Was God Impressed With The Royal Wedding?

On Friday April 29,2011 according to the bedazzled mass media, the “wedding of the century” took place.  Prince William married the lovely Kate  in a  glitz-and-glamor display  that cost an estimated  $34 million.   The simple wedding gown  carried a price tag of $434,000.  The two wedding cakes rang up a bill of $80,000.  As TV commentators gushed in typical fashion, the world witnessed the  make-her-an-honest-woman  wedding  of  two very famous fornicators, who had been unashamedly  living together  in sin, in  defiance of God’s Holy Scripture (called by some in the media,  the “royal shack-up”).    (God, who never  adjusts His commands to “modern times”, calls  it  a sin to be living together as an unmarried couple.)   No amount of Bible verses read in a wedding ceremony  substitute for  confessing the sin, and repentance, which should be taking place now.  Naturally,  modern “sophisticated” people don’t like  the word sin, but according to Isaiah, God says “My ways are higher than YOUR ways ” (Is. 55:9).     I Cor. 6:9 is pretty easy to understand as well , regarding God’s very serious view of  sin – “do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals...., will inherit the kingdom of God.” (If  we disagree with this verse, we can take it up with God, but I can’t think of any debate that God ever lost, can you?)     As always, there are two ways of looking at things and determining our decisions  ---

1.)  The world’s way  (I wouldn’t recommend that way, it leads to unfortunate short and  long-term  consequences)   - OR -

2.)  God’s way  (I HIGHLY recommend looking at everything through the lens of God’s Word.)  

     At any rate, the gushing media was quite incorrect when they dubbed  this event  “the wedding of the century”.   The true wedding of the century is yet  to come and all  so-called “royal” or Hollywood  weddings will pale in comparison.   At Mt. Sinai, God proposed to His bride.   –“ Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD said, “This is what  you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. ..you will be for me  a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”  (Exodus 19)    Israel  (the mixed multitude  who had  left Egypt behind) listened to Moses and accepted God’s proposal  --“The people   all responded together, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said.’ So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.”   We must remember that’ Israel’ does not just refer to Jews, but also to the wild branches – Gentile Believers – grafted into the olive tree of Israel and thereby comprising (Jew and Gentile) - the Commonwealth of Yisrael. 

      So Israel became betrothed to God, and now we  prepare ourselves as we await  the royal wedding .”Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. She has been given the privilege of wearing fine linen, dazzling and pure." (The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.)”( Rev. 19:7,8) About the reception we are told:   “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are the true words of God.”  Rev. 19:9.  Sorry, William and Kate, I’m glad you "made it legal", but you'll just have to take a back seat because  the true, and ultimate “wedding of the century” is still to come.   Unfortunately, not everyone will receive an invitation, as we can see from the  I Corinthians  passage above (neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God).  Many people will be disqualified by their defiance of God’s Word and their unholy living.  But, for those who get to participate in this great and coming wedding and who will be seated at  the wedding supper of the Lamb, they will be ecstatic  that they chose to  view  this earthly life through the lens of God’s Word, and walked in obedience  according to His righteous standards. 

Men's Traditions or God's Commands?

      The observance of Good Friday and Easter Sunday  are traditions of men, not commandments of God.  In fact, for many Believers, Easter is so laden with Pagan roots they cannot conceive of celebrating it.  However, God did command His followers to observe His Feasts, which He instructed Moses and  instituted forever.  The Messiah Himself observed these Feasts, as did His Disciples and the faithful early Christians  for hundreds of years.  These Feasts were never nullified by any of the Apostles.    

      In the Spring of the year – such as now – we celebrate God’s “three-in-one”.   This is (1.) Passover, which reminds us of how God’s People were passed over in Egypt because  they had the blood of the lamb painted on their door posts and, therefore, they did not die the death-of-the-firstborn.    Quickly following Passover comes the (2.) Feast of Unleavened Bread, since the Israelites had no time to let their bread raise, so they kept out the yeast and hastily departed Egypt.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminds us to remove the leavening influence of sin from our lives.   Also, during this Passover Season comes the (3.) Feast of First Fruits.   These three commanded Feasts all fall under the umbrella of Passover.   Perhaps the most misunderstood Feast, most meaningful,  and the one mostly unknown to  many Christians is the Feast of First Fruits. 

     Barley and wheat were planted in the fall in Israel. They germinated in the ground through the winter, shot up as soon as the weather got warm, and ripened in the spring. The stalks were cut and stacked in sheaves for the harvesters to collect for thrashing. But harvesting or eating any of the grain was not permitted until a sample sheaf was brought to the Temple at sunrise on the first day (Sunday) after the Sabbath (Saturday) following Passover.  (Passover, then comes Saturday, then arrives the first Sunday called the Feast of First Fruits). After God received His portion,  the harvest could proceed and the grain could be ground into flour for daily bread.  This offering was called a ‘wave offering’ since the sheaf was actually lifted up and waved before the Lord. 

     At sunrise on the morning of the Feast of First Fruits in 32 AD, as the priests were waving the sheaf of grain before the altar as required, the women arrived at the Messiah's tomb to prepare His body for permanent burial.  (There wasn’t enough time before sunset on the day He was crucified and the following two days were both Sabbaths [an extra Passover Sabbath], so no work was permitted and they had to bury the Messiah’s body in haste.)

     But the tomb was empty. He had risen,  in fulfillment of the Feast of  First Fruits. "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep". (1 Cor. 15:20) 

     -----Yeshua (Jesus)  was the perfect Passover Lamb.  Just as the lamb’s blood was painted on the wooden door posts in Egypt, the Messiah’s blood soaked the wood of the cross, and is applied to the door posts of our hearts when we whole-heartedly  follow Him as our Savior. 

     -----Just as His death took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, He – the Bread of Life - never knew the leavening influence of sin.  And as the Israelites were commanded to get all forms of leaven out of their homes for this Feast, Christians, the "wild branches" grafted in to the olive tree of Israel,  also must get the sin leaven out of our lives, and put it far away from us. 

     -----And just as  Jesus the Messiah fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits and became the First Fruit of those who died and rose to live again, His faithful followers inherit this blessing – eternal life. 

      I submit that Yeshua the Messiah did not die on “good Friday” --  He died on Passover.   He did not rise from the dead on “easter” -- He  came to life like a sprouting seed in the warm sun, and was lifted up as that first Spring sheaf, our First Fruits offering to  God.  

        These are the set feasts or appointed seasons of the Lord, holy assemblies you shall proclaim at their stated times:

    ⁵On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover.

    ⁶On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.^.....

    ⁹And the Lord said to Moses,

    ¹⁰Tell the Israelites, When you have come into the land I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.

    ¹¹And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, that you may be accepted; on the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it [before the Lord].  “ (Lev. 23:4ff)

Practical Ways To Protect Your Family From Fukushima

Mandatory Disclaimer:  This chapter of Facing Jerusalem has nothing to do with Hebraic Roots of Christianity.  Or, maybe it does since I hope it will help preserve some of the People of God so they can shine Yahweh's light in a confused world.  None of these ideas are from my own personal experience or education.  These things written here are simply the result of many hours of  internet research.  To keep it shorter,  I have not included footnote references.  Many people are feeling helpless about the radiation jet streaming from Japan. I am simply trying to be of assistance and share what information I have gathered.  I urge you to research anything you may find of interest on this list, to make sure it does not conflict with any health challenges you may have, or medications you may be taking.  Decide for yourself.  When in doubt – consult your doctor or other resources. How do you choose what treatments and products to use? It really is your decision. Just read through the list and see which ones appeal to you, then make sure you do your own research please. 

  For your consideration I submit:

At the time of the atomic bombing, Tatsuichiro Akizuki, M.D. was Director of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital in Nagasaki and he fed his staff and patients a strict diet of brown rice, miso and tamari soy soup, and seaweeds.  NONE of his patients died, while other patients who were much further away from the blast site, but were getting other treatments, died from severe radiation sickness. 

 

-----  Brown rice, miso, soy, seaweed and kelp products. Kelp is a sea vegetable which will tremendously assist in removing radioactive particles. Some sea vegetables naturally contain iodine and help to keep the blood clean, and support the immune system and thyroid. People who eat miso regularly may be up to five times more resistant to radiation than people not eating miso. This is the conclusion of scientific studies conducted by Kazumitsu Watanabe, professor of cancer and radiation at Hiroshima University’s atomic bomb radiation research center.

        Kelp - Remember, the survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the "seaweed eaters."

----- People who survived Chernobyl had been treated with:  Spirulina ($11 at my local health food store)  Chlorella – ($13.50 at my local HF store) (should be consumed after any radiation exposure, including CT scans, radiation cancer treatment etc., very radioprotective.  Make sure it says “broken cell wall” on the box.) 

-----black and green teas have shown "radioprotective effects" whether consumed either before or after exposure to radiation. This anti-radiation effect was observed in several Japanese studies, and studies from China also suggest that the ingredients in tea are radioactive antagonists.

Several sources indicate that there were hundreds who survived Hiroshima near ground zero and the one thing they all had in common was drinking 20 cups of green tea per day.  Remember, the typical Japanese tea cup is 7 oz. while the typical American mug is 14 oz.  I’ve read that, unless you are at ground zero,  three cups a day of green tea is recommended.

-----Brassica vegetables, called the powerhouses of the veggie kingdom.  Some of the most common brassicas include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and turnips. Less familiar brassicas include  collards, cress, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, and bok choi.  (I know, you’re thinking that all of these veggies have been radiated and are probably going to poison us, but they may have been grown in a greenhouse out of the rain, and are, therefore, not in bad shape.  Especially if they were root watered, rather than leaf watered.  I don’t think there’s any way to know, so I’m just going to make some cole slaw and pray over it and trust the benefits will outweigh the risk for my family – oh, and drink plenty of green tea of course ! ) 

----- Siberian Ginseng is one form of ginseng that exerts a definite radioprotective effect and has been demonstrated to lessen the side effects of radiation. It was widely distributed by the Soviet Union to those exposed to Chernobyl radiation and is commonly used to help cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.  (about ten bucks at the HF store).

-----Panax Ginseng – Hemorrhage was a symptom of humans exposed to atomic radiations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Japanese research doctors found that Panax ginseng prevented hemorrhaging.   It also accelerates normalization of red and white blood cell counts in animal studies.

-----Gingko Biloba –  Results of studies suggest that ginko biloba extracts can neutralize the free-radicals and oxidizing agents produced in the cells by the radiation.

-----Distilled Water -  Dr. Kenneth Sutter recommends drinking lots of distilled water for radiation poisoning. A tiny pinch of good quality sea salt in several glasses of distilled water each day will provide you with all the minerals and trace elements you need to stay healthy.  You can buy it for about a dollar a gallon at your grocery store.  There are even internet sites that show you how to distill your own water. 

-----  Liquid Zeolite.  Removes heavy metals and chemicals.  Many health experts recommend this for detoxing after radiation exposure, however, a month’s supply costs around $50.  I’m afraid that’s too much for me to buy for 3 people.  But maybe you have the dough.

----- An alkaline diet vs. a typically acidic American diet.  The following are some commonly-known alkaline foods:

Vegetables – artichokes, cabbage, carrots, radish, watercress, spinach, turnip, garlic, lettuce, asparagus, onion, peas, leeks, chives, celery, kale, brussels sprouts, cucumber

-----Onions - Cysteine, present in onions, binds with and deactivates both the radioactive isotopes and toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. The sulfur in cysteine helps the kidneys and liver detoxify the body.  Cooking does not destroy cysteine but may even enhance it.

Fruits – avocado, lemon, lime, grapefruit, watermelon, pear, apple, banana, berries, cantaloupe, grapes, peach.  

Pectin has the ability to bind radioactive residues and remove them from the body. Apples are high in pectin. Other fruits are guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, oranges and other citrus fruits. Try to use organic fruits. You can also purchase concentrated pectin powder from a health food store. It can be mixed in fresh juice or chlorine-free water.

Seeds, nuts & grains – pumpkin, sesame, flax, sunflower, almonds, flax, lentils

Drinks – water, vegetable juice, non-sweetened soy milk, almond milk, herbal teas

Fats & oils – olive, flax, evening primrose, coconut.

-----Rosemary.  Lab studies show this protects cell damage after radiation exposure.  Rosemary Leaf Tea is not my favorite and  smells and tastes  like a compost pile, even when sweetened with honey.  However, some people say they don’t mind it. ( it gives me a headache, maybe I’m allergic )  It may slightly elevate blood pressure, do your research.

----- Papain -  In one particular study, 50 percent of rats that were given papain survived a normally lethal dose of radiation.  It is a digestive enzyme and a month’s supply runs about $10.  It can cause a miscarriage if taken in excess, so make sure you do your research. 

 Every source that I researched about radioprotection recommended taking a good multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement every day, to boost immunity.

----- Activated charcoal tablets.  About $15 at the HF store.  This is used to bind toxins and remove them from the body.  May also remove your medication from the body, so make sure you do your research on this. German researchers found that charcoal air filters removed more than 70 percent of radioactive iodine from the air.  

-----Bentonite clay.  This can be added to your bath, pasted onto the bottoms of the feet, or taken internally.  It is known for drawing radiation from the body.  The pills and powder are not too expensive, but adding it to the bath may add up for a family.  Russian scientists used Bentonite clay to protect their bodies from radiation when working with nuclear materials. They would first coat their hands and bodies with hydrated Bentonite mush mixture before donning radiation suits, and  the clay would help trap  stray radiation particles. Afterwards they would just wash it off.  There are other clays besides bentonite that are specially formulated clay baths and  have been shown to be able to literally pull pollutants out like a magnet, getting rid of years of toxic accumulation in just one bath. Usually you’ll see dark residue in the clay after the very first time you use it in a bath, and people normally take 6-10 baths (once per week) for regular detoxification purposes.  These clay baths have been scientifically proven to release toxic metals and chemicals from the body.  Many of these clays can be found on the internet. 

-----Sodium Bicarbonate – Dr. Mark Sircus writes, “So useful and strong is Sodium Bicarbonate that at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil sample.

The United States Army recommends the use of bicarbonate to protect the kidneys from radiation damage.

-----Sea Salt and Baking Soda  Add 1 pound of sea salt and 1 pound of baking soda and soak in chlorine-free water for 20 minutes. Then rinse with cool water. You can also add  1 pound of betonite, or other clay, to the sea salt and baking soda when soaking which increases the removal of radiation. Some specialists who work with radioactive isotopes use this method to remove radiation from their body. If you have been exposed to an abnormaly high level of radiation you can use this method three times a week for one month.  This may also be effective for a foot soak. 

-----Vitamin E -  It can protect against the effects of x-rays and radioactive cobalt. It improves anemia following exposure to radiation. It can provide internal and external protection against cesium-137 which is a common component of fallout and nuclear power plant leaks and routine emissions and has been found in US water and milk samples. Vitamin E also helps prevent the destruction of Vitamin A and fatty acids by massive doses of x-rays. If large doses of C, B and E are taken before exposure, the terrible symptoms of radiation sickness can be reduced or eliminated to a large degree. Caution: E should be used cautiously if you have high blood pressure or rheumatic heart disease.

Love and prayers to you all.....Shalom.

Got Matzah ?

     Almost 1500 years before the birth of the Messiah, God freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and commanded  Moses to lead  them toward the Promised Land.  The idolatrous Egyptians had enough of the Hebrews and their powerful God and arrogant Pharaoh was in defeat after the death of his own son, (due to the tenth plague –  death of the firstborn)  Since the Egyptians thought that Pharaoh was divine, this final plague settled the matter over Who was the more powerful God.   ³³ The  demoralized Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”   So the rushed Israelites  took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs.  God  told His people that for "seven days you shall eat unleavened bread" (Exodus 12:15).

“On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast.”  (Lev. 23:6)  This is not the 15^th day of April, rather it is the 15^th day of the Jewish month of Nisan, according to God’s way of keeping track of time.    In 2011, Nisan 15 fell on sunset,  Monday, April 18^th. 

     God commanded the Israelites to keep this festival by removing leaven (yeast) out of their homes for seven days and to avoid eating any leavened foods during this time. The first and last days of this week-long festival are set apart as holy convocations (required  Sabbath days devoted to rest and meeting together to be taught and to worship God.)  

     The Feast of Unleavened Bread is symbolic in many ways.    The kick-off event - what Christians call “the Last Supper” - was really a Passover Seder (SAY-der) which the Master attended with His Disciples.  Just as He ate the Passover lamb, He Himself was led like a lamb to the slaughter, to shed His blood for us.   Just as the unleavened bread is pierced when baked, and appears to have stripes when finished, the Bible tells us that Jesus ("the Bread of Life" according to John 6:24) was pierced for our sins, and " by His stripes we are healed" (from sin).  He never accepted the leavening influence of sin in His own life, and  was raised from the dead - UNleavened, as it were,  - during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

     Jesus warned His disciples about the leavening influence of sin. " But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² They understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matt. 16:6-12). The Days of Unleavened Bread remind us that, with God's help, we must remove and avoid all types of sin—symbolized by leaven—in all areas of our life.

     Today, removing leaven from our homes for seven days reminds us that we, too, through prayer and God's help,  must literally UNleaven our lives by getting rid of sin. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is, therefore, a time of personal reflection. We should meditate on our attitudes and conduct, and ask God to help us recognize and overcome our shortcomings, and find the leavening sin of which we may be unaware.These seven days of self-examination prove invaluable in helping us to devote our lives to God and Jesus.

     Part of God's instruction for the Days of Unleavened Bread is to put leavened bread products out of our homes altogether.  "On the first day remove the yeast from your houses" (Exodus 12:15).    Many Kosher  unleavened products such as Matzah are available in grocery stores.  Matzah is  much like the unleavened bread baked by the exiting Israelites.  There are online recipes  for making Matzah.    It is a commandment to eat Matzah the first and last Holy Days of the Feast as a reminder of  God's deliverance and the  hasty departure from Egypt.  God is so good to give us these enduring and meaningful  visual lessons.  As I munch on a Matzah, I am reminded of the leavening influence of sin.   I ask myself, “what kind of sin-leaven is invading my spirit?”  It is a great time to take an inventory on TV programs and movies I am viewing, music, and internet habits.   I ask myself  “what manner of people  may be influencing me?... What am I permitting to leaven my life?  – Scripture and Spiritual reading? The Father, Son and Holy Spirit ?  Or  Oprah,  Ellen,  and Cosmopolitan magazine  (God forbid ! )

     The Feast of Unleavened Bread --- Jesus kept it, Paul kept it, the early Church kept it……Matzah anyone?

Leaving the Box Behind

     There is a worldwide movement in Christianity that is raising  eyebrows in mainstream circles.  Circle Believers  view the movement with suspicion because it re-examines  long-held Biblical teachings.  The Movement  “rocks the boat” of traditional Christianity.  However, the Movement people are so committed to the authority of God’s Word – even to the point of rethinking deep seated beliefs, and traditions.   In our persistent quest for Biblical accuracy, we are willing to explore unfamiliar ideas, and allow our  theological viewpoints to be challenged..   I am speaking, of course, of the worldwide Messianic Movement which is drawing in Christians and Jews from every walk of life and every nation.  A few traditionalists suspicious of this movement are beginning to actually call it a cult!  However, when did a cult explode spontaneously and simultaneously around the world, especially with no central leadership -  nobody at the helm?  People who prefer the comfort of the  box  always  condemn those willing to venture outside the box. 19^th Century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said it well - 

      “All truth passes through three stages.

First, it is ridiculed. 

Second, it is violently opposed. 

Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

     Moses predicted a time of restoration when He said to the Israelites that  “ the Lord your God will gather you again from all the peoples … and  bring you into the land that your fathers possessed. ”  (Deut. 30:3-5)  Fulfillment ---- In the late 1880’s, The Jews began to return to their ancient homeland. By the middle of the 20^th century, the United Nations declared the  modern state of Israel a nation, thus fulfilling the ancient prophecies of return and possession.   Moses had also predicted a return to Torah – “And you will again obey the voice of the LORD and do all His commandments “.( Deut. 30:8).  In fact, the prophesied return to the Land of Israel and to Torah is a recurrent theme in the books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and all the other prophets.        Thousands of Jews return to Israel every year, and thousands return to Torah as well.  They long to find   “ the ancient paths”.  This is called  Teshuvah (tay-SHOO-va) , a Hebrew word meaning “return” and it also carries with it the concept of repentance.   A dramatic reality in all of this is the astounding numbers (tens of thousands)  of Jews making Teshuvah who are then accepting  Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah.  Even high-ranking rabbis are doing so, though sometimes they keep it a secret so that they will not be condemned by non-Messianic  Jews. 

     The other side of this Messianic movement is the huge numbers of Christians who are turning back to the Hebraic roots of Christianity and to the Torah.  Entire Gentile churches now encourage  observance of God's 7th day Sabbath  and Biblical feasts commanded by God (which do not include Christmas and Easter, by the way, since these are not God-commanded  Holy days).  It is not unusual to see churches of thousands of members no longer celebrate  Easter morning Sunrise Service, but rather encourage Passover celebrations in their worship gatherings and small groups.   

     Jews coming to Yeshua Messiah, and Christians keeping Shabbat and the Feasts, --- I submit this is  a move of God in these last days as He prepares the  Bride for the return of the Bridegroom.    Recently as I took  Judaism  and Hebrew classes at a local Synagogue, it was interesting to note that of the twenty people in the class, only 3 claimed to be Jewish – the others were Gentile Christians, obeying  the call of God to return to the ancient paths.   Even Orthodox Rabbis worldwide are reporting  large numbers of Gentile Christians worshipping and requesting classes which many Synagogues now offer to Christians  who are answering the Call  to discover and study their  Hebraic roots.

     Is this a cult?  An evangelical fad? ---- Or the fulfillment of prophecy made over three thousand years ago?   “The Lord your God will gather you” ( Moses to the Jews, Deut. Chapter 30.)  "I have other sheep; and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd.”  (Yeshua Messiah  to the Jews, speaking of  the Gentiles, John 10:16.)

     “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and ask for the ancient paths,where the good way is; and walk in it.’”  (Jeremiah 6:16.)

Warning Shots Across the Bow From God

      Many people who have been paying attention  to recent alarming world-wide events have become “preppers” - meaning that  they are preparing.  Preparing for what?  We can just about take our pick.  Do we want to prepare for World War III ?  Or, there’s that menacing Planet X, also known as Nibiru, headed our way.  , There’s also the annoying “economic collapse” of America and maybe even the whole world.   We can pretty much choose from a whole kaleidoscope of impending disasters, it’s really “a buffet of doom” from which to select, with a wide variety of items to suit every apocalyptic appetite.  Anyone with an IQ above that of an artichoke can see that the world is in big trouble. Someone is definitely trying to get our attention.  If Deep Water Horizon didn’t alarm us as it fouled the Gulf, or the tons of dead fish and birds worldwide, or the massive record-breaking earthquakes --

• Haiti =  January 12, 2010 – death toll almost 200,000, a 7.0 quake that was called “the worst earthquake recorded in 200 years”.  (Many still dying from cholera).   
• New Zealand, a 7.1 quake,  Feb. 22, 2011, leaving the city of Christchurch in ruins.
• March 11 – Japan quake, “strongest quake ever recorded”, leading to a devastating tsunami.  Currently almost a million Japanese are now homeless.   

     And then, of course, there is the Fukushima debacle. an almost-end-time scenario as the Japanese dump tons of radioactive water into the Pacific, and plumes of radioactivity jet stream their way towards Canada and the US.   Volcanoes worldwide are popping their corks, sinkholes are gulping down houses, cars, and even people, the earth is literally cracking apart in many regions,  and the alarming news just goes on and on as we all  say to ourselves "gee, I don't remember auditioning  for this episode of  "The Twilight Zone"!

Jesus said: “… there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:7-8)   Evidently, we must  be witnessing the “beginning of sorrows”.  God has always sent warnings ahead of His ‘really big moves’.  I submit that, with all that we have witnessed in recent months, God has been sending His “warning shot across the bow” so to speak.  For those actually paying attention, He has been saying “Get Ready, bigger stuff is about to happen.”  We have only seen the preliminaries, the main event is still before us.  I suppose we can prepare by storing up water, food, and medical supplies, as many preppers are.  But there is more  to preparing than food storage.
     It really IS time to repent... time to lay aside  old feuds, to forgive others, time to clean up our language and use our mouth to glorify God instead of spewing profanity, time to stop doing God a favor by “flocking” to the church merely at Christmas and Easter as the lukewarm do, but to resolutely  march ahead whole-heartedly in serious repentance and devotion.  It is time to blow the dust off the family Bible and actually get into it and let it get into us.   
     In the days of the Gulf Oil Spill, The governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and the lieutenant governor of Florida all issued similar proclamations for prayer.  Here is a part of Gov. Perry’s proclamation:  "NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim Sunday, June 27, 2010, as a Day of Prayer in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and religious traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of individuals, the rebuilding of communities and the restoration of  the entire Gulf Coast environment in the wake of this disaster."  Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour had this to proclaim:"WHEREAS, "Prayer allows us an opportunity to reflect and to seek guidance, strength, comfort and inspiration from Almighty God…”  As I read these proclamations many months ago, I noticed one glaring absence – there was no mention of repentance, no acknowledgment of sin.  No confirmation that the citizens of the states may have tripped up on some things and offended God in any way.  No wording that indicated any sorrow for sin, remorse for wrong-doing, disdain for disobeying God, or regret for godless activities such as abortion-on-demand, preposterous political correctness, Pride parades and tolerance of Evil.  The Prayer Proclamations were all about “what we want God to do for us”, not “what we may have done against God and His commandments”.   It is an offense to God when we pray with  no acknowledgement of sin, and no intention to change our behavior after we receive His blessing.  We treat Him  as if He were some  Cosmic Santa in the Sky with a bagful of  blessings to bestow upon us whenever we want them, while we  give nothing in return.   “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,..." I Peter 3:12.  Perhaps it is time to make sure we are  part of the company of the righteous – people who really take God at His Word,  and who are intent upon repentance and obedience.  We’re getting plenty of  warnings, He has put us on notice.  It is way past time to pay attention and get smart about being serious with God.  Hebrews 5:9 tells us that Jesus the Messiah, “ became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”  In the original Greek the meaning is" those who continue to obey Him as a way of life."  He is not the source of salvation for those who get warm feelings about Him at Christmas, for those who show up at church for their annual  Easter morning visit, or for those who “used to go to Sunday School when I was little”.  Very important words = " those who obey Him (as a way of life).”  -- It’s pretty self-explanatory, we don't have to be a genius to understand it, we just have to love Him enough to obey Him.
     We’ve been warned.   The time is short.  The Messiah Himself said “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44)