The two following items have put into words what has been going through my mind over the past several months. The first one concerning liberals in America only superficially addresses our condition. Have you ever read The Communist Manifesto? It is a simple and beautiful proposal for the Utopian society. I find only one flaw: it fails to take into account man's fallen nature. Even the first Christian community had its problems with the equitable feeding of their widows, and Ananias and Sapphira. From nearly twenty years in mainland China, I understand how enforced unanimity can damage the heart and spirit of a nation.
Please scroll to the bottom for a continuation of my thoughts.
Veteran psychiatrist calls liberals mentally ill
By: irnnews IRN | Source: WorldNetDaily.com
December 26, 2008 10:01AM EST
Posted: November 12, 2008 6:33 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – Just when liberals thought it was safe to start identifying themselves as such, an acclaimed, veteran psychiatrist is making the case that the ideology motivating them is actually a mental disorder.
"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."
While political activists on the other side of the spectrum have made similar observations, Rossiter boasts professional credentials and a life virtually free of activism and links to "the vast right-wing conspiracy."
For more than 35 years he has diagnosed and treated more than 1,500 patients as a board-certified clinical psychiatrist and examined more than 2,700 civil and criminal cases as a board-certified forensic psychiatrist. He received his medical and psychiatric training at the University of Chicago.
Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by both Barack Obama and his Democratic primary opponent Hillary Clinton can only be understood as a psychological disorder.
"A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity – as liberals do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population – as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state – as liberals do."
Dr. Rossiter says the liberal agenda preys on weakness and feelings of inferiority in the population by:
• creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization;
• satisfying infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation;
• augmenting primitive feelings of envy;
• rejecting the sovereignty of the individual, subordinating him to the will of the government.
"The roots of liberalism – and its associated madness – can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal mind," he says. "When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious."
Thomas Jefferson's words of wisdom.
When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
In light of the present financial crisis, it's interesting to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.
I've been deeply concerned with the lukewarm condition of the American Institutional Church and the proliferation of heresy, not to mention the loss of personal ethics in Christians' everyday lives. This has troubled me to the point of getting my eyes off the Lord to look at what's happening locally, in our nation, and in the world. As a result, I have been less joyful and hopeful. In my devotional reading I came across Matthew 24:12, "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."
I gave that some thought. Why should someone else's lawlessness cause me to grow cold? Because I stop looking up and start looking around. That results in worry and a sense of powerlessness. The desire to be accepted may cause one to compromise his beliefs. This spirals downward, out of control unless I am watchful of my relationship with Jesus. Certainly, I'll not hear any sermons admonishing me to refocus on the Lord and relinquish control to Him, committing myself and my welfare to Him, then committing my loved ones and friends to His care, too. I get emails pleading for prayer from nearly all over the world, and those needs weigh heavy on my heart, but by looking up to Jesus and acknowledging Him as Lord of all, I can be at peace and filled with hope in Him.
We are admonished in Hebrews 10:25 to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." I take this exhortation seriously, and perhaps it's me only, but I'm having trouble finding fellow believers who want to be responsible and submitted to each other in fellowship. Perhaps we will have to suffer in isolation before we realize the strength that comes from corporate worship and encouragement.
While this post is a sober one, I am finding refreshment in fasting and the Word, in private worship, and continued reaching out to others. The Lord is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day, so I refuse to be passive in my love and devotion for Him. If I'm called a fanatic, so be it!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Alexander Cometh
The following was taken from a comment sent to the site listed below, at the end of a Kim Clement article. It is thoughtful and worthy of sharing with my readers.
http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/
From REVIVAL List
Date Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:22:58 +1300
Subject [revival] THE END of EMPIRE AMERICA - Robert Holmes
NOTE from Mario Liu: On 16 October 2008 I was in a prayer meeting with Robert Holmes, and Kurt Pfanstiel, who was visiting us from the USA. Robert shared with us a vision he has recently received. Robert had a vision of Alexander the Great standing victorious in the middle of USA.
We discussed about Robert’s vision in some details. Alexander the Great in the vision was a foreign looking man. He was surrounded by many US citizens, who seemed to welcome Alexander as their leader. I asked Robert whether there were any signs of violence and Robert said no.
I remembered God has given similar visions before about
Alexander the Great conquering USA and we did not understand God’s meaning then. Now that God repeated this vision, I felt that there is significance in this and asked God for more revelations, such as which country is conquering USA, who is Alexander etc.
But God did not give us any clear revelations apart from saying that “Alexander took Babylon without bloodshed.”
After the US election, Robert recognized that the Alexander he saw was Obama. Then God revealed more information. These
revelations are enclosed below… We need to pray.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE END of EMPIRE AMERICA
-by Robert I Holmes.
This article will cover a range of issues which have been brewing for six to twelve months in my heart. History will judge America as an empire. That empire is coming to an end. The election of Barak Obama is a significant prophetic event, marking the sunset of that empire, and the rising of other powers in the earth who represent ancient powers and civilizations. These ideas have consequences for believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her (like Australia). But to address those things, I need to go back eight years.
Standing in Upstate New York in 2000, I had a conversation with the Lord which I shall never forget. The Lord asked me “How long does an empire last?” to which I asked, “Am I standing in an empire?” [it did not occur to me that I was standing in the Empire State!] Rather than answering me directly, He said, “All empires come to an end”. I pondered this for a moment. What empire?
Was this country coming to an end? Then He asked a third question: “How do people position themselves as an empire nears its eventual end?” The implications of his line of thought were clear.
America had become an empire, had influenced the world, but was now nearing the end of her reign as a sovereign super power. God wanted his people to know, their day in the sun is ending; the sunset is coming. He wanted them to make preparations and adjustments.
What is an Empire?
The concept of an American Empire was first popularized in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898 (during which it took control of the Philippines and other Pacific island nations).
America rates as an empire not only because of her global
sovereignty but because of her super power status.
She is actually the world’s first “hyper power”. Hubert Vedrine, the French Foreign Minister stated in July 2003 that, “The United States of America today predominates on the economic, monetary, technological and in the cultural arena in terms of power and influence it is not comparable to anything known in modern history - in short the US is a hyper puissance [hyper power]“. (1)
Alexander Cometh!
In 1999, as I prepared to travel to the US on ministry, the Lord gave me a very unusual prophetic word. He said that, “In the days of Babylon, when her walls stood wide and her leaders stood tall, her defenses were strong and her campaigns victorious, Alexander the Great came and defeated her. In the same way, my Alexander will
stand in the very midst of the United States of America”.
The phrase “in the same way” indicates that America’s walls are wide, her leaders stand tall, her defenses are strong, her campaigns until now have been victorious. But a man like Alexander - someone God refers to as “my Alexander” will stand in her midst, victorious and defeat her. Alexander the Great, a Mediterranean Greek, defeated Darius the Mede in 331BC at the Battle of Gaugamela, and the gates of Babylon swung open to him (when he was just 25 years old). He stood in the midst of the courtyard declaring himself king. He then spent considerable time and effort trying to restore Babylon to its former glory.
As I prayed in preparation for going to the US two weeks ago on ministry again, I had a vision of a map of America from high above.
There, almost in the centre of it was a marketplace. I zoomed down toward the marketplace, and saw a man standing there. I recognized by the Spirit that it was Alexander the Great, standing in a dusty, sandstone area, sword lifted high, victorious.
I believe that God’s “Alexander” is Barak Obama. He has now
stood in the middle of America, and declared his victory speech in Grant Park in Chicago. There, he prophetically declared, “Change has come to America,” (6). Yes indeed, it has. Barak, apart from having the appearance of a Middle Eastern or African man, is also very young and experienced. Barak Obama has not even had a full year in his senate position. I do not question the right of a 47 year old to rule a nation, but his inexperience is not reduced by his
amazing oratory skill. “Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout [in all] the earth,” (Psalm 45:16 NIV).
He represents the end of empire America as we know it, and the opening of a new regime, one which, like Alexander, represents a conflagration of old powers: European, Middle Eastern and Asian.
He will try to restore America’s glory, but in doing so relegate her to second position on the global scene.
Chinese communist armies may well stand ready to invade the US, but she is extremely well guarded. Muslim extremists are surely planning further self-destructive attacks on US soil, but she is well prepared. It is certain that European economies seek to outflank the US, but given the present economic collapse, their hopes fall with the US.
There remains one great enemy the US has no protection against at all: themselves. It is to ourselves we must look. The society we have created, the environment we have destroyed, the economy we have overtaxed, the people we have abandoned, the poor we have ignored, the sin we have run toward, the morals we have abandoned. These things must change.
- Arrogance and greed are their own poison.
- Pride brings its own inevitable fall.
- Moral corruption is its own debilitating cancer.
America Is In the Cycle
In a substantial review of empires, Salem Kirban concluded that “world dominating civilizations progress through the following fairly well defined sequence of stages” (7):
- Bondage;
- Spiritual faith/ revival;
- Courage/ war;
- Liberty for the people;
- Prosperity/ abundance/ wealth;
- Complacency/ apathy;
- Dependency/ debt;
- Moral corruption/ addiction;
- Bondage.
It does not take an historian or a scholar to see that America has traversed her way through this very cycle of life, and finds herself in the dependency/debt and moral corruption/ addiction stages.
National debt stands at 10,639,613,228,421 today (that’s ten point six trillion and rising). It is the most indebted nation on earth. Debt stands at 70% of GDP. And to whom is that money owed? The US government itself owns about 43% of it. The next largest holder is the US Federal Reserve, and after that: Japan, China, Britain and Oil countries of the Middle East (who together hold 29%, which is more than private sector Americans). About 66% of the debt owned by foreign nations is held by banks of other countries, in
particular the central banks of Japan and China. (8)
Recall the prophetic words about the end of an empire, preparing for the days to come, and the appearance of an Alexander figure - the era of America’s dominance is closing. Barak will oversee the increase of influence of foreign powers in the US: the power of ancient nations and forces. Specifically: European, Middle Eastern and Asian. The everyday mortgages of middle income Americans
are owned by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which in turn are
heavily indebted to Japan, China and Middle Eastern oil states.
This situation will only get more and more entwined. America stands a very real exposure to risk should foreign banks stop buying Treasury securities or start selling them heavily.
This risk was addressed in a recent report issued by the Bank of International Settlements which stated, “Foreign investors in U.S. dollar assets have seen big losses measured in dollars, and still bigger ones measured in their own currency. While unlikely, a sudden rush for the exits cannot be ruled out completely.” (9). One
economic analyst, Nouriel Roubini keenly observes, “The US has squandered its uni-polar moment, the decline of the American Empire - as the US was a global empire - has started… We are indeed slowly moving towards a multi-polar world where there will be a balance of Great Powers rather than the hegemony of a single hyperpower.” (10)
Change of Government, But No Change of Heart
There will be a change of president in the White House in January, 2009. The US president is moving from Republican to Democrat, but that does nothing to change the heart of the nation. The rise of a Black leader does nothing to address the moral malady she is in.
Obama is not the nation’s savior. The nation is already deep in the throes of a national depression which will last between 2-10 years, it is the most indebted nation in history, and no man can rescue such a situation.
If Kirban is right, and if this word is true, the nation will bring herself undone. She will decay, and implode - and then bondage must come. As Irish philosopher Edmund Burke once said, “Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters,” (11). Our passions must necessarily forge external fetters to govern us. Famine, strife,
martial law, war, invasion and poverty ensue.
God calls Barak Obama “my Alexander”. His standing in the midst of America, victorious, was a prophetic announcement that change indeed has come to America. The American Empire is coming to an end. There is a global shift from a single super power to the rise of other powers in the earth. These ideas have consequences for believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her.
Our world is getting set to change!
Now God asks, “How will you position yourself as the empire
nears its eventual end?”
Then I got this from a friend that I shared the above with…
A confirming word to me. This morning at Starbucks I met with Pastor Steve of City Center Church, it was just the two of us today. We spent our time today discussing current events in light of prophecy. I told him that–while hoping I am wrong–my spirit has been agitated for months, and now with Obama taking office a sense of sever trouble is coming our (USA) way in 2009 and beyond, the likes of which we have not seen before. The term that best describes it is “this whole thing is about to unravel”; impending doom is the mood: economic, social, and spiritual. All three areas are heating up and the Church in America will be tested and purified. The sour economic future will test real believers in terms of where they place their trust–the unregenerate will fall away and worship at the foot of the economy of man. The social testing will come in the form is increasing hostility to God, the Bible, and Christian who stand firm on Scripture–they will pay a heavy price for speaking out. We are already seeing an emboldened gay community suing any group that denies them their ‘rights.’ The net effect is to silence all opposing voices (print & oral). In this regard we have not seen anything yet. The spiritual testing of this environment will produce increased fruit in true believers–making them better–while the “joiners” will become bitter and fall away, disillusioned that God “let them down and didn’t come through for them.” Needless to say, this will include multitudes who have fallen to the false teaching of the health and wealth ‘gospel.’ Those who associate with Christians and yet who are not born again will fall away in droves and increasingly being a follower of Jesus brings real persecution and pain–the likes of which the US has never experienced. The purging will be similar to that of Acts 7 when the ‘joiners” distanced themselves from the church after God dealt with Ananias and Sophia.
Again, I hope I am wrong on all of this, but this is what I am sensing in my spirit. The speed at which these things take place is unknown to me, it could be months or years.
Comment by IWanthetruth | November 25, 2008
http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/
From REVIVAL List
Date Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:22:58 +1300
Subject [revival] THE END of EMPIRE AMERICA - Robert Holmes
NOTE from Mario Liu: On 16 October 2008 I was in a prayer meeting with Robert Holmes, and Kurt Pfanstiel, who was visiting us from the USA. Robert shared with us a vision he has recently received. Robert had a vision of Alexander the Great standing victorious in the middle of USA.
We discussed about Robert’s vision in some details. Alexander the Great in the vision was a foreign looking man. He was surrounded by many US citizens, who seemed to welcome Alexander as their leader. I asked Robert whether there were any signs of violence and Robert said no.
I remembered God has given similar visions before about
Alexander the Great conquering USA and we did not understand God’s meaning then. Now that God repeated this vision, I felt that there is significance in this and asked God for more revelations, such as which country is conquering USA, who is Alexander etc.
But God did not give us any clear revelations apart from saying that “Alexander took Babylon without bloodshed.”
After the US election, Robert recognized that the Alexander he saw was Obama. Then God revealed more information. These
revelations are enclosed below… We need to pray.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE END of EMPIRE AMERICA
-by Robert I Holmes.
This article will cover a range of issues which have been brewing for six to twelve months in my heart. History will judge America as an empire. That empire is coming to an end. The election of Barak Obama is a significant prophetic event, marking the sunset of that empire, and the rising of other powers in the earth who represent ancient powers and civilizations. These ideas have consequences for believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her (like Australia). But to address those things, I need to go back eight years.
Standing in Upstate New York in 2000, I had a conversation with the Lord which I shall never forget. The Lord asked me “How long does an empire last?” to which I asked, “Am I standing in an empire?” [it did not occur to me that I was standing in the Empire State!] Rather than answering me directly, He said, “All empires come to an end”. I pondered this for a moment. What empire?
Was this country coming to an end? Then He asked a third question: “How do people position themselves as an empire nears its eventual end?” The implications of his line of thought were clear.
America had become an empire, had influenced the world, but was now nearing the end of her reign as a sovereign super power. God wanted his people to know, their day in the sun is ending; the sunset is coming. He wanted them to make preparations and adjustments.
What is an Empire?
The concept of an American Empire was first popularized in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898 (during which it took control of the Philippines and other Pacific island nations).
America rates as an empire not only because of her global
sovereignty but because of her super power status.
She is actually the world’s first “hyper power”. Hubert Vedrine, the French Foreign Minister stated in July 2003 that, “The United States of America today predominates on the economic, monetary, technological and in the cultural arena in terms of power and influence it is not comparable to anything known in modern history - in short the US is a hyper puissance [hyper power]“. (1)
Alexander Cometh!
In 1999, as I prepared to travel to the US on ministry, the Lord gave me a very unusual prophetic word. He said that, “In the days of Babylon, when her walls stood wide and her leaders stood tall, her defenses were strong and her campaigns victorious, Alexander the Great came and defeated her. In the same way, my Alexander will
stand in the very midst of the United States of America”.
The phrase “in the same way” indicates that America’s walls are wide, her leaders stand tall, her defenses are strong, her campaigns until now have been victorious. But a man like Alexander - someone God refers to as “my Alexander” will stand in her midst, victorious and defeat her. Alexander the Great, a Mediterranean Greek, defeated Darius the Mede in 331BC at the Battle of Gaugamela, and the gates of Babylon swung open to him (when he was just 25 years old). He stood in the midst of the courtyard declaring himself king. He then spent considerable time and effort trying to restore Babylon to its former glory.
As I prayed in preparation for going to the US two weeks ago on ministry again, I had a vision of a map of America from high above.
There, almost in the centre of it was a marketplace. I zoomed down toward the marketplace, and saw a man standing there. I recognized by the Spirit that it was Alexander the Great, standing in a dusty, sandstone area, sword lifted high, victorious.
I believe that God’s “Alexander” is Barak Obama. He has now
stood in the middle of America, and declared his victory speech in Grant Park in Chicago. There, he prophetically declared, “Change has come to America,” (6). Yes indeed, it has. Barak, apart from having the appearance of a Middle Eastern or African man, is also very young and experienced. Barak Obama has not even had a full year in his senate position. I do not question the right of a 47 year old to rule a nation, but his inexperience is not reduced by his
amazing oratory skill. “Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout [in all] the earth,” (Psalm 45:16 NIV).
He represents the end of empire America as we know it, and the opening of a new regime, one which, like Alexander, represents a conflagration of old powers: European, Middle Eastern and Asian.
He will try to restore America’s glory, but in doing so relegate her to second position on the global scene.
Chinese communist armies may well stand ready to invade the US, but she is extremely well guarded. Muslim extremists are surely planning further self-destructive attacks on US soil, but she is well prepared. It is certain that European economies seek to outflank the US, but given the present economic collapse, their hopes fall with the US.
There remains one great enemy the US has no protection against at all: themselves. It is to ourselves we must look. The society we have created, the environment we have destroyed, the economy we have overtaxed, the people we have abandoned, the poor we have ignored, the sin we have run toward, the morals we have abandoned. These things must change.
- Arrogance and greed are their own poison.
- Pride brings its own inevitable fall.
- Moral corruption is its own debilitating cancer.
America Is In the Cycle
In a substantial review of empires, Salem Kirban concluded that “world dominating civilizations progress through the following fairly well defined sequence of stages” (7):
- Bondage;
- Spiritual faith/ revival;
- Courage/ war;
- Liberty for the people;
- Prosperity/ abundance/ wealth;
- Complacency/ apathy;
- Dependency/ debt;
- Moral corruption/ addiction;
- Bondage.
It does not take an historian or a scholar to see that America has traversed her way through this very cycle of life, and finds herself in the dependency/debt and moral corruption/ addiction stages.
National debt stands at 10,639,613,228,421 today (that’s ten point six trillion and rising). It is the most indebted nation on earth. Debt stands at 70% of GDP. And to whom is that money owed? The US government itself owns about 43% of it. The next largest holder is the US Federal Reserve, and after that: Japan, China, Britain and Oil countries of the Middle East (who together hold 29%, which is more than private sector Americans). About 66% of the debt owned by foreign nations is held by banks of other countries, in
particular the central banks of Japan and China. (8)
Recall the prophetic words about the end of an empire, preparing for the days to come, and the appearance of an Alexander figure - the era of America’s dominance is closing. Barak will oversee the increase of influence of foreign powers in the US: the power of ancient nations and forces. Specifically: European, Middle Eastern and Asian. The everyday mortgages of middle income Americans
are owned by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which in turn are
heavily indebted to Japan, China and Middle Eastern oil states.
This situation will only get more and more entwined. America stands a very real exposure to risk should foreign banks stop buying Treasury securities or start selling them heavily.
This risk was addressed in a recent report issued by the Bank of International Settlements which stated, “Foreign investors in U.S. dollar assets have seen big losses measured in dollars, and still bigger ones measured in their own currency. While unlikely, a sudden rush for the exits cannot be ruled out completely.” (9). One
economic analyst, Nouriel Roubini keenly observes, “The US has squandered its uni-polar moment, the decline of the American Empire - as the US was a global empire - has started… We are indeed slowly moving towards a multi-polar world where there will be a balance of Great Powers rather than the hegemony of a single hyperpower.” (10)
Change of Government, But No Change of Heart
There will be a change of president in the White House in January, 2009. The US president is moving from Republican to Democrat, but that does nothing to change the heart of the nation. The rise of a Black leader does nothing to address the moral malady she is in.
Obama is not the nation’s savior. The nation is already deep in the throes of a national depression which will last between 2-10 years, it is the most indebted nation in history, and no man can rescue such a situation.
If Kirban is right, and if this word is true, the nation will bring herself undone. She will decay, and implode - and then bondage must come. As Irish philosopher Edmund Burke once said, “Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters,” (11). Our passions must necessarily forge external fetters to govern us. Famine, strife,
martial law, war, invasion and poverty ensue.
God calls Barak Obama “my Alexander”. His standing in the midst of America, victorious, was a prophetic announcement that change indeed has come to America. The American Empire is coming to an end. There is a global shift from a single super power to the rise of other powers in the earth. These ideas have consequences for believers living both in the US and the countries who rely on her.
Our world is getting set to change!
Now God asks, “How will you position yourself as the empire
nears its eventual end?”
Then I got this from a friend that I shared the above with…
A confirming word to me. This morning at Starbucks I met with Pastor Steve of City Center Church, it was just the two of us today. We spent our time today discussing current events in light of prophecy. I told him that–while hoping I am wrong–my spirit has been agitated for months, and now with Obama taking office a sense of sever trouble is coming our (USA) way in 2009 and beyond, the likes of which we have not seen before. The term that best describes it is “this whole thing is about to unravel”; impending doom is the mood: economic, social, and spiritual. All three areas are heating up and the Church in America will be tested and purified. The sour economic future will test real believers in terms of where they place their trust–the unregenerate will fall away and worship at the foot of the economy of man. The social testing will come in the form is increasing hostility to God, the Bible, and Christian who stand firm on Scripture–they will pay a heavy price for speaking out. We are already seeing an emboldened gay community suing any group that denies them their ‘rights.’ The net effect is to silence all opposing voices (print & oral). In this regard we have not seen anything yet. The spiritual testing of this environment will produce increased fruit in true believers–making them better–while the “joiners” will become bitter and fall away, disillusioned that God “let them down and didn’t come through for them.” Needless to say, this will include multitudes who have fallen to the false teaching of the health and wealth ‘gospel.’ Those who associate with Christians and yet who are not born again will fall away in droves and increasingly being a follower of Jesus brings real persecution and pain–the likes of which the US has never experienced. The purging will be similar to that of Acts 7 when the ‘joiners” distanced themselves from the church after God dealt with Ananias and Sophia.
Again, I hope I am wrong on all of this, but this is what I am sensing in my spirit. The speed at which these things take place is unknown to me, it could be months or years.
Comment by IWanthetruth | November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Reminder of May 19, 2008 Blog
Please reread this article and the six comments made. This information and the attached views still are pertinent.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Why Does Obama's Pastor Matter?
By John Perazzo
FrontPageMagazine.com | 2/4/2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Why Does Obama's Pastor Matter?
By John Perazzo
FrontPageMagazine.com | 2/4/2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Qualifications for Leadership
What are the qualifications for leadership in an established corporation? Education, training, and experience in the specific field for which the applicant is competing would be appropriate expectations. Has the applicant been successful in implementing new, more efficient procedures? Are his/her concerns broad but concrete, or superficial and based on appearances rather than a strong foundation of principles known to work over a period of time? Does this applicant understand economics and how to manage his budget? Would this open position be better served by a particular age, nationality, or gender?
It has been said, “The two candidates were about equal.” But voting records are published on the Internet and easily accessed by the public. These records are extremely important because they reflect the philosophy behind the choices, whether the candidate values and respects the life of the very elderly and the unborn; or whether the candidate sees life as being utilitarian, when it’s contribution has peaked and the individual is no longer of value to society.
Another critical value is personal ethics. Generally speaking, most Americans regard politicians as having compromised ethics, the motivation being money under the table. In fact, that is the underlying reason this once great country is struggling for balance presently – greed at the highest leadership levels: national regulatory boards, CEOs, the medical profession and related fields. This broad ribbon of greed extends to the most basic levels of our society where a garbage company is awarded the lowest bid with the understanding that the city will kick back some of the contract money (Everybody does it!); where farmers’ markets jack up prices for produce that actually costs less to grow than vegetables bought in the chain stores. Price gouging is known to exist at the gas pump and at the bank with it’s many surcharges.
A third aspect of corruption is when courts challenge laws that were enacted by the majority of citizens. This is decline and disrespect at the very highest level of society for our constitution provides a system of checks and balances. Interpretations that conflict with the purposes graphically spelled out by our founding fathers are a betrayal of vows to uphold the country’s law system.
A fourth aspect of corruption is the idea of entitlement – “you owe me”. This is not a problem with minorities only, but extends to an entire generation of young people who fail to understand that societies are structured around individuals who contribute to the common good. Instead, we have many who want to be carried economically by their family, friends, and communities. This can be observed also in homosexual and transsexual behavior where men, once our nation’s strength, now want to be taken care of like a woman is, according to their perception.
I realize these words are direct and will generate anger. My concern is that you will be irritated enough to think over what I’ve written and attempt to defend your own philosophy. Any part of your ideas that conflict with God’s Word needs correction. Proverbs 14: 34 says, “Uprightness and right standing with God [moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation], those elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
It has been said, “The two candidates were about equal.” But voting records are published on the Internet and easily accessed by the public. These records are extremely important because they reflect the philosophy behind the choices, whether the candidate values and respects the life of the very elderly and the unborn; or whether the candidate sees life as being utilitarian, when it’s contribution has peaked and the individual is no longer of value to society.
Another critical value is personal ethics. Generally speaking, most Americans regard politicians as having compromised ethics, the motivation being money under the table. In fact, that is the underlying reason this once great country is struggling for balance presently – greed at the highest leadership levels: national regulatory boards, CEOs, the medical profession and related fields. This broad ribbon of greed extends to the most basic levels of our society where a garbage company is awarded the lowest bid with the understanding that the city will kick back some of the contract money (Everybody does it!); where farmers’ markets jack up prices for produce that actually costs less to grow than vegetables bought in the chain stores. Price gouging is known to exist at the gas pump and at the bank with it’s many surcharges.
A third aspect of corruption is when courts challenge laws that were enacted by the majority of citizens. This is decline and disrespect at the very highest level of society for our constitution provides a system of checks and balances. Interpretations that conflict with the purposes graphically spelled out by our founding fathers are a betrayal of vows to uphold the country’s law system.
A fourth aspect of corruption is the idea of entitlement – “you owe me”. This is not a problem with minorities only, but extends to an entire generation of young people who fail to understand that societies are structured around individuals who contribute to the common good. Instead, we have many who want to be carried economically by their family, friends, and communities. This can be observed also in homosexual and transsexual behavior where men, once our nation’s strength, now want to be taken care of like a woman is, according to their perception.
I realize these words are direct and will generate anger. My concern is that you will be irritated enough to think over what I’ve written and attempt to defend your own philosophy. Any part of your ideas that conflict with God’s Word needs correction. Proverbs 14: 34 says, “Uprightness and right standing with God [moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation], those elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Social Alienation
Resentment and bitterness are like dark glasses that filter natural light. When the heart is filled with anger and hatred his/her perceptions will be warped. The bitter person will not recognize this until God in His faithfulness brings him up short to realize that his evaluation of a situation or an individual is askew. A deeply bitter person believes he is excluded from groups he wants to be a part of because of his own alienation.
Individuals become who they are because of their reaction to where they live, who they know, and what they experience or struggle with. So many Americans feel disconnected and lack deep obligations to community and society because of dehumanizing institutions where spiritual isolation and lack of community are enforced. Neurotic problems and resentment are promoted. On the other hand, the disenfranchised oversimplify and distort their experience to promote conflict by drawing their own exclusive little circle, and label others as outsiders. This is common in multiethnic environments. When I taught in China, the Chinese preferred their own society and preferred that the many nationals from other countries gather in their own little circles. They were unhappy when young people from America and Russia, for example, became friends. They especially could not accept Japanese or Korean youth mixing freely with their own Chinese youth; after all, during World War II the Japanese brutalized the Chinese right on Chinese soil. Americans experienced something of this prejudice during the 1940s concerning German immigrants. And this is pronounced among African-Americans in our own society.
The willingness to commit violence against someone who has disrespected you (or that you imagined disrespected you) is regarded as courageous. I have been spit on, sworn at, driven off the sidewalks, forced off long-distance buses far from the city, stepped on in China, mostly by Chinese, but also by some African-Americans who believed they could get away with it. Of course, they got away with it in that I made no response. But the wound they intended for me was inflicted with a double-edged sword. A violent action polarizes and hardens the perpetrator; however, I have a choice of reaction – to forgive with no constraints. I personally believe that my salvation and welfare rests on my forgiveness of those who trespass against me (Matt.6:14-15; Luke 6: 27-28; 1 Peter 3:9). That is a solemn statement that I take seriously, though I confess I struggle with it often. It is as applicable to races and ethnic groups as it is to individuals. I must hold myself responsible for my potential spiritual growth and for positively impacting those around me. The truth is, there is no real individualism without relationship to others. There is no self, no personhood apart from relationship to others. People who don’t contribute to community and criticize others diminish themselves. This is a secular truth although my relationship to Jesus enables me to refuse the destruction of rejection and chose to enlarge my circle to include others of every race, color, creed, gender, socioeconomic class. I may not choose to be African-American or Hispanic, male or female, rich or poor, but I can choose to be loving and inclusive. This is freedom, indeed!
Individuals become who they are because of their reaction to where they live, who they know, and what they experience or struggle with. So many Americans feel disconnected and lack deep obligations to community and society because of dehumanizing institutions where spiritual isolation and lack of community are enforced. Neurotic problems and resentment are promoted. On the other hand, the disenfranchised oversimplify and distort their experience to promote conflict by drawing their own exclusive little circle, and label others as outsiders. This is common in multiethnic environments. When I taught in China, the Chinese preferred their own society and preferred that the many nationals from other countries gather in their own little circles. They were unhappy when young people from America and Russia, for example, became friends. They especially could not accept Japanese or Korean youth mixing freely with their own Chinese youth; after all, during World War II the Japanese brutalized the Chinese right on Chinese soil. Americans experienced something of this prejudice during the 1940s concerning German immigrants. And this is pronounced among African-Americans in our own society.
The willingness to commit violence against someone who has disrespected you (or that you imagined disrespected you) is regarded as courageous. I have been spit on, sworn at, driven off the sidewalks, forced off long-distance buses far from the city, stepped on in China, mostly by Chinese, but also by some African-Americans who believed they could get away with it. Of course, they got away with it in that I made no response. But the wound they intended for me was inflicted with a double-edged sword. A violent action polarizes and hardens the perpetrator; however, I have a choice of reaction – to forgive with no constraints. I personally believe that my salvation and welfare rests on my forgiveness of those who trespass against me (Matt.6:14-15; Luke 6: 27-28; 1 Peter 3:9). That is a solemn statement that I take seriously, though I confess I struggle with it often. It is as applicable to races and ethnic groups as it is to individuals. I must hold myself responsible for my potential spiritual growth and for positively impacting those around me. The truth is, there is no real individualism without relationship to others. There is no self, no personhood apart from relationship to others. People who don’t contribute to community and criticize others diminish themselves. This is a secular truth although my relationship to Jesus enables me to refuse the destruction of rejection and chose to enlarge my circle to include others of every race, color, creed, gender, socioeconomic class. I may not choose to be African-American or Hispanic, male or female, rich or poor, but I can choose to be loving and inclusive. This is freedom, indeed!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Scriptures to comfort and strengthen our faith
ELECTION DAY & THE EPICENTER
By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., November 4, 2008) -- Whoever wins the American presidency today will face enormous global challenges, particularly in the epicenter.
The Iranian nuclear threat. Russia's growing military alliance with Iran. Osama bin Laden and the continuing al Qaeda threat. The Hamas and Hezbollah threats. The volatility in nuclear-armed Pakistan. The possibility of revolutions or coup attempts in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Libya's new pursuit of Russian arms and nuclear technology. The list goes on and on. Given their profound policy differences, how the U.S. deals with these serious challenges will depend largely on whether Barack Obama or John McCain takes the oath of office on January 20, 2009.
As for my family and me, while we have a strong preference for who wins, we know the outcome of this election is in the hands of the Lord. Two verses give us particular comfort today:
* Daniel 2:21 - "It is He [the God of heaven]…who removes kings and establishes kings."
* Job 42:2 - "I know that You [the God of Israel] can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted."
It is the Lord God who will ultimately decide who will lead the American nation through turbulent times ahead. He also decides who will lead Israel, Iran, Iraq, and all the other nations of the epicenter and the world. His will cannot be thwarted. Let us, therefore, pray that His will would be done. Let us also pray that we are faithful in blessing Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, as He has commanded us in the Scriptures.
By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., November 4, 2008) -- Whoever wins the American presidency today will face enormous global challenges, particularly in the epicenter.
The Iranian nuclear threat. Russia's growing military alliance with Iran. Osama bin Laden and the continuing al Qaeda threat. The Hamas and Hezbollah threats. The volatility in nuclear-armed Pakistan. The possibility of revolutions or coup attempts in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Libya's new pursuit of Russian arms and nuclear technology. The list goes on and on. Given their profound policy differences, how the U.S. deals with these serious challenges will depend largely on whether Barack Obama or John McCain takes the oath of office on January 20, 2009.
As for my family and me, while we have a strong preference for who wins, we know the outcome of this election is in the hands of the Lord. Two verses give us particular comfort today:
* Daniel 2:21 - "It is He [the God of heaven]…who removes kings and establishes kings."
* Job 42:2 - "I know that You [the God of Israel] can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted."
It is the Lord God who will ultimately decide who will lead the American nation through turbulent times ahead. He also decides who will lead Israel, Iran, Iraq, and all the other nations of the epicenter and the world. His will cannot be thwarted. Let us, therefore, pray that His will would be done. Let us also pray that we are faithful in blessing Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, as He has commanded us in the Scriptures.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Recession Forecast
I thought this article in today's Fox News was significant and worth reading so we can have some idea of what to expect. When greed is the underlying motivation for the freedom of democracy, the system will fail. A bail out doesn't address the issue of accountability or responsibility.
Joyce
Friday, October 03, 2008
More Severe Recession Now Forecast By Goldman Sachs
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. recession will be "significantly deeper" than they previously thought, Goldman Sachs economists predicted Friday in a research note. The economy will probably show no growth at all between the middle of 2008 and the middle of 2009, with gross domestic product falling 2% this quarter and 1% next, they said. Two other quarters will show 0% GDP growth. The unemployment rate will likely rise to 8% by the end of next year from 6.1% currently. "We now also see at least another 100 basis points of monetary easing from the Federal Reserve, aggressive measures to stabilize the money markets, and a possible further easing of fiscal policy under a new administration," wrote Jan Hatzius and his team of economists.
Joyce
Friday, October 03, 2008
More Severe Recession Now Forecast By Goldman Sachs
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. recession will be "significantly deeper" than they previously thought, Goldman Sachs economists predicted Friday in a research note. The economy will probably show no growth at all between the middle of 2008 and the middle of 2009, with gross domestic product falling 2% this quarter and 1% next, they said. Two other quarters will show 0% GDP growth. The unemployment rate will likely rise to 8% by the end of next year from 6.1% currently. "We now also see at least another 100 basis points of monetary easing from the Federal Reserve, aggressive measures to stabilize the money markets, and a possible further easing of fiscal policy under a new administration," wrote Jan Hatzius and his team of economists.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)