Qu'ran Reading 9:69

Like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children, so they enjoyed their portion; thus have you enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion; and you entered into vain discourses like the vain discourses in which entered those before you. These are they whose works are null in this world and the hereafter; and these are they who are the losers.

Understanding Revelation/Apocalypse

I really want to blog about Christmas, when I get back into the swing of things, as I've not blogged much, but before I do, here is a quick point. I'm raising this uncheerful topic again because people insist on bringing it up over and over again, yet with less rather than more understanding. I thought of a pithy way to put it in perspective for you, and hope that you will do so and then move on into living good, genuine, faithful and most of all believing in God mindset from here on out.

People have lost touch with something I've discussed before, so I will repeat it. We are far from seeing the Antichrist. We are, however, in the time of false prophets that Jesus spoke of, yet that does not at all mean that the Antichrist is imminent, as he is not. How do we know that? Because the Antichrist will be so terrible that he will make all of the evil humans that lived previously, such as Hitler, Pol Pot, etc look like teddy bears in comparison. His evil will be monstrous beyond current imagination. So do not waste your time further "wondering" if the Antichrist will be soon among you because he is not, nor will he be. With what people know today, no matter how depraved, brain damaged and morally challenged you have become, none of you would fail to recognize the Antichrist within one minute of viewing him.

So why did Jesus say that it will be like "a thief in the night," coming suddenly? The answer is simple. It will be sudden for the people who live during the time of the Antichrist because so many of them will be so depraved themselves that they will not recognize him as being evil. You see, at some point humans will degrade incredibly (even as their technology may continue to increase) as they increasingly surrender their own humanity. Then when he springs up he will seem like a great leader because compared to the filth of most of humanity, he will seem "effective," and "inspiring." That is because he will organize the surrendering of humanity based on the groundwork already laid in day to day degeneration.

Here are two analogies to help you understand what I am explaining. Suppose that a person today, even one of the lowest moral character, total disbelief in God, and lack of interest in charity was time traveled forward to the time of the Antichrist. That person would faint in horror at what the average person would be like and would spot the Antichrist, fear and loathe him in a New York minute. (That's just an expression, not linking NY to the Antichrist). The biggest thug of modern times if moved forward to the future would faint in horror at the sight of average people, and would of course spot the Antichrist immediately, even though few others of that time will do so.

How do I know this? That's kind of a "duh" question by now, is it not, but I want you to learn on your own how to understand the scriptures. The reason I know this and you should be able to deduce that too is that the Antichrist will have what no other human ever had, which is an indwelling of Satan. An indwelling of Satan will take the Antichrist, a human, to a point far, far FAR beyond what any evil madman of a human can or will ever achieve on his own.

But people will not recognize that of the time, and that is why the End of Days (the Apocalypse) will be a "surprise" to them. The people will have already laid the groundwork, unwittingly, for the Antichrist by accepting and adopting horrific life views and practices, ones that are being only sampled today. For example, the creation of false life by combining living humans and animals will be common and even thought to be "progressive." The road to hell is "paved with good intentions" as the saying goes, and the small steps people are taking today, if not stopped immediately, will be pathways from the laboratories into Frankenstein reality, and the Antichrist will take it to its ultimate, which will then trigger the Apocalypse.

My point is not to give you the scripture, which I of course can, to back up all I've written since I'd like to actually think about Christmas right now, thank you very much. But it's hard for me to avoid as even in Sunday school people who ought to know better are still glomming onto the Book of Revelation as if it is "about" to take place, and the news and pulpits are of course filled with it too, most inappropriately. All of that is an excuse to 1) avoid fixing the problems of today as the Bible (and the Qur'an) command otherwise and 2) total lack of understanding that while God and only God determines the Apocalypse he does so in response to the ultimate sinning and falling away of humankind in general. Only a total defeatist would think that humanity is at that point, as much as so much is horrible crap and neglect of human well being now. God triggers the Apocalypse when humans have gone way, way WAY too far, and as rotten and sinful as they are now, it's still a drop in the bucket of what the world will be like when the Antichrist arises from the corrupt soil that human nature will have made for itself.

So stop the crap and false propheting (and false profiting) and get on with the great Commission and spread the word of God, and of the Savior Jesus Christ, with genuine doctrine and understanding, and regain genuine understanding of charity.

The second analogy I want to give to you is the lobster in the slowly warming pot analogy. People who cook the shellfish called lobster know that the theory is that if you put the lobster in a lukewarm pot of water and slowly heat it, the lobster will go numb, fall asleep, become unconscious and then die. This is how disbelief will grow among humans, and how their total decay will take place. They will start out with the familiar and then gradually introduce more and more depravity and disbelief until each addition is not noticed. Each dose of depravity and disbelief will even seem comfortable and "logical." For example, more and more heinous medical "advances" will be made to "cure diseases," until people don't realize that they are creating interspecies humanity busting Frankensteins. Like the lobster they won't know that their humanity is warped, depraved and then dead and dying because each new dose will seem "compassionate," "fair," "logical" and "medical progress." That is just one example and you do not need to look far in the news to see humanity has put itself in the pot and the heat has just turned up a notch of their own doing.

The Antichrist will appear when people are at the second to last stage of this dying depravity, even though they themselves might think they are splendid, wonderful and thriving, since they've become used to the boiling water. That's why the worst thug alive today if forwarded through time to see anyone, even an average person, in that time would be horrified probably totally out of his mind. The people alive at that time won't have a clue what our theoretical thug will be so shocked, disgusted and horrified by, and they will wonder why he would in particular scream and go nuts at the sight of their superb leader, the Antichrist. Even the worst dirtbag lowlife of today who puts porn on the Internet of his or her own son or daughter would be horrified beyond his or her own capacity to endure it by what will be routinely going on the pre-End of Times "society." It is against THAT kind of backdrop that the two witnesses and others will speak up since of course not all will be deluded. There is no comparison at all between then and now except for one thing: humans refuse to understand they have put themselves into that pot and started to warm the water toward their own demise in preparation for the Antichrist in the far future.

When Jesus said to be watchful he did not mean to sit around like dumb stone heads and figure that "it's going to happen anyway." Yes, it is going to happen at some point that only God knows, but how can you ignore the mundane everyday evil, neglect and disbelief that is humanity's own created "plagues" now? You are supposed to care about how many souls of each generation hear the good news, believe and obey God, become saved and join God in eternal life, and not sit around thinking "Oh well, and I'm alright anyway." If you think that then you are NOT "alright."

Here is how to explain it. Remember how Jesus used the parable of the bride's attendants who are supposed to be ready before the wedding when the groom arrives? He points out that some are ready, but others let their wicks extinguish and are not ready. But here's the point: there IS a wedding, there IS joy and a real life. I think that some people today totally miss that Jesus is saying to be ready for collective and real life joy, in addition to the joy of his return. Otherwise the parable would be "And then they canceled the wedding because hey, after all, it was the End of Time and who cared anyway, except for their own assumed salvation?"

Are you the person who has extra oil, but figures not to share it with those who do not have it, simply because "Hey, the world's going to end anyway and 'I'm saved?'" Well, think again because with that attitude you are ignoring not only the great Commission but the example that Jesus Christ gave in the reality of good day to day life with preparedness, yes, but not "checking out" and neglecting life that is far from being ready to be extinguished.

Sheesh, I really wonder sometimes, what are people thinking. Well, unfortunately I know what they are thinking, but I find it hard to relate as to why they think that way and find it desirable to do so. A lot of it is pride and that ever craving for "specialness," where people think they "know" what is "going to happen" and that they are "OK with God," yet all they do is "phone in" their supposed faith instead of living it in a full and real life, one that is not going to be truncated by the Antichrist and his milieu to come.

If you really want to win souls for Christ then you don't want to hasten the depravity and hasten the neglect because that only increases day to day suffering of the innocent, but also loses souls rather than gains them for Christ as people lose hope in daily life as well as eternal life to come. Further, if you are not concerned with winning souls for Christ then you have to be a bit concerned if you really are supposedly "OK with God" after all.

When you die and are given individual judgment in front of God (and Satan will be the accuser, as he will know all the failings) do you think you can say "Well, I didn't care if others were comfortable and cared for in real life, nor did I care if they were saved, because I *knew* that I'd be *raptured* and that the Apocalypse is coming *soon...*" and then you look around and your mental voice trails off because after all, duh, you are there in front of God and obviously you weren't so called raptured and the Apocalypse did not happen, but you died of cancer, a heart attack, drunk driving, or whatever instead. Ooops.

For the love of Pete will you all get a grip and use this blessed Christmas season to think once again about how Jesus showed humanity how to know God, how to love and serve God, how to respectfully fear God, and how to do his will throughout one's ordinary life and in charity to others, and not how to fly in a holding pattern thinking you are "OK" and everyone's "on their own" because "the end is coming anyway?"

Whenever you think about the Antichrist remember that he will have an indwelling of Satan and that can only take place against a normalizing of the most horrific daily life attitudes and "advances" and that even the dimmest thug dim bulb alive today would be faint with horror at the sight of the real Antichrist and/or his cohort humans if he were put forward in time to see them. Like I said, even Hitler would look like a teddy bear compared to the Antichrist, but like the lobster in the pot, not because the Antichrist will outdo Hitler at being Hitler, but because he will have an indwelling of Satan within the context of a totally, totally, TOTALLY fallen humanity who think that is normal life and even admirable. We are only having bitter foretastes of that path today and that is entirely by human choices alone.

I hope this helps, especially you young people (hi my friends) who were raised with much of this error by those who should have known both their faith and their logic/common sense better than what you were given by them.

May I please get on with "Merry Christmas" now? Thank you.

How is the humility business coming along?

I hope people are making progress in realizing that they are not 1) players or involved in "divine" matters in any way and 2) not reincarnated at all. I'm concerned that still too many people are realizing that upon their death and it is exactly too late.

God has promised that the worst punishment will be for the prideful and the false prophets. It's all there in the Bible (and the Qur'an).

Bible Reading: Acts 8:18-23

But when Simon [a man who had been practising sorcery but came to be impressed by Peter and was baptized] saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "Thy money go to destruction with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. Thou hast no part or lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right before God. Repent therefore this wickedness of thine and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; for I see thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:18-23).

End of Times or "These Times": analogy

I've thought of an analogy, using popular culture, to explain with accuracy these current times. Many people incorrectly believe that they are in and, heaven forbid, actual "enlightened" participants in the End of Times. If you read the Bible you would realize that this is such a huge "duh" that there is no way that even a fraction of the tribulations that will fall on humanity are even beginning to come to pass. It's quite plain that people will know when the End of Times is coming because you'd have to be dead not to notice the scale, magnitude and severity of the testing of the faithful and the chastisement of living sinners.

However, I totally understand the rest of the people's honest concern that there are very disconcerting events taking place that call to mind the End of Times. That is the difference and that is God's intention. You are hearing "warning shots," urging people to repent and lead good lives, not to buckle down and be even more "bad" so you can "bring on" the End of Times. The End comes when God wills it, not according to your misplaced or genuinely fearful thoughts and imaginings.

So here is the analogy. Think of these times as "sampling" of the End of Times. Sampling is a musical term, most often used in rap music, when snippets of previously recorded songs or music is used to insert into new material. So these times are just like normal times have been historically except that people have fallen dreadfully away from the purity of faith in the one God as they have been contaminated by many false prophets and idols, both religious and secular. This is why Jesus mentions most particularly that there will be continual rumors and false prophets, but to believe neither.

However, unlike what deists and others "believe," God is an activist God. He allows humans to exercise their free will, including whether to believe in him or not, and thus be saved, or not. God will and does, as both the Bible and Qur'an explain, administer earthly chastisement on occasion. He does so when he feels that humans are bringing on their own heads not only the consequences of their own disobedience, but dragging the children and others down with them. God then, according to his own Wisdom and All Knowing, will administer chastisement, or simply allow self induced negative consequences (God dries up grace, will not respond to prayers, etc if he must harden his heart). In other words, where he might have intervened to help a situation, he lets the human choice self induced "chips fall where they may."

So you are right to be uneasy that this is a sort of prelude time, but it is wrong to assume that anything humanity has experienced is anything that will be like the genuine tribulations. Just read the Bible and stop whining that every tragedy sounds anything at all like the real thing. However, be aware that because of the many false prophets and many rumors, humanity is going through a hardening of the heart phase that is resulting in many chastisements, kind of a "mini" or "sampling" of the tribulations. That ought to make you want to repent and convert your hearts back to the one true God, purely, rather than continually defying him or, worse, asking for him to "bring it on" because "you'll be saved and raptured." Not so much.

Remember that Jesus himself stated that he does not know when the End of Times will come, and that only God knows. Who are you then to interpret any of the minor sufferings of humanity (compared to the actual tribulations) as being "that time," when Jesus himself did not know? Really now, get a grip and some humility.

However, you are alert to recognize that those who filled your ears with such stuff are fulfilling the two warning signs that Jesus did advise would occur beforehand, rumors and false prophets. Remember, humanity could very well go through centuries of rumors and false prophets. God does not work in humanity's idea of "soon."

I do not understand how people can just sit there and be eager for more misery and suffering. How is that exercising Christian charity of "love of neighbor," as Jesus ordered? When God smites and chastises, or allows a "sampling" of the tribulations, or allows humans to suffer the consequences of their own falls and bad decisions, why do you think he would want you to do even more of the same, rather than stop, ponder, repent and convert? I mean, "DUH." It's like some people think that if the "End of Times" is soon, then charity goes out the window and everyone "gets what they deserve." Amen, brother, but what they deserve will be severe judgment upon one's individual death, when one's life is over and oops, the End of Times did not occur, but you allowed festering rumor and false prophecy and evil and sins and missed opportunities to just roll along and pile up on the backs of others.

So yes, heed the times, as Jesus said, and pay attention to the signs, the signs of rumors and false prophets, but do not follow them, knuckleheads. When God chastises or allows sorrow or evil to befall, especially when it is human self inflicted, its because he wants you to CHANGE, repent and mend your ways and return to him, not keep beating a dead horse, mocking God, and disobeying him in any or all things.

Who will raise the children from the dead?

A plane has crashed in Montana, and seven children are thought to have died. Children die every day in accidents, due to abuse, neglect, illness, disease, starvation, and deliberately through aborting the pre-born.

But every time something like this happens, when tiny innocent children lose their lives early through mishap, I wait to see when someone will step forth to raise them from the dead.

Why not? Many people claim to be Jesus Christ reincarnated. I wait for one of them, such as Joseph Kony, to step forward and demonstrate that spirit of Jesus, and raise a child from the smashed dead. Only Jesus could do that; he even raised Lazarus from the dead and fully restored him after he had lain decomposing for four days dead. But why do I only see from the "reincarnated" Jesus claimants more death and misery, instead of even one good raising from the dead of a small child?

Or what about our friends over in Scientology, one of those with the highest "OT" levels, which I guess from what I hear makes them godlike and impervious to harm. Could not one of them come out and do what Jesus alone could do?

Maybe Oprah could raise a child from the dead. I am not being mean or disrespectful; I am asking an honest question since she claims to promote truths about spirituality, including mastery of "The Secret." If "The Secret" gives anything that anyone wants, would not anyone who is kind wish to raise a small child from the dead and restore him or her to the family?

Pope Benedict XVI chastised those in Africa who believe in witchcraft and who do dreadful things to those they accuse of being witches or, if they are believing they are witches themselves, do dreadful things. So called witches and witch believers hunt living children for their body parts; is that not the opposite of raising a child from the dead, restoring them to healthy and complete body, and their family?

So those who know "secrets," have achieved "mastery" and "enlightment," or are one of the many "reincarnated Jesus' around," where have you been and why have you not at least matched what Jesus did? Hmm.

We know that even the good physicians of modern times cannot prevent death of a child if death is inevitable, and I sure don't see any modern doctors raising children from the dead. So is medicine superior to the real Jesus Christ, who he was, and who he remains in heaven, or not?

Being broke I can't pay any of you to raise a child from the dead, but of course I know with your "Christ consciousness" you would not charge anyone money for that anyway, would you?

I myself cannot raise a child from the dead, even though I know "how Jesus did it," through God. I'm so battered I can't even sweep a fever away from a child, even though I once could. Ah well.

What happens to humanity and to the real world when there are more false prophets than there are "civilians?" We may be finding out. Even the bats who protect humans from insects are dying by the millions, and people are too blind to see that disaster unfolding.

And you wonder why there are so many problems that seem unsolvable. At least, some of you wonder, while the rest fiddle while Rome burns (and I don't mean the Catholic Church; look the expression up, it is something the Emperor Nero is alleged to have done, and then he blamed the fire on Christians and burned them too).

I do not think the world can be saved, as in restored to where it should have been. Much of the world might be salvagable, but every day that is wasted is like one hundred years of woe.

At last! Vatican to smack down Mary peddlers

Better late than never. It is far, far late but this is essential to cleansing the Church and restoring piety and sanity. As I said, as much as I dearly loved Pope John Paul II the pseudo Mary manipulators had him wrapped around their dirty fingers.

Hurrah for Pope Benedict XVI! Now I hope this report is accurate and that this comes to fruition soon. Hell is filling up quickly with those who have peddled the Mother of Jesus for their own perverse self gratifications.

http://te-deum.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-translation-of-petrus-article.html

Satan loved the "Left Behind" series, but...

... here's the problem when Satan is your fan (to say nothing of when he whispers in your ear when you are writing).

Bible readers know that Satan is intellectual and well versed, since he even quotes by memory from the scripture. Believers also know that one of Satan's main "jobs," in his eyes, is to raise and encourage false prophets (puffed up false spiritual pride is one of his best TOOLS).

Well, the "Left Behind" series was just his cup of tea. For those of you who, fortunately, have not read it, the basic premise is that Protestant "dispensationalists" believe they know what God "really" is prophesying in the Bible, and so only they will be "saved" in the "Rapture." Not only are Muslims s*** out of luck (doomed) but so are Catholics, and the Pope even becomes the busy little Antichrist helper.

Many behind the scenes supporters of President Bush are BIG "Left Behind" fans by the way. Think about that and Iraq (site of the Antichrist according to "Left Behind.")

Well, here's a juicy one.

The opening premise of "Left Behind" (written over ten years ago) is that Israel discovers some great formula for agricultural prosperity, which everyone wants, especially that bad old Russia. Russia sneak attacks Israel using their mighty jet bombers, but LO AND BEHOLD, since God is "prophesied" to "protect Israel" "against Russia" (according to their "understanding" of "scripture), God actually intervenes and burns those bad planes (and pilots) with no loss of life in Israel, except those Rooskies who deserve it (Orthodox Christians aren't raptured either, apparently). This is the "sign" of the coming "tribulation."

Well, not so much. Satan loves to tempt the false prophets, but then give them "just what they were asking for." Enjoy. Meanwhile, the sane of us offer prayers to all who died and are suffering in this crash.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1228728229459&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

snip

Eyewitnesses on Wednesday appeared to back reports that a race between two tour bus drivers was to blame for one of the buses tumbling into a ravine near Eilat the previous day, killing 25 Russian travel agents.

snip

Two planes carrying medical staff and relatives of the Russian casualties arrived in Israel from Russia on Wednesday. Defense officials said an IAF plane would fly the dead and wounded back to Russia.
Twenty-four people died Tuesday when the bus carrying Russian travel agents overturned and rolled into a ravine near Eilat. Dozens more were injured. It was the deadliest traffic accident in the nation's history.
Earlier tolls put the number of dead at 25 and 26, but the Russian embassy said Wednesday the final number was 24.

Well, so the first wave of planes, the Russian travel agents, sure crashed and burned, but it wasn't because of God. Took maniac bus driver(s) to do that.

Now the second wave of planes from Russia just brings doctors and grieving relatives.

And only Satan is laughing. And Israel, who takes money from dispensationalists, now has on the "record book" their deadliest traffic accident in the nation's history.

Bible Reading by topic: the tool hammer

I like to teach sometimes, and read for relaxation, all of the references in the Bible to a particular word. I don’t do it to “count the number of times” or do some other "Bible analysis" that borders on somewhat heathen or pagan numerology beliefs. When people are too busy counting words in the Bible they are not busy enough understanding each occurrence of the actual word. Therefore I do publish the actual words and meaning as a meditation to show people how a concept is fully developed in the Bible. For example, let’s look at the word “hammer,” which is a tool, and how the word appears in the Bible.

1. Used by Israelites in defense against enemies, as a helpless woman slays a fleeing general.

Judges 4:17. Howbeit, Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the King of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. (21) Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep, and weary. So he died. (23) So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. Judges 5:20. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. (26) She put her hand to the nail, and her hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. (28) The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

2. Idol makers use tools like hammers to exhaust themselves glorifying false gods and graven images.

Isaiah 44:9-10. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? (12) The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water and is faint.

3. The hammer as a symbol of the Lord God’s word, power and will, especially against false prophets, false dream interpreters and false priests and all who believe them.

Jeremiah 23:28-35. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? Saith the Lord. Is not my word like a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words everyone one from his neighbor. Behold I am against the prophets, said the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, he saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? Thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord. And as for the prophet , and the priest, and the people that say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.

4. The hammer as the power of Babylon that once broke the earth and now is broken in turn.

Jeremiah 50:22-25. A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken? How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the Lord. The Lord hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Observe that it does not matter how many times the word “hammer” appears in the Bible. What matters is the meaning of what the Lord instructs in each separate use of the word hammer, both in actual events and in symbolic description.