EARTHQUAKES
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Moderate quake rocks northern Japan Sun Aug 26, 2:14 AM ET
TOKYO - A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 jolted northern Japan Sunday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No tsunami warning was issued. The quake was centered 145 miles northeast off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, according to the USGS. It struck 37 miles under the ocean floor.There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries and sits atop four tectonic plates.
Saturday August 25, 8:31 PM
Quake hits southern Iran, four hurt - report
TEHRAN (Reuters) - A 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck a southern region of Iran on Saturday and injured four people, the state broadcaster reported on its Web site.
In a later report, state television reported a second quake near Tehran but there were no immediate casualty reports there. The first quake struck in the morning around Haji Abad and Orzuiyeh, more than 900 km south of Tehran, the state broadcaster's Web site said. It said the affected area included about 14 villages each with about 35 families. The second quake had a magnitude of 4.5 and hit a region about 60 km south of the capital. It did not report any casualties in the tremor that struck around the town of Javadabad. Some witnesses in Tehran said they felt the tremor. Iran, OPEC's No. 2 oil producer, is regularly hit by earthquakes and is criss-crossed with fault lines. The region hit on Saturday is not close to Iran's main oil producing areas.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Death toll from Greek forest fires hits 44
By PETROS GIANAKOURIS AUG 25,07
A man gestures as the fire approaches the houses in Taygetos, southern Peloponese, Greece Friday. (AP Photo/Eurokinissi)
ZAHARO, Greece (AP) - Forest fires sweeping out of control across southern Greece have killed 44 people, some found Saturday in the charred homes of mountain villages reached too late by rescue crews hampered by powerful winds. Meanwhile, new blazes erupted across the country, including a fire on the fringes of Athens. The deadliest fire was in the western Peloponnese region of southern Greece, where at least 38 people were killed in mountain villages near the town Zaharo, the fire department said. A massive fire whipped by strong winds continued to burn out of control.
Firefighters searching through charred houses after daybreak found 10 bodies in the village of Makistos, the department said. They were believed to include a mother and her four children reported missing during the night. Nine of those killed near Zaharo - including three firefighters - died after a car crashed into a fire truck and led to a pileup as people tried to flee the area, the fire department said. The smoldering remains of the fire truck lay overturned in a gully, and the charred wreckage of cars and a motorbike were strewn across the road. This is a day of national mourning, said Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, who visited the afflicted areas and chaired an emergency cabinet meeting. We are fighting against heavy odds, on many fronts and under particularly tough conditions.Hot, dry winds gusting to gale force were expected to continue Saturday before abating in the evening. The winds frequently prevented firefighting planes from taking off, leaving mainly ground forces to fight the flames in the southern Peloponnese, occasionally helped by helicopters.
Since Friday morning, more than 170 blazes have raged from the western Ionian islands to Ioannina in northwest Greece, and down to the south. A recent three-day heat wave, in which temperatures have touched 40 Celsius, has left forests and scrubland parched. New fires broke out Saturday, and fears grew that the death toll could rise as rescue crews reached villages that had been surrounded by walls of flames during the night. The military was sending 500 soldiers and several helicopters to join the firefighting. Desperate villagers and local mayors called television and radio stations to plead for help. Authorities evacuated nuns from a convent and closed off a major highway on Mount Ymittos near Athens as flames approached the capital's eastern outskirts, damaging buildings in the Papagou suburb, the fire department said. Firemen assisted by water-dropping aircraft and hundreds of volunteers later brought the blaze under partial control. No injuries were reported.
Arson was suspected in the blaze, said fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis.
A fire on the island of Evia north of the capital grew through the night, and the authorities declared a state of emergency in the area, said Sofia Moutsou, the mayor of the town of Styra. At least three villages were evacuated, the fire department's Diamandis said. If we don't stop this now there will be nothing left, Moutsou said early Saturday. She was hoping ferries could transport fire trucks to the island to help tackle the blaze. Greece appealed for help from European Union countries. France, Germany, Spain and non EU-member Norway were sending firefighting aircraft, and Cyprus offered firefighters and trucks. EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he was saddened by the tragic loss of human lives and voiced hope that member states would send assistance. Greece has suffered its worst summer for forest fires this year, with hundreds of blazes burning thousands of hectares of forest and brushland. With early elections just three weeks away, the devastating fires are certain to become a political issue. The government has come under criticism for its response to previous fires, which killed 10 people.
Thousands ordered to flee Idaho wildfire By KEITH RIDLER, Associated Press Writer Sun Aug 26, 5:50 AM ET
BOISE, Idaho - A mandatory evacuation was ordered Saturday for residents of more than 1,000 homes south of Ketchum, where a massive wildfire raged and high winds grounded firefighting air tankers. After three days of relative calm, the 39-square-mile fire was 38 percent contained, but embers blew ahead of the blaze and increased the threat of spot fires, fire spokesman Bob Beanblossom said.At this point in the mandatory evacuation, we're giving people the opportunity to get out during the daylight and to keep the highways clear for emergency response vehicles, said Kim Rogers, public information officer with the city of Ketchum.Another 100 homes remained under a mandatory evacuation order from last weekend, including some worth millions of dollars in the resort area of central Idaho. A shelter was set up at a former high school in the town of Hailey, said Dick Rush, CEO of the American Red Cross for Idaho.
No structures had been reported lost to the lightning-sparked blaze, although winds were gusting to 25 mph, Beanblossom said.In California, a seven-week-old wildfire in the Santa Barbara County wilderness showed bursts of life Saturday despite firefighters' significant progress.The blaze was 83 percent contained Saturday evening after burning 239,468 acres, or about 374 square miles, of steep backcountry.
A recommended evacuation was in effect for about nine square miles west of Highway 33, according to an update by fire officials issued Saturday.The fire was about 15 miles away from the community of Ojai and did not threaten any other large communities, officials said. Despite its size, the fire has only destroyed one structure, an outbuilding.
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
POWER OUTAGE
REVELATION 16:10-11
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
100,000-plus without power in Midwest By JOHN McCARTHY, Associated Press Writer AUG 26,07
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hundreds of thousands of people were without power after their homes were battered by fierce winds and flooding rainstorms that slammed the rain-soaked Midwest. Tornado warnings were issued Saturday afternoon for parts of central and southeast Ohio. Downed trees and power lines were reported in the southern part of the state, said National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Hatzos.Flooding this week spread across an 80-mile swath through the northwest and north central parts of the state. Gov. Ted Strickland toured some of the damaged areas Saturday.What I've tried to do and what we've all tried to do is let these folks know ... that we are working to get assistance to them as rapidly as possible, Strickland said.
Powerful storms rolling through the Upper Midwest during most of the past week caused disastrous floods from southeastern Minnesota to Ohio that were blamed for at least 18 deaths.In southern Michigan, the skies were clearing but more than 100,000 customers were without power, utilities said. The National Weather Service confirmed multiple tornadoes touched down Friday in a 12-mile area in Livingston, Genesee and Oakland counties.Damage in Fenton was extensive, Mayor Sue Osborn said Saturday. I have seen houses that have trees go right through them, she said. Only residents were being allowed into the city, she said.Matt McClanahan's Cohoctah Township home was among at least 17 destroyed by a twister.I've seen devastation and I've helped clean up, but I've never seen it be me, he said. I bought a bottle of Jim Beam and it's in the house. I could really use a sip of that right now.
About 73,000 ComEd customers in northern Illinois remained without power Saturday, ComEd spokeswoman Judy Rader said. Power to nearly 600,000 customers had been restored since Thursday's storm, but it could take days to restore power to all customers, officials said.The storms in Illinois were responsible for at least one death, a man struck by a wind-toppled tree, officials said. In addition, an autopsy was planned on a man found lying in more than 2 feet of water in his basement in suburban Inverness, officials said.Rain had mostly stopped falling Saturday in northern Illinois as a line of storms moved eastward and southward, and the flood waters that had risen steadily slowed to a creep or began to drop in some areas. Flood warnings remained in effect in 14 counties.There's so much flooding continuing from the rain and runoff from two days ago, said Mark Ratzer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. That's going to take a while to recede.Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison surveyed damage Friday in Rushford, Minn., which was especially hard hit by this week's flooding. Mayor Les Ladewig said about half of Rushford's 760 homes were damaged, including 248 that were destroyed and 91 with serious damage.
About 1,500 homes were damaged around Minnesota. Paulison said FEMA recovery centers should be running early next week in the three counties where President Bush declared disasters Thursday.Paulison also visited Wisconsin, where flooding destroyed 44 homes and damaged more than 1,400, most of them in the southwestern part of the state.Officials in Wisconsin's Vernon County lifted evacuation orders Saturday evening, allowing 140 residents to return home. They had been displaced after torrential rainfall strained a number of nearby dams.Associated Press writers Dan Strumpf in Chicago; John Seewer in Ottawa, Ohio; Joshua Freed in Rushford, Minn.; Mike Wilson in Des Moines, Iowa; Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis.; Jim Irwin in Detroit; and Jim Salter in St. Louis contributed to this report.
NKorea says 600 dead or missing in floods Sat Aug 25, 1:33 PM ET
SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea reported Saturday that at least 600 people are dead or missing following devastating floods that swept the country causing huge damage to all sectors of the economy. Official figures from the hardline communist state, quoted by relief agencies, earlier spoke of about 300 dead or missing.But torrential rain, strong winds and landslides have doubled the total.At least 600 are dead or missing and thousands injured, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing figures from the Central Statistics Bureau.The agency, in its starkest assessment so far of the damage, said downpours earlier this month caused huge material losses to the (country), creating unprecedented difficulties in people's living and economic construction.It said the homes of at least 240,000 families were totally or partially destroyed or inundated, leaving at least 100,000 people totally homeless and some 900,000 others flood-stricken.
Some 200,000 hectares of cropland was submerged, buried under silt or washed away just before the harvest, the agency said.North Korea faced a food shortfall this year of one million tonnes, or 20 percent of its needs, even before the floods. It relied on international aid to help cover the shortfall.KCNA said more than 8,000 public buildings, schools, health facilities and nurseries were totally or partly destroyed, along with more than 1,000 major production facilities since as mine complexes and factories.
It reported serious damage to all sectors of the national economy.
The state-directed economy shrank an estimated 1.1 percent last year due partly to floods in 2006 and the international standoff over the North's nuclear programme, South Korea's central bank reported this month.Relief agencies say this month's floods were the worst for a decade. The clearing and terracing of hillsides to create more cropland is the major reason for the periodic severe flooding.The news agency reported severe damage to power plants and to coal mining, a crucial energy source.It said dozens of substations were submerged and hydro-electric plants destroyed or inundated. Nearly 300 pits were flooded and hundreds of thousands of tons of coal were lost.Some 100 stretches of road or railway line were washed away, and landslides buried rail track in at least 200 places, KCNA reported. More than 100 pumping stations for water or sewage were submerged.
The army and people...are now turning out as one to recover from the damage with persevering will, it reported.On Friday the UN's World Food Programme quoted the North's agriculture ministry as saying floods had hit 437,000 people and damaged more than one-fifth of the rice crop.The WFP has announced an emergency programme to distribute food aid to 215,000 people for three months. Separately, the UN's Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in New York announced it would launch an appeal for emergency funds of between 15 and 20 million dollars. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has announced an appeal for 5.5 million dollars. And South Korea Friday announced new aid worth almost 40 million dollars to help its neighbour rebuild. It has already begun trucking emergency food and other aid worth 7.5 million dollars across the heavily fortified frontier. The National Defence Commission, chaired by state leader Kim Jong-Il, is supervising relief operations, state media said this week in a sign of the seriousness of the devastation.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Bird flu found at German poultry farm AUG 26,07
BERLIN - Tests have found that birds at a poultry farm in southern Germany died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, and some 160,000 birds were being slaughtered as a precaution, authorities said. The virus was detected in ducklings at the farm near Erlangen, in northern Bavaria. A federal lab confirmed that the birds died of the highly pathogenic H5N1 variant, the state consumer protection ministry said Saturday.
More than 400 birds had died over a short period of time at the farm, ministry spokeswoman Sandra Brandt said. Authorities planned to start Saturday evening with the slaughter of the 160,000 birds at the farm.
Several cases of the virus have surfaced among wild birds in Germany this year. Last month, it was detected in a domestic goose in the east of the country.The H5N1 virus has killed more than 190 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.It remains hard for humans to catch, but experts fear it could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people, potentially sparking a global pandemic. So far, most human cases have been traced to contact with infected birds.
1/3RD OF SHIPS DESTROYED
REVELATION 8:8-9
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Indonesian ship runs aground on Australian beach Thu Aug 23, 4:39 AM ET
SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Indonesian naval training ship, with 18 sailors onboard, ran aground on an Australian beach on Thursday after being battered by a severe storm with 100 kmh (62 mph) winds, police said. The three-masted KRI Arung Samudera, which was headed for Sydney to take part in a parade of tall ships at next month's APEC leaders summit, ran aground on Rainbow Beach in Queensland state around 3.00 a.m. (1 p.m. EDT). When dawn broke the crew abandoned ship and waded ashore.One of the sailors, 24-year-old Garmadi, told the local media the crew was forced to scramble from the ship, grabbing whatever they could.It was scary, we just brought what we saw. We got them and we jumped off the ship, Garmadi from the Indonesia city of Surabaya told reporters.
All crew members were reported to be safe, apart from feeling cold and hungry.
Residents spotted the crew walking along the road near the beach and organized a convoy of cars to ferry the sailors to the local police station.When I got up close I realized I didn't know who they were, whether they were boat people or sailors, or what, Christine Foote told reporters.The shaken sailors were being assisted by the Australian Navy with warm food, dry clothes, accommodation and transport.The 35 meter (114 feet) ship, its sails ripped and rudder broken, remained wedged on Rainbow Beach on Thursday night as waves washed its hull.Australian Navy Commander Forbes Peters said the crew apparently threw out two anchors and had two engines running, but could not stop the vessel being swept ashore.Eventually they broke a rudder and broke their centerboard and that's why they washed up on the beach, Peters said.The hull is in tact from what we can tell from the beach and it's a nice flat bottomed vessel so it's sitting proud on the beach and should be okay to tow off, he said.The ship was to join six other tall ships in Sydney on September 2 for the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) leaders summit.
OZONE DEPLETION
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
US Midwest heatwave kills dozens AUG 21,07
Temperatures are set to remain close to 100F (38C) this week. A two-week heatwave in the southern and Midwestern US has resulted in the deaths of at least 43 people, many of whom were elderly, officials have said. On Sunday, temperatures dropped to 94F (34C) in Memphis, Tennessee - the first time in 10 days they did not top 100F.
Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina and Mississippi have also been affected. Meanwhile, at least 13 people died in severe flooding in the nearby states of Oklahoma, Minnesota and Texas. Thunderstorms caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin dropped up to 1ft (30cm) of rain in southern parts of the region, causing rivers to burst their banks and forcing hundreds of people from their homes.
In Caddo County, Oklahoma, three women from the same family were killed when the van in which they were travelling was swept away by rushing water. Another woman drowned near Fort Cobb when she sought shelter from the storms in her cellar. The floods have killed at least six people in Oklahoma, six in Minnesota and one in Texas.
Hotline
Authorities said the heat-related deaths in the neighbouring southern states have involved many people who live in homes with no air-conditioning, or those who have been active outdoors. The latest victims were a 74-year-old asthmatic who died after working in his garden near Memphis on Saturday morning, and a 60-year-old man who was found dead in his home on Friday evening. In response, Shelby County medical examiner Karen Chancellor told local residents with chronic respiratory or heart conditions to take special precautions. The county's mayor, A C Wharton, said he had set up a hotline to help those who needed relief from the heat. It included information on local cooling centres and free fans for the elderly. Mr Wharton said the city's heat index, a measure that factors in humidity to describe how hot the weather feels, had risen above 100F every day since 27 June.
Weather forecasters said the temperature would be around 96F (36C) on Monday and remain close to 100F (38C) for the rest of the week. According to officials, the heatwave has been responsible for 12 deaths in Tennessee, nine in Missouri, eight in Alabama, four in Arkansas, four in Georgia, three in Illinois, two in South Carolina and one in Mississippi. Last summer, a heatwave killed at least 143 people in California.
FAMINE
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
China's ag minister: Drought poses threat to grain harvest AUG 10,07
BEIJING (AP) - A drought that has stricken many parts of China poses a grave threat to grain production, Chinese media reported Friday. Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai urged local officials to find more irrigation sources and help farmers plant hardier crops, such as corn and potatoes, China Daily newspaper reported. Hot and dry weather has affected large swaths of farmland in many parts of China, particularly in the northeast, south and east. More than 7.5 million people and five million livestock have suffered from a lack of drinking water. Drought has hit about 110 million hectares of arable land, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said. Sun said during a tour of Jiangxi province, where 866,000 hectares of crops have been affected, the conditions pose a grave threat to the autumn harvest, China Daily reported.
The drought-stricken areas are key grain production bases, Sun said.
China leads the world in consumption of rice and wheat. In the past, the country has satisfied nearly 100 per cent of its own grain demand for the sake of national security. It was not clear whether the drought would force Beijing to turn to imports. Sun said growing crops like corn and potatoes - commonly used for pig feed - could boost pig farming, which would alleviate a recent shortage of pork, China's staple meat. Pork prices were up 74.6 per cent in June from the same month last year, media have reported. Shortages were caused by farmers' reluctance to raise pigs due to high feed costs and low wholesale prices, as well as an outbreak of blue-ear disease, which has forced the destruction of thousands of pigs.
METEORS HIT THE EARTH
REVELATION 6:12-17
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
REVELATION 8:12-13
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels,which are yet to sound!
2000-Year-Old Meteors to Rain Down on August 31, 2007 Peter Jenniskens, Ph.D.
Meteor Astronomer, Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute
SPACE.com Thu Aug 23, 10:30 AM ET
The meteors that are about to rain down in the early morning of September 1 date from around 4 A.D., the latest calculations show. It is not often that we can tell when a shooting star was first released from a comet into space, to travel as a meteoroid in an orbit around the Sun, and finally collide with Earth's atmosphere to shine as a meteor for our enjoyment. Most meteors that sporadically flash across the sky on a dark moonless night date from anonymous times. Only in recent years have we learned to trace young meteor showers, just a few revolutions old, to their date of origin. The oldest such shower, but only one revolution old, is due in the early morning of September 1, 2007. Our calculations indicate Earth is about to cross the dust trail of comet Kiess, a comet that takes some 2000 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. The trail is very narrow, so Earth will be hosed by meteoroids for only about an hour and a half. The meteoroids will approach from the direction of the constellation Auriga, the charioteer, in the north-eastern part of the sky, causing a meteor shower called the Aurigids.
If you spot one of those meteors, you may be only the fourth person alive who is known to have seen this meteor shower. In recent times, the shower was spotted in 1994 by two observers and in 1986 by one observer. If you are lucky enough to catch a picture of an Aurigid meteor using your digital camera, you will be the very first to do so. Tips on how to observe meteors and where to report the results can be found at: http://aurigid.seti.org
The shower is visible from only part of the world. If you live in the western parts of the USA, Canada and Mexico, including Hawaii and Alaska, you might spot an Aurigid meteor. Plan to step out around 4 A.M. PDT in the early morning, warmly dressed with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders, away from city smog, with the Moon behind an obstruction, and with a wide view on the sky. Gaze up at the sky, waiting, and you may spot one of these elusive bits of matter that Comet Kiess lost 2000 years ago. This is your only chance to see this shower; the dust trail is not going to hit again in our lifetime. It is also our best chance yet to test meteor shower prediction models and look for evidence of the crust that a comet is suspected to build up during the time it spends in the Oort cloud. Comets in shorter orbits have long lost this pristine crust. Jon Giorgini of JPL/Caltech has identified observations of Comet Kiess when it returned in 1911. The orbit is now better determined than before and calculating backwards in time puts the comet near Earth's orbit in 4 A.D., give or take 40 years. It was at that time that the dust was released that we now see as meteors. The dust was ejected in wider orbits than the comet and took somewhat longer to return.
Jeremie Vaubaillon of Caltech calculated where the dust would end up at Earth's orbit on September 1, 2007, if it was ejected in 4 A.D. and he found that, indeed, the dust trail will be in Earth's path. The peak is expected at 11:33 UT, or 4:33 a.m. PDT, give or take 20 minutes. From past Aurigid showers, we anticipate a shower of mostly -2 to +3 magnitude meteors with a peak Zenith Hourly Rate about 200 per hour during a 10-minute interval, with rates above 100 per hour for only 25 minutes. With a bright Moon in the sky, only 4 days past full, that translates to several tens of chances to make a wish on a meteor from around 4 A.D. To increase our chances of catching these rare meteors, we will be observing the shower from two Gulfstream GV aircraft (flying at 45,000 ft) on a parallel flight path from Wisconsin, over the Bay Area in California, and on to the Pacific in the early morning of September 1. An international team of 24 researchers will have 21 windows to aim their cameras through. The cameras are of different types, some similar to your own digital camera and camcorder, others using technologies more familiar to cameras used on astronomical telescopes or those in night vision goggles. Near the horizon, we hope to see many more meteors than will be visible from the ground, but each of us will be glad if the shower actually shows.
You can participate in this research by making an effort to photograph or film the Aurigid meteors. Chances are that one of you, not us, will catch the brightest Aurigid out there. Even simple cameras can provide information about how the meteoroids break apart, as each image is composed of three different images: one in blue light, another in green, and one in red. Each color traces different aspects of the meteor's light. More information at our Aurigid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign mission website: http://aurigid.seti.org
This Week with Rabbi Eckstein
August 23, 2007
Dear Friend of The Fellowship,
Each year, The Fellowship’s Annual Report provides an opportunity for us to show you, our partner, how your generous heart is helping to provide a better future for Israel and the Jewish people. Our 2006 Annual Report is now available for viewing or download. And I’m proud to say that it shows, more than ever, your commitment to providing for Israel’s peace and security, as well as the needs of Israel’s people and Jewish people around the world. 2006 was truly an extraordinary year. When rockets fired by Hezbollah terrorists began falling on northern Israel in the summer, Fellowship staff responded within hours, traveling to the area to assess the needs of the citizens and committing im mediate funds to provide critical protection, relief and rebuilding efforts through our Guardians of Israel program. We were able to do so without hesitation, knowing that Fellowship supporters would rally to Israel’s side – and, of course, that is exactly what happened.
While the Second Lebanon War and our efforts to help those affected by it figured most prominently in 2006, it was by no means the year’s only story. In addition to our war relief efforts, Guardians of Israel continued its day-to-day work providing basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter – for poor children, families and elderly people throughout Israel. Your gifts to Guardians also helped supply hospital and emergency room beds and equipment, medical and dental care, transportation to and from hospitals and doctor visits, and so much more.Meanwhile, our On Wings of Eagles program continued its prophetic work, helping thousands of Jews make aliyah (immigrate) to Israel from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:12), and assisting them with the challenging process of resettlement in their biblical homeland. Our Isaiah 58 outreach provided for the needs of tens of thousands of elderly Jews and desperate Jewish orphans and street children in the former Soviet Union, improving their living conditions and supplying them with many of life’s basic necessities. And it was our privilege and honor to Stand for Israel throughout 2006, as our fourth annual International Day of Prayer and Solidarity with Israel once again united millions of Christians worldwide in prayer for the Jewish state.
The entire story of the year’s successes is contained in The Fellowship’s 2006 Annual Report. In it, you’ll find stories of some of the people we helped, in-depth reports on each of our programs, a concise financial statement, news about our newly-launched Latin America initiative and more. I strongly encourage all of our faithful Fellowship partners to read it and take pride in our achievements. As you do, I hope you’ll remember that, while The Fellowship is blessed with a talented and dedicated staff, ultimately our success is due to God’s faithfulness – and yours. For your willingness to provide generously for Israel and the Jewish people, please accept our heartfelt thanks, and the thanks of the Israeli people. May you be blessed, even as you have blessed God’s children.
With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Canadian activist opposes tri-nation Security and Prosperity Partnership
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow.com - August 24, 2007
A Canadian pro-family activist is joining the chorus of concerned citizens in the U.S. a controversial compact that many believe could erode the sovereignty of both nations.Brian Rushfeldt, executive director of the Canada Family Action Coalition, says he watched intently as two North American leaders -- President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon -- came to Canada earlier this week to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America.Supporters say the SPP is designed to harmonize the three countries in the areas of health, security, and commerce. But Rushfeldt believes it will benefit neither Canada or the U.S.
I do think that it's a sellout for both the United States and Canada, Rushfeldt offers. I think the winner in all of this is going to be Mexico. And considering the problems that both the U.S. and Canada are having with illegal immigrants, he adds, I am concerned that we are giving away too much of our countries.Rushfeldt is also disappointed with Prime Minister Harper. Our conservative prime minister is at least not being clear yet on how far Canada wants to go down that road. I know that we certainly have a lot of Canadians who don't want to go down that road at all, he states.The pro-family activist says he is convinced that the social values of Canada will be eroded if it aligns itself with a country that clearly does not hold up those same social values. That is why he is opposed to Canada becoming part of a North American Union.American Family News Network.
ISRAELS TROUBLE
JEREMIAH 30:7
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;(ISRAEL) but he shall be saved out of it.
DANIEL 12:1,4
1 And at that time shall Michael(ISRAELS WAR ANGEL) stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:(ISRAEL) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation(May 14,48) even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,(WORLD TRAVEL,IMMIGRATION) and knowledge shall be increased.(COMPUTERS,CHIP IMPLANTS ETC)
U.N. force stays 1 more year in Lebanon By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer Fri Aug 24, 7:15 PM ET
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Friday to keep peacekeepers in Lebanon for another 12 months, recognition that the country remains unstable more than a year after Israel's war with Hezbollah. The force was deployed after the war to help Lebanese troops extend their authority into the south for the first time in decades, and create a buffer zone free of Hezbollah fighters.The resolution says the 13,600-strong U.N. force known as UNIFIL has helped 15,000 Lebanese troops establish a new strategic environment along Lebanon's southern border with Israel, although more needs to be done to clear the area of unauthorized fighters and weapons. It did not elaborate on either point.France's deputy U.N. ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix, whose country sponsored the resolution, said the resolution sends a message that there is still a lot to do to achieve lasting stabilization in Lebanon.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Alejandro Wolff expressed deep concern about illegal weapons transfers across the Syrian-Lebanese border, saying a June 24 bomb that killed six Spanish UNIFIL soldiers and a June 17 rocket attack against Israel demonstrate the need for all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias to be disbanded and disarmed.Peace will never be secured until this call is met, he said, urging Iran and Syria to honor an arms embargo.Syria and Iran have denied moving weapons into Lebanon, and Russia and South Africa objected to the U.S. raising what they called an unrelated issue. Lebanon's U.N. envoy chose not to speak to the council or to reporters.
Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, welcomed Friday's resolution but expressed concern that major elements in the separate resolution that ended the war last year remain unresolved: the fate of two Israeli soldiers whose kidnapping sparked the conflict, and the continuing flow of arms and presence of Hezbollah fighters in the south.The Security Council expressed grave concern this month at reports of arms smuggling to Lebanon, but dropped a direct call to Syria and Iran to enforce a U.N. arms embargo. Instead, a council statement underscored the obligation of all countries, in particular in the region, to ensure that the embargo is not violated.
Friday's resolution calls on Israel and Lebanon to respect the cessation of hostilities agreed to in the resolution that ended the 34-day war, and the U.N.-drawn Blue Line boundary between the two countries. It said there was a need for greater progress to achieve a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution to the conflict.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
ISAIAH 26:21
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:20,30
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Pakistan test fires new cruise missile
08.26.07, 5:42 AM ET
ISLAMABAD (Thomson Financial) - Pakistan on Saturday successfully test fired a new air-launched cruise missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the military said in a statement.The locally developed Ra'ad (Hatf-8) missile has a range of 350 kilometers and uses stealth design and materials, it said.The missile has been designed exclusively for launch from a variety of Pakistan's air platforms, providing these with a strategic stand-off capability on land and at sea, it said.
The Ra'ad can carry all types of warheads and has an accuracy comparable to Pakistan's longer Babur cruise missile,' the statement said. Pakistan last test fired the Babur, which has a 700-kilometer range, in July.afp/ms - ms
AFX News Limited 2007.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
COMPARISONS JOSEPH - JESUS
Parallels Between the Lives of Joseph and Jesus
HERES A COMPARISON FOR THE ISRAELIS TO PONDER JOSEPH AND JESUS
Jesus and Joseph were both born through miracles.
Joseph through Rachel's barren womb which was opened by God.
Genesis 30:22-24
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
Jesus through the virgin birth.
Matthew 1:18-23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Joseph's father loved him more than his brothers.
Genesis 37:3
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.
Jesus is the beloved son and begotten one of the Father.
Matthew 3:17
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
John 1:1,14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Both were a shepherd of his father's sheep.
Genesis 37:2
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
John 10:11-14
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joseph and Jesus both went to Egypt in their youth.
Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Both became a servant.
Genesis 39:4
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
Phillipians 2:7
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
Both began their ministry at the age of thirty years old.
Genesis 41:46
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Luke 3:23
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.
Both were filled with the Spirit of God.
Genesis 41:38
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Luke 4:1
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Both returned good for evil.
Genesis 50:20
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Matthew 5:44
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Both were humble and unspoiled by wealth.
Gen. 45:7-8
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt
John 13:12
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Both were taught by God.
Genesis 41:16
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
John 5:19
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Both loved people freely.
Genesis 45:15
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
John 13:34
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Both gained the confidence of others quickly.
Genesis 39:3
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Matthew 8:8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Both gave bread to hungry people who came to him.
Genesis 41:57
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Mark 6:41
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Both resisted the most difficult temptations.
Genesis 39:8-9
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Both were given visions of the future.
Genesis 37:6
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Both tested people to reveal their true nature.
Genesis 42:25
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
Mark 11:30
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
Both were hated for their teachings.
Genesis 37:8
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
John 7:7
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Both were sold for the price of a slave.
Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Matt. 26:15
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Both were falsely accused.
Genesis 39:14
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
Mark 14:56
56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Both were silent before their accusers.
Genesis 39:20
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Mark 15:4-5
4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
Both were condemned between two prisoners.
Genesis 40:2-3
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
Luke 23:32
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
Both arose into a new life.
Genesis 41:41
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Mark 16:6
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Both were not recognized by their own brethren.
Genesis 42.8
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Luke 24:37-40
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
Both returned to their father.
Genesis 46:29
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Mark 16:19
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Both became royalty.
Genesis 45:8
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Rev. 19:16
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
The course of the lives of Joseph and Jesus were dramatically changed by the power of dreams. Joseph became an interpreter of his own dreams and the dreams of others which he used to save everyone's life including his own. It was also a dream which led Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, to flee Israel for their lives to Egypt. In the same way, it was a dream of Joseph while acting as prince of Egypt which led his family out of Israel and into Egypt. After the danger was over, God called both Joseph's family and Jesus' family out of Egypt and back to Israel as an act of salvation.
Hosea 11:1
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:15
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Two other prisoners were with Joseph suffering the same punishment. Two other prisoners were with Jesus suffering the same punishment.
Genesis 40:4-5
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
Matthew 27:38
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
HERES A COMPARISON FOR THE ISRAELIS TO PONDER JOSEPH AND JESUS
Jesus and Joseph were both born through miracles.
Joseph through Rachel's barren womb which was opened by God.
Genesis 30:22-24
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
Jesus through the virgin birth.
Matthew 1:18-23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Joseph's father loved him more than his brothers.
Genesis 37:3
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.
Jesus is the beloved son and begotten one of the Father.
Matthew 3:17
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
John 1:1,14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Both were a shepherd of his father's sheep.
Genesis 37:2
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
John 10:11-14
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joseph and Jesus both went to Egypt in their youth.
Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Both became a servant.
Genesis 39:4
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
Phillipians 2:7
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
Both began their ministry at the age of thirty years old.
Genesis 41:46
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Luke 3:23
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.
Both were filled with the Spirit of God.
Genesis 41:38
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Luke 4:1
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Both returned good for evil.
Genesis 50:20
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Matthew 5:44
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Both were humble and unspoiled by wealth.
Gen. 45:7-8
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt
John 13:12
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Both were taught by God.
Genesis 41:16
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
John 5:19
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Both loved people freely.
Genesis 45:15
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
John 13:34
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Both gained the confidence of others quickly.
Genesis 39:3
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Matthew 8:8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Both gave bread to hungry people who came to him.
Genesis 41:57
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Mark 6:41
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Both resisted the most difficult temptations.
Genesis 39:8-9
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Both were given visions of the future.
Genesis 37:6
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Both tested people to reveal their true nature.
Genesis 42:25
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
Mark 11:30
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
Both were hated for their teachings.
Genesis 37:8
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
John 7:7
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Both were sold for the price of a slave.
Genesis 37:28
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Matt. 26:15
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Both were falsely accused.
Genesis 39:14
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
Mark 14:56
56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Both were silent before their accusers.
Genesis 39:20
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Mark 15:4-5
4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
Both were condemned between two prisoners.
Genesis 40:2-3
2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
Luke 23:32
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
Both arose into a new life.
Genesis 41:41
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Mark 16:6
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Both were not recognized by their own brethren.
Genesis 42.8
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Luke 24:37-40
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
Both returned to their father.
Genesis 46:29
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Mark 16:19
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Both became royalty.
Genesis 45:8
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Rev. 19:16
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
The course of the lives of Joseph and Jesus were dramatically changed by the power of dreams. Joseph became an interpreter of his own dreams and the dreams of others which he used to save everyone's life including his own. It was also a dream which led Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, to flee Israel for their lives to Egypt. In the same way, it was a dream of Joseph while acting as prince of Egypt which led his family out of Israel and into Egypt. After the danger was over, God called both Joseph's family and Jesus' family out of Egypt and back to Israel as an act of salvation.
Hosea 11:1
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:15
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Two other prisoners were with Joseph suffering the same punishment. Two other prisoners were with Jesus suffering the same punishment.
Genesis 40:4-5
4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
Matthew 27:38
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
COMPARISONS - CHRIST - ANTICHRIST
HERE ARE COMPARISONS OF CHRIST AND THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR THE ANTICHRIST.
CHRIST CAME FROM HEAVEN
JOHN 6:38
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME FROM HELL
Revelation 11:7
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
CHRIST CAME IN HIS FATHERS NAME
John 5:43
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME IN HIS OWN NAME
John 5:43
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF
Phillipians 2:8
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
THE ANITCHRIST WILL EXALT HIMSELF
2 Thessalonians 2:4
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
CHRIST WAS DESPISED AND AFFLICTED
Isaiah 53:3
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE ADMIRED AND LAUDED
Revelation 13:3-4
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
CHRIST CAME TO DO HIS FATHERS WILL
John 6:38
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME TO DO HIS OWN WILL
Daniel 11:36
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
CHRIST CAME TO SAVE
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME TO DESTROY
Daniel 8:24
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
CHRIST IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
John 10:1-4
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE EVIL SHEPHERD (NOT ISRAELS LEADER)
Zechariah 11:16-17
16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
CHRIST IS THE TRUTH
John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE LIE
2 Thessalonians 2:11
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS, GOD MANEFESTED IN THE FLESH
1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS,SATAN MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH
2 Thessalonians 2:7-9
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.
CHRIST COMES TO EARTH TO RULE FOR 1000 YRS THEN FOREVER
Revelation 19:11-16
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
THE ANTICHRIST AND HIS FOLLOWERS THROWN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER
Revelation 19:20-21
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20:2-3,14-15
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Forever)
CHRIST CAME FROM HEAVEN
JOHN 6:38
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME FROM HELL
Revelation 11:7
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
CHRIST CAME IN HIS FATHERS NAME
John 5:43
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME IN HIS OWN NAME
John 5:43
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF
Phillipians 2:8
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
THE ANITCHRIST WILL EXALT HIMSELF
2 Thessalonians 2:4
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
CHRIST WAS DESPISED AND AFFLICTED
Isaiah 53:3
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE ADMIRED AND LAUDED
Revelation 13:3-4
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
CHRIST CAME TO DO HIS FATHERS WILL
John 6:38
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME TO DO HIS OWN WILL
Daniel 11:36
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
CHRIST CAME TO SAVE
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME TO DESTROY
Daniel 8:24
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
CHRIST IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
John 10:1-4
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE EVIL SHEPHERD (NOT ISRAELS LEADER)
Zechariah 11:16-17
16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
CHRIST IS THE TRUTH
John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE LIE
2 Thessalonians 2:11
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS, GOD MANEFESTED IN THE FLESH
1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS,SATAN MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH
2 Thessalonians 2:7-9
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.
CHRIST COMES TO EARTH TO RULE FOR 1000 YRS THEN FOREVER
Revelation 19:11-16
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
THE ANTICHRIST AND HIS FOLLOWERS THROWN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER
Revelation 19:20-21
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20:2-3,14-15
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Forever)
Friday, August 24, 2007
WND ON BIAS CNN AMANPOUR
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
More storms slam flooded Midwest By DAN STRUMPF, Associated Press Writer
AUG 24,07
CHICAGO - Ferocious thunderstorms, heat and humidity added to the Midwest's flooding misery Friday as thousands of people returned to damaged homes, many without electricity to run fans or pumps. A sudden thunderstorm with 70 mph wind slammed into the Chicago area Thursday evening, tearing down huge trees and damaging buildings. In the suburbs, part of an industrial facility's roof collapsed, injuring 40 people, and a tornado was reported as the storm moved into Michigan.Early Friday, another band of thunderstorms was dumping more rain along a line from southern Iowa into Wisconsin.Most of southern Iowa was under a flash flood watch through Friday evening as as much as 8 inches of rain fell, the National Weather Service said. Ottumwa residents were asked to conserve water because all the rain had backed up sewers and flooded a pump room at the water plant. The water wasn't contaminated yet, officials said early Friday, but the city's 25,000 residents were advised to boil it.
Nearly a week of heavy rain and devastating flooding across the upper Midwest has damaged hundreds of homes and has been blamed for at least 16 deaths, including two on Thursday.The powerful storms that swept Illinois blew over a tree in rural Knox County, killing one man. Flooding in Ohio was blamed for the death of another Thursday, a 92-year-old man who drowned trying to get to safety after his car became trapped in floodwater near Findlay.Kimber Hall, 20, was riding her bike along Lake Michigan when the sky opened up.Out of nowhere, the sky just went black, she said. Sheets of rain. Lightning hit a tree about 25 feet away from me. A branch hit me in the face.Hall said she found shelter at a nearby underpass, where others had also huddled to escape the rain and lightning.About 310,000 homes and businesses in northern Illinois and 115,000 in Michigan were without power afterward. ComEd spokesman Tom Stevens in Chicago said it could take days to restore power for some customers north of the city.
Other storms lashed Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana on Thursday.
Hard-hit Ohio finally got a break on Thursday, at least from the rain. Instead, the state got temperatures in the upper 90s making that the cleanup from widespread flooding even more of a struggle.In Findlay, which saw its worst flooding in nearly a century, people tried to pump water from their basements and tally their losses.
Most of it's ruined, Joe Lamb said as he sorted through a bin of soaked NASCAR memorabilia, hosing off the mini Dale Earnhardt collector cars and tossing the rest. Our Christmas stuff, everything.A day earlier, firefighters and volunteers in boats and canoes had navigated the waist-deep floodwater to rescue their neighbors. Some residents were still stuck in a shelter, where 200 people slept Wednesday night.
In Chicago, a few businesses found a bright side to the storm raging outside on Thursday.It was out of control, bartender Nick McCann said. People would not leave. ... We had $2 margaritas, and people were getting hammered.About 500 flights at O'Hare International Airport were canceled Thursday evening and others delayed for more than 2 1/2 hours, Chicago Aviation Commissioner Nuria Fernandez said. Strong winds knocked down a hangar under construction at the Gary/Chicago International Airport leaving just a pile of metal, Gary Jet Center president Will Davis said. In southwestern Wisconsin, the National Guard pumped water to relieve pressure on at least one dam, said Mike Goetzman, a spokesman for Wisconsin Emergency Management. The earthen dam had been eroded earlier this week by water from the weekend thunderstorms. Iowa officials were keeping a close eye on the Des Moines River, and In the river town of Fort Dodge, crews scrambled to shore up a levee.
At Fox Lake, in northern Illinois, residents were busy stacking sandbags to protect their houses from the rising Fox River, said Ami McEwan, assistant administrator for Lake County. Most of them are sandbagging and keeping it at bay, she said. Associated Press writers Don Babwin, Megan Reichgott and Sophia Tareen in Chicago and John Seewer in Findlay, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Ten killed in torrential rains in Niger Thu Aug 23, 12:19 PM ET
NIAMEY (AFP) - At least 10 people have been killed and as many injured following torrential rains in Niger this month, which also destroyed many hundreds of homes, officials said Thursday. The situation is worrying because many families are without homes, Chaibou Maazou, governor of the city of Maradi, told public radio.A resident of Maradi, the country's economic capital and the area worst hit by destruction, told the radio station that the rains have caused more destruction than at any time in the past 10 years.On August 6, six people died in a road accident caused by a collapsing bridge near Niamey, the local fire brigade said, adding that nine were injured in the accident and seven others went missing.In the southern Zinder region four people drowned when their house collapsed under heavy rains, the radio said.
In Maradi, 1,200 homes were damaged and dozens of houses collapsed under the rain. Many residents of two poor areas of the city found shelter in government buildings.
The head of the Maradi province, Ali Zaki, said that medication, clothes and tents were needed.Problems were also reported from Tahoua and Agadez in the Niger desert region, where about a hundred crop fields were inundated and dozens of domestic animals drowned in the deluge.Heavy rains are very unusual in Niger, which habitually clocks up only between 100 and 300 millimetres (four to 11 inches) of rain per year.In 2005, three million people were hit by famine because of drought and a cricket infestation that destroyed crops.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
WHO warns of global epidemic risk AUG 23,07
Sharing data is crucial to curb viruses like bird flu, the WHO says
Infectious diseases are spreading faster than ever before, the World Health Organization annual report says. With about 2.1 billion airline passengers flying each year, there is a high risk of another major epidemic such as Aids, Sars or Ebola fever. The WHO urges increased efforts to combat disease outbreaks, and sharing of virus data to help develop vaccines. Without this, it says, there could be devastating impacts on the global economy and international security. In the report, A Safer Future, the WHO says new diseases are emerging at the historically unprecedented rate of one per year. International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility
Since the 1970s, 39 new diseases have developed, and in the last five years alone, the WHO has identified more than 1,100 epidemics including cholera, polio and bird flu. It would be extremely naive and complacent to assume that there will not be another disease like Aids, another Ebola, or another Sars, sooner or later, the report says. Sharing of medical data, skills and technology between rich and poor nations is one of the most feasible routes to health security, it says.
Openness needed
The WHO is embroiled in a dispute with Indonesia over its H5N1 bird flu virus samples.
WHO REPORT
Infectious diseases emerging at a rate of one or more a year since the 1970s
These include bird flu, Sars, also Ebola, Marburg and Nipah viruses. Flu pandemic could affect more than 1.5 billion people or 25% of world population Comeback by cholera, yellow fever and epidemic meningococcal disease in the last quarter of the 20th Century 685 verified events of international public health concern from September 2003 to September 2006 Growth of anti-microbial resistance, notably drug-resistant TB. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Jakarta has refused to share its samples with the WHO amid fears that pharmaceutical companies will use them to make vaccines that are too expensive for Indonesia.
China only started sharing its H5N1 samples in June.
The WHO report also urges governments to be open about disease outbreaks, saying nearly half of all outbreak alerts it receives come from the media. Drug resistance also poses a threat to disease control, the WHO says, blaming misuse of antibiotics and poor medical treatment, particularly in the case of tuberculosis. In an introduction to the report, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan says co-operation is crucial to combat outbreaks. Given today's universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity, Dr Chan says. International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Iran develops 900-kg smart bomb - official media
Guided bomb developed by specialists within Islamic Republic’s Defense Ministry and is now operational, IRNA news agency reports, adding it could be dropped from F-4 and F-5 jets - Reuters Published: 08.22.07, 23:57 / Israel News
Iran has developed a 2,000-pound (900 kg) smart bomb, official media quoted a Defense Ministry statement as saying on Wednesday, in the latest announcement from Tehran about progress regarding military hardware.Revolutionary Guards. Guards chief: Iran missiles can hit warships in Gulf / Reuters.Commander of Revolutionary Guards says his ground forces have missiles that could penetrate armor plating fitted to Israel's Merkava tanks, US Abrams tanks.
The guided bomb, named Qased (Messenger), was developed by specialists within the ministry and is now operational, IRNA news agency said, adding it could be dropped from F-4 and F-5 jets. Iran still uses planes, such as the F-5, supplied by the United States to the government of the former shah of Iran, who was a close US ally. Mohammad Reza Shah was ousted in the 1979 Islamic revolution, after which Washington cut ties with Tehran. The two countries are embroiled in a deepening standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at making atom bombs, a charge Iran denies. Iran often says it has built new arms or upgraded weapons but rarely gives enough details for analysts to determine their capabilities. Although much of Iran’s weaponry is outmoded, analysts say Iran has become proficient at modifying such arms.
Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said last year Iran had designed the Qased bomb but that it had yet to be tested. He said only a limited number of countries possessed the technology of smart and guided weaponry. The United States says it would prefer a diplomatic solution to the nuclear row, but has not ruled out military action. Iran has threatened to hit back at US regional interests if attacked.
PERSECUSSION,BEHEADINGS
JESUS PERSECUTED BIGTIME
ISAIAH 53:4
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
MATTHEW 9:34
34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
JOHN 8:41
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
JOHN 10:20
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11(JESUS GETS REVENGE)
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AND FOR SINNERS, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE FINAL JUDGEMENT).
WE ARE CHRISTIANS WE WILL BE TREATED THE SAME.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5 (WHY WE ARE PERSECUTED BY THE WORLD)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
MATTHEW 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
MATTHEW 24:9
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
JOHN 15:18-20
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me (JESUS) before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain(BEHEADED) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
REVELATION 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
FAITH UNDER FIRE
Convert or die,Christians told - Muslims flood neighborhoods with threats
August 23, 2007 - WorldNetDaily.com
Christian residents of several neighborhoods in northern Pakistan have been sent letters inviting them to abandon Christianity and join Islam – or be killed, according to a new report from Voice of the Martyrs, the ministry to persecuted Christians around the world. There have been numerous threats sent to Peshawar's Kohati area, sources for VOM reported this week. The letters say if we don't become Muslim we will be killed.The unsigned threats began several weeks ago, when residents of Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province, reported receiving the letters threatening suicide bombings if they did not convert.
The letters went to Christian residents of the Tailgodom, Sandagodom and Goalgodom neighborhoods, according to a report from Assist News Service. These letters sent a wave of fear and uncertainty among the Christian residents of these … areas, Kamran George, a Peshawar government member, told the news service. Each of the districts houses an estimated 2,000 Christians. Through this open letter you are openly invited to convert to Islam and quit Christianity, the religion of infidels, the letter said. Readers could ensure your place in heaven by adopting Islam. We will wipe out your slum on next Friday, August, 10th, 2007. And you, yourself would be responsible for the destruction of your men and material. Get ready! This is not a mere threat, our suicide bombers are ready to wipe out your name and signs from the face of earth. Consider it be the Knock of Death, it said.
Although that deadline has passed, Christians still fear the threat, a government official told Assist. He noted that a man dressed in Pakistan's national dress managed to get inside a recent meeting at St. John Catholic Church in Peshawar, but fled immediately when he saw police. George said the threats were prompted by the suggestion from U.S. presidential candidate Tom Tancredo that the U.S. threaten to bomb Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in retaliation if there would be a terrorist nuclear attack on the United States. We would be pleased to send those to Hell who dared casting malicious eye on Khana Kaba (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) and Prophet's Mosque (Medina, Saudi Arabia). There is death here (in Pakistan) for the agents and followers of the religion of Americans (Christians), said the letter, written in Urdu, Pakiston's national language, Assist reported. We would wipe out the Churches from the face of the earth because our mosques, seminaries and children are being martyred on the directions of United States. We would write a new history with the blood of Infidels. Our suicide bombers, lovers of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) are ready to strike churches, to protect the sanctity of Mecca and Medina, and pride of Islam.
These suicide bombers would strike at any time or day. It is our first and foremost Jihad (Islamic Holy war) to assassinate and eradicate the infidels from the face of earth, the letter said. Additional police have been assigned in the region, the same area where a surge of violence followed the recent occupation and storming of the nation's Red Mosque. There, as WND reported, radical leaders faced off against Pakistani forces and said the 1,800 children in the compound had taken oaths on the Quran to fight to the death.
Abdul Rashid Ghazi
Followers of Abdul Rashid Ghazi, leader of the pro-Taliban mosque, staged the standoff after a crackdown was launched on the mosque for a months-long campaign to expand Islamic religious law. A minority member of Pakistan's parliament, Pervaiz Masih, even raised the issue of the threats in the legislature's National Assembly, reading the letter to lawmakers and calling on the government to note the insecurity it had created. The Voice of the Martyrs cited a list of other attacks on Christians in Pakistan in recent weeks that also have raised concerns. For example, the organization reported that Muslims had confessed and apologized for attacking a church in the Punjab region, but have to this point offered no compensation for injuring Christians and damaging their building. Reports confirmed seven Christians were hurt and Christian literature was destroyed at a Salvation Army church north of Faisalabad in the attack, and attackers admitted they had planned to burn a page of the Quran – which can bring a life prison sentence in Pakistan – and then blame the Christians of the community. The attack happened just as Christians were assembling for a worship meeting, and several victims were hit with axes. Bibles and hymn books also were destroyed.
Just weeks earlier, a formal court session in Lahore also sentenced a Pakistani Christian to death for blasphemy. Authorities said Younis Masih, a Christian from Chungi Amar Sadu in Lahore, was accused of blasphemy of the Prophet Muhammad. Although no one has yet been executed by the state for blasphemy, several have been murdered by extremists. Christian Solidarity Worldwide says Pakistan's blasphemy laws are regularly misused as a means of settling scores or targeting religious minorities. The blasphemy laws require only an accusation by one man against another for a case to be filed. In almost all cases the charges are entirely fabricated. Masih was outspoken against incidents of rape committed against Christian girls, and is a Christian himself. It is believed these were the reasons he was accused of blasphemy, according to reports. VOM is a non-profit, interdenominational ministry working worldwide to help Christians who are persecuted for their faith, and to educate the world about that persecution. Its headquarters are in Bartlesville, Okla., and it has 30 affiliated international offices.
It was launched by the late Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, who started smuggling Russian Gospels into Russia in 1947, just months before Richard was abducted and imprisoned in Romania where he was tortured for his refusal to recant Christianity.
He eventually was released in 1964 and the next year he testified about the persecution of Christians before the U.S. Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee, stripping to the waist to show the deep torture wound scars on his body. The group that later was renamed The Voice of the Martyrs was organized in 1967, when his book, Tortured for Christ, was released.
West Bank: Abbas won't seek re-election, officials claim
Ramallah, 24 August (AKI) - Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas will not be seeking another term in office, PA officials said on Thursday. Abbas, who was elected in January 2005 in the first presidential election following the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, would retire and devote more time to his family, the officials told The Jerusalem Post. They also said that 73-year-old Abbas, who has devoted more than half of his life to the Palestinian cause, believes that he and other veterans in the PLO should step aside and allow younger leaders to emerge.
Abbas, according to some of his aides, is planning to call early elections within the next six months. I doubt if the president will run for another term, said one aide. He has hinted more than once that he is tired and wants to relax.Abbas's status within his own Fatah faction suffered a severe blow following Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last June. Many Fatah leaders and activists have openly blamed him for the Hamas coup, saying it was Abbas's conciliatory approach toward Hamas increased the Islamist movement's appetite. Abbas travelled to Jordan 10 days ago, where he met an old colleague, Ahmed Ghnaim, and reportedly sought to persuade him to move from Tunisia to Ramallah. Ghnaim, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Maher, is one of the few veteran PLO leaders who refused to move to the Palestinian territories after the signing of the Oslo Accords. At the meeting, Abbas reportedly told the 70-year-old Ghnaim that he sees him as his natural successor as chairman of the PA.
But according to the Post, Ghnaim remains staunchly opposed to the Oslo Accords and is said to have turned down the offer. Like Abbas, Ghnaim belongs to the old guard in Fatah - a group that has long been accused of denying younger representatives a say in decision-making. His refusal may be a result of concern that he would be the victim of the long-term power struggle in Fatah.Reports that Abbas is not planning to contest the next vote have escalated political posturing. The return of top Fatah activist Muhammed Dahlan to Ramallah this week after six weeks of medical treatment in Germany triggered a wave of rumors as to his future plans. Dahlan's aides said he was planning to resume his activities as member of Fatah's two key decision-making bodies: the central council and the revolutionary council. They also said that Dahlan did not rule out the possibility of presenting his candidacy in the next presidential elections. A number of Fatah officials have publicly accused Dahlan of destroying the faction by trying to bring down the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip with the help of the US and Israel. According to the Post, two other personalities who are also likely to contest the vote are Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, and Farouk Kaddoumi, the estranged Fatah leader who has long regarded himself as the most suitable person to lead the Palestinians.
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
CNN airs one of the most distorted programs ever,Documentary compares Jews, Christians to Muslim terrorists - August 23, 2007 - By Aaron Klein
2007 WorldNetDaily.com
JERUSALEM – A CNN special series airing this week entitled God's Warriors – produced and anchored by the network's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour – is one of the most grossly distorted programs ever aired on mainstream American television, according to a media watchdog report. God's Warriors takes up six prime-time hours on CNN this week, airing in three parts at 9 p.m. EST. It started Tuesday and concludes tonight. The first part of the series, God's Jewish Warriors, compared Jewish and Christian radicals to Muslim supporters of suicide terror, presented anti-Israel commentators with no counterbalance, falsely labeled the West Bank as Palestinian land, and minimized Jewish rights to the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site, the critics said.
During Tuesday's program, Amanpour also conducted a friendly interview about Israel with former President Jimmy Carter, whose most recent book, Palestine: Peace, not Apartheid, criticized the Jewish state's treatment of Palestinians. The book was slammed for a series of falsehoods and was widely labeled anti-Israeli by multiple media critics. [The CNN series] is false in its basic premise, established in the opening scene in which Jewish (and Christian) religious fervency is equated with that of Muslims heard endorsing martyrdom, or suicide-murder. There is, of course, no counterpart among Jews and Christians to the violent jihadist Muslim campaigns under way across the globe, stated the report by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America. Amanpour's CNN documentary God's Warriors describes itself as focusing on religious fundamentalism among Christians, Muslims and Jews.
Tuesday's segment started off comparing Jewish terrorists to that of Muslims, specifically focusing on the few instances of violence or attempted violence by religiously motivated Jews against Muslims. It told the story of Baruch Goldstein, an American-born Israeli physician who killed 29 Arabs in the West Bank city of Hebron in 1994. Goldstein's actions were widely condemned by Israelis and worldwide Jewry. The organization he was a part of was outlawed in Israel. States the CAMERA report: While in reality Jewish terrorism is virtually non-existent, the program magnifies at length the few instances of [Jewish] violence comparing it to violent jihadist Muslim campaigns when indeed there is no such comparison either in numbers of perpetrators engaged or in the magnitude of death and destruction wrought.
Amanpour: Martyrdom quite noble
While discussing Islamic suicide attacks, Amanpour painted martyrdom as quite noble.
To the West, martyrdom has a really bad connotation because of suicide bombers who call themselves martyrs, Amanpour stated. Really, martyrdom is actually something that historically was quite noble, because it was about standing up and rejecting tyranny, rejecting injustice and rejecting oppression and, if necessary, dying for that.Amanpour's feature moved on to interviews with critics of Israel without providing pro-Israeli voices. The feature repeatedly falsely referred to the West Bank as Palestinian territory.It is also Palestinian land. The West Bank – it's west of the Jordan River – was designated by the United Nations to be the largest part of an Arab state, stated Amanpour.
The West Bank contains some of Judaism's holiest sites and biblical Jewish cities, including Hebron, home to the oldest Jewish community in the world. The territory was recaptured by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War after Jordan, which controlled the West Bank, ignored Israeli advice to stay out of the conflict. The U.N. labels the West Bank as disputed, not Palestinian territory.
Pro-Israel lobbies against U.S. interests
Several guests, including former Sen. Charles Percy and University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer, who co-authored Carter's book on Israel, state in Amanpour's documentary pro-Israel lobbies in Washington force American lawmakers to support Jewish expansion in the West Bank and promote causes contrary to U.S. interests. Carter is interviewed claiming no American politician could survive politically while calling for cuts in aid to Israel unless the Jewish state ceases expanding West Bank Jewish communities. There's no way that a member of Congress would ever vote for that and hope to be re-elected, stated Carter. Contradicting Carter's sentiments, CAMERA notes critics of Israel's West Bank policies have thrived politically, including Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd and Reps. James Trafficante, Dana Rohrabacher, Nick Smith, Fortney Pete Stark, Neil Abercrombie, David E. Bonior, John Conyers Jr, John D. Dingell, Earl F. Hilliard, Jesse L. Jackson Jr., Barbara Lee, Jim McDermott, George Miller, Jim Moran, David R. Obey, Ron Paul and Nick J. Rahall II, among others.
Amanpour suggests West Bank settlements are the cause of Arab anger.
The Jewish settlements have inflamed much of the Arab world, she says. Multiple guests describe West Bank settlements as being the cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But CAMERA points out multiple Arab wars and acts of violence were waged against Israel long before the settlements were first established in 1967. The Arab world was just as anti-Israel (actually more so) before the settlements were built, stated the CAMERA report.
Documentary misrepresents Ronald Reagan
Amanpour claims all U.S. presidents since 1967, including Ronald Reagan, deemed Israeli settlements illegal.But U.S. policy did not deem settlements illegal.
Amanpour quoted Reagan as stating, the United States will not support the use of any additional land for the purpose of settlements.But the documentary failed to produce the rest of Reagan's quotes, in which the late president stated West Bank settlements are not illegal. As to the West Bank, I believe the settlements there – they're not illegal, stated Reagan.
Amanpour minimizes Jewish rights to Temple Mount
Amanpour moves on to holy sites in Jerusalem, where she minimizes Jewish rights to the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site – and exaggerates Islamic claims, critics said. Muslims say the Mount it is their third holiest site. It was from here [the Temple Mount], according to Muslim scripture, that the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven around the year 630. But Hebrew scripture puts the ancient Jewish Temple in the same location, destroyed by the Romans in the year 70.The Quran doesn't once mention Jerusalem. Islamic tradition states Mohammed took a journey in a single night from a sacred mosque – believed to be in Mecca in southern Saudi Arabia – to the farthest mosque and from a rock there ascended to heaven. The farthest mosque later became associated with the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The Jewish Temple is described throughout biblical sources as the center of religious Jewish worship. The Temple Mount compound has remained a focal point for Jewish services over the millennia. Prayers for a return to Jerusalem have been uttered by Jews since the Second Temple was destroyed, according to Jewish tradition. Jews worldwide pray facing toward the Western Wall, a portion of an outer courtyard of the Temple left intact.
Amanpour interviews the Muslim Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who offers an Islamic perspective on the importance of the Temple Mount and Al Aqsa Mosque to Muslims, but no Jewish religious figure is presented to discuss the paramount religious importance of the Mount to Jews, noted CAMERA. Amanpour's feature also claimed a visit to the Temple Mount by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2000 instigated the Palestinian intifada which began that year, even though multiple intifada planners and Palestinian leaders admitted the violence was pre-planned and that Sharon's visit was used as an excuse. The intifada was launched after Arafat returned from U.S.-mediated peace talks at the Camp David presidential retreat during which the Palestinian leader turned down an Israeli offer of a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern sections of Jerusalem. Whoever thinks the Intifada broke out because of the despised Sharon’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque is wrong…This Intifada was planned in advance, ever since President Arafat’s return from the Camp David negotiations, admitted Palestinian Communications Minister Imad Al-Faluji to an Egyptian daily newspaper.
Arafat himself spoke of planning the intifada months before Sharon’s visit, as did Marwan Barghouti, a jailed Palestinian parlaiment member and one of the chief architects of the intifada. Multiple senior terror leaders involved in intifada admitted during numerous WND interviews Sharon’s visit to the Mount did not spark the intifada. The CAMERA report concludes: Whether wittingly or not, Amanpour's program, with its reliance on pejorative labeling, generalities, testimonials, and a stacked lineup of guests, is a perfect illustration of classical propaganda techniques. Unfortunately propaganda is the opposite of journalism, the profession Amanpour is supposed to practice.
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
More storms slam flooded Midwest By DAN STRUMPF, Associated Press Writer
AUG 24,07
CHICAGO - Ferocious thunderstorms, heat and humidity added to the Midwest's flooding misery Friday as thousands of people returned to damaged homes, many without electricity to run fans or pumps. A sudden thunderstorm with 70 mph wind slammed into the Chicago area Thursday evening, tearing down huge trees and damaging buildings. In the suburbs, part of an industrial facility's roof collapsed, injuring 40 people, and a tornado was reported as the storm moved into Michigan.Early Friday, another band of thunderstorms was dumping more rain along a line from southern Iowa into Wisconsin.Most of southern Iowa was under a flash flood watch through Friday evening as as much as 8 inches of rain fell, the National Weather Service said. Ottumwa residents were asked to conserve water because all the rain had backed up sewers and flooded a pump room at the water plant. The water wasn't contaminated yet, officials said early Friday, but the city's 25,000 residents were advised to boil it.
Nearly a week of heavy rain and devastating flooding across the upper Midwest has damaged hundreds of homes and has been blamed for at least 16 deaths, including two on Thursday.The powerful storms that swept Illinois blew over a tree in rural Knox County, killing one man. Flooding in Ohio was blamed for the death of another Thursday, a 92-year-old man who drowned trying to get to safety after his car became trapped in floodwater near Findlay.Kimber Hall, 20, was riding her bike along Lake Michigan when the sky opened up.Out of nowhere, the sky just went black, she said. Sheets of rain. Lightning hit a tree about 25 feet away from me. A branch hit me in the face.Hall said she found shelter at a nearby underpass, where others had also huddled to escape the rain and lightning.About 310,000 homes and businesses in northern Illinois and 115,000 in Michigan were without power afterward. ComEd spokesman Tom Stevens in Chicago said it could take days to restore power for some customers north of the city.
Other storms lashed Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana on Thursday.
Hard-hit Ohio finally got a break on Thursday, at least from the rain. Instead, the state got temperatures in the upper 90s making that the cleanup from widespread flooding even more of a struggle.In Findlay, which saw its worst flooding in nearly a century, people tried to pump water from their basements and tally their losses.
Most of it's ruined, Joe Lamb said as he sorted through a bin of soaked NASCAR memorabilia, hosing off the mini Dale Earnhardt collector cars and tossing the rest. Our Christmas stuff, everything.A day earlier, firefighters and volunteers in boats and canoes had navigated the waist-deep floodwater to rescue their neighbors. Some residents were still stuck in a shelter, where 200 people slept Wednesday night.
In Chicago, a few businesses found a bright side to the storm raging outside on Thursday.It was out of control, bartender Nick McCann said. People would not leave. ... We had $2 margaritas, and people were getting hammered.About 500 flights at O'Hare International Airport were canceled Thursday evening and others delayed for more than 2 1/2 hours, Chicago Aviation Commissioner Nuria Fernandez said. Strong winds knocked down a hangar under construction at the Gary/Chicago International Airport leaving just a pile of metal, Gary Jet Center president Will Davis said. In southwestern Wisconsin, the National Guard pumped water to relieve pressure on at least one dam, said Mike Goetzman, a spokesman for Wisconsin Emergency Management. The earthen dam had been eroded earlier this week by water from the weekend thunderstorms. Iowa officials were keeping a close eye on the Des Moines River, and In the river town of Fort Dodge, crews scrambled to shore up a levee.
At Fox Lake, in northern Illinois, residents were busy stacking sandbags to protect their houses from the rising Fox River, said Ami McEwan, assistant administrator for Lake County. Most of them are sandbagging and keeping it at bay, she said. Associated Press writers Don Babwin, Megan Reichgott and Sophia Tareen in Chicago and John Seewer in Findlay, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Ten killed in torrential rains in Niger Thu Aug 23, 12:19 PM ET
NIAMEY (AFP) - At least 10 people have been killed and as many injured following torrential rains in Niger this month, which also destroyed many hundreds of homes, officials said Thursday. The situation is worrying because many families are without homes, Chaibou Maazou, governor of the city of Maradi, told public radio.A resident of Maradi, the country's economic capital and the area worst hit by destruction, told the radio station that the rains have caused more destruction than at any time in the past 10 years.On August 6, six people died in a road accident caused by a collapsing bridge near Niamey, the local fire brigade said, adding that nine were injured in the accident and seven others went missing.In the southern Zinder region four people drowned when their house collapsed under heavy rains, the radio said.
In Maradi, 1,200 homes were damaged and dozens of houses collapsed under the rain. Many residents of two poor areas of the city found shelter in government buildings.
The head of the Maradi province, Ali Zaki, said that medication, clothes and tents were needed.Problems were also reported from Tahoua and Agadez in the Niger desert region, where about a hundred crop fields were inundated and dozens of domestic animals drowned in the deluge.Heavy rains are very unusual in Niger, which habitually clocks up only between 100 and 300 millimetres (four to 11 inches) of rain per year.In 2005, three million people were hit by famine because of drought and a cricket infestation that destroyed crops.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
WHO warns of global epidemic risk AUG 23,07
Sharing data is crucial to curb viruses like bird flu, the WHO says
Infectious diseases are spreading faster than ever before, the World Health Organization annual report says. With about 2.1 billion airline passengers flying each year, there is a high risk of another major epidemic such as Aids, Sars or Ebola fever. The WHO urges increased efforts to combat disease outbreaks, and sharing of virus data to help develop vaccines. Without this, it says, there could be devastating impacts on the global economy and international security. In the report, A Safer Future, the WHO says new diseases are emerging at the historically unprecedented rate of one per year. International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility
Since the 1970s, 39 new diseases have developed, and in the last five years alone, the WHO has identified more than 1,100 epidemics including cholera, polio and bird flu. It would be extremely naive and complacent to assume that there will not be another disease like Aids, another Ebola, or another Sars, sooner or later, the report says. Sharing of medical data, skills and technology between rich and poor nations is one of the most feasible routes to health security, it says.
Openness needed
The WHO is embroiled in a dispute with Indonesia over its H5N1 bird flu virus samples.
WHO REPORT
Infectious diseases emerging at a rate of one or more a year since the 1970s
These include bird flu, Sars, also Ebola, Marburg and Nipah viruses. Flu pandemic could affect more than 1.5 billion people or 25% of world population Comeback by cholera, yellow fever and epidemic meningococcal disease in the last quarter of the 20th Century 685 verified events of international public health concern from September 2003 to September 2006 Growth of anti-microbial resistance, notably drug-resistant TB. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Jakarta has refused to share its samples with the WHO amid fears that pharmaceutical companies will use them to make vaccines that are too expensive for Indonesia.
China only started sharing its H5N1 samples in June.
The WHO report also urges governments to be open about disease outbreaks, saying nearly half of all outbreak alerts it receives come from the media. Drug resistance also poses a threat to disease control, the WHO says, blaming misuse of antibiotics and poor medical treatment, particularly in the case of tuberculosis. In an introduction to the report, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan says co-operation is crucial to combat outbreaks. Given today's universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity, Dr Chan says. International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Iran develops 900-kg smart bomb - official media
Guided bomb developed by specialists within Islamic Republic’s Defense Ministry and is now operational, IRNA news agency reports, adding it could be dropped from F-4 and F-5 jets - Reuters Published: 08.22.07, 23:57 / Israel News
Iran has developed a 2,000-pound (900 kg) smart bomb, official media quoted a Defense Ministry statement as saying on Wednesday, in the latest announcement from Tehran about progress regarding military hardware.Revolutionary Guards. Guards chief: Iran missiles can hit warships in Gulf / Reuters.Commander of Revolutionary Guards says his ground forces have missiles that could penetrate armor plating fitted to Israel's Merkava tanks, US Abrams tanks.
The guided bomb, named Qased (Messenger), was developed by specialists within the ministry and is now operational, IRNA news agency said, adding it could be dropped from F-4 and F-5 jets. Iran still uses planes, such as the F-5, supplied by the United States to the government of the former shah of Iran, who was a close US ally. Mohammad Reza Shah was ousted in the 1979 Islamic revolution, after which Washington cut ties with Tehran. The two countries are embroiled in a deepening standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at making atom bombs, a charge Iran denies. Iran often says it has built new arms or upgraded weapons but rarely gives enough details for analysts to determine their capabilities. Although much of Iran’s weaponry is outmoded, analysts say Iran has become proficient at modifying such arms.
Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said last year Iran had designed the Qased bomb but that it had yet to be tested. He said only a limited number of countries possessed the technology of smart and guided weaponry. The United States says it would prefer a diplomatic solution to the nuclear row, but has not ruled out military action. Iran has threatened to hit back at US regional interests if attacked.
PERSECUSSION,BEHEADINGS
JESUS PERSECUTED BIGTIME
ISAIAH 53:4
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
MATTHEW 9:34
34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
JOHN 8:41
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
JOHN 10:20
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11(JESUS GETS REVENGE)
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AND FOR SINNERS, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE FINAL JUDGEMENT).
WE ARE CHRISTIANS WE WILL BE TREATED THE SAME.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5 (WHY WE ARE PERSECUTED BY THE WORLD)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
MATTHEW 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
MATTHEW 24:9
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
JOHN 15:18-20
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me (JESUS) before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain(BEHEADED) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
REVELATION 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
FAITH UNDER FIRE
Convert or die,Christians told - Muslims flood neighborhoods with threats
August 23, 2007 - WorldNetDaily.com
Christian residents of several neighborhoods in northern Pakistan have been sent letters inviting them to abandon Christianity and join Islam – or be killed, according to a new report from Voice of the Martyrs, the ministry to persecuted Christians around the world. There have been numerous threats sent to Peshawar's Kohati area, sources for VOM reported this week. The letters say if we don't become Muslim we will be killed.The unsigned threats began several weeks ago, when residents of Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province, reported receiving the letters threatening suicide bombings if they did not convert.
The letters went to Christian residents of the Tailgodom, Sandagodom and Goalgodom neighborhoods, according to a report from Assist News Service. These letters sent a wave of fear and uncertainty among the Christian residents of these … areas, Kamran George, a Peshawar government member, told the news service. Each of the districts houses an estimated 2,000 Christians. Through this open letter you are openly invited to convert to Islam and quit Christianity, the religion of infidels, the letter said. Readers could ensure your place in heaven by adopting Islam. We will wipe out your slum on next Friday, August, 10th, 2007. And you, yourself would be responsible for the destruction of your men and material. Get ready! This is not a mere threat, our suicide bombers are ready to wipe out your name and signs from the face of earth. Consider it be the Knock of Death, it said.
Although that deadline has passed, Christians still fear the threat, a government official told Assist. He noted that a man dressed in Pakistan's national dress managed to get inside a recent meeting at St. John Catholic Church in Peshawar, but fled immediately when he saw police. George said the threats were prompted by the suggestion from U.S. presidential candidate Tom Tancredo that the U.S. threaten to bomb Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in retaliation if there would be a terrorist nuclear attack on the United States. We would be pleased to send those to Hell who dared casting malicious eye on Khana Kaba (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) and Prophet's Mosque (Medina, Saudi Arabia). There is death here (in Pakistan) for the agents and followers of the religion of Americans (Christians), said the letter, written in Urdu, Pakiston's national language, Assist reported. We would wipe out the Churches from the face of the earth because our mosques, seminaries and children are being martyred on the directions of United States. We would write a new history with the blood of Infidels. Our suicide bombers, lovers of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) are ready to strike churches, to protect the sanctity of Mecca and Medina, and pride of Islam.
These suicide bombers would strike at any time or day. It is our first and foremost Jihad (Islamic Holy war) to assassinate and eradicate the infidels from the face of earth, the letter said. Additional police have been assigned in the region, the same area where a surge of violence followed the recent occupation and storming of the nation's Red Mosque. There, as WND reported, radical leaders faced off against Pakistani forces and said the 1,800 children in the compound had taken oaths on the Quran to fight to the death.
Abdul Rashid Ghazi
Followers of Abdul Rashid Ghazi, leader of the pro-Taliban mosque, staged the standoff after a crackdown was launched on the mosque for a months-long campaign to expand Islamic religious law. A minority member of Pakistan's parliament, Pervaiz Masih, even raised the issue of the threats in the legislature's National Assembly, reading the letter to lawmakers and calling on the government to note the insecurity it had created. The Voice of the Martyrs cited a list of other attacks on Christians in Pakistan in recent weeks that also have raised concerns. For example, the organization reported that Muslims had confessed and apologized for attacking a church in the Punjab region, but have to this point offered no compensation for injuring Christians and damaging their building. Reports confirmed seven Christians were hurt and Christian literature was destroyed at a Salvation Army church north of Faisalabad in the attack, and attackers admitted they had planned to burn a page of the Quran – which can bring a life prison sentence in Pakistan – and then blame the Christians of the community. The attack happened just as Christians were assembling for a worship meeting, and several victims were hit with axes. Bibles and hymn books also were destroyed.
Just weeks earlier, a formal court session in Lahore also sentenced a Pakistani Christian to death for blasphemy. Authorities said Younis Masih, a Christian from Chungi Amar Sadu in Lahore, was accused of blasphemy of the Prophet Muhammad. Although no one has yet been executed by the state for blasphemy, several have been murdered by extremists. Christian Solidarity Worldwide says Pakistan's blasphemy laws are regularly misused as a means of settling scores or targeting religious minorities. The blasphemy laws require only an accusation by one man against another for a case to be filed. In almost all cases the charges are entirely fabricated. Masih was outspoken against incidents of rape committed against Christian girls, and is a Christian himself. It is believed these were the reasons he was accused of blasphemy, according to reports. VOM is a non-profit, interdenominational ministry working worldwide to help Christians who are persecuted for their faith, and to educate the world about that persecution. Its headquarters are in Bartlesville, Okla., and it has 30 affiliated international offices.
It was launched by the late Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, who started smuggling Russian Gospels into Russia in 1947, just months before Richard was abducted and imprisoned in Romania where he was tortured for his refusal to recant Christianity.
He eventually was released in 1964 and the next year he testified about the persecution of Christians before the U.S. Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee, stripping to the waist to show the deep torture wound scars on his body. The group that later was renamed The Voice of the Martyrs was organized in 1967, when his book, Tortured for Christ, was released.
West Bank: Abbas won't seek re-election, officials claim
Ramallah, 24 August (AKI) - Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas will not be seeking another term in office, PA officials said on Thursday. Abbas, who was elected in January 2005 in the first presidential election following the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat, would retire and devote more time to his family, the officials told The Jerusalem Post. They also said that 73-year-old Abbas, who has devoted more than half of his life to the Palestinian cause, believes that he and other veterans in the PLO should step aside and allow younger leaders to emerge.
Abbas, according to some of his aides, is planning to call early elections within the next six months. I doubt if the president will run for another term, said one aide. He has hinted more than once that he is tired and wants to relax.Abbas's status within his own Fatah faction suffered a severe blow following Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last June. Many Fatah leaders and activists have openly blamed him for the Hamas coup, saying it was Abbas's conciliatory approach toward Hamas increased the Islamist movement's appetite. Abbas travelled to Jordan 10 days ago, where he met an old colleague, Ahmed Ghnaim, and reportedly sought to persuade him to move from Tunisia to Ramallah. Ghnaim, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Maher, is one of the few veteran PLO leaders who refused to move to the Palestinian territories after the signing of the Oslo Accords. At the meeting, Abbas reportedly told the 70-year-old Ghnaim that he sees him as his natural successor as chairman of the PA.
But according to the Post, Ghnaim remains staunchly opposed to the Oslo Accords and is said to have turned down the offer. Like Abbas, Ghnaim belongs to the old guard in Fatah - a group that has long been accused of denying younger representatives a say in decision-making. His refusal may be a result of concern that he would be the victim of the long-term power struggle in Fatah.Reports that Abbas is not planning to contest the next vote have escalated political posturing. The return of top Fatah activist Muhammed Dahlan to Ramallah this week after six weeks of medical treatment in Germany triggered a wave of rumors as to his future plans. Dahlan's aides said he was planning to resume his activities as member of Fatah's two key decision-making bodies: the central council and the revolutionary council. They also said that Dahlan did not rule out the possibility of presenting his candidacy in the next presidential elections. A number of Fatah officials have publicly accused Dahlan of destroying the faction by trying to bring down the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip with the help of the US and Israel. According to the Post, two other personalities who are also likely to contest the vote are Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, and Farouk Kaddoumi, the estranged Fatah leader who has long regarded himself as the most suitable person to lead the Palestinians.
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
CNN airs one of the most distorted programs ever,Documentary compares Jews, Christians to Muslim terrorists - August 23, 2007 - By Aaron Klein
2007 WorldNetDaily.com
JERUSALEM – A CNN special series airing this week entitled God's Warriors – produced and anchored by the network's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour – is one of the most grossly distorted programs ever aired on mainstream American television, according to a media watchdog report. God's Warriors takes up six prime-time hours on CNN this week, airing in three parts at 9 p.m. EST. It started Tuesday and concludes tonight. The first part of the series, God's Jewish Warriors, compared Jewish and Christian radicals to Muslim supporters of suicide terror, presented anti-Israel commentators with no counterbalance, falsely labeled the West Bank as Palestinian land, and minimized Jewish rights to the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site, the critics said.
During Tuesday's program, Amanpour also conducted a friendly interview about Israel with former President Jimmy Carter, whose most recent book, Palestine: Peace, not Apartheid, criticized the Jewish state's treatment of Palestinians. The book was slammed for a series of falsehoods and was widely labeled anti-Israeli by multiple media critics. [The CNN series] is false in its basic premise, established in the opening scene in which Jewish (and Christian) religious fervency is equated with that of Muslims heard endorsing martyrdom, or suicide-murder. There is, of course, no counterpart among Jews and Christians to the violent jihadist Muslim campaigns under way across the globe, stated the report by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America. Amanpour's CNN documentary God's Warriors describes itself as focusing on religious fundamentalism among Christians, Muslims and Jews.
Tuesday's segment started off comparing Jewish terrorists to that of Muslims, specifically focusing on the few instances of violence or attempted violence by religiously motivated Jews against Muslims. It told the story of Baruch Goldstein, an American-born Israeli physician who killed 29 Arabs in the West Bank city of Hebron in 1994. Goldstein's actions were widely condemned by Israelis and worldwide Jewry. The organization he was a part of was outlawed in Israel. States the CAMERA report: While in reality Jewish terrorism is virtually non-existent, the program magnifies at length the few instances of [Jewish] violence comparing it to violent jihadist Muslim campaigns when indeed there is no such comparison either in numbers of perpetrators engaged or in the magnitude of death and destruction wrought.
Amanpour: Martyrdom quite noble
While discussing Islamic suicide attacks, Amanpour painted martyrdom as quite noble.
To the West, martyrdom has a really bad connotation because of suicide bombers who call themselves martyrs, Amanpour stated. Really, martyrdom is actually something that historically was quite noble, because it was about standing up and rejecting tyranny, rejecting injustice and rejecting oppression and, if necessary, dying for that.Amanpour's feature moved on to interviews with critics of Israel without providing pro-Israeli voices. The feature repeatedly falsely referred to the West Bank as Palestinian territory.It is also Palestinian land. The West Bank – it's west of the Jordan River – was designated by the United Nations to be the largest part of an Arab state, stated Amanpour.
The West Bank contains some of Judaism's holiest sites and biblical Jewish cities, including Hebron, home to the oldest Jewish community in the world. The territory was recaptured by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War after Jordan, which controlled the West Bank, ignored Israeli advice to stay out of the conflict. The U.N. labels the West Bank as disputed, not Palestinian territory.
Pro-Israel lobbies against U.S. interests
Several guests, including former Sen. Charles Percy and University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer, who co-authored Carter's book on Israel, state in Amanpour's documentary pro-Israel lobbies in Washington force American lawmakers to support Jewish expansion in the West Bank and promote causes contrary to U.S. interests. Carter is interviewed claiming no American politician could survive politically while calling for cuts in aid to Israel unless the Jewish state ceases expanding West Bank Jewish communities. There's no way that a member of Congress would ever vote for that and hope to be re-elected, stated Carter. Contradicting Carter's sentiments, CAMERA notes critics of Israel's West Bank policies have thrived politically, including Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd and Reps. James Trafficante, Dana Rohrabacher, Nick Smith, Fortney Pete Stark, Neil Abercrombie, David E. Bonior, John Conyers Jr, John D. Dingell, Earl F. Hilliard, Jesse L. Jackson Jr., Barbara Lee, Jim McDermott, George Miller, Jim Moran, David R. Obey, Ron Paul and Nick J. Rahall II, among others.
Amanpour suggests West Bank settlements are the cause of Arab anger.
The Jewish settlements have inflamed much of the Arab world, she says. Multiple guests describe West Bank settlements as being the cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But CAMERA points out multiple Arab wars and acts of violence were waged against Israel long before the settlements were first established in 1967. The Arab world was just as anti-Israel (actually more so) before the settlements were built, stated the CAMERA report.
Documentary misrepresents Ronald Reagan
Amanpour claims all U.S. presidents since 1967, including Ronald Reagan, deemed Israeli settlements illegal.But U.S. policy did not deem settlements illegal.
Amanpour quoted Reagan as stating, the United States will not support the use of any additional land for the purpose of settlements.But the documentary failed to produce the rest of Reagan's quotes, in which the late president stated West Bank settlements are not illegal. As to the West Bank, I believe the settlements there – they're not illegal, stated Reagan.
Amanpour minimizes Jewish rights to Temple Mount
Amanpour moves on to holy sites in Jerusalem, where she minimizes Jewish rights to the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site – and exaggerates Islamic claims, critics said. Muslims say the Mount it is their third holiest site. It was from here [the Temple Mount], according to Muslim scripture, that the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven around the year 630. But Hebrew scripture puts the ancient Jewish Temple in the same location, destroyed by the Romans in the year 70.The Quran doesn't once mention Jerusalem. Islamic tradition states Mohammed took a journey in a single night from a sacred mosque – believed to be in Mecca in southern Saudi Arabia – to the farthest mosque and from a rock there ascended to heaven. The farthest mosque later became associated with the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The Jewish Temple is described throughout biblical sources as the center of religious Jewish worship. The Temple Mount compound has remained a focal point for Jewish services over the millennia. Prayers for a return to Jerusalem have been uttered by Jews since the Second Temple was destroyed, according to Jewish tradition. Jews worldwide pray facing toward the Western Wall, a portion of an outer courtyard of the Temple left intact.
Amanpour interviews the Muslim Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who offers an Islamic perspective on the importance of the Temple Mount and Al Aqsa Mosque to Muslims, but no Jewish religious figure is presented to discuss the paramount religious importance of the Mount to Jews, noted CAMERA. Amanpour's feature also claimed a visit to the Temple Mount by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2000 instigated the Palestinian intifada which began that year, even though multiple intifada planners and Palestinian leaders admitted the violence was pre-planned and that Sharon's visit was used as an excuse. The intifada was launched after Arafat returned from U.S.-mediated peace talks at the Camp David presidential retreat during which the Palestinian leader turned down an Israeli offer of a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern sections of Jerusalem. Whoever thinks the Intifada broke out because of the despised Sharon’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque is wrong…This Intifada was planned in advance, ever since President Arafat’s return from the Camp David negotiations, admitted Palestinian Communications Minister Imad Al-Faluji to an Egyptian daily newspaper.
Arafat himself spoke of planning the intifada months before Sharon’s visit, as did Marwan Barghouti, a jailed Palestinian parlaiment member and one of the chief architects of the intifada. Multiple senior terror leaders involved in intifada admitted during numerous WND interviews Sharon’s visit to the Mount did not spark the intifada. The CAMERA report concludes: Whether wittingly or not, Amanpour's program, with its reliance on pejorative labeling, generalities, testimonials, and a stacked lineup of guests, is a perfect illustration of classical propaganda techniques. Unfortunately propaganda is the opposite of journalism, the profession Amanpour is supposed to practice.
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