Wednesday, August 26, 2009

RIEMA urges caution as


Storm could bring heavy rain to So.New England


Updated: Wednesday, 26 Aug 2009, 4:33 PM EDT

Published : Wednesday, 26 Aug 2009, 4:16 PM EDT

Nancy Krause

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) - As Tropical Storm Danny continues to gain strength in the Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island's Emergency Management Agency is urging people to take action in the event the storm hits.

The National Hurricane Center said Danny will continue to move Northwest and that it's possible the storm could quickly move up the coast and threaten New England this weekend - bringing with it three to eight inches of rain.

If Danny remains on track , the NHC said the storm could make landfall Saturday night near Nantucket as a Category 1 Hurricane. It's effect on Rhode Island could be more like a tropical storm, bringing heavy rain and some coastal flooding.


RIEMA urges homeowners to make sure:
Gutters are clean
Sump pumps are functioning
Outdoor furniture is secure



Source: http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_wpri_storm_ready_riema_urges_preparations_for_tropical_storm_danny_20090826_nek

Unrighteous Laws-- Justice is Coming


ISAIAH TEN

10.1
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
10.2
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
10.3
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
10.4
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
10.5
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
10.6
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
10.7
However he doesn't believe I send him, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
10.8
For he says, Are not my princes altogether kings?
10.9
Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
10.10
As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria:
10.11
Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
10.12
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
10.13
For he said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
10.14
And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
10.15
Shall the ax boast itself against him that hews with it? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that holds it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
10.16
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
10.17
And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
10.18
And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard bearer fainted.
10.19
And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
10.20
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
10.21
The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
10.22
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
10.23
For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
10.24
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
10.25
For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
10.26
And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
10.27
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
10.28
He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: 10.29
They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
10.30
Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
10.31
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
10.32
As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
10.33
Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
10.34
And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.


Unrighteous Laws-- Justice is Coming
Woe to them that decree unrighteous laws — laws of oppression.

When the U.S. was founded it upheld that humanity had unalienable rights, given to them by God, which government was not to intrude upon. These rights were protected in the constitution and amendments of American government. Presently in the US, laws are passed and continue to be passed that systematically strike down these principles and allow government greater and greater power in the private lives of the people. Liberties are fast disappearing!

Revelation tells us oppressive laws will be enacted in the last days.
Rev 13.16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
13.17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Woe to those who oppress those who are helpless. Woe to the world where violence and taking advantage of others is considered the most crowd drawing entertainment. Woe to the world that no longer values the life and dignity of personhood. WOE TO THEM WHO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS FROM THE POOR OF MY PEOPLE, preying on the weak. Woe to a world that is fast moving back to the idea of that the person is of less value than the community.

Woe to us all when people are no longer considered equal but once again must serve those who have control over them. Confiscation of property is a common method to humble those who will not bow to the tyranny of an oppressive system. Revelation tells us death will be decreed against all who will not worship the image and the beasts. They will try to rob us of more than material possessions and our earthly life, they will try to rob us of eternal life.

Many will join the oppressive confederacy, yet what will they do in the day when desolation comes? They have turned from following God and then, without Him, they fall with the slain. But, at the present, God's hand is still outstretched. Today, harden not your hearts in rebellion, today accept Christ as Lord in your life!

How important it is for God's people to be right with their Lord! Those who turn their backs on God will have no one to turn to when God sends His judgments. Without God they have no defense. Their money and material goods will not help them then.

Assyria was allowed, by God to humble Israel, to sift them as it were. Because they were a hypocritical nation (they have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.)

Hypocritical — they claim great religiosity, but disregard God's Word and righteousness. This is the picture Revelation presents of the last day church.

Rev. 3.15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 3.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
3.17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

When the oppressive enactments come there will be a great sifting among the Seventh-day Adventist church. Many will forsake the Sabbath and join the false religious system. Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful deceptions that will over run the world. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise.. By the sifting of temptation, the genuine Christian will be revealed. Are the people of God now so firmly established upon his Word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible, and the Bible only? Satan will, if possible, prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day.

They refuse to buy the gold, the eye ointment and the white robe, so they have no protection against deception, they seek to escape the oppression by alining themselves with the popular concepts, just as Israel tried to do by siding with Assyria against Damascus, but Assyria turned against them. So many Adventists seek to be approved by the mainline Churches to escape being peculiar and singled out for ridicule, but the escape is only temporary, when the plagues fall Rev. 15-16, and God's judgments come, they will have no protection.

Assyria was a merciless nation, with a fixed policy of causing all nations to acknowledge the supremacy of the gods of Nineveh. Assyria believed their religion, their gods, were superior to Israel's God because they were winning, they were conquering! Ruthlessly they subdued the nations. Assyria represents the militant powers that at first support the false religion then turn against it and are themselves destroyed in the end.

God is always the one in control — the enemies may be mighty and valiant, but God is still the one in control. God's church will be sifted and severely tired. God will have a pure people. The oppressors, just like the Assyrians will exalt their religion as far superior to the humble followers of Christ who cling to obedience to God's laws.

God's justice is not a respecter of person's. All false worship will eventually be cut off. It does not matter what their idols be — material things or ideas and philosophies. Professing Christians as well as those who make no profession and are outright sinners — all will face judgment.

When God has performed his work of purifying His people, He will punish the stout hearts and high looks of the oppressive powers.

Assyria felt they were king over kings and could do as they pleased. In the last days the religious power that claims to be in the place of Christ upon earth will do as they please. But Christ is Kings of Kings, he will send the plagues upon the oppressors and protect His faithful.

The Assyrian's cruel policies turned against them and gnawed at their internal structure.

In the same way the military power in the end time drama will turn upon the false religious system. Revelation 17:16

Just because one power apparently gains victory over many people does not make them supreme and independent of God, or favored by God.

Historically Assyria conquered all of Israel and Judea and it seemed impossible for Jerusalem to withstand the huge army. Yet when King Hezekiah completely trusted in the Lord — in just one night an angel smote 184,000 Assyrian soldiers and delivered Jerusalem.

In the last days it will seem like the forces of evil are running rampant — nothing can stop them — but God will put a stop to them! The light of Israel shall be for a fire — Christ is the light — for His faithful followers it means deliverance, for their enemies it means destruction.

The Remnant

The remnant: God's true people will no longer look to worldly sources for their direction, they put their trust in God. They have turned from every idol that binds them to earth and worship "Him that made heaven and earth"

Only a small group remain faithful. Though Christians are as numerous as the sands of the sea, only a few will be saved.

The crises will come. The Lord has decreed it. There is a limit beyond which He will no longer delay His judgments. He will complete the work in righteousness.

God assures His faithful remnant. Don't be afraid . . . even though the wicked appear to be winning the war...

Just a little longer and deliverance will come.

"The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;"
Rev. 18.8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

If this is prophetic time- the plagues all happen within one year.

Rev.18.10 Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

If this is prophetic time—the actual destruction of Babylon, that ecumenical religious system, will take place in half a day.

He will cause the enemy to turn on each other, just like He did the Midianites.

Rev.17.12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
17.13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
17.16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

God opened the Red Sea for Israel to escape from the Egyptians, thus He will allow His people once again to escape.

The power of the oppressor will be broken. God's people are delivered. A remnant will return to the Mighty God, they will not depend on any earthly power or earthly kingdom "But will depend on Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth."

The enemy is put to flight

For the Lord God of hosts will make a determined end in the land.
He will "shake his fist" at those professing to establish the kingdom of God "on the hill of Jerusalem and will lop off the bough with terror."

He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

Remember in Isaiah 9, in our discussion on the Sabbath, the false religion would also try to rebuild the breach in the wall (which Isaiah 58 shows is the Sabbath) but they would use their own materials, not the ones God specified. They would use the Cedars of Lebanon instead of the sycamores! This ties right in with the oppressive laws that will be made. Now notice the forest (the whole kingdom) of Lebanon will be cut down with iron and fall by the Mighty One.

Rev. 19:11-17 I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations and He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God ...for He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords...

Notice that in all these passage there is a "determined end". This is important to know, for the enemy of our souls will try to counterfeit God's deliverance and try to lure use into trusting in an earthly kingdom— this will be an almost overwhelming deception.

Yes, God will deliver His people, but Isaiah, in this chapter makes it clear that we MUST NOT DEPEND ON ANY EARTHLY SYSTEM but depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, IN TRUTH.

May we be among those who wait for that deliverance, without being swept into any counterfeit solutions. May we declare, when we see Him coming,
Isaiah 25.9 Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Praise God for His deliverance.



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Testing the Voice of the Shepherds


Testing the Voice of the Shepherds

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. John 10:14.

Every one of us will be sorely tempted; our faith will be tried to the uttermost.

We need to be anchored in Christ, rooted and grounded in the faith. Satan works through agents. He selects those who have not been drinking of the living waters, whose souls are athirst for something new and strange, and who are ever ready to drink at any fountain that may present itself. Voices will be heard, saying, "Lo, here is Christ," or "Lo, there;" but we must believe them not. We have unmistakable evidence of the voice of the True Shepherd, and He is calling upon us to follow Him. He says, "I have kept my Father's commandments." He leads His sheep in the path of humble obedience to the law of God. . . .

"The voice of a stranger" is the voice of one who neither respects nor obeys God's holy, just, and good law. Many make great pretensions to holiness, and boast of the wonders they perform in healing the sick, when they do not regard this great standard of righteousness. But through whose power are these cures wrought? Are the eyes of either party opened to their transgressions of the law? and do they take their stand as humble, obedient children, ready to obey all of God's requirements? John testifies of the professed children of God: "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:4. . . .

If those through whom cures are performed, are disposed, on account of these manifestations, to excuse their neglect of the law of God, and continue in disobedience, though they have power to any and every extent, it does not follow that they have the great power of God. On the contrary, it is the miracle-working power of the great deceiver. . . . We must beware of the pretended holiness that permits transgression of the law of God. Those cannot be sanctified who trample that law under their feet, and judge themselves by a standard of their own devising.


The Faith I Live By, E. G. W., pp.314.


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Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.


25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29For our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:25-29.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Decade of Debt: $9 Trillion


AUGUST 26, 2009
Decade of Debt: $9 Trillion


BY JONATHAN WEISMAN AND DEBORAH SOLOMON


Plunging tax receipts, soaring spending and a sluggish recovery will push the nation's deficits dramatically higher over the next decade, creating new complications for President Barack Obama's domestic agenda.

The deteriorating budget picture, detailed Tuesday in separate White House and congressional reports, comes just as Democrats and Republicans prepare to resume the battle over Democratic plans to spend $1 trillion overhauling the nation's health-care system.

The numbers -- including a White House forecast of $9 trillion in additional debt over the next decade -- could affect Mr. Obama's efforts to increase spending in a host of areas, from education to ...



Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125119686015756517.html

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Ted Kennedy Dies of Brain Cancer at Age 77


Ted Kennedy Dies of Brain Cancer at Age 77

'Liberal Lion' of the Senate Led Storied Political Family After Deaths of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy

Sen. Ted Kennedy died shortly before midnight Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., at age 77. The man known as the "liberal lion of the Senate" had fought a more than year-long battle with brain cancer, and according to his son had lived longer with the disease than his doctors expected him to. "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," the Kennedy...

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TedKennedy/comments?type=story&id=6692022
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Unmoved in the Shaking Time


Unmoved in the Shaking Time

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Heb. 12:28.

Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, I am saved, are in danger of trusting to themselves. They lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of divine strength. They are unprepared for Satan's devices. . . . Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ.

Man's great danger is in being self-deceived, indulging self-sufficiency, and thus separating from God, the source of his strength.

The Lord is coming very soon, and we are entering into scenes of calamity.

We need not say: The perils of the last days are soon to come upon us. Already they have come. We need now the sword of the Lord to cut to the very soul and marrow of fleshly lusts, appetites, and passions.

Minds that have been given up to loose thought need to change. . . . The thoughts must be centered upon God. Now is the time to put forth earnest effort to overcome the natural tendencies of the carnal heart.

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.

We are in the shaking time, the time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not in word and deed obey His commands.


The Faith I Live By (1958), E. G. W., pp.336.
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A wink and a nod for Bernanke


A wink and a nod while on Ramadan, I mean vacation.


Today, President Obama ceremonially approved Ben "Ben and Jerry's" Bernanke to head the Federal Reserve for another stint.
What?
The Federal Reserve is neither federal or has a reserve. It's as federal as Federal Express. And it makes money out of thin air.
Besides, the chairman of the Federal Reserve is appointed by the Board of Directors of the conglomerate of banks that make up the Federal Reserve; Or, maybe, by the Head of the Federal Reserve main branch in New York City; The president of the U.S. only signs-off on it as a formality (play act), that's all!
Please, spare us the formalities; we know what's up!


Well, Barack Obama, took some time off from the doldrums of vacations to approve Ben Bernake, the "man who's an expert on The Great Depression".
So, he's experienced in Depressions, huh? Great, he'll work out just fine!
He has his work cut out for him.
Now they can resume the croquet game or the tennis match, or perhaps go sailing to Block Island or deep sea fishing for King Fish near George's Bank.
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La Dee Dah!
Life is so mundane for the rich and well connected!
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Back to the Vineyard for tea!
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Arsenio.
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President Barack Obama's Ramadam Kareem Message


MAY GOD'S PEACE BE UPON YOU

Office of the Press Secretary


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 21, 2009


Below is the text of a web video from President Obama marking the beginning of Ramadan. Video of the President's message is available HERE.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Ramadan Message
Washington, DC

On behalf of the American people - including Muslim communities in all fifty states - I want to extend best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world. Ramadan Kareem.

Ramadan is the month in which Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with a simple word - iqra. It is therefore a time when Muslims reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and to God.

Like many people of different faiths who have known Ramadan through our communities and families, I know this to be a festive time - a time when families gather, friends host iftars, and meals are shared. But I also know that Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection - a time when Muslims fast during the day and perform tarawih prayers at night, reciting and listening to the entire Koran over the course of the month.

These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam's role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings.

For instance, fasting is a concept shared by many faiths - including my own Christian faith - as a way to bring people closer to God, and to those among us who cannot take their next meal for granted. And the support that Muslims provide to others recalls our responsibility to advance opportunity and prosperity for people everywhere. For all of us must remember that the world we want to build - and the changes that we want to make - must begin in our own hearts, and our own communities.

This summer, people across America have served in their communities - educating children, caring for the sick, and extending a hand to those who have fallen on hard times. Faith-based organizations, including many Islamic organizations, have been at the forefront in participating in this summer of service. And in these challenging times, this is a spirit of responsibility that we must sustain in the months and years to come.

Beyond America's borders, we are also committed to keeping our responsibility to build a world that is more peaceful and secure. That is why we are responsibly ending the war in Iraq. That is why we are isolating violent extremists while empowering the people in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why we are unyielding in our support for a two-state solution that recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. And that is why America will always stand for the universal rights of all people to speak their mind, practice their religion, contribute fully to society and have confidence in the rule of law.

All of these efforts are a part of America's commitment to engage Muslims and Muslim-majority nations on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect. And at this time of renewal, I want to reiterate my commitment to a new beginning between America and Muslims around the world.

As I said in Cairo, this new beginning must be borne out in a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground. I believe an important part of this is listening, and in the last two months, American embassies around the world have reached out not just to governments, but directly to people in Muslim-majority countries. From around the world, we have received an outpouring of feedback about how America can be a partner on behalf of peoples' aspirations.

We have listened. We have heard you. And like you, we are focused on pursuing concrete actions that will make a difference over time - both in terms of the political and security issues that I have discussed, and in the areas that you have told us will make the most difference in peoples' lives.

These consultations are helping us implement the partnerships that I called for in Cairo - to expand education exchange programs; to foster entrepreneurship and create jobs; and to increase collaboration on science and technology, while supporting literacy and vocational learning. We are also moving forward in partnering with the OIC and OIC member states to eradicate polio, while working closely with the international community to confront common health challenges like H1N1 - which I know is of particular to concern to many Muslims preparing for the upcoming hajj.

All of these efforts are aimed at advancing our common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. It will take time and patient effort. We cannot change things over night, but we can honestly resolve to do what must be done, while setting off in a new direction - toward the destination that we seek for ourselves, and for our children. That is the journey that we must travel together.

I look forward to continuing this critically important dialogue and turning it into action. And today, I want to join with the 1.5 billion Muslims around the world - and your families and friends - in welcoming the beginning of Ramadan, and wishing you a blessed month. May God's peace be upon you.

# # #


Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. on August 21, 2009 8:00 PM

Source:
http://www.nyrealestatelawblog.com/2009/08/may_gods_peace_be_upon_you.html
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The Elian Gonzalez Rescue














Brought to you by Janet Reno and the Clinton Administration.
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P.S. The Clintons are back.
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What's next? Ecologically viable Micro-chips? .....
Cash for brains?...Cash for dummies?
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A Prayer for Rifqa


Rifqa Bary a 17 year old Sri-Lankan young lady from New Albany, Ohio who converted from Islam to Christianity, needs our prayers. Please pray that the Lord intercedes, and allows her to remain in the State of Florida where she fled for refuge from her Muslim parents. On Friday, Agust 21, 09, the Florida courts ruled that they would allow her (a minor) to remain in foster care while investigations are conducted.

Rifqa Bary ran away from her parents Mohamed and Aysha Bary, because she feared her father would kill her for her recent conversion to Christianity. She hitchiked to Columbus, then took a bus to Orlando, Florida where she took refuge with Rev. Blake Lorenz, pastor and his wife Beverly, of the Orlando-based Global Revolution Church, whom she had met on the internet. She is now in protective custody with Florida's Department of Children and Families. Her parents want her returned home to Ohio, but, Rifqa fears for her life, since in Muslim Sharia Law all converts to Christianity are heretics, and are instructed by the Koran to be killed.

We must pray fervently for this young lady to remain in protective custody, or foster care in the State of Florida, so that she can exercise her religion. The Florida courts will ultimately rule wheter she remains or is returned to Ohio.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed
to repeat it."
George Santayana.

Many Americans have a disdain for history, and can only remember what they had for breakfast. or what they did last weekend. However, we can not forget the case of Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy who was rescued at sea (when his mother drowned trying to reach Florida), and was eventually (rescued from his uncle's home in Miami, Florida) apprehended by Immigration and Naturalization authorities in a manner reminiscent of a storm trooper assaultc; He was returned to his father who (was flown from Cuba) was waiting in Washington D.C. in 2000. Nor can we forget the case of the two Dallas-area sisters, 17 and 18 year olds, that were murdered last year by their Egytian father (still at large and is believed to have fled the country) because they dated non-Muslim boys.

How quickly we forget?

Practically all have forgotten why the first non-native settlers (Europeans) came to what we now call the United States; It was to escape religious persecution, and the tyranny of the Church of England, and its latent ally the Roman Catholic Church. Fastforward - 400 years and the descendants, and beneficiaries of the Pilgrim's Voyage for Freedom, can see that religious tyrants have come to its shores to impose the same tyranical, despotic beliefs that the Pilgrim fathers fled from in England; This time, these religious zealots are not from Europe, but, are from Asia (where there is no religious freedom or a tradition of tolerance). That's why after its independence from Great Britain in 1947, the Vice-Royalty of India was divided into India, West Pakistan (Bangladesh), East Pakistan (Pakistan), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), etc.; Because of the different religions: Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain , Farsi, and Bhuddist.


Please pray for Rifqa
May the Lord provide her protection, and allow her to discover and remain in His love;
Afterall, the God of Abraham, Issac , and Israel is the God of all, not just Christians. Jesus died for everyone's sins, even the one's of those from Sri Lanka!



Reference:




BTW: I believe her full name is Fatimah Rifqa Bary. Fatimah as in Fatimah of Muslim history: a daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from his first wife Khadija; She is regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for men and women.); Also, Our Lady of Fatima of Portugal, of the 1917 (three peasant children Lúcia Santos and her cousins, siblings Jacinta and Francisco Marto. ) Mary apparitions.
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Monday, August 24, 2009

The Future Of Mind Control and Weapons 1-3

http://http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4mqav_the-future-of-mind-control-and-weap_politicshttp:// The Future Of Mind Control and Weapons 1-3
by Ghis1964

text can found at: http://rakmanenuff.blogspot.com

full length version: http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc...

LINKS: too many links to post here, please go to: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.sc...

mind control, microwave and scalar wave weapons, surveillance, free energy, tesla, psychotronics, brain programming, electromagnetics, electrogravity, frequency and vibration, computers, mathematics, science, technology, miniaturization, weather modification, dudding of electronics, melting of metal, tesla shields, neutralizing biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, telepathy, psychic surgery. technologies that can read our minds, control our minds and wipe out all life on earth.

Added: 05/12/06


The Dangers of being "willingly ignorant"


II Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.

This passage in II Peter really sums up the attitude that many (sadly in the church as well as the world) have adopted. We often look for catastrophic weather signs, potential peace treatises, and Middle East unrest as signs that the return of Christ is near-and rightly so. But stop for a moment to consider what Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote in the passage above. One of the hallmarks of our generation is that of scoffers in the world and more disturbingly in the church! Peter qualifies the reason why they are scoffing-it's because they're walking after their own heart's lusts. Is it any wonder that some scoff and scorn at the notion of Christ's return? For those who are not living for God, but enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season-why would they want the Lord to return? We know that the first time Jesus came as a suffering servant, but the next time He will come as a Judge and a conquering King. The Lamb of God will come in great power and glory as the Lion of the tribe of Judah!

Paul told young Timothy that one of the major signs of the end times would be that men would be "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." I'm not against good clean, wholesome entertainment (which is becoming increasingly more scarce by the way), but we are a pleasure driven culture and a pleasure driven church. We want Christianity to be convenient for us. The call to "take up the cross and follow me" cannot be heard by our modern generation because we have heaped to ourselves teachers, having "itching ears" and desiring to hear fables rather than biblical truth. Of course I can't paint everyone with a broad brush, and there are certainly the faithful still among us. Most pastors that I know really dread the summer months because they know that three-fourths of their congregation will be missing in action during this time. Am I against taking a family vacation? Absolutely not! We need a respite from this stressful world at times. But far too often, rather than having our minds focused on heavenly things, we become preoccupied with the next big trip or the next pleasure indulgence. I find myself battling these same temptations on a daily basis. This writer is not immune to battling the love of pleasure.

But the evil goes beyond the temptations of pleasure. Let's look again at the passage and notice something else. Not only are people walking after their own lusts, but they are saying something. What are they saying? "Where is the promise of His coming?", "For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were since the beginning of creation...". Jesus Himself said it is an evil servant that says in his heart "my Lord delayeth His coming." I think Western society is probably more guilty of this than anyone. Yes, it speaks to all of creation, but here in the West, we have an arrogance that says "tomorrow will be just like today." We have such short memories sometimes. Our lack of historical study is woeful when really pondered. All it takes is just a minimal study of world history to learn that all empires eventually come to an end-even the most prosperous of societies.

But unfortunately, the deception goes even deeper than that-it has crept into the church. In some ways it is the most exciting of times for prophecy watchers because of all the fulfillment in the last 100 years or so. But there is also a danger that we must be on guard against. Because we do have such short memories and attention spans, we lose sight of the fact that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day. Because in the early 1900's as we began to see prophetic fulfillment accelerate, preachers once again began to sound the alarm that Jesus was soon to come. They were not wrong in doing so, but because of this we now have people in the church who say things like "well I've heard that all my life", "my grandfather thought Jesus would come in his lifetime, and his dad thought Jesus would come in his lifetime." Because of this, some have become hardened to the fact that things can and will change. Jesus made the statement that the tradtions of men can make the Word of God of no effect.

Because of this great tempation God directs the reader of scripture back to one of the greatest events in human history-the flood in Noah's day. Jesus linked the two events (Noah's flood and the 2nd coming) by saying "as it was in the days of Noe (Noah), so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man". Notice Peter says that they are willingly ignorant of Noah's flood. It's one thing to be genuinely uninformed about a situation and to fall into a snare unexpectedly. It's quite another to be willingly ignorant of a fact. That speaks of a heart attitude that says "I know this is what the bible says but I'm just not going to worry about it-surely it won't happen in my lifetime." No doubt, that's what the generation of Noah believed. It had never rained before, so no doubt they said something like, "things will always be the same, that mist will continue to come up from the earth and water the ground-that Noah guy sure is crazy." Of course if we've read the story of Noah, we know how it ends. After many years of ark building, and no doubt hearing the reproach of his peers, the rains finally came and carried them all away. There's a reason that God wants us to remember the lesson of Noah's flood. Just because things haven't happened yet, doesn't mean they won't. God had promised that Jesus would return again for His church. But He didn't just stop there, He gave us signposts to watch for as we see the Day approaching.

Let me ask you today-are you ignoring the signs of the times? Have you said in your heart that it won't happen in your lifetime? If so, you've fallen into the same trap that ensnared the people of Noah's day. Present conditions are not an accurate indicator of future events. Just as Noah, a preacher of righteousness according to the scriptures, built an ark to the saving of his house by faith-so we too must sound the alarm. No man knows the day nor the hour, but Christ said we could know when it was so near it is "at the doors." I implore-no I beg you today to join me in my prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you that you have promised us an escape from the tribulation hour that is coming upon this earth. Please help me and all of the readers of this site and their family members, loved ones, co-workers, neighbors, and friends to never be willingly ignorant of the promise of the coming of Jesus. We also pray that that we would be found worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man not having our own righteousness which is of the law, but the righteousness which comes by faith in Jesus. Let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. It is in the name of Jesus that we ask. Amen.

God bless you as you study His word!



Truth Ablaze-

Copyright 2009




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These are they which came out of great tribulation





9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Revelation 7: 9-17.
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Winds of Doctrines















Are there any clear messages?

The Bible states that Babylon is confusion, and what I hear all around me is nothing but confusion. It seems as if a whirlwind of beliefs on what the Bible foretells will occur is spinning in all directions of the spectrum.

Some ascertain that the bishop of Rome is going to set up his world kingdom in Israel, and rule from Jerusalem. Others, claim that there will be a 3 1/2 year tribulation of the saints before Jesus returns to Earth. Many believe that there will be a secret rapture when the saints will be snatched up to heaven, and spared the tribulation. Still, others assure us that the United States was founded as a Christian nation; While others say that the country was actually founded upon Masonic principles, and was to lead the world into a Luciferian/One World Government.

Another hypothesis is that a great chastisement is coming to mankind because of its reluctance to worship Mary the mother of Jesus (supposedly the Jesuits are preparing this). There is a great chastisement coming to mankind, but, not because men refuse to acknowledge Mary, who is resting in the grave; But, judgement is coming upon mankind for refusing to worship the Creator of the universe, the giver of life; Judgement is to mankind because it prefers to worship idols, and the dragon Satan.

In spite of the diversity of doctrines that fill the airwaves, I rely on the tried and true source of all prophecy, The Holy Bible. And, my Bible states what we are to expect. It also cautions me on speculating on what it hasn't revealed.

18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy
, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. ....Revelation 22:18, 19.


When we examine what the Word of God states will occur, we must accept as true doctrine that which is written in its pages; When we rely on any other source we are treading on shaky ground; And, to believe in such dogmas is utter presumption, which will lead to destruction.


18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.....2 Peter 1:18-20.


Many winds of doctrine are blowing in our midst. But, we must not believe them unless they are founded on sound doctrine. We were cautioned by our Lord and Savior to expect all manner of deception.


4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.....Matthew 24:4-6.


And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. ...Luke 21:8

The Messiah warned us not to believe all those that preach that "He" is the Christ; The anointed one, the awaited one. We must examine why they are preaching of Him; Whether it is to deceive us with an antichrist substitute, or to truly give the good news of His salvation by grace, and the soon establishment of His Everlasting Kingdom. If they do not fit these criteria, we should not believe their suppositions (theories). Deception is the main mode of operation of Satan and his fallen angels. We were warned by Jesuschrist that the false gospel would resemble the "true" Gospel so much, that only those firmly grounded in the truth would not be fooled. A visible indication of whether what we hear is truth (besides the Bible) are the manifestations of those that preach it. We shall know them by their fruits. Profession of the truth is only half of the task. Faith in action is the "whole" truth. How has that knowledge changed the bearer of that truth?


9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.....1 Corinthians
6:8,9.



I recommend that the brethren examine every doctrine they hear, and compare it to the Holy Scriptures. Let the Bible be your standard, not the opinions of men. What does the Bible say? That should be our source of information, not fallible men.

We can not set dates for Jesus return, or safely speculate on the duration of the tribulation.
If that were the case men would (could) sin until a few days prior to the actual event ,then heed and repent.
3 and 1/2 years?
How will the remnant survive such a prolonged persecution? Remember, that the Lord will cut time short, if not no one would be left alive? The 3 1/2 years refers to 1260 years that Papal Rome persecuted the Saints between 538 A.D. and 1798 A.D.
One thing I will surely say is that only Our Father in heaven knows the times and the seasons. Nobody can predict with certainty when His coming will be; Though, we know the event is near.

32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.....Mark 13:32-37

Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. ....Revelation 18:4b.


Arsenio.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Obama's Ramadan Hallmark Moment ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UncWt4VKZQo&feature=player_embeddedhttp://

Obama's Ramadan Hallmark Moment ...

President Obama continued his charm offensive on the Islamic world today, posting on the White House blog a video wishing Muslims a happy Ramadan, the month of fasting, prayer and charity observed by Muslims worldwide.


"On behalf of the American people -- including Muslim communities in all fifty states -- I want to extend best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world. Ramadan Kareem." Obama said. "These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam's role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings."


This isn't the first time Obama has sent special holiday messages -- in April, for example, there was a two-fer video post on the White House blog recognizing Passover and Easter.


But this message was part of a larger push, a point made clear in the introduction to the Ramadan video by Rashad Hussein, a deputy associate counsel in the White House who was the first Muslim in Obama's administration.

"This month is also a time of renewal and this marks the first Ramadan since the President outlined his vision for a new beginning between America and the Muslim world," Hussein wrote. "The President's message is part of an on-going dialogue with Muslim communities that began on inauguration day and has continued with his statement on Nowruz, during trips to Ankara and Cairo, and with interviews with media outlets such as Al Arabiya and Dawn TV."


Like his Cairo speech, Obama's Ramadan greeting was sprinkled with Arabic words and references that were meant both to resonate with the Islamic world -- by signaling that Obama knows something about its traditions -- and to educate non-Muslims, said Nathan Brown of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.


"To non-Muslims, it tries to teach a little about Ramadan, to US Muslims it affirms that they are part of this society, to non-American Muslim "communities" (once again the plural), there is a message of warmth and inclusiveness," Brown told me. "Like the Cairo speech, it is aimed at individuals and communities, not at leaders and states. Of course, for such a holiday greeting you wouldn't expect anything else."

Valparaiso University


The speech brought a quick salute from the Council of American-Islamic Relations, and Asma Afsaruddin, professor of Islamic studies at Indiana University, predicted the message would go over well with Muslims worldwide.


"He modeled a confident and non-threatening Christian-Muslim relationship in which no one has to give up any of their particular beliefs and practices to feel comfortable with the other,"



Afsaruddin told me. "Muslims are much-needed allies in this common battle against extremism, not obstacles, according to him. It is a message that I believe in the longer run will change more hearts and opinions in the Muslim world than the swashbuckling narratives of previous years."
Reaction in the Middle Eastern press was muted, perhaps because the video was released late in the day across most of that region. Al-Arabiya ran a fairly straightforward recap of the speech, while the Israeli newspaper Haaretz zeroed in on Obama's expression of "unyielding" support for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.


As has become its practice, the White House immediately released versions of the video with a set of captioned versions and transcripts that would do Babel well -- from Arabic to Persian to Urdu -- and sent it out over Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.


Meanwhile, over at America.gov, the U.S. State Department is offering a flashy package called "Ramadan Around the World: A Mosaic of Traditions" that includes a gallery of photos from Ramadan around the world and a set of essays from Muslim American authors writing about what Ramadan means to them. And Voice of America had its own Ramadan package featured Friday.


It's all very well-packaged and polished in the typical Obama style, but is the charm offensive working? Sure, Obama remains popular with the Islamic world -- in Egypt, they're even naming the best dates of the year in his honor -- but deep chasms separate the U.S. from many Islamic-majority countries, as we saw in the hero's welcome accorded Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi when he arrived in Tripoli after his release from prison.


It begs the question: The White House can send messages to the Islamic world all it wants, but is anybody listening?


One possible answer may come from -- of all places -- YouTube itself. As TechPresident.com's Micah Sifry noted some time back, YouTube's Insight tool allows us to see where Obama's videos are viewed, such as the below map, which shows where his Cairo speech was viewed.

TechPresident.com


That information wasn't available yet for the President's Ramadan greeting, which the good folks at YouTube tell me may just be a matter of insufficient data. With any luck, though, we'll soon be able to see who heard the American President wish them Ramadan Kareem.


What they do next, of course, is an entirely different question.


Weigh in: Will the Islamic world Friend Obama on Facebook? Or will these messages get caught in the international spam filter of mistrust and anger?
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Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=46010&tsp=1
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A Time of Spiritual Weakness and Blindness


A Time of Spiritual Weakness and Blindness

I was confirmed in all I had stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out. 3

While we will endeavor to keep the "unity of the Spirit" in the bonds of peace, we will not with pen or voice cease to protest against bigotry.--EGW'88 356, 357 (1889).


Of those who boast of their light and yet fail to walk in it Christ says, "But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."--RH Aug. 1, 1893. 4


The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst.--1NL 99 (1898).


3[THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN STATEMENT FROM THE PEN OF ELLEN WHITE INDICATING THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH ORGANIZATION. THE DOUBT WHICH SHE EXPRESSED HERE WAS NEVER REPEATED DURING THE REMAINING TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF HER LIFE.]


4[THE BRACKETED COMMENTS ARE BY ELLEN WHITE.]

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Last Day Events, Ellen G. White, pp.48-49.
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Time of Sealing Soon Over


I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4.


The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure. {Mar 242.1}

I was pointed down to the time when the third angel's message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. {Mar 242.2}

They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. {Mar 242.3}

I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer's inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus . . . throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, "It is done." {Mar 242.4}

I also saw that many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully. {Mar 242.5}

I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! {Mar 242.6}

When Jesus leaves the sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living God. But those that are unjust and filthy will be unjust and filthy still; for then there will be no Priest in the sanctuary to offer their sacrifices, their confessions, and their prayers before the Father's throne. Therefore what is done to rescue souls from the coming storm of wrath must be done before Jesus leaves the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. {Mar 242.7}
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Maranatha, E. G. W., pp.242.
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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Storm Toppled Scores of Trees in Central Park

August 19, 2009, 12:14 pm — Updated: 5:05 pm -->
Storm Toppled Scores of Trees in Central Park
By Sewell Chan AND Sarah Maslin Nir


Monika Graff for The New York Times

Updated, 4:15 p.m. More than 100 trees were toppled and hundreds more were damaged in Central Park during the fierce thunderstorm that moved over New York City on Tuesday night.





It was the most severe destruction that the park’s trees had sustained in at least 30 years, according to officials at the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation and the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the park.

“Central Park has been devastated,” Adrian Benepe, the city parks commissioner, said in an interview on Wednesday morning. “It created more damage than I’ve seen in 30 years of working in the parks.”

Mr. Benepe added: “Some areas have had an almost total loss of trees. The Great Hill, the area around West 106th Street, has very large American elm trees. In that one area, several dozen trees went down.”

As work crews fanned out across the park, officials said they were still evaluating the destruction wrought by the storm, which brought wind gusts of 70 miles an hour and dumped up to three-quarters of an inch of rain over parts of the city.

“The damage was so severe and so widespread that we are simultaneously cleaning up and assessing the damage and trying to cordon off areas so that people aren’t hit by falling limbs,” Mr. Benepe said.

The storm was part of a weather system that formed over New Jersey and quickly moved eastward.

“It seems like Central Park was essentially the ground zero,” said David Wally, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office in Upton, N.Y., on Long Island. “Manhattan, the Bronx and the northern part of Queens were the primary recipients of the severe weather.”

Remarkably, despite the physical damage, including the closing of several roads that were blocked by fallen trees, there were no reports of anyone injured around the city.

At the height of the storm, shortly after 10 p.m., the city’s Office of Emergency Management reported that more than 100 trees had been felled, with the damage concentrated on the west side of the park near streets in the 90s.

The storm caused damage elsewhere in the region. Large tree limbs fell onto the Cross Island Parkway in Queens, blocking a lane of the Utopia Parkway Exit, and onto Pelham Parkway, near Co-op City in the Bronx. Penny-sized hail was reported in the East Tremont section of the Bronx and in Hoboken, N.J.

In Central Park, most of the trees fell in one direction — east — having been knocked over by winds coming from the west. The damage could be seen across a broad swath of the park.

A large London Plane tree blocked the East Drive, near 95th Street. Fallen limbs and branches forced the temporary closings of the Tennis Center, between 94th and 96th Streets on the West Drive; the North Meadow ball fields; and the Conservatory Garden, at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street.

Several other parks — Riverside Park on the Upper West Side, Thomas Jefferson Park in East Harlem and Randall’s Island among them — also experienced major tree damage.

Forestry crews from the Parks Department began doing damage assessment at 2 a.m. Wednesday. The conservancy is bringing in privately contracted crews on an emergency basis, and by Thursday, the Parks Department expects to have 10 crews from private tree companies working in Central Park.

Despite the intense damage, the storm, which lasted between about 9:55 and 10:30, was not a tornado, Mr. Wally said. The damage in Central Park, he said, was caused by strong, damaging, straight-line winds, also known as downbursts or microbursts, not the violently rotating columns of air characteristic of tornadoes.

The whipping wind and driving rain also forced the early closing, around 10 p.m. Tuesday, of the inaugural night of the seventh annual Central Park Film Festival, said Kate Sheleg, a spokeswoman of the Central Park Conservancy. Ms. Sheleg, along with more than 2,400 other people attending the film screening, beat a hasty retreat as the storm clouds opened up over them.

“When I went out last night, there was a very distinct odor of shredded fresh trees, and it’s not a good smell,” Mr. Benepe, who went out to Riverside Park after the storm, said on Wednesday. “It’s a smell of living trees that had been blown apart. To me it looked like pictures I had seen of war zones, of trees I had seen that had been hit with artillery shells. Some were split in half, halfway up their trunk, others completely uprooted. If you love trees, as we do, it’s emotionally upsetting. You have personal relationships with certain trees and now they are gone.”

Though the storm has passed, there is still a danger to park-goers from falling limbs — a problem that already caused critical injury to a man walking through the park last month.

Ms. Sheleg said that work crews were canvassing the area on Wednesday and inspecting the condition of the park’s more than 24,000 trees for loose and dangerous branches.

Neil Calvanese, vice president for operations at the Central Park Conservancy, said on Wednesday that he had been out since 5:30 a.m., surveying the damage.

Some of the trees — pin oaks, red elms, tulip trees — dated as far back as the turn of the last century.

“We had a wonderful chestnut at 100th Street and Central Park West,” Mr. Calvanese said. “That’s been devastated; that will have to come down.”

He added, “I’ve been here since 1981, and we lived through Hurricane Gloria, ice storms and noreasters.” None of those events, he said, had caused this much destruction.

“We had some magnificent beech trees in the North Meadow,” he said. “Two of them that are going to come down — a pair of lindens that are going to have to come down. I want to put a positive note on that. A park is always evolving, that’s the nature of the park. We’ll get another generation of trees ready to come on, the park does evolve.”
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Dozens of Wildfires Reported in Greece


A man is silhouetted in front of a forest fire in Grammatiko village northeast of Athens August 22, 2009. A large wildfire raged out of control on the outskirts of Athens on Saturday, burning several homes and thousands of acres of forest. [Agencies]

ATHENS: Dozens of wildfires were reported in Greece on Saturday, with the most serious one still blazing in the early afternoon northeast of the greater Athens area, between Lake Marathon and some semi-rural communities.

Fire brigade spokesman Yiannis Kalpakis said that more than 60 fires have broken out across the country in the past 24 hours.

The sudden eruption of simultaneous wildfires amid almost gale force winds in the country mobilized Greece's state apparatus, including the armed forces.

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis arrived at the fire brigade's operational headquarters early Saturday afternoon to oversee emergency fire-fighting efforts.

"Our first priority is protection of human life, as well as citizens' property," Karamanlis said in brief statements at the fire brigade command center. "What I would also like to stress is the self-sacrifice of all those battling, under extreme conditions, to extinguish the fires."

The most serious wildfire was burning in Marathon municipality, northeast of Athens, after erupting the previous evening. Swirling winds of up to 7 on the Beaufort scale on Saturday morning caused the flames to switch direction and head towards a cluster of country residences in the region.


Locals try to extinguish a forest fire in Varnava village, northeast of Athens, August 22, 2009. [Agencies]

A massive force comprised of 53 fire engines, 24 municipal water trucks, 19 fire-fighting aircraft and up to 300 fire brigade and volunteer fire-fighters were at the scene battling the blaze, in Marathon area .

Greek government declared a state emergency Saturday for the region of Attica and urged the residents to remain calm and follow the instructions from the fire brigade. Meteorologists warned that continuing winds made it likely more fires would break out over the weekend.

Greece has the most typical Mediterranean style of weather which is very dry and hot in the summer time. Bush fires occur often during this season. Big fires in August 2007 killed more than 60 people and resulted in serious environmental damages.


A fireman gestures in front of flames from a forest fire in Marathon town northeast of Athens August 22, 2009. [Agencies]

Firemen spray water at a forest fire on Dionysos mountain, north of Athens August 23, 2009. [Agencies]


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Homeless Man Catches Fire When Police Deploy Taser


Lancaster police


Lancaster police use a Taser on a man who was using inhalants, and the man catches on fire.


By Amanda Murphy

Published: August 19, 2009

LANCASTER, Ohio —Lancaster police used a Taser on a man who was using inhalants, and the man caught on fire.

NBC 4 gives you the FAST FACTS.

All of the following information came from an official release.

Lancaster officers were dispatched to the Kmart lot on Memorial Drive about 8 p.m. Monday on a report of a man huffing from an aerosol can and running into traffic.

Officers said they found a local homeless man, Daniel Wood, yelling at a crowd of about 10 people.

Wood, 31, tried to run from police.

The officers said they tried to gain control of Wood, who kicked and tried to bite the officers while attempting to continue to discharge the aerosol can into his mouth.

One of the two on-scene officers deployed a Taser.

One prong struck Wood in the arm and the other in the chest.

The officer said he saw a flame ignite.

He said he shut off the Taser and approached Wood to put out the flame. The other officer assisted.

Wood was handcuffed, and medics were requested.

Wood was arrested and taken to the jail after on-scene treatment.

He was arrested on resisting arrest and drug abuse charges.
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