When we all watched the movie; The da Vinci Code, it sure seemed like they were hammering on the Catholic Church. And after all the news about all the child molestation of the Catholic Church by Priests, Bishops and Clergy, well many of us really didn’t care and enjoyed the movie for its excitement, intrigue and Story Line. But many Catholics came unglued because they felt it was an attack all the Catholic Church.

Recently on a Blog, someone wrote that they were of the opinion that the NAZI Pope was a closet homosexual. In fact, as other bloggers and perhaps Catholics came to the aid of the Pope and vouched for his personal character the thread went on and on. One person stated that the Pope was not a closet homosexual, but he was the only bishop who was not and that is why he was chosen, so there would not be any scandals later on which came out in the public.

This way they would not have to kill anyone who might tell the story. Another Catholic defended the Pope and said; “Is the Pope a Closet Homosexual; For Heavens Sake No!” However it is controversial and the truth is no one who was commenting knew the Pope Personally.

So, is the Pope a closet homosexual? There is no way to know and there are thousands of conspiracy theories and rumors out there about the Catholic Church. Personally, I believe them all. But I also believe that human religions needs to depart the planet and already is plague upon the people. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

The Supposed Threat

While Jeffrey sees a New World Order of global domination of economic, political and military power the greatest threat to our national security, he writes that God will intervene before the last seven years of this age and sweep the church off the earth before the Tribulation begins. This is precisely the kind of “crystal ball” fortune-telling modern prophecy pundits engage in when they ignore or overlook the first century fulfillment of the end-time.

Whatever may be on the horizon in a “New World Order” it has nothing to do the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. It sounds great, it makes news headlines, it sells books and tapes, but it is flawed from the very outset. Most importantly, it breeds the kind of negative worldview that Jeffrey sees for the future. It creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom and gloom, a stigma which Jeffrey labors to overcome.

Sound The Alarm

When will the alarm sound? Hal Lindsey, Harold Camping, Edgar Whisenant and others all offered doom and gloom signs of an imminent end, carefully calculating it to occur within one generation (40 years) after modern Israel’s rebirth as a nation in 1948. Thus, 1988 was the year on their prophetic clock, one that ticked right on by without the need for a rewind.

As a matter of fact, Whisenant wrote that his calculations were so sure that “Only if the Bible was wrong, could he be in error, and I say that unequivocally.” There is no way that I can be wrong and I say that to every preacher in town.” (Quoted in Ralph Lyman, A Critique on the 1988 Rapture Theory).

After 1988 came, Whisenant recapitualted, blaming the error on the Gregorian calendar which is always one year in advance of the true year. Therefore, Whisenants prediction should have scored mightily in 1989, but it passed without a fizzle.

Hello! It’s 2006, well beyond even that magical end-time destruction year of 2000. Where’s the beef! Yet many sleep, never calling these false prophets into question (Deuteronomy 18:18-20), and continually allow them to rant and rave about their fanatical, fanciful theories of futuristic falsehood.

William Bell is a speaker and author of the Re-Examination and other studies on Covenant Eschatology.

Visit his website at: http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com

In part one of this investigation, I shared many scriptures that support my belief that the twenty-four elders mentioned in the book of Revelation are indeed the true Church of Jesus Christ having been raptured to heaven prior to the tribulation. I would like now to add to that some related facts to assist you in your study.

The name ELDER is only used in the Word of God of two types of peoples. Firstly it is used of Israel in the Old Testament. Numbers 11 16-30 God told Moses to ‘Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel..’ The elders mentioned in Revelation are unlikely to be the elders of Israel. We know that ‘All Israel shall be saved’ Romans 11:26 but the timing in Revelation 4 does not fit in with other key scriptures.

The second mention of elders in the Bible is of course connected to the Church. Acts 14:23 “….appointed elders in every Church..” These elders were to be overseers and representatives in the Church. This I believe is more in keeping with Revelation 4. The twenty-four elders being representative of the born again Church.

Some teach that the elders in Revelation are in fact angelic beings. But we need to understand a few things before we adopt this view. The twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:4 are seen SITTING. Nowhere in scripture do we ever read of Angels sitting! The elders of Revelation 5 are NUMBERED. See verse 11. “….and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands.” Whereas Hebrews 12:22 speaks of an ‘innumerable company of Angels’ so many that they cannot be numbered!
We must also remember that the Bible never speaks of Angels SINGING. (check it out..They always SAY never SING.) Yet we see the twenty-four elders singing! Rev. 5:9
In fact they are singing about having been redeemed by the blood…this Angels can never do, they know not what it is to have been redeemed!

I am reminded of the chorus of an old hymn:

Holy! Holy! Is what the Angels say
And I expect to help them make the courts of Heaven ring.
But when I sing redemption’s story, they will fold their wings
For Angels never felt the joy, that our Salvation brings!

My friends, the weight of the evidence in the Bible can not honestly lead us to any other conclusion. The twenty-four elders in Revelation represent the born again Church of Jesus Christ, present in Heaven before the commencement of the Tribulation! Are you ready for the sound of the trumpet? Are you ready for the rapture? Seek our Lord Jesus today!

Pastor Keith Brown runs http://www.hiscomingministries.com, where you can download free teaching on subjects such as this.

He also runs one of the internet’s only prophecy radio station at http://www.hiscomingministriesradio.com .Tune in 24/7

What bible will the False Churchs read from today on. It wont be the K.J.V. or any other version written about Jesus. This shame is upon all people that call themselves Christians. The Bible which is our Holy guide and roadway to Heaven has been defiled by these people that call themselves, leaders of the Church and have belittled themselves.

They are not Christ like, but from the pits of Hell, they will cry out for mercy. Its no wonder that children today are turning to the gay life-stile, for they see this abomination in the news papers and on television and believe that it is al-right. Satan is using these types of people to help spread his propaganda.

We see it in the news almost daily. Europe is now accepting civil unions as a form of marriage, even in the United States, trans sexual marriage is becoming normal accepted behavior.

(BELFAST, Northern Ireland — Britain’s first same-sex civil unions of three couples took place at Belfast’s City Hall Monday as protesters thronged outside. The United Kingdom opened a new era in gay rights as three homosexual couples wed in civil partnership ceremonies, the first of several hundred nationwide this week among them Sir Elton John and his partner. Northern Ireland, one of the last regions in the United Kingdom to legalise homo-sexuality in 1982, became the first on Monday to grant gay couples the same legal protections as married heterosexuals – a measure already in force in many other European countries.) As it was in the days of Noah.

How many times does God have to say that, homo-sexuality, is a stench and an abomination, before this world believes it.

Lets look at 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-11, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.

What is the lie that certain people and even church groups are trying to spread among the youth of this world. That everything can be done, without God getting angry?

The Bible in all cases says that in the end days there will be deceivers, decieveing and being deceived. Thinking that their lifestyle is al-right with God even thou they can read the scripture and say that these scriptures are for someone else and not us.

Homo-sexuality was the cause of Aids, other sexual diseases are caused by sin and unrighteousness. It was the fall of Sodam and Gamorah, it will be the fall of this land in which we live in, unless we call out to God for delieverence.

There is a man in NH. that believes that He is immune to Gods laws and has pleasure in them that do the same thing. He is called a Bishop of the church, a man of God, a leader of the flock, a teacher of the young, and yet He defies the Scriptures and those that believe in Him. This man isn’t even a Bishop, for He doesn’t fulfill the requirements for the office. Lets read

1Titus 3:1- 7; This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

By the word of God, this man is none of the above, but the Devils Bishop.

The Bible states that, for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. And how do we do that with people de-nighing the words of God? This type of behavior is putting Jesus back on the Cross and bringing Him back to open shame. There is nowhere in Scripture where this behavior was ever accepted, so how can any man justify this life-style?

Look at Ephesians 4:18-19 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

How much more clearer does God have to be in His word to get those who are un-ruelly, to stop and take account of their actions. Its a time of decision, do you want to be part of the Church that Jesus is the head of or do you want to be a member of Satans church.

Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue (Church) of Satan, which say they are Jews (Inwardly), and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. In Rev 2:13, We see a warning sign of the end days.

“I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”

Our children are at stake here and those abroad, cant you see the signs of the times, cant you hear the sound of the army’s of God gathering, cant you hear the storm clouds rumbling. Satan and the anti-christ along with the beast and false prophet are getting ready to show themselves, satan is getting his bishops in the open so he can make a new world church, where anything goes.

Its time you as christians made a stand, whom do you serve? Take this message to the highways and byways and warn your children and loved ones , its time to chose, today is the day of salvation, don’t harden your heart and find your self in the congregation of the Devils Bishop.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

“Do you see the man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings, he will not stand before obscure men.” –Proverbs 22:29

The Bible encourages us to know our “craft” and work our “business” well. Many are called to serve in the clergy, many are called to teach, to be healers, and YES to even work in the marketplace.

God exists in the marketplace and He loves to meet us there! For most everyone, our everyday lives take place in the marketplace–at work, at home, out shopping–and not in a cathedral. God does not want us to only serve Him when we are at church, but in ever thing that we do. So we must therefore honor God through our work… and what better way to honor Him that to give our work our best, to do it “heartily as though unto the Lord” (Paraphrased 1 Chor 10:31).

“Let us make man in our image.” Such a Scripture does not support the trinity, but it does support the plain truth that the Word was God and the Word was with God, two Beings with the one sacred name of God/Elohim (John 1:1-2). “In the Beginning was the WORD (Logos/Spokesman/Revelatory Thought), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” This clearly reveals, to objective readers, TWO Beings who shared the ONE family name of GOD. (Ephes. 3:15). God created all things through Yeshua/Jesus who was the Word (Ephes. 3:9).

When the Word became flesh He was “God with us” and thereby became the “Son” and the One who remained in Heaven thereby became the “Father.” They had coexisted eternally in a SHARED GLORY (John 8:42, 7:5, 8, 16:27-28). We can either accept or reject Yeshua’s revelation of the UNKNOWN FATHER FIGURE whom mankind has never heard or seen. The Word who became Yeshua is the God-Being who dealt with ancient Israel. They didn’t know the Father and most still don’t today, and they can’t unless the Son reveals Him (John 5:37, 6:44,46, 8:54-55).

And we can either accept or reject Yeshua’s explanation/interpretation of what “one” means: unity/united. He said the Father was in Him and He was in the Father (through the Holy Spirit and unity of mind and purpose) and He prayed for the Church of God to express and exhibit that exact same unity and oneness by the Holy Spirit (John 14:11, 15:4, 17:11, 21, 23). Please check out these Scripture references and see that it is so. One Holy Spirit of UNITY AND DIVINE PURPOSE (I Cor. 12:12-20).

The Scripture says “Let us make man in our image,” and it says “ELOHIM (not YHVH) made man in His image.” It’s saying the Word and God made man “in OUR image” and, that as ONE GOD FAMILY UNIT/KINGDOM, the united God made man in HIS image. It elaborates, for our sakes, by also saying Elohim created MAN in His image…MALE and FEMALE created He THEM” (Gen. 1:27).

So there’s a reverse of the singular and the plural, man/them and our/His. This “mystery” is further revealed when it’s written in Gen. 5:1-2: “In the day that Elohim (Gods) created man, in the likeness of God made He HIM; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name ADAM.” The ONE ADAM FAMILY then had a son, Seth, in “his (Adam’s) own likeness, after his image” (Gen. 5:3).

Does this exclude Eve? Wasn’t Seth also in her human likeness and image? Yes. For conclusive proof that God PURPOSELY inserted all this into the Genesis account to REVEAL to us later about the ONE GOD FAMILY/KINGDOM, the apostle Paul preaches: “For we [Christians] are members of his [Yeshua's] Body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they TWO shall be ONE FLESH. This is a GREAT MYSTERY: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church” (Ephes. 5:30-32).

That’s how the ONE GOD FAMILY (Elohim with the Father Supreme and the Son gladly subject to His authority – 1 Cor. 15:28) can be and is presently composed of two God-Beings, and is in the conversion process of “bringing MANY SONS TO GLORY” (Heb. 2:10) since Christ was the “FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHREN” (Rom. 8:29). Jesus was the PROTOTYPE of a new genus: the Kingdom of God!

It’s illustrated that even as MANKIND has shared in Adam’s earthy image, we’re soon to share in the HEAVENLY image of the Second Adam when we’re born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3,6 4:24), with righteous character and composition! Mankind after the Godkind! And all through the ONE SPIRIT of God that unites us. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), “who shall change our vile body that it may be FASHIONED/CREATED like unto His GLORIOUS BODY” (Philip. 3:21), “for we know that when He shall appear, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM” (1 John 3:2) – we are not going to be dogs or cats, or even angels, we are to be heavenly beings, HOLY SPIRIT-COMPOSED, born again GOD-BEINGS in the one divine family unit/Elohim!

We are presently members of MANkind, huMAN, in the ADAMic Family unit (Gen. 5:2), but God promises we’ll soon be changed in the twinkling of an eye, miraculously transformed, and join the HEAVENLY SPIRIT/GOD FAMILY.

We’ve clearly seen how “two” can be “one” whether in the God Family or in the Adam family. It’s right there in the Bible if we’ll just believe what we see and read. It’s the plain truth of the Bible for those willing to believe what God has revealed.

Those who reject the testimony of the Scriptures (to hang on to vain traditions of men, whether trinity or oneness) are unable to explain what we’re to become. Why have we received the down payment/earnest of the Spirit? (Ephes. 1:13-14). What conversion process are we in? (2 Cor.3:18). What are we being converted to if not into the character and composition of the Holy Spirit?

God is spirit. We must be born again of the SPIRIT. Yeshua is the FIRSTBORN of many brethren (Rom. 8:29). We’re presently partakers of the DIVINE nature (2 Pet. 1:4). God is our Father, Yeshua is our elder Brother – a family relationship. We’re in Adam’s human/earthy image now; we’re to be in the Second Adam’s spiritual/heavenly/divine image soon.

God is reproducing Himself! That’s what the conversion process is all about: God became man so man could become God. Mankind was created after the Godkind so after a life of conversion and purification, we can be resurrected to GLORY and share the glory of the Father and Son as born-again sons of God (Elohim).

Again, what are we to become? How can you strive to enter God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Gods (Elohim), leaving the human kingdom behind, if you refuse to accept the awesome potential God (Elohim) offers? Take receiving the Holy Spirit and being born again of the Holy Spirit to its logical/biblical end/fulfillment.

When we’re glorified God-Beings, worshipping our Supreme Father God in His Kingdom (I Cor. 15:28), just like Yeshua will submit to the Father as all in all, we’ll be immortal Priest-Kings (Rev. 5:10, 20:6), and God will be the “God of Gods” (Ps. 97:7, 136:2). Christ is the King of Kings (we’re those kings), and the Lord of Lords (we’re those lords), and the Father is God of Gods (we’re those Gods/Elohim) – (Micah 4:5).

We either accept Yeshua’s revelation of the UNKNOWN FATHER and His eternal coexistence with Him, and His work as Creator, as the Word, under the supervision of the Father, or we must reject the New Testament.

The Jews know Yeshua’s claims and don’t water them down to fit their religion. They reject His revelation for now, like most of traditional Christianity, but both Houses of Israel (Anglo-Saxons, Western Europeans and Jews as taught by Brit-Am Israel) will get over this stumbling block and soon embrace our transcendent calling to become literal members of the Heavenly Family of Gods (Elohim), higher than the animals and angels (Heb. 2:9-10).

We don’t call God the Father for nothing, or do we? We’re to be the literal children of God, the Children of the Resurrection (Luke 20:36).

What a chilling thought. When we were kids, the last thing we wanted was a parent on our backs. And we would have just died knowing that our parents had seen us ___________. Fill in the blank with whatever makes you blush. I myself could fit an awful lot into that little space.

There was the time I had convinced my little brother that Mom had been underfed at the hospital and was now only two feet tall. Or the time I put Mom’s bra on the neighbor’s snowman. And then there’s the stuff I wouldn’t dare put on paper.

But that’s when I was young…and innocent. The more I think about the idea of someone watching now, the more I feel like hiding beneath a rock. A parent who’s always watching can seem like a curse more than anything else. Then I think about my own children.

I find this contrast between how I see my own kids (and their little escapades) and how I thought my parents looked at me. There’s so much that I punish them for, and then spend the rest of the night giggling about. All the mischief that stems from a mixture of boredom, ignorance, and tomfoolery.

But again, those are the more or less innocent things. I see much more than they realize, and I’m sure my parents did too. And I guess my parents saw it the same way I see it. While I might feel disappointment sometimes, I never feel that deep shame that I was sure my own parent felt. It’s more along the lines of pity.

I want my kids to be good, because I know it’s good for them. When I see them take a wrong turn, I worry for their wellbeing. And when they take the same wrong turn over and over again, my only thought is to help guide them…to give them directions down the right path.

Sometimes they ignore my counsel (and my punishment). They decide that their way is better, and they end up paying for it. But even then, I look with sympathy and try to help them fix the problem. I’m never glad when they cause their own ruin, and I certainly don’t look forward to it. So why would God be any different?

As we deal with guilt in life, it’s intimidating to know that God sees all…but there’s comfort in the fact that He’s our Father.

THE ZODIAC SIGNS OF THE END-TIMES EVENTS

Some of the zodiac signs in the sky called ‘constellation’ known as group of stars, is used in the vision of the biblical prophets in predicting future events and Joseph was the first in the bible to use Zodiac signs as stated in the Book of Genesis whose star was the “BULL”(April 21st – May 20th) who was to rule his brothers(Gen. 37:5-11 & Deut. Chapter 33); while Jacob predicted the Zodiac sign of Judah known as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah known as LEO (July 23rd to August 22nd).

In most of the vision of Daniel God used Zodiac signs which he studied in astrology in Babylon(Dan 5:11). Thus the vision of the Ram and the He-goat were part of the Zodiac signs used to tell Daniel of the coming events. The symbols of these creatures in the sky known as the group of stars are shown to the biblical prophets in the form of a cartoon film show using the real shape of those creatures but in a rubout or cartoon form and one of those signs could be used over and over for several coming events but the same sign but some futures could be added or changed eg if the zodiac sign is a goat with four legs in other vision could be five, six , seven, eight legs ect depending on the meaning of the giving prophecy.

God revealed it to them mostly in the vision of the night according to prophet Daniel without him demanding of it or thought about it; as for Apostle John, God sent his angel to show those vision to him; in own case was also a cartoon firm show he was watching; in most case cases he said, “I saw a portent in heaven, I saw a sign in heaven” trying to described the film board he was watching at the sky even behind the firm shows you could see the stars far at the back ground; It is like a firm board suspended in the sky for you to watch. But the occults gaze at the water in the basin or looking at magic mirrors after serious mediations and prayers formulas according to the religion involved; but this is not the case with the biblical prophets. God can reveal it to them anytime, anywhere even while walking, eating, or sleeping; it is their natural gift from God. Like my own case I never seriously fast and pray before I get a revelation; God give me revelation anywhere, anytime like most anointed prophets of God and I can explain more deeper mysteries all from the very holy bible because I saw it in both visions and dreams which I can use as a guide in my explanations and then make some findings for a proof

In the book of Revelation, several zodiac signs were used; in Revelation chapter 12, the woman clothed with the sun is the Vigo( August 23rd to Sept 23rd); biblically, this represent the church and the virgin Mary which shall give birth to the Man-Child while the great red dragon is the dragon sign in the sky as one of those group of stars, In Revelation chapter 6, the rider of the white horse with the bow is known as SAGITTARIUS or archer (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21); and in Revelation chapter 6, the balance or the scale is called LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23rd ) also related to the vision of the hand writing on the wall in respect of the vision of the ram hand he he-goat (Dan. Chapter 5).

A group of stars known as Scorpio came down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit as one of the zodiac signs SCORPIO (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22; Rev. 9:1-11). GEMINI (May 22-June 21)The twin bothers are known as Jacob and Esau and the beast that rose out of the earth(from the bottomless pit) is called CANCER (June 22-July 22)

THE LEO STAR AND THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

During the birth of an important king, one of the stars in that group will indicate by becoming very brigher than other stats Just as it happened in the day Our Lord was born and his star among the constellation Leo of the Zodiac sign was very brighter to the acknowledgements of the three astrologers; as was shown to me the star remains in the sky and sent its tinny rays to the roof of the house the Lord was laid during birth; but to avoid being killed by King Herod, the ray disappeared with the star being overshadowed by cloud and the cloud was taking away as soon as they left the King Palace and were on their way searching for the new born king.

The cloud was taking away and the found the ray whcih they traced until they arrived at the roof and not that the star was actually moving before them but the ray of the star from the constellation Leo moved before them and directed them to the place of the new born king

THE LEO STARS AND THE FALLING OF THE STARS IN 1833

Jesus predicted the falling of the stars prior to his second coming and in the book of Revelation is known as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the bright and morning star; using the Zodiac signs (Rev. 5:5, Mat, 24:29-33 and Rev. 22:6). Thefore during his second coming, the LEO group of stars will play another important rule.

The falling of the stars beginning from the constellation leo was first experienced on Nov. 13. 1833. On this account, Agnes M. Clarke author of “A POPLULAR HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY”(1885 edition) page 369,370 indicated that part of the world that witnessed the scene include, the Gulf of Mexico, Halifax and Boston in the United States; He said, ” the sky was scored in every direction with a shinning fire balls. Trace backward their parts were invariably found to converge to a point in the constellation-LEO’ (For more details see ‘BIBLE READING FROM THE HOME” PAGE 232 PARAGRAPH 2).

THE BULL SIGN AND THE DARKNESS OF THE EARTH.

Prior to the falling of the stars in 1833, the darkness of the earth was also observed as one of the end-time signs indicating the second coming of the Lord. The darkness was one of the signs Moses performed in Egypt and being one of the prophetic powers of the two witnesses to prophecy for 1260 days according to Revelation chapter 11; This has to be done first before the second coming of Jesus Christ follows.

As a sign indicating the coming of the global events, on May 19, 1780 several part of the world was filled with total darkness as it was in the days of Moses in Egypt even a piece of white cloth cannot be seen just like a thick dark cloud (see BIBLE READING FROM THE HOME PAGE 230); This incident occurred on May 19th indicating the sign of the bull being the forerunner of LEO. The difference between May and November is Six months indicating John the Baptist older than Christ for Six months being his forerunner if the bull sign of thick darkness appeared in May of 1833.

So the Zodiac sign as a rule to play in this end-times

When troubles and sorrows swoop down on people like vultures over road kill, we almost immediately ask one of three questions, if not all three. “Where is God?” “Why me (or her or him or them), God?” “How could God let this happen?” Some people insist that God doesn’t exist because a real god would not allow some catastrophe occur. However, when bad things do happen to good people, God is where he has always been – waiting for us. We often suffer as a result of our own actions, the actions of others, or the effect of evil.

We often do things to our bodies that cause agony or tribulations later. A good friend of mine lay on her death bed, ravaged by cancer. A visitor commented, “How could God allow this to happen to you? You’re such a good person.”

Jane gave a wan smile before answering, “God had nothing to do with it. I was the one who insisted on smoking all those years.”

We often suffer the consequences of our own actions and then blame God when we do. God doesn’t force us to smoke, take risks that result in injuries, over indulge, use alcohol and drugs irresponsibly, or involve ourselves in other behavior that harms us. He doesn’t cause us to be careless, either.

Nor is God responsible when people put others in harm’s way. Three members of a family of four died as the result of a drunken driver swerving off the road. In the blink of an eye (an all-too-true cliché), a teenaged girl lost both her parents and her brother as well as being injured herself. The actions of a self-indulging man caused needless grief and suffering. When interviewed after her hospital stay, the young woman said, “At least my family is in a better place and will never know pain or heartache.”

Parents pass on genes to children that carry illness. Some times mothers knowingly cause problems for their children through the use of alcohol or drugs while pregnant. We can even accidently cause others to endure pain or heartache.

Then evil causes untold agony. According to the Bible, God created man and woman to live in the Garden of Eden, never to know grief or misery. Then the “snake” appeared, evil incarnate; then Adam and Even slipped. We’ve been fighting evil ever since.

Ah, I can hear someone stating, “There’s no such thing as evil.”

All we need do is look around us. Evil can be found in those who enjoy hurting others. Every day we see the results in the cruelty, the child abuse, the molesting, the torturing of children and of adults. Those are the signs of evil. We are responsible for fighting evil in our lives, and God will help us. The saying “the devil made me do it” is no excuse for allowing evil to control us.

God does not cause the pain, anguish, and tribulations of life. In fact He is the source of any real comfort, but people blame Him. Doing so is easier than realizing we or someone we love might be at fault. Perhaps, in the case of death, He takes a good person away from more suffering. To this day I miss my mother, but she no longer knows pain or heartache. I can’t be selfish enough to wish her back to face more than she did.

Where is God? He waits patiently for us to turn to Him for the comfort only He can provide and for us to stop blaming Him.

“Heaven on earth…”

Terry Dashner (www.ffcba.org)

To “get saved” is to bring heaven to us. It’s not necessarily a gift given by God that gets us to heaven.

Recently I read an article published in a book entitled, What does it mean to be saved? (John G. Stackhouse, Jr., editor, Baker Academic, 2002). The author is Rikk E. Watts, and the article is entitled, “The New Exodus/New Creational Restoration of the Image of God.” The article is a Biblical-theological perspective on salvation, and is–in my opinion–a landmark study as to how the modern evangelical should view salvation in Jesus Christ.

In the words of Watts, salvation is the “new creational restoration” of man who is created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, His image bearer. Because man fell into sin by disobeying God in the Garden of Eden, man lost his “light bearing status” before God and His creation. Jesus came to redeem man from his sin and lift him to the light bearing status for which he was created. In Christ we are reflecting the light of God as we walk in obedience to God–loving Him with all our being and loving our neighbors as ourselves. So salvation is a restoration of the “image-bearer” by becoming a new creation (II Cor. 5:17) in Christ Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit that brings the new life to bear (Titus 3:5-7).

May I share some more words of Mr. Watt’s that further supports his thesis of “image-bearer” salvation?

Watts states, “Martin Heidegger once argued, our experience of the present and expectations of the future can be constructed only from the materials of the past. This is certainly the case in regard to the Bible, whose Old and New Testaments from Genesis to Revelation are profoundly shaped by Israel’s memory of the exodus. But this is not all. Long ago Herman Gunkel, noting how 2 Peter 3:6-7 describes the final judgment in terms of the Genesis flood and how Matthew 24:37 likens the days of the coming of the Son of man to those of Noah, argued that from the biblical perspective, Endzeit (the last days) recapitulates Urzeit (prehistory).”

Watts continues, “Several scholars have recently developed this view, arguing that if there is a center to biblical theology, it is the concept of new creation; as the Epistle of Barnabas 6.13 states, ‘Behold I make the last like the first things.’ Put in more aphoristic terms, eschatology recapitulates protology.”

If God is enthroned in the heavens and the earth is His footstool, then we are certainly at home as we posture ourselves at His feet in devoted worship. Again Watts writes, “We do not make a temple-palace for Yahweh; he has made one for us, and it is not only the earth in its entirety but Eden and the tabernacle. We do not form Yahweh in our image; he makes us in his. We do not ‘open’ his eyes, ears, and so on; instead, he gives us sight, hearing, and ultimately fills us with his ‘breath.’ Nor do we provide for him; rather, he has done lavishly so for us.”

It’s not always obvious to us, but nevertheless it is true. We become like the idols that we idolize. If I worship material substance as my god, I become like the idolized thing–dead to the things of God because my hearing and seeing have become like the idol–deaf and blind. Israel worshipped idols and abused God’s creation. She became as deaf and blind as the moot statues of stone she prayed to. That’s why Isaiah 6:9-10 records Israel as having eyes, she will not see, ears she will not hear. She had become as deaf and blind as her idols, and judgment was imminent.

There is coming with the return of Jesus Christ a unification of heaven and earth. Remember the prayer He told us to pray? We are to affirm the truth that as it is in heaven so shall it be on earth. Again, we are not going to heaven, heaven is coming to us. The Revelation of John speaks of a refurbished atmosphere and earth by fire. It speaks about the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven to earth. It says that Christ is coming again to the earth on which we live. Jesus is quoted by John as saying, “Behold, I make all things new.” So one might conclude that as it was on earth when Adam and Eve walked the Garden of Eden in innocence, so shall it be again. And this time, without the tempter.

In light of this, what should we do with this “so great a salvation”? We must realize that we are saved by believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our Savior. And we must recognize that we are being saved daily as we surrender our will to the Spirit of God, asking Him to rule over our hearts. Finally, we will be saved to the uttermost when Christ glorifies our bodies at the resurrection. How should we then live? Live everyday as the light-bearer we were created to be. Let the light of Jesus shine through us until we are seen by others as the true image of Jesus to this world.

Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming soon. Keep living as His Light to the world.

Pastor T