Category: Resource Notes

            Next week, on June 28, we remember two anniversary dates which are linked together in a cycle of bloodshed and unforgiveness.

            On July 28, 1914, 102 years ago, a young Serbian terrorist assassinated the Archduke and Crown Prince of the great Austro-Hungarian Empire. The act led Austria-Hungary to revenge itself by declaring  war on Serbia. The Russians entered the blood feud to protect their fellow Slavs, the Serbians. The Germans came to the support of Austria-Hungary, France and England came to the aid of Russia, and Europe erupted into the massive slaughter we now call World War I. All because of a cycle of unforgivness.

            Five years and millions of deaths later, the war was officially brought to a close on June 28, 1919 in the Treaty of Versailles. Once again, unforgivness carried the day as the victorious Allies imposed draconian conditions on the defeated Germans. The resulting hardship and resentment created an opportunity for Adolph Hitler and his Nazi party to drive Europe into a second horrendous conflict which became the Second World War. Then, for another 50 years, the Russians extracted their revenge by turning the Eastern European nations into subservient police states. The First World War, called the “War to end all wars,” ended with the peace treaty of Versailles, which a critic called “The peace to end all peace.”

            It was up to the Americans to break the cycle of unforgiveness. With the Marshall Plan in Europe and a humane occupation of Japan, the Americans turned their German and Japanese enemies into friends. America has also forgiven its cold war enemies in China, Vietnam, Russia, and Eastern Europe, leading the World into a time of prosperity and relative peace, and making way for the unprecedented worldwide Christian revival.

            The American ability to forgive goes back to our history as a Christian nation. The Lord commands us to forgive our enemies, and the experience after the Second World War showed how the Biblical command to love our enemies produces Godly fruit of peace and revival. Forgiveness is perhaps the most powerful spiritual weapon to change the atmosphere and bring God’s answers into a situation.

            There will always be those who are driven to attack others, and we thank God for those who protect us (See our 5/25/2016 Blog “Honoring Our Defenders”). But we must also know that time is no true peace without forgiveness.

            Let us pray that we will remember that we are called to bless and not curse, and that we can use the spiritual weapon of forgiveness to end destructive cycles of unforgiveness.

            Next Tuesday the Summer begins on June 21, the Summer Solstice.

            Astronomically, the Summer Solstice is the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky over the northern hemisphere. It is also the longest day of the year. The opposite solstice, the Winter Solstice, is the day when the sun is lowest in the heavens and the night is longest. The other seasonal markers, the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, occur when the sun is at mid point and day and night are of equal length.

            These important calendar dates are also important in God’s religious calendar. The first three Hebrew feasts, pointing to Christ’s death and resurrection, occur near the Spring Equinox, while the last three feats, picturing the second coming of Christ, occur near the Fall Equinox. The Spring and Winter are associated with the appearance of Christ in Hosea 6:3, and the story of Christ’s advent begins with the conception of John the Baptist which is believed to have occurred near the Winter Solstice in 7 BC. Summer is associated with the second coming of Christ, as we are told that the Summer is near when the fig tree (Israel) comes to life. (Matt 24:32)

            These important spiritual times have also been hijacked by the followers of the religion of the False Messiah, the Pagans. The Winter Solstice came to symbolize the birth of the False Messiah, and structures like New Grange in Ireland are aligned with the sun on the Winter Solstice. Pagans celebrated the Spring Equinox as the beginning of the year, as in God’s calendar, and celebrated the harvest at the Fall Equinox. The Summer Solstice, when the sun is highest, marked the power of their Pagan False Messiahs, and temples like Stonehenge were aligned with the sun on the Summer Solstice.

            In modern times, the believers in the Godhood religion (i.e. we are all Gods) have latched onto the Pagan calendar in an attempt to get in touch with the spirits behind Paganism. They have also tried to revitalize the ancient Pagan sites with their New Age religion. They can be seen at Stonehenge, New Grange, Chitzen Itza, Angkor Wat, Chaco Canyon, and other sites trying to bring back the demon spirits. And, of course, the High Holy Day for many is the Summer Solstice.

            As Christians, we need to pray for those poor New Age souls who are falling into demonic bondage. We also need to remember that dates like the Summer Solstice were created by God for his glory, and we can celebrate them as Christians.

            Yes, the Summer is near, and we should be telling folks the real meaning: the return of Christ is near.

            This week on May 14 the Nation of Israel will celebrate its 68^th year as an independent nation.

            The rebirth of Israel after almost two thousand years stands as an amazing fulfillment of Bible prophecy.  Numerous scriptures refer to an end time role for the Nation of Israel. Even the date of Israel’s formation can be calculated from the scripture in Revelation 11: 1,2 which speaks of a “42 month”, or 1260 year, “Age of the Gentiles” to be measured from the time the Temple Mount was lost to unbelievers. From the time the Dome of the Rock was constructed on the Temple Mount, 687, until 1947, the year the U.N. voted to establish Israel, exactly 1260 years had passed.

            The survival of Israel against overwhelming forces is one of the greatest modern miracles of God. Israel has fought wars in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973, and has emerged victorious every time. She has fought many smaller engagements and has endured sustained terrorist activities. The Hand of God has been evident, as described by The Prophet Zechariah, who speaks of Jerusalem as an “Immovable Rock” and a “Cup that sends the surrounding peoples reeling” (Zechariah 12:2,3).

            Yet today Israel is still surrounded by its enemies. Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Al Queda and Iran are sworn to Israel’s destruction. As of now Israel’s enemies are fighting among themselves, but the Islamists are still pushing for an end to their peace with Israel. For those who subscribe to a historical interpretation of Revelation, the situation is described in Rev 9:1-11, the fifth trumpet, as a 150 year war with the Arabs (See our special report “The Times We Live In”). We can expect not peace, but another 82 years of warfare in the Middle East.

            The end will come after Israel is defeated by the Antichrist (Zechariah 14:2 and Rev 11:7). But Jerusalem will rebel against the Antichrist and he will gather the nations to fight at Armageddon (Megiddo, in Israel) (Rev 16:16). Then, when all seems lost, Christ will return to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4 and Acts 1:11, 12) and destroy His enemies (Zechariah 14:3 and Revelation 19:19-21). Only then will peace come to the Middle East and the world (Zechariah 14:9 and Revelation 20:1-6).

            Nevertheless, we must continue to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. When they have peace so will we.

                This year Pentecost Sunday, the time when we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, comes on May 15. However, throughout the history of the Church there has always been a period of prayer in preparation for Pentecost.

                Jesus told the believers to return to Jerusalem to be baptized with the Holy Spirit when He ascended to Heaven after appearing to them for 40 days. About 120 believers prayed for nine days in the Upper Room, and on the tenth day, the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on them. That day 3000 members were added to their number, and the Church was born.

                Toward the end of the ninetieth century Christians began to seek God for a new Pentecost to regain the passion and power of the early Church. On May 4, 1897, Pope Leo XIII declared that the Catholic Church would spend nine days in prayer prior to Pentecost every year, seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Unity in Christianity. This nine day period, known as a Novena, begins on May 6 this year.

The initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit fell on Protestants soon afterward, but in 1967 the Pope’s desired outpouring fell on the Catholic Church, bringing the Charismatic revival. This 1967 revival was accompanied by signs in the Heavens, a series of Lunar Eclipses on the Hebrew Feast Days Passover and Tabernacles in1967 and 1968 known as a Blood Moon Tetrads (See our Blog 9/23/15 “Blood Moon Revival”).

The latest Blood Moon Tetrad, in 2014-2015, was also the sign of a revival. We believe that this revival of the 2014-15 Blood Moons will be based on Christian unity in Christ (See our Blog of 3/30/16 “Blood Moon Revival Gains Momentum”).

                Let us then join with the Catholic Church to pray for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the nine days prior to Pentecost, May 6-14. Pray for the visible unity of the Church, which will let the world know that God sent Christ, as Christ prayed in John 17.

                This year, let us pray in preparation for a historic new Pentecost.       

            This week, on May 1, we mark a pagan holiday which has been celebrated from the most ancient of times until the present.

            The European Druids celebrated May 1 as “Beltane”, a holiday named after their god “Bel” and the word for fire, “Tane.” On Beltane all fires were extinguished except for the sacred fires of the Druids, which were then used to start new fires. The ritual actually traces back to Babylon, as does the name of the pagan god “Bel.”

            Another ritual of Beltane was celebrated by gathering around the “May Pole.” The pole actually represented the Cosmic Axis, or North Pole, and this type of celebration has been found as far away as the North American Indians. The pole is also a Phallic symbol, similar to the Egyptian obelisk, echoing the pagan claim that their god is the “Seed of Woman” (See Gen 3:15), a title which belongs only to Jesus Christ.

            Another feature of the May 1 celebration is its position 52 days, or one seventh of a year, from the Summer Solstice, an important pagan worship date and the focal point of the ancient Stonehenge monument. The day 52 days after the Summer Solstice, August 15, is also a Druid holiday known as Lughnasa. Interestingly, these dates are also celebrated by the Mayans, and form the structure of their 260 day, or five sevenths of a year, calendar. The Egyptians also built a 52 day period into the Great Pyramid, although their periods are tied to the Winter, not summer, Solstice.

            These amazing connections between Babylon, Egypt, the Druids, and the American Indians are merely one of many examples worldwide of common cultural practices. For those who understand that the Bible presents an accurate history of humanity, it is a simple matter to trace those beliefs back to the time when all humanity was gathered into one place: Babylon. It was the event we call the Tower of Babel, actually a civil war, which scattered the people and their practices across the earth. And it was God who sent Jesus to save humanity from the false religion born in Babylon.

            Next week we can celebrate a Christian May Day where we recognize the goodness and mercy of God as He has poured out his grace on our societies. The National Day of Prayer, May 5, gives us the opportunity to thank God for His mercies and humble ourselves to pray for our nation.

            The lesson of May Day is the provable reality of God’s word. Let us learn our lesson and pray that our nation will not go the way of the Babylonians, Egyptians, Druids, and Mayans who turned away from God on May Day.        

This week, on April 22, we recognize “Earth Day”. You will hear a lot of talk about climate change and how its horrible consequences must be avoided at all costs. Here are some things you won’t hear:

1.       The Earth was warmer by about 1.5*F 1,000 years ago, a time known as the Medieval Warm Period. Instead of causing damage, the Medieval Warm Period brought about a flowering of European culture. The population boomed and people led more prosperous and better likes, just live in the current warm period.

2.       Despite the warnings about increased deaths from Global Warming alarmists, in the U.S. 16 people die from cold for every 1 who dies from heat.     

3.       The only source of warming for the Earth is the sun. Variations in energy output from the sun are strongly linked to temperature changes on the Earth over the past several thousand years.

4.       The Sun’s energy output is tied to the number of sun spots, which are darker areas on the sun’s surface caused by intense magnetic activity. Sun spots occur in 11 year cycles with climate warming during the maxima and cooling during the minima. Sunspot numbers also vary over longer periods, creating centuries of warming and cooling.

5.       Since 1700, there have been eight periods of extreme sunspot activity, with over 150 sunspots per year. Seven of these eight occurred in the last 50 years of the 20^th century when global temperatures had their greatest recent increase.

6.       There has been a period of slight global cooling since 2000 which corresponds to a decrease in sun spot activity.

7.       There are no practical means to lower global temperatures, even though global warming alarmists would drive up the cost of energy and impoverish billions in a futile effort to control the climate.

Surely God is bemused by our proud and foolish efforts. To those who would impoverish a whole world He would say like He did to Job “Who is this that darkness my counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) or “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?” (Job 38:34). Let us pray that God will protect us from the arrogant schemes of the climate extremists and the crony capitalists and politicians who profit from the fear they promote.

Let us change the atmosphere this “Earth Day” by humbly acknowledging that God controls our weather and praying for God’s wisdom to steward the Earth He has given us.

And let us offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the bounty of the Earth and God’s climate control that makes it possible.            

                A lot of attention has been focused on St Francis of Assisi after Cardinal  Bergoglio took the name of Francis upon his election as Pope. As well we should, because St Francis taught his followers to share the Gospel more by what they do than what they say.

                But this week, on April 8, we mark the life of another Francis who, it is believed, is also a role model for the new Pope. On that date in 1541 Francis Xavier began his extraordinary missionary journey to the East. Over the next ten years he traveled through 50 kingdoms and baptized over 1,000,000 people. He founded churches from India to Japan, earning the title “Apostle to the Indies.”

                Francis Xavier lived in an age of upheaval, when Europeans had begun challenging the Pagan kingdoms of the East for commerce and, later, military supremacy.  The European traders were interested in gold, not God, but they undermined the power of the Pagan Kings and the Pagan Gods they claimed to represent. The traders also curtailed the power of the Islamic merchants and stopped the Islamic expansion into the Far East. As a result, societies which had been closed to Christianity became more open, and Christian missionaries were able to present the Gospel. For Francis Xavier, a million baptisms followed.

                These European powers eventually spread their empires throughout the world, replacing pagan kingdoms in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. While these nations were seldom, if ever, interested in spreading Christianity, many missionaries followed in the footsteps of Francis Xavier and brought Christianity to the colonized peoples. Today there are thriving Christian communities in the Americas, Africa, and Asia because of these missionary efforts.

                Also, today, we find that it is Europe which has abandoned  its Christian roots and fallen into darkness. So it seems somehow to be fitting that the new Pope taking the name Francis would come from a place which was Christianized by missionaries like Francis Xavier, and would now return to Europe to preach a new evangelism to the lost Europeans.

                We pray for Pope Francis, a man of the Spirit and a uniter Christians, that he will help lead the whole Church to challenge the European societies and open them to the Gospel like the Europeans did to the Pagan world 500 years ago. We pray also for the unity of the Church and a spiritual awakening of the Church to enable it to be faithful in our generation as Francis Xavier was in his.