CURRENT EVENTS AND BIBLE PROPHECY

New Blog Coming Soon!

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:07:00 GMT

This item has no description. Follow link to view item.

The Underground Church Is Coming - Here!

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:54:00 GMT

There is a war within the borders of our nation as serious as any conflict on a foreign field. It is a war to eradicate Biblical Christianity from the soul and fiber of our American society.

This warfare is spiritual in nature but is becoming more and more visible all around us. Bell ringers for the Salvation Army are being denied space on the sidewalks outside some businesses. Some store employees are not permitted to say “Merry Christmas” to their customers at the risk of being fired. In big cities and small rural hamlets nativities are being outlawed while vandals deface and tare down manger scenes and steal the baby Jesus from the displays. The police seem helpless to stop this aggression and it continues year after year. Prayer at school graduation exercises is forbidden and valedictorians have their speeches edited to remove any mention of Jesus Christ. The excuse given is that “we must be politically correct”. Christian athletes are ridiculed and mocked for displaying any form of faith expression, and the list goes on and on.

But recently the most shocking offence was leveled on the churches that rent space for religious services in public schools in New York City. They are not there free of charge, they pay rent, but even that is not enough to secure a safe and quiet place to worship. So, backed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in support of the 2^nd Circuit Appeals Court in the Bronx those in power in New York City are in the process of evicting hundreds of churches that currently rent public school facilities for weekend services. The New York Times found that at least 160 churches rented public schools during the 2010-11 academic year. The city has ordered all churches out by February 12, 2012. This move will more than likely embolden the opponents of organized religion to make a move banning churches from meeting in schools anywhere in the state. (1)

What is happening? As Governor Perry of Texas noted in a recent interview ”There is a war on against Christianity in this nation”. He promised to take on that war if elected President. But his nomination is in serious jeopardy at this time. It seems apparent that America hates Jesus Christ and the mere mention of His name causes atheists and anti-Christ demons from hell to shout and spit and threaten the continued veneration of His Holy Person. And sadly, those who are Christians are silent, like an ostrich with its head in the sand.

All of these symptoms reveal a nation drifting further and further away from the Christian values of scripture and our founding fathers. We are embracing more and more of the new social liberalism that views the good of the community as being harmonious with the freedoms of individuals. But the Christians’ freedoms and “rights” are being trampled and nobody seems to care. And the writings of Karl Marx are becoming main street thought in our nation. Marx had professed to be and lived as a Christian – until his graduation from high school. In his first written work called “The Union of the Faithful With Christ” (2) he wrote these beautiful words: “Through love of Christ we turn our hearts at the same time toward our brethren who are inwardly bound to us and for whom He gave Himself in sacrifice” (2). Marx knew a way for men to become loving brethren toward one another – Christianity (3) Marx continues: “Union with Christ could give an inner elevation, comfort in sorrow, calm trust, and a heart susceptible to human love, to everything noble and great, not for the sake of ambition and glory, but only for the sake of Christ” (2) In fact when he finished high school the following was written on his graduation certificate under the heading “Religious Knowledge”; “His knowledge of the Christian faith and morals is fairly clear and well grounded. He knows also to some extent the history of the Christian Church.” (4)

But something changed radically in Karl Marx by the time of his eighteenth birthday-something mysterious. He became profoundly and passionately anti-religious. A new Marx began to emerge”. (5) “On March 2, 1837 his father expressed his fear that some demonic influence had come upon a young son who until then had been a confessed Christian” (6) But he had clearly come to hate God as he wrote in his poem “The Pale Maiden”. (“Thus heaven I’ve forfeited, I know it full well, My soul, once true to God, Is chosen for hell”). (7)

The Progressive Socialists and Communists who are everywhere today are targeting religion and specifically Christianity for extermination world wide. So don’t be surprised that a liberal Supreme Court and a liberal media are working together against the church of Jesus Christ. Islam is also attacking the Christians from another side. They don’t seem to be united, but in fact the author of both movements is the same. What we see to date is only the tip of the iceberg. Remember reader that any iceberg is seldom more than one-eighth above the water. A full seven-eighths is still submerged and out of sight. So too is this conspiracy against the church. Much of what is being set in place for the One New World Government is still unpublished but it is already on the drawing board.

Now what happens to the church when it looses its place of worship or its existence is threatened?. It either finds a new place to rent or closes its doors or goes under ground. This is what is coming, rapidly, right here in America. I may sound like I’m crazy, but world history bears me out. Try to find a copy of Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn by the Harper and Rowe company written in 1973. It pulls back the covers and lets us see what is in store for our beloved America and in particular, we Christians. He is dead now but his writings can still be found.

As I wrote in a recent article on this site, “Help – I Can’t Find a Church” the problem of too few churches is already a reality in all four corners of this country. Hell has been working overtime since the early 1960s against the church and the Christian believers. And we Christians have been asleep or partying. Now the real possibility of open persecution is at the door. It is time to wake up and prepare.

Chuck Pierce in his latest book, “Time to Defeat the Devil” says on page 3, “In this season you must know your belief system. What do you believe in and whom do you believe in?” Then he adds "we must also learn to worship and minister in our homes. When the time comes that we are not free to worship publically even in our church buildings we will already know how to continue worshipping in our homes.” This is the under ground church that is coming here, very rapidly. The year coming, 2012 is going to bring major changes to every American. The middle class will continue to be targeted for elimination and our personal liberties and freedoms will continue to disappear.

Surveillance of our comings and goings will intensify through road side cameras, GPS links in the cell phones and cars, face book links and internet scrutiny by the government. Already our telephone conversations, emails and text messages are being monitored in the name of our national security. So Christians will be exposed and identified. We need to prepare for persecution.

I am not writing this article to scare anyone. But, we must become informed. Few churches are left that still preach the Prophetic scriptures and end time truths. Amos 8:11-13 is already happening. So stay tuned as I release more articles on the under ground church on this web site. My objective is to get the “remnant church” prepared to stand and remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ until He comes for us. I suggest you practice worshipping by yourself at home. Memorize all the scripture you possibly can and get together with other believers whenever possible.

Purenotes: 12/28/2011

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms – P.O. Box 107 – Spencerport, NY 14559 Article: This Christmas Story Told: “No Room at the Inn” 12-21-2011
Karl Marx Die Vereiniguna der Glaubigen mit Christo (The Union of the Faithful with Christ), Werke (Works) (MEW) Supplement, I, P.600.
Marx and Satan, Richard Wurmbrand 1986 by The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. Library of Congress, Catalog Card Number 85-72921, ISBN 978-0-89107-379-6 P.11.
Karl Marx, Archiv fur die Geschichte des Sozialismus und der Arbei-terbewegung (Archives for the History of Socialism and the Worker’s Movement). MEGA, I, i (2),pp. 182, 183.
Marx and Satan, Ibid, P.12.
Marx and Satan, Ibid, P.21.
Op.cit.,MEW,XXX, Karl Marx, “Das Bieiche Madchen” (“The Pale Maiden”), pp. 55-57
Google: Icebergs/underwater
Chuck Pierce, “Time to Defeat the Devil” Charisma House 2011. ISBN 978-1-61638-278-0 p. 3.

Help! I Can't Find A Church

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:56:00 GMT

In Amos 8:11-13 the prophet spoke to this very condition that he said would exist just before Jesus returns. Christianity is in decline in the western nations and that includes our beloved America. The result is, fewer churches are preaching and teaching the plain Word of God. So many Christians who hunger and thirst to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ preached, cannot find a church where the pastor believes the Bible is the Word of God. And, preachers are not preaching the truth because it is not “politically correct” or is unpopular with those who support their churches and salaries. What a sad day has come upon us.

Oh, there are churches around, a lot of them. And, there are long lists of congregations in the yellow pages. But too often they are void of the Holy Spirit and they have replaced solid Bible teaching with exciting programs. In many places congregations boast of beautiful facilities with sports and entertainment for the whole family. They proudly declare their pastors are intellectual and philosophical while they are usually illiterate in their knowledge of the scriptures. Degrees are a poor substitute for the anointing of God’s presence.

So what do you do when that is all that is available to you?

Well, for sure, don’t hang up your hat there. Here are some suggestions to help you find the right church for you and your family. They are out there, but you will have to search to find them.

Please understand that seeker friendly and emergent churches are not the answer. They teach self-help, multi-step programs amerced in philosophy and often mixed with new age ideas that have no foundations in scripture. When combined with motivational “sermons” filled with humanism and politically correct and inoffensive presentations that blend music, psychology and entertainment, all you have is theater. That is not Biblical Christianity and it would never fly in parts of the world where people don’t have electronic tools and multimedia light shows to support their ideas.

So, here you are. You moved here for that big beautiful house, the palm tree lined golf course and no snow. You may have found a job and you tell yourself you have arrived, but down deep in your heart there is emptiness and a cry for God’s presence.

I receive emails and messages through our church web site asking me to suggest the name of a church where they live. Folks, I don’t know anybody where you live. And what is more shocking is that they have never heard of me. So, God has to be our source for help. And He will surely help you. Take a break from reading this article and read Psalm 34: right now, then come back to me. Did you read where it says (v-4) “I sought the Lord and He answered me”? Man what a promise and you can put your name on that one…

So, here are five suggestions to help you find a place to worship where the Truth and Spirit of God are still present.

First: Pray

In Mark 11:22-26 Jesus focuses our attention on God as the One who can meet our needs and direct our steps. Go to your heavenly father and lay the problem and the cry of your heart before Him. Have faith in God. Now, repent if you ran ahead of God or did not seek His direction as to where you should be living or working. The Holy Spirit is a master at giving us the way out of our dilemmas. If you need to, forgive the person who may have created the situation you're in. God will not answer your prayer until you forgive others and perhaps even forgive yourself. God loves you so much and He will help you. Read: Proverbs 3:5, Psalm 23: and Psalm 91 especially verses 14-16

Second:

Drive or walk to the nearest Biblically sound church that you can find. Don’t sit home and try to find a church on the television. They can’t serve you communion, pray for you, shake your hand or welcome you into their fellowship. You need real people. People you can touch. Now, you may have to drive somewhere for an hour or more and perhaps attend the morning service, take a break for lunch, sleep or read your Bible in your car or ask for permission to sit in the church until the evening service starts. Then drive home; but the extra effort will be worth it.

I remember when I ministered in South Africa that the Xhosa and Zulu women and their children would walk five and six miles each way just to be in church. And they walked across country and back home in the dark. But they were faithful and loved God’s house so they would just smile, wipe their foreheads, take a drink of water and sit down and begin to sing. Those services lasted three and four hours and then they would disappear into the darkness as they started home. We are somewhat spoiled in this country aren’t we?

Third:

Consider relocating to a place that has a strong church. The church should be our first consideration when we are moving. Then we find our place to live and our job. Without access to God’s house, solid Bible preaching and Christian fellowship the most beautiful house in the world can become a prison and a curse. So if you made a mistake in choosing your new place, be honest and open with God. Repentance brings restoration and answers to prayer.

Fourth:

If there is no Bible preaching church near you and you cannot relocate then attend the best church that you can find. Be faithful and take your criticism and complaints to the Lord. Let Him deal with the issues in that church; those thing that disappoint you. People will not be open to you or friendly if you find fault and criticize the pastor or the people or the music or whatever. My dad used to say to me…”son it is a still tongue to a wise head so keep your mouth shut and people won’t know how dumb you are”. I loved my dad but he had a way of putting things that stung. Looking back now, I realize they were words of wisdom. So eat the meat and spit out the bones, or as I like to say, eat the fruit and spit out the pits. But be sure to do your spitting in the prayer closet and not in the church or the parking lot.

Fifth:

Meet with like minded believers near where you live. They are there if you pray and ask God to bring them across your path. They are probably looking for you too!

Now, a word of caution:
Don’t be quick to start a church. Not just anybody can start a church. Thousands of people with the “preacher’s itch” or a rebellious spirit have tried to start churches. And the shipwrecks and offended people are all over the landscape. Casualties of misguided leaders who tried to lead without God’s blessing are a cause for much grief in the Body of Christ. Many wounded people have left our churches because of those people and have not returned. God forgive us.

Starting a church is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. First, there must be a man whom God has called for the job. Someone with a pastor’s heart of humility and servant hood toward the people. Second, he should be a person with some biblical training. Third, that person must be a man of God who is not afraid to work and support himself. Paul the Apostle made tents. Jesus helped his father Joseph in the carpenter shop. People who just want to take an offering and be supported are usually lazy and will not produce fruit for God’s glory or help anyone. The pastor should be honest and should be living a holy and righteous life for all to see. If he is married his family should be in Biblical order, his children disciplined and respectful and his wife happy and healthy. All the qualifications for a pastor are listed in I Timothy 3 look over that list and be familiar with it.

Fourth he should be an ordained man who has been accountable to a mentor or Senior Pastor, who can confirm his call, verify his character and testify to his pastor’s heart. Ask the pastor where he came from. If he is honest he will welcome your scrutiny and not be offended by your questions. He should be proud of where he came from. In Acts chapters 13 and 14 are two very helpful chapters that describe the New Testament pattern for churches. I will say this that the normal new testament pattern for birthing new churches is for an established church to start the new work and help it get to it’s feet with people, support and godly advise.

Now suppose a church is needed but there is no leader visible on site. What do you do? Wait patiently for the Lord to act in your behalf. He knows where you are and He hears the cry of your heart. God may be preparing the man right now and if you jump ahead of God you could miss Him altogether. The Lord will show you who that man is to be and He will bring him to your community. Realize it is a two way street.

Let me conclude with this thought. I, as a pastor, do not have to pastor everyone who comes through the doors of my church, because God did not send all of them. Sometimes people come on their own and sometimes the enemy sends in those among us who are not of us. If that happens the Lord will take them out…Just pray and read I John 2:19. So, the church in America is declining; I mean the true church, the remnant church. And, that decline while prophesied is still causing difficulties and hardships for many people. God has the remedy if we will take it to Him, pray with faith in God and wait patiently for Him to move and supply. So if you have to pray and read your Bible all by yourself, that is not the end of the world. Think about the thousands of people in jails around the world who are still praying and serving God in the midst of isolation and solitary confinement, many of them for the faith that we all love and embrace. So don’t feel sorry for yourself. Pray for them as I believe they are praying for us. Seek God with all your heart, stay in the Word and praise, praise, praise.

Pure notes: (12/2011)

A Family Series - We Believe In A Christian Home Part 2

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:57:00 GMT

Recommended Scriptural Readings for this Series: Luke 22:24-27 and John 13:1-17

Recommended movie for mom and dad: Fireproof

Recommended Family Game: Sorry (My all-time favorite!)

When we pray to have a Christian home we usually have some things in mind. We want God’s peace and harmony, respect between family members, a sense of security and lots of love. Those things should be what our faith in Jesus Christ and God’s love and forgiveness for each of us individually is producing. And our homes should be changing for the better as time passes. But, this is a process and changes will take time. Don’t give up when you don’t see rapid change. Go slow, as you work for the continuous and deep work of God in each life. Remember, you must crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Change begins with you, sowing a thought. That causes you to reap an action. Then, sow the action and you will reap a habit. Then sow the habit and you will reap a life style. Slow changes are better then instant changes that don’t work over the long run.

In the mean time be patient with each family member, holding on to God’s promises and cultivating positive family life with much prayer, love and the continual confession of God’s Word quietly in your heart and mind. In the Gospel of Luke 22:24-27 Jesus had to deal with the contention and arguments between His disciples. They were like a family to him and the normal family stresses were at work. In verse (24) the Word of God says “...there was strife among them”. So apparently sibling rivalries and contentions between our children are not something new or unusual. It’s the old human nature that boils to the surface and manifests in competition, pushing and shoving, screaming and heated arguments. Even when there are adults under the roof there may still be these flying accusations and flaring tempers.

For the parent who knows Christ, it would be wonderful if every one of our loved ones got saved when we did. Perhaps some of your family is born-again while others may not be Christians yet. That light and dark contrast will produce tensions along with the changing hormones. But God is working in your situation and you must continue to believe and not give up. The song says: “only believe, only believe, all things are possible only believe…,” When an unsaved spouse does not share your love for God or appreciate having a Bible around or they give you a hard time about going to church; you must guard your heart and your mouth. A soft answer or no answer at all can defuse an attack faster than a rebuttal. Persecution for our faith is something Jesus told us would come, look at John 15:16-20; but He will protect us in the middle of it. Now, go back to the verses in Luke 22 and read them again, then turn to John’s Gospel 13:1-17. These companion passages show us how Jesus dealt with the tension and combatant attitudes that He encountered. Take the high ground and hold it patiently like Shammah, one of David’s might men did in the battle for the bean patch. (2 Samuel 23:11-12).

Your family is worth fighting for and the victory is yours. The battle is the Lord’s but the victory is yours – hosanna, hosanna. Jesus carefully taught the warring disciples the importance of serving each other. He disarmed the competition by teaching them an important principle. He taught them servant hood with a humble heart. Jesus stressed the difference in age and required the older more mature disciples to serve the younger ones. He taught that serving brings promotion in our spiritual development. And this will work in family matters too. Oh, at first there will be negative reactions but appeal gently to those who are the more mature. Ask them to help you by seeing the childish behavior in the others as something you know they have grown out of. Compliment them and say something like: “that’s the way you used to behave before you grew out of those temper tantrums.” Compliment their progress. You get further with sugar than with Hot Sauce. So, then go on…”help me to teach them what you have learned and show them how to follow directions and how to serve their brother or sister like you do”. Always continue to serve this older one yourself and model by example. Making that upset one the importance of being part of the team is very important and will lighten your load.

Now, please notice in Luke 22:17 Jesus said to His disciples…”I am among you as one that serves”. That principle is powerful and is emphasized again in John 13, in the verses where Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. Take a moment and read those two passages again and again. I believe repetition cements truth into our hearts and minds.

Now, get hold of this! Jesus taught servant hood with humility and it changed those rough fishermen into mighty men of God. It will work in your family too. Now, I don’t know if Jesus ever wrestled with the idea of throwing all of them overboard or running away. But I have had those feelings on many occasions, as a father and a pastor.

But don’t quit. Somebody had to put up with you and me, way back when and through their sacrifice and prayer and patience God has brought us to where we are. So, do the heavy lifting.

You are building something that is very important and something that is eternal, your family, and they are the only things you can take to heaven with you. All the other stuff we try to accumulate or get hold of is going to stay behind when we go home to be with the Lord. So hold those things loosely and hug your family a lot. Those little rascals are worth the work and patience. So keep modeling servant hood, humble yourself even as you cry out to the Lord and ask for His help. Then watch as He transforms your family from being worms into butterflies and from being tadpoles to being frogs. Then sing, sing, sing “bull frogs and butterflies they both been born again, bull frogs and butterflies they both been born again” come on…sing with me…”bull frogs and butterflies…..they”

Pure Notes: 11/2011

A Family Series - We Believe In A Christian Home Part 1

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:21:00 GMT

Recommended Scriptural Readings for this Series – Psalms 127 and 128

Recommended Family Game: Jenga by the Milton Bradley Company:

A True Story

More than half a century ago a boy got into a terrible argument with his father. The father lost his temper and slapped the boy across the face. He ran from the house toward the top of a cliff overlooking a deep lake screaming “I will kill myself, I will kill myself”. The father continued screaming after him cursing and chasing the boy. Other family members knew this boy would kill himself. He would jump from the cliff and drown himself in the lake, so they intervened along with many friends from the village. The father was quieted and the boy was persuaded to return home.

But awful bitterness remained between the father and the son for years. As time passed the bitter son grew into a surly, irritable man with a sullen and moody disposition. In fact, he reached a point in his adult life when he was considered to be one of the most dangerous men in the world. His name was Mao-Tse-Tung the former Communist Dictator of China. Mao is credited by history as having killed more people than any other human being in the world. He was second only to Joseph Stalin who reportedly killed over 50 million of his people in Russia.

I wonder, if Mao-Tse-Tung’s family had been Christians, might not things have turned out very differently? Would not a Christian home have made a difference for that family and for Mao and the entire nation of China.

We believe that a Christian family and a Christ centered home is vitally important to the well being and future of our sons and daughters and our communities. It was such a home that made a world of difference in the life of another boy, Timothy. His Christian family and Christ centered home life prepared him to pastor the great church at Ephesus. Christ commended it in the book of The Revelation. That congregation faced more persecution and martyrdom than any other in the Bible, yet their faith never wavered. Doubtless the faith modeled and taught by their pastor Timothy was instrumental in strengthening their ability to endure great suffering.

Later the Apostle Paul in writing the Pastoral Epistle to Timothy made note of his strong faith and attributed it to his up bring in a family that was rich in faith. In 2 Timothy 1:5 Paul credited Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice who had modeled a vibrant and dynamic faith in Jesus Christ for the sincere faith that was now so evident in this young man. So, I wonder, what legacy of faith are you imparting to your sons and daughters and the other members in your household?

There are distinctive, and qualities of life in a Christian home that bring forth remarkable results. When a family is truly Christian and practices their faith in the every day ebb and flow of life, that family will be different from other families on the block, who are not Christians.

One such distinctive is LOVE. A Christian home has love. Not a selfish love or a sentimental love but a mature Christ-like love that produces an attitude of thoughtfulness and consideration for others. It is love that gives to others without keeping score and serves others with joy. This is the agape love that God gives to us. I Corinthians 13 talks about this kind of love. It is a good chapter to read and reread often. Jesus modeled the Agape love that He saw in God the Father. This love is selfless and patient and long lasting, and it is a love that works so well in private and in public.

Another distinctive of a Christian home is HAPPINESS. Jesus said,”these things have I spoken to you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Christian homes should echo and reverberate with joy and laughter and happiness. There should be smiles that are freely given to all. Although sadness and sorrow may visit all of our homes from time to time, happiness should resurface as a constant because of the strong Christ centered faith that lives there.

And Christian homes and families should be distinguished by FORGIVENESS. Eventually quarrels, and feuds and friction come to every household. Even under my roof the occasional argument pierces the normal peace and tranquility. But it is not normal for us to be screaming and yelling at each other. It is rare in our home. We work hard at modeling the Christ centered life for our children and grandchildren. When needed, forgiveness is asked for and it is given, quickly. And, forgiveness restores the happiness and joy and opens the door for communication to be renewed in normal conversant tones.

I love peace and quiet; I hate arguments and confrontations.

So, I believe in these dynamics of a Christian home, LOVE, HAPPINESS and FORGIVENESS. We need to pray daily for our families. We are all being assaulted daily by the media and the bullies in the schools and by lesser values of self preservation and self promotion. Most of what the world around us considers normal behavior is not normal for those in the Kingdom of God. Our behavior must be different. That means we must chose to embrace a Biblical World View that builds on a personal faith in Jesus Christ. Mere empty religion will not sustain the moral values that we hold dear nor provide a model for our children to practice and emulate.

Let’s purpose to raise more Timothy’s and far fewer Mao’s. Examine the spirit in your home and family life. Are there fear and intimidation and silence around the table? Are you family members being respected and honored or humiliated and beaten into the ground with verbal assaults? I pray for each of you who are reading this article that God will grant you a life and home filled with LOVE, HAPPINESS AND FORGIVENESS. May He help all of us to make our homes Christ centered examples for our neighbors and for the kids who come to play at our house. I believe the dividends of a Christian home are worth the effort that it takes and the prayer it will require. Don’t be discouraged, but believe God for you home to bring honor and glory to Him.

Pure Notes: 10/2011

Where are the Bees? Part 2

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:43:00 GMT

I See A Connection - You Judge!

In a recent blog "Where are the Bees?" Part 1, I pointed you to the Words of Jesus and His warning about the coming world famine. In Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11, Jesus said "famines will come" a world wide shortage of food. In the companion verses in Revelation 6:5 and 6, the Rider on the Black Horse, who brings the famine, is instructed "Do not damage the oil and the wine". I see a prophetic connection between the current decline of bees and their part in pollinating the fruits and vegetables we eat and these verses in the Revelation.

There are two plants however, that do not need bees to pollinate them. Grape vines and Olive trees. The wind serves as their pollinator. My sources for these facts are worth your checking them out. This article under POLLINATION and Do the vines need honeybees for pollination?

Interesting enough in the context of Revelation 6:5 and 6, the significance of the "oil" and the "wine" becomes obvious. Both of these symbols are representative of the Holy Spirit as the "wind" that is the pollinator for these two plants.

In Acts 2:1-13 with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the early church and speaking with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (v.4) those standing by began to mock them saying in (13)..."they are full of new wine". In other words, they are drunk. But Peter corrected them in verses (15-18) saying, "these men are not drunk, as you suppose," but this is the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, the "wine" and the "oil" are presented together as the complimenting symbols of the Holy Spirit in the prophecy of Joel 2:23-29. In addition, the "oil" of the olive tree in the Bible was used to anoint the priests and the utensils of worship in Exodus 30:22-25 and it was called "holy anointing oil" because it was holy in that it represented the Holy Spirit.

So, if all the bees continue to disappear, there will be cataclysmic damage done to the world's food supply. But even if the bees do disappear completely, the work of the Holy Spirit will not stop. Run to Him and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Pure Notes: Sept 2011

Where are the bees? - Part 1

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:23:00 GMT

I see a connection…you judge!

Where are the Bees? - Part 1:

North American bees are disappearing at a rapid rate. Billions are already dead!

Entomologists are studying the reasons behind the enormous bee die off happening across the country. They call it CCD Colony Collapse Disorder. Other causes are air pollution, high frequency microwave transmissions, cell phones transmissions, killer bees that destroy hives, mites that attack the bees and suck their blood and clog their breathing passages, bug sprays and insecticides and the vandalism of existing hives, climate changes and environmental degradation. But the destruction of bees is far more, it is a prophetic sign.

A full 80% of the fruits and vegetables that we eat everyday require pollination. We need the bees to produce the foods we eat. And bees are also responsible for pollinating 90% of the world’s commercial plants, from fruits and vegetables to coffee and cotton. Just imagine your morning without your cup of coffee! Alarming isn’t it?

Jesus gave us a warning in the Gospels that He repeated three times. He said, “There shall be famines!” (Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8 and Luke 2:11) I see a direct connection between the decline of bees and the famine scenario presented in Revelation 6:5 revealing the Rider on the Black Horse who prophecy says will bring world wide famine

If you recall the overthrow of the Egyptian Government earlier this year you may have seen the news reports of a ghost like rider on a white horse that appeared to be riding through the crowd and up into the sky. MSN News released the video and you can see it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWQKOj9Sxkg . Critics discounted it as a reflection, but the pictures are there to see. In Revelation 6: the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bring world wide judgments beginning with a White Horse and Rider in verse 2. He rides into the middle of war and revolution to conquer his enemies. Then, the Rider on the Red Horse in verse 4 brings the end of peace everywhere in the world. Next, the Rider on the Black Horse in verses 5 and 6 brings world wide famine and the final Pale Horse in verse 8 brings Death and Hell to one quarter of the earth thus completing the prophetic scene.

I see a connection between the absence of honey bees and bumble bees and the coming famine. The Guardian Reports the four common species of US bumble bees have declined by 96% in recent decades. A National Geographic article on the web presents this headline. “Bee decline may Spell End of Some Fruits and Vegetables”.

Link to National Geographic Story Here

With every passing day the Words of Jesus are becoming more and more important to all of us. He pointed to “prophetic signs” that would signal the coming end of the age, His return and world wide judgments. These judgments that come from heaven are recorded in Revelation chapters 5-18.

The Bible records famines from Genesis to Revelation. A famine is a wide spread shortage of food. While regional and national famines have plagued humanity throughout history, there has never been a world wide famine of the magnitude that Jesus spoke of. But, those famines are coming and the decline of bees is part of the warnings that must awaken us to the seriousness of the times in which we are living. No bees means no food and no food means famine and starvation.

It is difficult for Americans to picture such a disaster in our country. The shelves in our grocery stores are overflowing with foods of every possible description. But, did you know that the average grocery stores only stock a two day supply of groceries. Trucks have to resupply our stores daily and the shelves have to be restocked while we sleep. So can you understand the impact of gas prices, open roads and truckers still in business as becoming vital components of our food supply? Now add to that the shortage of foods and the situation becomes urgent very quickly.

My garden was severely impacted by the absence of honey bees this summer. Our raspberries that require 4-6 bee visits per blossom to produce large berries were all small and lacked sweetness. No bees mean little fruit. The bumble bees were busy but the honey bees were no where to be found. Bumble bees do not visit each flower like the honey bees, so our tomatoes were poor and the squash plants never produced any fruit at all.

The famine that Jesus spoke about will affect our nation as well as all the other nations. There will be no exceptions world wide. The causes are varied but include the lack of pollination, droughts, natural disasters, wars, hording and governmental purchase decisions among others. This past spring it was rumored that our government spent one billion dollars to purchase 14 million freeze dried meals for FEMA. That virtually took the food produces of freeze dried foods out of the market for the short term. They could not meet that demand and maintain the supply of their regular customers. Now, if you go on line and check out (Freeze Dried foods/producers) you will see that those supplies appear to be available once again. But sudden mass purchases and hording of food items can cause a disaster and bring on a famine very quickly.

The recent drought in Texas is another example of how fast food supplies can disappear. That state produces one third of the hard winter wheat used in our country. The planting season for winter wheat is September through October and rain is vital for germination. So a multi-month drought will drive wheat prices up by as much as 50% by spring. Winter wheat is the wheat used to make bread and cereals and baked goods like cookies. Etc. Famines will come and they will appear quickly. Bible prophecies to not lie. Jesus spoke the truth.

Famines are already happening in North Korea, Yemen and the Sudan. Mass starvation is happening right now where food is not available. Please pray for the bees to be protected and to increase. Pray for the honey producers who work with bees to pollinate crops across our land. Many of them are going out of business and the supply of bees is dwindling. It is serious! Prepare yourself a pantry of non perishable foods and prepare to feed families and neighbors in the days ahead. Most people will not heed this warning, but you can be ready for the days that Jesus said would surely come. The prophetic signs are abundant in current event and news stores that we hear and see every day. Be prepared. What a great tool for evangelism will be at hand for those who prepared and saw the signs of warnings.

Pure Notes: Sept 2011

East Coast Earthquake

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:52:00 GMT

A 5.8 earthquake shook the east coast of our nation in August of 2011. This was a very unusual event that left physical marks in our nation's capital.

Three of the four spires on the National Cathedral were seriously damaged.
The angel carved from Indiana limestone and perched high on top of the Cathedral was shattered when it fell to the roof below.
The Washington Monument, one of the highest physical structures in the capital suffered a four foot crack on one of the triangular faces. This structure stands 558 ft. and 1/8 inches tall. (USA TODAY Dateline: Louisa, Va. by Marisol Bello)
Then on Tuesday, Sept. 7th, a Breaking News Blog reported that the 500 ton super crane being used to repair the National Cathedral, fell, crushing trees and cars below. The article entitled "Crane Topples at National Cathedral" said the crane fell with the noise of thunder.

I see a connection between these events and the Word of God in Haggai 2:6 and 7 and Hebrews 12:25-29. God said that He would shake the heavens and the earth before Jesus returns. The shaking is connected to our refusal to repent of our national and individual sins and return to God with righteousness. Jesus indicated in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 that there would be earthquakes and shaking, as signs of the nearness of end time prophetic fulfillment.

Our defiant and rebellious responses to God's grace here on earth will bring a response from heaven. The connection of these events and the Word of God is especially serious in light of the location of this prophetic fulfillment. The capital of any nation represents the high places of authority. And in the case of our nation, it is from the capital and halls of government that we have rejected God, His Word and His involvement in our national life.

IN MY OPINION: We can expect to see more such fulfillment of Bible prophesy as our spirit of defiance continues and God is moved to use wind, fire, storms, earthquakes and all the other tools at His disposal to get our attention.

It's time to repent and turn back to the God of the Bible and the God of our Founding Fathers who understood the value and protection that Divine Providence brings to us.

May God Bless America one more time.

(Pure Notes)

Welcome to my Blog!

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:22:00 GMT

This is my first blog post on this website. I am new to the blogging world and looking forward to communicating on a totally different level. Check back weekly for updates. I will be writing a lot about current events and how it pertains to bible prophecy. See ya soon!

~ Pastor

A Family Series: When Your Child Dies.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:08:00 GMT

A Family Series

With Pastor David Knapp (PURE NOTES)

WHEN YOUR CHILD DIES

Few things cause more pain to expectant parents then the death of their child. If the tragedy happens because of an accident or a fall or an expected sickness or even from abuse, the results are the same. Emotional pain, suffering and a truck load of questions.

It is the natural order in creation for a child to eventually bury his or her parents. It is not normal for a parent to bury their child.

My wife Diane and I have suffered the death of two sons. The first boy Byron David died during her pregnancy. He was perfectly formed but her incapacitated cervix simply opened and he fell out of the womb.

That event hit us in the fourth year of our marriage with the force of an avalanche rushing down a mountain slope. We were bewildered and speechless. Neither of us was to blame and our looks toward each other were blank with a single questions forming on our silent lips. Why? There were no answers that made any sense.

Diane had to stay in the hospital for a few days after Byron’s death and I shouldered the responsibility for his funeral in her absence. State law mandated a funeral for a baby of that age and a local funeral home prepared that little body for burial. They laid his lifeless form in a small blue clothe covered casket and handed him to me. I stood there, numb and floundering in a bath of tears. I placed that precious treasure on the back seat of our family car and drove to the Fishkill Cemetery where a funeral director met me. We placed that little boy on top of my grandmother’s grave and I left.

I don’t remember making the drive back to Long Island, but I went straight to the hospital to rejoin my wife. We sat in silence. In the days that followed I held my wife and we wept and wept for weeks. Slowly the pain subsided as God’s peace flooded our minds and we returned to life as normal, as normal as possible.

I am so grateful as I look back at that time that there were never words of anger or reckless accusations flung back and forth at each other. Such childish behavior is never helpful whenever problems arise in a marriage or a family. We both had a strong faith in Jesus Christ and He became the third cord in that three fold cord that carried our weight and could not be broken (1) He kept our heads above the flood waters and His peace healed every battered and bruised emotion.

Three years later we were pregnant again but that same tragedy struck a second time. Our second son remains unnamed today. His underdeveloped body precluded the need for another funeral. The hospital took care of his lifeless form without even asking us. Both boys are with Jesus now and soon we will see them for the first time when we get home.

The doctor in those early days expressed little concern for our dilemma. He told us that “we would have to loose more babies before he could help us”. But someone recommended another doctor in Smithtown who knew about a procedure to suture the womb closed; to hold the baby. He tied the cervix closed and in the eleventh year of our marriage Diane delivered the first of our three daughters. All three were born healthy and strong and we give the glory to the Lord God. That same doctor repeated that same procedure for all three babies. His medical skill helped because the curse was broken.

We did not understand what was happening in those days. There was a generational curse working in our family line and we did not know it. Diane’s grandmother lost her first two babies at birth. Her mother Helen had lost her first two babies and now Diane had lost her first two babies. Three generations had suffered the same pain because no one taught us the Word of God. But now, we know the Word and our first daughter Jennifer has delivered her first two babies healthy and strong. Glory to God! Our next two daughters will also deliver healthy babies when the time is right because God’s promises work in all generations.

NOW – WHAT TO DO FOR YOU!

The Bible gives us comfort and valuable instructions for life. Psalm 46 applies here. It is called a Song of Faith for Troubled Times. Go there – right now! Read it – again and again. This Word from God is for YOU, when the storm is raging in your life and you are troubled, tossed and uncomforted. GO THERE – NOW! READ IT. “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.” The Amplified Bible translation says of that verse…”He is a very present and well-proved help in trouble.” It’s good to have a friend like Jesus. Now, find a Bible teaching church and go to a pastor who knows the Word of God and ask to be taught. The Word will equip you to handle all of life’s problems and challenges. God’s Word never returns void or empty or lifeless.

Now verse three says, there is a “River” that God causes to flow down to us from His presence. The “River” refers to His covenant with us…the iron clad guarantee that Jesus bought for us on the cross. A guarantee of His love and grace; His undeserved, and unearned favor. That “River” is flowing from the throne of God for you, right now. And verse four says, that “River” breaks down into smaller streams. The picture here is of smaller amounts of that great river that flow into our mind, our soul – the emotions part of us, our thoughts and even into our physical bodies. God’s “River” will even causes you to rest and relax and sleep again.

“GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGHT – A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE”. (V1)

My advice for you is this. Turn to Jesus, pray, then spend time in His presence, quietly, just listening. He will speak to you in the voice of your own conscience. Tell Him about the hurt and the pain and the loss. Vent your anger to Him. He can take our anger and He will never throw anger back at us. And, God can keep a secret! He will never betray what you say to Him. It’s private and personal.

There is a hymn that is among my favorites. Horatio Spafford wrote it after reading this Psalm. His son had died in a fire and just two years later his four daughters all drown in the Atlantic Ocean when their ship sank. The chorus says: “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul”. Horatio Spafford understood and embraced this “River” from God’s presence, this river of peace. And that same “River” is flowing for YOU right now. Ask God to give it to you. Ask in simple faith…Jesus will never deny you or fail you.

Mr. Spafford went on to write these final verses to that hymn. “Though satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and hath shed His own blood for my soul” And then he added, “And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul”.

May the Lord Jesus give you peace now and courage to go on living. Tomorrow will bring His greater blessings and He will see you through the shadows and restore your ability and desire to live. God bless you – Pure Notes:9/2011

(1) Ecclesiastes 4;12