Australia Faces Bibilcal Floods

Australia is currently seeing some of the worst flooding EVER. At this minute an area the size of Germany and France combined is being washed away. One headline says it all;

Australia faces 'biblical' floods

Army helicopters dropped supplies to stranded towns, police patrolled in boats looking for looters, and families were warned of the risk from giant saltwater crocodiles and poisonous snakes being washed into urban areas.

An estimated 200,000 people have been affected by the floods, the worst in a century in some parts of the north-eastern state.

The cost in damage to infrastructure is expected to run into billions of pounds.

“In many ways, it is a disaster of biblical proportions,” Andrew Fraser, the Queensland Treasurer, said in the flooded city of Bundaberg on Saturday.

The state’s transport system has ground to a halt in places, and mining has been badly hit, with some companies telling customers abroad that they cannot deliver coal supplies. Steel production, another important industry, is also likely to be affected.

See it here; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8235159/Australia-faces-biblical-floods.html

Jesus told us that when the birth pangs get really close...that the baby will be delivered.

It's getting harder to ignore (or dismiss) the increasing frequency of these birth pangs.

Are you ready? Are you sober? Will the Master find you at work when He returns?

More Dead Christians

Muslims continue to ramp up their killing of Christians. This time the headline comes from Egypt.

Bomb Kills 21, Injures 79 at Coptic New Year's Mass in Alexandria, Egypt

At least 21 people were killed and 79 wounded when a bomb exploded outside a Coptic Christian church in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria in the deadliest terrorist attack in Egypt since at least 2006.

The blast occurred after midnight as worshipers were leaving a New Year’s service, damaging the church, a nearby mosque and cars on the street, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on its website. “Foreign elements” appear to have been responsible for the blast, the ministry said, adding that it has increased security around churches nationwide “in light of the escalating threats from al-Qaeda to many countries.”

The attack bears the “fingerprints” of al-Qaeda, said Amr El-Shobaki, an expert on Islamist groups at the Cairo-based Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. “It was either successful in planting a cell in Egypt or recruited individuals to carry out a single operation,” he said.

“This will deepen the tension between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, El-Shobaki said in a phone interview. Confrontations between the two communities have increased for several years.

See it here; http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-01/church-bomb-kills-21-wounds-79-in-alexandria-egypt-update1-.html

Please continue to pray for the persecuted church. Remember, this killing of Christians is a foreshadowing of what the Antichrist will be doing to the Tribulation saints...those who refuse to take the mark of the beast.

We have it so good here in America with all our little, peaceful churches on every corner of every town from New York to California. Please pray that we would not take this blessing for granted.

Pakistan Makes Nukes Available

As the race for nuclear arms continues to grow, we have this very concerning headline coming out of Pakistan;

Pakistan makes two nuclear weapons available to Saudi Arabia

With an eye on the nuclear arms race led by its neighbor Iran, Saudi Arabia has arranged to have available for its use two Pakistani nuclear bombs or guided missile warheads, DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources reveal. They are most probably held in Pakistan's nuclear air base at Kamra in the northern district of Attock. Pakistan has already sent the desert kingdom its latest version of the Ghauri-II missile after extending its range to 2,300 kilometers. Those missiles are tucked away in silos built in the underground city of Al-Sulaiyil, south of the capital Riyadh.

At least two giant Saudi transport planes sporting civilian colors and no insignia are parked permanently at Pakistan's Kamra base with air crews on standby. They will fly the nuclear weapons home upon receipt of a double coded signal from King Abdullah and the Director of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin bin Abdel Aziz. A single signal would not be enough.

See it here; http://www.debka.com/article/20505/

How many Muslim nations may soon have nukes? How many of these Muslim nations hate Israel? How big of war could be started if someone blows one of these things up....or attempts to?

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom....", says Jesus.

Hat tip to Tom F.

Rare Tornado Outbreak

2010 appears to be ending with some more VERY strange weather. This headline just hit Google news;

4 dead in rare New Year’s Eve tornado outbreak

Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm winter air sliced through parts of the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least four people, injuring dozens of others and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses.

Three people died in Cincinnati, a northwestern Arkansas hamlet of about 100 residents located three miles from the Oklahoma border, and a sheriff’s dispatcher said there were "lots of injuries” after the twister touched down just before sunrise.

Tornadoes were also reported near St. Louis, and one person was reported dead in a violent storm in south-central Missouri.

"It sucked me out of my house and carried me across the road and dropped me," Chris Sizemore of Cincinnati said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I was Superman for a while. ... You’re just free-floating through the air. Trees are knocking you and smacking you down.”

See it here; http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/4-dead-in-rare-new-year-s-eve-tornado-outbreak-1.2579557

As our readers in Minnesota know, we just finished an VERY strange December rain storm and now the temp is falling fast.

It sure seems as if God may be using the awesome power of nature to make us realize how helpless we are....in hopes that ALL will turn to Him.

Frenzy In Israel Over Gas Find

The front page of the Wall Street Journal today says that a big gas find has sparked a frenzy in Israel.

TEL AVIV—Two years ago, Ratio Oil Exploration LP, an energy firm here, employed five people and was worth about half a million dollars.

Today it sits at the center of a gas bonanza that has investors, international oil companies, Israeli politicians and even Hezbollah, Israel's sworn enemy, clamoring for a piece of the action.

Ratio's market capitalization now approaches $1 billion. The rally at Ratio is thanks to the company's 15% stake in a giant offshore gas field called Leviathan, operated by Houston-based Noble Energy Inc.

On Wednesday, the frenzy got fresh fuel: Noble confirmed its earlier estimates that the field contains 16 trillion cubic feet of gas—making it the world's biggest deepwater gas find in a decade, with enough reserves to supply Israel's gas needs for 100 years.

See it here; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204204004576049842786766586.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Wow! Enough energy to keep Israel going for over 100 years! So here we have Israel front and center in the world news....AGAIN!

Joel Rosenberg also noticed this headline today and pointed out the prophetic timing of this great find. If you haven't seen his posting, with Biblical references, you can see that here; http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/

Could this be the "booty" that Russia and the coalition are going to look to take? Ezekiel 38 clearly says that the coalition looking to invade Israel in the last days is looking hungrily at her wealth. Could this gas be one more jewel in Israel's crown that further makes the world envious and spiteful against her?

Jewish Wedding

We have talked about this before, but as Christians we are the bride of Christ. As the bride, it's vitally important that we understand the Jewish wedding customs which the writers of the Bible and the people hearing Jesus' parables were intimately familiar with.

Here is a brief description from Chuck Missler. As you read it, focus on what you know about the rapture of the church and the parables that Jesus told about brides and bridegrooms.

Jewish Wedding

The first step, the Ketubah, or Betrothal, was the establishment of the marriage covenant, usually when the prospective bridegroom took the initiative and negotiated the price (mohair) he must pay to purchase her.

Once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was established, and the young man and woman were regarded as husband and wife. From that moment on, the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified - set apart - exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of the covenant relationship that had been established, the groom and bride drank from a cup of wine over which the betrothal had been pronounced.

After the marriage covenant was established, the groom left his bride at her home and returned to his father's house, where he remained separated from his bride for approximately 12 months. This afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau and prepare for married life.

During this period of separation, the groom prepared a dwelling place in his father's house to which he would later bring his bride. At the end of the period of separation, the bridegroom came - usually at night - to take his bride to live with him. The groom, the best man, and other male escorts left the father's house and conducted a torch-light procession to the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the time of his coming. As a result, the groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, which announced her imminent departure to be gathered with him.

After the groom received his bride, together with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party returned from the bride's home to the groom's father's house, where the wedding guests had assembled.

Shortly after their arrival, the bride and groom were escorted by the other members of the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah). Prior to entering the chamber, the bride remained veiled so that no one could see her face. While the groomsmen and bridesmaids waited outside, the bride and groom entered the bridal chamber alone. There, in the privacy of that place, they entered into physical union for the first time, thereby consummating the marriage that had been covenanted approximately one year earlier.

After the marriage was consummated, the groom came out of the bridal chamber and announced the consummation of the marriage to the members of the wedding party waiting outside. Then, as the groom went back to his bride in the chamber, the members of the wedding party returned to the wedding guests and announced the consummation of the marriage.

Upon receiving the good news, the wedding guests remained in the groom's father's house for the next seven days, celebrating with a great wedding feast.

During the seven days of the wedding feast, the bride and groom remained hidden in the bridal chamber. (Cf. Genesis 29:21-23, 27-28) for the seven days of the huppah. Afterwards, the groom came out of hiding, bringing his bride with him, but with her veil removed so that everyone could see her.

See it here; http://www.khouse.org/articles/2003/449/

Christ paid our bride price with the death on the cross. He then went to prepare a place for us in the Father's house. Once that is done, the Father will send him to collect his bride....with a loud shout. We will be hidden from the world for 7 years at the wedding feast...consummating the union. When Christ returns to earth, we will be with him and he will introduce his bride (us) to the humans left alive on planet earth (following the Great Tribulation) and to all the other beings who will be present in The Kingdom.

Friends....this explanation is one of the MAIN REASONS I believe in the Pre-Tribulation rapture. It fits perfectly with the Jewish wedding...and it is the only sequence of events that matches up with all scripture regarding Christ's second coming....first for His bride....and next to rule and reign as the Prince of Peace.

Cold Manatees

There was a story on the national news last night that it has been so cold in south Florida that the manatees (sea cows) are dying in the cold water. A Florida power plant is trying to release more warm water in the river where hundreds of manatees have gathered in an attempt to survive.

First off, let me be clear....I love see cows.

Secondly, WHAT THE HECK ARE THE GLOBAL WARMING PEOPLE GOING TO DO WITH ALL THESE BLIZZARDS AND RECORD COLD WEATHER?

I would love to have T-shirts printed that say on the front, "SAVE THE MANATEES!" and then on the back say, "QUICKLY....START YOUR SUV'S AND LET THEM RUN!....UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!"

Indiana Earthquake!

Top headlines on Google a few minutes ago are that an earthquake has just rocked north central Indiana.

(Reuters) - A magnitude 3.8 earthquake occurred in central Indiana on Thursday morning and was felt in several nearby states but with no reports of damage or injuries, government officials said.

The quake occurred at 7:55 a.m. ET with an epicenter about 5 miles southeast of the town of Greentown, geophysicist Randy Baldwin at the National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colorado, said.

"It was widely felt throughout central Indiana and we have reports of people having felt it over into Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Ohio," he said, adding that the quake lasted several seconds. "We haven't had any reports of any damage."

See it here; http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BT2EY20101230

Jesus said there will be earthquakes in various places. Feeling an earthquake while living in Wisconsin HAS to be a "various" place.

We don't know the day or the hour....but are you ready friends? Are you excited and eager for Jesus to return with the sound of a loud trumpet? Remember he will come at a time when the bride won't expect him....and that is CERTAINLY THE CONDITION of most folks who are Christians.

Everything is in place.

Foreclosures Jump

The housing market may soon experience round number 2....as foreclosures have recently jumped dramatically.

U.S. home foreclosures jumped in the third quarter and banks' efforts to keep borrowers in their homes dropped as the housing market continues to struggle, U.S. bank regulators said on Wednesday.

The regulators said one reason for the increase in foreclosures is that banks have "exhausted" options for keeping many delinquent borrowers in their homes through programs such as loan modifications.

Newly initiated foreclosures increased to 382,000 in the third quarter, a 31.2 percent jump over the previous quarter and a 3.7 percent rise from a year ago, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision said in their quarterly mortgage report.

See it here; http://www.cnbc.com/id/40840667

So what's happening? In layman's terms, the banks made their best efforts to keep people in their homes by restructuring and giving them leeway on repayment options...and that's not helping either. People are simply tapped out.

Hat tip to Mike S.

Obama--Submit to Islam or Else!

Today there is yet another example of the beauty of Islam....the religion of peace. Here is the headline;

Somali Insurgents: Obama Must Convert to Islam or Attacks on U.S. Will Come

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- A leader of Somalia's Islamist insurgency threatened to attack America during a speech broadcast Monday.

"We tell the American President Barack Obama to embrace Islam before we come to his country," said Fuad Mohamed "Shongole" Qalaf.

Al-Shabab has not yet launched an attack outside Africa but Western intelligence has long been worried because the group targeted young Somali-Americans for recruitment. About 20 have traveled to Somalia for training and at least three were used as suicide bombers inside Somalia. Al-Shabab holds most of southern and central Somalia and has the support of hundreds of foreign fighters, mostly radicalized East Africans.

It seeks to overthrow the weak U.N.-backed government, which is protected by 8,000 Ugandan and Burundian African Union peacekeepers.

The al-Shabab militia launched coordinated attacks in Uganda in July that killed 76 people. It has also announced its allegiance to Al Qaeda and is believed to be harboring a mastermind of the twin 2008 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.

See it here; http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/27/somali-islamist-insurgents-threaten-attack-627018837/?intcmp=prn_baynote-js_Somali_Insurgents_Obama_Must_Convert_to_Islam_or_Attacks_on_US_Will_Come

"But Dennis....Islam is a beautiful religion and it has been hijacked by just a few people"...some continue to say.

No, Islam is a perverse cult that came along over 600 years after Christ left this earth. It has all the attributes of what Jesus and the disciples told us to watch out for. It is just one of many traps that Satan has set to ensnare lost souls who fall into it. Islam DOES NOT LEAD people to Christ, and since Jesus said very clearly, "You are either for me or against me."....that leaves little room for discussion on what Islam is all about.

The mask of Islam continues to come off all around the world. Will the West wake up in time to stop it?

We will have to watch and see.

Continue to pray for the lost souls of Islam. Satan has it's followers in a stronghold....and that stronghold can ONLY be torn down through prayer.

Dollar Hits Record Low

It may be that the Federal Reserves plan to devalue the dollar...is working. The dollar hit a record low today vs. the Swiss Franc.

(Reuters) - The dollar fell broadly on Tuesday, hitting an all-time low against the Swiss franc, while the yen rallied after data showing Japanese factory output rose for the first time in six months in November.

"Dollar weakness is basically on the back of commodities," he said. "Both oil and gold are seeing robust demand. The market seems to have shrugged off the interest-rate hike in China over the weekend."

See it here; http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BL1ZC20101228

What the Fed wants to do is make the dollar weaker against other currencies to make our products appear cheaper to the rest of the world. If it does, we can end up with a short term boost to the manufacturing segment as orders pour in to buy our relatively cheap products. More orders mean more jobs and more movement in our economy...which means more taxes collected. That sounds good but it punishes anyone who has savings...because your dollars are going to buy less of everything in the global marketplace.

Why is gas $3 per gallon today when 1 year ago it was $2 per gallon? Because oil is bought from foreign countries who demand more dollars because they aren't worth as much.

As we have said in the past, ask any 5 year old with a piggy bank, "Son, would you rather that the money in you bank buy MORE candy or less candy?" He will answer the obvious. So why is it a good strategy to continue making our money worth less and less...until one day it might literally be WORTHLESS?

Muslims Kill Christians for Christmas

The Satanic hatred really seems to be approaching a boiling point. Remember, first the hatred wants to attack Jews, then Christians.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Dozens of armed men attacked the church on Christmas Eve, dragging the pastor out of his home and shooting him to death. Two young men from the choir who were rehearsing for a late-night carol service also were slain.

The group of about 30 attackers armed with guns and knives also killed two people who were passing by Victory Baptist Church. The assailants only left after setting the church and pastor’s house ablaze.

Danjuma Akawu, the church’s secretary, managed to escape after he and others climbed over the church’s fence.

“I cannot understand these attacks, Akawu said. “Why Christians? Why Christians? The police have failed to protect us.”

See it here; http://www.theblaze.com/stories/christmas-weekend-muslim-radicals-kill-dozens-of-nigerian-christians/

What is described above is most certainly void of comprehension here in America. What if our services were regularly interrupted by groups of angry men who randomly came in to our church and regularly killed anyone they could? Would we continue meeting openly? Would we be driven underground? Would we denounce our faith? Would we count the Gospel message as "worthy" to take such risks?

Last week, I heard one of our local news anchors make the comment, "Well, that's what we pray for this Christmas season...peace and prosperity!" Is it really? Is that what people in America are praying to the Creator of the Universe for? Sadly, he may be right.

Jesus said he didn't come to bring peace...but a sword. So I'm not looking for peace on earth any time soon as long as mankind is running things. It will ONLY happen when Christ comes as the Prince of Peace.

Jesus said to not fear men who can only kill your body and then that's all they can do....but to fear God who can kill your body and throw your eternal soul to hell.

Jesus Christ is the only man who can offer us peace with God the father. Has the Gospel message in America become so watered down, so perverted, so tolerant of all things, that we have the nerve to pray for prosperity while our brothers and sister in Nigeria pray for their lives and their children's lives?

Forgive us Lord...we know not what we do.

Christians Fleeing Bethlehem

A few days ago we posted about the city of Bethlehem. Christian pilgrims were taking advantage of a decrease in violence between Jews and Muslims to make a visit to this holy city.

Today we find more new regarding this city where Christ chose to be born. Christians living in Bethlehem are being chased out and persecuted by non-Christians....meaning Muslims.

See Youtube video here report here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_wZb9Rj2rw

First Baptist Church in Bethlehem has been firebombed 14 times and parishioners murdered.

Also please notice that the video spends a few seconds discussing "replacement theology" and how this church rejects that theology....and seems to merit special persecution because of it.