Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Falling on Deaf Ears?

OpinionWed, Feb. 24 2010 11:18 PM EDT

Falling on Deaf Ears?
Why So Many Churches Hear So Little of the Bible
By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.Christian Post Guest Columnist


"It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out." That stunningly clear sentence reflects one of the most amazing, tragic, and lamentable characteristics of contemporary Christianity - an impatience with the Word of God.


The sentence above comes from Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today in an essay entitled "Yawning at the Word." In just a few hundred words, he captures the tragedy of a church increasingly impatient with and resistant to the reading and preaching of the Bible. We may wince when we read him relate his recent experiences, but we also recognize the ring of truth.

Galli was told to cut down on the biblical references in his sermon. "You'll lose people," the staff member warned. In a Bible study session on creation, the teacher was requested to come back the next Sunday prepared to take questions at the expense of reading the relevant scriptural texts on the doctrine. Cutting down on the number of Bible verses "would save time and, it was strongly implied, would better hold people's interest."

As Galli reflected, "Anyone who's been in the preaching and teaching business knows these are not isolated examples but represent the larger reality."

Indeed, in many churches there is very little reading of the Bible in worship, and sermons are marked by attention to the congregation's concerns - not by an adequate attention to the biblical text. The exposition of the Bible has given way to the concerns, real or perceived, of the listeners. The authority of the Bible is swallowed up in the imposed authority of congregational concerns.

As Mark Galli notes:

It has been said to the point of boredom that we live in a narcissistic age, where we are wont to fixate on our needs, our wants, our wishes, and our hopes-at the expense of others and certainly at the expense of God. We do not like it when a teacher uses up the whole class time presenting her material, even if it is material from the Word of God. We want to be able to ask our questions about our concerns, otherwise we feel talked down to, or we feel the class is not relevant to our lives.

It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out. Don't spend a lot of time in the Bible, we tell our preachers, but be sure to get to personal illustrations, examples from daily life, and most importantly, an application that we can use.

The fixation on our own sense of need and interest looms as the most significant factor in this marginalization and silencing of the Word. Individually, each human being in the room is an amalgam of wants, needs, intuitions, interests, and distractions. Corporately, the congregation is a mass of expectations, desperate hopes, consuming fears, and impatient urges. All of this adds up, unless countered by the authentic reading and preaching of the Word of God, to a form of group therapy, entertainment, and wasted time - if not worse.

Galli has this situation clearly in his sights when he asserts that many congregations expect the preacher to start from some text in the Bible, but then quickly move on "to things that really interest us." Like . . . ourselves?

One of the earliest examples of what we would call the preaching of the Bible may well be found in Nehemiah 8:1-8:

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading with their faces to the ground. [English Standard Version]

Ezra and his companions stood on a platform before the congregation. They read the scriptural text clearly, and then explained the meaning of the Scripture to the people. The congregation received the Word humbly, while standing. The pattern is profoundly easy to understand - the Bible was read and explained and received.

As Hughes Oliphant Old comments, "This account of the reading of the Law indicates that already at the time of the writing of this text there was a considerable amount of ceremonial framing of the public reading of Scripture. This ceremonial framing is a witness to the authority of the Bible." The reading and exposition took place in a context of worship as the people listened to the Word of God. The point of the sermon was simple - "to make clear the reading of the Scriptures."

In many churches, there is almost no public reading of the Word of God. Worship is filled with music, but congregations seem disinterested in listening to the reading of the Bible. We are called to sing in worship, but the congregation cannot live only on the portions of Scripture that are woven into songs and hymns. Christians need the ministry of the Word as the Bible is read before the congregation and God's people - young and old, rich and poor, married and unmarried, sick and well - hear it together. The sermon is to consist of the exposition of the Word of God, powerfully and faithfully read, explained, and applied. It is not enough that the sermon take a biblical text as its starting point.

How can so many of today's churches demonstrate what can only be described as an impatience with the Word of God? The biblical formula is clear - the neglect of the Word can only lead to disaster, disobedience, and death. God rescues his church from error, preserves his church in truth, and propels his church in witness only by his Word - not by congregational self-study.

In the end, an impatience with the Word of God can be explained only by an impatience with God. We - both individually and congregationally - neglect God's Word to our own ruin.

As Jesus himself declared, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."


Adapted from R. Albert Mohler Jr.'s weblog at www.albertmohler.com.R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. For more articles and resources by Dr. Mohler, and for information on The Albert Mohler Program, a daily national radio program broadcast on the Salem Radio Network, go to www.albertmohler.com. For information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to www.sbts.edu. Send feedback to mail@albertmohler.com. Original Source: www.albertmohler.com.

.

Source: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100224/falling-on-deaf-ears/pageall.html
.

The Media, Extremists and Conspiracies, Part One

AIM Column By Cliff Kincaid March 1, 2010

According to Vogel, whose story is about ferreting out alleged extremists from the conservative ranks, there is a “new approach” to purging these elements…

A story by Kenneth P. Vogel in the Politico, under the headline, "Conservatives Target Their Own Fringe," insists that "the conservative establishment" is launching a purge of "extremist elements" from the conservative movement. However, these extremists are conspicuously not identified in the article as the "gay conservatives" who co-sponsored the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). These are the "anal sex practitioners," as Howard Phillips of the Conservative Caucus prefers to calls them.

This Phillips term is not intended to demean anyone; it is descriptive of what male homosexuals do. Such unnatural and extreme behavior, in addition to being dangerous, makes a mockery of the traditional moral and religious values that conservatives hold dear.

Vogel, however, claims the homosexuals were actually welcomed, by virtue of the fact that there was "jeering" of "an anti-gay activist at CPAC who condemned organizers for inviting gay Republican group GOProud to participate."

What he ignores is the evidence that the "jeering" came mostly from non-conservatives, many of them libertarians, and that the "anti-gay activist," Ryan Sorba of Young Americans for Freedom, was rebutting a pro-gay speaker, a leader of a group who told me he wasn't a conservative in the first place.

To clear things up for Kenneth Vogel and others in the media, let us make it clear that a true conservative like Howard Phillips, who has been a leader in the conservative movement for several decades, understands that conservatism means traditional moral and religious values, a strong national defense, and economic freedom. There is nothing complicated or confusing about it. The homosexual movement, founded by a member of the Communist Party by the name of Harry Hay, simply doesn't qualify for admission, no matter how many libertarians in the CPAC audience may applaud for GOProud or jeer Ryan Sorba.

In order to purge the conservative movement of its extremists, CPAC will have to remove its own organizers who let them in.

Defining the "Fringe"

The story ignores the real problem of how the "conservative establishment"-in the form of the CPAC organizers--picked actual and real extremists to co-sponsor their event. And those were the self-described "gay conservatives" who reject the social conservatism that has been an essential part of the conservative movement. The well-established and well-known Family Research Council pulled out of CPAC because CPAC organizer David Keene decided to allow GOProud, a relatively new organization that works for the election of "centrist" and liberal Republicans, into the event. But this mistake is overlooked by Vogel.

The "conservative establishment" is not defined in the Vogel article, but the "extremists" are said to be the "birther, truther or militia movements or the John Birch Society."

According to Vogel, whose story is about ferreting out alleged extremists from the conservative ranks, there is a "new approach" to purging these elements but it has "drawbacks" that were said to be on display at CPAC, such as the inclusion of John Birch Society as a co-sponsor. Vogel added, "And while conference organizers nixed a panel on Obama's citizenship, a birther contingent still made its presence felt, as did the Oath Keepers, who co-sponsored the conference."

Vogel describes the Oath Keepers as a "militia-linked group," an obvious effort to tie them to the armed citizen organizations blamed by some for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. But his evidence is a New York Times article describing Oath Keepers as "a new player in a resurgent militia movement." This article, in turn, talks about "informal ties" between the groups, whatever that means.

Of far more serious concern is close collaboration between the Oath Keepers and radio host Alex Jones, who has become a favorite of Russian television and actually went on the Russia Today network to defend the Kremlin's invasion of the independent state of Georgia. (More on this in the second part of this series).

The "birther" presence at CPAC was said to be, through the link in Vogel's story, one "Philip J. Berg, a Pennsylvania lawyer and Hillary Clinton supporter," who has demanded documentation in court of Obama's U.S. citizenship and was at CPAC. So the "birther" movement actually crosses ideological lines.

Political Conspiracies

The John Birch Society (JBS), which tends to be known for a conspiracy view of history, is said to be an organization that must be purged from the conservative movement. MSNBC-TV lesbian commentator Rachel Maddow, who would never do a story about how Communist Harry Hay founded the gay rights movement, hammered away at JBS co-sponsorship of CPAC because, she said, the JBS believes in too many conspiracies about communist plots.

To begin with, as we all know, political conspiracies do exist. That is why scandals happen. If anybody wants evidence of a political conspiracy, they should look no further than Michael Calderone's 1,500-word Politico story about how former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards concealed and lied about his adulterous affair. The major media failure to vet Edwards "is worrisome in a changed political world where politicians--be they Barack Obama or Sarah Palin--can burst upon the national stage and seemingly overnight become candidates for higher office," Calderone argues.

The difference, of course, is that Palin was savaged and scrutinized by the media while Obama was given a pass on such matters as his mentoring by Communist Party member Frank Marshall Davis and Davis's 600-page FBI file. Our media didn't and don't want to go there.

Communism was and is a conspiracy. Without commenting on every charge made by the JBS or its leaders over the years, its central claim--that U.S. leaders are working with the communists and others to lay the groundwork for world government--cannot be dismissed out of hand. Objectively speaking, one has to admit that talk of global taxes and world government is frequently in the news and cannot be said to be the fantasies of the "black helicopter" crowd. Even the Pope has stated his belief in a "World Political Authority." His own Vatican newspaper published a favorable review of Marxist theory.

At this late date, no one can seriously doubt that a "New World Order" of some kind is coming into being. The real questions are to what extent it is being deliberately designed to subvert America's standing in the world and the American way of life, and what role President Obama is playing in it.

Critics of the JBS have to concede the organization has been on the right track about an emerging world government.

On the matter of the so-called truthers and birthers, these are two entirely different issues. People at 9/11 "truth movement" gatherings are from both the right and left. They include talk show host Alex Jones, supposedly on the right, and communist Van Jones, on the left. They share a deep suspicion of government being dominated by corporations and intelligence agencies, which are supposed to be pulling the strings behind the scenes.

The 9/11 Intelligence Failure

In the case of 9/11, however, there is abundant evidence of a massive intelligence failure that led to the Muslim attacks. The real question is whether the mistakes have been corrected and whether government officials responsible for this intelligence failure have been held accountable. The answer to that is clearly no.

The 9/11 "truthers" ignore the fact that, if U.S. officials orchestrated 9/11, why couldn't these same officials have planted weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to justify the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime? That would have been relatively easy, compared to the complicated and elaborate schemes required to strike the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and then to blame the attacks on Muslims hijacking U.S. commercial aircraft.

If 9/11 had been a conspiracy by elements of the U.S. Government, why, then, didn't they pin the blame for the post 9/11 anthrax attacks on Al Qaeda as well? The FBI, however, has adamantly refused to do so, in the face of evidence actually linking members of this Muslim terrorist group to the anthrax murders. As we have argued, this demonstrates stupidity and incompetence by government officials to the point of corruption. The problem in the federal government under the Bush and Obama Administrations is the failure to understand and address the Islamic threat, not the orchestration or sponsorship of that threat.

While conservatives are being urged to purge "truthers" from their ranks, "truther" Van Jones is returning to the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress (CAP), which has supplied personnel and ideas to the Obama Administration. Indeed, Jones worked previously for CAP before he went to his White House job.

The 9/11 "inside job" claims are a diversion from the serious effort to analyze and hold accountable those in the government who failed to do their jobs of preventing the attacks on America. It is no surprise that the Al-Jazeera and Russia Today government-funded propaganda channels have been promoting the 9/11 "truth movement," knowing that it deflects attention away from the real perpetrators of these terrorist acts and inspires even more hatred of America.

The "Birthers"

The "birther" issue is quite different. In his piece, Vogel defines birthers as "conservatives who believe that Obama was not born in the United States and is, therefore, ineligible to be president." As we have seen, however, the "birther" at CPAC cited in his article is a Hillary Clinton Democrat.

This is an issue that crosses ideological lines because honest liberals recognize the simple fact that the copy of the birth certificate released by the Obama campaign is lacking in basic and essential information about who attended the birth and in what hospital it took place. One of the prominent skeptics regarding the authenticity of this document is former CIA officer Larry Johnson, a supporter of Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primaries.

Glenn Beck has said brief newspaper notices about Obama's birth add to the evidence that he was indeed born in Hawaii. But they, too, are lacking in essential information, such as the name of the hospital and attending physician.

By releasing a copy of my own birth certificate, I have tried to demonstrate what other necessary information is lacking about Obama's birth. The only way to address these questions is to identify where exactly he was born, in what hospital, and what doctor was present. All of this information should be on an original birth certificate. There is some unexplained reason why this document has not been released. That is why the "birther" issue is still legitimate and why Beck and others should not cavalierly dismiss those like Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily who are willing to keep asking the hard questions.

So-called "conservatives" in the media, such as those mentioned in the Vogel Politico story who refuse to tolerate even the asking of serious questions about Obama's background, have either been intimidated by the liberal/left or are afraid of doing the hard work required to get answers. In any case, they are not part of any "conservative establishment" and have no claim of influence over the conservative media as a whole. Indeed, they give conservative journalism a bad name.

Coming up in Part Two: Alex Jones, Russian Television, and the Oath Keepers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org
.
.
Source:
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/the-media-extremists-and-conspiracies-part-one/
.

Prepare for the events of the future




The work of the people of God is to prepare for the events of the future, which will soon come upon them with blinding force. In the world gigantic monopolies will be formed. Men will bind themselves together in unions that will wrap them in the folds of the enemy. A few men will combine to grasp all the means to be obtained in certain lines of business. Trades unions will be formed, and those who refuse to join these unions will be marked men.--Letter 26, 1903.
.
Selected Messages Book II, E. G. White, p.142
.
.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Magnitude 5.0 - REGION METROPOLITANA, CHILE


2010 March 01 21:51:02 UTC


Earthquake Details
Magnitude 5.0
Date-Time Monday, March 01, 2010 at 21:51:02 UTC
Monday, March 01, 2010 at 06:51:02 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 33.762°S, 71.201°W
Depth 48.4 km (30.1 miles)
Region REGION METROPOLITANA, CHILE
Distances 60 km (40 miles) SW of SANTIAGO, Chile
60 km (40 miles) NW of Rancagua, Chile
85 km (55 miles) SSE of Valparaiso, Chile
190 km (120 miles) NNE of Talca, Chile

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 12.7 km (7.9 miles); depth +/- 12.2 km (7.6 miles)
Parameters NST= 87, Nph= 93, Dmin=777 km, Rmss=0.95 sec, Gp=122°,
M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=6
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)


Event ID us2010thdc
.
.

Gas Soon Headed Above $3 per Gallon

Improved Economy, More Drivers Will Push Gas Above $3 per Gallon

By MATTHEW SCOTT

Posted 7:00 PM 03/01/10 Economy





Even as many Americans have been holed up at home because of recent storms, gas prices have continued to rise. Expect them to continue to go up above $3 per gallon into spring and summer, as demand increases with warming temperatures and an improving global economy.



Continue Reading




Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/improved-economy-more-drivers-will-push-gas-above-3-per-gallon/19378630/
.

Patriot Act Extended for Another Year

Democrats, Now Short of 60-Vote Senate Super Majority, Settle for Extension Without New Privacy Protections



(AP) Senate Democrats have retreated from adding new privacy protections to America's primary counterterrorism law, as Republicans refused to lend support and portrayed the majority as willing to harm terror investigations.

Lacking the necessary 60-vote super majority, Democratic leaders settled on a one-year extension of expiring surveillance and seizure provisions of the USA Patriot Act.

They tossed aside curbs - and greater scrutiny - on government authority agreed to by the Senate Judiciary Committee in October after spirited debate.

The extension passed Wednesday night by voice vote with no debate. The bill goes to the House of Representatives, but with key sections of the law ready to expire Sunday, there's little chance that changes will be made. Expiration of key anti-terrorism tools, even for a short time, would seriously hamper law enforcement.

The Democratic retreat is an important political victory for Republicans, who gained new ammunition for their election theme that they can better protect America. The outcome is a major disappointment for Democrats and their liberal allies like the American Civil Liberties Union and supporters who believe the Patriot Act fails to protect Americans' privacy and gives the government too much authority to spy on Americans and seize their property.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy noted that the bill had been approved in committee by a bipartisan majority. He said the measure "should be an example of what Democrats and Republicans can accomplish when we work together, but I understand some Republican senators objected to passing the carefully crafted national security, oversight and judicial review provisions in this legislation."

Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on Leahy's committee, set the Republican tone in December when the same provisions faced an earlier expiration date and received a short extension.

"The bill that eventually emerged from the Judiciary Committee does not meet the key test for any national security legislation: First, do no harm," Sessions said. "The bill reported by the committee would make the jobs of our national security officials more difficult."

The Obama administration supported the revisions to the law as approved by the committee.

The three sections of the Patriot act that would stay in force:

-Authorize court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones.

-Allow court-approved seizure of records and property in anti-terrorism operations.

-Permit surveillance against a so-called lone wolf, a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group.

The Judiciary Committee bill would have restricted FBI information demands known as national security letters, and made it easier to challenge gag orders imposed on Americans whose records are seized with these letters.

Library records would have received extra protections. Congress would have closely scrutinized FBI use of the Patriot Act to prevent abuses. Dissemination of surveillance results would have been restricted, and after a time, unneeded records would have been destroyed.

Republicans have been steadily pounding Democrats over the closing of the detainee prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, plus possibly holding civilian trials for detainees in the United States and for informing a Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, of his right to remain silent after 50 minutes of questioning for allegedly trying to ignite explosives on a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas.

If Democrats had allowed the Senate to have a full debate on the Judiciary Committee restrictions, they would have exposed themselves to Republican arguments that Democrats were hurting law enforcement.

With their health care overhaul bill on the ropes and joblessness still high, Democratic lawmakers need a victory.

Not surprisingly, the Democratic retreat didn't please the party's liberal allies, but they recognized the political realities.

"The American Library Association understands why the Democratic leadership has to go with a clean reauthorization but that doesn't take away the disappointment we have"' said Lynne Bradley, the group's chief lobbyist. "It is more than unfortunate that Republicans think they own the ground when it comes to surveillance and national security."

Michelle Richardson, legislative counsel for the ACLU, said, "Events of the last few months changed the tone in Washington when it comes to national security issues."

"Were it not for the Christmas Day attack, you might have seen a bill with even modest reform go through," she said, referring to the foiled attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner. "The numbers weren't there."
.
.

I will shake all nations, and the desire of (ages) all nations shall come


6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.


8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.


Haggai 2:6-8.

.

Keep the Faith Ministry - Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events


March 2, 2010
Sunnycliff, VIC, Australia

March 3, 2010
Lavington, NSW, Australia

March 4, 2010
Noorinbee, VIC, Australia

March 5, 2010
Warragul, Victoria, Australia

March 6, 2010
Box Hill, VIC, Australia

March 7, 2010
South Island, New Zealand

MORE EVENTS
.
.

Global Warming: The ‘Anthropocentric’ Crisis (Part 4)



Global Warming: The ‘Anthropocentric’ Crisis (Part 4)
Arnold Bock - February 14, 2010


The global climate warming fuss is not principally an environmental issue but, rather, it is a manufactured crisis supported by copious amounts of manipulated science, reinforced by opinion leaders and promulgated by the cheerleading of the mass media. Global warming has become the mother of all politically correct issues. www.MunKnee.com; By: Arnold Bock; Words: 1551

Various components of the warming cause, which are only tangentially related to the environment, have been outlined at some length in Part 1 (Global Warming: The Man-Made Crisis), Part 2 (U.S. and Canada Are Global Warming Scapegoats) and Part 3 (Why Should WE Make Sacrifices to Offset Global Warming?) of this series. However, it is important to comment on what has been regularly presented as scientific justification for sounding alarm bells over climate change, if for no other reason than to set the record straight.


Global Warming is Not a Proven Fact


Simply put, climate change – originally an emerging new ice age, then global warming and now climate change – is not a proven fact. To sarcastically mimic the affected gravitas of certain warming experts, we might call it an “anthropocentrically manufactured” issue. As mentioned in Part 2, in the late 1960’s the United Nations assigned Canadian Maurice Strong, a man possessed of a strong belief in the merits of global governance and the need to establish transnational governmental institutions, to head up what subsequently came to be known as the global climate change initiative.



.

Buy Partisan Legislation

America - Infested With Spiritual Bacteria!


Volume XXIX Issue III March 2010
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/


America - Infested With Spiritual Bacteria!

"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters; they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment."

Isaiah 1:4-6

"Because of the multitudes of the whoredoms of the well-favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock."

Nahum 3:4-6


"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: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

Revelation 3:17-18

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will once again use the Word of God to reveal a true and amazing condition that has engulfed our erstwhile great nation of the United States of America. I am referring to a serious and deadly systemic infection of spiritual bacteria called sin! Sin is so much like pathogenic bacteria in so many ways. Microbiologists and bacteriologists tell us that many forms of bacteria double in number every fifteen minutes at room temperature. We also know that in one milliliter of water there are over one million bacteria. The scientists have also revealed that if all bacteria lived instead of constantly dying the entire earth would be covered with the microscopic germs to a height of six feet in just one week.

The many forms of pathogenic and deadly bacteria have killed countless millions of people over the years. Multitudes more have been sickened by these microbes. We have seen how quickly diseases spread, and we can watch the speed of bacterial growth in nutrient agar in the laboratories. It is all very serious when we consider it in depth.

There is another kind of bacteria that scientists never think about. It is spiritual bacteria, and it is the most sickening and deadliest of them all. When God looks at our world, He sees a full infestation and systemic infection of sin. The people of the earth are filthy without the saving grace of God, and they are covered with abominable spiritual bacteria, which are spreading and multiplying rapidly. In fact, the verses above reveal exactly how God sees this world of sin-laden people. In the spiritual sense, He sees wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores. He also sees abominable filth under the skirts of humanity. When Almighty God looks at the professing church as in the third portion of Scripture above, He sees a church that has a high opinion of itself; and yet it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This is how Almighty God sees all of this. Sin is highly visible to Him.

When we realize in the natural sense that our hands are continually being covered with bacteria, it makes us thankful for the emulsifying action of soap and water. The oil in the soap doesn't combine with the water but produces an emulsion that carries away the germs and leaves your hands clean. Likewise, the cleansing power of the water and the blood of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, produces a spiritual emulsion that washes all of our sins away. If you are still covered with the spiritual bacteria of this world and have never repented of your sins, repent now while there is still hope and while a little time remains. The Saviour will change your life and make you clean, no matter how severe your case is. Time is short and the earth has become a critical mass of evil, but there is hope in the Lord Jesus!

The Beast of the Potomac!

Since the election of Barack Hussein Obama to the office of President of the United States, we have been watching a strange, clandestine, and grotesque power rising in Washington, D.C. It is quite obvious that something is very wrong. Because of my background in the occult before my conversion, I cannot help but to be acutely aware of occultism in our government and religions. In the world of the occult, the number thirteen is vitally important. It is the number of witches in a coven, and it indexes the number of spells cast by them. Everything is done in thirteen's. Neophyte witches are first allowed to enter the outer court of the circle at age thirteen. That number is also instrumental in the greater and lesser arcanes of the tarot cards. In fact, in the regular playing card deck, there are thirteen cards in each suit; and the joker, which is said to be Jesus, is left out, except in games of blasphemy.

Barack Obama seems to be obsessed with the number thirteen. He recently commissioned thirteen teams of census workers to travel across our country in thirteen vehicles with banners promoting the 2010 census. Thousands of census workers are being hired temporarily with their average pay being around thirteen dollars per hour. In Obama's recent State of the Union Address, the President announced that money was being allocated to build thirteen new light rail systems that will create thirteen thousand new jobs. (1) There are so many more examples of Obama's obsession with the number thirteen that I could not mention them all in this newsletter. I must mention, however, that Barack Obama broke national tradition by refusing to give his State of the Union Address on January 20th. Instead, he chose the date 1-27-2010. In occult numerology everything is broken down to single digits, and zeros mean nothing. Thus, the date 1-27-2010 totals thirteen! This is all beyond the realm of coincidence!

I also find it most interesting that when Obama gave his State of the Union Address, Hillary Clinton did not attend. She was attending a conference in London instead. (2) Here let it be noted that on one of my trips to Washington, D.C., my party was given a private tour through the Capitol by the head of the Capitol Police. It was nothing short of a miracle as we were taken to places and into rooms where only the elite officials are allowed to go. This was the hand of Almighty God. During that private tour, we were told that when the entire government gathers in one place, such as during the State of the Union Address, one cabinet member is selected to be removed to an undisclosed "safe area" in case of an attack that would disable or destroy the government. The chief of the Capitol Police went on to tell us that if such a thing happened one cabinet member would have absolute power as a dictator to run the government! There was some speculation that Hillary was this person although the protocol states the cabinet member must be somewhere in the United States. Most people do not realize how quickly we could be under a dictatorship!

There are many unanswered questions regarding Barack Obama. I have in front of me a picture of Barack and Michelle Obama, both standing at attention with their left hands over the right side of their chests as people do when they pledge allegiance to the flag or sing to the national anthem, only in reverse. Why are the Obamas doing it backwards? (3) In the occult, this is called malediction, which is a curse. We must remember that Barack Obama is not an American. His real name is Barry Soetoro, and he was born in Kenya. He holds the office of President of the United States illegally. What demons possess this man who is called "The One" that would cause him to be stuck on himself? In one speech, he referred to himself 132 times! (4) Why is this Nobel Peace Prize winner spending more money on nuclear weapons than even George Bush? (5) On January 14th, 2010, the Associated Press reported that Obama wants another 33 billion dollars for the war push. (6) Incidentally, the number thirty-three is the number most sacred to the occult lodges of Freemasonry and the Grand Orient. We must also note that the five-sided death house, known as the Pentagon, called for a new department on 1-27-2010, the very day of the inauguration. They are calling for a new "Office of Strategic Deception." (7) The primary question is: who are the ones that are to be deceived?

Without a doubt, Barack Obama has no regard for the privacy of the American people while he himself is incredibly secretive. On February 11, 2010, Obama called for the tracking of all cell phones of the American people. The Obama Administration clearly stated the following: "Americans enjoy no reasonable expectation of privacy….." (8) It is no secret that the Federal Government has become oppressive and top-heavy. Since Obama seized power, the Federal workforce has increased to 2.15 million. The Department of Homeland Security is projected to grow by 7,000 within the next year. (9) The security of our homeland is more precarious than ever before. On February 3rd, 2010, agents from Britain's M15 Intelligence Service revealed that Muslim doctors, trained at some of Britain's leading teaching hospitals, have returned to their own countries where they are now implanting high explosives in the breasts of female terrorists. The explosive being used and disguised as ordinary breast implants is pentaerythritol tetrabitrate. (10) When have there ever been times like these, and when will all hell break loose?

We are now hearing increasing threats from Iran, and indeed, the entire Middle East is a massive powder keg waiting to explode into World War III. On January 31st, 2010, Obama ordered a significant military build-up against Iran, sending warships and missiles to that region. (11) Will we soon be fighting three wars at the same time? Armageddon is a forthcoming reality!

A Demon-Possessed Economy!

On February 1st, 2010, the Associated Press reported that the national budget set up by Barack Obama contained both record spending and a record deficit. (12) Obama is planning to spend 3.8 trillion dollars that our country does not have. The ceiling on the national debt is being raised continually, and by the end of February 2010, the current debt ceiling of 14.3 trillion dollars will likely be reached. (13) This number is difficult for the human mind to comprehend, but the spending goes on at breakneck speed like a car with its accelerator stuck. A crash is inevitable under these circumstances. The average American does not understand how their economy works, and like the children of Israel, they are dancing naked around a golden calf. In the frenzy of their idolatry, there is nothing but apathy toward truth as they eat and drink and rise up to play. We do not have a literal golden calf near Wall Street, but we do have a bronze bull in New York City, the city also known as "the naked city." (14)

We have now reached another milestone of decline in our country's history. It is now mathematically impossible to pay off the U.S. National Debt! This was verified in a recent report from Reuters News Service. (15) The sad fact is that if the U.S. Government took every penny from every bank, business, and person in America, it would not be enough to pay off the national debt. This is true because of the way the system operates. The money in our U.S. economy is not put into circulation, it is borrowed into circulation. The Federal Government must borrow the money from the private entity known as the Federal Reserve. U.S. Treasury bonds are given to the Federal Reserve in exchange for the green paper, known as Federal Reserve Notes. The Federal Reserve either keeps the Treasury Bonds or sells them. Every time the Government goes to the Federal Reserve, the debt and interest become bigger! Do we really owe beyond our ability to pay?

There are several money supply indexes. One is the M0 index, which is the total of all actual cash. This amount is just over 900 billion dollars. Next is the M1 index, which includes all actual cash and everything held in checking accounts. That amount is about 1.7 trillion dollars. The next index is the M2, which includes all of the above amounts in the M0 and M1 indexes, plus all funds held in certificates of deposit, money market funds, mutual funds, and so on. This amount is about 8.5 trillion dollars. Finally, there is the M3 index, which includes everything in the M0, M1, and M2 indexes, plus large time deposits, institutional money market, mutual funds, deposits of euro dollars, and repurchase agreements. This brings the total to nearly 14 trillion dollars, although the Federal Reserve has stopped keeping track of the M3 index. There is one more thing we must understand, and I remember this from my studies of economics in technical college and subsequent research. Most of the money in the M2 and M3 indexes does not exist. This is true because of the fact that our banks operate on the principle of fractional reserve lending. This simply means that when you deposit ten dollars the bank pays you almost nothing for interest, but it is able to lend out $100.00 on that ten dollars and collect interest on the ninety dollars that doesn't truly exist. The bank is required to keep only one dollar of your ten dollar deposit in reserve, and the other nine dollars can be loaned out. When you realize that this same procedure holds true for thousands and even millions of dollars, the amounts of phantom money becomes breathtaking. Thus, most of the money in our economy isn't really there except on record without substance. Increasing the money supply is not the answer because the only way to do that is to borrow more from Benjamin Shalom Bernanke and his Federal Reserve. (15) The whole system is crooked and is designed to perpetuate heavy and impossible debt for the Federal Government and the people of the nation. Incidentally, the Federal Reserve does demand collateral for the transactions it makes with the Federal Government. The only collateral the Federal Government can give to the Federal Reserve is the taxing power it has over the people!

The Scripture warned us long ago in James 5:3-6 about the fraudulent money system of the last days. "Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you."

These certainly are times of great trouble, and much of this trouble exists because we have a government that is so incredibly out-of-touch with the people. Near the end of last year, the Associated Press reported that one of every seven homes in America struggled to put enough food on the table. Thus, forty-nine million Americans were to some degree in a state of food deprivation. (16) With that in mind, how can the Sleazer of the House, Nancy Pelosi, justify spending $101,000.00 on liquor in the past two years while flying in Air Force jets? This is an average of $1,000.00 per week. Official receipts reveal that this money was used by Pelosi and her staff while flying, and it includes the following purchases: "Maker's Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Bailey's Irish Crème, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewars scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey, and Corona beer." (17) In short, these official flights were nothing more than wild parties in an airborne saloon!

The Consequences of Witchcraft!

Very few people realize how pervasive witchcraft is in our world today. Witchcraft and the occult in their various forms have permeated governments, religions, entertainment, the military, and every other endeavor of man. Witchcraft comes in many forms, including Wicca, Old Order Celtic, Druidism, Shamanism, American Indian nature worship, Voodoo, Santeria, Freemasonry, Scottish Rite, York Rite, and so on. The occult also includes the use of talismans, sacred jewelry, ritual face make-up, ouija boards, scarabs, astrology, numerology, biorhythms, marijuana, psychedelic drugs, pornography, astral projection and soul travel, and levitation. Witchcraft and the occult are also found in the higher and secret levels of the Knights of Columbus, the animal lodges (Eagles, Elks, Moose, Lions), and others. In short, Satan has been walking to and fro in the earth, and up and down in it. There are far too many other involved organizations and enterprises to mention in this publication.

Witchcraft and the occult are not in the closet in these last days. These satanic practices are glorified in the movies and on television. The so-called "Christian" pagan holidays also keep witchcraft alive and thriving in our day. It must be remembered, however, that there is always a curse upon those who use the occult in any way, and it must be repented of and forsaken. It is no joke!

So much has been said about the nation of Haiti where the recent earthquake, which initially lasted only 35 seconds, eventually killed 230,000 people. This is a shocking and amazing tragedy, but we also know that many people were miraculously spared. The sad but true fact is that this nation was and is a hotbed of spiritual bacteria. Haiti is the voodoo capital of the world. Voodoo is a real religion, and it is a horrible religion of fear and terror. In this religion, evil spirits are commonly seen to "mount" people and drive them into frenzy. The primary god of voodoo is called Bondye, and the lesser spirits that are also worshipped are Iwa, the twin forces, and dead ancestors. There are six ritual functions of the voodoo priests and priestesses, and they are ritual healing, summoning and pacifying of spirits, initiation, telling the future and reading dreams, casting spells and creating protections, and the creating of potions for love and death spells. (18)

It is interesting to note that the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, has a significant Haitian population who adhere to the religion of voodoo. In fact, New Orleans is considered to be the sister of Haiti by many Haitians. We remember the great hurricane named Katrina (which means cleansing) that devastated New Orleans only a few years ago. It is quite obvious that Haiti and New Orleans are both strongholds of Satan. Recently, Sallie Ann Glassman, a voodoo priestess in New Orleans, said the following regarding the 5,000 Haitians that live in New Orleans: "They brought the rhythm, and soul of New Orleans. That's why New Orleans dances to a different rhythm from the rest of the country." (19)

There is great resentment and hatred for all Christians in Haiti. On February 1st, 2010, Max Beauvoir, the supreme master of voodoo in Haiti, complained about the aid and relief efforts offered by Christians. The voodoo master said, "The evangelicals are in control and they take everything for themselves. They have the advantage that they control the airport where everything is stuck. They take everything they get to their own people and that's a shame." (20) The real problem is these devil worshippers don't want their people anywhere near Christians, even though the Christians are offering the most help. Satan is very protective of his stronghold in Haiti, and the people suffer greatly for it.

There is another very amazing thing regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti. When the quake hit, it knocked out nearly all communications, and power failures shut down everything except for one radio station. That station was signal FM 90.5. As the buildings began to crumble and the earth convulsed violently, the man operating the radio station quickly ran outside. He had been playing music over the air and for some reason pushed the repeat button before leaving so the song would play over and over again. The song that was playing was "Hotel California" by the Eagles. The following quote is taken directly from a report by National Public Radio: "When the quake struck at 4:53 P.M. on January 12th, Signal FM was playing 'Hotel California.' The earth groaned and the building shuddered. But just before the DJ ran out, he had the presence of mind to hit the 'repeat' button. So for the first 30 minutes of Port-au-Prince's descent into hell, the only thing you could hear on the radio was the Eagles standard - over and over and over." (21) Every Satanist and most witches know full well that "Hotel California" is another name for the church of Satan. The song describes very clearly the captivating of the soul by Satanism. It even contains a verse describing human sacrifice, stating that the participants "stabbed him with their steely knives but could not kill the beast." It also describes the onlooker running for the door, where he was met by the "night man" who told him, "….we are programmed to receive, you can check out any time you want but you can never leave." It is quite amazing that this song so compatible with voodoo was the only thing playing as judgment was falling upon that pagan land. This is too appropriate to be coincidental.

Wherever witchcraft is practiced, there will ultimately be judgment! I was recently saddened, but not shocked, to find out that the United States Air Force has recently endorsed witchcraft by providing an outdoor pagan temple on Air Force Academy grounds at the Colorado Springs Base. It is being called the Stonehenge of the Rockies, and it consists of two large circles of stones: one circle inside the other, in true Druid pattern! (22) For years, I have watched witchcraft and occultism increasing in all branches of the military, especially among the officers. One of the largest populations of witches and occultists in the military is located at Fort Hood, Texas.

Great Travail in God's Creation!

One act of God that is truly obvious is the winter weather that has been covering our globe. This was supposed to be the year for all nations to unite against "global warming," so the Almighty has shown us repeatedly who is in charge. Blizzard after blizzard has crippled our nation and much of the world's northern hemisphere. Washington, D.C., had to completely shut down for several days as record snow buried that city of marble idols, tombs, mausoleums, and corruption. The snow was so intense that even Barack Obama called it the "snowpocalypse." (23) The West Wing of the White House was nearly buried with these snow crystals from Heaven. Over four feet of snow fell, and high winds from the northeast caused mountainous drifts that made roads and streets impassible. Even a Senate hearing on global warming and a speech by Al Gore had to be cancelled. One report also stated that when the government is shut down every Federal employee still collects full pay for not working, and that amounts to $100 million per day. (24) Whether they are working or not, I do not think we are getting our money's worth. This winter weather has been nothing short of amazing as even the Deep South has been hit severely with ice storms and blizzards. In Florida, large icicles were hanging off the citrus trees. (25)

One of the great signs of the end of this present world is the earthquakes, which are increasing in number, frequency, and intensity on average. Anything above a magnitude four is considered to be a significant quake. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, we have had 389 such quakes within the past thirty days as of February 11th, 2010. (26) This is an average of 12.9666 (or we can round it up to 13) significant quakes per day. This is about one notable quake every two hours. Something is going on, and much larger quakes are about to happen! We also know that on January 19th, 2010, the Denver Post reported that the Yellowstone Caldera and surrounding area is being shaken by swarms of earthquakes. (27) The most recent report I have seen reveals that there have been swarms of quakes in that area totaling over 2,000 and moving in an upward crescendo since January 24th, 2010. There have also been massive swarms of earthquakes near the Tanzanian border in Africa in recent days. (28) On Wednesday, February 10th, 2010, an earthquake struck near Chicago, Illinois, in the early morning. Some recording stations reported it as a 4.3 magnitude quake, and it was felt as far away as Madison, Wisconsin. (29) Eventually, our nation will crack apart and become three segments, according to geologists I have personally heard from.

Other strange things are going on as our earth reacts to the heavy problem of global sinning. The National Geographic Society recently reported that the Earth's north magnetic pole is moving east due to core flux. The pole is actually racing toward Russia at a speed of about 40 miles per year. (30) All of this activity indicates that the Earth is becoming continually more unstable.

So much of the Scripture is disregarded these days, and one verse we should be paying attention to is Revelation 6:8, which reads as follows: "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Thus, in the last days, it appears that many of the animals will move into populated areas and prey upon the horrified and faithless people. On February 9th, the New York Post reported that numerous coyotes have been sighted in Manhattan. They have been sighted in Central Park and on the campus of Columbia University. (31) In New Smyrna Beach, Florida, bobcats have been sighted in residential areas, and many people are quite alarmed about it. (32) It appears that the wild beasts of the forests are moving closer to, and even into, the cities, even the large cities.

The Scripture also warns us that there will be signs in the heavens in the last days. NASA scientists are concerned and scared regarding the solar storms they are seeing on our sun. On January 31st, 2010, the London Times reported the following: "NASA sees the possible trouble with solar sun storms is very real. Will watch them with a new satellite. This could be the event if it ever happens that would cause worldwide panic, and disrupt modern civilization. It has a history in past events. Imagine no electronic or electrical power. Food, gas, and all communications cut off. Power companies could not even call up and order new parts to fix the blow apart grid. Many micro-electronics are blown like an EMP from atomic blast. Cars may not run." (33) Reading the words of the scientists is almost like reading the book of Revelation. It is also interesting to note that recent images from the Hubble Telescope reveal a mysterious object in space that the scientists cannot explain. It is not a comet, and it is orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. The baffled scientists have no explanation of what it is, but it has the definite shape of an upside down broken cross! (34) This is very much like the "peace symbol of antichrist," also known to witches as the "crow's foot." Almighty God is showing us many signs in the heavens and on earth. In Mark 13:37, the Lord Jesus said, "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

In closing I once again thank all of you who support this end time prophetic ministry. God bless you now and in eternity is my prayer for you. Remember to send in your prayer requests, and they will be given individual attention by our teams of intercessors. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

David J. Meyer

Acknowledgements

01. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 28, 2010, by Tom Held, Milwaukee, WI.
02. Associated Press, Jan. 27, 2010, Washington, D.C.
03. Obama Photograph, Jan. 26, 2010.
04. Breitbart News Service, Jan. 26, 2010, Washington, D.C.
05. London Daily Mail, Jan. 29, 2010, by Carol Driver, London, England, U.K.
06. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 14, 2010, AP, Washington, D.C.
07. The Raw Story, Jan. 27, 2010, http://therawstory,com/.
08. CNet News, Feb. 11, 2010, by Declan McCullagh, Washington, D.C.
09. Washington Times, Feb. 2, 2010, by Stephen Dinan, Washington, D.C.
10. WorldNetDaily, Feb. 1, 2010, by Joseph Farah, http://www.wnd.com/.
11. Guardian, Jan. 31, 2010, by Chris McGreal, London, England, U.K.
12. Associated Press, Feb. 1, 2010, by Andrew Taylor, Washington, D.C.
13. AFP News Service, Feb. 4, 2010, Washington, D.C.
14. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 1, 2010, by Tim Paradis, AP, New York, NY.
15. Reuters News Service, Feb. 4, 2010, by Michael Snyder, Washington, D.C.
16. Associated Press, Nov. 16, 2009, by Henry C. Jackson, Washington, D.C.
17. WorldNetDaily, Feb. 6, 2010, by Bob Unruh, http://www.wnd.com/.
18. Introduction to Voodoo in Haiti, Jan. 28, 2010, by Bob Corbett.
19. Seattle Times, Jan. 20, 2010, by Cain Burdeau, AP, New Orleans, LA.
20. London Daily Telegraph, Feb. 1, 2010, by Nick Allen, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
21. National Public Radio, Jan. 25, 2010, by John Burnett, NPR.
22. Fox News Service, Feb. 1, 2010, Colorado Springs, CO.
23. London Daily Telegraph, Feb. 6, 2010, from Washington, D.C.
24. ABC News, Feb. 10, 2010, by Devin Dwyer, Washington, D.C.
25. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 12, 2010, by Tamara Lush, AP, Frostproof, FL.
26. U.S. Geological Survey, Feb. 11, 2010, http://www.iris.edu/seismon/.
27. Denver Post, Jan. 19, 2010, by Howard Pankratz, Denver, CO.
28. Google News, Jan. 25, 2010, http://docs.google.com/Doc?id-dg54phss_12f477gsfr.
29. NBC News, Feb. 10, 2010, by Ivanna Hampton, Chicago, IL.
30. National Geographic, Dec. 26, 2009, National Geographic Society.
31. New York Post, Feb. 9, 2010, by Andy Soltis, New York, NY.
32. WKMG Orlando, Feb. 9, 2010, Orlando, FL.
33. London Times, Jan. 31, 2010, London, England, U.K.
34. The Sun, Feb. 3, 2010, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2837262/Space-UFO-baffles-boffins.

http://lasttrumpetministries.org/
.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sen. Jay Rockefeller: "the shark that sits right below the water"...


Sound Bites
2010

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D., WV), Health care summit, 2-25-2010, Health Insurance Industry is a shark beneath the water (:11)

The health insurance industry is the shark that sits right below the water and you don’t see that shark until you feel the teeth of that shark.



P.S.

What a great analogy for the sharks that swim below the water, with the teeth, etc?

Could Jay Rockerfeller fit that same description of a prehistoric sea predator swiming in the midst of an unsuspecting public? With the rows of teeth to boot? What a way to swim?
Is someone projecting, here?

The U.S. Senate:
A millionaire's dream... Where men get paid for doing nothing, but talking.

.A millionaire's This is like a Starkist commercial!dSorry, Charlie.
.ream

About Oakwood University

Oakwood University ► About Us


Since 1896, Oakwood University has provided students the opportunity to enter its halls of learning in preparation for service to community, country, and the world. The University is regionally accredited by the Southern Accrediting Association of Colleges and Schools and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Department of Education. It offers a liberal arts curriculum in a Christ-centered atmosphere.

Mission

Oakwood University, a historically Black Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning, provides quality Christian education that emphasizes academic excellence; promotes harmonious development of mind, body, and spirit; and prepares leaders in service for God and humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePnJrKd4cWkhttp://

Strategic Goals

  • Spiritual Vitality - Promote a Christ-centered, Seventh-day Adventist worldview.
  • Educational Excellence - Demonstrate academic excellence in quality of teaching and learning.
  • Nurturing Environment - Facilitate a supportive environment that is sensitive to the needs of students and all other constituents.
  • Operational Efficiency - Ensure efficient service and resource management.
  • Resource Development - Provide sufficient financial resources to support all aspects of the institution.
  • Institutional Relations - Enhance the reputation and relationships of the institution
    Technology Leadership - Maintain a technologically progressive campus.

Core Values

Aim: Education, Excellence, Eternity

Motto: Enter to learn; depart to serve

Source: http://www.oakwood.edu/about-oakwood

.

Magnitude 8.8 Quake Strikes Chile; ADRA Responds

Saturday, February 27, 2010

For more information, contact:
John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager
301.680.6357 (office)
301.680.6370 (fax)
John.Torres@adra.org
Donate to ADRA’s Emergency Response Fund
Online: www.adra.org
Phone: 1.800.424.ADRA (2372)



(Photo Credit: REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero, courtesy http://www.alertnet.org/)


SILVER SPRING, Md. —Early Saturday, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake shook south-central Chile killing at least 120, damaging infrastructure, and triggering a tsunami. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is assessing the needs in the worst hit areas and coordinating with authorities, the agency reported.

“Our staff in Chile are already in the affected areas to see first hand the extent of the earthquake damage and identify the communities that are worst hit,” said Mario Ochoa, Executive Vice President for ADRA International. “A quake of this magnitude can have a devastating impact in a wide area.”

ADRA is currently conducting an extensive assessment in the region, including in the southern cities of Talca, Temuco and Concepción, in preparation for an initial response worth at least $105,000. Funders include ADRA International, the South American Regional office, the Adventist Church in Chile, and ADRA Canada. As part of this initial emergency response, ADRA expects to provide jerry cans, tents, mattresses, and blankets. Canada-based Global Medic, which will be in Chile within 24 hours, is partnering with ADRA to set up water purification points.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck 56 miles (90 km) northeast of the city of Concepción at a depth of 22 miles (35 km) at 3:34 am local time (1:34 am EST / 6:34 GMT) affecting seven regions in Chile, including of Valparaíso, Metropolitan, O’Higgins, Maule, Bíobío, Araucanía, and Los Ríos. The seism could be felt as far as Argentina. Since the quake, USGS has reported more than 30 aftershocks above magnitude 5.0, many happening minutes from each other. Numerous tsunami waves have been reported in the Pacific, with one reaching as high as 7.7 feet in the central Chile coastal town of Talcahuano.

The capital Santiago, located 200 miles (320 km) north of the epicenter, was hit hard, destroying infrastructure and downing power and telephone lines, media reports said. Authorities closed the city’s international airport as the quake destroyed passenger walkways and caused other damage to the terminal.

To support ADRA’s immediate response send your contribution to the Emergency Response Fund at www.adra.org, or contact ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372).

Follow ADRA on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest information as it happens.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.

For more information about ADRA, visit http://www.adra.org/.

Author: Hearly Mayr
.
.
.

Dominican Republic: Traveling Bible makes final stop in Inter-America

Inter-American Division > Communication Department
Libna Stevens
Feb 1, 2010


image by Dominican Union/IAD
The Traveling Bible reached the Dominican Republic on Jan. 12 and journeyed through the island. In this photo, church leaders hold the Bible at the Faro a Colon monument in Santo Domingo.


February 1, 2010 - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...[Silvestre Gonzalez Tabar/IAD Staff]

Seventh-day Adventist leaders and church members in the Dominican Republic welcomed the Traveling Bible with open arms and a strong commitment to continue promoting the Follow the Bible initiative launched by the world church during its first journey in 2008. The unique Bible made its way into Santo Domingo on Jan. 12 where it was escorted by national police and followed by dozens of vehicles carrying banners and decorations until reaching the eastern part of the island.

The Bible arrived in San Pedro de Macoris, where a multitude of Seventh-day Adventist leaders, students and civil and military authorities were gathered. The fire department, national police, the Red Cross and the civil defense were also in attendance. The Bible journeyed through the streets of the city, stopping in the central plaza for a special program.

The Traveling Bible also made its journey to the mayor's office in Santo Domingo, the Supreme Court of Justice, National Congress and the National Palace. More than 1,000 Bibles were distributed to government officials and workers.

The Bible then traveled to the southeastern part of the island, where the governor delivered a speech defending the truth about the Sabbath to hundreds of people there. He spoke in front of the Faro a Colon.

The traveling Bible then made its way to the northern part of the island in Santiago de los Caballeros where the reading of the Bible was promoted with Senator of Santiago Francisco Dominguez Brito and Governor Nidia Bisono de Tavarez. They both spoke on the importance of reading the Bible to students and professors in the community. The Catholic Church sent its priest Miguel Marte, who read a portion of the Traveling Bible.

The special book continued its journey to San Francisco de Macoris, Bani, and Azua where special programs were held in public plazas and the Bible was paraded through the streets. An ambulance from the Vista del Jardin Medical Center accompanied the Bible throughout its journey along with pathfinders and master guides to cities on the island.

The unique Bible made a final stop in Santo Domingo's Olympic Book (Stadium?) where a special program and baptismal ceremony took place.

In all more than 50,000 Bibles were distributed on the island during the Follow the Bible initiative which began earlier this year with Bible reading and transcribing marathons throughout every city and community on the island.

The Bible's journey into the Dominican Republic was the 116th stop around the world and the final stop on Inter-American soil.

To view photos of the Follow the Bible activities in the Dominican Republic, visit http://flickr.com/photos/interamerica



image by Dominican Union/IAD
Government officials and community leaders took part in reading portions of the unique world Traveling Bible which stopped on several main cities of the island during its five-day visit.



Source: http://www.interamerica.org/users/index.php?type=news&id=1446
.

Obama yet to kick smoking habit, should eat better



AP – President Barack Obama returns to the White House from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, …


By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer Steven R. Hurst, Associated Press Writer – Sun Feb 28, 2:51 pm ET

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama hasn't kicked the smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should eat better to lower his cholesterol, his team of doctors concluded Sunday after the 48-year-old's first medical checkup as commander in chief.

The hoops-happy chief executive, who has endured an exhausting White House run and yearlong battles with congressional Republicans, was otherwise declared in excellent health and fit for duty.

The White House physician, Navy Capt. Jeffrey Kuhlman, said Obama should stick with "smoking cessation efforts," the use of nicotine gum, and come back in August 2011 after he turns 50.

Obama cholesterol levels have crept up to borderline high and he should alter his diet accordingly, according to a report the White House released after the 90-minute examination at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. While at the facility, he visited 12 military service members receiving treatment and rehabilitation for injuries suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The president is the picture of health, eats modest portions and exercises regularly. He is an avid basketball player and golfer. The slightly elevated cholesterol levels, tendinitis in his left knee and occasional smoking were the only negatives noted.

Obama said at a June news conference that he still had an occasional cigarette. It was his first public acknowledgment that he hadn't kicked the habit. He chews nicotine gum to avoid regular smoking, and his doctor said that should continue.

Kuhlman also said the president should modify his diet to bring his LDL, or bad cholesterol, below 130. At the time of his last exam, Obama's total cholesterol was 173, while his LDL was 96 and HDL, or good cholesterol, was 68.

This time, total cholesterol was up to 209, with HDL down slightly at 62. LDL was up to 138. Borderline high cholesterol starts at 200, with LDL considered in the same category at 130.

Kuhlman said Obama last checkup was in July 2008 when he was seen by the attending physician to Congress when Obama was an Illinois senator. During the 2008 White House race, his campaign released a statement from his longtime Chicago doctor saying Obama was in excellent health when examined January 2007.

Sunday's report said Obama is 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds in shoes and exercise clothing. His pulse rate is 56, which is very good, as is his blood pressure — 105 over 62. The doctor said Obama's vision was 20/20 in both eyes for both distance and near vision.

The president was checked for and found free of colon cancer with a virtual colonoscopy, a scan that avoids the more invasive visual inspection with a camera device that is passed into the large intestine.

The tendinitis that Obama suffers in his left leg could be the result of his regular basketball playing.

Kuhlman said that there was mild popping and grinding in Obama's left knee and "some weakness" in his left hip, also possibly a result of rigorous and extended periods on the basketball court.

The doctor said Obama should:

_Have another exam for colon cancer in five years

_Continue smoking cessation efforts, a daily exercise program, a healthy diet, moderation in alcohol intake, periodic dental care, and remain up to date with recommended immunizations.

_Keep up a modified exercise regimen to strengthen his legs to ward off more difficulties with his knee.

_Modify his diet to lower his LDL cholesterol below 130.
.
.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100228/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_s_health;_ylt=AlSLIlw3bSnRhXXzG6MX_sJbbBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTM2bXVnMG1nBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMjI4L3VzX29iYW1hX3NfaGVhbHRoBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNgRwb3MDNgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA29iYW1heWV0dG9raQ--
.
With all the stats provided above; He smokes = 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds in shoes and exercise clothing; Therefore, he's fat!
.Whi

Fierce storms in Europe kill 51, mostly in France



AFP/DDP – The roof of an apartment building hangs to the side of the house after the heavy storm Xynthia passed …



By DEBORAH SEWARD, Associated Press Writer Deborah Seward, Associated Press Writer – Sun Feb 28, 2:25 pm ET

PARIS – A violent late winter storm with fierce rain and hurricane-strength winds ripped across western Europe on Sunday, battering France and four other countries, leaving at least 51 people dead.

The storm, named Xynthia, was the worst in France since 1999 when 90 people died. Prime Minister Francois Fillon held an emergency cabinet meeting and afterward called the storm a "national catastrophe."

Many of the at least 45 victims in France drowned, while others died when hit by parts of buildings or trees and branches that were ripped off by the wind. At least a dozen people were missing Sunday and 59 others were injured.

Three people died in Spain, one was killed in Germany and a child was crushed to death in Portugal. The storm also hit Belgium, with one death reported there. Although Britain was not hit, London's Thames Barrier — the capital's flood defense — was closed Sunday morning as a precaution.

Nearly 900,000 people in France were without electricity. Rivers overflowed their banks in Brittany, while high tides and enormous waves swamped Atlantic Ocean communities in the early morning hours.

Sea walls broke in the town of L'Aguillon, where the ocean waters reached the roofs of some homes. Helicopters lifted people to safety throughout the day.

A retired couple who had parked their camping car on the waterfront in the town Moutier-en-Retz died when the vehicle was swallowed by rushing waters and they could not make it to firm ground.

The threat of avalanches was high in the Pyrenees Mountains and the southern Alps due to wind and wet snow. Roofs were ripped off, chimneys collapsed and the wind shattered the windows at a brewery in eastern France.

In Paris, winds knocked over motorcycles and spewed garbage around the streets of the capital. Flights were delayed and at least 100 were canceled at the two main Paris airports. A number of trains throughout France were delayed because of flooded tracks.

Winds reached about 130 mph (200 kph) on the summits of the Pyrenees and up to nearly 100 mph (160 kph) along the Atlantic Coast. The storm hit the Vendee and Charente-Maritime regions in southwestern France hardest, flooding coastal islands and tossing boats around in ports.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux planned to visit the worst hit regions Monday. The finance minister announced an easing of taxes for those affected for 2010.

The storm was moving eastward and parts of France along the border with Germany and Belgium were on alert for heavy rain and high winds.

Officials say scores of flights and trains have been canceled or delayed in southwestern Germany. One person was killed in the Black Forest area when winds brought a tree down onto his car in the Sunday afternoon storm.

Fallen trees also closed many stretches of train tracks in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saarland.

High winds caused the cancellation of 119 flights from Frankfurt airport while scores of others were delayed or diverted.

Xynthia hit Belgium in mid-afternoon. One man was killed by a falling tree in his garden in Jodoigne, southern Belgium, broadcaster VRT reported. High winds also brought down some electricity lines, leaving many without power in the south of the country.

In Spain, the interior minister said three people were killed by hurricane-strength winds and heavy rainfall that lashed the country's northern regions over the weekend. Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said the storm had been intense in certain regions and had caused the deaths of a woman in northwestern Ourense and of two people whose car was hit by a falling tree in Arlanzon just north of Madrid.

The national weather agency had warned that a violent cyclone depression had formed over the Atlantic Ocean and was to cross areas bordering the Bay of Biscay.

Winds gusting up to 118 mph (190 kph) had blown over the Canary Islands overnight Friday causing a crane to collapse on a building, lampposts to fall onto parked cars and forcing flight cancellations.

Portugal's home affairs minister Rui Pereira said a child had been killed Saturday by a falling tree in Paredes. The 10-year-old had been playing ball near a church while waiting to go to a prayer meeting when a branch crushed him, Pereira said.

___

AP correspondents Harold Heckle in Madrid, Aoife White in Brussels, Pierre-Baptiste Vanzini in Nantes, France, and David Stringer in London contributed to this report.
.
.
.

Deceptions Through Secret Societies


Deceptions Through Secret Societies.

--The world is a theatre; the actors, its inhabitants, are preparing to act their part in the last great drama. With the great masses of mankind, there is no unity, except as men confederate to accomplish their selfish purposes. God is looking on. His purposes in regard to His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled. The world has not been given into the hands of men, though God is permitting the elements of confusion and disorder to bear sway for a season. A power from beneath is working to bring about the last great scenes in the drama,--Satan coming as Christ, and working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are binding themselves together in secret societies. Those who are yielding to the passion for confederation are working out the plans of the enemy. The cause will be followed by the effect.

Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. -- Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 27-28. (1904)
.
.

Lasting Legacy Women's Retreat

2010 Georgia-Cumberland Conference Women’s Ministry
Celebrating 20 Years!
March 26-28 ~ Cohutta Springs

.
Lasting
Legacy
Psalms 145:4
.
Lasting Legacy
WOMEN’S RETREAT—March 26-28
Guest speaker:

Hyveth Williams
After spending 20 years as a senior pastor, including 13 years at the Campus Hill Church in Loma Linda, Calif., Williams is transitioning from the pulpit to the podium.
Her faculty appointment as professor of Christian ministry at the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary began in January 2010.
Williams is a minister first and foremost, but humbly brings a wealth of experience as an educator, author and public speaker.

.

Celebrating 20 Years


Southern Union Women’s Ministries Director, will be the Master of Ceremonies as we celebrate 20 years in Ministry.
.

Saturday Night Entertainment


http://www.gccsda.com/_static_content/Womens_Ministries/2010_Spring_Womens_Retreat.pdf