Some of us actually walk away and stop going to church, stop praying, stop studying etc…and then one day in some way…we find ourselves back in church, back studying and praying. What made the difference?

For me, what really got my attention was a few years back listening to some sermons while I was driving a 4 hour commute 4 times per week. I would listen to these messages like nothing I had ever heard before that made me realize this world would not last forever. This really woke me up.

What did it for you? Leave some Comments below…

I have been studying as of late why Jesus waits to help His people and how long will we wait until something happens on this earth. We have enough crisis etc to keep us distracted but what is Christ waiting on?

I submit to you that He is waiting on you. You see, a long time ago there arose something called ’sin’. At the root of this sin was pride and selfishness. Sadly enough, I am sure that you see it in the lives of those around you and if you are honest, you will admit even you at times have it.

I have been blessed lately to read enough things to see that there may indeed be a few steps to ‘curing’ this selfishness.

There is a chapter in the bible in the book of Matthew. Chapter 25 describes that there will be two classes when Christ judges the earth. There will be those that helped others and those that did not.

Also, in Isaiah 58, there is a cure for our problem of ineffectiveness on the earth. We need to serve the needs of those around us. This may include feeding the poor both in the United States and abroad. This may include meeting someone for lunch to encourage them. It may be thanking your pastor for his dedication to the ministry. This may include doing something for someone that honestly probably doesn’t ‘deserve’ anything but if you really think about it…we deserved nothing that we have today and yet Christ came to save us in our nasty condition.

Go and help someone this week. Ask the Lord right now, who in your life needs some help. Who may need help that most would not think they do? There are many that hide their needs. Maybe you can encourage someone that needs it.

If we do this, we will begin to see some amazing things take place on this earth.

I was sent this book that is free to view online. It is a deep read but is cutting edge if you ask me on the journey of food and a way to better health.

Full Book

I have been studying some interesting things lately on health and one of the most fascinating is how digestion works. This article is not as crazy as it sounds.

As shown in the charts below, the U.S. has 1,321 billion barrels of oil (or barrels of oil equivalent for other sources of energy) when combining its recoverable natural gas, oil and coal reserves. Full Story

Also, here is a concoction to boost your immune system this winter. I have taken it and it is strong but oh so healthy. It has many different properties that help build up different parts of your immune system.

‘Nature’s Flu Shot’

Juice 6 fresh lemons

1 bulb of garlic-not a clove but the whole bulb

1 tbsp of raw honey

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (180,000 hu or higher if you can)

2 tsp. ground ginger

Pineapple juice

-Put all of the ingredients(except pineapple juice) in a blender and blend until smooth.

-strain into a jar/glass

-add enough pineapple juice to make 1 quart(32.oz) of liquid

At first sign of cold, sinus, or flu symptoms, take 1 cup of Nature’s Flu Shot every 3-4 hours until symptoms are gone.

—-This thing works, and if you want to boost it up for the swine flu going around…add 1 tsp of ‘turmeric’ which is the substance in curry that has the ‘curcumin’—–which boosts your T-cells

Enjoy… SEE ALL THE PICTURES

Christ described the last days as a troubling and frightful time: “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth…. Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity” (Luke 21:26, 25).

What did Jesus give us to prepare us for these calamities? What was his antidote to the fear that was going to come?

He gave us the illustration of our Father watching the sparrow, of God numbering the very hairs on our heads. These illustrations become even more meaningful when we consider the context in which Jesus gave them.

He told these illustrations to his twelve disciples, as he sent them out to evangelize the cities and towns of Israel. He had just endowed them with power to cast out demons and heal all manner of sickness and disease. Think of what an exciting moment that had to be for the disciples. They were given power to work miracles and wonders! But then came these fearful warnings from their Master:

“You won’t have any money in your pocket. And you won’t have a home, not even a roof to sleep under. Instead, you’ll be called heretics and devils. You’ll be beaten in synagogues, dragged before judges, thrown into prison. You’ll be hated and despised, betrayed and persecuted. You’ll have to flee from city to city to avoid being stoned.”

Now picture these men wide-eyed as they listened to Jesus. They must have been gripped with fear. I imagine them wondering, “What kind of ministry is this? Is that what the future holds for me? This is the bleakest outlook on life I’ve ever heard.”

Yet, in this very same scene, Jesus told these beloved friends three times: “Fear not!” (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31).  And he gave them the antidote to all fear: “The Father’s eye is always on the sparrow. How much more will it always be on you, his beloved ones?”

Jesus is saying, “When doubts flood in— when you’re at your wits’ end and you think no one sees what you’re going through—here is how to find rest and assurance. Look at the little birds outside your window. And run your fingers through your hair. Then remember what I told you, that these small creatures are of immense value to your Father. And your hairs are to remind you that you’re of much greater value to him. His eye is always on you. And he who sees and hears your every move is near.”

That is how our Father cares for us in hard times.

A surprise Vatican decision, announced 10 days earlier to make it easier for Anglicans to become Roman Catholics while retaining aspects of Anglican liturgy and identity, had left some wondering whether Rome would embrace married Anglican clergy in large numbers. Full Story

When the sermon is done, it’s time for communion, and the pastor guides attendees through the ritual. Later, worshippers exchange Facebook and e-mail addresses so they can stay in touch. Full Story

God made that… Nice….Full Story

National Geographic Story

Full Story

The great drama as of late has been whether the sunday law is the next thing on the scene or if other events will transpire before then. To those who do not yet make up a part of the remnant church, then some of the following may be confusing. The book ‘Great Controversy’ in correlation with the Bible shows some amazing scenes that are going to take place before Christ returns. How those events unfold is a topic of great interest to all mankind.

If you have the opportunity to read the chapter ‘The Loud Cry’ in Great Controversy, you will see that there is going to be a great revival and stir in the religious world and as a result of that, there will be a call to have a national day of worship in the United States first and then the rest of the world will follow suit. All of the talk in Europe of Sunday Laws, I will tell you is not biblical and is just a distraction from the devil.

You know what else is a distraction….everything. What do I mean? Well wars, economic disasters, famine, earthquakes, etc are all distractions that the devil is throwing at us to keep us from preparing for the day of Judgment. God wants to save His children, contrary to even things I have posted on this website. God will and has forgiven me for items that do not show His mercy and fairness in this Great Controversy that we find ourselves in the climax of.

God is looking for a people He can trust. When He finds those people, He will seal them. This is known as the 144,000 or the first fruits. When this happens, the winds of strife in Revelation 7 will be let loosed and all that Hell can throw at this world will be ‘loosed’.

Our focus today needs to be revival in our own personal lives and this will be a blessing to those around us in our churches and our day to day experience.

There will be a sunday law. Before that though, there will be 2 revivals. A false revival which I believe is beginning and a true revival, which is very tiny and unnoticeable at the moment and I also believe this too has begun.

God is wanting to do awesome things in your life. Will you allow Him and choose Him daily to do just that? If so, then today is the day to stand up with more courage than ever before to stand for right though the heavens and hell will be shaken to the core around us.

This is the title of the article linked to below. It made me realize that our world is running towards a moment in which it sees ‘no need’ for God. God needs just a small number of people to get the final events rolling. Who is willing to fully submit to God’s will? Check out this statement in regards to life just before God destroyed the earth with a flood.

But if there was one sin above another which called for the destruction of the race by the flood, it was the base crime of amalgamation of man and beast which defaced the image of God, and caused confusion everywhere. God purposed to destroy by a flood that powerful, long-lived race that had corrupted their ways before him.- From the Book Spirit of Prophecy Vol 1- by E.G. White

I personally don’t think this is referring to a mixing of humans and animals but actually playing with the genes of humans and altering the genes of animals to create without God’s approval in His ordained methods. We think the men before the flood were dumb. Get Serious. These men were smarter than we will ever be. They lived nearly 1000 years. Imagine the growth in knowledge you have had since you were a kid. These men and women did not really start to develop until after they were 100. Wow.

Full Story on Godless Creation

“My biggest problem is..Full Story

In an interview with The Times, Lord Stern of Brentford said: “Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world’s resources. A vegetarian diet is better.” Full Story

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil….

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don’t even drink juice that has been heated up. Don’t eat cooked fruits because you don’t get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher.. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this ’sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE’: (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive…

This was sent in from someone who has a passion for good health and this is by no means guaranteed to cure disease. Only God can cure disease.

Lunch will be provided and if you cannot make it for any reason, the messages will be recorded in both audio and video and will be on presenttruth.com the following week.

As Jesus came into the temple, He took in the whole scene. He saw the unfair transactions. He saw the distress of the poor, who thought that without shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness for their sins. He saw the outer court of His temple converted into a place of unholy traffic. The sacred enclosure had become one vast exchange. {DA 157.2}

Christ saw that something must be done. Numerous ceremonies were enjoined upon the people without the proper instruction as to their import. The worshipers offered their sacrifices without understanding that they were typical of the only perfect Sacrifice. And among them, unrecognized and unhonored, stood the One symbolized by all their service. He had given directions in regard to the offerings. He understood their symbolical value, and He saw that they were now perverted and misunderstood. Spiritual worship was fast disappearing. No link bound the priests and rulers to their God. Christ’s work was to establish an altogether different worship. {DA 157.3}

With searching glance, Christ takes in the scene before Him as He stands upon the steps of the temple court. With prophetic eye He looks into futurity, and sees not only years, but centuries and ages. He sees how priests and rulers will turn the needy from their right, and forbid that the gospel shall be preached to the poor. He sees how the love of God will be concealed from sinners, and men will make merchandise of His grace. As He beholds the scene, indignation, authority, and power are expressed in His countenance. The attention of the people is attracted to Him. The eyes of those engaged in their unholy traffic [BEGIN P.158] are riveted upon His face. They cannot withdraw their gaze. They feel that this Man reads their inmost thoughts, and discovers their hidden motives. Some attempt to conceal their faces, as if their evil deeds were written upon their countenances, to be scanned by those searching eyes. {DA 157.4}

The confusion is hushed. The sound of traffic and bargaining has ceased. The silence becomes painful. A sense of awe overpowers the assembly. It is as if they were arraigned before the tribunal of God to answer for their deeds. Looking upon Christ, they behold divinity flash through the garb of humanity. The Majesty of heaven stands as the Judge will stand at the last day,–not now encircled with the glory that will then attend Him, but with the same power to read the soul. His eye sweeps over the multitude, taking in every individual. His form seems to rise above them in commanding dignity, and a divine light illuminates His countenance. He speaks, and His clear, ringing voice–the same that upon Mount Sinai proclaimed the law that priests and rulers are transgressing–is heard echoing through the arches of the temple: “Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house an house of merchandise.” {DA 158.1}

Slowly descending the steps, and raising the scourge of cords gathered up on entering the enclosure, He bids the bargaining company depart from the precincts of the temple. With a zeal and severity He has never before manifested, He overthrows the tables of the money-changers. The coin falls, ringing sharply upon the marble pavement. None presume to question His authority. None dare stop to gather up their ill-gotten gain. Jesus does not smite them with the whip of cords, but in His hand that simple scourge seems terrible as a flaming sword. Officers of the temple, speculating priests, brokers and cattle traders, with their sheep and oxen, rush from the place, with the one thought of escaping from the condemnation of His presence. {DA 158.2}

A panic sweeps over the multitude, who feel the overshadowing of His divinity. Cries of terror escape from hundreds of blanched lips. Even the disciples tremble. They are awestruck by the words and manner of Jesus, so unlike His usual demeanor. They remember that it is written of Him, “The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up.” Ps. 69:9. Soon the tumultuous throng with their merchandise are far removed from the temple of the Lord. The courts are free from unholy traffic, and a deep silence and solemnity settles upon the scene of confusion. [BEGIN P.161] The presence of the Lord, that of old sanctified the mount, has now made sacred the temple reared in His honor. {DA 158.3}

In the cleansing of the temple, Jesus was announcing His mission as the Messiah, and entering upon His work. That temple, erected for the abode of the divine Presence, was designed to be an object lesson for Israel and for the world. From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God.

Some Scholars see these events as similar to biblical events and plagues or judgments and that in the future we would see a great event in regards to these. Notice the following.

There are a few interesting references to ‘Fire Balls’ or ‘Balls of Fire’ in some historical writings.

Here is some commentary from Genesis 1:23 from the SDA Bible Commentary:

23. Moses. Beginning with the seventh plague Moses steps forward as the sole agent of God. When calling the representatives of the Israelites, Pharaoh still sent for both Moses and Aaron (v. 27; ch. 10:8) as the two with whom he had been dealing from the time the plagues began. But Moses had now become God’s spokesman in the presence of the king and executor of the divine judgments. By now he must have lost his timidity and fearfulness and become the dauntless champion for the cause of God that he remained till the close of his life.

Thunder and hail, and the fire. Although hail only had been predicted, lightning and thunder commonly accompany hailstorms in warm climates. The peculiar electrical display described here as fire running “along upon the ground” seems to have been something corresponding to “fireballs.”

The below is from the book -Last Day Events by E.G. White

Balls of Fire

Last Friday morning, just before I awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep but was not in my home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great [BEGIN P.25] balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to check the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. After a time I awoke and found myself at home.–Ev 29 (1906). {LDE 24.3}

I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say: “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.” Others, with agonized voices, said: “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.”–9T 28 (1909). {LDE 25.1}

ROME, Italy (CNN) — The Vatican said Tuesday it has worked out a way for groups of Anglicans who are dissatisfied with their faith to join the Catholic Church. Full Story

Attack after Attack on God’s word and His plain sentence of foundation, …In The Beginning, God Created the Heavens and the Earth. If you debunk that one sentence then there is no 6 day creation, there is no Sabbath, then there is no law, and it leads to chaos. -See the Reign of Terror and the state of affairs in France in the late 18th century…

(CNN) — Thirty-two planets have been discovered outside Earth’s solar system through the use of a high-precision instrument installed at a Chilean telescope, an international team announced Monday. Full Story

Pastor Willard Santee is one of the speakers at the ‘Last Day Events’ Weekend on October 23, 24 in Atlanta, Georgia. For more info on that event click here.

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>It is with great pleasure that Presentruth had the opportunity recently to ask a few questions to Pastor Willard Santee. Pastor Santee has a number of sermons that he has graciously offered to Presentruth for all to download on our sermons page. More sermons are currently being uploaded.

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>Pastor Santee is currently pastoring in the North Pacific Union. He is a descendent of Hugenot ancestry and early Adventist history. Pastor Santee carries on the tradition of his amazing heritage as a man of faith and courage to stand for truth no matter the circumstances. Two of his great uncles carry his roots back to early Adventism where they served in ministry as contemporaries with James and Ellen White.

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>Pastor Santee is truly a man that allows the Spirit of God to use him. He is a strong reason that Presentruth came into existence and He continues to share the Present truth for this day and age every opportunity that he gets.

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>PT: Pastor Santee, you have preached countless sermons on hundreds and even thousands of topics. Is there any one particular topic that you enjoy preaching on more than any other? And for what reason?

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>WS: It’s hard to believe the number of times a pastor preaches throughout his lifetime. In doing a quick calculation, I have given over 1200 sermons in my present district during the past seven years. And I will be doing a five week revival and evangelistic series, starting this evening, for our local church and community.

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However, I doubt I have preached on a thousand topics. Most of my presentations are rather basic and fundamental studies right from the Word of God. It is taking the basics of our Seventh-day Adventist message and finding new ways of sharing an old, old story.

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After preaching for almost 40 years, on many different topics, I will say my greatest personal joy and spiritual insights have come from preaching a verse by verse commentary on the book of Matthew.

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The only other study that has touched my heart and changed my life more radically for Jesus has been my study of the Revelation. As my son Kelly studied the book of Daniel (and would not stop until he had pieced together the historical events and unfolding story behind every verse in chapter 11) I studied the Revelation.

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In comparing our studies we have been forever changed by what we have discovered. And nothing has been more rewarding than discovering deep insights into God’s prophetic Word with a trusted and beloved friend.

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>PT: You seem very passionate in your messages concerning the day in which we live. Share with us the greatest reason you are a Seventh-day Adventist.

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> WS: The days in which WE live are the only days WE have. I have a hunch, had I lived in the days of the early Advent Movement, I would have been just as passionate about world events then, and happenings inside God’s Remnant Church, as I am today.

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In order to have enduring passion it must come from seeing a bigger picture of biblical proportions than simply getting excited about a specific day or year in which one lives. I can remember the excitement that took place on November 22, in 1963, when some of us lived through the assignation of an incredible president.

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Today, the events of 9/11 are still fresh in our minds. However, in order to keep biblical hope alive it has to be based on more than a single major event in ones life. I would like to suggest that genuine biblical passion comes from that inner conviction which looks back at fulfilled prophecy and holds on by faith to the hope of coming events – whether or not they will be fulfilled in our day. In short, God’s Word is TRUE whether I live long enough to see it fulfilled or not!

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>PT: It is without a doubt a passion of yours to ’seek and save the lost’. What is the greatest mission each person reading this can take to ‘evangelize’ the world in a better way?

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>WS: I see the great commission perhaps a little differently than some have seen it in the past. As to our ‘witness’ in the home, the church, the community, or the world at large, we ARE God’s witnesses – that’s a simple fact. A witness is not something you BECOME it is what you ARE. You may be a poor witness or a good witness but if you are a professed Christian, or a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, you ARE a witness.

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Let me put it like this. Early on in my ministry we were encouraged to ‘go out’ into our communities and witness from door to door, i.e. hand out literature; give Bible studies; do some labor of love for a shut-in or needy family. All these things might be good in themselves and even needed or appreciated but that is not the ‘witness’ Jesus wants us to be. Today I tell folks that our great commission is NOT to “go out” to witness, but to “witness” as we go out. Our very life (in every aspect) is a testimony (or a living witness) of the God we serve.

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If we would ‘live’ our witness rather than trying to ‘give’ our witness we would have far greater results. People are the same the world over. They are drawn to those who are kind, courteous, tenderhearted, etc., etc. We were told that years ago in 9T page 189.

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>PT: Concerning the study of the books of Daniel and Revelation. Do you believe that there is still ‘nuggets’ of truth that God’s people have yet to uncover inside the pages of the Bible and specifically these two prophetic books?

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>WS: I have already mentioned my son Kelly’s manuscript on Daniel 11, and my Revelation study, but let me say it as kindly as possible. I do not believe we as a people have all the pieces of the prophetic puzzle put together yet. Having said that however, I believe when the bigger picture is truly seen, it will fit with all the previous pieces of the picture that have been laid down in biblical truth.

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>PT: If this coming week were the last week you had on this earth, what would you do to fill your time each day? If this Sabbath were your last Sabbath, what message would you share with your congregation?

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>WS: I would probably take a few more nature pictures with my camera to leave with those I love. I would also look forward to the beautiful days that are promised to all of us who love His appearing. I can only imagine the beauty and eternal joy that will be ours, thanks to God’s love toward us as sinners, having redeemed us through His blood.

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When I see the beauty God has given us even in this old world of spiritual darkness and sin, I can hardly wait to open my eyes in a new world where every blink will be a new picture in the landscape of His glorious eternity.

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The message I would probably share with my two church families is the message Jesus shared with His disciple’s just hours before He died. In Matthew 24:44, Jesus said, ‘Therefore you also BE ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The word “BE” ready is much different than “GET” ready. I would like to encourage every member to “BE” ready, every day, through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. For none of us know but what today may be our last day to live for Him.

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>PT: If there is anything else on your heart at this time, please share it with us.

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>WS: I think I just shared it. If you are reading this right now and are NOT ready to meet Jesus, then by all means get ready today, while you still have this moment in time. \n\nThank you Pastor Santee for sharing and may God continue to bless you, your family, and the mission that God has laid before you.—

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>WS: “You are welcome and thank you.”

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>…To be in that number…”Amen”

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The notion of God as the Creator is wrong, claims a top academic, who believes the Bible has been wrongly translated for thousands of years. Full Story

Haven’t verified all the details in this but we do know we live in an uncertain world and that only God can get us out of this. We are in the second of time that he speaks of … Full Story and Document

I have heard of various states mandating health care workers i.e. Nurses etc to get the H1N1 vaccine or else lose their job. It is very hard for me when states begin forcing workers to do things that they would not have otherwise chosen to do. What are your thoughts?

I am going to go out on a limb here and comment on the story linked to above. I don’t care how anyone wants to whitewash the truth or compromise, if it took a pig to create this vaccine, then tell me why I want to violate my beliefs in God’s word due to something that may or may not help me with actually getting the virus? I know that sounds crazy but someone had to say it. I personally adhere to the bible and believe it is literal and applicable and I take offense to others who claim my similar faith and yet glaze over the details and minute things in life.

Now though this will sound even crazier, I can easily see a day coming when people will be saying and I fear some of the same listed in this news story that “well it is for the safety of this country, and God loves us no matter what day we worship Him on, we should worship Him 7 days a week…God loves me too much to get caught up in the details”…..—-those are just a few outlets of compromise that I pray will never come upon this land of religious freedom. Don’t think that the little things in life don’t matter. They prepare us for the big.

For more info: Click Here

What are your thoughts on this? Leave a comment

(CNN)

Tomorrow,on October 17, President Mohamed Nasheed will head the meeting . The 14 ministers in his Cabinet will don scuba gear and descend to a table 20 feet (6 meters) underwater. Full Story

Do you think that if ”powerful climate feedbacks” begin to happen that they could also be due to nature or is it possible they could be the Father seeking to wake up His people?

If you take a look at the world map, you will notice that the vast majority of the world’s population live in cities and especially in big cities on the coasts and lowlands of the world. If the artic ice does melt, it truly will set off some very powerful elements of nature and in essence would wipe out cities on the coasts. What do you think?

Here is the Full Story

This is in regards to the rains that began to fall as the flood began and Noah and his family were safe inside—The beasts, exposed to the tempest, rushed toward man, as though expecting help from him. Some of the people bound their children and themselves upon powerful animals, knowing that these were tenacious of life, and would climb to the highest points to escape the rising waters. Some fastened themselves to lofty trees on the summit of hills or mountains; but the trees were uprooted, and with their burden of living beings were hurled into the seething billows. One spot after another that promised safety was abandoned. As the waters rose higher and higher, the people fled for refuge to the loftiest mountains. Often man and beast would struggle together for a foothold, until both were swept away. {PP 100.2}

I can see evidence in just a statement like this that of course the dinosaurs fought to stay alive and it makes perfect sense how approx. 3400 years after the flood we are finding these evidences of something so great that animals trampled each other to survive.

Here a link to the Full Story in USA Today

What are your thoughts on this? Should we even continue to debate this issue? I honestly see both sides have done an injustice and do not hold to the real truth.  Interview

-CANTON, N.C. (October 13, 2009)—The Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Canton, N.C. will celebrate Halloween by burning Bibles that aren’t the King James Version, as well as music and books and anything else Pastor Marc Grizzard says is a satanic influence. Full Story and Please Leave Your Comments

John Wesley, the passionate reformer, once said to a member of his congregation these following words: “You must either give up your Sin, or give up your seat.”

Here is Isaiah 58-Notice the call to serve others in a very specific way and as we see in Revelation 7 and Matthew 25, only true servants will be sealed:
¹ “Cry aloud, spare not;

It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord’s chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be purified. {MH 471.1}

The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining us. He does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He refines. The blacksmith puts the iron and steel into the fire that he may know what manner of metal they are. The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are of and whether they can be fashioned for His work. {MH 471.2}

The potter takes the clay and molds it according to his will. He kneads it and works it. He tears it apart and presses it together. He wets it and then dries it. He lets it lie for a while without touching it. When it is perfectly pliable, he [BEGIN P.472] continues the work of making of it a vessel. He forms it into shape and on the wheel trims and polishes it. He dries it in the sun and bakes it in the oven. Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker desires to mold and fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the potter, so are we to be in His hands. We are not to try to do the work of the potter. Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the Master Worker. {MH 471.3}

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12, 13. {MH 472.1}

In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master covers the cage, and places it where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark, he tries and tries again to sing that song until it is learned, and he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth, and ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals with His children. He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward. {MH 472.2}

Many are dissatisfied with their lifework. It may be that their surroundings are uncongenial; their time is occupied with commonplace work, when they think themselves capable of higher responsibilities; often their efforts seem to them to be unappreciated or fruitless; their future is uncertain. {MH 472.3}

Let us remember that while the work we have to do may not be our choice, it is to be accepted as God’s choice for us. [BEGIN P.473] Whether pleasing or unpleasing, we are to do the duty that lies nearest. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclesiastes 9:10. {MH 472.4}

If the Lord desires us to bear a message to Nineveh, it will not be as pleasing to Him for us to go to Joppa or to Capernaum. He has reasons for sending us to the place toward which our feet have been directed. At that very place there may be someone in need of the help we can give. He who sent Philip to the Ethiopian councilor, Peter to the Roman centurion, and the little Israelitish maiden to the help of Naaman, the Syrian captain, sends men and women and youth today as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance. {MH 473.1}

God’s Plans the BestOur plans are not always God’s plans. He may see that it is best for us and for His cause to refuse our very best intentions, as He did in the case of David. But of one thing we may be assured, He will bless and use in the advancement of His cause those who sincerely devote themselves and all they have to His glory. If He sees it best not to grant their desires He will counterbalance the refusal by giving them tokens of His love and entrusting to them another service. {MH 473.2}

In His loving care and interest for us, often He who understands us better than we understand ourselves refuses to permit us selfishly to seek the gratification of our own ambition. He does not permit us to pass by the homely but sacred duties that lie next us. Often these duties afford the very training essential to prepare us for a higher work. Often our plans fail that God’s plans for us may succeed. {MH 473.3}

We are never called upon to make a real sacrifice for God. Many things He asks us to yield to Him, but in doing this we are but giving up that which hinders us in the heavenward way. Even when called upon to surrender those things which [BEGIN P.474] in themselves are good, we may be sure that God is thus working out for us some higher good. {MH 473.4}

In the future life the mysteries that here have annoyed and disappointed us will be made plain. We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers and disappointed hopes have been among our greatest blessings. {MH 474.1}

We are to look upon every duty, however humble, as sacred because it is a part of God’s service. Our daily prayer should be, “Lord, help me to do my best. Teach me how to do better work. Give me energy and cheerfulness. Help me to bring into my service the loving ministry of the Saviour.” {MH 474.2}

Here is a clip from the story:

The United Nations called on Tuesday for a new global reserve currency to end dollar supremacy which has allowed the United Statesthe “privilege” of building a huge trade deficit. “Important progress in managing imbalances can be made by..Full Story

The question comes down to Revelation 13. Revelation 13 describes this second beast that comes on the scene as a lamb but turns and begins to speak with the voice of a dragon. The major reason the U.S continues to maintain superpower status is because of the power of our economy and the Dollar. This has changed as of late and so many are beginning to wonder about this prophecy in Revelation. The United States will have to have some sort of ‘teeth’ and economically speaking it has to be it’s currency.

So does this mean it has to be the Dollar? Not neccesarily. The United States could replace the dollar and bring in a new system of currency that will do away with the dollar and bring the values back up. Having said that, if this happens, all those with dollars in the bank would be much more poor at the end of that day.

All signs in Revelation 13 seem to point to the absolute fact that the United States will somehow (via God’s leading) remain the world leader until the close of time. There will come some type of economic collapse though in order for the entire world to be under some type of economic dictatorship where all the world will be threatened with the fact that they cannot ‘buy or sell’ unless they meet certain criteria.

All roads are leading to Rome in this aspect. You see as of late all of the economic talk has overshadowed the talk of the Papacy for ‘Someone’ or Some Entity (the Pope himself if you ask me) needs to take charge and get the morals and religion back into focus and this will fix the economy.

So what does this mean for all of us. A few things I believe. The first is that things like this need to remind us that the God of Prophecy still rules this universe. He still sets up kings and presidents and takes them down. The God of Daniel and the God who saved Noah through the flood will also be ready and willing to save us. Our lives should be full of peace and not of fear. Unfortunately that is not always the case because we have not been taking the time to get to know the God of peace.

The second is that whether we like it or not, a day will come when all hell will literally break loose (Rev 7:1-3) and this world will be thrown into utter chaos. We need to be sure of our salvation and that our Savior promised to never leave us. Are you daily taking the time through study and prayer and living a godly life to grow closer to the Lord?

Do you serve others as Christ served His fellow men? Remember as we see in Revelation 7 and Matthew 25, He is coming back to SEAL only Servants…

If you are not doing the work of Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25, then you and I both have reason to be concerned.

Third: Don’t flee the United States. This thing will be global. Whoever thinks the bible is only including Americans is not studying this thing in context.

If you are earnestly seeking to understand what lies ahead for us on this earth, it is time to study the books of Daniel and the Revelation. History will soon and I believe has begun to be repeated.

So why will we continue to be the Sole Superpower until Jesus Comes? Because God’s word says so in plain language in Revelation 13.

Check out this story

I enjoyed this view of what life was like 100 years ago. Enjoy.

The year is 1909. One hundred years ago.

What a difference a century makes!

Here are some statistics for the Year 1909 :

The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles Of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower

The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year ..

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .

Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which Were
condemned in the press AND the government as ’substandard?

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
Entering into their country for any reason..

Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea Hadn’t been invented yet.

There was no Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, ” Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

Earthquakes and tsunamis, such as the powerful quake that occurred today in the South Pacific and wave it generated, can often go hand-in-hand.

Tsunamis, which can travel over the ocean surface from many hundreds of miles, can be generated when…Full Story

There are statements from many in the past that speak on the possibility of events like this. Here is one of those from a book entitled “Last Day Events”

Great Balls of Fire

Last Friday morning, just before I awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep but was not in my home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great [BEGIN P.25] balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to check the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. After a time I awoke and found myself at home.–Ev 29 (1906). {LDE 24.3}

I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say: “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.” Others, with agonized voices, said: “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.”–9T 28 (1909). {LDE 25.1}

It is at least interesting to look into and study. Here is a recent article on the issue:

“The threat of the Earth being hit by an asteroid is increasingly being accepted as the single greatest natural disaster hazard faced by humanity,” according to Nick Bailey of the University of Southampton’s School of Engineering Sciences team, who has developed a threat identifying program…Full Story

“It’s hard to get funding to study something that’s neat looking,” said cloud physicist Patrick Chuang of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

On the following pages, we’ve gathered photos of some of the strangest, most beautiful cloud types and …Full Story

Is this a real half hour? Is it a week? Is it literal or prophetic? Is it due to heaven emptying to head to earth for the second coming? There are many views on this but below are a few statements that I found interesting in regards to final events and prophetic time.

—-The special light given to John which was expressed in the seven thunders was a delineation of events which would transpire under the first and second angels’ messages. It was not best for the people to know these things, for their faith must necessarily be tested. In the order of God most wonderful and advanced truths would be proclaimed. The first and second angels’ messages were to be proclaimed, but no further light was to be revealed before these messages had done their specific work. This is represented by the Angel standing with one foot on the sea, proclaiming with a most solemn oath that time should be no longer.  {19MR 320.3}
This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world’s history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from

-321-
1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844.  {19MR 320.4}
The Angel’s position, with one foot on the sea, the other on the land, signifies the wide extent of the proclamation of the message. It will cross the broad waters and be proclaimed in other countries, even to all the world. The comprehension of truth, the glad reception of the message, is represented in the eating of the little book. The truth in regard to the time of the advent of our Lord was a precious message to our souls.  {19MR 321.1}

—-“That there should be time no longer.” This message announces the end of the prophetic periods. The disappointment of those who expected to see our Lord in 1844 was indeed bitter to those who had so ardently looked for His appearing. It was in the Lord’s order that this disappointment should come, and that hearts should be revealed. {CTr 340.3}

Have you any thoughts on this? Leave a comment

Modern Christians need an appointment with the Lord to give them a sense of direction and help them move beyond “the bustle of everyday life,” the pope said…Full Story

Sadly though, the heritage that many remember is a heritage of persecution and death. Do we need to remind the world of the dark ages?

I would recommend any book that shows evidence for why Christ waits. The best I have read as of late are “The Sanctuary Service” by ML Andreason, “The Cross and it’s Shadow” by S.N. Haskell and then I would recommend Leviticus 16.

I will excerpt a few of these books below but here is the issue: There is something that the universe is waiting for as time has continued to roll by. The Sanctuary was and is God’s way of showing us the plan of redemption and our way out of this mess that sin has brought. There are so many ways to study and learn from the sanctuary service on the earth which the book of Hebrews shows us was a type of the Heavenly Sanctuary.

Sin is the underlying issue. What do we do with it? What does God do with it? The sanctuary shows us the answer. In this article, I want to focus on one aspect and that is what happens when Christ leaves the heavenly sanctuary?

We are shown from the words inspired by the Holy Spirit in scripture and the sacred writings that we are living in the antitypical Day of Atonement. Christ will soon leave the Most Holy where every case is being decided write now as we speak. On the Day of Atonement in the bible, the High Priest would leave perform a few things on this special day that were not done on any other day. These included making atonement for the Most Holy Place….and also making atonement for the Holy Place and the Altar “before the Lord”. Why was there atonement that needed to be made for these other parts of the sanctuary? We will see below. Before any commentary please read Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16

¹And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

²And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

³Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

⁴He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

⁵And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

⁶And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

⁷And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

⁸And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

⁹And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

¹⁰But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

¹¹And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

¹²And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

¹³And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

¹⁴And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

¹⁵Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

¹⁶And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

¹⁷And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

¹⁸And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

¹⁹And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

²⁰And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

²¹And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

²²And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

²³And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

²⁴And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

²⁵And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

²⁶And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

²⁷And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

²⁸And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

²⁹And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

³⁰For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

³¹It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

³²And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

³³And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

³⁴And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

First from ML Andreason-

THE Day of Atonement was the great day in Israel. It was peculiarly holy, and on it no work was to be done. The Jews called it Yoma, The Day. It was the keystone of the sacrificial system. Whoever did not on that day afflict his soul was cut off from Israel. (Leviticus 23:29) The Day of Atonement occurred on the tenth of the seventh month, Tishri, which corresponds to our September-October. The special preparation for this day began on the first day of Tishri. Of this the Jewish Encyclopedia, article “Atonement,” says: . “The first ten days of Tishri grew to be the ten penitential days of the year, intended to bring about a perfect change of heart, and to make Israel like newborn creatures. . . . the culmination being reached on the Day of Atonement when religion’s greatest gift, God’s condoning mercy, was to be offered to man.” “The idea developed also in Jewish circles that on the first of Tishri, the sacred New Year’s Day and the anniversary of creation, man’s doings were judged and his destiny was decided; and that on the tenth of Tishri the decree of heaven was sealed.” Volume 2, page 281.

A Jewish conception of what took place on that day is given in the same encyclopedia, article “Atonement, Day of,” as follows:

God, seated on His throne to judge the world, at the same time judge, Pleader, Expert, and Witness, opens the Book of Records; it is read, every man’s signature being found therein. The great trumpet is sounded; a still, small voice is heard; the angels shudder, saying, this is the day of judgment: for His very ministers are not pure before God. As a shepherd musters his flock, causing them to pass under his rod, so does God cause every living soul to pass before Him to fix the limit of every creature’s life and to foreordain its destiny. On New Year’s Day the decree is written; on the Day of Atonement it is sealed who shall live and who are to die, etc. But penitence, prayer, and charity may avert the evil decree.” - Ibid., Page 286.

One week before the tenth day of the seventh month the high priest moved from his house in Jerusalem to the temple precincts. There he spent the week in prayer and meditation, and also in rehearsing the ritual for the Day of Atonement, so that no mistake would be made in any of the ceremonies. There was with him also, at least in later years, another priest who could go on with the service of the day should he become sick or die, or any accident befall him. There was also, generally, an older priest, who instructed and helped the high priest, and made sure that he understood each step of the ritual and was thoroughly familiar with all that should be done. The night before the Day of Atonement the high priest was not permitted to sleep, lest some defilement should come to him.

On the Day of Atonement all were up early. The high priest himself officiated in the daily morning sacrifice, which was conducted on this day as on other days. (Numbers 29:11) After this service was over the special services began. The record of what was done is found in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. A study of this chapter yields the following information: Aaron is told that he may not come at all times into the most holy place, “that he die not,” for God “will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:2. When he does come into the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, he is to wear “the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen miter shall he be attired: these are holy garments.” Verse 4. Before putting them on he is to bathe.

As he begins the service the high priest receives from the congregation two goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, which, together with his own sin offering, a bullock, are presented before the Lord. (Verses 3, 5) He kills the bullock, which is for himself, and with it he is to make “an atonement for himself, and for his house.” Verse 11.

After the bullock is killed, but before any of the blood is ministered, the high priest is to “take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil.” There he puts the incense upon the fire he has brought, and the cloud of incense covers “the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.” Verses 12, 13.

The high priest is now ready to minister the blood of the bullock, which he does by sprinkling “It with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy scat shall he sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.” Verse 14.

Before the bullock is killed, another ceremony has taken place. Lots are cast over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. (Verse The goat upon which the lot falls for the Lord is to be offered as a sin offering. The other, the scapegoat, is to be presented alive before the Lord “to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.” (Verses 9, 10) Of both these

62The Sanctuary Service – M. L Andreasen

goats it is stated that Aaron shall “present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Verse 7. This means that both of them were taken near the door of the tabernacle and tied to rings placed in the ground or pavement, and left standing there while the other part of the service with the bullock went forward. They were thus presented “before the Lord,” to await the conclusion of the services of the incense and the bullock.

After the high priest came out of the most holy place, having performed the ritual with the blood of the bullock, he killed the goat of the sin offering which was for the people. He then entered the most holy place and sprinkled the blood of the goat, as he had sprinkled the blood of the bullock, upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. (Verse 15) By this act he made atonement for the most holy place “because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins.” Verse 16. He then did the same thing for the tabernacle of the congregation, that is, the holy place.

There was a special regulation that while the high priest was doing this work, there must be no one in “the tabernacle of the congregation when he goes in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.” Verse 17. We are not told the reason for this prohibition, but it seems reasonable to believe that as the veil which separated the holy from the most holy was drawn aside during the special services of the Day of Atonement, thus revealing the ark and the mercy scat with the Shekinah, anyone not specially appointed to enter the sanctuary would be in serious danger of intruding into God’s presence unprepared, which encroachment, of course, would mean instantaneous death.

Cleansing the Tabernacle and Altar

Having made atonement for the holy place and for the tabernacle of the congregation, that is, for the most holy place and the holy place (verse 16), Aaron “shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord,***(read more at the end) and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Verses 18, 19.

Aaron had now “made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar.” Verse 20. It is worthy of notice that the second apartment is called the “holy place” in this chapter, as indeed it is elsewhere in the Bible. But this need not cause any confusion, for it is contrasted with the “tabernacle of the congregation,” which is the common name for the first apartment. The reading of this verse, as we would understand it, is, therefore, that Aaron had now “made an end of reconciling” the most holy place, the holy place, and the altar.

When Aaron offered the bullock, he made “an atonement for himself, and for his house.” Verses 6, 11. On the other hand, the goat of the sin offering was for the people. (Verses 8, 15.) However, in the administration of the goat’s blood Aaron is not said to have made atonement for the people, but “for the holy place,” and “for the tabernacle of the congregation.” Verse 16.

We do not deny, but affirm, that an atonement was effected for the people, for this is stated definitely elsewhere. (Verses 30, 34.) We are merely calling attention to the fact that the blood of the bullock makes atonement for Aaron and his house, while the blood of the goat makes atonement for and cleanses the holy places of the sanctuary. (Verse 18.) It is almost incidentally that the atonement for the people is mentioned. This study leads us to the conclusion that there were two distinct purposes in the cleansing accomplished on the Day of Atonement: one, the cleansing of things-such as the two holy places and the altar; the other, the cleansing of priests and people. Uncleanness is removed from things, and uncleanness is removed from the people. Both are cleansed. (Verses 16, 19, 30.) Also, atonement is made for things, and atonement is made for the people. (Verses 11, 16, 18, 30, 33, 34.) These two purposes are closely connected; one is dependent on the other, and yet they must be kept separate in our thinking as they are in the record.

The holy places were cleansed, not because of any, inherent sin or evil in the sanctuary or altar, but “because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of the transgression in all their sins.” Verse 16. This is true of the altar also. The priest is to “cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Verse 19.

These statements make it clear that it was the sins of Israel that defiled the sanctuary and the altar.

63

The Sanctuary Service – M. L Andreasen

This defilement had taken place throughout the year in the daily ministration. Each morning and evening a lamb had been slain and its blood sprinkled upon the altar “round about.” This had defiled the altar. Offenders had brought their sin offerings, and the blood had been sprinkled in the holy place and put on the horns of the altars. Other offerings had been brought, and the blood had been sprinkled on the altar “round about.” Through these means the sanctuary as well as the altars had been defiled. The services of the Day of Atonement were to dispose of all these sins and to cleanse both the sanctuary and the priesthood as well as the people.

***The Altar Before the Lord

The phrase “before the Lord is used in connection with the services of the sanctuary, as well as of places and furniture. Thus the incense was offered before the Lord (Exodus 30:8) and the sacrifices were killed before the Lord (Leviticus 1:3, 5; 4:1, 15, 24). The two goats on the day of atonement were presented before the Lord. (Leviticus 16:7, 10).

The candlestick was placed before the Lord, (Leviticus 24:4), so was the table of show bread (verse 6) and the altar of incense (Leviticus 4:18) and the holy place (Exodus 28:35) and the veil (Leviticus 4:17) and the altar of burnt-offering (Leviticus 6:14; 16:12).

In Leviticus 16:18 occurs the phrase again, in connection with the altar. The reading is, “And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness. . . . And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.”

We have omitted verse 17 as it is a note interjected, not having to do with the service. The reading therefore is that the high priest makes atonement for “the holy place” and for “the tabernacle of the congregation-; then “he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it.”

The fact that the altar is spoken of as being “before the Lord” does not of itself determine which altar is meant. The reading would suggest the altar of burnt offering, as Aaron shall go out to the altar. He has already atoned for the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation (verse 16); that is, for the most holy and the holy place. Now he goes out to the altar of burnt offering, and makes atonement for it.

The same sequence is suggested in verse 20, which reads: “When he bath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar.” Here again three things are mentioned, the most holy, the holy, and the altar.

The altar of incense stood in the holy place, and was the only article of furniture in that place upon which blood was placed. Accordingly, when it is stated that atonement was made for the tabernacle of the congregation, it can refer only to the altar of incense which was to be atoned for once a year. (Exodus 30:10.)

In the most holy the mercy scat was to be atoned for because blood had been placed upon it. In the holy place the altar of incense was to be atoned for, for the same reason. The only other piece of furniture used in blood atonement was the altar of burnt offering. If the altar of burnt offering is not meant in Leviticus 16:18, then we must conclude that no atonement was made for it. But this was the place where all offerings were killed, and most certainly this could not be left out.

In Leviticus 16:12 the high priest takes coals from off the altar before the Lord. The altar upon which were the coals, was the altar of burnt offering. There were no coals upon the altar of incense. Hence Keil and Delitzsch say that the high priest took “as many burning coals as the censer would hold, from the altar of burnt offering. “Commentary on the Pentateuch, vol. 2, page 399. In this practically all commentaries agree.

In Leviticus 1:11 the place where the sacrifices were to be killed is said to be “the altar northward before the Lord.”

In view of these statements it seems clear that the altar in Leviticus 16:18 is the altar of burnt offering. If this is not SG, the whole significance of the atonement is lost, and that which needs cleansing most of all remains unclean.

Hence the commentary just quoted says: “It follows still further from this, that by the altar in verse 18, and also in verses 20 and 33, which is mentioned here as the third portion of the entire sanctuary, we are to understand the altar of burnt-offering in the court, and not the altar of incense, as the Rabbins and most commentators assume…. The expression go out’ in verse 18 refers, not to his going out of the most holy into the holy place, but to his going out of the ohel moed (or holy place) into the court.”-Ibid., page 400, 401.

Here are some statements from  S.N Haskell-

In the earthly sanctuary the high priest paused in the first apartment to touch the horns of the golden altar and cleanse it from all sins that had been transferred to it; (Lev. 16:18,19) for while the services of the day of atonement were going forward, if one remembered unconfessed sins, he could still bring his sin-offering and be forgiven. (Num. 29:7-11) So while our High Priest officiates before the Father in the investigative judgment, any one who realizes he is a sinner can come confessing his sins and be forgiven through the merits of Chris, the great Sin-bearer.

****(Strangely Enough, the following paragraph is placed in my version of S.N Haskell’s book but on all sources I have found it has been deleted…why??-Here it is as it originally read in between the paragraph above and the one below)

Our High Priest, when His work is finished in the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, will tarry a moment in the outer apartment, that the sins which have been confessed while He was in the most holy place may be taken, together with the sins of the righteous of all ages, and carried forth without the sanctuary.

While Jesus pleads as our High Priest, there is hope for every repentant sinner; but when He at last comes forth from the sanctuary, mercy’s door will be forever closed. There will be no intercessor then. (Isa. 59:16) In the type, when the high priest came out of the sanctuary, he had “made an end of reconciling.” When our High Priest comes forth from the sanctuary, He will proclaim, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Rev. 22:11) Every case is decided for eternity. Probation is forever ended. All who wait until that time, hoping to be saved, will find no one to plead their case before the Father; they will be eternally lost.

In the type, after the high priest had finished the work within the sanctuary on the day of atonement, he came forth bearing the sins of all Israel, and placed them upon the head of the scapegoat. The scapegoat had no part in reconciling the people to God. The work of reconciling was all ended (Lev. 16:20) when the scapegoat was brought forward to act his part in the service. The only work of the scapegoat is to act as a vehicle to carry the sins of the righteous into the “land of separation.”

The term “scapegoat” has become a synonym of an evil one. Azazel, the Hebrew rendering of scape goat, is a proper name, and is understood to represent the devil. When our High Priest has finished His work in the heavenly sanctuary, He will place all the sins of the righteous, which He has borne thus far, upon the head of Satan, (Ps. 7:16) the instigator of sin. Satan will then be left upon the desolate earth, (Jer. 4:23-27; Zech. 1:2,3) a land not inhabited, for one thousand years. At the end of this time he will be loosed for a season and then burned to ashes in the fires of the last day. (Rev. 20:9,10, Mal. 4:1-3, Eze 28:18,19)

In the type, after the high priest had placed the sins of Israel upon the head of the scapegoat, he left the robes worn while officiating as high priest in the sanctuary, and put on other garments, and began a work in the court. He had the bodies of the animals whose blood had been carried into the sanctuary taken without the camp and burned. At the close of the day, ashes were the only thing to be seen of the sin-offerings.

Our High Priest lays aside His priestly garments, and clad as King of kings He rides forth a might Conqueror to “gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.” (Matt. 13:41,42) Christ comes to set in order the antitypical court— this earth; and when the great antitypical day of atonement ends, nothing will remain that will in any way be a reminder of sin, except the ashes under the feet of the righteous. (Mal. 4:3)

––For those of you who made it through all of this study, I would love to hear your thoughts based on these statements and any others that you are aware of as to why the additional atonement were made and if there are last day/antitypical applications to these that Christ Himself will perform.

Does news like this encourage your faith in the bible? Leave a comment.

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World Communion Sunday – celebrated the first Sunday in October – is one of the most venerable of “special Sundays.” The day has taken on new relevancy and depth of meaning in a world where globalization often has undermined peace and justice – and in a time when fear divides the peoples of God’s earth. On this day we celebrate our oneness in Christ, the Prince of Peace, in the midst of the world we are called to serve – a world ever more in need of peacemaking. Full Story\n

In many cases the faintness that leads to a desire for food is felt because the digestive organs have been too severely taxed during the day. After disposing of one meal, the digestive organs need rest. At least five or six hours should intervene between the meals, and most persons who give the plan a trial will find that two meals a day are better than three. [BEGIN P.305] {MH 304.1}

Walter Breuning, who turned 113 on Monday, eats just two meals a day and has done so for the past 35 years. Full Story

So after reading the above statement, I had to ask myself what is Speculation? The answer hit me between the eyes:

From Wikipedia:

In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum.^[1] Speculation typically involves the lending of money or the purchase of assets, equity or debt but in a manner that has not been given thorough analysis or is deemed to have low margin of safety or a significant risk of the loss of the principal investment. The term, “speculation,” which is formally defined as above in Graham and Dodd’s 1934 text, Security Analysis, contrasts with the term “investment,” which is a financial operation that, upon thorough analysis, promises safety of principal and a satisfactory return.^[2]

In a financial context, the terms “speculation” and “investment” are actually quite specific. For instance, although the word “investment” is typically used, in a general sense, to mean any act of placing money in a financial vehicle with the intent of producing returns over a period of time, most ventured money—including funds placed in the world’s stock markets—is actually not investment, but speculation.

Speculators may rely on an asset appreciating in price due to any of a number of factors that cannot be well enough understood by the speculator to make an investment-quality decision. Some such factors are shifting consumer tastes, fluctuating economic conditions, buyers’ changing perceptions of the worth of a stock security, economic factors associated with market timing, the factors associated with solely chart-based analysis, and the many influences over the short-term movement of securities.

There are also some financial vehicles that are, by definition, speculation. For instance, trading in certain commodities, such as oil and gold, is, by definition, speculation. Short selling is also, by definition, speculative.

Financial speculation can involve the buying, holding, selling, and short-selling of stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, collectibles, real estate, derivatives, or any valuablefinancial instrument to profit from fluctuations in its price, irrespective of its underlying value. MORE INFO CLICK HERE

Really? The meek? Who do you know that has gotten very far in life being meek? Well not many in this life but the promise is not for this life. Interesting Article on Meekness in a world of Cocky Rappers

“Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone,” Obama said in his first speech to theUnited Nations General Assembly.

The University I attended has plans to excavate this very site. Southern Adventist University’s Dig Planned Full Story

Check out the latest Story-Click Here

—-Not long ago Sunday used to be a day of rest, a day of spiritual renewal, a day for families to come together, but we have changed Sunday from a day of rest to a day of shopping, flying and driving. However, in the context of excessive carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which are bringing catastrophic upheavals, we can and should restore Sunday to a day for Gaia, a day for the Earth. Full Story

Updated:

I have been doing some research and have a few interesting statements:

The Certainty of Prophecy

All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God’s prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment. {2SM 109.1}

In history and prophecy the Word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been, will be repeated. Old controversies will be revived, and new theories will be continually arising. But God’s people, who in their belief and fulfillment of prophecy have acted a part in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages, know where they stand. They have an experience that is more precious than fine gold. They are to stand firm as a rock, holding the beginning of their confidence steadfast unto the end. {2SM 109.2}

A transforming power attended the proclamation of the first and second angels’ messages, as it attends the message of the third angel. Lasting convictions were made upon human minds. The power of the Holy Spirit was manifested. There was diligent study of the Scriptures, point by point. Almost entire nights were devoted to earnest searching of the Word. We searched for the truth as for hidden treasures. The Lord revealed Himself to us. Light was shed on the prophecies, and we knew that we received divine instruction. . . . {2SM 109.3}

Will our brethren bear in mind that we are living amid the perils of the last days? Read Revelation in connection with Daniel. Teach these things. [BEGIN P.116] {TM 115.4}

Unconquerable Forces Waiting

Those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God will bring from the books of Daniel and Revelation truth that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. They will start into action forces that cannot be repressed. The lips of children will be opened to proclaim the mysteries that have been hidden from the minds of men. {TM 116.1}

We are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Many of the prophecies are about to be fulfilled in quick succession. Every element of power is about to be set to work. Past history will be repeated; old controversies will arouse to new life, and peril will beset God’s people on every side. Intensity is taking hold of the human family. It is permeating everything upon the earth. . . . {TM 116.2}

Study Revelation in connection with Daniel, for history will be repeated. . . . We, with all our religious advantages, ought to know far more today than we do know. {TM 116.3}

Angels desire to look into the truths that are revealed to the people who with contrite hearts are searching the word of God and praying for greater lengths and breadths and depths and heights of the knowledge which He alone can give. {TM 116.4}

As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies relating to the last days especially demand our study. The last book of the New Testament Scriptures is full of truth that we need to understand. Satan has blinded the minds of many so that they have been glad of any excuse for not making the Revelation their study. But Christ through His servant John has here declared what shall be in the last days; and He says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the [BEGIN P.117] words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.” {TM 116.5}

also, check out T9 pp 93-96

Here are some words of encouragement and perspective written by Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit and stated by the Creator, Christ.

²⁴No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

²⁵Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

³⁰Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

So my question is this: What does the bible say about borrowing? Should we go into debt? Are there times to do it and times to not? Here are a few verses that relate:

We commissioned Karen Armstrong and Richard Dawkins to respond independently to the question “Where does evolution leave God?” Neither knew what the other would say. Here are the results. Full Story

His conversion, he added, was made easier by his wife; moreover, he realized that the Catholic Church was his home not “only because of its doctrine and magisterium, but because of its universal nature.” Full Story

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, a wonderful Savior to me. Oh has there ever been a friend like Jesus? I can think of none. Though I am a wretched sinner, yet He interposed His precious blood for my pardon. He who is the Sovereign of this universe, the Holy One of Israel, became a curse so that I might have life and life abundantly. Have you ever allowed your mind to meditate on this sublime truth, that the Creator would shed His blood for the creation? Does it not fill your soul with wonder? Do you not ask yourself, what manner of love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for your soul?

=0 ARochelle Willis
http://www.the-scroll.net

Statistics say that less than 17% of us attend church regularly and I would say this is pretty constant throughout all denominations.

It is easy to comment, just click on this story and scroll down and comment. The reason I pose the question is because I have been in about 5 different churches in the past few months as a guest and I noticed that everyone from 18 to 35 was missing. I also noticed that many from 45-60 with a white skin color are missing. What is going on? I call it Boomers and their kids and predominantly American. Somebody give me some feedback here, please.

There is a day coming where we will not kneel down and pray in faith. That day we will kneel down and look in reality to the face of Him who left Paradise to come and show us the way to the place He has prepared for us.

Below is an excerpt from the book ‘Steps to Christ’ on the Privilege of Prayer-

Through nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour out our hearts to Him. In order to have spiritual life and energy, we must have actual intercourse with our heavenly Father. Our minds may be drawn out toward Him; we may meditate upon His works, His mercies, His blessings; but this is not, in the fullest sense, communing with Him. In order to commune with God, we must have something to say to Him concerning our actual life. {SC 93.1}

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. {SC 93.2}

When Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. He directed them to present their daily needs before God, and to cast all their care upon Him. And the assurance He gave them that their petitions should be heard, is assurance also to us. {SC 93.3}

Jesus Himself, while He dwelt among men, was often in prayer. Our Saviour identified Himself with our needs and weakness, in that He became a suppliant, a petitioner, seeking from His Father fresh supplies of strength, that He might come forth braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all things. He is a brother in our infirmities, “in all points tempted like as we are;” but as the sinless one His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Saviour of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer. {SC 93.4}

Our heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. It is our privilege to drink largely at the fountain of boundless love. What a wonder it is that we pray so little! God is ready and willing to hear the sincere prayer of the humblest of His children, and yet there is much manifest reluctance on our part to make known our wants to God. What can the angels of heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject to temptation, when God’s heart of infinite love yearns toward them, ready to give them more than they can ask or think, and yet they pray so little and have so little faith? The angels love to bow before God; they love to be near Him. They regard communion with God as their highest joy; and yet the children of earth, who need so much the help that God only can give, seem satisfied to walk without the light of His Spirit, the companionship of His presence. {SC 94.1}

The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured [BEGIN P.95] the boundless resources of Omnipotence? Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path. The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy seat, that we may not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and power to resist temptation. {SC 94.2}

There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help from Him. He has promised, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.” Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received. {SC 95.1}

Our great need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our behalf. But the Lord is to be sought unto to do these things for us. He says, “Ask, and it shall be given you.” And “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Matthew 7:7; Romans 8:32. {SC 95.2}

If we regard iniquity in our hearts, if we cling to any known sin, the Lord will not hear us; but the prayer of the penitent, contrite soul is always accepted. When all known wrongs are righted, we may believe that God will answer our petitions. Our own merit will never commend us to the favor of God; it is the worthiness of Jesus that will save us, His blood that will cleanse us; yet we have a work to do in complying with the conditions of acceptance. [BEGIN P.96] {SC 95.3}

Another element of prevailing prayer is faith. “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6. Jesus said to His disciples, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24. Do we take Him at His word? {SC 96.1}

The assurance is broad and unlimited, and He is faithful who has promised. When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers. We are so erring and short-sighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good–that which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are. When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise, “Ask, and it shall be given you.” {SC 96.2}

If we take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve everything that we cannot see clearly, before we have faith, perplexities will only increase [BEGIN P.97] and deepen. But if we come to God, feeling helpless and dependent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting faith make known our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite, who sees everything in creation, and who governs everything by His will and word, He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts. Through sincere prayer we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite. We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that the face of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love, but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness. {SC 96.3}

When we come to ask mercy and blessing from God we should have a spirit of love and forgiveness in our own hearts. How can we pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” and yet indulge an unforgiving spirit? Matthew 6:12. If we expect our own prayers to be heard we must forgive others in the same manner and to the same extent as we hope to be forgiven. {SC 97.1}

Perseverance in prayer has been made a condition of receiving. We must pray always if we would grow in faith and experience. We are to be “instant in prayer,” to “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2. Peter exhorts believers to be “sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Peter 4:7. Paul directs, “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6. “But ye, beloved,” says Jude, “praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude 20, 21. [BEGIN P.98] Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God. {SC 97.2}

There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every opportunity to go where prayer is wont to be made. Those who are really seeking for communion with God will be seen in the prayer meeting, faithful to do their duty and earnest and anxious to reap all the benefits they can gain. They will improve every opportunity of placing themselves where they can receive the rays of light from heaven. {SC 98.1}

We should pray in the family circle, and above all we must not neglect secret prayer, for this is the life of the soul. It is impossible for the soul to flourish while prayer is neglected. Family or public prayer alone is not sufficient. In solitude let the soul be laid open to the inspecting eye of God. Secret prayer is to be heard only by the prayer-hearing God. No curious ear is to receive the burden of such petitions. In secret prayer the soul is free from surrounding influences, free from excitement. Calmly, yet fervently, will it reach out after God. Sweet and abiding will be the influence emanating from Him who seeth in secret, whose ear is open to hear the prayer arising from the heart. By calm, simple faith the soul holds communion with God and gathers to itself rays of divine light to strengthen and sustain it in the conflict with Satan. God is our tower of strength. {SC 98.2}

Pray in your closet, and as you go about your daily labor let your heart be often uplifted to God. [BEGIN P.99] It was thus that Enoch walked with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense before the throne of grace. Satan cannot overcome him whose heart is thus stayed upon God. {SC 98.3}

There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to God. There is nothing that can prevent us from lifting up our hearts in the spirit of earnest prayer. In the crowds of the street, in the midst of a business engagement, we may send up a petition to God and plead for divine guidance, as did Nehemiah when he made his request before King Artaxerxes. A closet of communion may be found wherever we are. We should have the door of the heart open continually and our invitation going up that Jesus may come and abide as a heavenly guest in the soul. {SC 99.1}

Although there may be a tainted, corrupted atmosphere around us, we need not breathe its miasma, but may live in the pure air of heaven. We may close every door to impure imaginings and unholy thoughts by lifting the soul into the presence of God through sincere prayer. Those whose hearts are open to receive the support and blessing of God will walk in a holier atmosphere than that of earth and will have constant communion with heaven. {SC 99.2}

We need to have more distinct views of Jesus and a fuller comprehension of the value of eternal realities. The beauty of holiness is to fill the hearts of God’s children; and that this may be accomplished, we should seek for divine disclosures of heavenly things. {SC 99.3}

Let the soul be drawn out and upward, that God may grant us a breath of the heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected [BEGIN P.100] trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun. {SC 99.4}

Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son. {SC 100.1}

Jesus said, “Ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you.” “I have chosen you: . . . that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.” John 16:26, 27; 15:16. But to pray in the name of Jesus is something more than a mere mention of that name at the beginning [BEGIN P.101] and the ending of a prayer. It is to pray in the mind and spirit of Jesus, while we believe His promises, rely upon His grace, and work His works. {SC 100.2}

God does not mean that any of us should become hermits or monks and retire from the world in order to devote ourselves to acts of worship. The life must be like Christ’s life–between the mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray will soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal routine. When men take themselves out of social life, away from the sphere of Christian duty and cross bearing; when they cease to work earnestly for the Master, who worked earnestly for them, they lose the subject matter of prayer and have no incentive to devotion. Their prayers become personal and selfish. They cannot pray in regard to the wants of humanity or the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom, pleading for strength wherewith to work. {SC 101.1}

We sustain a loss when we neglect the privilege of associating together to strengthen and encourage one another in the service of God. The truths of His word lose their vividness and importance in our minds. Our hearts cease to be enlightened and aroused by their sanctifying influence, and we decline in spirituality. In our association as Christians we lose much by lack of sympathy with one another. He who shuts himself up to himself is not filling the position that God designed he should. The proper cultivation of the social elements in our nature brings us into sympathy with others and is a means of development and strength to us in the service of God. {SC 101.2}

If Christians would associate together, speaking to each other of the love of God and of the precious [BEGIN P.102] truths of redemption, their own hearts would be refreshed and they would refresh one another. We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed and encouraged. If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we should have far more of His presence. {SC 101.3}

If we would but think of God as often as we have evidence of His care for us we should keep Him ever in our thoughts and should delight to talk of Him and to praise Him. We talk of temporal things because we have an interest in them. We talk of our friends because we love them; our joys and our sorrows are bound up with them. Yet we have infinitely greater reason to love God than to love our earthly friends; it should be the most natural thing in the world to make Him first in all our thoughts, to talk of His goodness and tell of His power. The rich gifts He has bestowed upon us were not intended to absorb our thoughts and love so much that we should have nothing to give to God; they are constantly to remind us of Him and to bind us in bonds of love and gratitude to our heavenly Benefactor. We dwell too near the lowlands of earth. Let us raise our eyes to the open door of the sanctuary above, where the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Christ, who “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. {SC 102.1}

We need to praise God more “for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.” Psalm 107:8. Our devotional exercises should not [BEGIN P.103] consist wholly in asking and receiving. Let us not be always thinking of our wants and never of the benefits we receive. We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. We are the constant recipients of God’s mercies, and yet how little gratitude we express, how little we praise Him for what He has done for us. {SC 102.2}

Anciently the Lord bade Israel, when they met together for His service, “Ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.” Deuteronomy 12:7. That which is done for the glory of God should be done with cheerfulness, with songs of praise and thanksgiving, not with sadness and gloom. {SC 103.1}

Our God is a tender, merciful Father. His service should not be looked upon as a heart-saddening, distressing exercise. It should be a pleasure to worship the Lord and to take part in His work. God would not have His children, for whom so great salvation has been provided, act as if He were a hard, exacting taskmaster. He is their best friend; and when they worship Him, He expects to be with them, to bless and comfort them, filling their hearts with joy and love. The Lord desires His children to take comfort in His service and to find more pleasure than hardship in His work. He desires that those who come to worship Him shall carry away with them precious thoughts of His care and love, that they may be cheered in all the employments of daily life, that they may have grace to deal honestly and faithfully in all things. {SC 103.2}

We must gather about the cross. Christ and Him [BEGIN P.104] crucified should be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion. We should keep in our thoughts every blessing we receive from God, and when we realize His great love we should be willing to trust everything to the hand that was nailed to the cross for us. {SC 103.3}

The soul may ascend nearer heaven on the wings of praise. God is worshiped with song and music in the courts above, and as we express our gratitude we are approximating to the worship of the heavenly hosts. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth” God. Psalm 50:23. Let us with reverent joy come before our Creator, with “thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Isaiah 51:3. [BEGIN P.105] {SC 104.1}

Disguise it as they may, the real cause of doubt and skepticism, in most cases, is the love of sin. The teachings and restrictions of God’s word are not welcome to the proud, sin-loving heart, and those who are unwilling to obey its requirements are ready to doubt its authority. In order to arrive at truth, we must have a sincere desire to know the truth and a willingness of heart to obey it. And all who come in this spirit to the study of the Bible will find abundant evidence that it is God’s word, and they may gain an understanding of its truths that will make them wise unto salvation. {SC 111.1}

God confounded the languages at Bable because the bible says that ‘nothing will be restrained of them, which they have imagined to do’. Once again not long after the flood the earth was evil again.

The thing that jumps out to me in this story of the languages is the beginning and end of it. So God confuses and creates many languages so that all these people go out to populate the earth and create what I believe are many of our cultures today. The Asians went one way, the Africans another, the list goes on and on to make up our world today. This was done to prevent the great evil that was limitless.

Amazing to me that we come down in time to the time of Pentecost and God sends the Holy Spirit to once again give the ‘gift of tongues/or languages’. This will be done again in the outpouring of the latter rain. Amazing that when ‘Babylon is Fallen’ the last time that God will pour out His Spirit and all with that Spirit will be able to speak in every known tongue just as it was in the beginning. I wonder if at Babel, the Spirit of God was removed from the evil (or rejected) and therefore the return of the spirit does what it only naturally could, bring unity and one language back as well.

These are just a few sayings from the latest billboard campaign going on around the country. Here is A Link to a site with a video that shows the reaction of local citizens around the country.

Now to REALLY SHAKE THINGS UP, the following link is to a new ‘Bath House’ that is opened up in my hometown of Atlanta. A buddy of mine who started www.LastDayReport.com took a picture of the billboard in Atlanta today and I checked out the site, unbelievable to say the least. The name is Flex Baths. It is no other than an all male Brothel. Now just so we are clear, a place like this that was for men and women would be illegal and not allowed. This is something straight out of Sodom. Flex Bath House Website

Earlier this week, as mentioned in the first few headlines of this article, a group launched a nationwide campaign of billboards showing that the bible accepts and teaches homosexuality. WouldJesusDiscriminate.org

No, Jesus would not discriminate but let’s never forget what He told to each person He healed …’Go and Sin no more’. He loves sinners but he hates sin. He hates pride and He hates selfishness and He hates Homosexuality.

So what was the sin of Sodom? Most will say homosexuality but this is not the case.

Consider the following texts compiled by Arthur Waskow:
*****

Your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. You not only followed their ways, and acted according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. As I live, says the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.

Ezekiel 16:46-50

******

the Sodomites, overweeningly proud of their numbers and the extent of their wealth, showed themselves insolent to men and impious to the Divinity, insomuch that they no more remembered the benefits that they had received from him, hated foreigners and declined all intercourse with others. Indignant at this conduct, God accordingly resolved to chastise them for their arrogance…

Josephus, Antiquities I: 194-5

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The men of Sodom waxed haughty only on account of the good which the Holy One, blessed be He, had lavished upon them…They said: Since there cometh forth bread out of (our) earth, and it hath the dust of gold, why should we suffer wayfarers, who come to us only to deplete our wealth. Come, let us abolish the practice of travelling in our land…

There were four judges in Sodom named Shakrai (Liar), Shakurai (Awful Liar), Zayyafi (Forger), and Mazle Dina (Perverter of Justice). Now if a man assaulted his neighbour’s wife and bruised her, they would say to the husband, Give her to him, that she may become pregnant for thee. If one cut off the ear of his neighbour’s ass, they would order, Give it to him until it grows again.

If one wounded his neighbour they would say to the victim, Give him a fee for bleeding thee [bloodletting was sometimes considered medically beneficial in those days; Here the Sodomite judge cruelly ruled that if one beats you until you bleed, you owe your attacker money for this "beneficial" medical service"...]

… they had beds upon which travellers slept. If the guest was too long they shortened him by lopping off his feet; if too short, they stretched him out…

If a poor man happened to come there, every resident gave him a denar [coin], upon which he wrote his name, but no bread was given [the store owners recognized such coins, and refused toa accept them]. When he died, each came and took back his (denar)…

A certain maiden gave some bread to a poor man, hiding it in a pitcher. On the matter becoming known, they daubed her with honey and placed her on the parapet of the wall, and the bees came and consumed her. Thus it is written, And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it is great (rabbah): whereupon Rab Judah commented in Rab’s name: on account of the maiden (ribah).

Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 109a

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Said R Levi, Even if I wanted to keep silent, the requirement of justice for a certain girl will not allow me to keep silent. There was the case of two girls, who went down to draw water from the well. One said to her friend, Why are you pale? The other said, All the food is gone from our house and we are ready to die. What did the other do? She filled the jug with flour and exchanged it for her own. Each took the one of the other. When the Sodomites found out about it, they took the girl (who had shared the food) and burned her. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, Even if I wanted to keep silent, the requirement of justice for a certain girl will not allow me to keep silent. What is written is not, ‘In accord with their cry’, but, ‘according to her cry’, referring in particular to the girl.

Genesis Rabbah, Parashah 49:6

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R Menhama in the name of R Bibi: This is what the Sodomites had stipulated among themselves. They said, As to any wayfarer who comes here, we shall have sexual relations with him and take away his money.

Genesis Rabbah, Parashah 50:7

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Rabbi Ze era said: The men of Sodom were the wealthy men of prosperity, on account of the good and fruitful land whereon they dwelt… Rabbi Nathaniel said: The men of Sodom had no consideration for the honour of their Owner by not distributing food to the wayfarer and stranger, but they even fenced in all the trees on top above their fruit so that so that they should not be seized; not even by the bird of heaven… Rabbi Joshua… said: They appointed over themselves judges who were lying judges, and they oppressed every wayfarer and stranger who entered Sodom by their perverse judgment, and they sent them forth naked…

Rabbi Jehudah said: They made a proclamation in Sodom saying: Everyone who strengthens the hand of the poor or the needy with a loaf of bread shall be burnt by fire. Peletith, daughter of Lot, was wedded to one of the magnates of Sodom. She saw a certain very poor man in the street of the city, and her soul was grieved on his account… Every day when she went out to draw water she put in her bucket all sorts of provisions from her home, and she fed that poor man. The men of Sodom said: How does this poor man live? When they ascertained the facts, they brought her forth to be burnt by fire. She said: Sovereign of all the worlds! maintain my right and my cause (at the hands of) the men of Sodom. And her cry ascended before the Throne of Glory. In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will now descend and I will see whether the men of Sodom have done according to the cry of this young woman, I will turn her foundation upwards, and the surface thereof shall be turned downwards.

Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer

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Nachmanides commenting on the verse “AND WE SHALL KNOW THEM”.

Their intention was to stop people from coming among them, as our rabbis have said, for they thought that because of the excellence of their land… many will come there and they despised charity… they continued provoking and rebelling against Him with their ease and the oppression of the poor… In the opinion of our Rabbis, all evil practices were rampant among them. Yet their fate was sealed because of this sin - i.e. they did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy - since this sin represented their usual behaviour more than any other. Besides, since all peoples act righteously towards their friends and their poor, there was none among all the nations who matched Sodom in cruelty.

Nahmanides (Ramban) Commentary on Genesis, 13th century

****** For similar views see Numbers Rabbah 9:24 (midrash), the JPS Torah Commentary on Genesis by Nahum M. Sarna, page 135, note #5, and the ‘Stone Edition of the Chumash’ [better known as the Artscroll Chumash] by Mesorah publications, commentary on page 81.

So the next time someone tries to use Genesis as an excuse to justify homophobia, we can educate them by giving them these sources to read and consider.

Shalom,
Robert Kaiser

****************** Many many thanks to Robert Kaiser for doing the work of collecting those powerful passages about the sin of Sodom. They clarify the story (for which unfortunately I can’t site a source) about the great Gaon of Vilna, who sat with voice but no vote on the Council of the Jews of Vilna. His task was to comment from a Torah perspective on new legislation proposed before the Council. When there was no such new legislation, he did not take part in the meeting.

One day a member of the Council put forward a proposal for ending or greatly reducing the influx of Jews from poorer regions into Vilna, where they hoped for a better life. The Gaon rose to leave the meeting. “But Rabbi,” said a Councilmember, “we need your comment on this proposed new legislation!”

“What new legislation?” said the Gaon. “This was already the law of Sodom, long ago!” And he left.

The proposal was dropped.

Shalom,
Arthur Waskow

Though we know of the great issues of homosexuality, we can see also the selfishness and neglect of the poor that was hated by God. As we see this, we need to take a look at our own lives and see if we have neglected the poor and suffering. God is waiting on a people to vindicate His character. Will this be the generation to do it? I believe it will.

Let’s continue to study and pray that God will give us His Righteousness and mold us to be more like Him everyday.

blessings,
Jared