Saturday, July 26, 2014

Bible Prophecies Fulfilled blog on a temporary break -- Resuming posts August 9

Thank you all for your support and frequent visits to this blog.

Due to a coming business trip, plus the needed preparations for that trip, I will be taking a two-week break from blogging.

Please be assured I will be back. My plan is to resume going through the prophecies listed in Matthew 24 with a new post on August 9th.

In the mean time, I hope you will explore and enjoy some of the posts you may have missed. You can find the titles of this month's posts down the left side. Below those are past months' posts. Click on another month and its titles will appear, so you can skip around to posts that look interesting to you.

You can also check out the list of "Labels" on the right side. The labels that have the most posts attached to them are at the top. The lower in the list, the fewer the posts on that topic.

Clicking on a favorite topic in the Labels list is a great way to find a series of posts. For example you might want to review all twelve posts about the "lunar eclipses," especially since the next lunar eclipse is coming in only two months, on October 8th. (We'll be talking about that before it arrives.)

Or you might want to study what we've gone over regarding the "Feasts of the LORD." You can find fifteen posts tagged with that label by clicking those words in the Labels list.

I hope you enjoy poking around this blog. If you're enjoying this blog, don't forget the three books on the same topics (but with different information). If you're preparing to start up a Bible study or church school class or other similar book group or study group this fall, these books have all you need to lead that group, including Scripture references, discussion questions, interesting information, and suggested prayers. Find out all about the Bible Prophecy Fulfilled books, available through your favorite bookstore or at all the familiar online outlets, by clicking on the "Prophecies Fulfilled Books" tab at the top of the blog.

Finally, please invite your friends, family, or anyone you want to have a discussion with about the things of God and the signs of our times to read this blog. If you wish, get it delivered to your email inbox by using the "Follow by Email" box in the upper right to subscribe.

Thank you so much. God willing, I'll see you soon.

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Breaking News -- More on Persecution of Christians

"N" tagged on home of Christian in Iraq indicating
Christians live here
It turns out that my previous post on Tuesday on the persecution of Christians was very timely. Christians have fled Mosul, Iraq, under the persecution of the ISIS occupiers who, under force, said they must convert to Islam, pay for protection, or die by the sword. (Tweet that!)

Here are some news stories:

This article shows the burning of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, Iraq: "Mosul's Christians Ordered to Convert as Militants Burn Down Cathedral" Breitbart.com, July 20, 2014

Note this article says, "...militants were tagging Christian houses with the letter 'N' for 'Nassarah' – an Islamic term for Christian." (Tweet that!) The symbol has been painted on the houses of Christians to identify the loyalties of the inhabitants. These properties have apparently been taken possession of by ISIS. (Tweet that!)

NBC News reported on July 19, 2014: "Iraqi Christians Flee Mosul as ISIS Orders Them to Convert of Be Killed."

#WeAreN means We Are Christians
Symbol of solidarity
Yesterday, on July 22, 2014, Yahoo News carried this story about some Christians who had fled: "Iraq Christians flee Mosul after militant threats"

And then there is this from today: "#WeAreN: thousands unite to support persecuted Christians in Iraq"

There is now a growing swell of support of the Christians who fled Mosul. Many other Christians are identifying themselves with these persecuted ones proudly declaring "We Are N" meaning we are Christians. (Tweet that!)

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." Quoting Jesus, Matthew 24:9.
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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Persecuted, Put to Death, and Hated

http://www.persecutedmovie.com/downloads
Right after Jesus said, "All these are the beginning of birth pains," in Matthew 24:8, verse 9 starts with "Then…" and tells us what will happen next:

9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." (Matthew 24:9)

I don't know if this is happening quite yet here in the United States because things could be so much worse. But I do believe we are seeing the beginning stages of this persecution. (Tweet that!) 

If we remember what the Nazis under Adolf Hitler's leadership did to the Jewish people in World War II, and also to the Christians who supported and protected them and others Hitler wanted to get rid of such as homosexuals, we are nowhere near that level of persecution today.

Later, in verse 21, Jesus says all these events leading up to His return will be greater than ever before (Tweet that!) : greater wars, greater famines, greater earthquakes, greater roaring and tossing of the seas in hurricanes and tsunamis, greater pestilences…etc. And greater persecution. He said:

21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. (Matthew 24:21)

In light of the torture and abuse of individuals in Hitler's Nazi Germany, that's pretty scary.

While those of living in the United States may not be seeing this kind of persecution, today we are seeing horrible persecution of Christians in other countries. (Tweet that!) Recent stories that come to mind are:





In the United States and probably other western countries, Christians are currently feeling the pressure to hush up and keep Christian principles to themselves. Recent stories within the U.S. that come to mind are:


  • The outrage over the company Hobby Lobby refusing to pay, based on their Christian principles, for contraceptives through Obama-mandated health insurance. "Hobby Lobby law firm plays role in faith cases" The Columbian, July 21, 2014 


Wikipedia Fair Use

If movies in America are any indications of the undercurrents of what people are thinking and feeling, last Friday a new movie released called "Persecuted," a fictional story about a Christian who is framed for crimes he didn't commit because he stands in the way of sweeping religious reform in the United States.

Jesus said, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."


The good news is we will not stand alone. Jesus Christ will help us, strengthen us, and will tell us what to say when our time comes. (Tweet that!) Here’s his promise:

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12)

How will you, as a Christian, now prepare and pray for your future self and those you love to stand firm in your faith as you are persecuted, put to death, and hated? (Tweet that!) 

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Saturday, July 19, 2014

"The Beginning of Birth Pains"

Two days ago, on July 17, 2014, two major news stories occurred. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine killing all 298 people on board. Details are still emerging.

On the same day, Israeli ground forces entered Gaza to stop Palestinian rocket fire that has been pounding Israel for days.

Two huge headlines. On the same day. Both related to ongoing battles... skirmishes... wars... Whatever is the correct term will no doubt be determined when the dust settles and it's written as history. But both headlines fit right in with what we've been talking about here, don't they? Especial the prophecy of "wars and rumors of wars."

My thoughts and ongoing prayers are with all those impacted by these headlines.

And now, here is the post previously scheduled for today:

Since the July 3 post we've been talking about all Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, and Luke 21:11 and 25.

See Related Articles at the end of this post for more links.

In the next sentence, Jesus tells us that all these happenings are just the beginning, calling them "birth pains." (Tweet that!)

Here is the entire passage:

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:6-8, NIV) 

As I was watching the political landscape in the United States a few weeks ago, a news story came out about some small victory conservative Christian patriot America-loving citizens had just won. Honestly, I can't remember which one. It caused me to think about how short-lived that victory would be. And isn't that the way it goes?

We see wave after wave of our nation and our world turning away from God. We see decisions made by leaders that are not rooted in godly wisdom. (Tweet that!)  We see people who do not know God, or who do not follow Him making inroads that impact us all, leading us into ever deepening ravines of immorality and depravity. (Tweet that!) And all the while these same forces are hushing and silencing any godly voices for good. (Tweet that!)

We are now -- and it's been going on for a while -- told that what is good is evil and what is evil is good. (Tweet that!) The prophet Isaiah, who lived around 700 years before Jesus, also saw this trend in his society and times (around 750 – 716 B.C.). He warned of the coming invasion of the enemy that would carry Israel into exile. He wrote:
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,  
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,  
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (Isaiah 5:20, NIV)

When we see a victory in public policy or politicians representing godly people and godly ways, we cheer and think maybe things will continue in that direction and get better.

But then another wave comes that takes us in the wrong direction, farther away from God and His ways. And then there's another wave. And another.

Then godly people experience one small victory.

Then another wave comes washing us in the wrong direction.

It's a back and forth. A surge away from God, a tiny step back towards Him. The advance of the godly is one step toward Him followed by two or three or four steps farther away. We're losing ground. (Tweet that!)

It's like birth pains, is it not? (Tweet that!)

In the whirlwind of our nation's and the world's decline, we finally experience a break. Even a little victory. Which brings a little hope. And things calm down for a little while. And there's a lull. And then we're hit again with the next wave…

It's birth pains. Coming hard then calming.

The waves are increasing in frequency. And each wave comes with more intensity.

In the end there is only one outcome. There's no stopping it. What is coming will be birthed. (Tweet that!)

This is only the beginning. "All these are the beginning of birth pains."


Related Articles:



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Thursday, July 17, 2014

"Pestilences in Various Places..."

As mentioned in the last post, we've detoured from the prophecies we're studying in Matthew 24 to include a few related prophecies in Luke 21. While Matthew 24:7b says, "There will famines and earthquakes in various places," Luke adds "pestilences":

There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven (Luke 21:11, NIV).

A "pestilence" (or plague, as the NLT translates it) is more than just an illness. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pestilences as this:

noun: a disease that causes many people to die 
Full Definition

1: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating; especially: bubonic plague

(Tweet that!)

Part of the reason for this blog is to talk about what prophecies have been given concerning the "End Times,"(Tweet that!) meaning the times just before the return of Jesus and the end of human history as we know it now. Another reason for this blog is to see if these prophecies are being fulfilled in our current times. (Tweet that!)

So let me ask you. Do you see any pestilences taking place today?

Here are some recent news stories that came to my mind:


This last article seems to make fun of the fear. While it quotes a letter from U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey, who introduces himself as "a physician for over 30 years," addressed to Thomas Frieden, director of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control, there is no reporting on any response from the CDC.

E. coli
Courtesy Morguefile.com
Online many articles express concern about what diseases this influx of an estimated 100,000 unaccompanied minor children might be bringing into the United States accompanied by an equal number (at least) of articles claiming these fears have been "stoked" by "conservative media" and "anti-immigration activists" and claiming these fear has been "wildly overstated."

What do you think? (Tweet that!)

Related Articles:



Coming Next:


  • July 19, 2014 "The Beginning of Birth Pains"

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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

"The Roaring and Tossing of the Sea" - Hurricanes and Tsunamis?

Hurricane Elena September 1985
Public Domain photo from NASA
While we're talking about weather and other natural or earth-related phenomena, I thought we'd hop over to the book of Luke 21 and look at two more prophecies there. (Tweet that!) The twenty-first chapter of Luke runs parallel to Matthew 24, meaning this is where Luke wrote his version of the same conversation Jesus had with his disciples that Matthew wrote in his chapter 24.

I wanted to take this slight detour because Luke mentions something Matthew did not. Luke talks about "the roaring and tossing of the sea." Here's the rest of that verse:

"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea" (Luke 21:25, NIV). 

Just a note: As mentioned, we're looking at this verse in Luke because it seems similar to the other prophecies of natural phenomena that we've been looking at. However we are going a little out of order in the timing of when these events will occur. What we've been looking at in Matthew 24 so far (and will continue with tomorrow with another earlier verse, Luke 21:11), is the beginning of the list of happenings or events Jesus said would take place before his return. However this verse, Luke 21:25, is toward the end of that list Jesus gave, so we're skipping a bit forward.

If we can presume Jesus listed these events in a general order that they will occur in, then the "roaring and tossing of the sea" comes later, after the earthquakes and famines. Since Luke lists this later, that fact implies it will occur later, deeper into the End Times and closer to Jesus' return. That presumption is arguable though.

Anyway, "The roaring and tossing of the sea." What do you think that is? (Tweet that!)

Catarina March 26, 2004
Public Domain photo from NASA
What come to my mind are

  • hurricanes
  • tsunamis
  • and possibly other severe storms over the oceans.

Interestingly, in Revelation, when John wrote his prophecy and vision of the end times, there is a passage about the "sea" and John interprets that for us telling us it means great multitudes of people.

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages" (Revelation 17:15, NIV).

Here in Luke, however, I do believe Jesus means literal storms at sea. But do you think there could also be a parallel of multitudes of people groups being in turmoil?

In recent years we've seen storms like:

  • Hurricane Katrina, August 23 - September 3, 2005 
  • Super Storm Sandy, October 22 - 31, 2012
  • March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (the largest on record) triggers a tsunami that severely damages the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Japan.

Of course tsunamis are directly related to, and caused by, earthquakes, which we looked at in three posts last week.

Every year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts how many hurricanes will occur. The National Hurricane Center, which is part of NOAA, keeps tabs on hurricanes. 

As the prophecies Jesus gave draw nearer, we will see the frequency and intensity of these sea-storms increase. (Tweet that!) When these storms get this great, "nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea." Do you think we saw that after the tsunami hit Japan and during Super Storm Sandy?

The increase in these devastating storms will be greatly upsetting to a great many people, mostly people, I think, who do not know Jesus and who do not trust God. They will blame it on global warming or other ideas. They will be in anguish. They will be greatly perplexed, because they do not understand what God is doing. (Tweet that!)

What is God doing? Trying, still, to get their attention. To let them know time is running out. (Tweet that!) Some will listen and respond. Many will not. But for those who do listen and respond to Him, He promises to receive into His kingdom for all eternity. (Tweet that!)

Related Articles:


Coming Next:


  • July 17, 2014 "Pestilences in Various Places..."
  • July 19, 2014 "The Beginning of Birth Pains"

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Saturday, July 12, 2014

"There will be... Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 3 - Recent Earthquakes and Resources


Pacific Ring of Fire where about 90% of the world's
earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes
occur.  Wikipedia (Public Domain)
In our discussion of Jesus' prophecy of earthquakes, there was so much information to discuss that I've divided it into three posts running all this week. We're continuing a discussion about Jesus' prediction that before his coming, in the "End Times," he said.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7b, NIV).

In the first post this week we talked about earthquake statistics from the USGS. In the second we discussed fracking and man-made earthquakes.

Today we'll talk about recent earthquakes and a couple of my favorite resources to stay abreast of what's happening with Bible prophecies being fulfilled. (Tweet that!)

RECENT EARTHQUAKES


It seems this year there have been a lot of earthquakes. Here is a clip from NBC's Nightly News on April 2, 2014, (clip offered by NBC Nightly News).

Video:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


Even in the two months since that video, more quakes have taken place. Here is just a sampling of the more major earthquakes from this year alone. I've only listed a few because there are so many. Find the full list on Wikipedia "Earthquakes in 2014": 
  • 7.1 Offshore Chiapas, Mexico, July 7, 2014
  • 6.7 Papua New Guinea, July 4, 2014
  • 6.0, 6.3 Alaska, June 23-24, 2014
  • 6.2, 6.3, 6.9 New Zealand, June 23, 2014
  • 6.9 Aegean Sea, Greece/Turkey, May 24, 2014
  • 8.2 Iquique, Chili, April 1, 2014 (with several more through the month)
  • Four 6.0 to 6.7 Iquique, Chili, March 16-23, 2014
  • 6.8 northern California, USA, March 10, 2014
  • 6.9 Hotan, Xinjiang, Chinga, February 12, 2014

Here are two more resources for up-to-date information on earthquakes:

Personally I've had a theory for some time that when one quake occurs on one side of the world, another might occur on the opposite side. This just makes sense to me. Think about it: if you place several solid objects together, such as bricks or dishes which could mimic tectonic plates of the earth, then if you shift one on one side, something necessarily has to shift on the other side.

Apparently someone at the USGS agrees with me. <insert wink and smiley face here> David Oppenheimer with the USGS talked about just such a possibility in this article from CBS San Francisco dated June 23, 2014:  "USGS Scientist Says Alaska, New Zealand Quakes Might Be Linked."

RESOURCES:


Here are two of my favorite resources if you'd like to read more about earthquakes and prophecy, and if you'd like to follow earthquakes in real time: (Tweet that!)

Southwest Radio Church


One of my favorite resources for information on prophecy is the radio program Southwest Radio Church. They have been around for a long time and credit themselves as the longest running Christian radio program. They cover topics other than prophecy, but they talk about prophecy more than anyone else I know. I've learned a ton from this organization and I am eternally grateful for all they've taught me. Must I issue a disclaimer to say I don't agree with everything they teach? Of course I don't—that's just normal. But I find most of their information solid and interesting.

I hope you will tune in to Southwest Radio Church for their prophecy programs (Tweet that!) or whatever else interests you. Find Southwest Radio Church's broadcast schedule on this page. There you can also download and listen to their programs at your convenience.

If you're able, I'd appreciate it if you'd send a donation their way so they can keep the great information coming.

Here are some articles Southwest Radio Church (SWRC) has linked to about recent earthquakes. I found these articles on the Signs of the Times page. Then click on the "Weather" link. 


Track Earthquakes with your Cell Phone


Because I'm a prophecy geek, I'm constantly watching for possible fulfillments of End Times prophecies. That's why I love having an earthquake overlay on the weather bug ap on my cell phone. (Tweet that!) I can see when an earthquake occurs and keep abreast of what's shaking out there. You might want to add a similar ap to your phone. (However my ap seems to sometimes show the magnitude of earthquakes much lower than is stated on the news. I'm still trying to figure out why.)

I use a weather bug from WSI Corporation. Search for their ap on your device and hopefully you'll find it or a similar one. Then find the "Setting" and look for and "earthquake overlay."

BEING PREPARED


There were many earthquakes noted in the Bible. Some people say that when God moves in judgement on nations, His judgement is always accompanied by earthquakes. (I'm not sure I can verify the "always" part without a ton of research.)

But for one example, we know from the Bible that the earth shook in Jerusalem when Jesus died (Matthew 27:54).

For years we've waited and wondered whether "The Big One" is imminent to hit southern California. With all this expected activity increasing, what are we to do? (Tweet that!)

The best preparation any of us can take for the coming increase in "earthquakes in various places" (Matthew 24:7b, NIV) which Jesus predicted is to know Jesus as our Savior and Lord. If you have not prepared in this way yet, why not prepare your soul for eternity by telling him you accept him as your Savior today? For those who do, the earth can shake and the mountains can fall into the sea, but we will not be shaken. (Tweet that!) We know we look forward to eternity with Jesus, where no harm will ever be able to reach us again.

Related Articles:



Tentative schedule for coming posts: 


  • July 15, 2014 Hurricanes and Tsunamis
  • July 17, 2014 Pestilences 
  • July 19, 2014 "The Beginning of Birth Pains"

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Thursday, July 10, 2014

"There will be... Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 2 - Fracking and Man-Made Earthquakes

Image from "Induced Earthquakes"
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/
In the previous post, there was so much information to discuss about earthquakes that I decided to divide it into three posts for this entire week. We're continuing a discussion about Jesus' prediction that before his coming:
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:7b, NIV)

In the previous post we talked about earthquake statistics from the USGS. In this post, let's explore whether activities we humans are doing on the earth, such as fracking, can cause earthquakes.

IS FRACKING CAUSING INCREASED EARTHQUAKES?


We seem to be noticing increased earthquake activity in places like Oklahoma and Colorado where we don't usually have many earthquakes. (Tweet that!) Although we do have faults running through these states, earthquakes are pretty unusual. But we're having more. Some people blame this on Fracking for oil in those areas. The USGS is studying that process. You can read about their findings in their article "Induced Earthquakes."

Interestingly that page includes this statement:
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking," does not appear to be linked to the increased rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes. (Tweet that!)

While that statement says fracking is not to blame, it also clearly implies there has indeed been an increase of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes. (Tweet that!)

The USGS web site links to an article on its "Science Features" area titled "Man-Made Earthquakes Update." That article opens with this statement:
The number of earthquakes has increased dramatically over the past few years within the central and eastern United States. Nearly 450 earthquakes magnitude 3.0 and larger occurred in the four years from 2010-2013, over 100 per year on average, compared with an average rate of 20 earthquakes per year observed from 1970-2000.

Even if mankind's activities on the earth are causing more earthquakes, wouldn't this still be a fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy? (Tweet that!) Of course it would. Nowhere did he say only "natural" earthquakes would increase. He said …
There will be…earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:7b, NIV)

… implying something unusual about earthquakes in the End Times just before his return to earth.

I can't help thinking that in Jesus' day the thought of man-made earthquakes would have sounded crazy. To anyone else but Jesus, that is, since he, being God, already knew the future. But anyway...

His words imply an increase in frequency, intensity, and locations in earthquake activity. (Tweet that!) Any man-made earthquakes caused by fracking or any other activities also fit that prophecy.

In the next post we'll take a look at recent earthquakes that have occurred this year, in 2014, and some of my favorite resources for information on watching earthquakes as well as information on fulfillment of Bible prophecy.


Related Articles:



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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

"There will be... Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 1 - USGS Statistics

USGS.gov "Earthquake Facts and Statistics Graphs
In the same sentence where Jesus told us there would be famines in the End Times as we discussed in the previous post, he also said there would be "earthquakes in various places." (Tweet that!)
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:7b, NIV)

The thing is, there have always been earthquakes. So how will we know if or when this prophecy is being fulfilled? (Tweet that!)

While I'm gathering information for this post, I'm finding so much information I want to share with you that it would be best to divide it into more than one post. So I've made an executive decision: we're going to spend all three posts this week talking about earthquakes.

Most prophecy buffs I've heard speak or have read think there will be an increase in earthquake activity in the End Times, which means an increase in both frequency and intensity. (Tweet that!) Jesus' words 'in various places' also seem to indicate earthquakes in locations where we don't normally see or expect them.

Of course when we want information on earthquakes, the authority we turn to is the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY?


In the discussions I've listened to about prophecy and the increase of earthquakes, I've heard that the experts like those at the USGS deny there has been an increase of frequency and intensity of earthquakes in recent years or decades. I thought I'd go right to the source and see what the USGS is really saying. You'd think simple statistics could answer this question, right? Well, there's so much information to sift though I'm not finding it quite so simple.

In years past I've seen a chart that shows a dramatic increase in earthquakes in recent years, and when I searched the internet for that chart I saw it and it was linked to many sites -- everything from Bible prophecy sites to Mayan calendar 2012 sites. If you want to see that chart, do a search and you'll find it. But I'm not using it here because I'm skeptical about that chart. The source citation, which links to the USGS, doesn't bring up that chart. On my blog I'm endeavoring to post only information I can verify, and I can't verify that chart.

The link cited is this: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/historical.php

It takes you to an old page of the USGS site which says that page is being phased out and is no longer maintained as of 04/12 and that a replacement is under development.  Whatever replacement is being or has been developed, I'm not finding a new chart that makes the statistics on earthquake activity in recent decades easy to see at a glance.

I did find this page with graphics of earthquake activity by decade: "Earthquake Facts and Statistics Graphs" I grabbed an image off that page for the image on this post. There's a lot of great information there.

Are earthquakes increasing in intensity and frequency in various locations globally? It sure seems so. The statistics appear to say yes. (Tweet that!) As a matter of fact, as I'm preparing this post to go live, news is airing that there has been a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that has killed at least three people along the border between Mexico and Guatemala.

I hope you enjoy exploring all the links and information in this post. In the next post on Thursday we'll talk about the debate over man-made earthquakes and fracking.

Related Articles:

Coming this week:
  • July 10, 2014 "There will be... Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 2 - Fracking and Man-Made Earthquakes
  • July 12, 2014 "There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 3 - Recent Earthquakes and Resources

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Saturday, July 5, 2014

"There will be Famines…"

As we talked about in the previous post, when Jesus' disciples asked him what would be the signs of his coming back to earth and the end of the age, he gave a list of events that would take place on the earth. We talked about wars and rumors of wars in the last post. The next thing Jesus listed was famines:
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7b, NIV),
(Tweet that!) 

Do we see famines on the earth today? We often hear of starvation in lands far-away from the United States, like Africa. I suppose there have been famines in various parts of the earth since time began. But what about current times? Could a famine even come here to America?

Tell me, did you hear about these news stories?

Close to 100,000 cattle die in freak blizzard in South Dakota October 4, 2013 (Tweet that!)


Silvia Christen, executive director of the South Dakota Stockgrowers:  "These cows feed a lot of this country."


Pork disease raising prices. (Tweet that!)  

"This is the toughest disease we've ever gone through," said Mike Brandhem, a general manager with Hitch Pork Producers, a Guymon, Okla., livestock producer that lost 30,000 piglets in six weeks in a 2013 outbreak. (FOX News, January 11, 2014) 

Crops?


Not to mention crops wiped out by rain or hail storms, tornadoes, and drought. A quick Google search on "crops wiped out by storms" yielded such a bumper crop of articles I didn't know where to start.

Genetically-modified Food


How do you think GMO is affecting, or will affect, our food supply? Genetically modified organism (GMO) is defined by Wikipedia like this: 
A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

 Wikipedia's article on "Genetically modified organism" continues with this information: 
Although labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO) products in the marketplace is required in 64 countries, it is not required in the United States and no distinction between marketed GMO and non-GMO foods is recognized by the US FDA.

Frankly, I thought GMO wheat, corn, and soybean products were already in use in the United States, however according to this article only corn and soybean products are. GMO wheat is not legal yet:


A Famine of God's Word


Obviously Jesus was talking about a world-wide shortage of food. But could he also have had in mind another kind of famine we can suffer from, too? I believe we are suffering from it right now and that is a famine of God's Word. (Tweet that!)

Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35, NIV). 

Without Jesus being preached in truth, we are experiencing a famine of the knowledge of the Bread of Life.

While I know, I know, many churches, preachers, evangelists, missionaries, and people of God are still making Jesus Christ known, there is still a powerful trend of church and Christian leaders who are not, who are straying from or compromising the Truth. This is a famine of the Bread that brings life. (Tweet that!)

Again, this is not the first time for such a thing to happen on the earth. The Old Testament prophet Amos, who prophesied in about 760 – 750 B.C., wrote this:
"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord" (Amos 8:11,NIV).

We here in the United States are experiencing this famine already, and I expect it to continue and accelerate. My guess is this is also happening in many parts of the world, and all creation groans under the stress of sin and the drought in the lack of God's blessings due to the people forgetting, ignoring, or rebelling again Him.

The lack of physical food is in direct relation to the lack of spiritual food. The coming prophesied famine of food will be in direct relation to the current and coming famine of God's Word. (Tweet that!)


Related Articles: 


  • July 3, 2014: "Wars and Rumors of Wars"
  • Coming July 8, 2014: "There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places"
  • Update: We may add a few more posts here before getting to...
  • Coming: "The Beginning of Birth Pains"


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Thursday, July 3, 2014

"Wars and Rumors of Wars"

Today we're continuing our look at Matthew 24 and all the predictions Jesus made of what our world would look like just before his return and "the end of the age."

In Matthew 24:6, Jesus, speaking to his close disciples, but also recorded by Matthew for the benefit of the rest of us, said, 
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars…" (Tweet that!)

I almost feel as if I could just say "Enough said," and end this post. Right? Are you with me? But okay, let's go into it a little more and review recent history.

Many wars have been fought in recent years and are taking place right now: 

  • the United States and allies in Afghanistan
  • the United States and allies in Iraq

Then moving back in time… 

  • Desert Storm in the early 1990's 
  • Viet Nam 
  • Korea 
  • World II 
  • World War I…

Just in recent months we have:

  • Russia overtaking Ukraine 
  • ISIS advancing in Iraq
  • Boko Haram, Islamist militant group, kidnaps 200 school girls in Nigeria, Africa

In recent days:



On June 25, 2014, The New York Times reported, "North Korea Warns U.S. Over Film Mocking its Leader." reporting  "The North Koreans have reacted with their usual bluster, calling the movie an 'act of war' and flinging threats at the Obama administration..."

But a few days later, on June 29, 2014, The Diplomat insisted "No, North Korea Did NOT Threaten War Over Seth Rogen Movie."

I guess war was only a rumor.

I wonder what China is up to these days.

We can count off the wars and rumors of wars in our lifetime and run out of fingers, and possibly toes, to count on. (Tweet that!) And despite all the talk of peace by many people, the world's situation isn't getting any better. 

 But let's take a closer look at all of what Jesus said:

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:6-7, NIV)

We will talk more about the end of verse 7 in coming posts – famines in the next post (July 5, 2014) and earthquakes the post after that (July 8, 2014). (Tweet that!)

But please don't miss Jesus' instructions. While he is telling us there will be wars and rumors of wars, in the very same sentence he tells us not to be alarmed. (Tweet that!) I think he's telling us we should not be surprised. Why? See next sentence…

Because "such things must happen, but the end is still to come."

"Such things must happen." Why? Because this world is filled with sin and evil. And sin always leads to death. This world is dying.

Even so, the end is not yet. "The end is still to come."

So I guess we're not there yet. But we're close. Or are we there yet? Because these wars and rumors of wars have been going on for a while.

So what's next, according to this passage of Scripture? Famines and earthquakes. We'll talk about those next.


Related Articles coming on: 


  • July 5, 2014:   There will be Famines…
  • July 8, 2014:   There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places
  • July 10, 2014: The Beginning of Birth Pains

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Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Anne Graham Lotz's "7 7 7:Urgent Call to Prayer" and The End of Human History As We Know It

AnneGrahamLotz.com
I'm glad that in the June 24th post I mentioned that as we start this series on what Jesus said would be the signs of His coming in Matthew 24, we might take a break if something comes up that warrants it.

Already, something has come up that warrants a detour.

I just learned that Anne Graham Lotz's, the daughter of well-known evangelist Billy Graham, has stated that she believes "we are racing toward a dramatic conclusion to world events" and that God has impressed on her that "we are living at the end of human history as we know it."

I believe the same, and that is the reason I started this blog. I see so many people who seem oblivious to what is happening and even many who do not know the prophecies Jesus gave about what we would see at the end of human history as we now know it. (Tweet that!) My aim here is to teach people who do not know God's Word and prophecies and promises (Tweet that!), to encourage those who do know Him, and for those Christian who do know Him but don't believe we are seeing these things fulfilled before our very eyes (and there seem to be many of them!) to cause them to re-think their position. (Tweet that!)

That's why when a well-known Christian speaks out on their beliefs on the same things, it's pretty big news around here. (Tweet that!)

Here is a portion of the article "Billy Graham's Daughter Warns America: Judgment is Coming" posted June 29, 2014 (written by Mark Ellis, Senior Correspondent, Assist News Service):

Due to declining health of her husband, Dr. Dan Lotz, Anne has limited her speaking engagements and has been spending more time at their home in Montreat, North Carolina, caring for him. In December, 2012, Dr. Lotz was hospitalized and overcame a serious bout with a MRSA staph infection. 
"As a result, I have had time to be quiet and listen more to the whispers of the Spirit," she wrote in a letter dated June 20th to Pat Robertson. "He has revealed things to me in the stillness that I'm not sure I would have heard in my former busyness." 
Anne believes we are racing toward a dramatic conclusion to world events. "One of the things He has impressed on me is that we are living at the end of human history as we know it," she writes, based on her careful study of the Bible.


But Anne Graham Lotz hasn't just spoken out. She has called for seven days of prayer…starting today.  

She has formed a national prayer initiative called "7 7 7: An Urgent Call to Prayer." The call is to pray:
  • In the 7th month of July
  • On each of the first 7 days of July
  • And then pray and fast on July 7th for 7 hours of your choosing.

You can find the original message on Anne Graham Lotz's web site on her "Urgent Call to Prayer" page where she outlines her 7-7-7 prayer schedule, describes specific purposes for this call to prayer, and offers a sign-up to receive a daily prayer email for the first seven days of July 1-7. 

I plan to join this prayer effort. Will you join me?

Will you also please help this nationwide (and global) gathering for prayer go viral by sharing it via your own social networks and word of mouth? (Tweet info here!) Join me in bombarding heaven and the throne of the One True God on behalf of our nation and our world for our future. (Tweet that!)

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