Heaven Bound

Aloha!  To all of you, my cyber friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord, thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and for the comments you share. I  just want you to know, that I am truly thankful for each one of you and for the valuable contribution you make to this blog.  I consider it a joint effort and it is my deepest prayer that God will be able to use what we share here together for his glory in these last days before he comes.

This week I have the blessing of family visiting from the mainland, so it may be a few days before I get a chance to sit down and write again. For most of this week, I will be both chauffer and tour guide and loving every minute of it!  With so much happening in the news right now, I will be back at the key board as soon as possible.  Until then, grace and blessings in Messiah Yeshua!   Keep your eyes on the skies; Jesus is coming soon!   Cindy

     Miracle of the Sun, October 13, 1917

On a rainy morning in Cova da Iria near Fatima, Portugal tens of thousands of people gathered in the fields near the village in the expectation that they would be witness to a great miracle; a miracle which had been promised to three shepherd children by an apparition who the children believed to be the Blessed Virgin Mary.  According to the children, on three separate occasions, (July 13, Aug. 19 and Sept 13 of that same year), an apparition had appeared to them promising that a miracle would take place at high noon on October 13 which, would reveal the identity of the apparition and cause many to believe.

In spite of the rain, the people gathered, waiting and watching, peering upward toward the dark cloud filled skies, not knowing what to expect, but, expecting something.  As noon approached, expectation grew when the dark skies suddenly began to clear and the sun broke through – then it happened – but, what was it?  Dazzling in brilliance, dancing like fire, spinning wildly towards earth as if the sun itself had been unleashed from its fixed position and had come tumbling down towards them. People gasped, rubbed their eyes – what was it they were seeing?

“The sun, whirling wildly, seemed all at once to loosen itself from the firmament and, blood red, advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight.”  http://www.viarosa.com/VR/Fatima/MiracleOfSun.html#ENG

• “As if like a bolt from the blue, the clouds were wrenched apart, and the sun at its zenith appeared in all its splendor. It began to revolve vertiginously on its axis, like the most magnificent firewheel that could be imagined, taking on all the colors of the rainbow and sending forth multicolored flashes of light, producing the most astounding effect. This sublime and incomparable spectacle, which was repeated three distinct times, lasted for about ten minutes. The immense multitude, overcome by the evidence of such a tremendous prodigy, threw themselves on their knees.” ― Dr. Formigão, a professor at the seminary at Santarém, and a priest.^[20]

The descriptions of what people saw seemed to be as varied as the people themselves. Mass hallucination, dehydration and vertigo?  The sun spinning wildly towards earth as many thought?  Or, perhaps something more recognizable to us in these days of advanced technology; something we would term a UFO.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Miracle_of_Fatima

UFO’s have always gotten a lot of press.  Whether real or imagined they have captured our attention via movies, books, television programs and cartoons longer than most of us have memories.  A phenomenon which for one reason or another seems to be reaching a fever pitch right now.  Just this week, a retired Norad Officer made headlines by announcing that nuclear warheads had been disabled at Malmstrom AFB back in 1967 by the appearance of several UFO’s and that these same visitors traveling from the far reaches of our galaxy or beyond, concerned for the global welfare of our planet will make themselves known in a mass appearance on October 13.

I believe, as does LA Marzulli, that UFO’s will be part of the great deception spoken of in the Bible in the last days.  ET will not only be our friends, ET will be our saviors. They of course, seeded our planet many millions ago and have watched from a distance as we have progressed to be a race of violent people, bent on self destruction.  Thankfully, they are here to step in at this critical juncture in history. And, so the story will go ….. better than the movie of the week!

 But, in reality they are but seducing spirits; demons masquerading as angels or agents of light.  When you look at the dates that link some of these events together, it is quite compelling. 

  The October 13, Fatima event of 1917 preceded the Balfour declaration of November 1917, which opened the way to the formation of the state of Israel.

 The disabling of the missiles at Malmstrom AFB occurred in March of 1967, just 3 months before the six-day war of June 1967.  http://xenophilius.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/minute-man-missiles-disabled-while-ufos-hovered-over-the-launch-facilities/

The Roswell incident in Roswell, New Mexico, the supposed site of a crashed UFO in July 1947, just months before the UN Partition Proposal of November 29, 1947 which created the state of Israel.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_Incident

The world is being prepared for deception on a grand and massive scale. A splendid deception which has been centuries in the making; the enemy is as patient as he is cunning.  Will October 13, 2010 be signficant?  I don’t know, but, I think it well could be.  In light of the dates just mentioned and the peace proposal ready to push forward or grind to a stop – an event of this kind and magnitude could very well be the tool of transformation that someone or something is just waiting to be handed.

“For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie”  2 Thessalonians 2:11

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Waiting and watching with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!   Cindy

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but, against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Ephesians 6:12

There are times when we are more aware of the spiritual battle of which we are in than others; times, when the line between the two thins to such a point that both sides can be clearly seen.  Sunday was one of those days.

Sunday afternoon, my friend Nan and I went to Waikiki hoping to see some of the friends (homeless and otherwise) we had made on previous excursions and also hoping to meet some new ones. It was early afternoon when we arrived and it was scorching hot.  Not exactly the ideal time for meeting people as most people were either in the water cooling off, reading a book under the cover of a beach umbrella or snoozing somewhere in the shade of a tree. Nevertheless, we slathered sun screen on all reachable extremities and struck out, hoping in spite of the heat, that God would bring at least one or two people our way.

We walked along the beach for the better part of an hour and didn’t see any one we knew or anyone we thought we could strike up a conversation with.  Most of the homeless population was nowhere to be seen, it was obviously just too hot.  We continued on our walk until we finally reached the last beach along the way; a beach known to be popular with gay men on the island and the last point along our route.  Because of the heat, we decided to get off the side-walk and work our way through the park until we found a good place to sit down and rest. 

As we walked across the park, we noticed a lone figure raking leaves at the far edge of the park.  For some reason, he drew our attention, so we began to walk towards him. As we got a little bit closer, we could also see that in spite of the heat, he was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved black jacket and was using a very old and light weight rake for raking the leaves. He appeared to be twenty or so with dark wavy hair and dark eyes.  

When we got over to where he was raking, I commented on the size of the rake in contrast to the size of the job  – such a small rake for such a big job!  Big leaves, too, that seemed to keep getting caught in the prongs of the rake with every stroke.  He just shrugged; smiled wanly and told us he was doing community service.  I asked him if he needed any water and he shook his head no, motioning towards what looked to be a can of Iced Tea sitting on a bench.  At that, we said, “God bless” and headed for the shade of another tree where we could rest.

Dropping our bags on the grass, we took our water bottles out for a long drink, removed our sandals and massaged our feet. We were a little discouraged, but, knew the cure for discouragement is prayer.  We prayed of course, for our homeless friends and for those we hoped to meet a long the way; and we also prayed for the many gay men who had gathered along the beach and throughout the park.  Acutely aware of the stronghold the enemy has over this particular area, we specifically asked God to break loose the chains that bind so many.

After praying, we picked up our bags and returned to the sidewalk, ready to head back the direction from which we had come.

     “Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beast of the field which the Lord God had made …” Genesis 3:1

 We had only walked a few feet, when a man sitting on a bench called out to us.  Looking his direction, we saw an older man, deeply tanned and wearing a bathing suit.  He appeared to be of retirement age and looked much like any other older man enjoying an afternoon at the beach.  He got our attention by calling out “hey!” and from the way he was looking at us, it was obvious he wanted us to approach him. 

It was only a couple of steps from the sidewalk to where the man was sitting and as we walked over to him, he held a paper cup out towards us, saying something very strange. “This is eternal water; drink from it.” Eternal water?  Drink from it?  What was that supposed to mean?  I looked first at the cup, then back at the man who was holding it out towards us and wondered why anyone would call a stranger over to make such an odd request.  “Here drink,” he says, this time adding –  “its pure mountain spring water,”  I peer in to the cup and sure enough it is half full of what appears to be water. I notice a drinking fountain next to the bench where he is sitting and assume it to be the source for the “pure mountain spring water” which he so insistently offering us.

 About this time, my friend Nan pipes up, “We don’t need that water, she says, “we have the living water, Jesus!”  The man didn’t say anything in response to her enthusiastic statement, but merely glanced away, a sneer of sheer disgust caught in his eyes as he turned his head.  Looking back towards us, he thrust the cup once more at me admonishing me one more time to take a drink.  Not understanding quite yet, what this was really about, I tell him, “no, I have a bottle of water in my bag.”  I then go on to say something about needing to prepare for life beyond this life – needing something or someone who will sustain us into eternity. To this he replies, in the most base and vulgar of voices – “My wifes breasts are all I need to sustain me.”   This conversation was already bizarre and not wanting to engage any further, I said, “that might be fine for this life, but, it will do nothing for you in the next.”  And we left.

As we walked away from the man, it suddenly dawned on us. We were on enemy turf and the enemy had called us out!  I have no doubt, that what we encountered was a demon spirit; a spirit who saw and us and took the opportunity to mock us and the living water we represent.  Three times he admonished us to drink his water and three times we told him no.  Water is always spiritually significant, the choice of words by this “man” – no accident.

And, then for reasons neither of us can explain, we decided to double back to see if we could see the man raking leaves one more time.  When we got back across the park, he was still there – slowly raking leaves into little piles beneath the base of the tree.  This time when we approached him, Nan took a small scripture card from her bag and told him she would like for him to have it – it was a quote from Jeremiah 29:11 – 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This time the man smiled widely and reached out to take the card.  We asked him how long he had been in Hawaii and where he had come from.  He told us he was from Texas and had been here about a year and a half.  When queried about why he had left Texas, he simply said “to venture out.”   We asked him his name, to which he replied, “Amos, my name is Amos”.  “That’s a bible name,” I said.  “Yes, I know,” he said.  We mentioned to him about some church groups that meet in the park every now and then if he were interested and he seemed to already know about them.  This time before walking away, we asked how we could pray for him this week. His response – a gesture towards the leaves – as if to say, “all of this.”   Indicating I suppose not just the leaves, but, God’s plan for his life.

Amos … Amos …. not a name you hear very often …….

By the time the afternoon sun had dipped below the horizon, we were almost back to our car, when we ran in to my Jewish friend Sam.  We spent about twenty minutes or so talking with him before he had to go and it was one of the best conversations I have ever had with him.   This time I shared with him about Yom Kippor, the day of Atonement which had just passed and how the sacrifice of blood of bulls and goats one time per year could never permanently take away sin. How the blood of a permanent sacrifice was needed to take away sin once and for all.  And only the blood of the Messiah, the blood of Yeshua, Jesus could do it.  This really seemed to resonate with him and although he was not quite ready to make that decision on Sunday night, he is very close.  Please pray for him!

And, as always –

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!   Cindy 

                                 Dead fish, Plaguemines, LA

Many of you have seen this photo or one like it in the past few days; hundreds of thousands of fish found dead at the mouth of the Mississippi River.  This grim discovery  was made Friday Sept 10 and although, it was not immediately clear right away as to what may have caused the mass extermination of so many fish, it has since been determined that the massive kill was most likely the result of the recent oil spill and not a depletion of oxygen in the water as some had originally suggested.  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3140919/BP-under-fire-over-fish-kill.html

When I first saw this photo, I was just appalled! It was truly shocking!  I’m sure if even a hundred dead fish were found on a shore here in Hawaii, it would be profoundly disturbing.  I simply cannot imagine hundreds of thousand’s of dead fish in one area!  What is even more amazing is the variety of fish which were involved.  In the photo above they all look pretty much the same – grey and dead, but, in actuality a large number of species were affected; flounder, pogies, redfish, trout, freshwater eel, crabs, shrimp and many others, there was even a dead baby whale! 

I’ve wondered since seeing this photo; what do you do with a hundred thousand dead bloated fish?  Can you imagine the stench, the nauseating, overwhelming odor the dead bodies of this many fish would create?  Undoubtedly, someone had to haul them off to be incinerated.  Why? Because dead rotting fish just aren’t good for anything.

As I thought about this awful tragedy, a couple of things caught my attention.  First the date on which the fish kill occurred – Friday Sept 10.  A day which many of us were watching as a potential date for the rapture.  And, secondly, the location – the west side of the mouth of the Mississippi River, Plaguemines Parish, LA.

Now this is interesting because if you visualize the Mississippi River as if it were a major artery running through the body to the heart, (as the Mississippi River runs from North to South through the heart of the country), you can see how, if clogged long enough, the heart muscle deprived of oxygen rich blood; its life-giving source, soon dies.  

Interesting word correlation – plague and Plaguemines.  But, when I googled the word Plaguemines, I found out, it actually comes from the creole and native american word Piakimin which in English means Persimmon.  A Persimmon is a yellow-orange fruit which dates back to ancient times and is grown in many parts of the world. In ancient Greece, it was known as “the fruit of the gods.”  In Bible times, the Persimmon grew in a region called Ein Gedi and was used in the coronation of Kings.   According to a website called Archaeology Today:

A mysterious plant, the persimmon, of which the exact present-day equivalent is not known, grew in Ein Gedi in thick groves. The resin flowing from the plant was collected and produced a most famous perfume. The Israelite kings also extracted perfume for oil from the Ein Gedi groves. King Josiah of Judah installed the practice of anointing new kings with persimmon oil.  http://www.jewishmag.com/54mag/ein-gedi/ein-gedi.htm

Fascinating, don’t you think; the common thread that weaves these seemingly unrelated things together:

 Fish, a symbol of the church, – fish found dead at the mouth of a life-giving river – fish found dead in a place named for a fruit, the oil of which was used in anointing the Kings of Israel – fish found dead on a date on which the King was expected. 

What does this mean, all this symbolism?  Certainly we know already, that much of the so-called “church”  is dead or asleep.  So, how much more can be learned from one more sign?   As my friend, Steve Coerper of Blog Talk Radio has recently said – “how many harbingers do we need?”  For those of us watching, the signs this past year have been many, we don’t need another sign to convince us the return of the King is near.  We’re convinced already!  But, for those not yet convinced, we have to wonder, will one more sign really change their minds?

 For the sake of the King who loves them, I pray that it may be so!

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Waiting and watching with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

    the Fabled Russian Firebird                      illustration circa 1899

From this afternoon’s news – Hurricane Igor strengthens to a dangerous Category 4 storm and although at this time it is not certain whether this storm will impact the Eastern United States; it remains a threat which bares watching. 

It’s always fascinating to look at the meaning behind names, as insight can at times be gleaned from such things.  Igor as I found out by doing a quick search is Norse in origin and means “Warrior Archer” or “Warrior of Peace” and is derived from the name of the Norse god Ing; the god of peace and fertility.  If Igor should take a course towards the eastern seaboard, it will be anything but peaceful, striking its intended target with the precision of a master archer.

On thinking about the name Igor, I was reminded of the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.  Stravinsky was a Russian born composer, pianist and conductor who was born in 1882 and lived until 1971.  Internationally renowned, he first gained fame for three ballets for which he componsed; the Fire Bird, Petrushka and The Rites of Spring.  I found his work on Firebird to be of particular interest as it is centered around the fabled magic bird from Russian fairy tales known as the firebird.

From Wikipedia – “In Slavic folklore, the firebird (literally ember bird in Old Russian) is a magical glowing bird from a faraway land, which is both a blessing and a bringer of doom to its captor.  A typical role of a firebird in fairy tales, is that of a difficult quest.”

It’s interesting, that the ember bird or firebird as it is known in Russian is not unique to Russian culture, but, actually dates back to the ancient cultures of Persia, Egypt, Greece and Rome where it was known by a variety of names, one of which is the Phoenix.  The Phoenix of course, is a mythological bird with the incredible power to self-destruct and resurrect; a term which is still in use today for something making a rather miraculous and unexpected come-back after a long period of absence.  From Wikipedia:

A phoenix is a mythical bird that is a fire spirit with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). It has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self. In some stories, the new phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (literally “sun-city” in Greek). It is said that the bird’s cry is that of a beautiful song. In very few stories they are able to change into people.

As diverse as these ancient cultures were, it’s interesting that the concept of the firebird is one which is shared.  Amazingly, out of the ashes of history, these ancient pagan cultures, like the Phoenix, are rising up once again to challenge the God of Israel.  And, while they think they are blessed, they will indeed find themselves cursed.

With the peace talks slated to resume in the next few days (Sept. 14, 15 in Egypt) it will be interesting to see what happens with Hurricane Igor. 

Many of us expected a Rosh HaShanah rapture (me included) and while I feel slightly dejected, I am convinced more than ever, that our God is on the move!  I feel that the next few days and months will be pivotal and with each passing day, we will see with ever increasing clarity the unfolding of God’s miraculous plan.  In the parable of the ten virgins, we are told that the bridegroom tarried, (and I believe, that is what is happening now) so don’t be discouraged, don’t give up – Jesus is coming and coming soon!

In John 11, Jesus is given news that his friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha is ill.  Instead of going to him right away, Jesus waits two days, but, in two days time, Lazarus is no longer ill, Lazarus is dead!  Why, we ask did Jesus wait?  What would cause him to tarry when his friends needed him so?  And although we may never fully understand the answer to this question, we are told this in verse 4 –

“This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Was Jesus then unkind, dispassionate towards the needs of his friends by keeping them waiting? Assuredly not, for scripture tells us that Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus.  Why, then did he wait?  The only answer we are given is this –“that God may be glorified,”  and when you think about it, whether we understand it or not, that answer is quite simply enough.

In these days of waiting and watching, I remind myself that it is by faith we walk and not by sight – and while things often make little sense from a human stand point, it is during these times of sightlessness that our faith grows just a little bit closer to that which God desires.

The world is on a collision course with the holy God of Israel.  Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, nations and cultures once confined to the dust bin of history rise under the influence of the most ancient of adversaries to fight one more time against God.  And, though the world is poised for perishing, Jesus tarries – just a little while longer, for there is one more yet, like Lazarus to be rescued from death.  

“For God is not willing that any should perish, but, that all should come to repentance” 2 Peter 3:9

 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6   Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

    Obama, the new King Tut

Remember when images like the one above hailed our Commander-in-Chief as something or someone a little bit more than that of mere mortal?  Someone who for reasons most could not identify evoked images of strange and ancient paths.  Someone who seemed destined for great things and had them within his grasp. 

And while the imagery has dulled a bit with the drop in poll numbers, the mystery of the man has not.

Take for instance, these words from his latest speech in Milwaukee over labor day weekend. Speaking apparently off the cuff while adressing a crowd which had gathered, President Obama had this to say:

“They (referring to his opposition) talk about me like a dog”. 

Really? Like a dog? Strange words for a man who would be King (or in this case Pharoah)!   Words that left everyone scratching their heads and the political pundits scrambling to figure out what he could possibly mean.  

It was not entirely clear what the president meant by “like a dog.” Conservative pundit Michelle Malkin commented that his remark seemed “like something that would come from a politician exhausted by marathon campaigning and beaten down by the opposition,” as opposed to the leader of the party in power. – http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20015684-503544.html

But, were these the words of an exhausted and beaten down politician, or – was it something else?

When you look at the usage of the word dog in scripture you will find it most often refers to gentiles, sorcerers and other evil doers. In other words, those outside the kingdom of God.  In a flurry of e-mails today, some of us were comparing various scriptures that had to do with dogs.  Do a quick search on the topic and you will see an interesting picture emerge.  As I looked at the various scriptures, one in particular stood out – Exodus 11: 6–7.  This one was brought to my attention by my friend and fellow blogger Ultraguy over at New Wineskins.  And, it immediately caught my attention –

“There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt — worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.”

Think about it – not a dog will bark!  This is important because the bark of a dog is typically used for alerting those who are sleeping or otherwise relaxing to the presence of a thief in their midst.  A dog’s job is to sound the alarm!  But, in this case, the dogs are silent!!!!   As God goes about his work of separating his people, not a sound is made.

In the early morning hours of September 4, in the rubble of place called Christchurch, New Zealand what appears to have been a warning was given.  Those who are watching, paid heed and trimmed their lamps. But, to the unsaved world, as the church gets ready to make its great departure, there will be no alarm -not a sound will be made.  The dogs will be silent as Jesus comes to steal away his bride.

An interesting parallel to this is the scripture text from our Sunday morning worship this past week, (Psalm 105: 36–47) It’s a passage which so impressed me at the time that after reading it several times over, I finally e-mailed it to a few friends. I think I understand why now.

“He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no one faltered. Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of  Israel had fallen on them. He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock and water gushed out, like a river it flowed in the desert. For he remembered his holy promise to his servant Abraham. He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for — that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws, Praise the Lord!”

 Leaving Egypt!  The world won’t miss us and we won’t miss it!  Come Lord Jesus come!  

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

In the early morning hours of September 4, a powerful earthquake shook residents awake in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. At an estimated 7.1, it was the most powerful earthquake to strike the region in many years.  I find it interesting that the epicenter for this earthquake should be a city called Christchurch on the day following two very signficant headlines making news on September 2.

On the day prior to the New Zealand quake, two headlines (among others) competed for attention.  One was the Mid-East peace talks taking place in Washington DC and the other was the announcement by world-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking that the universe was not created by God, but, was rather a spontaneous event related to the law of gravity.  For these two headlines to share space on the same day can hardly be called coincidence.

The Bible tells us of course, that the heavens declare the glory of God and the reality of his existence. It doesn’t take the mind of a Stephen Hawking, a powerful telescope or a degree in physics to tell us this. All it takes is a look in to the night skies for the simplest of people to understand. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands, Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”   Psalm 19: 1-3

 Through the heavens God has made himself known; through Israel, God has made himself knowable.

 Chosen for a purpose

In Isaiah 43:10, speaking of Israel, God says:

“You are my witnesses saith the Lord, my servant whom I have chosen that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”

In other words, it is Israel who bears witness to a knowable God.  A God who has made himself known, a God who loves us so much that he sent his only Son, a God who has a plan for our future and knows the beginning from the end. A God who chose Israel to be his instrument of grace (specifically fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah). I believe the headlines of Sept 2 clearly outline the choices we face today, whether people realize it or not.  Do we choose a Stephen Hawking world and the humantistic philosophy which naturally follows or do we stand with the God of the Bible in support of Israel.            

                         Choose this day whom you will serve!

Lines are being drawn now and in the not too distant future, it will become increasingly difficult to have a foot in each camp – in fact, it will become impossible.

I thought it was interesting that the James Lee, Discovery Channel hostage situation occurred the same day as the Hocking announcement.  A clear indication to anyone paying attention of the natural outcome (tragedy and death) of a humanistic, self-centered, “no-God” society.  Mr. Lee, a deranged individual (or perhaps just a strong proponent of the earth first propaganda that has been force-fed to us by the humanistic environmentalists) who believed with such fervor that humans and the birth of new babies are the scourge of the earth; so much so, that he was willing to take up arms to prove his point.

 When the walls crumbled in Christchurch, it may have been a warning for the church of Laodicea, that you can only straddle the fence so long before you will fall.  Like the house built on the sand, without the firm foundation of Christ; collapse is certain.  Sadly, the humanistic philosophy of the culture has infiltrated the teachings of the church which bears his name.  And, among the many heresies which have crept into the body, none is more insidious and sinister than that of doubting the truth and infallibility of his word. Evidenced by a number of things such as – the acceptance of the gay agenda, support of abortion rights, denial of creation as outlined in Genesis, denial of the miracles of the Bible, denial of Jesus as the only way and denial of God’s calling and purpose for Israel, among a whole host of other things.

 In these last days, God has brought Israel to the forefront and what happens with Israel is instrumental to the return of Jesus.  In Matthew 25:31-46, we read of the judgment of the sheep and goats -in this passage, the sheep and goats are separated.  And, the basis on which they are seperated is this: how the brethern of Christ (Israel – the Jews) have been treated.  Take note Quartet and all others who doubt God’s word and who seek the division and destruction of Jerusalem, this is the dividing line for nations and it is on this basis, by which you shall be judged.

Two headlines – two choices – 

*Up-Date – I saw this a couple of hours after finishing my post and thought it was an amazing fit to my article.- “New Zealand Quake Rips New Fault in the Earth”  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39002792/ns/world_news-asiapacific/ 

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6    Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

When the dove returned to him (Noah) in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!  Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.  He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.”

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On Thursday September 2, (Elul 23), peace talks will resume in Washington DC between President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas regarding the creation of a Palestinian state and the division of Jerusalem.  Also involved will be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Egyptian President Mubarak, and Jordanian King Abdullah, who will be joining them for dinner at the White House on the eve of the negotiations. http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=186302

It’s interesting, when we consider the timing of the peace talks as they coincide with the date on which the dove returned to Noah carrying an olive branch in its beak.  Olive branches as we know are widely recognized symbols for peace and reconciliation.  It cannot be coincidence that the talks should resume in earnest on this date. Equally interesting, is the fact, that exactly seven days following Elul 23 is Tishrei 1, which begins the Feast of Trumpets on the evening of September 8.

As I look at the dynamics involved here I am struck by a couple of things.  One, is the name for Noah – which means “rest”.  And two, the feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Ha Shanah which is known as a day of rest.  In Leviticus 23:24, it says: “On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest”.  So, we have within a one week period, September 2 (Elul 23) and Sept 9 (Tishrei 1) a name and an event both tied to the idea of rest.

A simple check at wikipedia regarding Rosh Hashanah reveals this:

Rosh Hashanah is observed as a day of rest (Leviticus 23:24) like other Jewish holidays. When not on Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah is characterized by the blowing of the shofar (in ancient times it was also sounded on the Sabbath in the Temple),^[5] a trumpet made from a ram’s horn or the horn of a goat or various types of antelope or gazelle (although not from a cow), intended to symbolically awaken the listeners from their “slumbers” and alert them to the coming judgment.^{[6]  (emphasis mine) –}

“Awaken the listeners from their “slumbers” …

“Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but, we shall all be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall we raised incorruptible and we shall be changed”  1 Corinthians 15:50-52

 … and, alert them to the coming judgment!

The sounding of a trumpet, the shofar or ram’s horn in scripture always precedes a dramatic spiritual event often announcing war and impending judgment – but, it is also used as a symbol of victory and the gathering of God’s people.

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While Noah was on the ark, he rested in God’s provision and his grace. As the waters receded, the dove was sent out to see if dry land had appeared.  When the dove returned with proof of new life in its beak, Noah waited another seven days, then sent the dove out again and this time, it did not return.

Many of us are looking at this years Feast of Trumpets as a possible date for the rapture and while I’ve looked at other dates as possibilities, none of them have loomed as large in my mind as this one.  For Elul is the month of harvest and Tishrei is the month of beginning.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks. If the church is raptured, we will have a new beginning having entered God’s rest in heaven. Israel, on the other hand, following the talks in Washington, will have a beginning of a different kind – this one on the troubled road which will ultimately lead her to her Messiah.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

Israel in the Crosshairs

This story making news tonight, “Putin shoots gray whale with crossbow.”  A big thank you to reader Jay and to Ultraguy at New Wineskins for bringing it to my attention. 

A few months ago, May to be exact, a gray whale was spotted of the coast of Israel; in an extremely rare, if not unprecedented event, which made news for several days. Those of us who are watching Bible prophecy were intrigued by the timing of this event, as it came on the heels of an immense amount of pressure being placed on Israel this past spring by the Obama administration and the so-called Quartet (United Nations, Russia, EU and United States) for creating a Palestinian state and dividing Jerusalem. If you recall, there was a huge uproar over the building going on in East Jerusalem which culminated in Prime Minister Netanyahu being snubbed by both Vice President Biden and President Obama and a dressing down over the phone by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

 For many of us, the sighting of the whale represented a period of warning  – a symbol, reminiscent of Jonah and the whale regarding repentance – a symbol, which could preclude events in the not to distant future regarding Gog, Magog and eventually the time of Jacob’s trouble. For a refresher on my thoughts on this, check out my post of May 12, “the sign of Jonah.”  https://cindybythesea.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/the-sign-of-jonah/

Now, we have another story, just days ahead of the mid-East peace negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington DC on Sept 2, involving not only a gray whale but, one of the leading members of the Quartet, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Man of the Hour

   In this shot, the Prime Minister takes aim at his intended target.  The seas are choppy and the rubber raft unstable –  after firing 3 shots, the Prime Minister successfully nails it on his fourth attempt. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100825/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_putin_whales

  Prime Minister Putin in the Russian mind, is a man among men; a tough man of action.  Besides hunting whales, the Prime Minister also made news recently by taking an active role in extinguishing the wild fires that had recently ravaged his country.  This is a man who not only craves adventure, but, strives to create a public image of himself of strength bordering on invincibility; a Russian superman.  Besides hunting whales, the Prime Minister has also been photographed placing a collar on a sedated polar bear, tranquilizing a Siberian tiger, doing the breast stroke in an icy river and riding bareback and bare-chested across the country side.  I looked up the name Putin and was unable to find a meaning for it, but, the name Vladimir, interestingly means, “to rule with peace.”  Putin, is an obvious man of action, but, is he a man of peace (?) 

If May’s whale indicated a time of repentance and warning for Israel, I can’t help but wonder, what might the Putin whale mean?

When we think about Ezekiel 38 and 39, we see a people from the far north descending on Israel like a storm; invading as it were, a land of unwalled villages, an unsuspecting people, a people living in peace. 

 * unwalled in the sense that modern-day villages are no longer enclosed with a wall as they were in ancient times, * unsuspecting, they suspect Iran of course, but, Magog/Russia, I’m not so sure, and * living in peace, well, Israel desires to live in peace, even though their enemies do not –

On seeing this, (the invasion of Israel) the nations with eyebrows raised, ask these questions “have you come to plunder, have you come to take a spoil?”  Obviously, there is an air of incredulity about this.  No surprise Iran (Persia) is involved, they have been threatening Israel for some time now.  But, Russia, – well – not so obvious, after all, they are part of the Quartet – one of the parties supposedly working for peace in the middle East. 

 Consider this, –  when Putin took aim at the whale, his purpose was not to kill the whale, but, to plunder it  – to take something from it, in this case, a skin sample.  And, while that may sound fairly innocuous, the skin is the bodies first layer of defense against infection and once breached can lead to a whole host of problems from the superficial to the serious.

When Magog descends on Israel, they go to take a plunder, leading the way for Persia and the other nations that follow – whose aim it is, not merely to plunder, but, to destroy.

 Therefore, as scripture tells us, Russia is in it for what they can get; but, Iran and the others are in it for what they can do.  Russia by plundering breaks down that first line of defense – opening the way for the kill.

Putin, man of peace, set forth on choppy seas to take a plunder.  The word sea in scripture, if you recall, especially when used in the prophetic sense, often represents the nations in tumult.  It takes him four tries but, he finally succeeds in piercing the skin of the whale. This time though, when Magog takes aim at Israel, God himself will intervene and the bow of Magog will be broken.  For this is what the Lord says:  

“Son of man, prophecy against Gog and say: This is what the sovereign Lord says: I am against you O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.  I will turn you around and drag you along.  I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel;  then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.  On the mountains of Israel, you will fall  …”  Ezekiel 39:1-4

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6    Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!   Cindy

 I don’t know about you, but, I’m sleeping better knowing that Russia is over seeing Iran’s nuclear program.  Yes, Russia has pledged to prevent spent nuclear fuel from being shifted in to a weapons program.  And, if you believe that, as they say, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you!

As Iran celebrated, the world looked on – suddenly, in a day, the dynamics in the middle East had shifted.  In a statement, undoubtedly foreshadowing the future, Iran’s nuclear chief had this to say, “I thank the Russian government and nation, which cooperated with the great Iranian nation and registered their name in Islamic Iran’s golden future … today is a historic day and will be remembered in history”.

That’s a statement I would agree with –“it will be remembered in history”.

Why, you might ask, would Russia want to take on the responsibility of overseeing Iran’s nuclear program?  From an article in the Jerusalem Post, titled, Iran’s Bushehr Success, I think, the motivation is clear –

“In addition to its clear economic incentives, Russia has geopolitical motivations,- seeking to increase its influence in the middle east vis vis the US.  At the beginning of this month, Russia’s Navy Chief Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky announced that his country’s naval supply and maintenance site near Syria’s Mediterranean port of Tartus would be modernized to accommodate heavy warships after 2012.  This is the same Syria that enjoys close ties with Iran and supports anti-American forces in Iraq”.

This is a train wreck waiting to happen and every one knows it.  Can Russia be trusted to over see this program?  Well, I think we all know the answer to that – (Ezekiel 38, 39).

As John McTernan points out on his web page of August 21, the location of the Bushehr Nuclear plant is the same as the ancient site of biblical Elam. The site of the future fulfillment of Jeremiah 49:34,35, where God promises to break the bow of Elam.

Interestingly, Elam was a grandson of Noah, the first son of Shem, whose descendants settled the southern part of Persia known today as Iran.  It is also the location of Susa in which the story of Esther takes place.  As Iran pursues the development of a nuclear weapons for use against Israel, it would be well for them to remember what happened to their predecessor Haman who set forth on a similar mission for annihilating the Jews;  Haman, as we all know, was hanged along with his ten sons on the very gallows he had prepared for hanging Queen Esther’s Uncle; the Jew, Mordecai.

In today’s Jerusalem Post, Iran’s boastful leader, Ahmadinejad was quoted as taunting Israel saying, they were too weak to face up to Iran militarily” and that “Israel doesn’t have the courage to do it.”  I guess the unveiling of Iran’s new long-range bomber aircraft, dubbed “the ambassador of death,” gave him the courage to make such rash and grandiose statements.  He should have checked with the God of Israel first.

 When this day is remembered in history, (and it will be) – it will be recognized that the fate Ahmadinejad believes he has assigned to the Jews, has become his own.

And, while I may not sleep any better knowing Russia is over seeing Israel’s nuclear program, I am sleeping just fine knowing this:

“Behold, he who keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep, the Lord is thy shade upon the right hand, the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night, the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, he shall preserve thy soul, the Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in,  from this time forth, now and for ever more”.  Psalm 121:4

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6   Waiting and watching with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy