2012 - Fact or Fiction?

2012

Signs of the End of the Age
Matthew 24

There has been much talk about the world coming to an end, but it is only talk. Scripture is very direct when it comes to prophecy. Jesus answered, "Watch out that no one deceived you" in Matthew 24:4. He lays out a step-by-step outline of what needs to be completed prior to His return.

• Many will come claiming to be Christ, "I am the Christ" Matthew 24:5.

• You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come Matthew 24:6.

• Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places Matthew 24:7.

• You will be handled over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me Matthew 24:9.

• Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, Matthew 24:12

• And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come Matthew 24:14.

But He also stated that "all these signs are but birth pains and not His return." In Matthew 24:15, He states: "So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken in the prophet Daniel -- let the reader understand -- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak." ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION is Satan taking over the earth and proclaiming himself as god within the Temple.

So when people state December 21, 2012 as the end of this world...think back to what they said about Y2K not so long ago. Matthew 24:36, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son, but only the Father."

For the Glory of It All

Why Holloween?

Most holidays commemorate or celebrate something. But what about Halloween? What is Halloween actualy a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of som ancient pagan ritual where folks get together for parties, dress-up in costumes, and bob for apples?

The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its orgins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31st. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New Year.

One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.

Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed, so on the night of October 31st, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. they wourl then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes (similar to today's Halloween Costumes), and noisily parade around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.

Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, at Usinach.

Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits. Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.

The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own. But in the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some of the other Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which might explain the origin of our modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

In Greek Mythology, goddesses of the underworld were often used to invoke the Samhain. Popular costumes portray Hecate and Medusa. Hecate was the most favored goddess by Zeus, and wandered the emptiness between the worlds of life and death looking for souls of the dead. Both were considered serpent goddesses, and their ancient dark legends spawned myths such as vampires, who fed off the living using venom and snake-like fangs. Ritualistic dress includes snake adornments and three headed masks. Today, Hecate is often referred to as the goddess of witches.

© 1995-2011 by Jerry Wilson

Following Jesus - What does that mean?

Recently we had Glenn offer some words on our campus. Below was the subject...hope you enjoy.

Glenn Murray: Practical thoughts on Jesus [DVD Cut] from Glenn Murray on Vimeo.

A DREAM TO REALITY - Mercy Ships

Discover the origins of Mercy Ships along with a brief history of this international humanitarian organization which brings hope and healing to the forgotten poor. Hope you enjoy...

AFRICA MERCY ARRIVES IN SIERRA LEONE-2011

The Africa Mercy has reached Freetown, Sierra leone...2-28-2011, for her 10 months of serving the forgotten poor, providing FREE life-changing surgeries, as well as other medical and dental care to those in desperate need. This is the 5th Service to Sierra Leone, and we wanted to share this special moment with you.

What is Dry Dock?

I just wanted to share...what a typical Dry Dock looks like.

Africa Mercy -- January 2011

He Knows My Name

We all need this song...please play and enjoy

New World Order

I want your Money

Praise You in the Storm

Psalm 23 - The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

There will be storms in life. But it is how we trust Him
-- Before, During, and After --
will reflect how good you have secured your anchor!
Trust Him to see you through each situation.

So it is Christmas_2010

Christmas is different for everyone; each looking at the true meaning and then changing it to meet their specific needs. But Christmas really doesn't change; it is the individuals who change from day to day, month to month, and year to year. There is a truth that never changes; the true meaning of Christmas. In Luke 2, the New Testament offers the sacred account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told."

So this year, instead of running around, fighting all the traffic...stop and consider the true meaning of Christmas and share it with someone you love.

Discover the Meaning of Christmas

Newt Gingrich_A Time to Impeach

Our country was once the greatest country on this planet...the question at hand is...WHAT AND HOW DID IT CHANGE? If you can answer that question then it is time to make the change together and take back what has been lost.

Man Contracts A Computer Virus

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that now one may buy or sell except on who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man: His number is 666 (Revelation 13:16-18).

We live is a world were technology seems to be increasing expeditiously; reflecting a time when we are controlled by the same technology we once controlled. We go to the movies and see such worldly ideas of having Terminators that go around killing mankind and/or Big Brother Governments that watch our every move...believing that it will never truly come about. or never get to that! But the future is here and Satan will use every means he can to control the masses. I am certainly not anti-technology; for the information has been posted based on today's technology, but certainly one needs to view technology based on Scripture to determine what is right or wrong. I leave that up to you to determine.

Just so you don't think I am going off the deep-end and reading too much into this...I leave you with this: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). Any government can make statements that are believable, "for the good of mankind," but the question at hand is -- for who's good is it really? We are living in a time (2008-2012) where the government is Big Brother; forcing new and better ways to live, but is it truly better or the start of something that will turn on us later. Chips, in plants for security, sound like a great concept; you don't have to carry money, but in light of Revelation 13...it should make you stop and wonder before running off to the local store to receive! What starts small (sin) normally takes over big time. Satan has that ability to turn good to bad in a heart beat!

Loma Togo-2010

We're helping the blind to see.
To date, we have touched the lives of nearly 30,000 people with both eye procedures and evaluations.

We're making a lasting impact.

In the recent months we taught seven surgeons and two nurses in Togo how to use innovative medical techniques to treat cataracts and other vision issues in West Africa. Because of their training, they will be able to serve hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of people who live in this region for years to come.

We're caring for the forgotten poor.
On the vision team alone, over 50 volunteers, mainly professionals, are bringing care and compassion to Mercy Ships' patients. From the initial eye screening appointments held weekly throughout Togo, to guiding the patients on the ship for surgery, to the Celebration of Sight ceremonies where patients often engage in African dancing and song, our patients feel the love they deserve.
Mercy's on its way,



Don Stephens
Founder/President
Mercy Ships

The Story: Acts 8:26-40

In the middle of a successful crusade in Samaria, Philip was called to go south into desert country. He left the city for the country, the crowds for one person, Samaritans for an African. But this was no “wild goose chase.” It never is with God. The call came from an angel and guidance came from the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:26,29).

The man Philip was to meet was an Ethiopia who worked under Candace, the queen mother. He was secretary of the treasury, and he was spiritually thirsty. In fact, he traveled 800 miles to Jerusalem to get some answers for his seeking heart. He left Jerusalem with a copy of the scroll of Isaiah. Miraculously, these two connected on the Gaza road—the eunuch in his royal chariot and Philip, perhaps, on a camel.

As Philip approached the chariot, he heard the Ethiopian reading Isaiah. Philip asked a great question, which is the key to the story: “Do you understand what you are reading?” (8:30). And the man’s response was, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (v.31). Seekers need a guide. The Greek word for guide, hodegos, is interesting. When Peter appealed to the believers in Jerusalem to replace Judas, he identified Judas as the one who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. He guided with a kiss and a torch that illuminated the face of Jesus. But Philip was a different kind of hodegos for the eunuch as he used Isaiah to light up the face of Jesus and said, “Believe!”

Philip evangelized the Ethiopian from Isaiah 53. And the rest of the story is one of belief, baptism, and rejoicing. The eunuch returned to his homeland with his spiritual thirst quenched as he drank of the water of life (John 7:37-38).

What I want to suggest from this story is -- how many times have you felt that what you are doing is just a wast of time. If Philip thought that, what would have become of this encounter with the Ethiopian? Certainly it would have been a missed chance to share the gospel, but more than that, it would have not allow Philip to be blessed by the encounter. We all need to take time for others; allowing us to be blessed by thinking of others before ourselves. No trip will ever be a "wild goose chase" if God is involved. Think about it -- the next time you feel that your time is being wasted!

I'm a Christ Follower

How do we approach our relationship with Christ? Certainly all of us need to address; but what we come up with and how it is perceived will determine how affective we are in sharing the Gospel. Think about it; especially when it is time to open your mouth.

When In A Hole, Stop Digging

Although, it may seem like simple advice; using common sense has been taken over by those who believe they know better. Like most, they are under the illusion that if they keep on doing what they are doing, things will change. They won't! Doing the same thing and expecting things to be different is the definition of insanity. If you are not getting the results you want, it is because you are not taking the proper actions. Stop doing what you are doing and do something else, anything else!

When life isn't going your way, the first thing you should look at is your contributions within the situation. We need to stop and ask ourselves what are we doing presently that contributes. To many, it may seem like you are the victim, but the truth is there are very few innocent victims. Most of us, when given the opportunity, can figure out what part we are playing in creating what we don't want in our lives. More than likely we are doing something or allowing something to happen that isn't serving us. Stop! Give yourself the opportunity to take a few steps back from the situation and access what is really going on. If you can't do this on your own, seek help from a professional or trusted friend. Often, others can see what isn't working in our lives and what the cause is better than we can. Once you figure out what you need to do differently, do it. Knowing what to change and not changing it doesn't help; you just continue down the same path without a solution. Awareness is the first step. The next step is -- take action.

Christ never wanted us to dig this hole to begin with. We did it without Him and against Him. It all started with Genesis 3:4 "The the serpent said to the women, "You will not surely die. for god knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." We dig our hole then and we are still digging it deeper each day. Only Jesus Christ can offer a means of stopping our efforts and filling in our holes...but we have to allow Him. He started filling in our hole and continues to do so.

Over the past few weeks I have been posting things pertaining to our present fix as a nation. We dug this hole ourselves; allowing those in control to continue to rule over us. We first need to fix our own hole before we attempt to fix the holes of others. It starts with us; any action to climb out and fill in the hole we find ourselves must start within us. Remember that when we look at the situation and want to place our trust in others to help fill our hole.

Three Things About Islam

It is interesting that points made express an attitude; one that we now are living with everyday based on who is running the government. When you consider the approach to interacting with Islam, you must consider what it stands for and how it operates. There is a difference as to approach.

Obama, then, found himself in a place where he seems most comfortable, splitting the difference on a tough issue and presenting it as the course of reasoned judgment rather than of dogmatic ideology. Where Bush saw black and white, Obama sees gray. Where Bush favored swagger, Obama is searching for a more supple blend of force and intellect. Where Bush saw Islamic extremism as an existential threat equivalent to Nazism or Communism, Obama contends that that view warps the situation out of proportion and plays into terrorists’ hands by elevating their stature and allowing them — even without attacking again — to alter the nature of American society.

How should we hand the concept of terrorism? Certainly, in every situation there are two sides, but to detail with such a culture, you must should strength; anything else will show your weakness and that is a bad place to be. Presently, we have removed all our strength and those who would attack this country know that we will not do anything to stop them. Whether Obama or Bush is correct, only history will prove out where America will be in the future.

2 Timothy 4:3,4–”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Just so you think that I offer this because of a concern for our government, our nation, and our relationships with other nations who don't have the same history...Kerby's Point of View, written by Kerby Anderson.

"More profanity is on the way due in large part to the ruling of three judges in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. They were to rule on the narrow issue of what has come to be called 'fleeting expletives.' Instead, the panel chose to rule broadly against any FCC rule against broadcast indecency. Here is the argument: 'The observation that people will always find a way to subvert censorship laws may expose a certain futility in the FCC's crusade against indecent speech.' Notice the words. The FCC rules against broadcast indecency are called 'censorship laws.' The attempt to set a standard of decency is called a 'crusade.' The judges' choice of words shows their bias against decency and their willingness to allow more profanity on our nation's airwaves..."

Christ has the answer to every situation, but so often we would rather look to ourselves as to how to address societies problems. Our problems didn't start with the election of Obama, but it may end there! Our prayer is - Lord come quickly to retrieve your children, from the mess we are in.

We can be assured that no matter how far we walk away from Him, He will always love us and desire to bring us back to Him. But there will come a point when too far is too far (Romans 1:18-32). Hopefully we haven't got there yet!

One Nation Under God!

"...the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

The United States has certainly changed in just 234 years. we have gone from a nation, founded on the principles of God, to one being forced to expect Allah. How did this happen? It is based on statements like this...

The common definition of “religion” as belief in a divine or superhuman power to be obeyed and worshiped, or the expression of such a belief, is not expansive enough to deal with the breadth of religious experiences and spiritual endeavors in contemporary America. Today religion is increasingly likely to be defined as any system of belief or practices resembling, suggestive of, or likened to a religious system; or perhaps even simply “any object of conscientious regard.” Religion has become whatever a person declares to be the object of regard or pursuit. Some commentators on American religion are offering a slightly different formulation of this same phenomenon. The last twenty-five years, they suggest, have witnessed a growing number of Americans who completely reject the word “religious” and in its place use the word “spiritual.” Often they choose to live apart from established religious institutions, “indifferent to organized religion or even hostile to it.” These individuals see the cosmos as pulsing with spiritual energies which can be tapped through various spiritual disciplines. These newer expressions of individual and vernacular forms of spirituality are part of the story behind Harold Bloom’s judgment that “Western nation is as religion-soaked as ours.” Only a very fluid definition of religion can do justice to the multitude of different “religions” and forms of spirituality that exist in contemporary America.

LET US NEVER FORGET WHERE WE CAME FROM; FOR ONLY BY REALIZING THAT FACT CAN WE TRULY LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND WHAT GOD HAS ASKED US TO DO! GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE NO MATTER WHO IS DIRECTING TRAFFIC IN WASHINGTON, DC. LET US STAND WITH THOSE WHO HAVE DIED FOR THIS NATION AND NEVER, EVER TURN OUR BACKS ON OUR RIGHT TO FOLLOW HIM!

ROLLING THUNDER - 2010