A Generator

There is something nice about the low rumbling sounds of a generator.  My relationship with a generator started January 1972 when Sue and I took our two baby daughter's to the Gilbert Islands now called Kiribati.  For you that may have never heard of the islands, they are South Pacific islands located some 1,500 miles from Fiji.  The islands sit right on the equator.  Or the equator sits on top of the islands. I don't know which.

Its location gave to the Gilberts very unique days.  They were exactly 12 hours long. The sun would show up exactly at 6:00 AM and would set at 6:00 PM.  For the 365 days of the year,  it was the same everyday. The sun rode the equator.  The islanders taught us how to tell the time of day very accurately by the location of the sun.  Still today, Sue and I will often point to the sun when ask the time.

We lived on a compound.  In our little compound world we had a church and thatch huts for boarding students of a school we ran. Class rooms for the school were there.  A clinic was there for Sue to practice her nursing.  She never knew what was going to appear at her door.  There was a large clinic/hospital in the main town but the real hospital was 1,500 miles away in Fiji and we only got one plane a week from there.  You had to time serious illnesses with the arrival of the plane if you needed a hospital.

Every evening at six I would head over to my little hut that housed a very old diesel generator and start it up.  The compound would come alive as the darkness had to flee for the next three hours.  At exactly nine I would shut it down and darkness would return and the humming of the old generator would stop.  As long as it hummed we had light.

I came to like the sound.  I liked the light it brought.  Everyone did.  For 21 hours of each day we had no electricity.  But at the setting of the sun we would enjoy the humming and what it gave to us.

On one of our furloughs from there we stopped in Los Angeles and spend the night in a hotel.  Our youngest daughter Linnea ask her mom why they ran their generator all the time.  She had come from a different world.

Those days are long gone and we are in the Philippine Islands now.  But the memory of the old humming generator is still fresh.  Still today, when I hear that certain humming sound,  it is pleasant.  It remains me of the light it provided just at the hour we needed it.  That's the way Light is.  It shows up at just the right time and eases away as we become calm.  As it leaves it always leaves with the promise I will be back.  Call when you need me.  When your world becomes dark.  Just call.  I will come. 

Turning Our Weaknesses in to Power

Is this really possible?  Or is this just one of those Christian things that sounds good but doesn't work.
I'll admit there are those "Christian things" that sound good but definitely do not work.  You hear it all the time from the hyper-faith people or from the prosperity preachers.  But let me assure you from my studies of three chapters in Second Corinthians I am convinced that this is real.  Chapters 10, 11 and 12 bring out this truth.  Here is how the Apostle Paul sums up this concept, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."

How can I turn my weaknesses into a source of God's power?  Here are 10 ways.  If they are carefully understood and put them into practice,  God's power will flow through your weaknesses.  Instead of our weaknesses being a hinderance they can become the way God is able to use us more perfectly.

     1.  Develop a high level of rapport between yourself and the Holy Spirit.

     2.  Recognize and honestly accept your weaknesses.
   
     3.  Develop a disciplined life of complete obedience.

     4.  Develop a life of prayer that creates a sensitive ear to God's voice.

     5.  Stay in a responsive mode to God's guidance.

     6.  Be bold in doing what you know God is asking you to do.

     7.  Understand the concept of being a channel through whom the power of God flows.

     8.  Stay humble by running from every form of praise that belongs to God.

     9.  Let the weakness remain until its purpose has been fulfilled.

    10. Remember that God's power is not dependent on man's strengths.

So there you have it.  Follow these guidelines and your will become strong in the Lord despite your weaknesses.  

Easter or Passover?

Now that we have come through another wonderful Easter celebration I am reflecting on what I saw, heard and experienced.  It was a marvelous Holy Week.  However, I noted time after time references to the Old Testament Passover Feast.  Mixed in with the New Testament Holy Week activities were these Old Testament references that were at times very confusing.  Such statements as "Happy Passover," could be heard from time to time.  Follow by "Happy Easter," by someone else.  Let me just state now as we continue in this thought, Easter has replaced the Passover!  The Passover Feast was an Old Testament event that promised a future fulfillment.  Easter is a New Testament event that fulfilled and replaced the Passover.  Everything that happened the last week of Jesus' life fulfilled every Old Testament promise that a Messiah would come and bring us absolute freedom.  Here is the way Hebrews 10:9 quotes Jesus as saying. "Here I am, I have come to do your will." Paul  then says,  "He sets aside the first to establish the second."

The ceremonies of the Old Testament can be very intriguing.  With their pomp and circumstance.  With their rituals concerning foods and drinks.  The clothing.  The colors.  The dances.  It is all very engaging and all seems to be so very right.

Of course, it was all right in the Old Testament times.  It was all required in the Old Testament times.  And it would still be required of us today if it wasn't for Easter.  However, all the Old Testament ceremonies were intended to bring us with full understanding to the New Testament day of Easter.

When Jesus observed the last Passover Feast with His apostles before going to the cross,  He gave them a drink from the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant (New Testament) in my blood; do this in remembrance of me."  His blood would establish a new covenant and the old would be fulfilled.  The old was no longer needed.  This was to be the last Passover Feast and the First Communion service was instituted.  Our communion services have taken the place of the Passover Feast.  The Passover Feast has been fully completed and its purposes no longer exists.  Jesus is the Lamb of God that was promised by the Old Testament lambs that were slain.

The joy of Easter can be robbed of its delightfulness by mixing it with requires of an obsolete Old Testament feast. The joy of the freedom we have as a result of Easter can be taken away by those who would purpose to us that there is something necessary about the Old Testament feasts.  Don't accept it.  Don't be robbed of your joy and freedom that the cross and resurrection has given you.  It is precious.  Let us continue to rejoice in the days and weeks ahead.  John 8:36, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Kathmandu, Nepal

The sound of the name of the city is mysterious.  Most do not know where it is.  Some might like to go.  I would advise you to go.  I just returned after spending a week going about the city.  It is not my first visit.  I have been going for ten years and I keep being drawn back.

Let's be honest, it is a dirty, dry, dusty and hot city.  It is in what is called the Kathmandu Valley with mountains all around.  The city is one of those places you would like to describe as the good, the bad and the ugly.  However, you struggle to put each adventure into one of the three categories.

The good?  Some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.  The Himalayans run throughout the country.  You can trek in the wonderful and fairly easy foothills with their small villages of friendly people.  Or you may want to go high and high you can go.  Everest is there.  Just a little under 30,000 feet. Never been there.  Don't expect to go.  But it is fascinating.  More of the good?  The people!  They are mostly dark skin and smile with all of the welcome that could be in an expression in a smile.  They like to practice their English and will offer you the most wonderful cup of tea while to chat.

The bad?  I really don't like this category but there is always a little bad everywhere.  I do not think I have been to a more dirty city and I have been to hundreds over the last 40 years.  Water is a major daily shortage.  Maybe this is why everything seems dirty.  There does not seem to be an air condition car in town.  They are there, of course, but don't expect one in the dilapidated cabs.  Brownouts or blackouts as some call them are a constant daily occurrences.  Drinking water?  Be very careful.  Food?  Spicy.  If you like good hot curry it is the best.  Garlic Naan is a favorite of mine.

The ugly?  The airport is a nightmare.  When you walk out into the parking zone you will be surrounded with a mass of men pulling at your bags wanting to help you find a taxi and get you to where you want to go even if you don't want to go there.  The government is as many governments are in these countries.  They get rich and live well off of aid from other countries.  But the people see nothing of what the money may have been given for.  When will developing countries ever stop enriching corrupt political leaders?  It is as if they are all from the same place, doing the same thing and enjoying the very best of luxury.  One political leader from another country know each other.  When the rich country gives money it knows where it is going.

Will I go back?  You bet!  I love the dear friends I have made over these last 10 years.  We seem to need each other.  I always wish I had the resources to help them but I don't.  I help in ways I can.  I know very wealthy people in other parts of the world that could help but they have never been to Kahmandu and probably will not go.  I will go and enjoy a hot cup of tea and some wonderful conversation and just be thankful that I can go.  I love those dear people.

Numbers just make sense

Our world has gone over the 7 billion mark in its population bomb.  India is now challenging China for the top spot in the numbers game.  The way we traditionally and very personally identify each of those who make up the mass of people is with a name. We like our names.  We did not choose it but it is ours.

However, more and more the governments of our world want us to become numbers.  Names are to difficult to use when dealing with billions of people.  Names can be the same and are duplicated.  As time marches on and more and more people enter our world names are going to become a problem.  Numbers will be easier for the use of identifications.

Think for a moment.  How many numbers do you have connected with your name?  At birth a birth certificate number is given to you.  In the USA and other countries Social Security numbers are issued to each child born in the country.  As we move through our lives a collection of numbers increases.  Various numbers are used in the school system.  Drivers licenses, credit cards, hospital insurance cards, marriage license, passport numbers and on and on it goes.  We each have a hugh collection of numbers associated with our ID.

ID thieve has become a hugh uncontrollable crime.  People steal other people's ID numbers and are successfully stealing from them.  Banks are moving us very quickly into a numbering system.  Banks are using account numbers.  These include ATM machine numbers.  Each deposit or withdrawal has a number.

It would make sense for the governments of the world to agree to a universal numbering system that could be given to each person.  It would become the one number that the person would use for transactions.  Each person would have a number that no one else would have.  It would be your secure number.

Whether you visit your bank or a government office.  It would be the same number.  When you go to the grocery store you could paid for your food with a number.  Go to the drug store and get your medicine.  No matter what transaction would be required of you during a normal day you would have that one and only number.

It makes sense.  It would simplify things.  For the governments it would be a great problem solver.  When the planes struck the twin towards in the  USA killing thousands, the ID of these people who carried out the act was a hugh problem.  They each had several pass passports and various other kinds of ID numbers.  Who were these terrorists?  More importantly where are they today.

One number for each person.  A great ideal whose time is quickly coming.  You would just have to be careful that you did not lose your number.  If you did or if someone else got control of your number you would be in trouble.

However, the government is ahead of us and is moving in a deliberate direction that will not only bring us into this worldwide numbering system but it will become the law of the land.  Everyone must have this number in order to control the misuse or lost a controlling.

The world of science has come to the rescue.  More specifically the electronic world has come into the picture.  This world of electronics is moving faster than our small minds can keep up with.  Enter the world of computers and the fascinating microchips come into their greatest use.  A vast mysterious world that allows man through its use to number, track, control, signal, identify, and any other problems that has to do with individual IDs.

The Bible some 2,000 years ago talked about this system. Amazing!  It revealed a time would come when everyone would be required to take a number.  It would be a personalized number that would be imbedded into the skin of each person.  It would be so incredibly small that you would not be able to see it with the naked eye.  It could only be seen through an electronic reading device.

No more credit cards to worry about losing.  My ATM machine would be safe.  I could not be suspected of being a terrorist.  The banks would be happy.  Working with the governments a no money society could be created.  That would deal with the stealing of paper money.  Who could buy drugs?  If you stole a car how would you sell it?

The book of Revelation is THE book to turn to if you want to read about some of these.  It is merely introduced and is a mystery but it is there.  Predicted by the Apostle John as he wrote the book.  The number that is symbolicly used is 666.  It is said to be the number of man indicating this whole system would come from man.

Revelation 13 tells us the extend of the use of this required numbering system:

     1.  Everyone will be forced to take the number.  It will be government required.

     2.  There would be no "special" people left out.  Small and great.  Rich and poor.  Free and slave.

     3.  Those who refused will be killed.  After all they could be a terrorist.

     4.  Even the location on the body is told.  The forehead or right hand would be the place.  It would not matter which because it will not be seen.

     5.  No buying or selling could be done without the number.  The money to pay would be in the system.

     6.  It is referred to as the number of man.

     7.  Those who take the number are doomed for eternity.

Scriptures to read?  Revelation 13:16; 14:9;  15:2; 16:2; 20$

False religions will cause mass confusion in the last days

As I study various passages in scripture I am amazed at how often we are warned about religions that will so confuse people that they will not know what to believe.  Each religion claims to be the only true way.  They twist, distort and in a general way use scripture to their advantage.  In the confusion they create, people will move from one religion/church to another.  They will proclaim something they deeply believe one day and after a few days they are proclaiming another doctrine.  Some will become so confused they will simply leave the faith.  They will simply give up on truth and develop their own belief system.

In Matthew 24 Jesus was responding to questions His apostles had ask him about the end of time.  Their questions are much the same questions being ask today.  In trying to answer their questions He warned several times in this one chapter about the religious confusion that would occur in the last days.

In verses 4 & 5 He warns, "Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, claiming, "I am Christ."  In verse 10 He tells us the results of this is, "that many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other."  He continues, "Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people."  Again in verse 24 His warning continues, "For false christs and false prophets will appear and perform great  signs and miracles to deceive even the very elect - if that were possible."

I have no ideal how many religions you may be able to find in our world.  Move from country to country and you will see temples, gods, churches, religious declarations of various kinds.  They can be intriguing.  They can have a certain drawing power to them that is strange.  Watching their devotion to their gods amazes us.  How can they be wrong?

There is only one safe haven for truth in this kind of world.  It is the Bible!  The deeper you go into the Bible the more truth will be revealed to you.  The further you get away from it the more confused you will become.

The message of the Bible?  This is were many go astray.  They pull a few verses from one book of the Bible and then a few more from another book and develop their theology.  Here is a central truth concerning the Bible.  It is about One Person.  From Genesis 3:15 to the book of Revelation the red line of Jesus life can be found.  Every interpretation must be in total agreement with Jesus Christ.  A scripture concept or theology that takes us away from Christ will be false.

If you will keep your eyes on the Jesus of the Bible you will avoid false teachings.  The Jesus of the
Bible is the One born of the virgin Mary.  Born without sin.  Lived a sinless life.  Was resurrected on the their day.  He is the only One the Father accepts as our Savior.  Take away any part of this teaching and you have departed from truth.

There is no need for us to be confused.  We have the Bible in our hands.  Read it!  Meditate on it!  Memorize it!  Know its message!

A World in Trouble Means We are in the Last Days

I have been a student of last day events as they are revealed in the Bible for many, many years.  I am amazed as I see things happening today that were written about hundreds of years ago by the men and women of the Bible. In putting together in my own mind all of the things we are told will be happening in the last days I have noted some of my own insights.  These are not prophecies.  These are just obvious things occurring in our world that are moving us swiftly into what the Bible simply calls the last days.  The last day concept, of course, refers to the last days of our earth before Jesus returns to take over a world that has lost its way and is out of control.

First, we have a worldwide crisis created by the various kinds of governments.  Every form of any man made government can be found in our world today.  We have the autocratic forms which are merely dictatorships.  We oligarchic which is government by the few.  Aristocratic, government by the nobility can be found.  Imperialistic is a government by the military and then there is the democratic forms which is government by the people.  They can all be found.  However, God never intended His world to be governed by any one of these forms.  His world was to be a theocratic from of government.  The Israelites rejected this long ago and we are still rejecting it today and creating our own unworkable forms.

Second,  uncontrollable population explosion.  Masses and the power that they potentially have to create havoc in our world is beginning to be seen worldwide.  In the year of 2011 we saw throughout the Middle East what masses can do.  There are countries such as China who live in fear of the masses.  No matter how large an army a country may have they will not be able to control the masses.  The masses today are unhappy.  They are being abused, used, mistreated and enslaved by their governments.  We are going to see more of this kind of unrest in the last days.

Third, we have a worldwide economic crisis that has thrown the world into financial chaos and their seems to be no end in sight.  The economies that were strong and controlled so much of the enterprise of the world have lost their power.  The Euro is fighting for its life.  The US dollar is no longer king.  The Mark of the Beast that will come in the last days has to do with controlling the economy.  Revelation 13 tells us that no one will be able to buy or sell unless they have this mark.  This is an economy crisis being brought under control by a worldwide power which we know will be controlled by the anti-christ.

Fourth, devastating natural disasters are occurring almost daily.  We are not talking about inconvenient storms and landslides.  We are talking about island moving earthquakes killing thousands.  Tsunamis that silently sweep across the land and destroy everything and everyone.  No man made power can stop them.  We simply try to predict their coming and run from them.  But there is no place to run.  The Bible warns of an increase of these kinds of happenings in the last days.

Fifth, the emergent of false doctrines, religions, prophets and people claiming to be Christ.  When it comes to religion people can be easily blinded.  A false prophet can sound so correct.  Religions can promise so many things.  Doctrines are difficult to verify.  Our emotions take over and we embrace the most foolish of religions no matter how ridiculous the claims.  Even true Christians are often deceived and fall away from the faith.  Many end up believing nothing at all and declare there is no god.

Sixth, we live in an age of narcissistic domination.  The way we look.  The clothes we wear.  The cosmetics we use.  The plastic surgeries we endure.  The millions we spend.  We have developed into a world of people obsessed with the way we look and what we own that makes us look better.  It seems insignificant but it has become a dominating way of life.  The Bible simply refers to this as being self centered.  No one would dare admit that this is true of themselves but you only have to watch their life styles and observe what is important to them and how they spend their money.  This has become a serious misguided way of life.  There is no amount of money that we will not spend in order to make the right fashion statement.  What becomes lost in this approach to life is what is really important and how serious life is.  We easily forget tomorrow and any consequences of todays misguided value system.  We can't seem to think for ourselves.  We let the fashion world, the movie industry, the cosmetic developers form our value systems.  And to add to this tragic lost of our own value system we tend to pass it on to our children.

Seventh, there is a lack of  spiritual hunger.  The vacuum that everyman has for God is being filled with a world of entertainment being offered to us.  Never has there been so many different ways to be entertained.  The amazing world of electronics has brought to us movies that are life like.  Computers that hook us into a hugh world of music, movies and entertainment to your liking.  No one today is without some electronic device that they can have with them 24 hours a day.  People walk down the streets as if they are in a daze with ear pugs bringing into the head music of every kind.  Our children no longer want a doll or toy car.  They want a cell phone or game boy or one of the many items that Apple offers.  Satellites  fly around our world sending down to us from the heavens what ever we would like to entertain us at the moment.  Any spiritual hunger that God may be be trying to create within us is often lost in the world of confusing sounds meant to entertain us.

Where is all of this taking us?  One thing seems to be obvious we do not seem to have any control over where we are going.  We are being swept along with these forces.  I warn you my friend, you will be swept away with it all unless you bring into your life a power that is stronger than you and stronger than what you face.  God is the only source of power strong enough to help us.  On our own we will simply lose the battle and not even be aware that we are losing.  We will wake up one day and it will be too late.  God is always there and always will be.  But it is up to us to invite Him into our situation and allow Him to take charge of our confused and lost way of life.  He knocks everyday at our hearts door, but He will only knock and wait patiently hoping we will come to our senses and open the door for Him to come in.  He is waiting right now.