect to mention that our 27 foot long office is only 8 feet wide?
Realizing that most married couples would kill each other in short order if they shared the same office--- (-: Brandy and I began our lives together working in the same office and so we have always preferred to do so. It helps a lot when you happen to be married to your best friend and as a result we are able to draw inspiration from each other. Obviously, and even more important is the fact that we serve the same God. You'd be surprised at just how many "supposedly Christian households" are bereft of this common ground. I know, I am a pastor and as such have to deal with couples frequently, one partner of which may have a strong relationship with the Lord but the other does not!
No common God, No common friendship, no common interests, warn out love, NO SOLID MARRIAGE! It is as simple as that. Sad but true for far too many couples in todays church. Well, that is not my topic for today but it is most certainly something for each of us to reflect upon. Oh, what the heck, I do have a few words to share with you on the subject of marriage after all. Is your marriage "going south on you"? Too late? it's already over?
A word to the wise friends! If you still have your marriage, It does not have to be that way. Your choice! If you want it to change for the better, go back to the way it was when you first married. You really can do it but it takes work---lots and lots of hard work. You may well say, "but what about my husband (or wife)"? He or she just does not seem interested anymore!
Well, you know someone has to start the process and make the commitment to never, ever give up. If one of you is not willing to do that then you are destined to become just another statistic---a broken marriage!
NOTE: If you are in an abusive marriage, I am not the kind of pastor that would advise you to continue subjecting yourself to danger. However once identified, there are forms of help available for abusers. Exhaust every possibility before considering the possibility of divorce, the consequences of which often last a lifetime!
If you are alone, go back to your first love. He will never leave you or forsake you! Of course that's good advice for happily married folks also: By the way, His name is Jesus!
Now, back to Matthew 24:4-8. The last time we were together on this blog, I spoke to you about earthquakes increasing worldwide. I received a comment from a very nice young man suggesting that I read more pages on the U.S. Geological Survey website, because there are explanations stating that earthquakes really are not increasing worldwide---IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE BETTER AND FAR MORE SENSORY EQUIPMENT NOW"!
QUESTION? How many of you really believe what your Government is telling you lately?
When I was an administrator in Law Enforcement (a very long time ago), the key word was, never ever admit the worst. Don't panic the public no matter what. Don't lie of course but if things are terrible, underplay it! What are YOU hearing now from whatever Government you happen to live under? (Canadians may be exempt from this---their economy is doing well right now), but what about the rest of us? It amazes me how most of the Government " Grand Poobahs" are on the tele every evening telling us all about how well we are doing and how the recession is over. REALLY?
If that is the case, why are several Nations of the world close to bankruptcy! Why is the unemployment rate nearly 10% Nation wide in America and some of the individual States as high as 14%? Why are huge megalopolis car dealers going under and banks STILL failing in record numbers? Why are entire sections of strip malls vacant and there are few if any new business start ups? Why are the banks not lending money? How is it that our economy is terrible across the board but the National debt is still raising by over 1 TRILLION dollars a year? And you think that America is alone?
Statistically the US dollar is doing better than the Euro and that is really scary because a huge portion of America is now owned by China, India, the UK and a few other Nations through high interest rate loans and US bond sales. Oh and by the way, IF the US dollar is doing so well on the World money market, why has China quietly (within the past two months) dumped around 32.5 BILLION dollars worth of US bonds?
So, are we going to believe the Government or the reality of what is happening in the world today? I report, you decide! I examine the Biblical prophetic implications of scripture and the long term worldwide trends, and YOU DECIDE!!! Don't agree with me? No problem, we can still be friends. But for goodness sakes lets get our collective heads out of the sand and have some answers when those around us are afraid, confused and feel like they are standing on QUICK sand!
I was in a Christian book store the other day and was perusing titles, scanning jacket covers and generally seeking books that would enhance my rather substantial library. Of the most interest to me of course were those authors that AGREE with ME! Does that shock you? Come on now lets be honest here, how many of us read stuff that we don't like or disagree with? An Example is this blog. For the most part the people that read my blog send in comments like "RIGHT ON", or "PREACH IT BROTHER".
I do however sincerely appreciate those that write in with opposing views, first of all because it is helpful to know what others are thinking and also because sometimes someone says something that I had not thought of. And yes by the way, the other day I did purchase a book written by a man who's Biblical prophetic view point, I totally disagree with! But he is an accomplished author and has a great way of stating his views---that I totally disagree with---but I respect his opinion! Respecting the opinions of other Christians is important whether we agree with them or not. It is the stuff of life!
NOW it is time for me to "Sound Off" on one of my pet peeves!
Did you notice that in speaking of this other author, I mentioned no names? First, after reading this mans work---that I totally disagree with---It is obvious that he loves the Lord every bit as much as I do. Agree or not, that makes him my brother and someone that I will spend eternity with. Do we really think we can go through life criticizing and pointing our fingers at other Christians and then go on to live happily ever after---with them?
Second, Do we actually have the audacity to believe that public criticism of other believers is something that makes GOD happy? Now please know for certain if some creepy false doctrine begins to effect my sheep, I am going to deal with it Biblically and if that requires my personally going to some doer of dastardly deeds to straighten it out, I will do so. However, I am of the firm belief that these things should be done privately and with respect.
A number of years ago, I attended a conference in which the Biblical Samson was used to portray everything that we as Christians should NOT be! While I agree that ole Samson made some bad decisions in life, have I also not done the same? The problem is that when another persons life (even the ancient prophets and men of God) is used to demonstrate a point that we can all learn from---well that's one thing! But to laugh and ridicule even those that went before us, is a very dangerous and judgmental thing to do. Regardless of what Samson did throughout his life, God did listen to his final prayer and granted it. Was that true repentance? Not for me to judge.
So, there I sat in this Christian men's conference thinking Wow, do I really want to take the chance that some day in heaven, this totally humongous man with long hair, massive muscles and the jaw bone of an ass in his hand will stroll up to me and say "so, Rance, did you really say all those mean, disrespectful things about me"? NOT!!!~
Ok, no more bunny trails! Shall I go on about world events? This is probably a time in which we need to decide for ourselves what is happening based upon the evidence that we SEE, not the rhetoric that we HEAR.
Soooo, having firmly advanced my theory that we cannot believe much that our Governments are telling us, lets take a little trip together and see the historical records.
In doing so , I believe that God puts things in the Bible in a specific order for a reason. And let's not forget that roughly 45% of the entire Bible predicts the future. For those of you who are skeptical regarding the veracity of God's Holy Word, please know that there are at least 365 Biblical prophecies that will be totally fulfilled by Jesus Christ the Messiah of Israel. Of those just over 100 were fulfilled at His first coming and there are another 85 prophecies involving the Jewish people returning to Israel from all corners of the globe in the end times----which is now happening before our very eyes. Ezekiel 36 and 37 anyone?
Did you know that the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu recently used Ezekiel 37 (the dry bones prophecy), in a public address to refer to the "end times"? Perhaps when the worldwide leader of the Jews begins using fulfilled Biblical prophecy to demonstrate a point, we should listen! What do you think?
Beginning at verse 5 of Matthew 24, the Lord lists the following in this specific order: 1). False Christs. 2). Wars and rumors of wars. 3). Nation rising against Nation. 4). Kingdoms against Kingdoms. 5). Famines. 6). Pestilences (plagues). 7). Earthquakes in various places.
Many Bible expositors, scholars and Pastors believe that the very end of the end times began in the area of AD 1900. This is because the central theme of Israel is at the very core of the issue. Many of the events of the run up to Israel's restoration as a Nation from the ash heap of history began with a man by the name of Theodor Herzl convening the first Zionist congress in Basel Switzerland in 1897. The purpose of this congress was to begin the process of developing a Jewish homeland in Israel after nearly 2000 years of (the Jews) dispersion throughout the world. Then in 1917 the British Foreign Minister, Lord Balfour issued a document called "The Balfour Declaration" supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in what is now Israel.
Time does not permit in this article to fully examine all the events from that point until the culmination of the modern State of Israel beginning on May the 14th 1948. But I can tell you that a very casual read of these events will convince you that history does NOT verify most public rhetoric we hear today. In fact the League of Nations (the forerunner to the United Nations), did create a National homeland for the Jews (Israel today) and ANOTHER COMPLETELY SEPARATE ONE for the Palestinian people!!! That place was then know as TRANS JORDAN, and was set aside for them by legal worldwide decree.
Very quickly, a King was created for this new Nation by the ruling power of the Middle East at the time which was our good friends in the UK (England). Unfortunately this new King refused to allow the admittance of the Palestinian people and he renamed the new Nation JORDAN!
Before the current United Nations presses their absurd requirement that the Jews role back their Nation to the armistice lines of antiquity, perhaps some pressure should be brought to bear on the king of Jordan to do what is right and allow the Palestinian people to finally occupy what was created to rightfully be their homeland. THE NATION OF JORDAN!!!
The next article will examine the historical records beginning with a veritable plethora of false Christ's going all the way back to about 135 AD. From that point we will begin our look at Jesus prophecies in Matthew 24:5-7 in the specific order that He gave them.
Also next time I have decided to begin with a short article written by a pastor friend through who's eyes we will get a glimpse of what is happening to the good ole US of A-----and subsequently how it can be fixed!
In the meantime, may the Lord of Glory bless you all with the Peace that passes all understanding.
Pastor Rance.
