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Home)Were You Predestined To Read This?
One of the flashpoints for controversy among Bible believing Christians is the issue of choice and a saving relationship with God.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
Does this passage mean we are merely acting out a program set in motion before we were born? Or do our personal choices matter?
Check out our video blog - Predestination and Free Will?
Scott's Blog - 9/27/07
Fuel For Fools?
When I am asked why I believe the Bible is the Word of God, one compelling reason I point to is it's incredible consistency.
Although written over 1500 years, on three continents, in three languages, by over 40 different authors it agrees on the most controversial subjects known to man.
Since we know that when we get any two believers in a room talking about a single subject we are likely to have three different opinions represented, this is no small feat.
How did this happen?
Simon Peter gives us a key insight:
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 2:19-21)
God was the ultimate Author of the Scriptures, superintending the writings of these different men in such a way that His very Word was delivered to us. The lack of contradictions in the Bible is powerful evidence that it is the Word of God.
Now that sounds nice in church, but in our era where books like Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" or Christopher Hitchens' "god Is Not Good" stand out on the New York Times Best Sellers List, chances are we will see this statement challenged.
Maybe you've already heard someone boldly declare, "The Bible is full of contradictions! Everyone knows that!"
When I hear this objection, I find a good place to start is by asking a logical question - "Can you name one?"
Usually this brings the discussion to a screeching halt. But occasionally, the skeptic will have done some internet style research and will point out a supposed contradiction.
At this point it is good to agree on what actually constitutes a contradiction. If the Bible said that there is only one way to God on one page, and then declared that all religious rivers flow to the same great ocean which is God on another we would have a contradiction of doctrine. If it said that Jesus was born in Bethlehem on one page and Jerusalem in another, we would have a contradiction of fact.
But what is often times pointed out as a contradiction in the Bible isn't a problem with the text, but with the interpretation of the text.
Consider this passage from Proverbs that is often trotted out as proof positive that the Bible contradicts itself:
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)
Whoa!
What do we do with this one?
One verse tells us to answer a fool according to his folly.
The other tells us not to! Isn't this a contradiction?
People who come to that conclusion evidently have little experience dealing with fools in a spiritual setting.
The command not to answer a fool according to his folly has everything to do with the tone of a conversation with a person who rejects God's truth.
If an insult spewing skeptic can get us to lower ourselves to an equally angry response, they have won the battle. As the old saying goes, "You can only roll in the mud with a pig so long before you realize the pig is enjoying himself."
The best response? Don't go there. Keep your cool and rely on the Lord's power to stay reasonable. The fool will end up being the best argument against his or her own position.
But the Bible tells us that at one time "we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another."(Titus 3:3) Since this is true, we should continue to have compassion on those who are still in the dark. We are to "answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes". That is, we are to share with clarity the reasonableness and reliability of the message of Jesus.
In short, we are to care enough to give even an enemy of the Good News something to think about.
And this can be powerful.
Before I gave my life to Jesus I used to get into the occasional religious debate with believers in Christ. When they would get mad and even insulting, I would laugh because I knew I had won the argument.
But every now and then a believer wouldn't take the bait. They would share Scripture with a genuine sense of compassion.
And that would drive me crazy.
Because sooner or later what they said would play back in my mind. And with it, another awful thought - "What if they are right?"
Little did I know I was a vivid example of a powerful truth:
“ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Proverbs 26:4-5 is anything but a contradiction. These verses are a powerfully constructive guideline for being more than a conqueror when our faith is challenged by those who simply don't know God.
Scott's Blog - 9/26/07
News Flash! Hypocrites Spotted In Church!!!
It's a good thing we have high tech advantages like the internet and instant opinion polling or we would have been denied the following shocking piece of information.
Study: Christianity No Longer Looks Like Jesus
Young Americans today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago, says a new study.
Negative perceptions toward the Christian faith have outweighed the positive as a growing percentage of younger Americans associate with a faith outside Christianity.
Only 16 percent of non-Christians aged 16 to 29 years old said they have a "good impression" of Christianity, according to a report released Monday by The Barna Group. A decade ago, the vast majority of Americans outside the Christian faith, including young people, felt favorably toward Christianity’s role in society,
Young people have an even lesser positive impression of evangelicals. Only 3 percent of 16- to 29-year-olds who are not of the Christian faith express favorable views of evangelicals. In the previous generation, 25 percent of young people had positive associations toward evangelicals.
"[Evangelicals] have always been viewed with skepticism in the broader culture," said the Barna report. "However, those negative views are crystallizing and intensifying among young non-Christians."
Common negative perceptions among non-Christians is that present-day Christianity is judgmental (87 percent), hypocritical (85 percent), old-fashioned (78 percent), and too involved in politics (75 percent).
Criticism, however, was not limited to young people outside the Christian faith. Half of young churchgoers said they perceive Christianity to be judgmental, hypocritical and too political. Also, one-third said it was old-fashioned and out of touch with reality.When I read this study the thought that immediately crossed my mind was the more things change, the more they stay the same.
We could go back to the 1800's and read the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The verdict? The Puritans were rapped for being "judgmental", "hypocritical","old fashioned", and in the case of the Salem Witch Trials, way, way, waaaay to involved in politics.
We could go back to the groovy 60's where bumper stickers proclaimed "Jesus, Yes! Church, No!"
We can read the latest high tech poll, hot off the press in the new millennium and still come to the same conclusion - hypocrisy, unbiblical traditionalism and caring more about power, position and possessions than people is still a problem.
Why?
Here's a news flash. The church is made up of people.
People have faults and flaws.
Therefore the church will generally have as many weaknesses as you and I do.
So what do we do about this problem?
First, we need to understand that the goal of Christianity isn't to preach and promote the glories of 'the church".
For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (II Corinthians 4:5-6)
Take it to the bank - if you put your faith in any person, place or program short of Jesus Himself you will find faults, flaws and failures.
Your faith will fail.
So does that let individual believers off the hook?
Far from it.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:11-12)
No one wants people to turn away from the message of Jesus because of the conduct of hypocrites in the church. The most effective way to see that this doesn't happen is pretty simple - Don't be one!
I can't make decisions for the next person who walks through the door of the fellowship I belong to, but I can make decisions concerning the way I live my life.
And so can you.
By God's grace, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, let's pray that when people come to church they see at least one person who is in the process of "looking like Jesus".
Let's start by praying a simple, yet powerful prayer.
"Lord, please let that be me!"
Scott's Blog - 9/25/07
And Not To be Outdone by Mahmoud...
The European Union is taking a bold step against the rising tide of dangerous religious fanaticism.
By shutting down Mosques and Madrassas that teach violent Jihad?
By increasing intelligence and surveillance on known terrorist groups?
By skillfully cutting off funding to terror cells?
Nope.
The European Union is going after the real threat to modern civilization - people who believe this world is (shudder!) no accident!
Council of Europe to vote on creationism next week
By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor Tue Sep 25, 12:48 PM ET
PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's main human rights body will vote next week on a resolution opposing the teaching of creationist and intelligent design views in school science classes.
The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly will debate a resolution saying attacks on the theory of evolution were rooted "in forms of religious extremism" and amounted to a dangerous assault on science and human rights.
Anne Brasseur, an Assembly member from Luxembourg who updated an earlier draft resolution, said the vote was due in June but was postponed because some members felt the original text amounted to an attack on religious belief.
Only minor changes have been made to the initial draft.
"There are different views of the creation of the world and we respect that," she told Reuters. "The message we wanted to send was to avoid creationism passing itself off as science and being taught as science. That's where the danger lies."
"The aim of this report is not to question or to fight a belief," Brasseur wrote in a memorandum added to the new resolution. "It is not a matter of opposing belief and science, but it is necessary to prevent belief from opposing science."
Well, there you have it. The EU has formally declared that anyone who takes the message of the Bible seriously is participating in "forms of religious extremism."
No use arguing with the voice of bureaucracy. But I believe Anne Brasseur is really on to something here.
I wholeheartedly agree that it is necessary to prevent belief from opposing science.
But first, a moment to define our terms.
Science is the discovery of the true nature of our universe through experimentation that is observable, testable and repeatable. This scientific method is the blessing that has created vaccines, put men on the moon and invented gum that can even keep morning breath at bay.
But there is an important distinction between the operational science described above and historical science, which is a horse of a completely different color.
"Historical science" attempts to recreate the past which is not observable. It offers speculations based on assumptions that are not testable. Because it attempts to recreate a world gone for millions of years it is by definition not repeatable.
Molecules to man by a series of accidents (or "Goo to You By Way of the Zoo") is by definition outside the realm of operational science.
That is why every alleged breakthrough in this area is peppered with weasle words like "scientists believe", "experts speculate", "many experts think" and so on.
Here is the dirty little secret the white lab coat set doesn't want you to know.
Evolution hasn't been "proven". It took place far too long ago and over far too long a time to fit into the realm of operational science.
It is based on a series of unprovable assumptions called "axioms", among them:
Nothing created everything.
The entire universe is one great uncaused effect.
Raw matter and energy miraculously..err..better rephrase that.. accidentally produced information.
Design requires no Designer.
These statements are nothing else and nothing less than "leaps of faith" - they are statements of belief, not science.
What has people like Anne Brasseur in a snit is that when given a fair hearing, a version of historical science that is based on the following unprovable assumptions -
Creation requires a Creator.
Effects have causes, and the ultimate cause of the Universe is God.
The only way to bridge the gap between raw matter and energy ad information is intelligence.
The fact that life requires systems that work perfectly the first time or they won't work at all (a concept called irreducible complexity), demands a Designer of these systems.
- holds up very nicely in the marketplace of ideas.
We can't have that, can we? If people start believing they are more than just the top of the food chain, that they are inherently valuable as a creation made in God's image and likeness why, random acts of righteousness might break out across Europe!
And people may start to think and question those in academic authority and their silly "just so" stories.
Man's problem isn't ignorance masquerading as faith. It is a faith that masquerades as "science", all the while opposing the real discovery of the truth.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:18-23)
With proposals like these, the EU may very well give Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad a run for his money in the Most Intolerant Sweepstakes!
Scott's Blog - 9/24/07
Clapping For Hitler
Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad has had his star turn in the spot light of liberal academia.
And the reviews are decidedly mixed.
Columbia University president Lee Bollinger began the event with a less than friendly introduction of this addition to the distinguished speakers program:
"Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," Bollinger said, to loud applause.
He said Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the illiterate and ignorant.
"When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Bollinger said. "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history."
Ahmadinejhad's response?
He essentially beat the university crowd at their own game.
The question and answer session yielded some bizarre observations, such as Ahmadinejhad's likening of drug traffickers and violent criminals to "microbes" that had to be eliminated from his nation's system, as well as the fascinating claim that there "are no homosexuals in Iran, as in your country."
He also stated that Iran had no intentions of developing a nuclear weapon.
Glad we can all relax on that one.
But the most telling and cunning comment Ahmadinejhad made was one that was all too familiar with his ivory tower audience.
While doing a two step around his clear public statements that the Holocaust was a Jewish myth, he played a tactically brilliant card.
"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.
The gathered crowd must have had a collective case of deja-vu. Some even applauded the remark!
How many times had the professors of this university confidently asserted the very same thing in their lectures and publications?
"Nothing is right or wrong, but thinking makes it so!"
"Morality is just a power game decided by the winners of history."
"If it feels good to you, don't let anyone else tell you it is wrong."
And then a Holocaust denying, terrorist supporting, road side bomb exporting, homosexual killing, genocide advocating maniac comes on campus and says, "Yeah! Me too!!"
Oops.
And here we see the fatal flaw of secularism. If truth is elastic and there are no absolutes, then your point of view, my point of view and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are all equally valid.
But truth is not elastic.
Historical facts do not change simply because of politically correct philosophy.
In fact, no less an authority than Jesus Himself declared a stunning correction to our "You go your way, I go mine. If we meet in the middle it's beautiful" society.
"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)
One of the most common complaints of non believers toward Christians is the idea that we are saying "our way is the only way."
But the exclusive claim of Christianity is not "our" way. I didn't invent it. I didn't say it.
Jesus did.
And if God has spoken, suddenly we have a timeless moral basis to call Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad out as a false prophet.
A moral basis sadly lacking at Columbia University.
John Coatsworth, Dean of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia said that prior to 1939, “if Hitler were in the United States and wanted a platform from which to speak, he would have plenty of platforms to speak in the United States. If he were willing to engage in a debate and discussion, and be challenged by Columbia students and faculty, we would certainly invite him.”
I wonder if the same crowd would have clapped for Hitler as well?
Scott's Blog - 9/21/07
A Beastly Proposition
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding end times Bible prophecy is the mysterious "mark of the Beast" of Revelation 13.
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 no one may buy or sell except one 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 a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18)
What is the mark of the Beast? What is the meaning of the infamous number 666? Are modern technologies like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) implants setting the stage for the fulfillment of this prediction?
Check out our SRL Weekend Video-Blog "The Mark of the Beast" on our home page!
Scott's Blog - 9/20/07
Insanity at Ground Zero
This man wants to lay a wreath at "Ground Zero".
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney thinks this is a bad idea.
"Ahmadinejad's shockingly audacious request should be met with a vehement no. It's inconceivable that any consideration would be given to the idea of entertaining the leader of a state sponsor of terror at Ground Zero. This would deeply offend the sensibilities of Americans from all corners of our nation. Instead of entertaining Ahmadinejad, we should be indicting him."
Senator John McCain thinks this is a bad idea.
"He (Ahmadinejad) should be physically restrained if necessary."
Mahmoud himself is shocked, shocked! that people are upset about this.
In an interview with 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley, he expressed doubt that most Americans would find his presence there offense in the least.
PELLEY: Mr. President, do you intend to press your request to visit the World Trade Center site?
AHMADINEJAD: Well, it was included in my program. If we have the time and the conditions are conducive, I will try to do that.
PELLEY: But the New York Police Department and others do not appear to want you there. Do you intend to go there anyway?
AHMADINEJAD: Well, over there, local officials need to make the necessary coordinations. If they can't do that, I won't insist.
PELLEY: Sir, what were you thinking? The World Trade Center site is the most sensitive place in the American heart, and you must have known that visiting there would be insulting to many, many Americans.
AHMADINEJAD: Why should it be insulting?
PELLEY: But the American people, sir, believe that your country is a terrorist nation, exporting terrorism in the world. You must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans.
AHMADINEJAD: Well, I'm amazed. How can you speak for the whole of the American nation?
PELLEY: Well, the American nation--
AHMADINEJAD: You are representing a media and you're a reporter. The American nation is made up of 300 million people. There are different points of view over there.
Personally, I think it would be a good idea for Mahmoud to visit Ground Zero.
WHAT????
I know, I know. It sounds crazy. But I believe Ahmadinejad should go to Ground Zero for the same reason Dwight Eisenhower thought it was a good idea for Germans to visit the Buchenwald concentration camp.
When General Eisenhower learned about [Buchenwald], he immediately arranged to meet Generals Bradley and Patton at Ohrdruf on the morning of April 12th. By that time, Buchenwald itself had been captured. Consequently, Ike decided to extend the group’s visit to include a tour of the Buchenwald extermination camp the next day. Eisenhower also ordered every American soldier in the area who was not on the front lines to visit Ohrdruf and Buchenwald. He wanted them to see for themselves what they were fighting against.
During the camp inspections with his top commanders Eisenhower said that the atrocities were “beyond the American mind to comprehend.” He ordered that every citizen of the town of Gotha personally tour the camp and, after having done so, the mayor and his wife went home and hanged themselves. Later on Ike wrote to Mamie, “I never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.” He cabled General Marshall to suggest that he come to Germany and see these camps for himself. He encouraged Marshall to bring Congressmen and journalists with him. It would be many months before the world would know the full scope of the Holocaust — many months before they knew that the Nazi murder apparatus that was being discovered at Buchenwald and dozens of other death camps had slaughtered millions of innocent people.
General Eisenhower understood that many people would be unable to comprehend the full scope of this horror. He also understood that any human deeds that were so utterly evil might eventually be challenged or even denied as being literally unbelievable. For these reasons he ordered that all the civilian news media and military combat camera units be required to visit the camps and record their observations in print, pictures and film. As he explained to General Marshall, “I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’”
His prediction proved correct. When some groups, even today, attempt to deny that the Holocaust ever happened they are must confront the massive official record, including both written evidence and thousands of pictures, that Eisenhower ordered to be assembled when he saw what the Nazis had done.
From the Eisenhower Memorial Commission (Hat tip Hugh Hewitt)
I believe that if Mahmoud wants to lay a wreath at Ground Zero, as well as be an invited speaker at Columbia University, his trip to New York should include just such an "Eisenhower School of Education" experience.
He should be allowed to lay his wreath at Ground Zero only after :
A class in history: A tour of the International Holocaust Museum in New York (Mahmoud denies that it ever happened).
A class in applied medicine: A meeting with US soldiers who have been crippled for life by Iranian manufactured IEDs at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
A class in religious studies: A news conference where he can declare to the world that the sick fanatics that flew the planes into the World Trade Center are not Moslems and are suffering in Hell for their crimes against the innocent.
A class in political science: A meeting with Nobel prize winner Ellie Weisel and the Israeli Ambassador to the U.N where he can apologize for calling for genocide against Israel, and announce the suspension of Iranian support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah.
Oh, and while we are at it, a class in applied physics: Declare a halt to Iran's nuclear weapons program and the granting of unfettered access to all Iranian nuclear sites by arms inspectors.
We might even want to include a class in basic humanity: The act of laying a wreath has unmistakable symbolic meaning. It declares shared sadness, shared perspective, shared humanity in the face of tragedy. If Mahmoud wants to go to Ground Zero to repent of his evil, more power to him.
But without a change of heart, such gestures are nothing more than a propaganda party. A cold and calculating slap in the face to a nation still grieving such a loss.
John the Baptist famously put a halt to those who would turn an occasion for personal brokenness into a self promotion opportunity.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 3:7-10)
What will it be? Repentance or rhetoric? Sincerity or sophistry?
Mahmoud can try to artfully avoid hard questions on 60 Minutes, but God is not impressed.
It is time for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to put up or shut up.
Scott's Blog - 9/19/07
The Keystone Kops and WMD?
Syria, the junior partner in the infamous "Axis of Evil", has certainly been doing her best to rival Iran as a flash point of world concern.
Interestingly, outside of the Jerusalem Post, main stream media couldn't be less interested.
"After all, we have to cover really important news - Like washed up athletes, turned b-movie actors, turned sociopaths discovering that local law enforcement authorities aren't amused by amateur 'sting operations'."
Sigh.
But far, far away from the world of K-Fed, Kanye and ditzy acceptance speeches at the Emmy Awards (Philospophy pop quiz: If they broadcast an awards show, and no one watches, did it make a noise?) there are real and eye opening incidents happening - most with deep prophetic implications.
To whit:
Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad and Syrian president Bashar Assad
met for high level talks last Thursday.
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Proof of cooperation between Iran and Syria in the proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction was brought to light Monday in a Jane's Defence Weekly report that dozens of Iranian engineers and 15 Syrian officers were killed in a July 23 accident in Syria.
According to the report, cited by Channel 10, the joint Syrian-Iranian team was attempting to mount a chemical warhead on a Scud missile when the explosion occurred, spreading lethal chemical agents, including sarin nerve gas.
This ill fated alliance between Syria and Iran brings to the forefront a significant prediction recorded in the book of Isaiah.
The burden against Damascus.
“ Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city,
And it will be a ruinous heap.
The cities of Aroer are forsaken
They will be for flocks
Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
The fortress also will cease from Ephraim,
The kingdom from Damascus,
And the remnant of Syria;
They will be as the glory of the children of Israel,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“ In that day it shall come to pass
That the glory of Jacob will wane,
And the fatness of his flesh grow lean." (Isaiah 17:1-4)
This prophecy describes an event yet to be fulfilled. Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city on Earth. It will be completely obliterated, but at great cost to Israel.
Can you imagine what a Scud missle armed with sarin gas would do to a major population center in Israel? Could you imagine how Israel would respond to such an attack?
Interestingly, Syria is not mentioned as one of the allies in the Russian led invasion of Israel of Ezekiel 38-39. Could this exchange happen before the time of the Tribulation, perhaps even setting the stage for the "strong covenant with many nations" the Antichrist will make that will bring a false peace to the region (see Daniel 9:27)?
Certainly more significant events to be aware of than the trials and travails of the latest former child star to check into re-hab, don't you think?
Scott's Blog - 9/18/07
An Ounce of Prevention or a Kiloton of Cure?
In the Scott's Blog File under "May You Live In Interesting Times", comes this dispatch out of London.
Israelis ‘blew apart Syrian nuclear cache’
Secret raid on Korean shipment
IT was just after midnight when the 69th Squadron of Israeli F15Is crossed the Syrian coast-line. On the ground, Syria’s formidable air defences went dead. An audacious raid on a Syrian target 50 miles from the Iraqi border was under way.
At a rendezvous point on the ground, a Shaldag air force commando team was waiting to direct their laser beams at the target for the approaching jets. The team had arrived a day earlier, taking up position near a large underground depot. Soon the bunkers were in flames.
Ten days after the jets reached home, their mission was the focus of intense speculation this weekend amid claims that Israel believed it had destroyed a cache of nuclear materials from North Korea.
The Israeli government was not saying. “The security sources and IDF [Israeli Defence Forces] soldiers are demonstrating unusual courage,” said Ehud Olmert, the prime minister. “We naturally cannot always show the public our cards.”
In June 1981 Israel boldly destroyed Saddam Hussein's Osirak nuclear reactor, putting a stop to a plutonium refining operation that could have produced a bomb within five years. Could you imagine how Operation Desert Storm would have turned out if that mad man had a nuclear weapon? The pre-emptive action of Israel was roundly condemned by the world at the time. Very few view it as a mistake today.
The raid on Syria less than two weeks ago may also have far reaching consequences. The reaction of the Syrian government has been muted to say the least. It is also interesting to note that the Arab nations in the region have been speechless as well.
Why the silence?
The Times On Line article suggests that there may have been another message sent to the region as well.
Washington was rife with speculation last week about the precise nature of the operation. One source said the air strikes were a diversion for a daring Israeli commando raid, in which nuclear materials were intercepted en route to Iran and hauled to Israel. Others claimed they were destroyed in the attack.
By its actions, Israel showed it is not interested in waiting for diplomacy to work where nuclear weapons are at stake.
As a bonus, the Israelis proved they could penetrate the Syrian air defence system, which is stronger than the one protecting Iranian nuclear sites.
This weekend President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran sent Ali Akbar Mehrabian, his nephew, to Syria to assess the damage. The new “axis of evil” may have lost one of its spokes.
It is entirely possible that in one fell swoop Syria lost it's nuclear program, North Korea lost an important deal, Iran lost face in the region, and the Arab nations nervously watching these developments privately toasted Israel's audacity. No wonder the silence in the region is deafening.
The success of this mission speaks clearly of the courage and expertise of the Israeli Defense Forces. It is also a reminder of a timeless Biblical truth:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalm
121:1-8)
Scott's Blog - 9/17/07
Keep It To Yourself, Madonna?
You've probably had this skin crawling kind of feeling before.
Maybe it was in college, when you watched as a mall preacher took it on himself to start specifically accusing your friends in the crowd of the most embarrassing sins known to man.
Maybe it was when the neighborhood gossip began to brag to everyone within earshot about her many years of church involvement.
Maybe it was when a road rage addict cut you off, gave you a less than friendly gesture, and then ran the next red light in a car with a "Christians Aren't Perfect, Just Forgiven" bumper sticker prominently displayed on the back.
We see people with a decided disconnect between their spiritual IQ and their spiritual I-Do and wish they would keep their "faith" to themselves.
Well, here's a news flash. Christians aren't the only ones who feel this way.
Madonna: I'm an 'Ambassador for Judaism'
JERUSALEM (AP) - Madonna toasted the Jewish new year with Israeli President Shimon Peres and declared herself an "ambassador for Judaism," local newspapers reported Sunday.
The singer, who is not Jewish, arrived in Israel Wednesday on the eve of Jewish new year to attend a conference on Kabbalah or Jewish mysticism.
Madonna met Peres at his official Jerusalem residence on Saturday evening and the two exchanged gifts, with Madonna receiving a lavishly bound copy of the Jewish Bible.
She gave Peres a volume of "The Book of Splendor," the guiding text of Kabbalah, inscribed "To Shimon Peres, the man I admire and love, Madonna," the Yediot Ahronot daily reported.
A Peres aide confirmed the meeting but had no details.
"You don't know how popular the Book of Splendor is among Hollywood actors," Yediot quoted Madonna as telling Peres. "Everyone I meet talks to me only about that. I am an ambassador for Judaism."
Madonna, who was raised a Roman Catholic, has taken the Hebrew name Esther, and has been seen wearing a red thread on her wrist in a Jewish tradition to ward off the evil eye.
As you can imagine there are some who have a few problems with the "Material Girl" claiming to be a spiritual leader.
A spokesman for the leading Kabbalist study center in Jerusalem gave this less than stirring endorsement.
"It is a known fact in Kabbala that impurity and evil are inherently attracted to sanctity," said a director of one of the most respected Kabbala yeshivot in Jerusalem who preferred that he and his institution remain anonymous.
"That's why people of Hollywood, a place of iniquity and lasciviousness, are naturally attracted to the holiness of Kabbala."
"Wherever there is holiness and sanctity there is also evil," added the director, who said that during her last visit to Israel three years ago, Madonna repeatedly tried to contact his institution, but her calls were not returned. "That's why someone like that lady - I don't even want to mention her name - is so attracted to the Kabbala."
Madonna may claim with her lips to be "an ambassador for Judaism", but her life is telling a different story.
And the rabbis are essentially saying, "Thanks, but no thanks. We don't need more bad publicity."
And here lies the lesson for us.
Paul wrote:
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:11-12)
It has been said that as Christians we aren't saved by good works, but for good works. Why is God interested in us living a holy and consistent Christian life? Because he knows that another key spiritual principle is in effect 24/7.
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (II Corinthians 3:2-3)
People who will never read the Bible will far more readily read the "Gospel according to our lives". People aren't so much interested in what we say about God, as much as they are interested in the difference God has made in the way we live.
God desires that all people come to know His love and truth. Our number one priority as believers in Jesus is to point people in that direction.
What an exciting thing it is to have a non believer say to us, "What is so different about you? Where do you get that peace and patience I see in your life?"
To be able to reply, "God's love has really made a difference in my life." is one of the greatest joys we will ever experience.
But if our lifestyle choices either distract from or discredit the Good News of Christ, well, like Madonna, we'd be better off keeping our spiritual takes to ourselves.
Scott's Blog - 9/14/07
Back On Your Feet Again
For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity. (Proverbs 24:16)
No one lives a stumble proof Christian life. So when we pull off a spiritual face plant, how do we get back on our feet again? Check out this week's video blog to find out!
Scott's Blog - 9/13/07
God has No Grandchildren ( Including Billy Graham's)
Back in the '90's there was a wind of doctrine that blew through the church that basically blamed all our problems on our parents.
People would say, "Well, I can't really be responsible for my actions because I'm an ACOA - Adult Child of an Alcoholic. If you were raised in the home I came from you'd act the same way I do."
I have no doubt that our family of origin can explain a lot about our tendencies in life. As the Chinese proverb puts it, "In a broken nest there are few whole eggs."
But as I have interacted with a lot of different people in crisis over the years I have discovered two things. Some of the most rebellious people come from the most rock solid families and some of the most rock solid people I have ever met have come from radically unstable homes.
How to explain this phenomenon?
A real insight can be gained from the personal testimony of Tullian Tchividijan - the grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham.
Tullian openly shares that he rebelled against everything his family stood for.
"Ah! There must have been more than meets the eye in the Graham family! Did Billy beat poor Tullian with a Bible?"
In a word - No.
"The flavor of Christianity that was expressed by my family was not legalistic or oppressive. It was joyful, warm, inviting, hospitable, and real. I am, however, the middle of seven children and to be honest, that wasn’t easy."
In short, Tullian experienced the stresses and strains inherent in any normal family with seven children. And he decided to deal with his stress in a less than constructive way.
"I rebelled against everything my family stood for," he said, according to The Associated Press.
Tchividjian dropped out of high school and spent several years trying to "find himself" through promiscuity, drugs and alcohol.
During his rebellious stage, his grandparents, Billy and Ruth Graham, never preached to him or gave him a lecture, Tchividjian said in the interview.
"They always told me they were praying for me, that they believed God had His hand on me, and that if I ever needed anything, not to hesitate to let them know," he explained. "Their unconditional love for me during that time was stunning."
At age 21, when his fun came to an end, Tchividjian cried to God and his life drastically changed. Billy Graham called the turnaround an answer to his prayer.
"God graciously brought me to the end of myself," said Tchividjian. "God came to me and God conquered me."
Tullian is now a pastor and author of a new book "Is God Knowable?"
What can we learn from this?
First, one of the most counterproductive exercises we can engage in is the blame game. Ever since Adam and Eve none of us can say we were raised by perfect parents.
In fact denying personal responsibility by pointing the finger at the previous generation is something God tells us to stay away from.
The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
“What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the
land of Israel, saying:
‘ The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this
proverb in Israel.
“ Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die." (Ezekiel 18:1-4)
The "It's not my fault, my family made me do it!"school of thought has been in session a long time. Its graduates tend to be people whose lives are going nowhere fast.
But conversely, when we realize that God continues to reach out to us, with an offer of healing from the sin and pain of the past, and the promise of a brand new life to lead us into a glorious future, things can change.
If you are a parent and it seems like your child is slipping away, the best thing to do is to continue to love them, and model the beautiful life that Jesus can bring as a powerful reality.
And remember, there is one Person Who is even more concerned about your child's spiritual welfare than you are.
Scott's Blog - 9/12/07
Birth Pain Watch
It has been said there are two kinds of people in the world - Those who jump out of bed, full of vitality, ready to take on the world, and the rest of us who would like to throw something at them.
Count me in the second group. Oh, I roll out of bed pretty early in the morning, but getting on my feet to start the day is more of a process than anything else.
Part of my routine is setting the alarm about 15 minutes earlier than when I have to get up. This allows me the simple pleasure of hitting the snooze alarm and that quick fall back into the best feeling sleep of the whole night.
But then, the snooze alarm goes off and I know it's time to face the inevitable.
As I read the headlines today I got the same odd feeling as when I go through my snooze alarm ritual. I'm awakened. I ignore the warning. But then I am awakened again.
Today, the snooze alarm God has given to us went off again.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-8)
Let's take one of these signs of the times - Nation rising against nation - and compare it with the stories we can find on the Drudge Report just today.
U.S. Officials Begin Crafting Iran Bombing Plan
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
WASHINGTON — A recent decision by German officials to withhold support for any new sanctions against Iran has pushed a broad spectrum of officials in Washington to develop potential scenarios for a military attack on the Islamic regime, FOX News confirmed Tuesday.
The 'proxy war': UK troops are sent to Iranian border
British soldiers return to action as tensions between US and Iran grow
Exclusive by Kim Sengupta in Baghdad
Published: 12 September 2007
British forces have been sent from Basra to the volatile border with Iran amid warnings from the senior US commander in Iraq that Tehran is fomenting a "proxy war".
In signs of a fast-developing confrontation, the Iranians have threatened military action in response to attacks launched from Iraqi territory while the Pentagon has announced the building of a US base and fortified checkpoints at the frontier.
Report: Israel spots nuclear installations in Syria
Washington official says Israeli surveillance shows possible Syrian nuclear installation stocked by North Korea, Israeli Arab newspaper claims target of alleged raid last week was Syrian missile base financed by Iran
And, of course this tribute to ecological correctness:
Russia tests 'Dad Of All Bombs'
Russia's military has successfully tested what it describes as the world's most powerful non-nuclear air-delivered bomb.
Channel One television said the new ordnance, nicknamed the "Dad Of All Bombs" is four times more powerful than the US "Mother Of All Bombs".
"The tests have shown that the new air-delivered ordnance is comparable to a nuclear weapon in its efficiency and capability," Col Gen Alexander Rukshin, a deputy chief of the Russian military's General Staff, said.
Unlike a nuclear weapon, the bomb does not pose an environmental threat from the release of radiation, he added.
The statement reflected the Kremlin's efforts to restore Russia's global clout and rebuild the nation's military might.
Hard to sleep through these developments isn't it?
And that is just today.
We haven't even mentioned minor observations like an 8.4 earthquake in Sumatra, another outbreak of Ebola virus in the Congo, and killer bees infesting New Orleans.
The funny thing is, the more the snooze alarm goes off, the more resistant we become to the warning bell. Most people in our culture are far more interested in the trials and tribulations of Britney Spears 80th come back attempt than the signs that Jesus described as "birth pains" in Matthew 24.
But like birth pains, these kind of events will likely build up to an intense level, then subside for a time. The lulls between these waves of prophetically significant events will grow shorter and shorter as the big event draws near.
The wise will heed the wake up call.
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:11-13)
Scott's Blog - 9/11/07
9/11 and 8:28
Country singer Toby Keith asked an almost life defining question in his song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?"
It's a funny thing how tragic circumstances can serve as a book mark for our lives.
For the Baby Boomers, most can remember exactly where we were when they heard that President Kennedy had been shot.
For this generation, most will never forget the phone call that came telling us to turn on the television.
Most will never forget the state of shock as we watched the second plane slam into the World Trade Center.
Most will never forget the images of the snarling roil of smoke barreling down the streets of New York as the buildings collapsed.
Most will never forget the plaintive bleating of the personal location devices carried by the astonishingly brave New York Fire Fighters, crying out like so many lost sheep looking for deliverance.
Most will never forget seeing the stunning contrast between the civilized world putting it's collective arms across our nation's grief slumped shoulders, and the New Years' Day like celebration that went on in the Palestinian Territories.
Most will never forget.
And neither should we.
A formerly simple task like catching a plane flight reminds us that the evil acts of deluded followers of a false prophet have changed this world forever.
And there is no going back to the way things were before 9/11.
But there is a way to move forward.
You see, every time I am reminded of what went on that awful day, I am also reminded of a well known, yet powerful promise from God's Word.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
You see, even in the face of consummate evil, distilled in its purest form, God was working.
The stories of heroism, sacrifice and honor in response to 9/11 have been well documented.
But I'd like to share a personal story of how God used the events of that day to change my life.
After watching the broadcasts and seeing bad turn to worse turn to a living nightmare, my wife Pam and I decided to pray. And while we were praying, it dawned on me that there had to be an incredible amount of confused and frightened people, wondering where God was in the midst of all of this.
At that time we had a half hour radio broadcast of Bible teaching called "Sonrise" that aired every day at 5 pm. Following us was another teaching program called "Practical Christian Living" with Pastor Robert Furrow of Calvary Chapel of Tucson.
I called Robert and shared with him what God had put on my heart - "How about if you and I go down to the radio station, and take the hour we are on to open up the phones and try to answer the questions that are on the hearts of people today?"
Robert agreed. We went on the air at 5 pm, September 11, 2001.
The response was powerful. So many called with questions, and so many expressed their gratitude for having a place to go to get answers.
And in the aftermath, the Lord spoke to my heart again. "Maybe there needs to be a place where people can get answers to the questions of life from God's Word every day?"
And on that dark day, when the light of God's Word was allowed to shine on the airwaves of Tucson Arizona, a ministry was born. You know it today as Scott Richards Live.
Now when I have the privilege of daily taking questions on the Bible from all over the country, and even around the world through the internet, I am stunned at how the events of 9/11 have changed my life for the better. A dream that was too wonderful for me to imagine took shape that day, and now is a huge part of how I serve the Lord.
It's important to see a crucial distinction in Romans 8:28.
"God works all things together for good".
It doesn't say "Hey! All things are good! Keep a stiff upper lip and quit your whining!"
There was nothing good about the murder of innocents in the name of a twisted vision of cruelty dressed up as righteousness.
But God can and does work, even in the darkest times.
The next time you find yourself sitting in shock, perhaps finding yourself quoting Job's famous line, "That which I have greatly feared has come to pass."
Remember God is still working. The darkness that surrounds could be dispelled by the dawn of a brand new day very soon.
Hang in there, and then hang on! God could be getting you ready for the ride of your life!
FDNY - Ground Zero Spirit
Original Front Page Photograph
Never forget!
Scott's Blog - 9/10/07
God has No Grandchildren
The image is jarring. A group of six young men proudly giving the classic "Heil Hiler" salute.
Where was this picture taken? A Klan meeting in the deep South? A secret neo-Nazi meeting in Berlin?
Nope.
The picture you see was taken in Israel. And the young men are not only violent neo-Nazis who have been implicated in attacks on 15 Jews.
They are Israeli citizens.
Police crack first neo Nazi cell ever discovered in Israel
It seems almost unthinkable in the homeland created by the Jews after the terrors of fascism.But Israel has a cell of neo-Nazis, accused of a string of attacks on foreign workers, orthodox Jews, drug addicts and gays.
The immigrants from the former Soviet Union are all Israeli citizens and have been arrested in connection with 15 assaults.
How could such a thing be possible? Isn't Israeli citizenship granted only to those who have Jewish ancestry?
There is the rub. According to Israel's Law of Return, citizenship is granted to all who can show that at least one grand parent was Jewish.
As the London Daily Mail observes:
More than a million Jews immigrated from the former Soviet Union to Israel in the 1990s, and more than half a million in the 20 years before that.
Because of the high assimilation rate in the Soviet Union, many Jews there married non- Jews.
When they later moved to Israel, they took their spouses, children and grandchildren with them.
This means many from the former Soviet Union with questionable ties to Judaism have been allowed to immigrate.
Mr Rosenfeld said all of the suspects had "parents or grandparents who were Jewish in one way or another".
When I read this article I couldn't help but think of the telling observation of the apostle Paul:
For they are not all Israel who are of Israel (Romans 9:6)
These neo Nazis obviously had provable connections to God's chosen people physically and even legally, but certainly not morally or spiritually.
And therein lies the lesson for us.
Contrary to popular belief, people aren't "born Christian". The only people who are Christians in God's eyes are those who have been "born again" as Christians - given a brand new heart and life by God as a result of making a personal and conscious choice to put their faith in His Son.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
In the church today there are people who are just as opposed to the genuine Person, work and teaching of Jesus as these neo Nazis are to the nation of Israel.
Some aren't hard to spot.
The usual suspects we see on the talk shows who wear clerical collars and bear impressive and spiritual sounding titles, while openly denying that the Bible is the Word of God.
The church elder who piously prays on Sunday and meets clients for drinks at a strip club on Monday.
The people who can quote all the verses and theologians but are absolutely devoid of love.
The media evangelist who cries for donations on the air, and then spends donations sent by poor widows to finance their private jet trips.
One of the toughest questions we will encounter from non believers concerning our faith goes something like this - "If you Christians have the truth, why are there so many hypocrites in the church?"
The answer I give is two fold.
First, even among sincere Christians who genuinely know the love of God there will be faults and failures. Christians aren't perfect, but we are in process, being transformed into the image of Christ in our character. No one has "arrived" yet. That is why I point you to Jesus, because He is what Christianity is all about and He is no hypocrite.
For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. (II Corinthians 4:5)
Second, the reason there are sometimes flat out evil people in the church is because like the neo Nazis of Israel, they have a connection to God's people physically (they go to church), and even relationally (they may know or be related to genuine Christians), but they have never made the connection with God personally.
And God has no grand children.
He has no "friends of friends".
We either know Him personally, by consciously deciding to receive Him as our Savior, or we don't.
The big question is - have you made this decision? Can you point to a specific moment where you prayed -
"Lord, I know that I have sinned and fallen short of who You made me to be. I believe You gave your Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. I believe that Jesus died for me. I believe you raised Him from the dead so I could have life. I ask you to forgive my sins, come into my heart and give me Your new life. I receive Jesus as my personal Savior this day. I give my life to You, because Your Son gave His life for me. Thank You for saving me Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
The Bible tells us that "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Life is too short and eternity is too long to not take this invitation seriously. Settle the issue. Ask Jesus to make you a part of His forever family today.
If you would like to receive some helpful information about your new life in Jesus, give our customer service number a call at (877) 556-1212!
We will get our New Believer's Survival Packet out to you free of cost or obligation.
Welcome to the family of God!
Scott's Blog - 9/07/07
A Spiritual M.I.A?
Most of us are familiar with the account of Daniel's three contemporaries, Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
But one question stands out to the perceptive reader - Where was Daniel?
Did he compromise his faith to avoid persecution?
Or could there be a profound reason why he is strangely absent from the incident?
Check out our weekend video-blog for an insight that may change the way you look not only at the book of Daniel, but the return of Jesus as well!
Scott's Blog - 9/06/07
The Gap (Toothed) Theory?
Every now and then I come across a passage of Scripture that seems to illustrate the principle "Always leave 'em wanting more."
Consider this passage from the book of Genesis.
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)
That's it?
What do you mean "walked with God"?
"He was not, for God took him" ??
How? Where? Why? How do we get in on that?
You get the picture.
And I wish I could fill in the details for you, but that is all we get. If you want to know more, you will have to ask Enoch when you get to Heaven.
Ah, but some people are not content to follow Luther's famous advice, "Where the Scriptures are silent, we must be silent." They are more than happy to fill in the blanks with a level of detail that not only goes far beyond the boundaries of the Bible, but are almost certainly the products of an overheated imagination.
Take the question, "What does Messiah look like?"
Now the Bible is famously bereft of any physical descriptions of Jesus in His earthly ministry. The reason is simple. Since the apostles believed Jesus' claim to be God, any such description might come perilously close to violating the 10 Commandments' prohibition on making a graven image of the Almighty. The closest we get is an intensely symbolic vision of Jesus in His glorified state in the book of Revelation.
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. (Revelation 1:12-16)
Again, this is such a powerful vision of the glory of the risen Jesus that it strains our ability to comprehend it. If we desire an artist's description of the Savior, we will have to look elsewhere because it's just not in the eyewitness accounts of the Bible.
But, interestingly, this is not a problem in Shiite Islam. Want to know what their version of messiah, the so called 12th Mahdi, looks like?
Among the features to look for are a man with "a distinctive forehead, protruding nose, gapped teeth and a black mole."
This sounds almost funny at first glance. The description of the Mahdi sounds like Jerry Lewis in "The Nutty Professor". But others in the Middle East are beginning to associate this description with another media personality.
Middle East observer Mike Evans comments:
There are those among Islam's adherents who believe that George Bush is the Dajjal (Antichrist) and Osama bin Laden the Mahdi (Islamic messiah.) In fact, bin Laden has begun to sign his name, Osama bin Mohammed bin Laden. Many among bin Laden's al-Qaeda organization point to the fact that their leader has the features attributed to the Mahdi- distinctive forehead, protruding nose, gapped teeth, a black mole. Bin Laden is descended from Mohammad's daughter, Fatima, and was called forth from his cave in Afghanistan to fight the "Dajjal." In fact, bin Laden refers to President Bush as al-Dajjal and the United States as Dabbah (the beast that must be slain.)
Scary? You bet. Especially since the Mahdi is supposed to return at the height of a cataclysmic global war.
Whenever we attempt to 'fill in the blanks' on the Word of God we find ourselves on shaky ground. False doctrines from Islam to Mormonism to the Jehovah's Witnesses have all traded on people's desire for "secret insider info you just can't find in the Bible".
How sad that the quest for 'something more' inevitably leads to 'something less'.
Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)
Scott's Blog - 9/05/07
The Chill of Chimeras
Imagine a scientist so committed to finding a cure for an illness that he was willing to create a human/animal hybrid to accomplish his goal.
Sounds like the plot of those black and white monster movies they used to show on "Chiller", right?
Or it could be the latest headline on the Drudge Report.
Part-human embryos are a chilling step closer as watchdog gives go-ahead for hybrid 'chimeras'
The creation of part-human, part-animal embryos looks set to be approved by the fertility regulator tomorrow.
These "hybrid" embryos would be used for research into incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's.
The news follows a surprise Government decision not to ban the controversial research.
A shortage of human eggs has led two groups of scientists to appeal to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for permission to make hybrid embryos from human skin cells and animal eggs.
The most interesting thing about this go ahead into the realm of mad science is that a few months ago it looked as if the creation of chimeras for research was a non starter. But how times have changed.
In December, the government sparked a revolt by scientists, patient groups and medical researchers when it published a white paper containing proposals to outlaw almost all research into animal-human embryos. The research has since been backed by Nobel prizewinners, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the Commons science and technology committee, and the government's chief science adviser, Sir David King.
In May, the government withdrew its opposition in a draft fertility bill and now seeks to outlaw only embryos created by mixing sperm and eggs from humans and animals. The bill will be put before parliament before the end of the year.
Do I detect a trip to the slippery slope afoot here?
First we are told that such research is reprehensible. But get enough high profile members of the white lab coat set behind it, make a few extravagant promises as to what this approach will produce, mix liberally with a world view that defines what is right as what works, and now we have embryonic cow-people.
"Oh, don't worry! We will never let these creatures get beyond a few days development!" Or so we are promised.
But since this stage went from reprehensible to reality in record time, why will we be surprised when five years from now the cures at any cost crowd will be pushing for the further gestation or even birth of a man/cow?
The Biblical implications of this are important to grasp. God intervened in a stunning act of judgment at a place called the Tower of Babel. Why?
And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:6-9)
It is interesting that the Lord intervened when unprincipled men decided to push the envelope and exercise God like prerogatives.
Could the relentless attempts at meddling with the essential nature of life be bringing us to a similar place where the Lord himself will say "That's far enough."?
Stay tuned.
Scott's Blog - 9/04/07
Pray 'Till It Hurts Or Pray 'Till It Helps?
If you are a regular reader of Scott's Blog, we made you aware of a crucial need for prayer for our friends in Belize as Hurricane Dean hit the country. The results of your prayers were amazing as the damage from Dean was light, and the ministry of Lighthouse Christian Radio was uneffected.
Well, get ready to hit your knees again!
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - Hurricane Felix rapidly strengthened into a dangerous Category 5 storm and churned on Monday toward Central America, where forecasters said it could arrive as a "potentially catastrophic" storm. Tourists jammed the airports seeking flights out.
Felix was packing winds of up to 165 mph as it headed west, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It could hit Honduras' coastline on Tuesday before slamming into Belize, where many residents were still cleaning up from last month's Hurricane Dean.
"As it stands, we're still thinking that it will be a potentially catastrophic system in the early portions of this week," said Dave Roberts, a hurricane specialist at the center in Miami.
We will keep you posted on how this story directly effects our friend Clive Welsh and Lighthouse Christian Radio. But please keep the situation in prayer.The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)
Scott's Blog - 9/03/07
The Kings of the East
One of the most intriguing predictions of the power players who will dominate the world's stage in the Last Days is found in Revelation chapter 16.
Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)
This scripture paints a picture of the gathering of the world's armies to the infamous "Battle of Armaggedon". Notice that a major force in this war of annihilation will be "the kings of the east". Prophecy commentators have long speculated that the rise of communist China would set the stage for the fulfillment of this passage. Others have doubted this is the case, pointing to the lack of economic and technological heft that would qualify China as a power able to play such a role.
In the last decade these objections seem to have been systematically answered. In 1999, China reclaimed the city of Hong Kong from the British. Instead of being choked out by the rigidity of communism, Hong Kong has been allowed to continue in it's capitalistic ways. The entire nation seems to have followed suit, making China an economic power to be reckoned with.
Technologically, China is pouring vast amounts of new found capital into an aggressive space program with an avowed goal of putting men on the moon by the 2020's.
Militarily, China is a nuclear power with the capacity to project its power world wide. But a new and troubling sign of a growing aggressiveness of this "king of the east" was revealed in the Financial Times today.
Chinese military hacked into Pentagon
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Richard McGregor in Beijing
The Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June in the most successful cyber attack on the US defence department, say American officials.
The Pentagon acknowledged shutting down part of a computer system serving the office of Robert Gates, defence secretary, but declined to say who it believed was behind the attack.
Current and former officials have told the Financial Times an internal investigation has revealed that the incursion came from the People’s Liberation Army.
One senior US official said the Pentagon had pinpointed the exact origins of the attack. Another person familiar with the event said there was a “very high level of confidence...trending towards total certainty” that the PLA was responsible. The defence ministry in Beijing declined to comment on Monday.
The PLA regularly probes US military networks – and the Pentagon is widely assumed to scan Chinese networks – but US officials said the penetration in June raised concerns to a new level because of fears that China had shown it could disrupt systems at critical times.
“The PLA has demonstrated the ability to conduct attacks that disable our system...and the ability in a conflict situation to re-enter and disrupt on a very large scale,” said a former official, who said the PLA had penetrated the networks of US defence companies and think-tanks.
China, a sleeping giant for centuries, now appears to have the economy, the technology and the will to be a major military force in the next decade.
The way is being prepared for the kings of the east.