Who Took Sir Edmund's Picture?

I remember watching a film looking down as Sir Edmund Hillary ascended to the highest peak in the world. Then it hit me. Who took the picture if Sir Edmund was the first one there?

I wonder who surveyed all the mountains in the world to determine which one was the highest? Do they pay people to do this?

Obviously, the film was a recreation and should have been captioned, "First man's second ascension of world's highest peak, after he sets up his camera." Really, that is being picky on my part. After all, he made it, and that's what counts.

But it hits me that when Moses wrote that God confronted Cain over the murder of his brother, Cain's countenance fell. That this murder occurred would have sufficed to tell the story. How did Moses not only know of the event, the exchange of words, but even of the expression on Cain's face?

When Jacob wrestled all night with the angel, we learn that Jacob received the name "Israel". But we are also told that the angel touched Jacob's thigh and that Jacob limped for the rest of his life. Surely, many people asked Jacob, "Did you hurt your leg? Why are you limping?" I imagine his eyes lighting up as he told the story of his wrestling match with God!

Such details, revealed by the Holy Spirit, add so much to these accounts. These people become so much more human as you visualise them, don't they?

Lydia, A Seller of Purple

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. John 19:5

I once worked in a chemical company. They specialized in dyes. A tiny vial of some of them would be worth thousands of dollars.

My uncle was one of the world's greatest experts on dyes. He wrote a text on them which is still in print. He taught himself German so he could read texts in that language. He rediscovered how to make Phonecian purple from seaweed. Though it was likely the color of the robe placed on Jesus, the secret was locked away for many years until my uncle, Floyd Green, rediscovered it.

The company I worked for bought a bundle of seaweed from Madagascar in order to make a trial batch in a big steam-heated kettle. It worked. I took the woven wrapping of the seaweed home and used it for a floor mat in my bedroom. It seemed so exotic.

It was an awful job. We used to urinate the colors. We even got dyes in our eyes. I quit and took a motorcycle trip to New Mexico.

This is awfully tenuous, but I feel a link to Lydia, the seller of purple in Acts 16:14. Is it not wonderful that God has recorded her name for us? Such an elegant name. And because purple was only worn by royalty, she was no doubt a patrician lady.

She responded to the preaching of Paul. She and her household were baptized as believers. Luke tells us she invited them to stay at her house. She will receive her reward for this.

Hello Lydia, I used to make your purple.

As Above, So Below

Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come.
Daniel 10:20

The title refers to a term used in various occult religions such as Gnosticism, Rosecrucianism, for example. Please bear with me as I "recycle" it to describe how governments rise and fall. Of course this refers to a higher level than squabbles between Democrats and Republicans.

The battle is in the heavenlies, far beyond the earth. The combatants are the angels Gabriel, Michael, and Satan. Warfare can't be more epic than this. Governments do not fall because of bad fiscal policies or poor administration. Changes are the result of far greater forces.

In this case, Greece replacing Persia is a fulfillment of the second chapter of this wonderful book. Daniel was shown in advance, the succession of nations that would dominate Israel and most of the world. There was no advice given on how to alter things. It was what was to be.

Our egos may be crushed to learn that we may determine mayors and sheriffs, but empires are in the hands of God and his angels. The destruction of them will be also, and the restoration of Israel when the "times of the Gentiles" is complete.

"You Never Finish Anything!"

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. I Corinthians 3:6

I was having a blood sample taken, and when the lady asked for my birthdate, she said, "That's my birthday, too, and my oldest daughter's!" I told her that this makes three Geminis, and we began to talk about their characteristics.

Now I do not follow astrology, but the birth signs do work out amazingly. I asked her if her daughter likes to talk a lot. She told me "She talks all the time!"

"Does your daughter start a lot of projects and then not finish them?" "That's her!" she told me.

This charge has been leveled at me a lot. My friends know my life is a series of unfinished projects. I know this mystifies them. They finish everything, rapidly and well. My defense is that this is quite Biblical. One plants, another waters, but both will be rewarded, as in the scripture above.

I live in an apartment. My only growing space is a couple of window sills and a couple of containers under lights. I alternate them so everybody gets "tan". I have already asked my best friend to plant them in his yard. I want to tell you what they are: amaranth, burdock, purslain, and believe it or not, a strain of dandelion. All edible weeds.

Back to Geminis. I believe it is the only astrological sign in the Bible. In case anyone does not know (WE all know), it is in Acts 28:11. It is Paul's ship, that he took an amazing voyage on. I have often wondered why God records the name of the ship. It is Castor and Pollax, the twins of the Gemini sign.

Private Interpretation

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2 Peter !:20

It has been my pleasure and honor to know several preachers, or pastors as some call them. So it is that I am not in fear or awe to the point that I cannot speak plainly to them. One man of God that I have in mind quoted the above to me as though he was imparting some great wisdom. In fact, he was passing on a traditional view held by many who have just not thought it out before speaking.

Second Peter 1:20 has been mangled in a number of ways, yet it is as simple as can be. But let me list some of the interpretations I have heard.

First, the classic one, is you must have the Bible presented to you by the church, as if to say, "Don't try this at home!" This is the view of those who chained the Bible to the pulpit in olden days. Don't want anyone reading the Word on their own. Who knows what kind of trouble they could get into!

This view has almost disappeared, though there are some who still believe you should not have a Bible at home. It's like the door to truth has a sign on it that says, "For Priests Only".

But the way my preacher friend understood it was, you must never attempt to understand a verse by its self. You must have at least one corroborating scripture to back it up.

This "wisdom" is pretty popular. So next time you hear them pronounce this insight, you may wait and wait, but they never give you another verse. It is like they are saying, "Never interpret any scripture on its own-except this one."

The answer to this one is right there. Read the next verse. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:21).

This should clear up the meaning of the preceding verse. Otherwise you would be saying, "Don't trust any part of the Bible on its own. After all, it is inspired by the Holy Spirit."

So if you can't sleep some night, it's ok to read your Bible all by yourself, even one verse at a time. Don't call your preacher up. He probably needs the rest. After all, he's only human.

World's Biggest Yacht

I've been reading about Azzam, a 590 foot yacht, just launched for trials. Such luxury, such decadence! Guess I should be horrified by such an expenditure. I can hear people say, "Think of all the little people that could have been helped with the money that boat cost."

I look at it that way too, but I think of all the people it has helped.

Imagine all the electricians and welders that had jobs working on it. And plumbers! A plumber comes home and his wife says, "Hard day, Dear?" The plumber asks her, "Do you have any idea how many toilets that yacht has?"

Yes, and sinks and bath tubs too, or Jacuzzis. The main salon is 95 feet by 60 feet with no pillars. At 94,000 horsepower it is fast.

Sounds wonderful I know, but I still think the greatest yacht of all was owned by Onassis. Not because of its gold faucets, but because he often guested the great singer Maria Callas. Imagine the lucky people in an adjoining stateroom, listening to her sing in the shower!

He Lost His Inheritance

Every Christian knows the story called The Prodical Son. I believe it is the most wonderful story of restoration and reconciliation in the Word. Preachers love to tell it, and of course they should.

One of the lessons that may be drawn from this parable is that you can depart from your father, sin and sin, have a blast, as they say. Then when you are down and out, go home and your forgiving father will welcome you back, even throw a feast in your honor. I agree with this entirely. I mean what's to argue?

I believe in the doctrine of the Security of the Believer. That means I have read Romans chapter eight, and believe it. The parable says it all--Once a Son Always a Son. Or as some sagely say, Once born, always born. No matter how bad you act you can't become "unborn".

So what point could I possibly make of this? You see, I believe that parable has a another feature, and that is the loss of one's inheritance.

In many of the threat-based religions, a fiery hell waits for those who are not of the faith, and in some denominations hell waits for those who lose their faith. But even with fundementalist believers (like me), once born-again, your salvation is secure and that is that. So far I sure can't disagree.

So what is the "other feature" I would interpret in this wonderful story? Very simply, the loss of your inheritance. Jesus told something in his story that is often neglected, that the Prodigal asked his father to give him his inheritance, then went out and wasted it. In short, when the son returned, his inheritance had been spent--lost.

So, you can, sin and sin, and not lose your salvation. Many have done it and are doing it now. But, in the story, he will end up working for his brother when it is inheritance time.

What is a Biblical basis for my claim? As a former prodigal myself, I offer these words:

...and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved-even though only as one escaping through the flames. (I Cor. 3:13-15, NIV).

Our Dogs and Cats Alive Again

The following appeared previously on this blog, and an excerpt is reproduced by request.

* * * * *

We were alive again, this time forever. All our problems were over and nothing but happiness lay ahead. But some bonds still held us captive, bonds of love and friendship we once had with our beloved pets, in this instance, our dogs and cats.

We were gathered at Reunion Meadow as we had been instructed, for an event we did not yet fully understand. All we knew is that it would be a time of great happiness.

Read the rest here.

Face Down on the Sidewalk

"I'm going to get a Dixie cup," my friend proclaimed. As a little boy I didn't know what a Dixie Cup was but it sounded good.

Soon we were in line at a local store waiting to buy our treats. Ahead of us was a young man wearing a neat salt and pepper suit. As my friend looked at him, an evil look came over his face.

He said to the young man, "Step outside and I'll mess up that suit for you." The lad lead the way and in a few seconds my friend was face down on the sidewalk, defeated and disgraced.

Now the US has an evil look. We are supposed to hate and fear Iran. Why should we? Besides our causing a revolt, deposing their elected president, installing the brutal Shah and stealing their oil in the fifties, we have had little to do with this nation. They certainly have never harmed us in any way.

So why are we propagandized to fear them? Iranians are not Arabs--in case we presently hate Arabs, in our Hatred of the Month Club. They are Persians, with their own language, culture, and nationality.

Who could be working to stir up war with them? Certainly not Switzerland, Holland or Iceland. It couldn't be Fake Israel could it? They continually say that Iran may soon develop THE BOMB. but it's O.K. if Israel has a store of them.

Perhaps somebody wants to start another World War. If they have, they may have underestimated their potential foe. About the size of Texas, with hard to defeat and destroy mountainous regions, Persia may resist or even prevail over their attackers.

Why don't we skip the fight and just enjoy a Dixie Cup?

The Future of the Church in Two Words

You may well say this is an over simplification, and you would be right. But as far as sequence of events, I believe it will hold up to rigorous examination. So what are these two words?

They are: Apostasy, and Rapture. Simple as that.

But what about that jewel of prophecy, Matthew 24? I can't think of any scripture that sums up the end days better than Matthew 24.

But when we look at the question Jesus answered in this passage, it is about the restoration of the fallen kingdom of David. It is Jewish disciples asking Jesus about the future of Israel. Perfectly appropriate that they should ask and Jesus should answer.

It would have been an ideal place for Jesus to say, "Oh, the kingdom is over. It will not be restored. From now on I will only work through the church." This is the theology of many major denominations.

Soon Jesus died and was resurrected. After he ascended to heaven, Paul became the apostle that taught of the church and New Covenant. But this Hebrew of Hebrews, though he was a mighty builder of the church, also taught that the church would someday leave the earth and the Jewish kingdom would be restored.

Where did he say this? Romans chapter 11 is a good example of this doctrine. Paul did not teach that the church would ever end, only that her work on earth would end. God has two peoples through whom he works--Israel and the Church. Just not at the same time.

I imagine a president of a large company. He has an employee named Mr. Israel. For a time Mr. Israel does a good job. In fact he makes his company and his employer world famous.

But the quality of Mr. Israel's work goes down hill. He actually becomes a disgrace to the company. The time comes when the President, after many warnings, has to fire Mr. Israel.

He runs ads for a new employee. Mr. Church reads the ad and eagerly responds. He does the tasks assigned to him, but after a time his employer says that his work at the old office is finished.

"I am going to create a new business in my home town. I am moving Mr. Church to where I live and where I can keep an eye on him. I know he will do well."

Then the President says, "I believe Mr. Israel has learned his lesson. I am going to rehire him."

He sends a messanger to Mr. Israel. "Cheer up. The Boss has not forgotten you. He wants you to come back and work for him. He will even escort you into the business, personally."

This is my crude way to express God's plan for his two "employees". The Church is about to be moved to where God lives, and Israel is about to be restored. The signal events are the Apostasy, then the Rapture. The Apostasy has already begun.

Little Toot and the Tormented Boat

He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Mark 6:48

When I was a little boy my mother and I would walk to the library and bring books back home. She would read to me as I could not read yet. One of my all-time favorites was the story of Little Toot, the tugboat that rescued large ships during a storm. It made such an impression on me that I recently bought a used copy out of sentimentality.

The illustrations of Little Toot showed him with a face that could show all kinds of emotions. I thought of him with feelings. I know now that tugboats do not have faces or feel emotions, but I still love the story.

A study of the term tormented (Greek--basanizo) is used in Mark 6:48 and Matt. 14:24 of the disciples straining at the oars against a contrary wind. Strong's lists it as G928.

The same G928 is used elsewhere of torment in the lake of fire. Comparing tormented corpses in Isaiah chapter 66, with those tormented in the lake of fire, I came to the conclusion that those in the fire were dead. After all the Bible is very clear that being cast into the lake is the second death.

It came together for me. About the torment, same as a boat tossed by the sea. Little Toot did not suffer, but he sure was tormented as he did his heroic deeds.

Those Who Make it Through

He will wipe every tear from their eyes,... Rev. 21:4

This wondrous scene occurs when God comes to dwell with his people. The old world has passed away. I am sorry that many do not look forward to this day. Those who are wise enough, see no hope in the present world. Even if it could be patched up or in the often repeated phrase "turned around", those who live in it must face their own mortality.

It is fascinating to hear modern scientists admit that if the present course continues, all who live on the earth will face extinction. This sort of talk used to be the province of the church. And even then, extinction was not the fate of the elect. Guess you could say, no one panics like a materialist when the material world fails?

It seems that in Matt. 24:22 Jesus speaks of the very nightmare scenario envisioned by the unbelieving. "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive". This is the same prophecy earth scientists predict. But Jesus continues, " but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened". Only Jesus can make this promise, and he has.

A time of unprecedented trouble lies ahead. Even the elect, both Jacob and Gentiles will suffer. And what of the survivors? They will be comforted by God himself, never to weep again, or ever face death and suffering again.

Heat of the Sun

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. Revelation 16:8

The sun undergoes several changes in the last days. The Great Tribulation begins with the darkening of the sun and the moon. There are those who believe we are presently in the days of tribulation. Among Covenant theologians the tribulation was in the reign of Nero. Some have said the tribulation began when Cain killed his brother Abel.

There sure are a wide range of beliefs concerning the time of this terrible period. Most are speculations by those who try to use Revelation to bolster their church agenda. For instance those who believe we are now in the millennium have to say that the tribulation is over.

But God has given a sign so unmistakeable that no one will miss it. It cannot be misinterpreted. Here it is:

The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goathair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth... (Rev. 6:12,13)

Thus begins the great tribulation period. It does not concern the church. It touches Jews and Gentiles. We will be saved from this terrible time. Yes I will gladly say it again. Rev. 3:10 promises our deliverance from the period of testing. Other scriptures do also.

In come the "spiritualizers". To them, nothing in Revelation is literal. But this Day of the Lord is in both Old and New Testaments and cannot be understood in any way but literally.

I think of being in a movie theater. Lights are on so people can find their seats. Then the theater is darkened and the screen lights up. The sun and moon will momentarily darken, then the sun will be hotter than ever before.

The Ire Level

I know a family of really nice people. They are very devout people. The parents read their Bibles and pray. They once attended a nearby church. Now they do not. In fact they do not attend any church at all.

Their daughter became disillusioned by the constant appeal for money. The church recently acquired a huge loan, and though they brought in over two thousand dollars a week, it was not enough. They were told to "Dig deeper." Even a life size plywood figure of Goliath did not appeal to the daughter. She needed more, and no one was able to touch her life.

Instead of serving the congregation, the congregation was expected to serve the church. Cash cows" comes to mind.

They even had to let their youth pastor go. Imagine one of Paul's churches firing their youth pastor!

I imagine the church leadership saying, "We have a wonderful physical plant, with a sound system second to none. Our highly paid music director provides you with great contemporary music with a nifty rhythm section.

"An now you want the truth! We tell you every week that you are saved by grace--a doctrine taught by Augustine in the third century and rediscovered by Luther in the fifteen hundreds. That should be enough. Further truth only divides people, and we don't want that."

A Portrait of the Bride

They met after so many years. It seemed as if by accident. She had known him since she was a little girl. He had been so far above her. Those who knew him said he had great wealth and lived in a mansion.

They had drifted apart. She did not know quite why. Though she tried to forget him, his face was always before her. All the diversions she tried could not erase his memory from her mind.

They walked and talked together. It seemed as if the years melted away. She wondered if he had someone special. Maybe not, for he seemed to be so free and open with her.

Suddenly they stopped. Beaming at her, he asked, "Would you care to dine with me? At my place, I mean."

She readily agreed. Her old hopes returned.

"But before we do, there is something I would like to show you. It is a portrait of my wife to be. I really want you to see her as I do."

Her heart sank, though she tried to maintain a happy demeanor.

Soon they were at his manor, far grander than she had ever imagined.

"We will soon have our meal together, but first I want to show you her portrait."

Why was he so cruel?, she thought. He has no idea of my feelings. All he cares about is her.

He led her into a drawing room darkened with blinds and curtains. Dimly she saw a floor length gilt frame between two windows.

"Now close your eyes. I want to surprize you."

Woodenly she stood before the portrait, her hands over her eyes. She heard him lifting the blinds and parting the curtains. She sensed sunlight flooding the room.

"Now you can look," he said.

Suddenly she understood, as her tearful eyes took in her reflection in the mirror before her.

"You see, I had not forgotten you. I have loved you from the beginning."

As Close as You Can Get

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach. Romans 10:8

A book on canoeing tells the story of an expert lecturing on the intricacies of paddling. He lectured about the different paddle strokes needed to manage propelling and steering a canoe. Wow! This guy really knew his stuff.

He went on to say these things are to be learned over a period of intense study under the careful gaze of a Qualified Instructor. This could take months, even years of professional training. Further there was the implication that you are never to try these strokes on your own. I mean some poor soul might venture out in a canoe and not be able to do it properly. Unable to get to shore they might starve to death within sight of land.

The poor souls staying at the summer camp were duly impressed. Paddling a canoe was, for them, "out of reach".

So much of our Christian faith is like this. People in need feel like fools when approaching belief and the Bible. Which expert has the answers? The experts disagree, so you are so full of doubt about a life and death matter, that you fear to pursue it. Maybe just turn on the television, at least, after you have learned to use the remote, you can watch something diverting.

Let me complete the canoe story now. The book told of a young volunteer at the camp who saw the canoes not being used. No one in them. "What's the matter?" he asked. "It's a perfect day to be out and you're missing a lot of fun."

He jumped into a canoe and demonstrated how easy it all was. He showed the basic strokes and invited them to get in and try them. Soon, the canoes were full of people using these simple strokes--the draw stroke, the steering stroke, even the braking movement used to slow the canoe down. A lot of splashing and fun was soon going on.

Our saving faith is so like this. Bible study can be intricate and take a lot of study--happy study. But salvation is within such close reach. The word of faith is so close, it is in our mouths and hearts. The word is close. He is close.

Holy Pots

Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. Zechariah 14:21

I was driving by an old limestone church in a rather nice part of town by the university. I noticed the theme for the weeks sermon, "...and also much cattle." (Jonah 4:11). I was struck with a quotation so obscure and seemingly trivial.

I have heard of a pastor who preached only on Jonah for many years, and apparently did a very good job of it. Guess it turns out that there is a lot more to Jonah, than his being swallowed by a great fish.

The truth runs deep and you can find it if you really dig. But why would a pastor care about the above scripture? What truth would he reveal? Now I have no right to say this, and there is a good chance I am wrong, but I think the pastor might spiritualize this passage. He might say that the cattle stand for people or something. Maybe it is purely non-literal.

This happens a lot. Surely God would not talk about real, actual, cattle! But, I am a Fundamentalist, so I believe that the Bible talks about animals quite a lot, and when it does, it means real, down to earth, creatures that eat hay and shelter in barns. The higher you go up on the intellectual ladder, the less literal interpretations you find, until nothing really means anything. Interpreting the Word as a bunch of obscure myths is a career for some. They make a living at it.

But back to the holy pots. Why would the Creator of the universe care about people cooking in pots? Could it be that these pots, and those who will cook in them, will be pleasing to God? The God of great things, is also the God of little things. He is the God of everything.

Stale-baked Cookies and Nestea

That's all we had in the car and that is all we needed. We stopped in a little park by a picnic table and a grill. We left our coats on. It was too early really to have an outdoor treat.

We started a smoky little fire with the wet wood and leaves we found. Finally the little sauce pan of water began to boil and we made the instant tea.

It didn't taste very good, but it was wonderful, because we had made it together, and this was our first ever outing. We had our little store cookies.

Everything we said was either trivial or of vital importance. All that we did mattered though. Only the world did not matter. There was no world.

Not much of a feast--store bought cookies and instant tea, but it was all we needed, because we each were with the person we loved.

Look Ma, No Eyes!

A friend of mine has two artificial eyes. She told me she barely lived, as a child, on a diet of marshmallows and beer. Soon she lost her sight. One day on a routine visit to the eye doctor he examined her eyes, cleaned them, I think. and then replaced them, but upside down.

She was waiting for a bus with a nice lady who glanced at her and saw her eye whites rolled upwards, which gave the impression she was about to faint. "Are you feeling alright?" the lady asked her. "I feel fine. Why do you ask?" she replied. The lady explained that her eyes were rolled upward. My friend knew what the problem was. She thought it was very funny. The doctor remedied the situation right away.

This lady and her husband are going to heaven someday. But I want to talk about some people in a very different situation.

And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,... Zechariah 14:12

What could cause a loss, not only of eyesight, but of peoples' eyes themselves? And so rapidly that it will occur while they yet are standing? I puzzled over this passage for a long time. I believe that it will be the return, to the earth, of our glorified Christ.

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2 Thessalonians 2:8

Roundup Ready

Not herbicide resistant plants this time, but non-herding-resistant people. What if people were divided into these two categories: those who believe what they are told, and those most unruly people of all, the dreaded skeptics?

Maybe a third category--those who take no stand whatsoever. This third group just tries to escape into entertainment.

Viewed from this point of view, I believe America has some wonderful escape material. Maybe the best. We have a long history of escapism, from the separation from Great Britain, to the western expansion by covered wagons.

I am not a very sophisticated computer guy. I do not know how to change my startup page. It came with the computer. So I am greeted with a lot of info on "costume malfunctions" of the stars. I want to help these people, I really do. But all I can think of is a pack of safety pins. Maybe they will help.

I notice that only glamor type people have these malfunctions. All I know is that they must be important, because they are on TV.

Soon, I fear that even these emergencies will be things of the past. This will coincide with the Death of Escapism. I hope I can be gone when this happens. I hear it could be ugly. I mean, people facing reality!

Some have hope that there will be TV in the relocation camps. Maybe so. But who wants to watch endless videos on Loving Big Brother?

The Biggest Fight of All

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Rev. 12:7, 8

Any more? The dragon, named elsewhere as Satan, the devil presently has a place in heaven. The idea of a burning place deep underground ruled over by a deity or deities, is of 100% pagan origin and is nowhere found in the Bible.

A trial is going on in heaven--a trial which must take place. When the trial is over, Satan and his angels are ejected from the court room. They take up residence on the Earth. This is the beginning of the Great tribulation.

But was not the Flood a tribulation also? Sure, but there is a big difference between the two events. In the flood doubters tried to live. The flood account tells us that God himself closed the door of the ark. In the Great Tribulation, men will seek death, and God will deny it to them.

These coming events will not come about through human effort or lack thereof. For about two thousand years the pattern of events has been revealed. This pattern is predestined to happen, and so has the time frame.

As we study Revelation there is a simple warning, that if heeded will help to save a lot of fear and anxiety. Do not apply events that involve Israel and a faithful Gentile remnant to the Church. After chapter three, we, as the Bride, will be in heaven.

Do I dare mention a very important text in regard to this? Yes, I happily do. It is Revelation 3:10. You can go to very big, traditional churches and never hear this wonderful promise read or talked about. "Keep 'em scared. They will work harder."

We'll be in heaven. Michael will have his great victory. We will celebrate with the Supper of the Lamb.

I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Herbivore

It's not always easy to be a horse or a cow. A sheep or a goat has problems too. But one advantage these animals have is that food is everywhere, at least in the summer months.

I heard of a man in Tennessee who makes money by taking his goats to sites that need to be cleared of weeds. Kudzu, the weed that "ate the south" is a favorite, so is Japanese knot weed. The man is paid to keep the weeds down and the animals love it.

But both these weeds are edible for people too. Here I go about eating weeds again.

You don't need to even cook the knot weed. Just eat the stalks as you find them and they grow in huge stands, dominating surrounding plants by under ground growth. They are really a problem in England, growing 3 to 5 inches per day. Their young sprouts commonly grow right through concrete and other pavement.

They invade houses too, coming up right through the floor and through brick walls. You might say they are a plant that delivers. In these instances they could be a life saver.

I have a habit of imagining the worst, such as not being able to get food in a store. ?I imagine finding the windows smashed out and the shelves empty. What would you do?

I have even thought of a press to extract plant juice from plants as mundane as grass. I once worked with a big old hydraulic press on my job. Coffee tincture was steeped for 40 days, placed in a canvas bag and put under a lot of pressure. Out came the juice from the coffee grounds.

This press was gigantic, but I imagine one on a much smaller scale. A sturdy wood frame like a big picture frame, including a press. The bags would be white cotton socks.

What about the actual press? I already have one. It would be my automobile jack. A wood box would hold a plunger made of 2x4s, maybe 4-6 inches long.

I read of an artic explorer's experience with trying Eskimo rations--meat and fat with berries in season. The mixture made him sick. But he figured the human body is very adaptable.

Enzymes capable of digesting all kinds of food are already in your body. Give them a little time to multiply and soon they will proliferate. In about two weeks the explorer not only could eat the Eskimo food, he enjoyed the taste.

I would love to try pressing the juice out of plants with a lot of cellulose in them. Just drink the plant. If you have apples, make cider.

Does this idea sound bizzare? It is, and I might not get to even try it. I left my tools when I moved out. But as for the plant juices, like the ever present wild carrot, they sound worth a try. Compared to starving, they sound like a pretty good deal.

Poison Island

Way back in the days of black and white tv, when some truth was still being told, I saw a military man interviewed. I believe he was not strictly military but an ornithologist hired by them. Makes you wonder if there are any kind of experts who have not been hired by government for their sinister purposes?

He told about a tiny isolated Pacific island that had deliberately been infected with germs. These germs were to be spread by vectors to infect the wheat of Russia. How horrible, to destroy peoples' food with a kind of grain rust.

But who were the vectors? Turns out the island was a stopping off point for nesting birds who would then fly to Russia and spread the poison. As much as I like birds, I am not telling this story just to show how they have been misused to serve such an evil purpose .

There is another island, not surrounded by water, but in the heart of the classic geopolitical "world Island". In the center of this volatile region is a tiny country called Israel. They are the poison island and the birds are their minions world-wide.

I now will give my standard disclaimer. Am I anti-Jewish? No, no, no, no, no!

The true Torah Jews have an eternal promise from God. But the tiny portion of David's mandated land that we now call Israel is the exporter of war and grief. They are fond of showing maps of how they are surrounded by hostile nations, subject to attack at any moment.

Those who Jesus warned us about twice in the Book of Revelation, "who say they are Jews, but are not"--run the banks, foment wars and are destroying our culture--are only a numeric minority. Their influence is immense almost beyond belief. Does anyone think the Rothchildes are Lutherans?

And yet, I am not writing this to attack even these pretenders. It is only to say, they are the destroyers of hope in this world. Do we have such hope?

They have already won. They have planted tares among the wheat. Only when Jesus returns will justice be done. Until then we are told to "Let both grow together until the harvest:" (Matthew 13:30).

The Coming Famine

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And the famine was sore in the land. Genesis 43:1

Famine became a tragic issue as early as this, in the book of Genesis. So why am I talking about it now? Well, there is a new kind of famine, and it is well underway. It is the lack of pure food, non-poisoned and non-radioactive food.

The traditional lack of food is here also and yet to become worse. But it is the degradation of food which is my immediate concern. I do not believe there is, or will be, a total solution for us. We can eat lower down on the food chain, where this is possible it would help, but only as a delaying action, not as a way to solve the problem.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes stories will see the solution to the problem of where to lay the blame for our plight. When you have eliminated the impossible causes, what is left, however implausible, is the answer. Unlike ancient famines, caused by drought, or insect depredation, the cause of our present shortage of food and pure food, is not of nature, but of men.

How ridiculous! Surely, there are no men of such evil intent as to pollute the food chain deliberately.

However you may feel about Alex Jones, he has one great virtue. He only uses publicly-available sources for his presentations. He will not use rumors or deep throat information. The vital fact involved here is that anyone can prove for themselves that famine and disease caused by chemical-laden food, water and air are with us now.

I checked out Amazon online sales in search of a radiation meter out of curiosity. I found one I favored. But unlike the usual sources, it was "made in Russia". This is one I would trust.

Am I a conspiracy theorist? This denegrating term does not describe either myself or my sources. The Bible, and the finest peer-reviewed scientific literature tell us what we are now undergoing and how it will end. The lights are being turned off, not with a toggle, but a dimmer switch.

Does God Have Our Permission to Hate?

"Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals."
Malachi 1:3

Surely this is just the God of the Old Testament, venting His anger. We all know how mean the God of the old covenant could be. But, like fine wine, He has mellowed with time and now He is a God who can only love. We won't have it any other way. God is love, case closed.

I was in a local church study group. I am not sure what it was about, but I am certain it was not about the Bible. Beautiful sunrises were discussed ecstatically, I remember that. When the goodness of things was mentioned, I thought I would join in. I said how much better people are today than in the days of our parents and grandparents. Had they noticed it? The effect was like smacking people in the face with a wet fish.

I felt the conflict in peoples' minds. If they believed that "every day, in every way, the world is getting better and better," they would be dishonoring the memory of their relatives. The fact that Peter and Paul wrote in their last letters that things would get worse and worse in the latter days, was not mentioned in this church. It would be that horrible concept of negative thinking.

I expect the young to be filled with joyous expectations. They need this outlook to go forth into the world. But when I am in a church gathering of mature people who believe in positive thinking, I am really upset. Has life taught them nothing? I think it has, but they deny reality. Fixed smiles are to me the sign of brainwashing, not the lessons of life.

In the preceding group I read the following: "Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (Romans 9:13). The group recoiled in dismay. "What translation are you reading from?" When I got home I checked six translations which all referred to God's hatred.

God dares to think "negatively". Just like us, He can both love and hate. What a shock to such a group! I part from such people. Have they lived to have gray hair and not learned that life is seasoned with tears? Do they not know that God is the same in both Old and New Testaments?

If a battery only had positive poles, no energy would flow. To me, this makes His love, all the more precious.

Big Death Versus Eternal Life

I have been reading a report on the co-opting of governments which were created to protect people. It is a very well done piece, but late in coming. It does add to the knowledge and availability of studies showing how we are being poisoned.

I am a basic type thinker. I get lost in a lot of details. So pardon me if I just bundle Big Oil, Big Agro Business, Big Pharma, et. al. under one heading, Big Death.

Many are fighting these public enemies and urging others to do so. I now propose a wild scenario, one incapable of ever coming true.

Let us say that as a result of these protests that we are no longer being poisoned and irradiated. Let us further return the Earth to a pure living environment. I'll randomly choose a date that this condition would resemble. Let us say 1,000 B.C. I have no idea how this could be accomplished, but I will pretend that it has occurred. Would I then be satisfied?

Not at all. I am certain that Earth and nature would be a joyous thing to behold, yet I would not be satisfied. Why not? Because even with these devilish conditions rectified we would still die. Death would remain unconquered.

Aren't scientists making progress in extending life? I see more evidence that scientists, bought off by the Big Death consortium, are working on ways to kill people. The ultimate result to be depopulation of the Earth.

If these seekers of death by poison fail, we still will die. Death is, ultimately, not a natural condition, however long it has been with us. It is the result of a curse on mankind. But the One with whom the condition originated has given the remedy to this most hated curse.

I see no escaping not only death, but premature death. Yet I smile every day. I am a happy man, though sometimes impatient. I wait for my Redeemer. People laugh and say that such as I are foolish dreamers. I say to them, that those who have hope in this world are the dreamers.

Not of This World

Poor souls. People like them just do not fit in, anywhere. They are the misfits. My closest friends have been brainy people, nerds or not. They prodded me on to read more and think more. They understood humor that passed ordinary people. Some have been drunks that never made it as artists. Some just couldn't adapt to the world at all.

But there are others just as appealing, with low brain power perhaps, but apparently in touch with another world, if only of their own making. They pull at me too.

I had a friend who just wasn't going to make it in school. He thought he would copy the test of the person ahead of him in class. Boy did he copy it. Every detail was identical, right down to the person's name. When the teacher received two identical papers and none handed in by my friend, it was obvious what had occurred.

My friend got into a fight as a boy getting a loaf of bread for his mother. As a man, every member of his family, including his wife and daughter, had been in jail. He and his sons had been in prison. Yet until his death we were extremely close friends.

In many ways we had the same kind of unworldly thoughts. Minds that do not conform, for whatever reason, can make lifelong problems. My friend's only daughter is back in prison. I just sent her a Bible there.

I call these people "the primitives", often belonging to a different world, a different life in this one. They could be sweet and loving. They have been to me, but they just did not fit in.

America may think of itself as a land of the individualist. I find the opposite is true. After many years of life I see this nation as filled to the brim with conformists.

I live in the midst of a region where the rarest of thoughts is original, where thinking itself is rare. The people are like cattle--gentle, good, but different only in the smallest ways.

Why am I so critical? Who am I to judge? I have no excuse. But I feel a great shaking is coming. Many of the old, mindless, conformists will pass away. When people--those who can--are forced to begin acting in a much more basic way, the primitives will be waiting for them. They have been there all along.

Forced to Live the Right Way

One of the last rides my mother and I took was down a county road past an old house. It was late afternoon, and we watched as a woman drove her milk cows across the road to the barn. She had a little stick in her hand, but once started, the cattle knew what to do and where to go. My mother watched and saw that the house had no electricity. It had kerosine lamps.

She said to me sadly, "I made a mistake trying to be so modern." She had worked to upgrade our home which was already very nice. I loved it when I moved in at age six. My mother continued, "I think this woman is very happy living simply."

Not long after that Mother was dead. She had been caught up in the frenzy to be modern. Her absence from home when I was a little boy traumatized me. I thought she didn't love me. What a price we have paid for carpeting and window treatments, and other non-essentials.

I once saw some poor people with their children playing in the dirt. They had made little wagons from tin cans. Their mother was nearby in case they needed her. These people were forced by poverty to live as they should, close to one another. These children had a better life than I had lived.

Soon, if only a small part of the predictions come true, the people of this proud country will lose their god of money and modernity. Their lives may be lowered to the living standard that Jesus lived, if they are allowed to live at all.

How Did Your Day Go?

I hadn't seen my friend for a long while. I tried this rather banal question as an opener. "It went," was his terse reply.

I tried again. "What have you been up to?"

I was prepared for a recital of commonplace events. Instead he told me his wife had just died. "When?" was all I could think of to say.

"Three days ago."

I was so stunned to hear this that that I didn't know what to say. He went on. Maybe he needed to talk, and so I just listened.

"Before they closed the lid I had a few moments alone with her. I didn't want to remember her dead face. I just looked at her hands. She had large hands, but like a baby's, with dimples where her knuckles should have been.

"I thought of all the things she had done with those hands. She had played the piano so well. At a computer store the customers gathered around to watch her type with incredible speed. She could do archery and was a deadly shot with my 870 shotgun.

"She had done so much so well. Her pots and pans are going to stay on their hooks in the kitchen. I couldn't bear to give them away. She could cook anything, but desserts were her specialty. She made wonderful cakes and a cranberry dessert that was so good that little kids asked for more.

"Most of all I thought of all the things she had done for me."

He paused and I decided to remain silent and leave him to his thought. I knew he was a man of faith. Maybe we could talk about that. "I hope you find comfort in your faith," I said. He seemed to brighten at my comment and I was encouraged.

"Yes," he went on. "My faith is the only thing that keeps me going."

I tried, but I could not follow what he talked about next. In fact, I could not believe what he was saying.

"I have hope. Radiation is circling the globe. There's Japan, of course, ruining the air and the sea.. Chernobyl is still poisoning Europe. Then there are the Chemtrails. When's the last time you saw a really blue sky? We had 'em all the time when I was a kid."

Since I saw absolutely no conection with these things and his faith, I concluded he had become deranged by his grief.

He went on. "The economy will soon drag us down until there will only be two classes, ultra rich and their servants."

I tried once more. "Tell me about the comfort you have from your faith."

He actually smiled as he told me that Jesus promised His church that He would return to take them to heaven before the biggest trouble of all. I thought I understood. "I can see how that makes you happy," I told him.

"Happy,"\he said, "and impatient! I want to cry out. 'When O Lord, how soon will it be?'"

A Vision of the Kingdom

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Matthew 16:28

He was a speeder, no doubt about that. He sped when he taught children. "I like to get 'em when they're young," he would say. He sped when he taught their parents. "Never too late" was his motto.

He read books about speeding. Some say he was even writing one about how to speed . I mean he was a speed nut! Maybe worst of all he was planning to attend a seminary famous for its teaching of The Theology of Speeding and getting an advanced degree.

For you see, this man did not use an automobile to speed. He actually used the Bible. Matthew was his favorite book in which to do this. "But I thought you were talking about a car driver. How could you hurt people with a Bible? Surely he is harmless."

This preacher-teacher-author may have done more harm than you realize. He is trying to make the prophetic words of Jesus come true before their time.

I was driving with a young lady--a kid really. I must have been going too slow for her. "Can't you go any faster?" she complained. This is so typical. I mean did you ever eat in a Slow Food place?

But doesn't the above quotation of Jesus prove that the Kingdom was set up within the lifetime of the disciples?" Obviously, Jesus said some standing there would not taste death until they saw the Son of Man coming in His glory. And they certainly did. They saw it. But it did not come.

Huh?

It is so good to read the rest of this passage, in Matthew 17:1-9. I will refer to the following.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead.

Ten verses tell of a vision. So worth reading, for those who take the time.