THE INTERESTING
INFORMATION CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
CONFIRMING
BIBLICAL TRUTH
August 12,
2020
SECTION 1 – INTERESTTING
INFORMATION WEEKLY ARTILCLES
SECTION 2 – SUMMARIES/BOOK
REVIEWS/SPECIAL ARTICLES/CHRISTIAN LINKS
SECTION
III – CONTACT
INTERESTING INFORMATION MINISTRY
8/12/2020
The following material is provided for
information purposes only. Any
conclusions or opinions formed should be based on the principles as outlined in
Acts 17:11. The material is intended for use as a witnessing tool and to keep
you informed so you will not be unaware (Luke 21:34) of what is happening
according to Scripture’s
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NEW SERIES FROM MALACHI: “MAKING THE RETURN”
Go to:
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UPDATE FROM THE TEMPLE MOUNT
INSTITUTE
THE
LOVE OF GOD
TheNCrew
THOUGHT FOR
THE WEEK – "Worldly love begins with a smile, grows
with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop, but Christian love never ends." – Anonymous
INTERESTING ARTICLES SUMMARY
·
U.S. Christian’s departing from core
truths of Christian Worldview
·
Why all are accountable when it comes to
knowing Jesus
·
Heartbreaking discoveries in shoes at
Auschwitz: God knows your name
·
Here comes Polyamory, just as we
predicted
·
Israeli researchers grow new Date plants
from 2,000 year old seed
·
Fish communicate on secure channels
·
WHEN WE IGNORE GOD
INTERESTING ARTICLES
US CHRISTIANS INCREASINGLY DEPARTING
FROM CORE TRUTHS OF CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW (Excerpt)
Koenig’s Int’l
News– Aug. 9, 2020 -- A new survey
shows that the majority of Americans no longer believe that Jesus is the path
to salvation and instead believe that being a good person is sufficient.
As part of the
ongoing release of the Arizona Christian University-based Cultural Research
Center's American Worldview Inventory, the latest findings — exploring
perceptions of sin and salvation — from George Barna,
the group's director, show that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that
having some kind of faith is more important than the particular faith with
which someone aligns.
Sixty-eight
percent who embrace that notion identify as Christians, including 56% of
self-described evangelicals and 62% of those who identify as Pentecostals.
Sixty-seven percent of mainline Protestants and 77% of Catholics also embraced
that idea, the findings show.
Slightly over
half of Christian respondents said they believe someone can attain salvation by
"being or doing good," a figure that includes, 46% of Pentecostals,
44% of mainline Protestants, 41% of evangelicals, and 70% of Catholics.
In addition to
the viewpoint that eternal salvation can be earned, survey results show that
58% of Americans believe that no absolute moral truth exists and that the basis
of truth are factors or sources other than God. Seventy-seven percent said that
right and wrong is determined by factors other than the Bible. Fifty-nine
percent said that the Bible is not God's authoritative and true Word and 69%
said people are basically good.
“If you look
at some of the dominant elements in the American mind and heart today, as
illuminated by the Inventory, most people believe that the purpose of life is
feeling good about yourself," Barna said in a
statement sent to The Christian Post.
"Most
people contend that all faiths are of equal value, that entry into God’s
eternal presence is determined by one’s personal means of choice and that there
are no absolutes to guide or grow us morally.
“That
philosophy of life contradicts a fundamental basis of what may be the two most
significant documents to the longevity and success of America – the Bible and
the Constitution of the United States. Those documents agree that this nation
will only be healthy and fruitful if it is populated by moral people. By
abandoning our moral standards and traditions, and replacing them with
inclusive and conditional preferences, we're losing the foundations that have
enabled the ‘American experiment’ to succeed for more than two centuries. We
can only hope that our critical moral institutions — particularly the family
and the church — will wake up and help the nation to get back on track.”
WHY ALL ARE
ACCOUNTABLE WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING JESUS
Charisma News – Aug. 10. 2020 -- What will happen to the man who
lives in the remotest part of the jungle? Will he be accountable for not
knowing about Jesus? The answer to that question is yes.
Romans Chapter 1 tells us that God is evident in creation and
that God holds man accountable because of it. Look at the human body, the
animal kingdom, plant life, the birth of a baby or the universe. God's design
is everywhere. That points to a designer. If the man in the jungle looks to the
heavens and cries out in humility, "I want to know God," then God
will find a way to reveal Jesus Christ to him.
The Bible also says that God gives man a conscience to know
right from wrong. Our conscience also tells us there is a God, and we need a
savior. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says eternity is written on man's heart. Man knows
that he will live forever, and that he needs to be forgiven of his sin.
God has given man the Bible. He tells us how to stay out of hell
and how to get to heaven. Man just needs to read it.
There are Bibles everywhere so that man can get hold of one.
There are also missionaries, television, the internet and people
who travel the world sharing about Jesus. God will send a missionary to the
person in Africa, or wherever they may live. It doesn't matter where on the
earth they are.
And then Job 33 says God gives man dreams and visions to keep back
his soul from the pit. All through the Bible, it says God is fair and just. No
one will be in hell unjustly because we serve a God who is fair and just.
The Christian
Post – Aug. 8, 2020 -- The Memorial and Museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland
contains artifacts from one of the Nazi concentration camps used during World
War II, where millions of Jews were exterminated. While preserving shoes that
belonged to Jews who died at the camp, experts at the museum discovered a
handwritten inscription in a child’s shoe with the child’s first and last name,
the means of the transport, and the child’s registration number.
The child was
a six-year-old Czech boy, who arrived at Auschwitz in 1944. It is believed the
boy and his mother were deported to Auschwitz together and that the mother
ensured the boy’s shoe was inscribed. They are presumed to both have died
in the gas chamber.
God knows
your name
Heartbreaking
finds of identification in shoes, including newspapers with dates and names,
show the prisoners’ desire to not be forgotten.
All of us have
an innate desire to be known, to be loved, to be remembered. Our names, mostly
given at birth, identify us. The One who knows every star by name (Isaiah
40:26, Psalm
147:4) knows each of us
and desires us to know him.
God said to
Moses: “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found
favor in my sight, and I know you by name” (Exodus
33:17). And to Jacob:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers,
they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be
burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah
43).
To Jeremiah,
God said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born
I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah
1:5).
He has
engraved each of us on the palms of his hands (Isaiah
49:16), knows the
number of hairs on our head (Matthew
10:30), and collects
our tears (Psalm 56:8). His thoughts number more than the sand, morning and night (Psalm
139:17‒18).
The next time
we question God’s desire to know us, or love us, we can remember: “God shows
his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans
5:8).
HERE COMES
POLYAMORY, JUST AS WE PREDICTED (Excerpt)
Charisma News – Jul. 2, 2020 -- Let me be totally clear at the
outset. One of the purposes of this article is to say, "I told you
so!" Or, more precisely, many of us have been predicting this moment for
years. As reported in The New York Times, "A
Massachusetts City Decides to Recognize Polyamorous Relationships. The
city of Somerville has broadened the definition of domestic partnership to
include relationships between three or more adults, expanding access to health
care." Is anyone really surprised?
After all, if the winning mantras of the same-sex
"marriage" movement have been "Love is love" and "Love
wins" and "I have the right to marry the one I love," why limit
that number to two? Isn't that discriminating against love? Isn't that simply
carrying over the outdated, outmoded, limiting ways of the past?
To this day, in all my dialogue and debate with LGBTQ activists
and their allies, I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation of why marriage
should be limited to two people if any two people can marry. Why limit the
union to two people? Based on what? All the solid arguments for limiting
marriage to two people are, ultimately, arguments for marriage being the union
of a male and a female. All other arguments fall short. Very short.
When it comes to polyamory, which can include virtually any
combination or number of men and women, on what basis should the
government not recognize such relationships? Is not love still
love? Does not love still win? And is not love the only thing that matters? So,
the argument goes.
As I asked in 2015, "If Love Is Love, Why Not Three Men
'Marrying'?" Why not?
Today, we're talking about just one city in Massachusetts extending
health benefits to polyamorous families. But one city is all that is needed to
begin a trend. That's also why this is national news, even in the midst of an
unrelenting, tumultuous news cycle.
In fact, I drew attention to a polyamory seminar hosted by the
Metropolitan Community Churches—obviously, pro-LGBT churches—back in 2005:
"Yes, 'polyamory'—in other words, having multiple sexual partners (loving,
of course!)—was also a topic of discussion at the MCC conference, and church
members were encouraged to come out of the closets with their ongoing, multiple
sexual relationships."
Again, this was at a church conference in 2005.
And even then, this trend had been building for years. We told you so!
Polyamorous advocates who marched prominently in gay pride
parades, stating, "We're 30 years behind the gay activist movement."
They probably underestimated the timeline.
"Perhaps we should change the wedding vows to sound more
like this (with the man speaking here): 'I take you as my wife, but probably
not for life. I take you as my own, but not just you alone. I pledge myself to
you, and perhaps to others too. I take you as my bride, although your name is
Clyde.'
"Is this really so farfetched? If you can have a bride and
a broom, if 'husbands' can be women and 'wives' can be men, if you can be
married and dating and swinging and swapping, if you live together before
marriage and end the marriage whenever it suits you best, then what does
'marriage' mean?"
Back in 2015, Stephen Colbert mocked the idea of a slippery
moral slope when it came to redefining marriage. The reality of the matter, as
he likely knew, was that the mocking predictions he made had already come to
pass.
In saying all this, I am not saying that gay couples do not love
each other or that gay couples will inevitably become polyamorous throuples and beyond. I'm simply stating the obvious: If
two men or two women can "marry," then there is nothing sacrosanct
about the number two. Any potential number will do, as long as the
relationships are based on "love."
ISRAELI RESEARCHERS GROW NEW DATE PLANTS
FROM 2,000-YEAR-OLD SEEDS (Excerpt)
Six saplings sprout from ancient kernels gathered at Judean
archaeological sites; scientists hope to pollinate female plants and produce
fruit
Koenig’s Int’l
News – Feb. 7, 2020 -- Israeli researchers revealed Wednesday that they
successfully grew extinct date plants from ancient seeds found at
archaeological sites in the Judean Desert.
Dozens of
seeds were gleaned from archaeology collections gathered at locations in the
dry Dead Sea area, including the Masada hilltop fortress built by King Herod
the Great in the first century BCE and the ancient site of Qumran, famous for
the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s.
Six saplings
grew from 32 seeds sown and the plants have been dubbed Adam, Jonah, Uriel,
Boaz, Judith, and Hannah.
“Germination of 2000-year-old seeds of Phoenix
dactylifera from Judean desert archaeological sites
provides a unique opportunity to study the Judean date palm, described in
antiquity for the quality, size, and medicinal properties of its fruit, but
lost for centuries,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in the
peer-reviewed Science Advances journal.
“The Kingdom
of Judah (Judea) that arose in the southern part of the historic Land of Israel
in the 11th century BCE was particularly renowned for the quality and quantity
of its dates,” the researchers noted. “These so-called ‘Judean dates’ grown in
plantations around Jericho and the Dead Sea were recognized by classical
writers for their large size, sweet taste, extended storage, and medicinal
properties.”
Radiocarbon
dating revealed the seeds used for the project came from a period spanning the
fourth century BCE to the second century CE.
Further
analysis found the seeds had a genetic makeup from various locations spreading
eastward across the region stretching into modern day Iraq.
Date palm
cultivation in southern Mesopotamia began over 6,000 years ago and exiles
returning after the collapse of Babylonian empire in 539 BCE “may have brought
this specialized knowledge and selected cultivars back to Judea,” the
researchers speculated.
“A date
variety ‘Taali’ cultivated in both Judea and Babylon
is mentioned in the Talmud,” they wrote.
The dry
conditions in the Dead Sea region could have helped the seeds survive two
millennia without losing their ability to grow.
“Low
precipitation and very low humidity around the Dead Sea could have contributed
to the longevity of the ancient date seeds,” the researchers said.
FISH COMMUNICATE ON SECURE CHANNEL
John 19:38 “And after this
Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the
Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus….”
Creation
Moments – Jul. 22, 2020 -- The Bible most frequently associates the idea of secret
communications with something evil. But sometimes, God uses secret
communication for His purpose, as He did when Joseph of Arimathea secretly went
to Pilate to secure the body of Jesus.
God has
also given some animals the ability to communicate secretly. Take, for example,
the Swordtail fish – like the one you might have in your aquarium. In the wild,
this fish has a problem. They share their habitat with the Mexican tetras that
are an aggressive predator and favor a meal of Swordtail. Yet, like many other
fish, the male Swordtail must conduct a conspicuous male courting dance to
mate. Even so, at mating time while the male is conducting his dance, the
aggressive tetras pay no extra attention to his show. Researchers were puzzled
until they discovered that the Swordtail conducts his mating communication on a
secure channel that the tetras cannot see. They found that Swordtails have a
stripe down the length of their body that reflects ultraviolet light essential
to their mating communications. Examination of the tetras’ eye lenses show that
they cannot see ultraviolet light. So the tetras miss
the whole show.
Now
that the Swordtails’ secret is revealed, we have additional reason to
appreciate the work of our Creator. Thankfully, He has revealed to those with
eyes to see His greatest secret: Salvation.
WHEN WE IGNORE GOD
Have you ever felt ignored? We all long
for love, acceptance, and attention, but perhaps an important person in your
life has shown little interest in you or what you have to say.
There’s something even worse, though,
than ignoring others: disregarding God. But we’ve all done it. One way we
ignore Him is by failing to obey His instructions. Or maybe we sense His
leading but don’t follow. And unless we seek time with our Father—whether in
His Word, prayer, or worship—we are neglecting Him again.
The consequences are painful. For one
thing, neglect grieves God because He is our heavenly Father, who desires
closeness with each of His children. We also miss out on the best for our life.
Ignoring our connection with the Lord and choosing not to abide in Him would
mean missing out on His plan and the fruit of the Spirit. As a result, we
shortchange ourselves out of fulfilling the purpose for which He created
us—glorifying Him. And remember, we eventually will be held accountable for our
actions.
How are you choosing to live—do you pay
attention to what God says, or are you living with your own set of standards?
Your conscious choices affect your walk with Jesus. If you tune your spirit to
listen and discipline yourself to obey, you’ll enjoy great intimacy with the
Lord.
In Touch Ministry
THE GRACE THAT WE STAND IN
IS MORE THAN WE DESERVE
PRIOR ISSUE
INTERESTING INFORMATION 8/5/2020
DOUBLE
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URL - WHY NOT JUDAISM FOR JEWS AND CHRISTIANITY FOR GENTILES?
URL - ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER ANCIENT
CHRISTIAN SETTLEMENT IN GALILEE CONQUERED IN 7TH CENTURY
THIS
WORLD IS NOT MY HOME
JIM REEVES
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – “"The ultimate test of
a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” – Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
INTERESTING ARTICLES SUMMARY
· A
Christian’s responsibility to Israel
· Is
Trump using Christians?
· Support
for homosexuality increases as interest in religion wanes
· Islamic
State: “We invite you to convert to Islam or get ready to say goodbye to the
World
· Be
careful what you say about “Stone-age” people
· ALL
THAT IS IN THE WORLD
INTERESTING ARTICLES
A CHRISTIAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ISRAEL
The Christian
Post – Jul. 31, 2020 -- Jesus is one of Israel’s own. He was born in Israel. He
lived in Israel. And on Passover in Israel (Nisan 14), Jesus gave His life on
the cross for the sins of the world. He resurrected in Israel. He ascended to
Heaven from Israel. His first followers were descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. And He is returning to Israel to establish His Kingdom.
A Christian is
a follower of Jesus the Messiah of Israel, the promised Davidic King of Israel
who is the Savior of the world!
As a
generation witnessing ongoing attempts to discredit, devalue, dismantle and
destroy Israel, we need to answer the question: What is a Christian’s
relationship and responsibility to Israel?
1. A Christian is a Bible believer who
stands on the Biblical promise that God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish
people, and that in fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures God is
behind Israel’s regathering in the land of Israel after nearly 2,000 years of
dispersion. God keeps His promises and cannot cancel His character.
Standing with
Israel today means standing with the unfolding plan of God in Israel’s
existence. Zionism is the belief that Jews have a right to a national home in
Israel! Those who try to destroy Israel are in opposition to the very purposes
of God (1 Chron. 16:17-18; Ez. 26:24; Romans 9:1-5; Joel 3).
2. A genuine Christian
fights against the ignorance and madness of anti-Semitism. There is no
greater friend of sinners, of man, or of Israel — than Jesus. Yet tragically,
history attests of unspeakable acts that have been done against Jews by those
who have worn a “mask of Christianity.” Genuine Bible-believing Christians
denounce these acts! (Zechariah 2:8; Duet. 7:7-9a)
3. At the heart of the Christian faith is
the belief in the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31, which was promised to Israel and
inaugurated by the death of Jesus on the Cross. This New Covenant is celebrated
and remembered today in what is known as Communion. The Hebrew word for New
Covenant is “brith Hadasha”
— from which the phrase “New Testament” comes.
What is the
meaning of the New Covenant that Jesus inaugurated by His death on the cross?
The answer is
a dynamic five-fold promise: That the law will be internalized in the hearts of
believers (1 Corinthians 3:16); there is forgiveness of sins
available to all who believe (Hebrews 8:12); Israel will be reconciled to God,
just as He promised to Abraham (Romans 11:25ff); all of humanity will know the Lord (Jeremiah 31:34); the Jewish people will be preserved
throughout the ages (Jeremiah 31:35–37).
At a Passover
Seder with His disciples just before His crucifixion, Jesus took the striped
and pierced unleavened bread known as the “bread of affliction” (symbolizing
the sobering cost of redemption and the new beginning out of enslavement in
Egypt) in His hands and said with revelatory authority over the divine calendar
and Jewish tradition, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in
remembrance of Me.” Then Jesus took the third cup in the Passover meal, known
as the Cup of Redemption or Deliverance saying, “This cup is the new covenant
in My blood, which is shed for you” (Lk. 22:19-20).
To participate
in Communion is to engage in a Christ-centric covenant affirmation of the New
Covenant with all of its benefits.
And,
therefore, at the heart of a Christian’s faith is the belief in the redemptive
plan of God from eternity past to eternity future. A plan promised to, and
unfolding through, Israel and the Messiah of Israel. A plan that the nations
are invited into! Paul said “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this
cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
4. Jesus is coming back to Israel and to a
Jewish Jerusalem! (Matt. 23:37-39) In the context of the Passover Seder prior
to His crucifixion, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer
drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the
kingdom of God” (Mark 12:25). In other words, at His second coming when Jesus
sits on the throne of David in Jerusalem and establishes the Kingdom of
God while restoring planet earth to wholeness with Israel at the
center, the “Jesus and Passover connection” will continue in the
celebration of its divine completion (Ez. 45:21).
5. A Christian believes in the whole Bible
and the prophetic significance of the biblical calendar from Passover, which
prophetically speaks of Jesus’ death, to Tabernacles, which prophetically
speaks of the final in-gathering of the nations of the world. Therefore, the
Christian faith sprang forth from the Hebrew Scriptures and from the city of
Jerusalem — not Rome. A Christian believes in the whole Bible and calls both
Jews and Christians back to the study of the Holy Scriptures (Zech. 14:16-19;
Rev. 7:9; Lev. 23:40).
6. A Christian’s highest expression of
blessing “Israel” and the Jewish people is demonstrating unconditional love
toward Jews and helping Jewish friends (as well as the rest of the world) to
know and believe in the hope and salvation of the Messiah of Israel, the Lord
Jesus, one of Israel’s own.
Continue
reading at https://www.christianpost.com/voices/a-christians-responsibility-to-israel.html
IS TRUMP
USING CHRISTIANS? NO, BUT GOD IS USING HIM (Excerpt)
Christian
Headline News – Jul. 17, 2020 -- If you can believe this, a group of Christian
Republicans is warning other Christians and Republicans not to vote for
President Trump in the 2020 election. An ad entitled “Trump is Using Us” was
released on Tuesday on the Republican Voters Against Like many, I’m perplexed
by the divide in the Christian community over President Trump—but I’m not
surprised. The media is fueling lies, and the world is listening. And many of
those coming against our President are what is commonly referred to as liberal
Christians. They love to quote scripture out of context when it supports their
narrative. It makes one wonder what is truly leading them: worldly mandates or
biblical principles. They rail against supporters with words such as, “How can
you follow Jesus and Donald Trump?”
Trump is not
using us, if anything, we are using him (and I mean that in the right way). We
are not following a man; he is shaping a movement. A betr
question to be asking, though, is “What direction is the country heading?” If a
leader lacks Christian character but is pointing the nation back to God, is that
a bad thing? If they are minimizing murdering babies and maximizing godly
values, is that a bad thing? If they are being a terror to terrorists and
making America secure, is that a bad thing? If they are honoring hard work and
minimizing free handouts, is that a bad thing? If they respect law enforcement
and punish disobedience, is that a bad thing? God doesn’t judge a nation based
on the character of one man; He judges it based on the spiritual health of her
people. Never forget that.
I’m equally alarmed
at how many progressives and liberals who use his past against him. Thank God
that God doesn’t hold our past against many of us. They also look to the
secular news media for information. But the majority of news outlets spin
everything (yes, everything) to put President Trump in a bad light. Their
hatred for him trumps the truth. Their agenda is simple and clear: remove him
from office at any cost! In actuality, the media is using many so-called
“Christians” to fuel the flames. And I hope you realize this: they are really
coming after you, me, and our Christian values. If the truth be told, the
headlines mentioned earlier should actually read: The Media is Using Us rather
than Trump is Using Us.
Most critics
don’t care what the facts are. Their hatred for the president overshadows their
desperate need for humility. Let this sink in: innocent children are being
protected, godly counsel is surrounding President Trump, terror is being
restrained, good judges are being selected, socialism is being resisted, families
are being encouraged via employment (Black employment is at an all-time high),
prayer is being brought back in schools, God’s wisdom is being sought, and on
and on it goes. So again, we are not following a man, we are revitalizing a
movement — a movement back to God. I’m more concerned with our nation’s
national character than I am with the president’s personal character.
Granted, he is
not perfect ... we can simply look in the mirror to validate this truth, but is
he improving, learning, and growing? Is he looking out for the American people
according to Romans 13? Be careful: much of what we hear about Trump is actually
designed to mislead us. He has an incredible team around him offering spiritual
advice on a daily basis. Can you imagine having people like Jack Graham, Jim Garlow, James Robison, Jack Hibbs, and countless others
speaking into your life or the life of our president? We should be extremely
thankful. I find it ironic that many of the never-Trumpers
fail to take this into consideration. We should be shouting with joy rather
than having sour looks on our faces.
SUPPORT FOR HOMOSEXUALITY INCREASES AS
INTEREST IN RELIGION WANES
People who say
religion is not important to them are more likely to support homosexuality, new
research by Pew has found.
Koenig’s Int’l News – Jun. 28, 2020 --
The study analyzed the beliefs of over 34,000 people across 36 countries, with
the UK having one of the highest levels of support for homosexuality.
The report,
released on Thursday, reveals rising support for homosexuality in western
European countries, Australia, the US and Canada, where marriage laws have been
liberalized in recent years.
The percentage
of people in the UK who believe society should accept homosexuality has risen
by 10% since 2013, when Pew last asked this question.
In the US,
support for homosexuality has risen from 60% to 72% in the last seven
years.
The study
reveals a correlation between faith and support for homosexuality, with people
who see religion as less important in their daily lives being more accepting of
it.
Among survey
respondents in the UK who said religion was not very important to them, 90%
supported homosexuality compared to 67% of those who said religion was very
important.
This rose to
93% in Canada, and 95% in both the Netherlands and Sweden among respondents who
said religion was not very important. In the US, 86% of non-religious people
said society should support homosexuality.
In several
western European countries, support was high even among the religious. In
Germany, 91% of non-religious people said homosexuality should be supported,
compared to 73% of respondents who said religion was very important to
them.
Overall,
people in Sweden were the most likely to say that homosexuality should be
supported by society (94%), followed by the Netherlands (92%) and Spain
(89%).
"As it
was in 2013, when the question was last asked, attitudes on the acceptance of
homosexuality are shaped by the country in which people live," Pew said.
"Those in
Western Europe and the Americas are generally more accepting of homosexuality
than are those in Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East and
sub-Saharan Africa. And publics in the Asia-Pacific region generally are split.
"This is
a function not only of economic development of nations, but also religious and
political attitudes.
"But even
with these sharp divides, views are changing in many of the countries that have
been surveyed since 2002, when Pew Research Center first began asking this
question.
"In many
nations, there has been an increasing acceptance of homosexuality, including in
the United States, where 72% say it should be accepted, compared with just 49%
as recently as 2007.
ISLAMIC STATE TO INDIAN TV CHANNEL: “WE
INVITE YOU TO CONVERT TO ISLAM OR GET READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE WORLD”
(Excerpt)
“Mujahideen’s
Message to Janam TV! We invite you to convert to
Islam or else get ready to say goodbye to the world and face Allah’s wrath and
punishment.”
Weekend
News Today – Jul. 22, 2020 -- Where do these Misunderstanders
of Islam get the crazy idea to issue a threat like that?
Hmmm.
Could it be from this? A hadith depicts Muhammad saying: “Fight against those
who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war…When you meet your enemies who are
polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one
of these you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm.
Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and
desist from fighting against them…. If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from
them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your
hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them. (Sahih
Muslim 4294)
The
payment of the jizya is offered only to the People of the Book, i.e., primarily
Jews and Christians, as per Qur’an 9:29. Those who are not among the People of
the Book have the choice only of conversion or death, as this message assumes.
“Convert
to Islam or get ready to die and face Allah’s wrath”
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT “STONE AGE” PEOPLE
Genesis 4:17 “And Cain knew
his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded
a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.”
Creation
Moments – Jul. 20, 2020 -- When a conversation turns to Stone Age people, we
tend to think of technologically clueless cave-dwellers. On the other hand, the
Bible describes the first people as creative city-dwellers.
Scientists
had always assumed that four Neolithic stone axe blades discovered in China had
been polished smooth with quartz. However, one researcher decided to study the
axe heads in more detail. As he did so, he marveled at the high degree of
polish on the axe surfaces and noted that these surfaces were as smooth as the
silicon wafers on which we etch electronic circuits. The axe blades turned out
to be made of corundum – a form of aluminum oxide, the second hardest mineral
on earth. Quartz was far too soft to have polished these axes! Only diamond
could do the job. It turns out that there are two known diamond deposits within
200 miles of where the axes were found. To prove his theory, he cut some
material from one of the axes and polished it with three different materials,
including diamond. Careful measurements by an atomic force microscope showed
that only diamond could duplicate the smooth surface of the axes.
These
axes show that so-called Stone Age man had a sophisticated knowledge of
materials, even using diamond to polish the second-hardest material on Earth –
exactly what might be expected of creative city-dwellers.
ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD
John warns us not to love the world or
the things in it. But what is the world? The apostle isn’t talking about the
material realm, so there’s no need to deprive ourselves of everything we enjoy
in life. Rather, he is reminding us that every good desire can be perverted by
sinful longings and pride.
The nature of the world system is seen
in the behaviors, attitudes, and ambitions of our culture:
Immorality. Our society seeks to gratify lust
in ways that God has forbidden. Immorality has even entered our homes through
the internet and television.
Greed. The culture is driven by a desire for
wealth, material possessions, fame, and power—and some people lie, cheat,
steal, or kill to get what they want.
Pride. People are lovers of self and want to be
seen as better than others. It’s common today to portray oneself falsely on
social media in order to be admired.
Despite the sinful condition of our
culture, we shouldn’t be discouraged. God is greater than the world’s power to
entice, and His purposes aren’t thwarted by sin. He is able to guide us through
the darkness as we trust and follow Him.
In Touch Ministry
SECTION II - SPECIAL ARTICLES/ BOOK
REVIEWS
IN THIS
SECTION:
· WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER WE DIE? (WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS)
· WHAT’S IN A
NAME?
· "BOB
PIERCE - THIS ONE THING I DO" - A
BOOKREVIEW/SUMMARY
· "THE
HIDDEN CODES OF THE BIBLE" - A BOOK REVIEW/SUMMARY
· "SIGNS
OF THE TIME” - A BOOK REVIEW/SUMMARY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE DIE?
By D.E. Davis
For Christians, we are told in Scripture in 2Cr 5:8 that to be
absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. For those who turn away
from God, we are told that they are eternally separated from God and go to a
place called Hell. Rev 14:11 says that
the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and
ever.
The question that everyone ponders is: What really happens after we
die? Do we just lay dormant until the Lord takes us to be with him or until
judgement is handed out at the Great White Throne as called out in Rev. 20:11?
Are we conscience? Do we feel, touch, think, recognize loved ones, know what is
happening around us? All questions that we have ask ourselves, no doubt, at
some time in our life.
My own personal review of the Scriptures has led me to believe that
after we die, even though our body may be dead and buried, our Spirit is alive
and fully conscience. Chuck Missler likens this state
of conscienceness to the software that runs the
Computer; once the hardware goes, the software remains intact and available for
further applications.
There are two illustrations in the Bible that makes it clear as to
what happens after death, when we're in the spirit.
The first one is illustrated in the Luke account of Lazarus and the
rich man in Chapter 16. After death, Lazarus, a man of God, is escorted into
Abraham’s Bosom, a holding compartment in Hell for the Believers prior to the
Cross. The non-believing rich man was "buried" and went into a
separate compartment in Hell (Hades), apart from Abraham’s Bosom, where he was
in Torment according to Scripture. Both were in a Spirit state; yet by the
account, they could see each other and speak to each other.
The second account is in Revelation, where John is taken (in the
Spirit) to Heaven to see those things that shall come to pass prior to the
return of Jesus Christ to the Earth, or Second Coming (not the Rapture).
I had to conclude from the study, based on the following Scripture,
that all of the senses we have here on earth will be with us throughout
eternity, even unto death.
·
THE
ABILITY TO LOOK/SEE - Luke 16:23;Rev. 1:12;4:1,4; 5:1,2; 6:1,2,8,9; 7:1,2; 8:2;
9:1,17; 10:1,5; 13:1,2,3;14:1,6; 15:1,2; 16:13; 17:3,6; 18:1; 19:11,17,19;
20:1,4,11,12; 21:1,2,22; 22:8
·
THE
ABILITY TO HEAR - Rev. 1:10; 4:1; 5:11; 6:1,3,5,6,7; 7:4; 9:13,16; 10:4,8;
12:10; 14:2,13; 16:1,5,7; 18:4; 19:1,6; 21: 3; 22:8
·
THE
ABILITY TO BEHOLD ( to obtain knowledge of:
understand: perceive) - Rev. 5:6,11; 6:5,8,12; 7:9; 8:13; 13:11
·
THE
ABILITY TO REASON - Luke 16:30
·
THE
ABILITY TO CRY (even though there will be no more crying in Heaven) - Rev.
5:4,5; Luke 16:24
·
THE
ABILITY TO SPEAK - Rev. 5:13; 10:9; 21:6,15; Luke 16:24, 29,30,31
·
THE
ABILITY TO FEEL/TOUCH - Luke 16:23, 24,25
·
THE
ABILITY TO REMEMBER - Luke 16:25
·
THE
ABILITY TO WONDER - Rev. 17:6
·
THE
ABILITY TO WRITE - Rev. 1:11; 10:4; 19:9
·
THE
ABILITY TO QUESTION - Rev. 7:13
·
THE
ABILITY TO TAKE (THE BOOK/ROD) - Rev. 10:8,9,10
·
THE
ABILITY TO FALL (ON KNEES) - Rev. 19:10; 22:8
·
THE
ABILITY TO STAND - Rev. 13:1
·
THE
ABILITY TO WORSHIP - Rev. 19:10; 22:8
·
THE
ABILITY TO PERFORM TASKS - Rev. 11:1
God has promised in 1 Thess 4:16 and 1
Cor. 15:52,53 that one day, we shall be reunited with Him in body and will be
transformed and conformed to Him - in the twinkling of an eye. We are also told
in Scripture that we shall see Him face to face- see the Lamb that was slain
for you and me. We know by His Word, that we will Praise Him, Worship Him and
Rule with Him.
One thing in the study that I found extremely fascinating was the
difference in treatment between Lazarus and the non-believing rich man.
Scripture says that Lazarus was escorted to Heaven by an Angel, but there is no
indication in Scripture about how the rich man arrived at Hell. Could it be
that God had a specific purpose why He chose not to tell us in Scripture?
Finally, knowing that others may have varying interpretations of
these Scriptures, I strongly urge you to review the Scriptures yourselves to
determine what you find as the truth according to God’s Word.
WHAT’S IN
A NAME?
For those who
wish you had some other name because you don't like the name you were given,
you had better think twice. It is most
likely that the name your parents picked out for you was not their choice but
God's choice. Let’ s face it, the word of
the Lord is true. That's why in Eph.
1:4, God proclaimed that He had chosen us from before the very beginning of the
world.
If you follow
the Genealogy of Adam in Genesis, Chapter 5 (*) you will receive an insight
into what importance God put in names - It's an exciting message:
Genealogy Meaning
Adam Man
Seth Appointed
Enosh Mortal
Kenan Sorrow
Mahalalel The blessed God
Jared Shall
come down
Enoch Teaching
Methuselah His Death shall bring
Lamech The
Despairing
Noah Rest,
Comfort
Now let us look
at God’s Plan for Redemption:
"Man (is)
appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that)
His death shall bring (the) despairing rest."
Let us now look
at the Genealogy of Abraham (*):
Genealogy Meaning
Abraham Predestination
Isaac Called
Jacob Justified
Joseph Glorified
(*) Source:
Chuck Missler’s Briefing package: “A Walk Thru the
Bible”
WELL YOU SAY!
BUT THAT WAS ALL OLD TESTAMENT AND WOULDN'T BE APPLICABLE FOR TODAY - WOULD IT?
Well, let us see.................. As a Christian, did God not choose you by name at the same time he chose Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph - before the very foundation of the world? If God had a purpose for their name, would you expect anything less for your name since He chose you at the same time?
As a Christian,
You ought to thank God daily that you, by your given name, was written in the
Lamb's book of life before the very foundation of the world and that you will
be a partaker in all the promises of Rev 21:27.
Within the last
couple of years, researchers have found many startling discoveries through the
use of super computers, specifically, hidden codes that God supernaturally
placed within the Hebrew text of the Bible.
Over 2000 years ago, the names of historical and current leader’s names
were placed in the Bible. Such names as Adolph Hitler, Eichmann, Arafat, Peres,
Rabin, Rabin's murderer Amir, Ben-Zion Netanyahu, Saddan
Hussein, George Bush, Schwarzkoph, Peter Arnet (CNN), Timithy McVeigh,
Bill Clinton.
Do you think
that God would limit His calling out to just those who had a highly visible
historical impact on this world? There
is no doubt that He had a purpose in doing this, if nothing else, just to get
your attention that He is the Creator; that He alone knows the beginning from
the end.
It is my firm
belief that as we advance further with our computer technology and peel back
the layers of the Hebrew text of the scriptures, we will make many more
startling and exciting discoveries. One
being that God has written each and every one of our names in His Word.
HERE IS WHAT GOD
SAID: Isaiah 66:22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will
make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name
remain."
BOOK REVIEW by D. E. Davis (September 1997)
BOB
PIERCE -"THIS ONE THING I DO"
By Franklin Graham with Jeanette Lockerbie
It is amazing the worlds that open up to an individual, once the
Power of the Holy Spirit comes upon him. Just three years ago, where once I was
blind to Missions, to all the inspired men and women God has called to service
and the multitude of people all over the world who have been saved, new worlds
are ever opening to me to see how awesome the power of God is in our Christian
lives.
Such was the power and strength of faith Bob Pierce had in our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is
difficult for me to even attempt to assess where God has put Bob along
with other past great men of the faith, but from what I read about his life
with Christ, he certainly had his eyes focused on Jesus! I personally feel inadequate and humbled to
even put in words, my thoughts about this man.
Bob was a man Blessed by God. I
feel sad that I never had an opportunity to know him, but look forward to
meeting him one day in heaven.
If ever there was a verse of scripture that represented Bob Pierce,
it had to be the title of this book as taken from Philippians 3:13,14
".......this one thing I do,....I press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Jesus Christ."
Bob was raised in Los Angeles and at the age of 12, gave his life
to Christ and was baptized in the Nazarene Church. "God simply called me
to give my heart to Jesus, and I followed Him." He died in 1978 of leukemia but lived his
life for Christ in between in between those dates as if Christ was coming
tomorrow and he still had to witness to the whole world before dawn broke. Throughout his career, he dedicated his life
mainly to Missions and over the years was responsible for founding such World
re-noun programs as "World Vision", an organization dedicated to
meeting the emergency needs in crisis areas such as Korea after the Korean
war. During that time of need, he established a Korean
Orphanage, serving over 30 thousand Korean war orphans. Bob was also responsible for starting the
World re-noun Korean Orphan's Choir. As
an outgrowth of "World Vision" he founded "World Medical
Mission" which covered all emergency medical needs in countries all over
the world which had no medical facilities.
He was also founder of "Samaritan's Purse" and organization
dedicated to funding World emergency need, no matter where they were. These organizations are still meeting the
needs of those in crisis today.
If his work through these organizations was not enough, he became a
United Nations War Correspondent during World War II; was Co-founder for
"Youth for Christ"; and became a Motion Picture producer/Radio
program host, author and a lecturer, but first and last, he always considered
himself an evangelist! Even though Bob knew that he was "extraordinarily
gifted by God, he was never impressed with himself - he considered himself just
an earthly vessel, available at all times for the exclusive use of the
Lord".
In his own words, he had "many flaws, failings but had
abundant faith in God who lives and cares about people."
If I had to pick four areas of the Christian life that I feel truly
represented Bob Pierce, they would be 1) Unwavering Faith, 2) Compassion for
others, 3) Obedience to God and 4) Commitment to accomplish the Will of God in
his life.
From the Beginning, Bob knew his calling was for Missions to the
Asian Countries. His first mission led
him through Hawaii to Hong Kong and eventually to China. Getting to China was his first big test of
faith - he had no money, even for the first leg to Hawaii. Bob held the opinion that God knows ones
needs already and if He has called you to a task, He will provide and enable
you - just move out! He did just that and went to the L.A. airport that day
without any money in his pocket. His
faith paid off as God provided the funding for each leg of his trip just at the
moment he needed it.
This was the norm rather than the exception throughout his
career as an evangelist. What ever it was, where ever
it was, if God called, Bob would act no matter what the circumstance......he
knew that God would always provide.....and He did!
Bob had a compassion for the spiritually and physically suffering
of the world. "He was the friend of
the little people, the forgotten, the hurting, the maimed, the unheard and the
unsung". Bob's theme was "Let
my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God". It was
Bob's personal belief that "wherever you find men and women who really
love Jesus Christ, you find the compassion of Christ spilling out of them to
meet human need." Over the years World Vision, Samaritan's Purse and other
organizations like them; one in particular, Mission Aviation Fellowship Pilots
(MAF), who flew Missionaries around the world in crisis situations, helped so
many helpless and needy men, women and children. They knew first
hand the healing power of God.
Bob dared it all to be obedient to the Lord's call. Once he had in focus the mission that God
wanted him to accomplish, he followed in Faith to bring the unsaved to
Christ. It was his opinion that "
If you are an ambassador, act like one!"- no matter where you are. Bob
would bring to memory how other great men of Faith were obedient even in the
face of death. During World War II, a
young South Korean Pastor, Mr. Im was mistaken for a
North Korean Communist and imprisoned.
During his internment, he would go around camp singing "Jesus Loves
Me" and other Christian songs. He
not only uplifted and inspired other fellow Christian prisoners to come
together, he brought many more to Christ.
Together he and another prisoner, Chaplain Voelkel,
established a Bible Study where over 6,000 prisoners finished a six month Bible Study.
Six Hundred (600) of those finishing the Bible Study became pastors and came back to Korea
to preach the Gospel. In another
instance, he related how a Korean school teacher was put to death in front of
his students because of his faith and obedience to the Lord.
To be an ambassador for the Lord "is one of the greatest
things that could ever have happened to anyone - to let God put a fish hook
into you so deep that there is no way of ever getting off the hook."
"Bob did one thing all
of his life, and that was to lead people to the foot of the Cross where they
would put their faith in a risen Lord Jesus Christ. He lived every minute completely amazed that
God could use him. No matter how much he
was able to do in how many places, it was never enough." This was the kind of commitment Bob made to
Jesus; "to commit yourself, give yourself away
to God irrevocably, forever. Say to Him,
go ahead and burn me up. Spend me. Eat me up.
Use me for you Glory." And that's exactly what he did.
Being a man of God was not always easy for Bob and he paid a high
price. In one measure or another he had
to forsake his wife, his family, his Mother and Father, his brothers and
sisters and other worldly possessions to follow Jesus. He not only lost his health, he lost his
Daughter, Sharon, to death.
Committing your life to Christ in a Godless society is never easy;
many times you feel like you may be the only one
putting your life, your self image, your social
acceptance on the line. As Bob came to
realize, ". Someone has to go and
pay that humiliating price of literally letting your ego be stomped on- not
just pushed in and suppressed, but laid out there for people to stomp on. We need to do this by the grace of God with
love and patience: sow the seed on rocky soil, nurture it, and maybe never be
applauded."
Committing your life to Christ really comes down to this; What
really matters
to you in Life?
On his death bed in the City of Hope, Bob left us this one message
- "I don't care what you have attempted. What you have succeeded at, or
what has been your work in Christ's name while you are here on earth - only one
thing matters when you have reached the last step before you go to stand before
Christ:
- Did you tell men and women who Jesus is?
- Did you bring them to some comprehension of His redeeming love?
- Did you make it plain to them that He alone can pay their way to
heaven throughout His atoning death on the cross?"
Such was the life of a man of God, Bob Pierce.
HIDDEN CODES OF THE BIBLE
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ACT 17:11 - Exhorts you to daily review the scriptures
to see if what is being said is true
References: Grant
R. Jeffrey - "The Signature of God"- RECOMMENDED READING
Other reading: "The Hebrew Factor" by Yacov
Rambsel
Prepared
by D. E. Davis
Daniel 12: 4 - "But thou, O Daniel, shut
up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to
and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."
Here is undeniable proof, the third in the
series, that every word, every letter and every punctuation in Bible text was
put their by the inspiration
of God. It gives new meaning to the
words "increase knowledge".
It's just one of the many signs, and without a doubt, the most exciting
revelation that God said he would reveal to man in the "end
time". As you will see, God has
put his signature throughout the Bible, has revealed History before it ever
happened, all through hidden codes that were supernaturally placed into text
which was written over 2,000 years ago; which could only be found with today's
computer technological advances. The
codes are found in what scholars call
"Equidistant Letter Sequences" or ESL. That is, each sequential letter in an encoded
word or phrase was found the same distance apart numerically; The exact
interval designed by God.
Actually, the discovery of hidden codes in
scripture dates back to before WWI and it was not until 1988 that the use of
computers were able to detect a significant amount of
coding in scripture. Since then, the
research that Grant Jeffrey and others have done has just exploded and new
discoveries are happening every day.
Here is a summary of what has been found and
outlined in Grant's book, referenced above.
It is my understanding that he is in the process of writing another book
to tell what he has found subsequent to "The Signature of God".
Luke 21:15 - " For I will give you a
mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay
(refute) nor resist."
Proverbs 25:2 - "It is the glory of God
to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter."
What follows is what most of the human race
would find hard to believe. It
unfathomable to think that the Hebrew Bible, containing 304,805 Hebrew letters,
written by 40 individuals could contain hidden messages that if one letter was
taken out of the text, one word was removed, the hidden message could not be
revealed......yet the message has been sustained for over 2,000 years and has
been revealed to man just as Jesus said it would be. Jesus has actually placed His name and other
messages about Himself into text which proves he is the creator of all; King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
GOD'S
SIGNATURE
God has personally signed scriptures
throughout the Old and New Testaments in various ways. For example in the
Old Testament, he has encoded his name, Jesus, in the following scripture:
God has also encoded unbelievable detail
about many of the things we read about and which touch our lives daily. For example, he outlines:
PLACES
AND THINGS
·
Gen. 2: 4-10 - The key word "Eden" was
spelled out sixteen (16) times in the span of 379 Hebrew letters. The letters were all equidistant from each
other.
·
Gen. 2
- In this chapter which deals with the garden of Eden, scientists
found encoded in the Hebrew text, Twenty-five (25) names of trees that were in
the
Garden of Eden.
·
Gen. 1:1 - Starting with the first appearance of the
Hebrew letter "Tav", the word
"Torah" was found every 50th letter.
·
Ex. 1: 1 - Again, starting with the first appearance of
the letter "Tav" and counting every 50th
letter, the word "Torah" was spelled. Num./Deut. - In the book of Numbers the word "Torah" was found spelled
backwards every 50th letter. In the book
of Deuteronomy, "Torah" was found again spelled backwards, but this
time every forty-ninth (49) letter.
NAMES
AND EVENTS
·
Holocaust
·
Deut. 10: 17-22 - Beginning with the second to last
appearance of the Hebrew letter "bet" in this passage, they found
every Thirteenth (13) letter, the phrase "b'yam marah Auschwitz" which means "in the bitter sea
of Auschwitz." Also encoded in
this passage were the names of the other Nazi Concentration camp, "Belsen".
·
Deut. 33:21 - Beginning with the letter (resh) that appeared in the Hebrew word "Yisreal," and counting every twenty-second (22) letter
from the left to right they found the phrase "re'tzach
alm" discribing the
Holocaust, which when translated, means "a people cry murder,
slaughter."
·
Adolph Hitler
·
Deut. 10: 17-22 - The word "Hitler" spelled
out in Hebrew was found every twenty-second (22) letter.
·
Deut. 33:16 - Beginning with the first appearance of the
Hebrew letter "mem" and every two hundred and forty-sixth (246)
letter from left to right you find that the coded letters spelled out the
phrase, "Melek Natzim,"
which translates as the "king of the Nazis."
·
Eichmann
·
Deut. 32:52 - Beginning with the appearance of the first
letter (aleph) and counting from left to right every six hundred and seventy
(670) letters, the name "Aik'man" is
spelled, which is the Hebrew form of the name "Eichmann."
·
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
·
"Sadat occurred together with the name of the
leader of the Moslem
Brotherhood assassinating team that killed him.......it contained
the year of his assassination, 1981, and
the words "president," "gunfire," "shot'" and
'Murder".
·
Desert Storm
·
Beginning in Gen. 1:7 and continuing through the rest of
Genesis, Grant Jeffrey indicated at the Prophesy Conference in Irvine,Ca.
on 27 Sept. 1996 that they had recently found information in hidden code in
scripture relating to Desert Storm. I
believe more details will be available in Grant's next book.
·
The French Revolution
·
Gen. 39,41 - "Another passage in the Book of
Genesis revealed a cluster of encoded words that deals with the French
Revolution. The following words are
clustered ogether" "Mapecha
HaSarfatit" which spells "the French
Revolution" in Hebrew, "Louis," the name of the French king, and
the word "Beit (house of Bourbon,") his royal dynasty. In the same cluster were the following
words: "Hamarseilles"
(the name of the French anthem) and the word "Bastillia"
(the infamous French prison for political prisoners........"
OTHER
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
·
Word pairs - "In their initial experiment,
.......the scientists arbitrarily chose three hundred (300) Hebrew word-pairs
that were logically related in meaning, such as hammer and anvil, or tree and
leaf, or man and woman." ".....the
researchers were astonished to find that every single word-pair had been
located in Genesis in close proximity to each other."
·
King David's Ancestors
·
Gen. 28 - " Every one of the five Hebrew names of
these ancestor of King
David (Pharez, Zerah, Boaz, Obed, Jesse) were
found encoded at forty-nine (49) letter intervals, hidden within the text of
Genesis 38".
·
Famous Jewish Rabbi - "The Jewish people celebrate the
memory of their famous sages by commemorating their date of death. Incredibly, the computer program found every
single one of the sixty-six names of these famous rabbis embedded in the text
of Genesis paired at significantly close proximity with their actual date of
birth or their date of death."
IS
THE HEBREW BIBLE UNIQUE TO GOD' S INSPIRED EMBEDDED CODES?
Grant points out that "The researchers
attempted to reproduce these results by running the computer program on other
religious Hebrew texts outside the Bible, including the Samaritan Pentateuch.
.......the researchers could not detect word pairs in the Samaritan Pentateuch
or any other Hebrew text outside the Bible.
In fact, an exhaustive analysis reveals that no other Hebrew text
outside the Old testament contains these mysterious codes, not even the Hebrew
apocryphal books written during the four hundred years before the birth of
Christ"
A
WORD OF CAUTION
"No one can search the Torah using these
codes to foretell future events. The
reason is that it is impossible to extract the encoded information unless you
already know what the future facts are."
"The prophet Isaiah warned against false prophets and declared that
only God can Prophesy
future events accurately
(Isa. 46: 9,10).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Computer tapes are now available so
that anyone with a computer can personally verify the existence of these codes
beneath the text of the Scriptures.
As Christians, we can stand firm in the word and shout for joy. God has given us "the words and the wisdom that none of our adversaries will be able to refute or contradict", no matter how much they try!
PRAISE
THE LORD!
SIGNS OF THE TIME
References: Grant
R. Jeffrey - "The Signature of God"- RECOMMENDED READING
Prepared by D. E. Davis
June 10, 1997
Prelude
How do we know that Jesus is the one true God when there
are so many religions, cultures and cults that claim that they serve the one
true god? How about Buddha, Allah?
Scripture says that God alone knows the beginning from the
end. The way that God establishes His
authority is through Biblical Prophesy. There are over 500 prophesies that were
prophesied over 2,000 years ago that have all come to pass. There are still some Old Testament that have
yet have to be fulfilled (Daniel Ezekiel), but there has never been an event
prophesied that has not come to pass in it’s
time. 100% accuracy tells us that the God of the Bible is the only true
God. No one else in the history of the
world, living or dead, can make this claim.
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In Matthew 24:3, just before Jesus' ascension
into heaven, the disciples of Jesus ask Him what would be the sign of His
second coming. Over the centuries
various groups have attempted to guess when Christ would return to the earth to
claim His inheritance as promised throughout scripture. As we know, no one has been right yet!. God clearly
states in Matthew 24:36 that no man, not even the angels, know the day or the
time when Christ will return. Only God the Father knows.
This summary is
clearly not another attempt to forecast this event. This summary does, however, attempt to
provide an awareness of what is happening around you so that you will not be
caught unaware. (Ref. Luke 21:34 and Matthew. 24:42).
ACT
17:11- Exhorts you to daily review the scriptures to see if what is being said
is true.
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----------------------THE
SIGNS OF THE TIME-------------------
Grant Jeffrey has done a wonderful job of
providing critical information about events that are happening in this
generation that all Christians need to know; Events that were prophesied over 2,500
years ago. Approximately 90% of the
material contained herein was extracted and summarized from Grant's book. I highly recommend reading this book as it
contains so much more that you will want to know.
THE
REBIRTH OF ISRAEL
The rebirth of Israel was prophesied in
several scriptures throughout the Bible.
Isaiah 66: 8 predicted that Israel would be born again in
"one" day. Ezekiel 4:3-6 and Levitcus
26:18 foretold the exact number of days that it would take Israel to
re-establish themselves as a nation in the last days. ( The
exact calculation can be found in Grant Jeffrey's book referenced above). On
May 14, 1948, the Jews proclaimed their independence of the reborn state of
Israel.....The exact day that was predicted over twenty-five (25) centuries
ago.......No other ancient nation ever ceased to exist for a period of
centuries and then returned to take its place on the stage of world
history."
PRESENT
ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
In Psalms 83:2-8, God inspired King David to
predict that upon Israel's rebirth as a nation it would be immediately
surrounded by their enemies. The modern
names of those nations named in scripture include Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
and Syria....the nations that have now joined the Palestinians in their attempt
to destroy Israel.
In Gen. 12: 3, God has promised to punish those
nations that come against Israel.
"I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth
be blessed."
RESTORATION
OF THE HEBREW LANGUAGE
When Israel was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in
approx. 562 B.C., Israel was no longer allowed to speak the Hebrew language,
but had to learn the language of the Chaldeans.
The Lord predicted, however, through Zephaniah 3:9, that he would
restore a pure language to Israel so that they may "serve him with one
consent". It was in the early part
of this Century that the Hebrew language was revived from the dead
language. Today, Hebrew is a living
language to over 5 million Israelis.
THE
FERTILITY OF ISRAEL
In Isaiah 27:6; 35:7 and Joel 2:23, the Lord
prophesied through these prophets that the deserted, unproductive, barren land
of Israel would once again become productive in the last days and that Israel
would experience tremendous increases of rain.
Ever since Israel has returned to the land, they have flourished in the
land and now supply over 90 percent of the citrus fruit consumed in
Europe. Rainfall has increased by more
than "10 percent every decade for the last century and Israel has planted
in excess of two hundred (200) million trees and transformed the complete
environment of the Promised Land."
According to the United Nations, Israel is now "the most
agriculturally efficient land on earth."
THE
UNWALLED CITY
Ezekiel 38:11 speaks of the future invasion
of Gog and Magog (Russia) saying "And thou shalt say, I will go up to the
land of un-walled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell
safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor
gates". Grant explains that "even army bases and Israel's settlements
in the West Bank and Gaza have no walls today.........How could Ezekiel have
known twenty-five centuries ago that the development of modern weapons such as
bombs, airplanes and missiles, would have made walls and gates irrelevant for
defensive purposes in the last days. In
the ancient past even small villages as well as cities depended on walls for
defense against invading armies."
PLANS
FOR REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE
Revelations 11:1, 2 foretells of Israel
rebuilding the Temple in the last days.
There is much controversy between the Israelis and the Muslim's because
the Dome of the Rock (Al-Aqsa Mosque) it is believed, sits on the very spot
where the Temple is suppose to
be built. In recent years, however,
aerial Infra-red photography shows that this may not be the case. Ezekiel 44:14-18, tell about the sacred
vessels and linen robes that must be used in the Temple. "The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has
already prepared over 75 of the objects, vessels, and linen garments required
for future Temple service.......over 500 men from the tribe of Levi have
already been trained to fulfill the duties of Temple worship and
sacrifice."
Update:
Just recently in the Washington Post on May
28, 1997, it was reported that a 10 month old heifer named "Melody" is the
first red heifer to be born in Israel in over 2,000 years. "In ancient times, the ashes of a red
heifer were mixed with spring water to purify high priests before they entered
the Temple."
THE
REBUILDING OF BABYLON
We know that the old city of Babylon (now
called Iraq) will be built again in the end times because Isaiah 13:6, 19
foretells of its destruction. In Isaiah
34:8-10 it is prophesied that the rebuilt City of Babylon will burn for ever.
"As unlikely as it seems, the Iraqi
government of Saddam Hussein has spent over one billion dollars rebuilding the
ancient city of Babylon and intends that it will become the center of their future
renewed Babylonian Empire.
Interestingly, the whole city of Babylon was built over an underground
lake of asphalt and oil."
THE
ANOINTING OIL
The prophet Daniel prophesied in Dan. 9:24
that the when Jesus returns, that the most Holy of Holies will be anointed with
the anointing oil. "One of the five
ingredients, afars' mon, was thought lost forever,
when the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and the only two groves of afars'mon trees in existence were burned
to the ground. Incredibly, several years ago, archeologists
in Israel found a clay flask buried near the Dead Sea caves filled with the
ancient oil of anointing. Scientists
confirmed that the oil is two thousand years old and is composed of the precise
ingredients described in Exodus 30:25,26."
PESTILENCE/FAMINES/EARTHQUAKES
Matthew 24:7 prophesied that in the last days
"For nation shall rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilence, and earthquakes, in divers (various)
places." Grand Jeffrey writes
regarding these matters:
·
Pestilence - In 1991, the Central Intelligence Agency
produced a report which "concluded that up to 75% of the population of
Africa living in the area south of the Sahara Desert may become infected with
AIDS over the next 12 years. This will
mean the death by AIDS of over three hundred million people in Africa alone. In July 1991, the South African Medical
Journal reported that a staggering 47% of black male and female blood donors
tested positive for AIDS during 1989."
In Nov. 1996, the
Associated Press reported that "Sexually transmitted diseases are
diagnosed 12 million times a year in the United States - including a staggering
3 million cases among teen-agers".
·
Famine - The
United Nations today "claim that over thirty million in Africa are now at
risk of dying from the most devastating famine in this century. The UN estimates that one billion people are
in danger of starvation while another billion lack proper nutrition. North American food reserves (grain and corn)
are at the lowest level in sixty years."
·
Major killer earthquakes – “Major Killer earthquakes
(7.2 or greater on the Richter scale) occurred
only once per decade throughout history until our century. However, since A. D. 1900, the growth in
major earthquakes has been
relentless. From 1900 to
1949 it averaged three major quakes per decade.
From 1949 the increase became awesome with 9 killer quakes in the
1950's; 13 in the 1960's; 56 in the 1970's and an amazing 74 major quakes in
the 1980's. Finally, in the 1990's, at
the present rate, we will experience 125 major killer quakes in this
decade."
WORLD
WIDE COMMUNICATION
In Revelation 11:9,10, it is prophesied that
during the tribulation period, the antichrist will have the two witnesses that
God sent killed and their bodies will lay in the street for three and a half
days while the whole world watches.
Did not the whole world watch Desert Storm on
CNN television? With all the
technological advances in telecommunications, including the recent opening of
the World Wide Net to our computer industry, any event happening in any part of
the world can now be viewed while it is happening. The prophesy of the two witnesses could literally be fulfilled
today. This could not have happened just
10 or 15 years ago.
INCREASED
KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL
Daniel 12:4 prophesies how much knowledge and
travel will increase in the end time. "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the
words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end: Many shall run to and fro
and knowledge shall be increased."
Today, it is estimated that "Human
knowledge is growing so quickly that it literally doubles every twenty-four
months." With the discovery
through the use of modern "Super" computers by Grant Jeffrey and
other researchers of the hidden codes that God supernaturally designed into the
original Hebrew text of the Torah describing not only the history of the world
in advance, but also verifying his Authority through His personal signature
throughout his scripture, we realize that God chose this generation to reveal
this unique aspect about himself.
It is also amazing that in this century, we
have gone from horses to cars, from cars to supersonic spacecraft; not only can
we now travel the world in a matter of hours, but in the case of the U.S. Space
Shuttle Discovery, we can now travel at speeds in excess of eighteen thousand
miles per hour.
REVIVAL
OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Daniel 2:40-44 predicts that the old Roman
Empire will be revived in the end times into a ten Nation alliance. We currently see the foundation being laid
today through the European Economic Community. "In 1957, six (6) Countries
signed the Treaty of Rome laying the foundation for the future United States of
Europe.............Since then the Maastricht Treaty consolidated the fifteen
(15) Nations of the European Union into the worlds
first superstate." All it will take is the re-shuffling and/or
the consolidation of Nations to bring this prophesy to a literal fulfillment.
ODDS
THAT THESE PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED BY CHANCE IN THIS GENERATION
"In the Bible there are several types of
generations. One generation is defined
as the length of life of the average person - seventy or eighty years. However, a generation of governing is usually
defined as forty years,...........During the last two
thousand years since the days of Christ, there were fifty such forty-year
generations. Therefore, the odds are one
chance in fifty that any one of these specific prophecies happened by chance in
our generation rather than some other generation."
"The odds that more than one event
happening in our life time are:
"Another way of looking at this is that
the chance that the prophets of the Bible correctly guessed these prophecies is
also one in 97,500 trillion............in other words, it is simply impossible
that men alone could
have written the Bible without the
supernatural assistance and inspiration of God."
Matthew 24:32-35 - "Now learn a parable
of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth
forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise
ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the
doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be
fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but my words shall not pass away."
Luke 21:28 - "And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh."
ANTI-CHRIST
TO BE REVEALED
As of today, no one knows who the Anti-Christ
is, but we do know what God has told us about him:
Many people try to spiritualize or say the
events prophesied in the Bible are just symbolic. Any doubt about how God handles these
prophetic events should have been erased on May 14,1948. God is literally fulfilling scriptural
prophesy before our very eyes. Can we
expect anything less for those few remaining prophesies for which He has
promised the world; 1) the removal of the one who restrains the man of
lawlessness/Sin (the rapture of the Church), 2) His second coming to take
possession of His inheritance, 3) The millennial kingdom and 4) the new heaven and new earth.
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Ezekiel 33:6 - "But if the watchman see
the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the
sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his
iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."
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