Writing, Reading, and Rave Reviews

September 30th, 2009
        Thank you very much for visiting this site. With the fantastic response from readers of my book, Unlocking God’s Secrets, I have decided to pause from writing new blog articles long enough to research and write a sequel to it. As you can imagine, that may take a few months to finish.
        In the meantime, if you haven’t already, I encourage you to read the unique articles that can be found to the left at the Archives section of this site. I truly believe you will find these articles to be unusual, informative, and inspirational. You might want to start at the very beginning with the first February post, The Martinique Shadow, and visit the site daily until you have caught up to that last Article, Visits From Jesus. Much of what we explored in those 67 articles can not be found elsewhere.
        If you have not yet read the book, Unlocking God’s Secrets, may I also encourage you to consider ordering a new, updated version. You can do so by clicking on the “Purchase” button to the left. A 10% discount can be used through October 31st just by typing in the special code 8TWQMX23 on the “Shopping Cart” page and then clicking the “Apply Discount” button.
        If you would like to learn more about what is in the book, please click on the “Website Home” button to the left. Not only will you find all sorts of information about this fascinating book, but you can also listen to a radio interview with me discussing interesting facets of it. Additionally, below are just a few of the many hundreds of the extraordinary comments that readers have been kind enough to send me in e-mails and letters:
 
        This is the most well researched and written books I have ever read.  Jim E.
        Truthfully, I was blown away with the detail, the wit, the easiness of reading your book.  It is definitely what I call a “twicer,” has to be read more than once… so much to grasp.  Randy T.
        The book will be close to my heart for the rest of my life. It changed my life. Tom M.
        The kind of book I enjoy really digging into, gleaning nuggets of wisdom from. I’m particularly intrigued by the Three Hundred Thirty Two Prophecies.  Zig Z.
        I am in awe. I am humbled. I am speechless. Tondra B.
        I ordered several to send to friends.  AnnMarie L.
        There is so much research, etc. I can’t find the words to express myself. I am going to order more copies. All I can say is WOW. I am truly amazed.   Eleonor B.
        I really enjoyed the book… Could not put it down… I plan to buy
several and give to family and friends as well as my church.  Pat F.
        I think it is a “WOW” and a tremendous learning tool.  Charlie C.
        This I know was truly inspired by our Lord, and I can’t imagine all of the time that went in all of the research of it. Corky G.
        This book is truly amazing! I have a friend that I grew up with that is in prison now that I’m going to send a copy of this book to. This guy is waaay out there. He even has a tatoo that says “who is God to judge me?” This book will be a mighty tool for us on the front lines.  John W.
        I plan on ordering 25 copies on Monday and give them out to friends and pastors.   Allie M.
        Your book is wonderful.  Melodye D.
        I am giving this book to my son and praying that the Holy Spirit will use it in his life as He did in mine.   Gloria C.
        Awesome, Bob!!!!!!  Jay D.
        It is a wonderful Book!  Ed C.
        I love your book. It flows so nice it is hard to put down.  Kathy V.
        Your book is awesome – and I certainly believe that the Holy Spirit dictated that to you. There are really no words to describe the way the book affected me. Sandra J.
        Rarely has a book been brought to my attention more than yours. The last book this heavily recommended was The Shack.  Jason W.
        Your references to historic alliances elsewhere in the world and here in the United States have made me much more attentive. Perhaps it is the best time in history to be hyper-focused on God’s prophecy and how it can help us,  Ben O.
        Thank you for providing me with a book to answer many of my questions regarding the Word of God.  Fannie E.
        I can hardly put it down. It is incredible!!!!!!  Wanda J.
        THANK YOU for your obedience in writing the book Unlocking God’s Secrets.  I have been able to do little else other than read this book since I bought it. My life with my Lord has been forever changed.  My walk is permanently marked.  I am stirred in a way that only the Holy Spirit can stir in my spirit.  I see my purpose so clearly now and hope to be used to lead others to this truth.  Thank you so very much!!  I am ready for your next book!!!   Sharron M.
        Thank you for you efforts and your faithfulness. Reading the Bible without studying it is difficult, at least for me.  Your book has given me the desire to further study the Word.  I now look at it as total truth with purpose in each word.  I have already purchased 10 more copies for two of my employees and some of my friends. So for this Thanksgiving, I thank God for you.  Tony C.
        I have read UNLOCKING GOD’S SECRETS from front to back and will read it again and again and utilize it for study and confirmation.  I wish I could describe in words how important it has been for me. I treasure this book.  Chuck H.
        I loved your book. Thank you for all of your research, study, and time. It is an amazing book. My eyes have been opened so much. Gerri Ann M. 
        I am almost finished with the book and want everyone I know to have a chance to read it. You really have made a difference in my life.  Shirley H.
        I was in tears last night Bob when I read about the twelve tribes of Israel and the cross formation they made. What a God we have the privilege of serving. Thanks so much for the labor of love you’ve poured into this book. Thanks for letting the Lord use you so mightily.  Peter K.
        I’m really enjoying the content and wanted you to know that your message is true and fascinating. Thank you for your efforts and your message is very timely in our world today. Joyce R.
        I don’t know which of my neighbors has it now but the cover is getting pretty tattered and worn from handing it around.  Jim L. 
        You did a fantastic job on your research. Did you have a team of researchers, or did you do most of it by yourself?  Ann K.  (Now, that one was funny. Bob)
        Thank you for the incredible time it must have taken you to put this book together.  Jan H.
        I feel it’s very important that every believer read this important work. Pete K.
        Wish I had time never to lay it down!!  Jean H.
        “Unlocking Gods Secrets” Wow, you certainly unlocked something in me. I am not much of a reader. I don’t think I have ever read a whole book in my life, but I read yours cover to cover in 2 days. All the prophecies were great but the part that really touched me was chapter 27, where you talked about the “engagement period” with Jesus.   Jay P.
        The book is fascinating! I would recommend it to all. A great gift. I’ll be giving several this year, appropriately wrapped in a shower towel!   Jamie
        I want to thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart for your book. Bob, your book has taught me more than all the preachers and teachers I have ever studied with.  Ray T.
        I am enjoying your book and it is driving a deeper study for me.  Paul D.
        Your book is awesome!  My friend, Betty, just called me 15 minutes ago!!! WOW is she on fire! She just finished the book, ran out and got 3 more copies, (that is all she could find). I also got my Jewish friend hooked on it last weekend!  He sat here and read about half of it!  Joanne
        Your book has made a great impression on my fiance’s daughter. And this is really something special.   Mac
        I love your book and have been sharing it with others.  I would like to purchase 6 to send to friends.  Dale C. 
        I am making a list of my friends and family to have this book for Christmas gifts from my family.  Becky S. 
        I can’t imagine the amount of time you must have spent in research and study. It is a book that will bless readers for years to come.  Vaona H.
        I loved it. I was just amazed. Your book was very easy to read and the information astounding.  Debby C.
        The best book I have ever read. Wow!!!   Betty C.
        One of the greatest books that I have ever read. I couldn’t put it down. I am telling everybody about this book. It is really a “Wow” book. I am giving them for Christmas presents.  Lynda J.
       

Visits From Jesus

September 15th, 2009
        Something is happening in the world right now that is so phenomenal it is dumfounding that the media is not all over the story. Could it be that the “Prince of the air” is the prince of the “airwaves?” But that is another story. The one we need to pay attention to today can best be described by quoting verbatim what an extremely influential Saudi Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Al Qaraani, stated in a live interview on Aljazeera television. Al Qaraani lamented, “In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity.”
        Think about what this Islamic leader said. This in itself is unprecedented. These Muslim converts are not like Joe American teenager who walks down an aisle at a church in Boise, Idaho, and then goes home to proud parents, grandparents, and Aunt Sue. Not at all. These Muslims convert with the full knowledge that they will be ostracized from their families and friends, persecuted, thrown in jail, possibly tortured, maybe even to death. Conversions from Islam to Christianity in decades past have been almost nonexistent because of these real life fears. Something huge has happened.
        Part of it could be attributed to satellite TV, international radio evangelism, the disgust by moderate Muslims of extremist violence, or just the disenchantment caused by broken promises of  Islamic government leaders. The big story is that these things, though, are not the main thing that drives the converts. The gigantic story that should be shouted from the rooftops is that these converts are having actual visits from Jesus Himself in the form of dreams and visions. These are not isolated cases. These are occurring and being documented by the thousands. And of the converts who have not had these awesome personal encounters with Christ, many are being converted by those who have.
        As reported in Joel Rosenberg’s wonderful new nonfiction book, Inside the Revolution, “An Iranian pastor I knew met a twenty-two year old Iranian Shia woman who had become a Christian after seeing a vision of Jesus Christ. She just showed up in his church one day hungry to study the Bible for herself. The more she studied God’s word, the more deeply she loved Jesus. Soon she discovered that God had given her the spiritual gift of evangelism. … Today she leads an average of fifteen people to Christ every day - that’s right, fifteen a day. She told my pastor friend that Iranian Muslims are so desperate for the gospel that typically it takes about five minutes to share the story of her conversion and how God has changed her life before the listener is ready to also receive Christ. ‘Difficult’ conversations, she says, with several questions or concerns, take fifteen to twenty minutes.”
        Some of these real encounters with Jesus result in instructions to hear the good news from someone else. Rosenberg tells of one such case, “One Iranian Muslim woman had a dream in which God told her, ‘Whatever the two women you are going to meet with tomorrow tell you, listen to them.’ Startled, she went through the next day curious who she would meet. … At one point two Iranian Christians came up to her and explained the message of salvation to her. She obeyed the Lord’s direction from the dream, listened carefully, and then bowed her head and prayed to receive Christ as her Savior.”
        Another elderly Iranian woman was watching the Jesus film in Farsi on satellite TV. When she got to the end of it, she was in tears. The narrator of the film recited Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door , I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
        The woman decided she should open her door, and she literally walked over to her apartment door and opened it. As Rosenberg tells her story, “She was suddenly blinded by a bolt of light emanating from a figure in the doorway. ‘Who is it?’ she asked.
        ‘It is I.’ Jesus said.
        ‘Come in, my Lord,’ she said, and Jesus entered her home.
        For the next few minutes, Jesus spoke to her about Himself, told her he loved her and had forgiven her, and told her to get a Bible and begin reading it. And then, as suddenly as he had appeared, He was gone.” She, of course, gave her life to Christ. 
        But maybe these three women had already been leading exemplary lives. Is the awesome love of Christ being shown only to those types of Muslims? Not at all. A case in point was nicknamed, Jazaar, which means “butcher.” Rosenberg calls him Saada. Here was a vicious terrorist who was friends with Yasser Arafat, his driver and bodyguard. He “happily” killed for Arafat and served as a sniper in the PLO. He had killed innocent Jews and Christians alike.
        At one point, though, as told By Rosenberg, “his friend began reading from the book of John, chapter one, verse one: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ … Saada began to shake. … Saada would later recall, ‘Before I knew it I was on my knees. I didn’t consciously decide to kneel. It just happened. I lost all awareness that my friend was in the room. A light came into my field of vision - a talking light. … The light said to me, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I didn’t know at that moment that those words were what Jesus said during the Last Supper (in John 14:6). As far as I was concerned, they were a message from Jesus solely for me. 
        “Suddenly, Saada said, he just knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the triune God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - existed. He knew with certainty that this triune God loved him. and sobbing with shame at his sin and with thankfulness for God’s mercy, he cried out, ‘Oh Jesus, come into my life! Forgive me and be my Lord and Savior!”
        Today Saada’s passion is to bring the saving knowledge of Jesus to the Islamic world.
        These are only a few of the thousands of true happenings in which Jesus Christ is visiting those in the Muslim world right now. Again I will say, this is unprecedented in these centuries. This is so extraordinary as to be indescribable. These are modern day Damascus Road experiences. And they are happening daily.
        The burning question we need to ask is “Why is Jesus leaving His seat beside the Father to enter the world through dreams and visions like He is today? Why now?” I have my own opinion. You can form yours.

Why Does God Need Our Prayers?

September 11th, 2009
        I imagine that you, like me, have wondered on occasion why we should pray? Since God is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and totally sovereign. So why does He need our prayers? Why doesn’t He just take care of situations without us asking Him in prayer? Surely He could step in and take care of anything, so why doesn’t He?
        Dr. Miles Monroe, a wonderful Bahamian minister, has given us a point to ponder. As God was creating man, He said, “Let them have dominion…over all the earth”. Genesis 1:26. That established a law. And God’s law, His word, can not be broken. The “them” was man, the only spirit being in a dirt body. This law ruled out spirits without dirt bodies having dominion over the earth. Were it not so, Satan would literally have the authority to completely destroy mankind, and he probably would. He can’t, though, because he doesn’t have the legal right according to God’s Word to do so. God called Satan the “prince of the air,” Eph. 2:2, not the prince of the earth.
        As an aside, for those who might say that God was an Indian giver and took the earth away from the dominion of man and gave it to Satan after man’s fall, allow me to quote Psalm 115:16, written thousands of years after Adam’s mistake, “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to man.”
        Now ponder this, God also is spirit as Satan is, and God does not break His own laws. God said, “My word is above my name.” Psalm 138:2. God does not put Himself above His law, which is His Word. Therefore, Dr. Monroe’s thought is that God also does not have legal authority to act on this planet earth without man giving Him permission to do so. Think about that. Since God established the law that man has dominion over the earth, God can not act on earth unless we give Him permission. But, we might say, God is still sovereign. Very true, but consider this; not once in all 66 books of the Bible did God act without man being involved in some way.
        According to Dr. Monroe, God needs our prayers in order to have permission to legally act on this planet earth. That is why we should “pray without ceasing.” 1 Thes. 5:17. If we want God involved in our situations, and those of our loved ones, we need to pray. In order not to break His own law, God needs our permission and authority to act. We have been given dominion over all the earth. That law is still in effect. So “pray continually.”  Pray about everything. Give Him authority to act in every aspect of your life.
        On a further thought, it occurs to me that our doubts cancel our prayers, as we are told in James 1, probably because they cancel our permission for God to act. We pray, giving God permission to act, then we doubt, taking that permission away. So pray in faith, knowing that Jesus told us, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22.
        Yes, God is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving, And by sovereignly deciding to obey the law He Himself decreed, He has declared that if we want His help, we must call on Him. His phone number is Jeremiah 33:3, “Call on me and I will answer you”. There is no charge for the call, so make it often.

No Fear, No Worry

September 6th, 2009
        We turn on the news today and in ten minutes are bombarded with upcoming worldwide economic catastrophe, the horror of impending nuclear problems from North Korea, Pakistan, or Iran, plus talk of food and water shortages unparalleled in human history. If that isn’t enough we are frightened by pending doom from supposed disastrous climate change, or the uncertain peril of radical Islamic terrorist attacks. And all this is before the first commercial break, in which we are told about a new drug that will cure a disease we didn’t even know existed, or are prodded to buy a new home protection system because a crazed murderer is sure to try to break into our home tonight. Is there any wonder that fear and worry is so common?
        Knowing the precision of God’s Word, though, I find it extremely interesting that the phrase, “Do not fear” is in the Bible 365 times. I guess that is once for every day of the year. Obviously fear is something that God does not want us to have, thus the constant reminder about it throughout the Bible. Of course, “fear of the Lord” is a good thing. But in that respect “fear” actually means “awe”. What we are not suppose to have is fear in the normal sense of the word. In 2 Timothy 1:7, the King James Version tells us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” If fear is not given to us by God, it must come from Satan and his demons. And anything we have received from the Evil One must be rejected just as we need to reject Satan himself.
        The same is true of worry, too. I am reminded of a story I heard years ago:
        Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, “What are You going to do?”
        “I’m going to take ten people today,” Death replied.
        “That’s horrible,” the man said.
        “That’s the way it is ,” Death said. “That’s what I do.”
        The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan. As evening fell, he met Death again.
        “You told me you were going to take ten people.” the man said, “Why did a thousand die?”
        “I kept my word,” Death responded. “I only took ten people. Worry took the others .”
        OK. So we know we are not to fear or worry, and it is easy to write or say that, but how do we accomplish it in real life? Is there something we can do that really works? 
        Years ago, when I had only been a born again Christian for a very few months, a wise and seasoned believer wrote a verse on his business card and advised me to memorize it. The verse was Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
        Fortunately I went home that night and followed the man’s advice. I committed the verse to memory. And I am so glad that I did. It has probably gone through my mind over a thousand times since then. I encourage you to do the same.
        Did I immediately “trust in the Lord with all my heart?” Obviously, the answer is “no.” But as the years rolled by and my walk with Jesus became closer and closer, I learned through his unfailing faithfulness that I could actually trust in Him completely, in every single aspect of my life. The same is true for anyone.
        The startling thing is that once unequivocal trust in God is a true part of our being, when we do trust Christ completely with all our heart, not only do fear and worry vanish, but a phenomenal contentment describes our lives. In Hannah Whithall Smith’s remarkable book from the mid 1800’s, The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life (which should be compulsory reading for every Christian), the bottom line of the secret of a happy life is unquestioning and grateful trust in God.
        No, don’t fear, don’t worry, just trust. Ulcers are the badge of the untrusting Christian. Pure contentment and peace are the badges of the one who trusts.
        The wonderful results in this life, as well as the next, of daily and hourly pure unbridled trust in our Father may be the greatest of all the rewards we can gain in Unlocking God’s Secrets.

Is Mormonism Christianity?

September 3rd, 2009
        With the rising popularity (in my opinion, deservedly so) of such people as Glenn Beck and Mitt Romney, and the increase in Mormonism, I am constantly being asked if Mormonism is just another normal Christian denomination with only minor differences. The answer unfortunately is an emphatic “no.” Mormons do not believe the same things at all. It is worlds away from Christianity and the Bible. So much so that it would take volumes to go into all the differences, but let me try to cover just a few. Let’s find out some of what is behind the fact that there is no cross to be found in the Mormon Tabernacle.
        First, let’s look briefly at some Mormon history. It all started in 1820 when Joseph Smith was fifteen years old. He supposedly asked God what church he should join. He had a “vision” in which two people stood above him in the air and told him he should not join any church because they were all wrong, but that in the future the “real” truth would be revealed to him. About three years later a heavenly being, an angel called Moroni, supposedly appeared to him and told him that he had buried some gold plates, engraved in an ancient language. and that Joseph was chosen to translate them, to restore the “real” truth to the church. Joseph had to wear special glasses to be able to translate the golden plates. The book that came out of this was The Book Of Mormon, written in 1829. The next day the Mormon church was organized.
        Before we go further we must know that in the Bible we are told, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” Galations 1:8. Now remember, supposedly an angel gave Joseph Smith a new gospel. By the way, there is no angel named Moroni in the Bible. I think if I were Joe Smith I would have come up with a name like Gabriel to have sounded more credible.
         The end result is that Mormons believe The Book Of Mormon , Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and anything else written by Joseph Smith is the inspired word of God and not the Bible. They also believe that the church president hears from God and there can be no error in what he says. Because of that, the president changes the “true” gospel from time to time as things warrant it. For instance, about twenty five years ago the president got a new revelation that African Americans could become priests in the church for the first time in the Mormon 150 year history. Up until then they believed that Cain was cursed with dark skin and became the father of all the blacks. Of course, there is nothing at all in the Bible about that. Actually the “revelation” came about because of public pressure (and probably decreased financial support).
        So what do they believe that is so different from Christians:
  • Jesus was not born of a virgin.
  • Jesus was married to Mary and Martha. ( that justifies having multiple wives.)
  • Jesus’s second coming will be to Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Salvation can only be gained by good works. (obviously the death and resurrection of Jesus was a total waste of time and effort. Hence, no cross in church.)
  • Women can not be saved apart from men. ( I won’t even attempt a comment on that one)
  • There will be marriages and child bearing in heaven. (Jesus teaches the total opposite when He says “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” Matthew 22:30.)
  • The more children a man has the more honor and glory he will have in heaven. (Again, this is not in the Bible.)                      
  • God the Father is flesh and bones, not a spirit (Jesus Himself said, “God is spirit.” John 4:24.)
  • Only a Mormon can get to heaven. (This is obviously far from Biblical.)
  • God the Father was once a man like us.
  • God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
  • God (”Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
  • We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
  • There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
  • Jesus and Satan (”Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers - we are all spirit children of the Heavenly Father
  • Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife.
  • We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
  • The “Lord” (”Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (”Elohim”).
  • Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
  • Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
  • The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
  • Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals - everything that has ever lived on earth - will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
  • Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
  • Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
  • The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
  • If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
        This is just a sampling of the many differences between Mormons and Christians who believe in the Bible, and as you can see, they are huge differences. The Mormons do a lot of good works, and they have grown in leaps and bounds. I am sure that Satan is tickled to death with them.
        In Fact, Michael Boldea, who is a wonderful Christian saint who heads up Hand of Help Ministry ( a ministry worthy of our support), tells of the time that he was going around to churches in America, interpreting for his late grandfather, Dumitru Duduman, who only spoke Romanian and was truly a man of God. They were asked to speak at a Mormon convention and Duduman gladly accepted. At the beginning of the talk his grandfather said in Romanian, “The real founder of the Mormon Church was not Joseph Smith. It was Satan.” Michael looked at his grandfather in surprise and said to him in Romanian, “I can’t say that, Grandfather.” Duduman said, “Say it.” So Michael interpreted what his grandfather had said and to his astonishment there was no uproar. In fact, at the end of the talk many in attendance gave their lives to Christ.
        After the meeting was over Michael asked some of the people about their reaction when his grandfather said, “The real founder of the Mormon Church was not Joseph Smith. It was Satan.” Each person said individually something to the effect, “I was awestruck. Did you not see the giant angel that stood behind your grandfather when he said that?”

God Prophesied 12/9/17

August 29th, 2009
        The precious Holy Spirit truly does unlock the secrets of God for us when we ask. What you are going to read now may never have been in print before. At least I have never seen it, although I imagine that the Holy Spirit must have revealed it to others before.
        What I am talking about is a fulfilled prophecy that is utterly magnificent. To save time I won’t go into the details of what caused me to begin to dig out this treasure, but I will tell you that within an hour of my praying that God would reveal it, He did. God does answer prayers.
        Let’s start by remembering that Isaiah prophesied to Israel over and over that if they would not return to God, judgement would come. He even predicted in chapter 39 that Israel would be taken over by the Babylonians and the nation would go into exile. Finally King Manasseh had heard enough of Isaiah’s ominous prophecies and had him killed in 680 BC. Obviously this murder of His servant Isaiah was an abomination to the Lord. Israel was then taken captive by the Babylonians as God had predicted through His servant Isaiah. But God foretold when Israel would finally be freed from her enemies, and how He  foretold it is utterly fascinating.
        Over a hundred years later we find the angel Gabriel telling Daniel who was then living in the predicted Babylonian captivity, “From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.” Daniel 12:11-12.
        Many of you know that God often predicts more than one event at the same time, in the same verses, and although the above passage is most noted in regards to other more obvious prophecies that will come to pass in the tribulation period, I was led after praying to add both of those figures, knowing that days here actually referred to years. So 1,290 plus 1,335 gives us a total of 2,625 years. If we add 2,625 Jewish years to 680 BC, date of Isaiah’s murder, we end up at 1917. But God even wanted to be more precise than that and give us an exact date.
        Let’s jump to the book of Haggai and we find that God is clear what the date will be that Israel would be blessed, the actual date God would bless Israel again and make her His signet ring. For God said, “From this day on, from this twenty fourth day of the ninth month … From this day on I will bless you.” Haggai 2:18-19. That date on our calender in 1917 was December 9.
        On December 9, 1917 British General Alanby, after routing the Turkish army from what was then known as Palestine, dismounted from his horse as he approached the Joppa Gate of Jerusalem, saying, “I will walk into Jerusalem as a pilgrim and not ride in as a conqueror.” That was the very first day since the Babylonians took over Jerusalem that Israel was not under enemy occupation. And of course this led the rebirth of Israel in 1948, and its eventual control once again of the Jewish holy city in 1967.
        Astounding! Not only did God predict in Daniel exactly to the day when Jesus would ride into Jerusalem as the Messiah, as we covered in our book, He also has now shown us that He predicted the exact date that Israel’s enemies would finally be driven out of Israel, December 9, 1917. 
        Nothing is as astounding as the Word of God. Nothing is as astounding as our God.

Understanding?

August 27th, 2009
        Recently I was reading a grand old work of fiction printed in 1948 called The Big Fisherman, written by the fabulous author, Lloyd C. Douglas, who also wrote such books as Magnificent Obsession and The Robe.
        The Big Fisherman is a fast paced book with fictitious characters whose lives intermingle with the lives of Biblical characters, including Peter, the inspiration for the title. At any rate, what caught my attention was a fictional discussion by the disciples while Jesus was not present. In it they are saying that Jesus was asking them to go to a town and they didn’t understand why. Bartholomew declares that, “Jesus is teaching them to have faith.” Thomas then says, “But - can’t a man have faith - and understanding, too?” That is when the lightning bolt hit me, for Bartholomew replies, “No, that’s what faith is for! It’s for when we can’t understand.” And Peter adds, “That’s true, when a man understands, he doesn’t need any faith.”
        We all know that, of course, but for some reason it jumped out at me in a way it never had before. It reminded me of the true incident that occurred some years back when a good believer traveled to India for the sole purpose of having Mother Teresa pray over him that God would give him clarity in his life. When she heard the request her reply was an instantaneous “No”. The man was stunned and said, “But Mother Teresa, you have always had clarity.” To this she laughed and gently said, “No, I have never had clarity, I have only had trust. I will pray for God to give you trust”
        So, if you have been looking for understanding, or clarity, about how or when God will answer your situation or do this or that, stop thinking about it. It probably is time for absolute, unquestioning faith. It is time to sit back and calmly trust. In God’s eyes we are worth much more than the sparrows. Just remember, “In all things God works for good for those who love Him.” That is all we need to know.

The Good Samaritan’s Prophecy

August 23rd, 2009
        I believe that all the parables that Jesus told are rich with underlying meanings, but most of the time we don’t dig much deeper than the surface message that Jesus was trying to convey. In reality, though, I feel strongly that every parable contains prophecy that can be spine tingling to search out.
        For instance, we all know that the parable of The Good Samaritan in Luke 10 represents the commandment that Jesus listed as the second most important, to “love your neighbor as yourself,” Matthew 22:39.
        Unfortunately, most Christians don’t dig deep enough to find the truly exciting underlying types, shadows, and yes, prophecy. If they did they would find that the man who was robbed and left half dead in the story is a picture of Adam or humanity. The robber, of course, is Satan. The first person in the story that comes along and steps around the fallen man is a priest. This represents the Law of Moses, which obviously could not save the man. Then a Levite comes by and likewise walks around the man. The Levite represents the sacrifices, which also could not save fallen man. But then comes the Good Samaritan, which is Jesus Himself. 
        At this point we see something very unusual and extremely interesting. We see the Good Samaritan pour both oil and wine into the fallen man’s wounds. Oil is the Old Testament or Old Covenant representation of the Holy Spirit, while wine is the New Testament or New Covenant representation of the Holy Spirit. The deeper we dig, the more phenomenal we find God’s Word to be.
        Once the Holy Spirit has been poured into the wounds, the Good Samaritan (Jesus) takes the man to the inn, which represents the church. Here is where the parable becomes prophetic of the Second Coming, because the Good Samaritan (Jesus) leaves the innkeeper two denarii.  A denarii was a days wage, and we know that “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years,” 2 Peter 3:8. So the church is given two thousand years until the Good Samaritan (Jesus) returns, at which time He will give the innkeeper (The Church) an unlimited amount of denarii (Eternity).
        As we discussed in earlier articles, this two day (two thousand year) prophecy is very consistent with all the other Second Coming prophecies, including the two very obvious ones found in Exodus and Hosea. In the first one the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.” Exodus 19:11. The other one in Hosea 6:2 says, “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in His presence.”
        Remember, Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” The redeemed of Christ will reign with Him in His kingdom, so we are the “kings” referred to above who are suppose to search out the things that God has hidden for us in the scriptures. And it really is an exciting treasure hunt. Nothing in life comes close, or is nearly as important.
        The point of the prophecy we just uncovered in the parable of the Good Samaritan is that in two thousand years from when He went away, Jesus will return. In the Jewish calender, that time is here. And in the Gentile calender (ours), the time is very close.
        Praise God! Look up for our redemption is nigh. Or as T.D. Jakes says, “Get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready.”
        I can hardly wait.

We, too, can do something

August 15th, 2009

Dr. David Jeremiah wrote a true story about a young girl who was terminally ill. She went to her pastor and asked him what she could do for Jesus in the time she had left. The pastor suggested that she make a list of people in their town who she knew who needed Christ. She did, and she prayed often. After the girl died her prayer list was found, under her pillow. It contained fifty six names. All fifty six people had accepted Christ; the last one on the night before her death.

Monumental News

August 12th, 2009
        While the media in America has been covering in depth such triviality as the Cash for Clunkers giveaway, Michael Jackson’s drug overdose death, and whether the health care town halls are being invaded by real or fake patriots, the most important news event in the last two thousand years has gone completely unreported. What happened last month in Turkey is so important that it should have been front page news in every nation of the world, and prime time television shows should have been preempted in order to cover it in detail.
        This past month, July, 2009, three rabbis of the reestablished Sanhedrin met with Adnan Oktar, one of the most influential Muslim leaders in the world, to discuss rebuilding Solomon’s Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, along side the Islamic Dome of the Rock. All four agreed that it should be done and felt that the entire project could be completed in only one year from the time it begins.
        Did you read what I just wrote and have not fallen off your chair? This is the single most monumental news event since Jesus ascended into heaven. And it went virtually unnoticed. Incredible! 
        Adnan Oktar is not a nobody in Islamic circles. He currently has over sixty five million copies of his books in print and is widely respected in the Muslim world. Sixty five million copies is even a few more than I have in print. OK, you didn’t have to actually laugh out loud at that.
        The three representatives of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Rabbi Hollander, Rabbi Abrahamson, and Rabbi Rahimi, are regarded as giants in the Jewish religion. A meeting of this nature with an agreement being reached that the Jewish Temple should be rebuilt is more phenomenal than if the leaders of all nuclear nations had met and agreed to totally destroy all nuclear bombs. And yet no worldwide news agency covered it. The four men are pictured below at the historical meeting. This picture and the outcome of the meeting come directly from the Sanhedrin’s official web site, TheSanhedrin.org.