Heaven Bound

THE HORSES MAY RIDE, BUT, THE SAINTS PREVAIL!

If you’re like me, you’ve spent the day wondering how this day might end; Shevat 24 5770 otherwise known as Feb.  7, 2010.  I have to admit to more than a few butterflies in the stomach as the Super bowl game went into half time today. I spent the first half of the game talking to my daughter on the phone  while I had the t.v. on mute, watching the dialogue on closed captioning, more interested in the commercials being aired,  than  the number of goals being scored.  Was it just me, or did those commercials have a rather dark edge to them?  I wish I could remember all of them. One after another, seemed to have a dark or perverse edge to it.  Here’s one, how about the fritos in a casket ???? That’s appetizing!  Makes me want to run out and buy a bag!  Not!!!  Or, how about the floral commercial,  the one with the  flowers in a box (like they were dead)  What’s up with that?  Is death, the new humor?  

  Then, there were the ads for the latest movies coming out.   Coming soon to a theatre near you –  I can hardly wait!  How about, The Wolfman, the latest in a long line of  werewolf movie that we seem to be obsessed with, neatly advertised this time,  as “the beast that cometh,”  (Wow, wording like that kind of makes you sit up and take notice!).    And then, there was the absolutely creepy, Alice in Wonderland by producer Tim Burton, ( in the clip I saw, he had a very large and ugly pig sitting beneath the feet of the Queen of Hearts – it was sooo ugly, that I was reminded less of how much I love bacon and more  of how pigs are an “unclean” animal in the Bible – Alice in this version of the story, has not only gone down the rabbit hole, but, has taken a wrong turn along the way!).  Then last, but, not least, is The Prince of Persia.  Wow!  From werewolves to demons!   The  real Prince of Persia,  you Bible scholars will remember, is a fallen angel, who, working under the direction of Satan, hindered a messenger of God from coming to Daniel for 21 days.  (Daniel 10:13).    That may seem like aeons ago to us,  but, these fallen angels are not only very powerful, they are also, not bound by time  –  a concept Hollywood is foolishly unaware of.

So, here it is almost bed time, Shevat 24 having past into history with the  exception of the few remaining hours left here in the far reaches of the Pacific and the worst thing I can think of from the day, was the less than stellar performance of The Who during the half time show.  Obviously, some things are better left to history and obscurity.  Better to be remembered a legend, than to become a laughing stock.  IMHO.

  Last night, I went to bed with some trepidation not knowing what today might bring.  Just before I turned in, I took the time to read the latest post from Garden Girl at Running from Babylon. If you haven’t read it yet, I urge you to do so. (You can find her link on the right side of my page if you don’t have it already). She’s done a great job with her latest research. But, I warn you, it is not for the faint of heart.  You will not get to the end of her post without either a lump in your throat, a pounding heart or both!  And I should know, because I had both!!!!   I didn’t know whether to go for a glass of water or dig for the nitro tablets!  But, I figured either way, the best thing I could do, would be to humble myself and pray!   And, although, by the looks of things  Shevt 24, 5770 has passed without incident, I feel quite certain that in the spiritual realm that may not have been the case.  It is  more than possible, that today a threshold may have been crossed,  the four horses of the apocalypse may well have been unleased, something that while not readily seen today, may be more than apparent in the days to come.

Last night, I had dinner with a friend whose home overlooks Pearl Harbor.  We had a lovely time and we were able to have dinner outside on the Patio.  The night air was warm and the lights of the harbor twinkled below us shimmering in the distance against the pale blue of the water and the dark blue of the deepening evening sky.  It was  calm and serene, almost like viewing a beautiful painting.  I had to remind myself, that almost 70 years ago, this was not the case.  On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, that same beauty and serenity of the beautiful island of Oahu was abruptly interrupted by Japanese Zero planes dropping bombs into the harbor.  And in spite, of the beauty and serenity we enjoyed last night, the waters beneath the memorial established there, testify to something much different.  For any of you, who have been to the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, you know the top deck of the USS Arizona is still clearly visible just a few feet below the surface of the water;  water that is still slick with oil bubbling up from the twisted hulk of the ship; the final resting place of over 1000 American servicemen.

The normalcy of our lives, lulls us into thinking that nothing will ever change. Until it does! 

 This morning, the Lord brought a message through our Pastor that I thought  was so appropriate for what I have been thinking about, praying about and blogging on the past few days.  More than appropriate, I would say, it was timely.  The text from which he spoke was Romans 13 and the message a call for the body of Christ to wake–up. To get serious about their walk with Christ as the time is short.  The text of the message  in part was this:

 “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because your salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.  So, let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light”.  Romans 13:8-12

The time is nearer than we first believed!!!  I took this as great encouragement from the Lord to keep on watching.  And, while we watch, remember this –  while, the horses may run ….. it is the saints (God) who will prevail!   Was there ever any doubt, who would win the game today????    Maybe, there was a message in today’s Superbowl, after all!  

Until next time, love and blessings in Messiah Jesus,  Cindy

“WHO” ARE WE?

By the words of President Barrack Hussein Obama from a June 2007 speech in his pre-presidency days, “we are no longer a Christian nation.”  While his remarks drew the ire of many, its an observation that may well be true.  And if it is true, that we are no longer a “Christian” nation, then,”who are we?”

As I think about this question, I cannot help, but, comment on the strange irony of the half-time entertainment chosen for this years super bowl, the 44th superbowl, the match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.

For reasons unknown to most and most likely known only to those  in the supernatural realm, this years choice for half-time entertainment is “The Who” an english rock band formed in 1964 and well known for a string of hits through the 1960’s.

Of the opportunity to perform as this years Super Bowl entertainment, Peter Townshend, founder of the group, had this to say, “it seems like its the right time to play this biggest of all stages”.   Without a new album or world tour to promote, it might seem, a first glance to be an unusual selection for half-time entertainment.  But, as Who manager Bill Curbishley puts it, “there’s a part of the Who audience who does not know who they are.”  Adding to this, Charles Coplin, vice president of programing for the NFL and one of the producers of the show, says, “there are certain criteria” for making the half time program selection ….we stay away from overexposed acts; when was the last time you saw “The Who” on t.v.?  ….their are other acts who do wonderful things and are tremendous, but’s its not always as anthemic and explosive, and when you’re doing something like the superbowl, those two words are really part of making a show come to life …. wait until you see the lighting of it (the stage); stunning stuff.  This year, the show will include visual techniques never before attempted by the NFL.  What we want to do is have several ‘WOW’ moments visually and musically that compliment each other, that people have never seen before.

It seems to me, that the half-time entertainment selection is a supernaturally appointed reflection of the question we  Americans are currently asking ourselves – “who are we?”  It wasn’t so long ago that every school child in America knew the answer to that question.  Recited daily in most public school, the Pledge of Allegiance, clearly stated who we were, “One nation under God“. But, by 1966, even Time Magazine was asking on the cover of their April 8 issue of that year, “Is God Dead?” Since that time, it appears that we americans, have suffered an identity crisis, we don’t know who we are, we don’t know if we’re gay or straight, we don’t know if we’re male or female, we don’t know what a marriage or a family should consist of, we don’t know if we’re for life or death …. and on and on.

Tomorrow at some time around 8:00 p.m. EST, (Half- time) americans will without understanding come face to face with this question so well reflected in the lyrics of American Pie –  “Oh, and there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again”  Americans may be divided on many issues, but, football isn’t one of them and tomorrow an estimated 151 million viewers will turn their eyes towards Miami, and the generation lost in space (the same generation who cut their teeth on the hugely popular television program from 1965) will come face to face with this question and very possibly, the consequences.

According to sources promoting the half-time show, The Who will be performing a medley of their greatest hits. “Who are You, Baba O’Reilly, Pinball Wizard from Tommy and Won’t Get Fooled Again”.  All music that I, a teenager of the late 60’s and early 70’s are very familiar with.  As I reviewed the lyrics from each of these songs, I began to see all the dots, an emerging picture much larger than even I had expected.

Because the lyrics to these songs are quite lengthy, I’m only going to touch on excerpts from them, as I see they apply. For additional insight, you might want to check them out in length yourself.

From: Who Are You – The title of the songs, says it all “Who, who, who, who … who are you, cause I  really want to know?”

From: Baba O’Reilly: Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals, I get back in to my living, Don’t need to fight, to prove I’m right, I don’t need to be forgiven.  Don’t cry, don’t raise your eye, its only teenage wasteland.  Sally, take my hand, we’ll travel south cross land, Put out the fire, and don’t look past my shoulder.  The exodus is here, the happy ones are near, Let’s get together, before we get much older, Teenage wasteland, its only teenage wasteland.

Pinball Wizard: He stands like a statue, becomes part of the machine, feeling all the bumpers, always playing clean. He plays by intuition, the digit counters fall, that deaf, dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pin ball!  He ain’t go no distraction, Can’t hear those buzzers and bells, Don’t see lights a flashin’, plays by sense of smell, always gets a replay, never tilts at all, that deaf, dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pin ball!

And most telling of all: 

 Won’t Get Fooled Again: (Because the lyrics to this song are so important and so lengthy, I’m going to start with the first verse and then give the link so you can check out the rest with out me having to re-print them here. “We’ll be fighting in the streets, with our children at our feet, and the morals that they worship, will be gone” …http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Won’t-Get-Fooled-Again-lyrics-The-Who/761EF79AAB42FA9C48256977002E72F9

When I read these lyrics, I really felt downcast in my soul and I ask the Lord for a corresponding scripture. I felt like he was leading me to Jeremiah 51. Fifty one incidentally, being the number of years since the Buddy Holly crash. To set up where I’m going with this, I want to refer to verse 3 from “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.

“change, it had to come (change, we can believe in ????), we knew it all along, we were liberated from the fall, that’s all, but, the world looks just the same, and history ain’t changed, ’cause the banners, they all flown in the last war … chorus: so, I tip my hat to the new constitution, take a bow for the new revolution ….” 

In Jeremiah chapter 51, God speaks about the fall of Babylon. Bible scholars may disagree on who Babylon is and whether this scenario is past or future.  For many reasons, I have become convinced that America is the new Babylon and fits all the description from both the Jeremiah 50,51,52 passages as well as the Revelation chapter 18 passage.  What country as been more materially blessed by the Lord,-  has had opportunity to export those blessings (for evil or for good) to the other nations –  and sits on many waters. AND, most importantly – has a leader (our president)  who by virtue of deposing the former King of Babylon (Sadaam Hussein of Iraq- formerly known as Babylon) sits as reigning Monarch over that same nation.

From Jeremiah 51:

“see I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon …I will send foreigners to Babylon to winnow her and to devastate her land; they will oppose her on every side in the day of her disaster … They will fall down slain in Babylon, fatally wounded in her streets…. Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins.  it is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will pay her what she deserves.  Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand, she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine, therefore, they have now gone mad. We would have healed Babylon, but, she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to his own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the clouds.  (This is just an excerpt from what I believe is a very important passage, please, take the time to read it in its entirety, there is much to be gleaned).

bye, bye miss american pie …….

“Eight miles high and fallen fast, it landed  foul on the grass ….so come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack flash sat on a candlestick. Because fire is the devil’s only friend. Oh, and as I watched him on the staqe, my hands were clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell, could break that Satan’s spell. And as the flames climbed high into the night, to light the sacrificial light, I heard Satan laughing with delight, the day the music died.

I pray that in the hours leading up to Super Bowl 44, that some of the things I have shared here will be food for thought.  Will anything happen tomorrow besides another great superbowl, blow-out or not …. only God knows.  I do know this, America is due for judgment, the warning bells have sounded.  And as I write this, I am not unaware that the Bible also says this, when judgment falls,  it begins first at the house of God.  I hope and pray, that  I myself in the next hours and days will be examining myself, making sure of the calling and election that I  have in Jesus Christ … and I hope you will too.

* I’ve been experiencing some errors on this page that I have tried all afternoon to fix, oy!!!  I’m still learning how this thing works, there’s a couple of lines missing from the center paragraphs, that I just can’t seem to fix.  There’s a better version by the same name, stored under the february archives, but, for some reason, I just can’t get it to post here. Thank you for your patience and thank you for stopping my to visit me here at Cindy by the Sea. 

Love and blessings in Messiah Jesus, looking with you for his soon return!  Cindy

DO YOU RECALL WHAT WAS REVEALED, THE DAY, THE MUSIC DIED

Fifty one years ago today, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P “Big Bopper” Richardson, lost their lives in an Iowa cornfield taking with them, it seems, the last of American innocence.

helter skelter in a summer swelter, the byrd flew off to a fallout shelter, eight miles high and falling fast, then landed in the foul grass, the player tried for a forward pass, with the jester on the sidelines in a cast, now, the half time air was sweet perfume, while sergeants played a marching tune, we all got up to dance, but, never got the chance, cause the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield, do you recall what was revealed, the day the music died?

What was revealed the day “the music died”????   In 1972, the Don Mclean hit from his 1971 American Pie album was released as a single, on a record label clearly marked Yahweh Tunes, Mayday Music, part of some thing called the Silver Spotlight Series.  Unusual, choice of names I thought, for a record label, “Yahweh”, being the hebrew name for God and “mayday” being a distress call.  I’ve begun to realize in my walk with the Lord recently, that there really isn’t too much that is coincidence.  God is all about numbers, dates and patterns.  Its how we identify his handiwork.  If you’ve never taken the time to explore this you have really missed out. The fingerprints of God are every place, if, we would just take the time to look for it.   As I think about the lyrics to this song, I can’t help, but, think that somehow, God has issued this as a cultural warning to those of us who will listen.  Mayday! Mayday! The distress call has gone out, but, is anyone listening?  I’ll reiterate what I said in the previous post, God loves us, the distress call has gone out. The time for heeding it is quickly coming to a close. And I think the evidence tieing these two things together can be found below. Check this out!

but, february made me shiver, with every paper I delivered, bad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t take one more step

What’s February got to do with it?  Well, alot!

-Pay attention here, don’t let the unfamiliar words throw you off –

“On the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shevat, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah …..During the night, I had a vision — and there before me was a man riding a red horse!  He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine.  Behind him were red, brown and white horses. I asked, ‘What are these my lord?’  the Angel who was talking with me answered, ‘I will show you what they are …. ‘They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.’  Zechariah 1:7-10

Ok, this is important, on a specific date (Shevat 24) which translates to our date of Feb 15, 519 BC, God gave the prophet Zechariah a vision of something that would happen in the future. At some time in the future, God would send his judgment in the symbolic form of four horses throughout the earth.

Here’s where it gets really interesting, if not a little spooky, this date, the 24th of Shevat is almost the exact same date as the day of the Buddy Holly plane crash AND the same date of Super Bowl 44, the match up between colts and saints.  What are the chances that all three of these incidents would be tied together with the same date?  Like I said, before, I don’t believe in coincidence!

 Ok, they share the same date, but, for what purpose?

In the book of Zechariah, it says this – “And there was before me, a man riding a red horse, behind him were red, brown and white horses.” Zecharian 1:8 – compare it with the passage below from Revelation.

 “I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals … I looked and there before me was a white horse, its rider held a bow …. he rode out as a conquerer bent on conquest…. When the Lamb opened the second seal … another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay one another.  When the Lamb opened the third seal … there before me was a black horse. Its rider was holding a pair of scales, a quart of wheat for a days wages ….. When the Lamb opened the fourth seal … there before me was a pale horse, its rider was named death and hades … they were given power over the fourth part of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague …” Revelation 6:1-8

The purpose of the rider on the red horse is to initiate judgment – the horses that follow him carry out that judgment. The next question might be, who is being judged and why?  I think this is where the Buddy Holly plane crash and  Super Bowl 44 come in – the can all be found tied together in the enigmatic lyrics of “Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie” on the record label Yahweh Tunes, MayDay Music.

 Are we being warned????  Of course, we are, any student of the Bible can tell you that.  But, the culture around us appears both blissfully and foolishly unaware –“drove my chevy to the levee, but, the levee was dry, those good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye,  – singing this will be the day that I die”.  What is a chevy, if not the “heartbeat of america?”  And what does a levee do? A levee is an earthen structure between land and water, that allows rivers to rise without water flowing on to the land side of the levee. In the Bible, water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, but, our secular american culture has erected a levee against it; hindering its flow;  constraining the water from flowing like the mighty river  God intended on to our land and blessing it.  By the time we get our “chevy to the levee”, it will be found dry.

Now the half time air was sweet perfume, While the sergeants played a marching tune, we all got up to dance, but, we never got the chance ….”

Now the half time air was “sweet perfume”.  Foot ball in Miami ??????  Maybe.  Take a look at the names of the two teams involved.   The names alone tell a story –  For instance, the root of the word indianapolis of the Indianapolis colts, is indian – from the word “india” which means red;  indian/red skin. (Red colt/Redhorse) –  The New Orleans Saints, new, because the original Orleans is in France and although the word Orleans itself is not known to have any meaning, Orleans is the home of the martyr, Joan of Arc, the national heroine of France and catholic saint  who was burned alive at the stake in the 1400’s.  Or new as in New Testament saints, the last living believers before the return of Jesus Christ.  Any way you look at it, you have to admit, the imagery is striking.

“… cause the players tried to take the field, but, the marching band refused to yield, …oh, and there we all were in one place, a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again, …so come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack flash sat on a candlestick, because, fire is the devils only friend, ….and as the flames climbed in to the night, I saw satan laughing with delight, the day the music died.”

On September 11, 2001, America was shaken, this time from her passivity.  On a day, most of us will never forget and over three thousand people lost their lives.  A sacrifice to those who saw our vulnerability and took advantage of it. And although the day sticks in our national mind, for the most part, we have went back to life as usual.  Churches that had filled up after the towers came down, are empty again. We simply sighed and went back to business as usual; back to our People magazines, our big screen t.v.s and our music videos. The brief vision we had of our own vulnerability, our own mortality, quickly faded, and in the end became not much more than the stuff bad dreams are made of.   America you were not ready then and you are not ready now.  America is a ship without a rudder, a navigator without a compass, and ship with no one at the helm.  The watchman cry out, but, with no one to guide them, the cries fall on deaf ears.   And because America has not repented from her sins and recognizes not where her help comes from, the four horses of judgment will ride …. and when they are released, they cannot be restrained.

The name of the month of February comes from the latin Februa which means “purification.” The name of the month of January comes from the latin Janus which means “gateway or door”  and the month of March from the latin Mars, means “war”.   The longst eclipse in a millenia took place on January 15.  Solar eclipses are signs of warning, (solar signs to the gentile nations, lunar, signs to Israel).  Was January our warning to seek February purification before God before March a time of war.  This morning, incidentally, on Good Morning America, 3 seperate intelligence officials were queried before congress and each one testified independently; an act of terrorism on American soil in the next 3- 6 months is “certain”. I find that quite chilling; God help us!

 The Bible tells us that trials come that we might be purified.  The purpose of trials is to lift our eyes heavenward, to turn us toward God.    

“Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth” Psalm 121:1 

 I met a girl who sang the blues, I ask her for some happy news, but, she just smiled and turned away, I went down to the sacred store, where I’d heard the music years before, but, the man said, the music wouldn’t play, and in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried, and the poets dreamed, but, not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken and the three men I admired most, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost had caught the last train for the coast –   the day the music died.

BYE BYE MISS AMERICAN PIE

In November 1971, Don McLean introduced the enigmatic “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie” to the american public on his American Pie album, a song which quickly became a number one hits single in 1972 staying at the top of the charts for four weeks in a row.  The song, if you have ever heard it (and who hasn’t ?????)  has a catchy tune, one  you can’t stop humming long after the record has stopped spinning.   It also had the kind of lyrics that stuck with you in a kind of puzzling, sad sort of way.  There is something very familiar about this song, something that seems to resonate with every one who hears it, something that strikes a chord, even though we may not understand why.

Pop culture is fascinating, to say the least, and everywhere we look, we are awash in it.  I think in many ways it provides a fair barometer for where we’re at today.   Many people have tried to interpret the lyrics to American Pie, something Don McLean himself  has not even done, at least publicly, for reasons known only to himself.  But, for those who have sought to interpret the song, I would venture to guess, their interpretations are most likely quite accurate.  Almost of all the lyrics when looked at closely seem to correspond with events from the sixties.  Its an easy analysis, but, the soul, the mood of the song, I think calls for more.  I believe there is an underlying message, a message of a spiritual sort, perhaps even a warning that calls for a deeper and wider interpretation than is seen on the surface; one that perhaps even the writer is unaware.

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

Feb 3, 1959 a small plane crashed in Iowa killing 3 well know american musicians, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and Jiles P Richardson, also known as “the big bopper”.  These three were known from sock hop to sock hop around the country.  Every teenager in America knew these three.  Following the end of world war II, America had the world by the tail and it seemed like every one was either prosperous, happy or both.  It was the last of the age of innocence, the last year before the decade that would change America, the decade of the turbulent sixties.   When Don McLean penned these lyrics in 1971, I think he penned an ode to the loss of American Innocence.  While the death of Buddy Holly in February 1959 framed one side of that decade, November 1971 framed the other  – and America, would never be the same.

Its been a long road since those days and much has happened. Philosophers and historians take note and try to make sense of it all – trying to determine where it is we came from and where it is, we’re headed.  While marked with imperfections, the American past was one of childlike innocence, the kind of carefree innocence a child has knowing they have the security of the arms of loving parents to fall in to should they fail.  During the decade of the sixties every effort was made to sever any and all apron strings,  we rebelled against civil authority (“hell no, we won’t go“) we rebelled against parental authority,(don’t trust any one over 30)and, we rebelled against God (God is dead)  we traded our age of innocence for what we thought was the age of freedom, what we got instead, was the age of bondage.

Its been 51 years since “the music died”.  A lot of water has gone under the bridge in this country most of which has not been nice.  We’ve long since ousted God from the public arena and for most people God has become  either non existent or a relic on the shelf.  Our founding Father’s sought the blessing of God and from the windows of heaven God poured forth. The blessings enjoyed by this country have been rich and full.  We have lived a life that most of the rest of the world could only envy.  But, the Bible is clear, “to whom much is given, much is required.”   And sadly to say, in those years following the turbulent sixties, we, for the most part have squandered those blessings. All signs point to this:  its a free ride no longer.

This coming Sunday is Superbowl Sunday, a day when an estimated 151 million americans will have their eyes turned toward Miami for the match up between the Colts and the Saints. With more eyes on a pig skin than eyes toward God, this  match up is just begging for spiritual interpretation.

The 44th annual superbowl, during the year of our 44th president.  Forty the scriptural number for judgment, trial and rebellion ……  “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy, but, the levy was dry, those good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye, singing, this will be the day that I die”

 …… more next post – probably wednesday – in the meantime, if you havem’t listened to this great song in a while, you can check it out here   :http://www.last.fm/music/Don+McLean/_/Bye+Bye+Miss+American+Pie

This morning when I went to church, I had been asking the Lord to confirm some things that I have had on my mind recently.  I’ve been learning in the last couple of years to listen for his voice; I don’t always get it right; I’m still developing those skills of discernment, but, I can tell you this, when you sincerely seek him, he does answer.

One of the first things the Pastor said when he took the pulpit was “times are changing”. He actually said this in way of announcements as our Sunday Morning services are changing next Sunday Feb  7 from 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.  Interesting, but, not totally unexpected words given the coming change in schedule. BUT, it did provide my first clue in regard to the things God has been showing me in the last few days.

I haven’t written on my blog for a while, lack of inspiration, dedication or just plain laziness perhaps. But, I received an unexpected word of encouragement  that I took to be from the Lord today, when I received an e-mail from someone who I have not heard from since last August asking about my blog.  Strangely enough, it appears that they haven’t even read it yet, but, plan to check it out soon.  Guess if someone is going to check it out, I had better be “doin some writing”.  But, more than that, I believe the Lord was encouraging me to go ahead and write about the subject of this  post.

This is a somewhat new endeavor for me.  The subject I want to write on is new in two ways: 1) It is lengthy,, so I will be doing it over several posts (one each day this week, I hope as I believe the timing is crucial) – 2) What I will be doing is attempting to link Bible prophecy with threads of current events and pop culture.  This is something that I have been watching J Red at Look Up Fellowship, Ultra Guy at New Wineskins, Garden Girl at Running from Babylon,  Sue Bradly at Inklings of Other Worlds and Steve Coerper at Anakypto Forum Blog Talk Radio do for sometime.  They are so good at what they do (with God’s grace and by God’s help; for which, by the way, they always give credit) that over a period of time, they have come to be mentors for me.

With that as background, let me say that from listening to these folks, I have become greatly aware in a way that I never was before, how the nuts and bolts of Biblical prophecy is actually playing itself out in our day to day lives and in the world around us.  Actually, that should come as no surprise, as the Bible tells us not only what has happened in the past, but, what also will happen in the future – the earth and the heavens are the arena this spiritual warfare is being played out in.   The Bible is the infallible word of God, its prophecies true and faithful, as is its writer.   Interpreting these things on the other hand can be a bit trickier, therefore, we who serve as “watchmen on the wall” may or may not get things right  on an individual basis, but, as a body, I believe, we can be given a clear interpretation of what it is God is showing  us. 

To set up this study I want to clarify where I’m coming from, otherwise, what I want to take a look at will not be set in the right frame work.  First of all, as a student of Bible Prophecy, I believe that we are living in the “last days” before the soon return of Jesus.  Most students of Bible prophecy agree the prophetic time clock started ticking in 1948 with the re-birth of the nation of Israel.  With this in mind, the words of Jesus  become very clear, when he says says that “the generation that sees these things will not pass away until all these things have been fulfilled”.  A biblical generation is typically thought to be 70 years, which, when added to 1948 would take us to 2018.  If this is true, with the current year being 2010, that would mean that a whole lot has to happen between now and then.

What I want to focus on in this post and subsequent posts for the next few days has to do with 2 of our largest pop culture icons; football and rock n roll music.  Many of the watchman on the wall, including men like David Wilkerson have been warning and calling out for repentance on the part of Americans.  America is ripe for judgement; infact, over ripe for judgment.  I believe that our  sins have reached heaven and we have been put on notice …. if we do not repent of our sins, judgment will come.  God loves us, he has issued warning after warning ….. giving us time to repent.  I think 911 was one of those warnings (among many others) But, America has not heeded these warnings.  America continues in the sins that rise up as a stench in the face of God.  We have not given up our  sorceries, our magic, our murders, our slaughter of innocents, our lusts and perverted behaviors, our idolataries.   God is merciful, he would forgive, but, America  at this time, remains  unrepentant.   The Bible gives due warning – “be not deceived, what you sow, is what you will you reap.  I believe, the time of America’s judgment may well be imminent.  Its NOT good news, it may well be, in fact, the most chilling news you can imagine.  Because of  God’s in mercy, I believe that he has pulled out all the stops to warn us, even going as far as to reveal these things as they play out in the culture around us; for some, it may be the only meessage they will ever hear.   Listen America!   In 1971 – we were warned, “Bye Bye Miss American Pie” 

Yes, times are changing …. perhaps sooner than we think  …. in spite of bad news, the good news is that Jesus loves us, he gave his life for us.  Whether we live  or die,  if we trust him, we are safely held in His  hands,  …. more tomorrow …. Cindy

*Up-date:  For an excellent post on this same subject, check out the piece titled “Signs in the heavens, proliferating in to Coherence” by Ultra Guy over at New Wineskins:http://newine.wordpress.com/

Friday, January 15, will witness the longest eclipse of the third millenium.   Up to ten minutes in duration, it will be visible from across central Africa, the Indian Ocean and across Eastern Asia. This particular type of eclipse is known as an annular eclipse, (as opposed to a solar eclipse), which means the apparent moons diameter is smaller than that of the sun causing the sun to look like a ring encircling the moon.  A solar eclipse, on the other hand, is when the moon passes between earth and the sun, totally blocking the sun from view, causing the otherwise unseen corona to be visible.

For those of us watching for the soon return of Jesus any heavenly sign is regarded with great interest as solar eclipses are regarded to be signs to the nations and lunar eclipses to be signs for Israel.  Could this longest eclipse of the third millenia be the heavenly symbol of the bridegroom coming for his bride?????

The week of January 15, 2010 is also one of a new moon, a new moon is when there is no moon light at all, this would be important in providing the much needed coverage of  darkness should an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities be decided upon.  Interestingly, Israel is holding its largest emergency operation, Exercise Orange Flame this week in antcipation of a probable biological attack by Iran, if an attack against them is launched.

This is a week for watching.  The return of Jesus one day closer than it was before.  In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, life on this planet will be changed forever, for the better, if you are a christian taken in the rapture, for the worse, if you are left behind to face the horrors soon to be unleashed in earth’s final seven years of history. These events will not be isolated to the middle east, some thing  soley observed on the evening news.  Instead, they carry with them global implications that will affect every one on the planet.   If you don’t know Jesus yet, ask him to come in to your life, to  forgive your sin and to  fill you with His holy spirit.  If you know him, make your calling and election sure, by walking with him as Enoch walked (in close relation) so that you might be found “worthy” (by the blood of Jesus) to “escape all these things”.  Luke 21:36

Watching and waiting with you, blessings in Messiah Jesus, Cindy

As the New Years Eve time clock ticked towards midnight, revelers around the world prepared to meet the New Year with fireworks, toasts, kisses and well wishes.  But, in one tiny portion of the globe, the change in calendar was met with much less fanfare.  Jerusalem Watchman in an excellent commentary describes the quiet, if not subdued mood in Israel as the rest  of the world  parties in welcome of the New Year.

2010 brings with it a host of challenges.  The least of which are barely recognized by most of the world who has little time or interest in anything but, American Idol, tweeting and twittering and getting the latest gossip on Hollywood royalty.  But, Israel – Israel, they know better.  They know the imminent and grave danger they face (with ramifications that will spill over to the rest of the world).  They know their Goliath’s, their Haman’s, their Hitler’s and they know, beyond any shadow of a doubt that the threat they face is not an idle one.   With many enemies and few friends, if any, Israel is being pressed from every side.  Israel is becoming increasingly alone in the family of nations and  they know they can expect little or no support from any of them when their time of crisis comes, and it will come.  Israel has been through the fire before.  They are not rookies, when it comes to facing giants.  The question is: will Israel act  preemptively against their enemies or will they wait until the enemy strikes them first.   With the Holocaust little more than a memory and a photograph away, I think that question has already been answered, its found in the book of Judges and its called “the Samson Option”.

What secular Israel may not know or be able to “‘see” yet, is that  God is always at work in these events.  Looking back at Israel’s history, the hand of God can always be  seen  molding, shaping and caretaking Israel even in their darkest days.  Right now, in 2010, a  series of events is forming to create an outcome that only God in his foreknowledge could have seen when the pages of scripture were penned so many years ago.  Pressed on every side, facing certain and total annihilation,Israel will have no one to call out to but, God.  At that time, Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah will come to fight the battle for them and the words of Jesus when he wept over Jerusalem will be fulfilled: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how I longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but, you would not … I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'”.  Matthew 23:37,38.

On that day, Jesus himself will fight for Israel and that day is coming very soon.  Israel knows it, they sense it, they feel it in their bones.  To read this excellent commentary from Jerusalem Watchman click here: http://www.stangoodenough.com/?p=358   And, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

2010

The New Year dawned here in Hawaii with a beautiful blue sky, the last of the smoke from the evenings fireworks disappearing in to the night along with what remained of the previous year.  I’ve always liked the start of the New Year;  the chance to make a fresh start on all the new years resolutions from the past,  I had never seemed to be able to accomplish yet.

Last night was a quiet and personal night for me (with the exception of the constant boom, boom from the neighborhood fireworks).  I played on my computer for a while chatting with a few folks in a christian chat room and then about 10:00 p.m. I signed off, I wanted to have time to read my bible, pray and have communion – celebrating the Lord’s table,  before the last night of the year wound down.   Besides being the end of the year, 2009 was also the end of a very difficult  decade for me, one which began  in 1999, the year I came to Hawaii.

 As I reflected on all that had happened in the last ten years, I realized how good God has been in teaching me and sustaining me through what I now refer to as my wilderness years.  Some how I knew, even during the darkest days when I felt so lost and alone, that God would not leave me in this state forever.  Some how, he would find me. I remembered that it said in his word   – “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion”.  And, though it seemed at times like it was never going to happen, my mind and spirit clung to the hope in those words.  

You know, this is so simple, yet so profound.   How could I, on one hand feel so lost and alone and on the other hand, know that Jesus would come for me?  The answer is simply this, because I belong to Him.  At the cross of Calvary some 2000 years ago, I was bought and paid for with the blood of the Messiah and  though my actions may not always reflect it, my spirit eternally bears the stamp – “paid in full.”   Jesus, the good Shepherd gave his life for his sheep and in his word, he promises to go in search of even one that is lost.    As I pondered these things, I randomly opened my Bible  and began reading at Philippians chapter 1.   Off hand, I could not remember the content of  this first book of Philippians, but, as I began to read, tears of thanksgiving welled up in my eyes as I read these words:

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” 

I can’t tell you how much  this meant  to me.  That God would end the year, the decade with the very verse I had clung to all those years!  What a confirmation of his love and care!  Yes, Cindy, there is a God in heaven, and he sees you and knows you and will keep the promise he made to you so many years ago, when you first accepted him as Lord and Savior.   What a special night it was, this last night of 2009.  For me, the dawning of 2010 began a new decade, a new decade of hope and the realization of a promise kept.

2009 will for many reasons be a year to remember. With this in mind, it seems fitting that the last night of the year be charachterized by what is known as a “blue moon” – a second full moon in the course of a month. Without a doubt, this somewhat rare occurence will add to the revelry taking place as folks say good bye to the past year and hello to the next.

For those of us watching the prophetic calendar, this past year could be summed up in two words – watchfulness and warning.
When the Waterford Crystal ball at Times Square is dropped at 11:59 p.m. and the count to the new year begins, the old will have been passed in favor of the new. If the motto chosen for this years crystal ball – “let there be courage” – is any indication, the coming year is going to be challenging indeed and more prophetic than its originators may have intended. You can read about this years crystal ball here: http://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye_ball.htmlcrystal ball –

As the last seconds of a year of watchfulness and warning come to a close, I can’t help but think of the words of Jesus when he said, that the “last days” would be “as in the days of Noah”. At some point, the warning ended and the rain began to fall and God closed the door on the ark. Right now, the warning has been sounded and the “door” to the ark is open. It won’t stay that way forever. Jesus is the ark of safety and today is the day of salvation. If you don’t know Him already, I encourage you to do so now, next year may be too late. 2010 may be the year for courage and the door to the ark may be closed.