LET THE EARTH BE GLAD

 

LET THE EARTH BE GLAD By Joni Eareckson Tada Founder, Joni and Friends Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. Psalm 96:11-13 Have you ever driven through Kansas when the wheat was high? On a windy afternoon the wind ripples across the pale-gold grain as though it were an ocean, blowing and tossing the wheat and making the trees lining the field sway, their leaves shimmering in the sun. In today’s Scripture, we read, “Let the earth be glad… Let the fields be jubilant… let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.” Yes, Satan has invaded our Father’s world with his own dark plan, but we can still see countless glimpses of God’s beautiful handiwork. And we can still sense those moments when the earth itself sings for gladness, remembering its Creator. By the way, friend, you are part of that creation. In fact, the very centerpiece. And when you lift your voice and heart in praise to God, there is a rightness about it that rolls back the designs of the evil one. Creator and Savior, bring my heart back into alignment today as I praise and thank You. I have felt out of tune, out of sync, and even out of sorts today, but I know that Your Holy Spirit will restore me, bringing me back into harmony. I want to praise You, along with Your creation, Your mighty angels, and our loved ones in Jesus. Taken from A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada; Copyright © 2016, Zondervan Used with permission

 

HAUNTED HOUSE

 

HAUNTED HOUSE When Jesus Christ returns, will He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8 Recently I had a disturbing dream about a haunted house. This wasn't an abandoned house; it was very busy with people coming and going, and hanging out in groups, in various rooms. Some of the rooms were haunted and some weren't. So where did this uneasy feeling come from, that would produce such a dream? Then I realized that America is very much like a haunted house right now. There are strange voices in the shadows, muttering ominous conspiracies and lies, threatening and angry. People don't know which voices are true or safe. Some voices aren't safe at all; they’re working mischief and violence. Furthermore, people don't even care. They don't care if the voices they listen to are safe or not. If the voice is saying what folks want to hear, then (in their minds) it's all good. Oh people, we can do better than that! It is possible to know what honest TRUTH really is. We don't have to drink slimy swamp water when Jesus offers us clear, sparkling living water! Jesus is the refreshing, reviving source of all Truth. The spiritual battle in America is very real, and there are ONLY two sides to be concerned about: God's voice or the voice of the ancient liar Satan. Do you know how to tell the difference? (That question has nothing to do with politics: it's about your relationship with God.) It's time to come out of the murky haunted shadows of this sinful world and walk in the healing light of Jesus Christ.

 

JOSHUA'S ALTAR DISCOVERED

 

JOSHUA'S ALTAR DISCOVERED The ground does not stay silent forever. For generations, critics have dismissed the early history of Israel as legend, claiming the biblical account of the conquest of Canaan was written long after the fact. But then the shovel hits stone, and history pushes back. On the slopes of Mount Ebal, a discovery has emerged that forces the conversation back to Scripture. In Deuteronomy 27, Moses gave clear instructions. When Israel entered the land, they were to build an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal, offer sacrifices, and publicly affirm God’s covenant. This was not vague. It was specific. The location. The construction. The purpose. And now, in that exact region, archaeologists have uncovered a structure that aligns in striking detail with that command. The site reveals a large rectangular structure, roughly 25 by 30 feet, built from uncut stones just as the Law required. The walls rise high and are filled with layers of ash, soil, and stone. Inside, over 4,000 animal bones were discovered. Not random remains. They belong to the very kinds of animals prescribed for sacrifice in the Law of Moses. That is not coincidence. That is consistency. That is Scripture meeting the dirt and standing firm. There is more. A ramp leading up to the structure has been identified, matching the instructions given in Exodus that altars were not to be approached by steps. Even small details line up. Among the findings was an Egyptian scarab, a reminder of Israel’s time in Egypt and the plunder they carried out during the Exodus. Piece by piece, the picture comes together, and it looks exactly like what the Bible described. Skeptics often say the Bible is myth, that it floats disconnected from real history. But discoveries like this refuse to cooperate with that narrative. The altar on Mount Ebal is not a symbol or a story. It is a physical location, built in a real place, by real people, at a real moment in time. And it matches the biblical account with precision that cannot be easily dismissed. Now hear this clearly. The authority of God’s Word does not depend on archaeology. Scripture stands because God has spoken. But when stones cry out in agreement, it strengthens what we already know to be true. The Bible is not a collection of spiritual ideas detached from reality. It is anchored in history, rooted in real events, and confirmed again and again as the evidence is uncovered. Joshua 8:30 records it plainly. Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal. Not a legend. Not a late invention. A moment in history that left a mark on the earth itself. And today, that mark is still speaking. By Biblical Creation on Facebook: CLICK HERE Used with permission.

 

 

ANTICHRIST & FALSE PROPHET Study of Revelation Continued REVELATION 13.1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. 13.2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 13.3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. -WEB Bible. REVELATION 13.11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon. 13.12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. -WEB Bible. The dragon, who is called Satan, calls for two of his cronies to come help him. The one who comes from the sea is commonly known as the Antichrist. The one who rises from the land is known as the False Prophet. These two entities are portrayed as beasts or monsters because they are evil to the core. The heads and the horns on the beasts represent human rulers who align themselves with the Antichrist and give him backing. Satan will give all his power to the two beasts. Never before has there been such a mighty collaboration between demonic powers and mankind. Together, they will forcibly establish a new world order, and destroy all opposition to it. For more information about the two beasts, read Revelation 13. The book of Revelation doesn’t discuss specific politics of the End Times very much, but the book of Daniel and other Old Testament prophets do. • Daniel described the resurrection of the Roman empire, which has been fulfilled with the formation of the European Union. Rome needed to be reunited in order to fulfill prophecies of Christ’s return. • Daniel described the rise of the Antichrist, the atrocities that he would commit, and the kingdoms that would support him. • The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted the destruction of Damascus, which hasn’t happened yet: but the civil war in Syria bears watching. Damascus is the oldest continually-occupied city on earth. These prophetic clues – and many others – are further evidence that we need to be observant of the “signs of the times.” Jesus told his disciples that people should take notice of the times they live in, and pay attention. Jesus wanted his disciples to be spiritually awake and aware. In fact, Jesus seemed to think that such “signs” should be obvious to anyone. He had sharp words for the religious leaders: Luke 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time? Matthew 16:3-4 In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs of the times! An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed. If we want to avoid the end times deceptions that Jesus warned us about, we must be aware of what the Bible says. That doesn’t mean we must understand all of it, but we should know what’s in our Bible, and be watchful. The Bible is our only guidebook through the perils that will finish this world. IMAGE CREDITS: Images of Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet; generated by SeaArt.ai and edited by C.A. Stevens This study of Revelation will continue next Thursday.

 

LOVE OF HOSPITALITY

 

LOVE OF HOSPITALITY Continue in brotherly love. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.  Hebrews 13:1-2 Father Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent, perhaps drowsy in the heat of the day. Suddenly, he noticed three men standing nearby, seemingly in need of help. Many travelers had likely come to his door seeking assistance, and he had often given freely. Though the heat was intense and he may have been disappointed in the past by those who received his hospitality, he knew it was better to be disappointed than to miss the opportunity to show kindness. So, Abraham sprang to his feet, called Sarah to help, and together they served the three men. How grateful he must have been that he welcomed them, for two were angels, and the third was the Son of God! In our busy lives, it is not always easy to offer hospitality to strangers. But there is also a hospitality of the heart, where we open ourselves to hear someone’s story of sorrow. Many of us don’t realize how much it helps others simply to have someone listen to their burdens. It means so much to have a hospitable heart, a listening ear, and room in our minds to hear the stories of pain, sorrow, and loneliness that people long to share. Even if we cannot say much, our hearts can be like inns—places of shelter and warmth for weary souls. In welcoming and caring for others, we may find that we are serving our Lord Himself, who said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40 By F.B. Meyer