The Prophet’s Cosmic View
November 19, 2008
Bryan Purtle wrote an excellent article on the Prophet’s Cosmic view. We desperately need this kind of understanding so that we might have a more complete picture of the prophet and what God desires. Take a few minutes and read it. It’s worth the time to let God speak to your heart on a issue that is vital in our day and time. We desperately need to recover and demonstrate this reality.
http://pilgrimagetozion.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/the-prophets-cosmic-view/
Powerful Message from Abortion Survivor
November 12, 2008
This is an excellent message from the mildly handicapped abortion survivor Gianna Jessen. It is one of the most striking presentations against abortion that you will ever hear. That being said, there are other elements here to consider. In this address she is speaking at Queen’s Hall, Parliment House in Victoria, Australia. In other words, this is not a church it is a public forum. No doubt many in the audience are hostile to her views. Her topic was abortion and she spoke the day before a debate on decriminalizing abortion in the province. However, beyond her impassioned plea for abortion, she demonstrates something that really moves my heart. Though abortion is her topic, she utilizes the opportunity to make confrontational statements that engage the conscience with regard to the issue of Christ and human morality. Without using these specific words, she calls them to the fact that their very humanity demands Christian morality.
In an age where, sadly, the church is losing young people at a rate that will threaten its very survival without some sort of awakening, she is a powerful example of how a young person can use their testimony and their gift to confront men with the gospel. As I mentioned, the setting is not a church and she’s not a preacher, but I dare say she exposes the heart more in these 15 minutes than most preachers in America do in their 45 minutes on Sunday. Though my words are awkward in this post, I hope you can see what I’m driving at. My heart burns for a generation that will present an authentic witness to the earth of Jesus. They will be preachers that confront men and drive the wedge of Christianity right into their consciences with no regard for the superficial civility of society that embraces barbarisms such as abortion. As you watch this brief message, please cry out with me that God would give us 10,000 Giannas who do not just address abortion, but serve as prophets to men’s souls and are not ashamed of the issue of Jesus, the most divisive issue in history.
Part 1
Part 2
Economic Crash Course
November 4, 2008
No doubt the economy is one of the biggest topics around right now. That being said, what is startling is how little the average American really knows about our economic system and how it really works. This was startlingly obvious recently when the bailout bills were being debated. The reality is that if the average citizen really understood what the nation was facing, they would be terrified. That terror would in turn lead them to alter their lifestyle and this lifestyle subsequently would even further negatively affect the system due to its inherent flaws. That leaves us with a system that is fatally flawed being run by power brokers who have a massive investment is maintaining the status quo for as long as possible. Tragically, this is terribly irresponsible. We are like those on the Titanic that are swaying to the music on the deck rather than saving those in the icy waters on the hope that we will be dead and gone before the ship sinks and forces us into the cold, icy waters. I believe our current refusal to deal with these issues is criminal with regard to what we are going to be leaving our children. Sadly, politicians and power brokers do not communicate the reality of things because they know they cannot get elected on that platform, and apparently no one has the leadership and character to stand up to the nation and tell us that we need to make some hard decisions and make some sacrifices or risk a certain catastrophe.
If nothing else, the year 2008 has shown the cracks in our economic foundations. Sure, many will tell us that it is patched, but it like applying a patch to the Titanic. We are still steadily taking on a lot of water. Do not believe that this is limited to Wall Street either because Wall Street and Main Street have become inseparably joined. If we are going to be leaders, as believers and as citizens we must educate ourselves about the risks our economy faces and the immense challenges that are coming. We must do this to prepare ourselves and our families. We must be wise and prepared for the days ahead. We do not prepare out of fear, but out of sobriety that we might be prepared when the financial system that has been built by the ingenuity and greed of man begins to collapse. How tragic it will be if believers are swallowed in the collapse rather than being lighthouses that can rescue their neighbors and demonstrate a life established on eternal realities!
With this in mind, I want to offer an excellent tool to educate yourself. Chris Martenson has put together a free video class that explains both how our economic system works and the challenges it faces in the years ahead. He is not alarmist, nor is it full of propaganda. He remains serious and let upbeat and stays very factual. He uses easy to understand language so that you can clearly understand what is going on. In fact, if you and your children understand his material, you will know more about economics than the vast amount of Americans and you will be well prepared for the days to come. His class is also broken up into short topics and videos (3-20 minutes in length) to make it easy to view a little each day and still grasp the material. For the sake of yourself and your family, please view this material and pass it along to other believers that we might be prepared for the days to come.
Here’s the link to his presentation:
http://www.chrismartenson.com/crash-course/chapter-1-three-beliefs