Monday, August 04, 2008

Charities and churches stand to lose billions in tax review

Adele Ferguson July 28, 2008

CHARITIES and other non-government organisations could lose billions of dollars' worth of tax perks as the Rudd Government's taxation review prepares to examine whether the concessions offered to the $80 billion non-profit sector are justified.

The investigation, by Treasury boss Ken Henry, is expected to meet with resistance from some of the sector's most powerful groups.

Most of the country's religious groups, which make up about $25billion of the sector, run commercial enterprises. Among them is the Seventh Day Adventists' cereal giant Sanitarium, which generates more than $300 million a year.

Many of the operations have little to do with charitable work but are exempt from various taxes including corporate tax and capital gains tax. The Catholic Church has long opposed reforms such as the creation of a national charities commission to regulate the sector, or charging tax on commercial enterprises.

While any changes eventually recommended by Dr Henry may offer the opportunity to bolster Treasury's coffers, it will create a significant political challenge for Kevin Rudd, a devout Christian who has courted the religious vote.

Australian Industry Group head Heather Ridout, a member of the Henry review's committee, said the non-profit sector was a huge part of the economy and so it made sense to look at it as part of the review.

"The agenda is broad and so all types of entities will be looked at in this review," she said. "The non-profit sector is a very big and important part of this, particularly since we have had a lot of changes in welfare benefits and their interface with tax."

Business enterprises run by religious groups range from pizza chains, insurance companies, wineries, farms, schools, hospitals and aged-care facilities. All are exempt from tax. Australia is one of the few countries in the world where religious groups are not forced to pay tax on business ventures.

In the past few years, sports stars such as cricketers Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting and Formula One driver Mark Webber have set up charities to raisemoney under their own names. They receive various tax deductions.

The sector accounts for 8 per cent of GDP and employs more than 600,000 people, but a lack of transparency and poor accounting standards and corporate governance in the financial arrangements of many organisations has long been a concern.

In an era of heavy corporate regulation, most parts of the non-profit sector remain unregulated.

There is no process for the registration of charities, no consistent collection of information about the activities or funding sources of charities and there is little or no monitoring of the activities of charities.

This means that the Australian Government has no way of knowing how big the sector is, or how much Treasury forgoes in tax each year.

The tax review, and a simultaneous inquiry into the accountability and transparency in its use of public and government funds in the sector, by the Senate standing committee on economics, will now put these activities under the spotlight.

The Senate inquiry is currently accepting submissions into the disclosure regime for charities and not-for-profit organisations. Submissions close on August 29 with a report to be released in November.

World Vision head Tim Costello described the non-profit sector as in dire need of reform. "We don't have a single regulatory system or uniform accounting standards and so it makes it confusing for the public to know who to trust, or who is efficient," he said. "There are 700,000 not-for-profit organisations and the latest fad today is under-30s wanting to start their own not-for-profit equivalent of what in my day was starting a rock band.

"There are also a lot of celebrities and sports stars setting up charities in their own name or naming it after their child. These have a lot of overheads and it isn't fair on the ATO to have to regulate this.

"I would much prefer the Warren Buffett way, who decided to put his money in with Bill Gates. To me that is much more impressive than someone having their own name on a charity."

He also said with the growing number of charities raising money for similar things, it was becoming confusing to the public and there was a risk of "passion fatigue", particularly as petrol prices hit record highs and the economy gets tough.

Peter Shergold, the former secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who recently set up the new Centre for Social Impact at the University of NSW with initial funding of $12.5 million from the federal Government to educate the non-profit sector, said he welcomed any review. "There needs to be a review of the sector because it lacks transparency and the accounting standards need to be streamlined," he said.

"There are 700,000 organisations in the non-profit sector. It is too many. You have 2000 charities that have at least one of their goals tackling breast cancer. This is inefficient and so I think the idea of a charities commission should be explored.

"I feel positive about a standard regulatory regime."

Dr Shergold said some organisations received a lot of money from governments in the form of grants and subsidies and yet there was a lack of transparency.

"We need to look at taxation for charities - who does and doesn't get the gift recipient status," he said.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24086963-2702,00.html

Note: Bolds and Highlights added for emphasis. Blogman.

Jamaica: Adventists marshal 'Day of Prayer' to address violence

Church members to collect offering for state housing fund



Jamaican Adventists will meet August 2 to pray for peace and prosperity in their country, where murder rates grew by 13 percent last month. [photo: Nigel Coke/ANN]

Responding to climbing murder rates in Jamaica, hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist churches there are set to participate in a national day of prayer this weekend.

The August 2 Day of Prayer comes soon after Jamaica's prime minister announced a list of strategies to control crime.

Patrick Allen, Adventist Church leader for the island nation, acknowledged similar previous efforts by the government but said violence has not yet abated.

Murder rates increased 13 percent last month, according to Jamaican newspapers.

"As a church, we believe that we should employ the best weapon at our disposal -- prayer," Allen said.

Members of more than 650 churches are expected to pray for both peace and prosperity this Saturday. Widespread poverty in Jamaica is often cited as a catalyst for crime. Members will also pray for wisdom for Jamaica's national leaders, church officials said.

Among Prime Minister Bruce Golding's strategies to quell violence is an effort to build more homes for the nation's homeless. Offerings collected on the Day of Prayer are expected to go toward this fund, Allen said.

"The Adventist Church is always willing to support such requests by the government to ... better the lot of those who are in need," he said, urging members to give "freely and abundantly" to the fund.

"Source: Adventist News Network"

Source: http://news.adventist.org/data/2008/1217449204/index.html.en

Who is Clark Rockefeller?

Clarke Rockefeller (WBZ-TV)

Who is Clark Rockefeller?



Boston (AP) -- A man accused of kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter used a famous last name, appeared to be wealthy and had a bitter divorce, but for the most part remained a mystery to investigators who were frantically trying to find them Tuesday.

Clark Rockefeller, 48, was last seen at New York City's Grand Central Terminal on Sunday night, hours after he allegedly grabbed his daughter Reigh during a supervised visit in Boston, jumped into a black SUV driven by someone else and fled.

New Hampshire Senator Peter Burling, a long time resident of Cornish, New Hampshire and neighbor of Rockefeller, tells WBZ's Lisa Meyer that they had a long, strained, contentious relationship.

Authorities said they believe he may be trying to flee to Bermuda or Peru on a 72-foot yacht called "Serenity" he docked on Long Island, N.Y. Bermuda's police and maritime authorities said Tuesday evening there was no indication that Rockefeller's yacht had entered or neared the British enclave's territorial waters.

Rockefeller used at least four known aliases and told people he met different stories about his background. Some acquaintances knew him as a physicist, some as a mathematician and others were told he was involved in financial services.

A Boston police official who asked not to be named said authorities still aren't sure what Rockefeller did for work and aren't sure if he has a valid Social Security number.

Rockefeller's wife, Sandra Boss, was so concerned about her former husband's name changes that she asked a judge to restrict his access to their daughter, according to the police source.

"She was aware of the aliases. That's one of the reasons for the supervised visits," said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the case.

Rockefeller moved in wealthy circles in Boston. He was a director at Boston's exclusive Algonquin Club, but resigned about three months ago, said club manager Lassaad Riahi.

Boston police found the sport utility vehicle allegedly used in the kidnapping and were questioning the driver Tuesday.

Rockefeller's visit with his daughter Sunday in Boston was the first time he had seen the girl known as "Snooks" since a new visitation order was approved several months ago. The girl lives in London with her mother, a senior partner in the London office of the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co.

Boss married Rockefeller on Nantucket in 1995 and filed for divorce in Suffolk Probate and Family Court in Boston in January 2007. The final decree was issued in December, and the records were sealed, at the request of both.

During their 12-year marriage, the couple lived a lavish lifestyle. They owned a brownstone in Boston's tony Beacon Hill near former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry and a mansion in Cornish, N.H., a summer resort favored by artists and writers.

Robert Dean, the inn keeper at the Juniper Hill Inn in Cornish, said many people did not believe Rockefeller was from the famed family. Rockefeller fed the speculation.

"People talked about it at dinner parties," said Dean, an acquaintance of Rockefeller's. "No one knew what he did."

Fraser Seitel, a spokesman for the descendants of John D. Rockefeller Sr., said Clark Rockefeller was not descended from that side of the wealthy family. He said there is no indication the fugitive was descended from William Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s only sibling.

In 2004, Rockefeller offered the town of Cornish $110,000 so it could build a new police office if the town would sell him a 200-year-old vacant church for $1. The town accepted.

The Rev. Brian Marsh, pastor of the Trinity Anglican Church, said Rockefeller never disclosed his profession, but alluded to being involved in the sciences.

"He was very private about his personal life," Marsh said.

Rockefeller was known for tooling around the rural town on a Segway scooter.

"We all kind of commented that it wouldn't operate too well on dirt roads," said John Hammond, chairman of the town's Board of Selectmen.

Alma Gilbert-Smith, who wrote a book about Cornish homes featuring Rockefeller's place -- known as the Doveridge mansion -- said Rockefeller warned her not to use photos of the home in her book.

"He said he was doing some very important hush-hush work for the Pentagon and needed to keep his residence private," said Gilbert-Smith, who was outbid by Rockefeller when she tried to buy the house.

Rockefeller began renovation work on the house, and parked old, empty police cruisers outside its gates and put up signs that read "Trespassers will be prosecuted" and "Armed guards on premises," Gilbert-Smith said.

"He put a lot of energy and money into this fortress-like home," she said.

Boston (AP) -- A man accused of kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter used a famous last name, appeared to be wealthy and had a bitter divorce, but for the most part remained a mystery to investigators who were frantically trying to find them Tuesday.

Clark Rockefeller, 48, was last seen at New York City's Grand Central Terminal on Sunday night, hours after he allegedly grabbed his daughter Reigh during a supervised visit in Boston, jumped into a black SUV driven by someone else and fled.

New Hampshire Senator Peter Burling, a long time resident of Cornish, New Hampshire and neighbor of Rockefeller, tells WBZ's Lisa Meyer that they had a long, strained, contentious relationship.

Authorities said they believe he may be trying to flee to Bermuda or Peru on a 72-foot yacht called "Serenity" he docked on Long Island, N.Y. Bermuda's police and maritime authorities said Tuesday evening there was no indication that Rockefeller's yacht had entered or neared the British enclave's territorial waters.

Rockefeller used at least four known aliases and told people he met different stories about his background. Some acquaintances knew him as a physicist, some as a mathematician and others were told he was involved in financial services.

A Boston police official who asked not to be named said authorities still aren't sure what Rockefeller did for work and aren't sure if he has a valid Social Security number.

Rockefeller's wife, Sandra Boss, was so concerned about her former husband's name changes that she asked a judge to restrict his access to their daughter, according to the police source.

"She was aware of the aliases. That's one of the reasons for the supervised visits," said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the case.

Rockefeller moved in wealthy circles in Boston. He was a director at Boston's exclusive Algonquin Club, but resigned about three months ago, said club manager Lassaad Riahi.

Boston police found the sport utility vehicle allegedly used in the kidnapping and were questioning the driver Tuesday.

Rockefeller's visit with his daughter Sunday in Boston was the first time he had seen the girl known as "Snooks" since a new visitation order was approved several months ago. The girl lives in London with her mother, a senior partner in the London office of the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co.

Boss married Rockefeller on Nantucket in 1995 and filed for divorce in Suffolk Probate and Family Court in Boston in January 2007. The final decree was issued in December, and the records were sealed, at the request of both.

During their 12-year marriage, the couple lived a lavish lifestyle. They owned a brownstone in Boston's tony Beacon Hill near former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry and a mansion in Cornish, N.H., a summer resort favored by artists and writers.

Robert Dean, the inn keeper at the Juniper Hill Inn in Cornish, said many people did not believe Rockefeller was from the famed family. Rockefeller fed the speculation.

"People talked about it at dinner parties," said Dean, an acquaintance of Rockefeller's. "No one knew what he did."

Fraser Seitel, a spokesman for the descendants of John D. Rockefeller Sr., said Clark Rockefeller was not descended from that side of the wealthy family. He said there is no indication the fugitive was descended from William Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s only sibling.

In 2004, Rockefeller offered the town of Cornish $110,000 so it could build a new police office if the town would sell him a 200-year-old vacant church for $1. The town accepted.

The Rev. Brian Marsh, pastor of the Trinity Anglican Church, said Rockefeller never disclosed his profession, but alluded to being involved in the sciences.

"He was very private about his personal life," Marsh said.

Rockefeller was known for tooling around the rural town on a Segway scooter.

"We all kind of commented that it wouldn't operate too well on dirt roads," said John Hammond, chairman of the town's Board of Selectmen.

Alma Gilbert-Smith, who wrote a book about Cornish homes featuring Rockefeller's place -- known as the Doveridge mansion -- said Rockefeller warned her not to use photos of the home in her book.

"He said he was doing some very important hush-hush work for the Pentagon and needed to keep his residence private," said Gilbert-Smith, who was outbid by Rockefeller when she tried to buy the house.

Rockefeller began renovation work on the house, and parked old, empty police cruisers outside its gates and put up signs that read "Trespassers will be prosecuted" and "Armed guards on premises," Gilbert-Smith said.

"He put a lot of energy and money into this fortress-like home," she said.


Source: http://wbz.com/Who-is-Clark-Rockefeller-/2694062

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Benedict Visits America and the World ·


Benedict Visits America and the World · July 01, 2008


Dear Friends,


Welcome to Keep the Faith Ministry. This month we are going to study the papal trip to the United States and the United Nations in April, 2008 in light of prophecy. This was one of the most significant prophetic events in recent times. It was the first visit of Benedict XVI to the U.S. as pope, but it was nevertheless a very important one to the Vatican. Many Americans, not just Catholics, appreciate the pope and the Church very much. Prophecy tells us that the deadly wound would be healed and that all the world will wonder after the beast. The Papal speech at the UN is therefore enormously significant. Revelation 13:8 also says that “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him…” How can a human being receive so much praise and respect that people actually worship him? How can a mere human being command so much authority that he is able to speak powerfully to the whole world at the United Nations? These are questions we will explore in this sermon.


(Excerpt)


To read the entire article please click on title below:


>>>>>>>>Benedict Visits America and the World<<<<<<<<



Source: http://www.ktfministry.org/sermons/251/Benedict_Visits_America_and_the_World

Adapting to the Down-Sizing Economy


America – A Seething Cauldron!


Volume XXVII Issue VIII August 2008
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/


America – A Seething Cauldron!


“And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.”

Jeremiah 1:13

“Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city: Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the cauldron, and we be the flesh.”

Ezekiel 11:2-3

“And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it: Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones. Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! Bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.”

Ezekiel 24:3-6

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will use a number of Scriptures which bring forth a very unusual analogy, which God originally used to show his people the serious errors of their ways. We will also see how perfectly this analogy applies to the gross errors of present-day America!


Both the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel were shown visions of a seething pot or cauldron. The water in the pot was brought to a full boil as the heat from the fire beneath continued to raise the temperature of the water. In the case of Jeremiah, the boiling pot signified trouble in the form of an invading army from the north, and this did come to pass when Babylon invaded and seized the land and the people. In the case of Ezekiel, God was rebuking his people for their idolatry, rebellion, and witchcraft. There is an age-old saying in witchcraft that says, “This city is the cauldron, and we be the flesh.” The occult witches use this to proclaim that they are invincible, because they are inseparable from their powers and spells, and nothing will ever stop them, they think. They believe they are all one in the same pot. It is a cauldron of mixture and unity, and thus, it is a melting pot and a place of blending and melding until the contents of that cauldron are an inseparable mixture.


The Almighty God pronounced woe, which is the opposite of blessing, upon His people. He went on to say that their pot or cauldron was full of scum, and that there was no way to eliminate that scum. The pot and its contents were to be rejected and refused. No lot would be given for it, because it was worthless.


When I was seeking the Lord in prayer regarding what to write in this newsletter, I heard the words, “Jeremiah’s seething pot is boiling once again.” As I sought the Saviour even more, it was revealed to me that this is the very condition of our nation of the United States today. America has become a cauldron of mixture. It is a seething melting pot that is melding the bodies, souls, and minds into one collective population that is in submission to the forces of darkness and antichrist. America has been seething in the cauldron so long that there is no clear definition of its contents any longer. Freedom and liberty are gone when there is no individuality of thought, and it doesn’t make any difference if that condition is forced upon the people or accepted by them; it all comes out the same. When everybody accepts what everybody else is doing or believing, a new society appears, and all reference points determining right from wrong disappear.


We live in a nation that accepts every kind of idol, religion, sexual orientation, perversion, gambling, abortion, and other unmentionable evils. Truly, our erstwhile great nation of the United States has become a pot of scum. This is the way God described backslidden Israel, and they didn’t like hearing it either. Only the true and discerning Christian escapes that pot or cauldron, because we will never accept what the rest of the people are doing or even their way of thinking. It is very much like it was in the ancient Roman Empire when Christians were called idiots, because they would not assimilate, accept, or blend in with the Roman way of life. The word idiot originated from the Greek word idiotes, and then from the Latin word idiota, which meant private or one’s own. This referred to people who could not be persuaded to become a part of accepted society. Thus, the wide use of the word idiot was first applied to Christians. It appears to have come to that again.


Very soon, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will come again with power and great glory to judge this wicked world. Every indicator says the time is near. The Lord will separate the evil from the good, and those that are His own will be at His right hand. Where will you be on that day? I urge you to call upon Him right now, and repent. Surrender your heart and life to the Saviour, and He will forgive you and give you a glorious eternity. Do it right now, while the clock is still ticking. Soon it will stop abruptly!


America’s Crumbling Foundations!


The America that I was born in is long gone. I am now fifty-eight years old, and I vividly remember the changes that came to America with each passing decade. Never has it been like it is now with so much happening so quickly. It is a time of wars and rumors of war. Gasoline and all petroleum products are skyrocketing in price, causing airfares and all forms of transportation to throw our country into a partial paralysis. Banks are failing, home values are decreasing, health care and college tuitions are out of reach for millions of people, and there is no relief in sight. Floods, fires, tornadoes, and other disasters have been breaking previous records. The average American is choking on credit card debt, and yet the people continue to feed their lusts for pleasure. There is gross dishonesty in government at all levels; and integrity and character are becoming non-existent. What is going on? These are all signs that an entire society is being groomed by the powers of hell to accept an answer man that is to rise up and lead them to accept and believe the ultimate lie that will seal them for all eternity.


Is all of this really happening? We can only live in denial for so long, and then reality becomes overwhelming. In California, so many people have lost their homes that parking lots have been converted into sites for the homeless who now live in their cars. There are twelve such large sites in Santa Barbara, California. (1) Others are springing up everywhere. It is all like a bad dream come true.


Thieves nationwide are stealing manhole covers and selling them for scrap metal now that heavy melt steel is selling for $519 dollars per metric ton. The gaping holes left when the covers are stolen have caused damage to many vehicles and injuries to children who have fallen in them. This has resulted in many lawsuits against the cities. (2) Grave robbing is also sweeping the nation as thieves carry off bronze markers and vases. (3) Even used fry oil, which is sold for recycling into biodiesel fuel, is being stolen throughout the country. (4)


These are desperate times, and America is beginning to look more and more like a nation on the brink of economic collapse and subsequent depression. On June 24th, 2008, violence broke out in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when over 3,000 people waited in line to receive free food vouchers. (5) How long will it be before food riots break out in all of our major cities? Government officials have now clearly stated that high food prices are permanent and will continue to rise dramatically! (6) Famine and drought are rapidly expanding worldwide, and many countries that now have much of our former wealth are now bidding high for our food. U.S.-grown wheat is also being given away through the United Nations, and North Korea recently received 37,000 tons of the 500,000 tons promised to them. (7)


On July 7th, 2008, Britain declared war on food waste. The government is telling food markets to cut out three-for-two sales and other sale pricing that would encourage people to stock up. (8) The subject of the impending food crisis was one of the main topics at the recent G8 Summit held in Hokkaido, Japan. But according to the London Daily Telegraph, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife were served twenty-four different dishes during the first day of the summit meetings. They also attended an event called blessings of the earth and sea social dinner, which consisted of eighteen dishes in eight courses, which included caviar, smoked salmon, Kyoto beef, and a “G8 fantasy dessert.” They also were served five different wines from around the world. Remember, the purpose of the dinner was “how to deal with the global food crisis.” We must also note that African leaders from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Senegal were invited to the meetings but not to the dinner! (9)


In America, high fuel prices are affecting everything. Major airlines are increasing fares, charging extra for almost everything, and eliminating many jobs, including pilots. On June 23rd, United Airlines cut 950 pilot positions, and now other airlines are doing the same. (10) With this in mind, I was recently looking though some of my resource files, and I found an Associated Press article dated July 28th, 2007; just less than one year ago. The headline of the article read “Oil Near All-Time High, Over $77.” (11) In less than one year, the price of oil has doubled. On June 6th, 2008, the price of oil jumped 11 dollars per barrel in only one day! (12) In addition to that, Chakib Khelil, the president of the 13-nation OPEC cartel flatly stated, “There is no end to oil price rises.” (13) We also know that on June 1st, 2008, a close personal friend of President Bush, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia had the following announcement to oil consuming countries: “Get used to high oil prices.” (14)


Warnings are coming from everywhere. Already a year ago, the Bank for International Settlements declared, “We might soon face challenges last seen during the onset of the Great Depression.” (15) Now, the International Monetary Fund issued a warning on July 2nd, 2008, that some countries are now at a tipping point. 16) Sadly, some of the funds that have been hit the hardest are the retirement accounts of working Americans. Most 401 (k) retirement funds are now sinking dramatically. (17) On June 27th, 2008, the giant Barclays Bank of Britain issued the following statement to its clients: “Batten down the hatches for a world-wide financial storm! The U.S. Federal Reserve has allowed the inflation genie out of the bottle and let its credibility fall below zero.” (18)


It is already beginning to happen. Major banks are failing. On July 12th, 2008, the Pasadena-based IndyMac Bank failed. The bank had 32 billion dollars in assets and thirty-three branches, all of which were closed and taken over by the U.S. Government. Depositors have lost any deposit amounts in excess of 100,000 dollars, and the FDIC will need to pay out up to 8 billion dollars, which is about 15 percent of its entire reserves just from this one failure. (19) Customers stood outside the locked doors and were begging and pleading for their money, but to no avail. It all happened before, and now it is happening again; and it is only the beginning! How bad is it? On June 10th, 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported that troubled U.S. banks are in such bad condition that they are turning to African banks for eleventh hour bailouts. Banks in Algeria, Angola, Libya, and Zimbabwe are being sought after to try to keep our American banks afloat. The title of the article is “U.S. Banks Go to Africa Begging.” (20)


Spiritual Change Agents!


America is changing and is becoming more antichrist every day. It is no wonder that we are seeing so many signs of the wrath of God upon this country. In a few short months, we will have a new President-elect in the United States, and no matter who it is, the change will be only for the worse. Our leaders in Washington are no longer people of integrity, who would preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Our current leaders are actually change agents that are moving us away from original values and the old American way. There is a new age concept at work that is changing our country into an integrated, interdependent unit of a satanic one world government. Barack Hussein Obama and John McCain are both stooges in this antichrist project. Much evil surrounds both of these candidates, and Americans have no real choice.


Barack Hussein Obama is running his entire campaign not on any definable issues, but rather on one word ? the word “change.” Along with eighteen other senators, Obama has already co-sponsored a bill that will annihilate every state law regulating and restricting abortion. This bill is called FOCA, or Freedom of Choice Act. In a July speech made to abortion advocates, Obama stated that his first act as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. This act would make abortion on demand a fundamental right, and any state and local governments who do not go along with this new law would be exposed to costly civil actions for violation of the act. (21) Is abortion going to become commonplace in Obama’s new America? I am reminded of Jeremiah 2:34, which reads as follows: “Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.”


Where does Obama stand on the problem with illegal immigration? In a campaign speech made on July 8th, 2008, on CNN News, Obama’s response to that question was simple. He said, “Make sure your children learn to speak Spanish.” (22) Obama is also reaching out to religions and church organizations, asking that churches get more involved with government. He is promising the religions federal money under the guise of charitable administration in return. Obama is calling this his New Faith Program. (23)


We have also learned that the popularity of Barack Hussein Obama, this political giant that seems to have come from nowhere, is so popular among young Americans that these young people are changing their middle names to Hussein. This is happening all over the United States among both men and women, according to a recent New York Times article. (24)


The popularity of Obama in America is one thing, but why is he so popular in other countries? Is this man a change agent being used to bring all religions and ideologies into common and universal acceptance? In India, a country with a population of 1.3 billion people, Obama is immensely popular. He is being presented with a two-foot gold-plated image of the Hindu god Hanuman. This is the monkey deity in India, and an hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was held at Sankat Mochan Dham by temple priests. Obama accepted the idol and extended his thanks. It was said that the idol will bring him luck from the god of the wind. Brijmohan Bhama, a congressional leader in India, said, “Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him.” (25)


Ordinarily, an American presidential candidate campaigns in America. Why is Barack Hussein Obama going to Germany to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Why is Obama planning to make a speech at the Brandenburg Gate? This is the area near to where the Berlin Wall once stood, and it is the best known and most historically significant site in all of Germany, according to a chancellery official. (26)


Religions of Blasphemy!


When we realize that the numerous problems with our country are due to a conspiratorial, spiritual attack, we must also realize that our only defense and hope is the Lord Jesus Christ working through his true remnant people. But where is the true church? Religion in America has run amok, and people are scripturally illiterate and stone-blind to obvious error. One example of this is the recent Todd Bentley so-called revival in Lakeland, Florida. People are flocking to Bentley from all over the world to attend his healing meetings and be “zapped” by the spirit. Bentley is covered with occult tattoos all over his body. He has numerous body piercings as well. Is this of God? Quite the contrary. In Leviticus 19:28 we read as follows, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” Bentley also touches people and causes them to fall backwards to the floor. This is called slaying in the spirit. The Bible warns us against this practice in Isaiah 28:13 as follows: “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” This is precisely what is happening to people who go to the Bentley meetings!


Todd Bentley also has an angel called Emma, who manifests certain powers and sprinkles spiritual gold dust on people. Emma’s primary job is to gather money for Bentley, and Bentley openly makes that claim. The very fact that so many people cannot see anything wrong with this reveals how far gone people are spiritually. In the absence of true discernment, people will always gravitate toward evil.


In these final days before the return of our Saviour, blaspheming spirits and false teachers are rising up everywhere. On January 1st, 2008, Oprah Winfrey launched her new Course in Miracles. It is a satellite radio course consisting of one lesson each day on the New Age Christ. Lesson #29 requires the participants to go through their day affirming that “God is everything I see.” Lesson #61 requires participants to repeat over and over, “I am the light of the world” (no reference is made to the Lord Jesus). Lesson #70 requires participants to say and believe, “My salvation comes from me.” (27)


I must say that I feel very outraged and even sick about all of the blasphemy against my Saviour, and it is being done in the name of Christianity. Recently, a pastor of a 15,600-member church preached a message entitled “How to Make Your Marriage Sizzle.” Pastor Kerry Shook delivered this reproachful message that is so vile and inappropriate that I could not even consider publishing any details. Christian women are also being encouraged to read “Christian” sex manuals such as “Intimacy Ignited,” “Gift Wrapped by God,” and “Satisfy my Thirsty Soul.” In the ABC News article that revealed all of this, it was also stated that Christian churches are now dispensing more sex advice than Playboy magazine! (28)


The Pope’s recent trip to America certainly has not done our country any good. Many Roman Catholic children wondered about this Pope. Many of their Catholic schools had been shut down because of a lack of funding, but the Pope stayed in a seventeen million dollar townhouse in New York, owned by the Vatican! (29) We have also learned that the Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, Cardinal George Pell, has requested that the Pope grant special indulgences, or forgiveness, in advance for sins that will be committed during World Youth Day in Sydney. People who intend to sin can get their forgiveness in advance by visiting St. Mary’s Cathedral for a special prayer if the Pope approves this plan. (30)


Signs of satanic defilement are everywhere. There is now a new trend throughout the United States involving weddings. The bride shows up in a white wedding dress that has been intentionally soiled by grease, paint, dirt and sand. The trend is called trashing the dress. (31) The implication is that the bride has been defiled. Wedding pictures are also taken in back alleys near trash cans.


In England, conditions are so bad in society that teachers, doctors, and nurses are wearing body armor to protect themselves from stabbing and shooting. There is now a great shortage of such armor. (32) We know that the schools in England have been taken over by Satan, and the power of the Moslem religion has also become an oppressive force. At Alsager High School near Crewe, Cheshire, children were told to participate in a “practical demonstration of Islam.” This included Moslem headgear and feet washing. The students were then required to get on their knees on prayer mats, and the teacher said, “We are now going to pray to Allah.” Those who refused were severely scolded and punished with detention for being disrespectful. (33)


How bad can it get as the powers of antichrist rise up in these last days? British government officials, ignoring the views of parents and teachers, are planning to require that sex lessons (education) be given to children starting at age four! The toddlers are to learn about reproduction, body parts, and basic ideas about different relationships. (34) How long will it be until the Lord brings these things into judgment? The end is near!


Accepted Human Experimentation!


Never in all the history of the world have people been so willing to destroy themselves in the name of progress. The evil masterminds of the Illuminati, antichrist conspiracy have worked for a long time to bring about the current conditions in our world. In order to control people and enslave them, you must regulate not only the economy, education, and religion they live under, but also, on a more personal level, the food they eat, the supplements they take, and the medicines they use. If evil minds are in control and if people in general are taught to trust them, it becomes a simple matter to create sickness, deficiency diseases, and residual toxic reactions in order to provide a multi-billion dollar industry to treat these manufactured conditions. You can also shorten lives, reduce populations, and keep people both hooked on and intimidated by prescription medicines.


On June 7th, 2008, the FDA finally admitted that mercury (amalgam) dental fillings “may be harmful to children, pregnant women, and anyone sensitive to mercury.” (35) As an active, amateur chemist with forty-six years of experience, I can tell you that everyone is sensitive to mercury. Mercury especially attacks the nervous system and can induce autism. There is now an epidemic of autism and numerous diseases of the nervous system in our country. It is now recommended by clinics that a baby receive so many injections that by the time the child is one year old, they may have had twenty-two inoculations. (36) The preservative used in the vaccines has been thimerosal, which is a suspension of mercury. At this present time, there are 4,900 families that have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims, because their children became autistic after receiving immunizations. (37) Every day there are millions more being injected, and the United States has become a massive experimental death camp with human exploitation and experimentation that would rival anything going on in Germany during World War II. People always seem to have trouble facing reality until reality hits them in the face!


Another problem that has risen is that radio frequency identification chips, used in hospitals, can cause vital equipment to fail. The microchips can switch off ventilators, syringe pumps, and other devices used in life support, according to critical care physician Erik Jan van Lieshout of the University of Amersterdam. (38) I have known for years that high-tech identification devices and systems are strictly from Satan, designed for use in an antichrist society. The first of these systems used was the bar code, which is the basis for all subsequent systems. All full-size bar codes are based on bars or lines, and the first, middle, and last bars always have the numerical equivalent of six. Thus, every bar code has an equally spaced 666 in it. We also know that every full-sized bar code has thirteen digits. If you add together the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth digits of the bar code, then add to that three times the sum of the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth digits, the answer will always be divisible by ten. Ten is the very number of horns on the beast itself!


One more thing about high-tech equipment that is touted as progress is that it is primarily designed to be used against freedom and liberty, destroying rights and privacy. On July 8th, 2008, Paul S. Ruwaldt of the Department of Homeland Security proposed plans for a new security device to be used on all airline passengers. It is an electronic bracelet that could track their movements, hold personal information, and be triggered like a Taser to stun them into immobility. (39) Do we really live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, or is it the land of the deceived and the home of the depraved?


Desperate Cries From a Creation in Trouble!


These are amazing times of unprecedented events. For the first time in human history, we may have a situation of no ice at the North Pole, and it may happen this year. (40) In California, wildfires have burned continually ever since the California Supreme Court ruled that “gay marriage” is a right! Two days after that ruling, lighting began to strike; sometimes out of a blue cloudless sky. This has happened before, but it is very rare. In California, there were reportedly 30,000 such strikes recently. One thousand, four hundred fires were burning at the same time, (41) and so far, an area the size of the entire state of Rhode Island has been destroyed. The losses are astronomical. The Lord is speaking loudly, but is anyone listening?


The flood damage in the Midwest has been catastrophic, and the corn crop in this “breadbasket of the world” is devastated. This drives the prices of food to unthinkable levels. (42)


The earthquakes of significant magnitude continue to rattle the earth even though the news media doesn’t say much about it. There have been over 360 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater in the past 30 days! One was a powerful 7.7 magnitude quake in the Sea of Okhotsk near Russia. (43) On June 30th, 2008, the Israeli authorities issued a warning to all medical facilities and organizations that severe seismic activity is rapidly building in the area of southern Lebanon, and a severe earthquake is imminent in the Israeli State. (44) Revelation 16:18-19 tells us of a great earthquake that will divide the “Great City” into three parts and then cause the cities of the nations to fall!


In Red China where the Olympics are soon to start, smog has filled the region, and it is so thick that it sometimes blots out the sun. Pollution levels are five times the safety limits. (45) In that same area, the Chinese Yellow Sea has turned blood red in what is called a “red tide”, caused by algae. (46) Now a locust warning has been issued for that same region as large swarms of locusts are expected to arrive just about the same day that the Olympics are scheduled to begin with the lighting of the “great cauldron of Zeus.” (47) These plagues are reminiscent of the ten plagues of Egypt. Without a doubt, the coming of the Lord is at hand!


Keep watching and praying, and remember that we continue to welcome your prayer requests. They are all given individual attention. I sincerely thank all of you who support this end time prophetic ministry. I pray you will be greatly blessed. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus.


David J. Meyer

Acknowledgements

01. AFP News Service, Jul. 9, 2008, Santa Barbara, CA.
02. USA Today, July 1, 2008, by Stefanie Frith, Gannett News Service.
03. St. Louis Post Dispatch, Jun 30, 2008, by Nicholas J.C. Pistor, St. Louis, MO.
04. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 21, 2008, by Garance Burke, San Francisco, CA.
05. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jun 24, 2008, by Annysa Johnson, Linda Spice, & Gred J. Borowski, Milw. WI.
06. Florida Catholic News Service, May 9-22, 2008, by Barbara J. Fraser.
07. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jul. 1, 2008, AP News Service.
08. The Independent, Jul. 7, 2008, by Andrew Grice, Hokkaido, Japan.
09. Daily Telegraph, Jul. 7, 2008, by Robert Winnett, Hokkaido, Japan.
10. CBS News, Jun. 23, 2008, Chicago, IL.
11. Associated Press, Jul. 27, 2007, by John Wilen, New York, NY.
12. The Wall Street Journal, June 7-8, 2008, by Kelly Evans & Kris Maher, New York, NY.
13. AFP News Service, Jul. 6, 2008, AFP News, Algeria.
14. AFP News, Jul. 1, 2008, AFP News, Saudi Arabia.
15. Daily Telegraph, July 1, 2008, London, England, U.K.
16. ABC News, Jul. 2, 2008, by Kim Landers, Washington, D.C.
17. The Boston Globe, Jul. 6, 2008, by Robert Weisman, Boston, MA.
18. Daily Telegraph, Jun. 28, 2008, London, England, U.K.
19. Los Angeles Times, Jul. 12, 2008, by Kathy M. Kristof & Andrea Chang, Los Angeles, CA.
20. New York Amsterdam News, June 12-18, 2008, New York, NY.
21. Life Site News, Jun. 10, 2008, by Peter J. Smith, Washington, D.C.
22. CNN News Service, Jul. 8, 2008 Obama Campaign Event.
23. ABC News, Jul, 1, 2008, by Jennifer Loven, AP, Zanesville, OH.
24. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jun. 29, 2008, by Jodi Kantor, New York Times, New York, NY.
25. The Times of India, Jun. 24, 2008, New Delhi, India.
26. London Times, Jul. 8, 2008, London, England, U.K.
27. Crossroad, Nov. 2007, by Warren Smith.
28. ABC News, Apr. 15, 2008, by Susan D. James.
29. New York Daily News, Apr. 22, 2008, Voice of the People, New York, NY.
30. Sydney Morning Herald, Jun. 28, 2008, by Linda Morris, Sydney, Australia.
31. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jun. 22, 2008, Milwaukee, WI.
32. London Daily Express, Jul.7, 2008, by Nick Fagge, London, England, U.K.
33. London Daily Express, Jul. 5, 2008, by Tony Brooks, London, England, U.K.
34. London Daily Express, Jul. 5, 2008, London, England, U.K., sharris@dailymail.co.uk
35. West Bend Daily News, Jun. 7, 2008, from MTC, Philadelphia, PA.
36. Dean St, Mary’s Health System, official brochure, Madison, WI.
37. CNN News, May 12, 2008, AP, Washington, D.C.
38. Reuters News Service, Jun. 24, 2008, by Michael Kahn, London, England, U.K.
39. WorldNetDaily, Jul. 8, 2008, WorldNetDaily.com.
40. The Independent, Jun. 27, 2008, by Steve Connor, London, England, U.K.
41. Associated Press, Jun. 30, 2008, by Scott Lindlaw, San Francisco, CA.
42. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jun. 17, 2008, by Rick Barrett & John Schmid, Milwaukee, WI.
43. U.S. Geological Survey, Jul. 5, 2008, official report, USGS, Washington, D.C.
44. AFP News, Jun. 30, 2008, Tel Aviv, Israel.
45. London Times, Jul. 6, 2008, London, England, U.K.
46. International Herald Tribune, Jun. 30, 2008, by Jim Yardley, Beijing, China.
47. Bloomberg News, Jul. 5, 2008, by Grant Clark, Beijing, China.

http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/

ASI International Convention 2008: August 6-9 in Tampa, FL.

ASI International Convention 2008

"By Knowing Him"

You are warmly invited to attend and experience the excitement of convention - general sessions, seminars, music, fellowship, and more. There are also youth and children's programs, so bring the whole family.

The theme for 2008 is “By Knowing Him” for it is only through a deep relationship with Jesus Christ that we can experience success as we Share Christ in our Marketplace.

Convention begins with the opening meeting at 6:45 Wednesday evening. And it wraps up with a sundown vespers Saturday night. Click here to see the convention program schedule, or download a program schedule PDF


Registration

The July 15 pre-registration deadline has passed. On-site registration will be available in Tampa beginning at 8am Wednesday, August 6. If you have pre-registered children and youth (ages 3-18) you must also complete a medical release and consent form. No registration by phone.


Hotels


Hyatt Regency Tampa
Phone: 813-225-1234

Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel
Phone: 813-221-4900

Embassy Suites Tampa
Phone: 813-769-8300

Westin Tampa Harbour Island
Phone: 813-229-5000

Transportation to the hotels is available for a $25 flat rate for a taxi and $10 per person on the Blue One Transportation shuttle (must mention ASI). Blue One can be reached at 813-785-9285.


The convention center address is:
Tampa Convention Center
333 S. Franklin St.
Tampa, FL 33602

Source: http://www.asiministries.org/article.php?id=153

After all the abominations of the heathen



14Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

15And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

2 Chronicles 36:14-16.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Merrill Lynch’s North American Economist Warns ‘Brutal Winter Coming for Utility Bills’

Merrill Lynch’s North American Economist Warns ‘Brutal Winter Coming for Utility Bills’

Posted: July 23, 2008

Merrill Lynch’s North American economist, David A. Rosenberg, issued a warning Monday that a “brutal winter (is) coming for utility bills.”

Rosenberg wrote in his Morning Market Memo, “Last winter, the average price of natural gas on the NYMEX was $7.71 per btu – it is now $13, a 67% jump. And about half of US households (54 million) heat with nat gas. Meanwhile, those that rely on heating oil are likely to face prices around 5 dollars a gallon, which would represent a 72% hike from last winter.” Close to eight million U.S. households use heating oil, most in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

winter-highway330.jpg

“This is going to be huge,” Rosenberg wrote. As it stands, he noted, “in states like New York, shutoffs of utilities services for households in arrears on their bills were up 41% through April.”

While utilities are prevented from turning off services during winter months, that doesn’t mean Americans who have had service turned off won’t try to stick it out anyway. Legislators in many New England states are already holding urgent meetings on how to help people expected to face food vs. fuel crises this winter.

“The federal government is going to have to step in and heavily subsidize this winter,” Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, told EnergyTechStocks.com last month. NAEDA represents the state directors of the federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). President Bush cut LIHEAP funding and, despite experts’ dire warnings, the U.S. may enter the winter heating season with less money available to help people than last year.

For more on LIHEAP and the growing risk of a heating season disaster in the U.S., see America’s Energy Nightmare About to Get Worse – Millions More will Need Billions More in Heating Oil Subsidies (Part 2 of 4).





Source: http://energytechstocks.com/wp/?p=1484

Israel In The End Of Time

ISRAEL in
the END of TIME

Today we see that Israel is losing one part after another of their country. The state of Israel is seeking help from the UN, USA and EU. They negotiate with their hostile minded neighbours to secure peace, but the result is that they have to abandon piece after piece of the "promised land" in return for a very doubtful peace.1 What will it lead to?

There is no doubt that Israel had a special commission in the time of the Old Testament. Abraham is recognized as the ancestor of the Jews. He had faith in God, contrary to the people in the surrounding countries who worshipped different idols. Since he believed in God among so many heathen nations, God wanted to be with Abraham and bless him in a very special way.

History shows that the Jewish nation did not always put their trust in God. They departed from God and worshipped idols. They broke the commandments of God and His statutes, and did what was evil in the sight of God. They had to suffer the consequences of their choices, just like us. The promises given them were explicit. If they would heed the voice of the Lord, their God, and do what was right in His sight, obey His commandments and keep all His statutes.... then God would be with them and protect them. If they wanted to go their own way, they would no longer enjoy the protection of God. In this way we can see that the promises of God throughout the Bible rest on specific terms and conditions.2 The Israelites often followed their own inclinations even if they were contrary to the directions given by God. History tells us that whenever they did not confess their sins and repent, they would very soon be taken captive by other rulers. They were scattered and mixed with other nations, robbed and persecuted. They had to face the consequences of their own actions. They had to suffer the consequences of departing from the way of God, His commandments and statutes.

The Jews had a sanctuary service. If they had sinned, they were to take a lamb without blemish, confess their sin and kill the animal themselves. Of course, this ceremony could not save the person performing this act. The sacrifice was to be slain in faith, looking forward to the coming of Jesus Christ who would give His life once and for all, so "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."3

AS A MAN

After the fall of Adam, the human race was lost since God had said that "the wages of sin is death..." 4 However, God had a rescue plan. God loved mankind so much that He decided to give His only begotten Son, to deliver humanity. Jesus Christ was also willing to do this. Yes, He humbled himself by coming to this earth in the likeness of sinful flesh.5 Only as a human being could He manage to save us. Man had fallen into sin, and the only way to rescue humanity was that the Creator/the Word/the Son of God became a human being and lived a life free from sin.43 That is what Jesus did. It is written: "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." And it continues: "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." 6

THEY REJECTED HIM

But how was Jesus received when He came to this earth? Was He welcomed by the Jewish people? The Bible describes the birth of Jesus and His life as follows: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." 7

Through a parable Jesus tells us how the Jewish leaders decided to kill Him.8In this parable we find the owner of the vineyard (God), the son (Jesus) and the hired servants (the leaders of Israel, who led the people astray). When the son (Jesus) came to gather the harvest, the servants killed him.

It was the Jewish people that caused the death of Jesus, it was they who shouted: "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" 9 They denied Jesus as their king saying: "We have no king but Cæsar";9 They cried: "His blood be on us, and on our children." 9 The Jewish leaders had made their choice and involved the people in it. They chose Barabbas. He was a robber and a murderer, and represented Satan. Christ was God's representative. The nation who chose Barabbas instead of Christ, were in the future to feel the cruelty of Barabbas. Jesus says to the people of Israel concerning their choice: "Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them." 10 It was Jesus Himself that said it was the Israelites (the elders of Israel, who led their people astray) who rejected Him, and He does not lie.

The Jews had through the life of Jesus seen the love of God, His goodness, righteousness and mercy. Now they rejected and despised the Saviour. The blood, shed at Calvary, was the weight in the balance causing their downfall as God's chosen people. So it will be on that last great day, when those rejecting the mercy of God will receive their judgment.38

The parable of the vineyard is therefore valid not only for the Jewish people. It is also addressing the church leaders today, ministers, teachers of religion and those who have learned to know Jesus Christ and Bible truths. The followers of Jesus should with joy - with the help of the Holy Spirit - reflect the character of Jesus in everyday life. They shall not only be hearers of the word, but also doers of it. If they fail their responsibility and their calling, God will choose others to complete God's great plan with the human family.

In the book of Daniel, the engel Gabriel, proclaimed that a time period of "70 weeks" or 490 years, were determined for the Jewish people.11 This prophecy should be counted "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem"12 According to history and the book of Ezra, chapter 7, this commandment was given during King Artaxerxes' 7th year of reign, in year 457 BC, and it ended in 34 AD. In the beginning of the last 7 years (70eth week), year 27 AD, "Messiah the Prince" was to be anointed.12 That was Jesus when He was baptized in the river Jordan. In the middle of this week "he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease".12 That happened when Jesus died on the Cross. At the end of the 70th week, the Jews settled their "destiny" as a nation, as God's chosen people, when they stoned Stephen and persecuted the Christians. That means at the end of these "70 weeks", year 34 AD, the Jews ceased to be God's special people among the other nations. That is why it reads "seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city..." 11 Again we are reminded of Jesus' own words to the Jewish people: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. " 10

When Paul was converted and began preaching to the Jews about salvation through Jesus Christ, "they (the Jews) were filled with envy; and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it forth from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." 13

WHO IS A GENUINE JEW TODAY?

The Bible speaks of a "remnant of Israel" who will live and be prepared to welcome Jesus Christ when He soon returns to gather his own. Paul speaks of "the children of Abraham". The question remains as to "who is a genuine Jew today?" The apostle Paul, puts it this way: "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter".14 Another place in the Bible Paul says: "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." And he continues: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." 15 Are these not plain words? All receiving salvation in Jesus Christ by faith, are the children of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. Jews have no precedence. They are not saved by being descendants of Abraham. The same conditions apply to the Jews as to others, they too have to accept Jesus as the mediator between God and man in order to be saved. Therefore Jesus says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." And "whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." 16 This is not a substitution of Biblical theology, it is pure Biblical theology.

Therefore, whether we are Jews or Arabs, Americans or Norwegians, we have to go through Jesus Christ in order to obtain grace, forgiveness and acceptance by God. We must be born again. We must have the change of mind that takes place by beholding the glory of Jesus. While we behold the glory of Jesus our minds are changed. To be accounted as God's people, we need this transformation of mind. Having this experience, we will be faithful servants of God. By the help of God we will then cheerfully do His will. 41

When we surrender completely to God and say Yes to the Spirit, and No to the flesh with its lusts, we will be partakers of the divine nature through the Holy Spirit.42 This experience we all need to have in order to inherit eternal life.

A REMNANT LEFT

However, God has not cast away His people. The Bible speaks of "a remnant" that is left.17 Despite the fact that Israel as a nation rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God is still seeking to reach everyone, the Jews included. God is seeking to reach them by His word and through the influence of the Holy Spirit upon their minds.

When Jesus returns, there will be a "remnant", a leftover of God's people. We have seen that the true children of God today are the spiritual Israel, those who have received Jesus by faith. They are the children of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.15 We believe that this "remnant" will consist of true Christians, converted Arabs, Muslims, Jews, Catholics etc. It does not matter what culture or religious background the individual may have, but they all have to gain a common experience - they all have to know the Saviour, Jesus Christ. They all have to decide to follow the Spirit and not the flesh. They have to realize their need of continual fellowship with God, and they need to obtain power from God continuously in order to live in harmony with His will. Therefore it says of those delivered, those who live when Jesus returns, they are those who have "the patience of the saints... that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." They "have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." 44 They have humbly received the salvation in Jesus Christ, by faith.

The apostle Paul writes in Romans chapter 11 and verse 20 about Israel, that "because of unbelief they were broken off." But later in verse 23, Paul acknowledges that the Jews, too, have a chance to be converted and receive the gift of salvation. Paul writes: "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again." Jesus is the vine, His followers are the branches.20 The Jews, as a nation, cut their connection with Jesus by rejecting and crucifying the Saviour. But as individuals they can be grafted in again if they believe that Jesus came to this earth about 2000 years ago, and if they receive Him as the only one who can save us from sin.21

STAND UP AND WALK

Jesus is always willing to receive us. The one "that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," says Jesus.22 He stands there, as the father of the prodigal son, with His arms opened wide, eager to receive us. However we must also do our part. It was not enough that the prodigal son thought of going home to his father. No, it was when he acted upon his thoughts and plans, when he stood up and went home that the joy of reunion was a fact. Likewise we also must come to Jesus, whether we are Jews, Arabs or nominal Christians. God is now calling you to make this decision.23

ANTICHRIST

There are many that believe the Antichrist will come some time in the near future. Martin Luther said in his time: "it is plain that the mark of the Antichrist coincide with those of the pope's kingdom and his followers".39 And: "the Pope is Antichrist".40 The reformers had no doubt as to the identity of the great antichristian power factor mentioned in the Bible. All the identifying marks of the Biblical Antichrist, the "harlot" or the "beast" from the sea, fits the Papacy. (See the pamphlet "Watch out for the Power Elite and the Global Union!").

That Antichrist is a power factor that will occur for the first time just before the return of Jesus, only to rule for a short period of time, is a theory that can be traced back to the Catholic Church. It was conceived by a Jesuit priest, Francisco Ribera, from Spain, who lived in the 16th century. It was a clever move from the Catholic camp, intended to lead away from who the real Biblical Antichristian power factor is. But the Bible and history both acknowledge the papal abuse of power during the Middle-Ages. The Bible reveals that the Catholic Church will regain power just before the return of Jesus.24 Today we see how both the State and the Church are uniting in making an international system of laws, that will bind nations and denominations together - direct according to the Catholic model. Both the State and the Church, most Protestant and the Catholics will unite to set up "the mark of the beast".

The Antichrist is here. This economic, political and religious power factor is working full time in order to gather the world under its umbrella, the umbrella of the Catholic Church. It does so through diplomacy, European- and international laws, strong confederacies and alliances using buzz-words such as "solidarity", "peace", "co-operation", "unity" etc.

MIDDLE-EAST CONFLICT OR GLOBAL CONFLICT?

When God made His covenant with Abraham, God said: "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the River Euphrates."36 If this is meant to be the Euphrates of today, this promise was fulfilled already in the time of Solomon. Solomon did reign over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines.37

Many adherents of Israel believe that Israel will regain the land lost since their borders were former after entering Canaan at the time of Joshua and Solomon. Today, however, the opposite is happening. Israel is giving away territory after territory of the "promised land" in order to have peace. Jerusalem are trodden down by foreign nations. The Temple Mount is today mostly occupied by Moslems.

In 691 AD. the Moslems built on the Temple Mount, the mosque, The Dome of the Rock. It is the same mosque which is standing there today in addition to another one, called Al-Aqsa. Next after Mekka and Medina the Dome of the Rock is considered to be the Moselem third most holy place in the world.

Even though the Israelites have returned to Jerusalem, they have not regained control of the Temple Mount. They would like to rebuild their own temple there which was destroyed by the Romans in year 70 AD. Because of the lack of control over the Temple Mount, they are not able to build their own temple there and reinstate the old Jewish sacrifical offerings. Until this happens they have, in reality, not "returned" to Jerusalem. They do not have full control over the Temple Mount. They are not masters in their own house.

Moslems are threatening with "jihad" (holy war) if their holy places are being damaged. If the Israelites should tear down these two Moslem mosques and occupy the whole Temple Mount, and erect their own temple, then there would be real trouble. Besides, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is a holy place both for Jews, Moslems and nominal Christians. The Jews are still today spread among other nations, and mixed with them, - even in their own country. People of different nationalities occupy the streets of Jerusalem. They have their rights as well. Jews have to live among non-Jews, and the Bible says that it will be that way until Jesus returns.26

But why focus so much on the Middle-East? The Bible reveals that the last conflict will be a global conflict. All the powers of evil in this world will unite to create a new world order, a false peace which builds on human authorities and laws. The Bible says that it is these powers that will make war with the Lamb (Christ) and those who are siding with the Lamb.27 It is only when men say YES to Jesus that there can be created true peace. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you", says Jesus, "not as the world giveth, give I unto you."28

The Bible reveals that the Papacy (the "Antichrist", the harlot, the beast from the sea) will play a central role in the attempt of uniting the world. Today we see the attempt to gather the world under the umbrella of the Catholic Church, both in the area of economy, politics and religion. Presently they are in the process of coordinating their powers. The Bible says that "all the world wondered after the beast" - the papacy.29

Presently we are also witnessing how the world is uniting, both through EU, EEC, GATT, UN, NATO, the West-Union, a common currency and a central bank, international confederacies and alliances etc. The conflict in the Middle-East is part of this unification. Just like Norway, Sweden, USA etc. are being humbled to submit themselves under the international system of laws, so Israel and the Arab States will be humbeled into being governed to a large degree, by the same laws. We already see that Israel and the Arab states no longer alone make important desicions concerning the Middle-East conflict. It is the international powers, especially through UN and USA, that are the main negotiators in this conflict. The parties involved are lead to accept solutions which are in harmony with the global socialism. The individual nations has to surrender its sovereignty and submit to international guidelines.

The nations are indeed in the process of the uniting, as described in Biblical end-time prophecies.30 Israel and the Arab States will enter into the global unification process. We are now witnessing part of that process in the Middle-East.

TO ISRAEL OR TO HEAVEN?

Israel-adherents believe that Jesus will return and be seated on the throne of David in Jerusalem, and that peace then will reign for 1000 years.

However the Bible says that the saved will go with Jesus to heaven. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He said: "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."31

In Revelation chapter 4 it is written that the throne of Jesus is in heaven. Three chapters later we read about the saved standing before the throne of God and the Lamb - in Heaven.32 Revelation chapter 15 and verse two, describes the saved standing on a sea of glass, safe at home in the kingdom of God. They "had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name."

Dear reader! The Bible says that the believers - both those who have been resting in their graves (and have been resurrected when Jesus returns), and those living when Jesus returns - shall together be caught up in the air to meet their Lord. They are going to heaven. There they will be for 1000 years - not here on earth.33 After those 1000 years Jesus will again return to the earth, to the Mount of Olives. The redeemed of all ages, who have been in Heaven for 1000 years, will then descend to the earth with the Holy City. The Bible describes this incident like this: "and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with Him." "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley" "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth"34

When the new Jerusalem in all its glory comes down from heaven, it will descend upon that very place which is cleansed and prepared for it, and Christ together with His people will enter into it.

Mankind are seeking to restore peace on earth through a global union (the New World Order), through New Age and so on. But there will never be peace on this earth until God has cleansed and purified the earth from sin with fire. Then Satan and all the godless will be destroyed by fire. After this God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and the New Jerusalem will receive a special place on this new earth.35

Let us now prepare ourselves for Heaven, so we can be with Jesus when He soon returns to gather His people. Then we can experience the new earth and the new Jerusalem. and most of all Jesus Christ..and the saved . This hope is for all of us, including the Jews, as long as they and we receive Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Saviour, NOW.

Many believe that there will be a new period of probationary time of grace and revival when Jesus returns, and that Israel will play an important role in this process. But when Jesus returns, everyone's destiny has been settled. Then it will be too late to repent. Then the account in the books of Heaven has been settled. It has already been decided who will be taken to heaven and who will be lost. Therefore it is important for us to prepare our lives for the coming of Jesus, NOW!35

The signs of the times indicate that the return of Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven, with all the Holy angels, is imminent. May you and I be prepared to meet Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, with joy!


References:

1. Gen. 12:1-4
2. Deut. 20:1-16; Exod. 15:26
3. John. 3:16
4. Rom. 6:23; Gen. 2:17
5. Rom. 8:3; John. 1:1+3+14; Heb. 2:14-17
6. Heb. 2:17-18; Heb. 4:15+16
7. John. 1:11
8. Matt. 21:33-45
9. Matt. 27:20-25; Jn. 19:15
10. Matt. 21:42-44; Acts. 4:8-12
11.Dan. 9:24(Prophetic time: One day for a year, Eze. 4:6; Num. 14:34)
12. Dan. 9:25-27
13. Acts. 13:45-46
14. Rom. 2:28+29
15. Gal. 3:7+28+29
16. John. 14:6; John. 3:16
17. Rom. 11:1-6
18. Gal. 5:22; John. 15:4+5; 1. Co. 10:13
19. Rev. 14:1-12
20. John. 15. 4+5
21. John. 14:6; Matt. 1:21; John. 1:12; Acts. 4:12
22. John. 6:37
23. John. 15:11-24
24. Rev. 13:3-18
25. The pamphlet: "Watch Out for the Power-elite and the Global Union!"
26. Luke. 20:23-28
27. Rev. 17:12-14
28. John. 14:27
29. Rev. 13:3-10
30. Rev. 17:12-14; Rev. 13:11-18; Rev. 16:13-14
31. John. 14:1-3
32. Rev. 7:9
33. Rev. 20:4
34. Zec. 14:4+5+9
35. 1. Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 22:12; 2. Pet. 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-4; Rev. 20:7-15; Rev. 21:7+8
36. Gen. 15:18
37. 1. King. 4:21; 2. King. 9:26; 1. Chron. 5:9
38. John. 3:16-18; Ecc. 12:13+14; James 2:10-26
39. From "The Book of Concord",p. 327
40. J. H. M. D'Aubigne, "History of the Reformation", bind 6, kap. 9.
41. 2 Cor. 3:18
42. 2 Pet. 1:4
43. John. 1. 1-4+14
44. Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 7:14.

Source: http://www.endtime.net/engelsk/israel.htm

Planet in Rebellion

PLANET IN REBELLION !

Destruction's Fountainhead

Down through the years millions have cried out, "If God is a God of Love--why all this cruel suffering?"

And God looking down responds: "An enemy hath done this!" Matthew 13:28

Lucifer the most privileged of God's angels rebelled against God in heaven - before our planet was even created! He had a special place near the throne, but it was not enough. He wanted to be GOD!

God did everything He could to reconcile him but he hardened his heart and became Satan, the Adversary! He used lies and insinuations to influence many to join him in rebellion.

The loyal angels and the Son of God plead with Satan to turn from his evil course before it was too late! But he hardened his heart and finally declared WAR in heaven! He and his rebel host were cast out!

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7


Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Revelation 12:12

God knew where the ideas of Satan would lead - But for the sake of His created ones - he allowed him to try and work out his plans.

If God had just un-created him on the spot, God's subjects would have served Him out of fear. FEAR is Satan's form of government! It has no place in God's universe.

When Man was created he was warned about the rebel leader and Satan was only allowed to tempt Adam and Eve at the one tree in the whole world they were told to leave alone!

The "TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL"

Well the sad story is that Eve fell into disobedience and Adam followed her suggestion. Man had chosen to join the rebellion that began in heaven against the just and Holy Law of God

They had to leave EDEN. Before they had had all the GOOD- now indeed they had the EVIL as well. They had sold out to the enemy. They lost their holy robes of light.

But there was hope! As soon as there was sin-

There was a Savior!

Their own Creator, the Son of God, stepped in to pay the price so man could have a second chance to be loyal to God and thus someday be returned to fellowship with the unfallen universe and the Holy angels and above all - with their Creator!

He would come to earth as a human, laying aside His own divine power he would live dependent on His Father's power by faith as man must do if he is to overcome.

He would live a sinless and obedient life through the power of the Father - and then He would pay the terrible price of sin. Experiencing the worse that Satan could throw at Him, He would stay true to His Father's Law !

In Gethsemane His humanity shrank from the terrible ordeal and He pleaded for the cup to be withdrawn - but as He saw there was no other way to save you and I from the claws of the merciless master we had chosen, he agreed to pay the cost - even if He died for eternity!

Finally He experienced the 2nd death - the one that will finally be the lot of the wicked who reject all God's efforts to save them. While on the cross, His humanity could not see beyond the darkness of separation from His Heavenly Father - eternal separation loomed before Him as it will for those who are finally lost.

His heart was broken by the hiding of the Father's face but He clung by FAITH to His Father's promises and with a great cry of triumph "IT IS FINISHED" He bowed His dear head and died.

Satan was unmasked before the universe as the cruel tyrant that he really is!

Jesus won the right to one day destroy Satan and all who continue in rebellion with him. The charges against God's Law have been proven false.

But on earth the conflict has not yet ended.

WHY?

Because man has still chosen to enjoy the 'pleasures of sin for a season'.

Most people prefer Satan's kingdom to obedience to God's just and holy Law.

They want to do their 'own thing'.

God pleads with man to turn from his wicked ways and demonstrates to us His love and in this task He asks all who love Him to join.

No force or manipulation must ever come into God's kingdom. His methods are Love, Truth and Righteousness.

God's Spirit pleads with each soul in this earth- trying in love to draw him to the truth.

The GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN ON EARTH IS A BATTLE FOR THE MIND OF MAN!

Continue:

Source: http://remnantprophecy.sdaglobal.org/Remnant-Prophecy/Rebellion1.htm