After seeing the movie Field of Dreams last night (for the one-hundredth time), I gave great thought to the question that was asked by Shoeless Joe Jackson and by Costner’s father, “Is this heaven?” Then I also watched the short slip at the end, the making of the movie, and I was surprised to hear the producer say that the lines regarding heaven could really be the theme of the movie—that the ball players who had gotten kicked out of baseball were given a second chance to come back to earth and play baseball—and that was their heaven.
I immediately pulled from my book shelf the book Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, to ponder the subject. I found that one of his chapters was entitled, “Will Our Dreams Be Fulfilled and Missed Opportunities Regained?” It seems that Alcorn thinks that heaven will be a chance for every Christian to extend or perfect what we do now; that in the New Earth we will have the chance to finish what we started now and to perfect—and even sort of grow in it. That thought excites me. Everything I always wanted to do but didn’t get a chance to do, I will get a chance to do in heaven, or on the New Earth. For instance, I think I am gifted as a teach, but haven’t had a chance to do it. In heaven I will have that chance. And I will be good at it. And the books I have written (not very well), in the New Earth those books will be wonderfully revised and many people will read them. And I will teach from those books.
Now I’m motivated to study this subject of heaven—to keep those kinds of books on my reading list, and to study it in the Bible.
As reports of Hamas war crimes, inhuman atrocity, and medieval Muhammadist brutality continue to stream into our consciousness, a steady parade of terror apologists bugle their inveterate support for all things barbaric.
We’ve heard unimaginably callous statements from The Squad, Ivy League students, and the “social justice” organization BLM regarding the manifold cruelties perpetrated on Israeli citizens. Hamas swine have carried out their diabolical tasks with a relish not witnessed since the genocidal mania displayed by Hitler, Mengele, and Himmler.
Then, as now, the usual suspects have appeared to offer their heartfelt support for the forces of tyranny and homicide. The New York Times famously lent the considerable weight of its commentary to the budding dictator and would-be second coming of Alexander the Great — Adolph Hitler. You’d have thought the Times learned a lesson with Adolph, but the Grey Lady’s sages swooned for the Iron Curtain and one of history’s most accomplished butchers, Joseph Stalin.
And, as the leading publication of record, the Times bore the banner of hate, racism, and bigotry for a media complex now completely devoted to the mechanism of statist propaganda. Hate for anyone guilty of naughty thinking; racism as a tool of political and social subjugation; and bigotry against any democratizing influence that threatens the hegemony of elitism.
Liberalism is legion — finding a host and corporeal form in the Democrat party, our institutions of “higher learning,” and in the legacy media. And, as Christ said speaking of another demonic spirit, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 9:29)
There really are only two worldviews. One view acknowledges the fundamentally fallen, depraved nature of man. The other views mankind as containing a spark of Divinity. Basically good, but prone to do evil as the result of outside forces shaping human nature. This is the fundamental presupposition of Utopianism which has spawned every totalitarian regime since the Tower of Babel.
Think about every “people’s movement” throughout history. The promise of heaven on earth, built brick by brick into a towering ziggurat of hubris, is always the same. If only we could construct a government with benevolent and supremely intellectual autocrats, we could bask in the light and comity of a blossoming humanity fostered by an enlightened citizenry educated, or as Hillary would put it, “deprogrammed” out of every vice. This is the simpering stupidity of liberalism. Sixty million murdered soviet citizens speak most eloquently to that point.
At the very center of the utopian model is the exercise of centralized power over a subjugated populace. The flavors vary, but it’s all the same slurry of empty calories and sugar. Democrats lust for bigger government because it represents movement toward the ultimate objective, their complete and total control, effectuated by their radiant intellect, and performing the necessary modulations of social control to optimize, support, and perpetuate the metabolic functions of the state.
Just as in the Matrix, liberalism’s Kingdom Come is an exalted state that utilizes individuals as batteries—a disposable and renewable resource in the service of its own biological function.
Hamas, and terrorist organizations like it, represent the exercise of sheer power, both physical and psychological. The anarchy it creates excites the totalitarian spirit and inflames the insatiable lust of statists who witness the transformation of the geopolitical space in real time. They are titillated by the destruction of democratic processes and institutions, and are pressed beyond measure by their exuberance—excusing the inexcusable in a frenetic attempt to publicly reconcile barbarism with their utopian vision.
The terrorism of Hamas is an opportunity to see statists for what they really are. Whether in academe, politics, or pop culture, they can’t help but cheer the slaughter and mayhem, because secretly, they’d blithely sacrifice whole continents to their benevolent, all consuming governmental god.
Make no mistake, they’d feed naughty thinkers wholesale into the furnace if they could only eradicate the people’s tool of power—the gun.
It’s no coincidence that Israel is the Middle East’s only democracy. An oasis in a sea of totalitarian Muhammadists. Israel is the repository of the Biblical principles that make the civil society possible, the fundamental social precondition for democratic republics. Israel is the political embodiment of the Biblical truth that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
America shares the same theological and philosophical traditions as Israel. Our founding fathers understood that man is fallen, bent toward evil, and never to be implicitly trusted with temporal authority. This understanding is the reason for the meticulous construction of checks and balances in our Constitution. It’s the reason we have enjoyed liberty and the ability to pursue happiness for over two centuries.
Liberalism maintains a view of humanity that is antithetical to what the Bible teaches. And, not coincidentally has produced social systems and political structures that have dehumanized and transformed the individual into a resource for the state to use and dispose of according to the capricious inclination of dictators and despots.
What they don’t want you to understand is that organizations like Hamas are, in their view, agents of change, catalysts in the struggle of the proletariat in a Marxist materialistic dialectic. Statism, Utopianism, and Marxism are all kissing cousins, and that’s why you often find them making common cause across the geopolitical spectrum. China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and other countries that make up the modern axis of evil share a commonality as ancient as Babylon—they hate the idea of the individual, created in the image of God, imbued with inalienable rights that supersede the interests of the state.
Why do liberals seem to love terrorism so much? Because the significance of the individual is less than nothing in comparison to their political ambition. Of course, they may not admit to themselves the staggering scale of their own inhumanity. But, that’s the whole problem isn’t it? “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
First and foremost, on my mind is suspicion of Biden. I don’t trust him. He seems to be playing both sides. He says he is for Israel, but at the same time he is aiding Hamas and delaying Israel’s war effort. I think he is just trying to get votes from both sides. It is all political.
Second on my mind is why Jim Jordan is being stopped from being Speaker. I think he would make a very good speaker—but liberals won’t allow it. Do they know what they are doing?
Thirdly, and more personal, is my thoughts on the subject of obedience and faith. I give the credit to John MacArthur in his book, The Gospel According to Jesus. He points out that some say that obedience and faith should be regarded as separate, that obedience is works and should come after faith—something like that. But MacArthur makes the point that the two should always be together—as James points out, faith without works is dead.
And what is really coming to light for me now is that when we are disobedient to God, we are in sin; and so, this tells us that when we sin we are lacking in faith—or we are not trusting God. I know that we—even good Christians—will never be perfect in obedience and faith; but this is something we have to be constantly working on. I mean, we cannot let up in our effort to be holy and godly. And on the brighter side, when we are more obedient, God makes us happy (or joyful). And when we are obedient we have more hope and steadfastness and resilience in evil times. In short, obedience to God is the key to the victorious Christian life—because in our obedience we are trusting in Him.
Fourthly, as I trust and obey Him, I plod along with everything else. I have two books that I am editing. I am nursing a thing in my mouth called lichen planus (sort of a disease which apparently has no cure; but I am using mouth washes, aloe Vera gel and clove to try to get rid of it, or at least sooth it).
I am also reading two books; the one I mentioned by MacArthur, and a book by Bill O’Reilly, Killing the Witches. This book falls in line with the one I just read, Mayflower. The Mayflower arrived in 1620 and the witches tragedy occurred later at about 1680. I say tragedy because they were killing girls that weren’t witches at all. They were just suspected of being witches. It was much like the Catholic inquisition—burning Christians alive. Terrible!
My blogging has slowed down, but now that I am not working much, I will try to pick it up again.
I’m excited about this new book. If you have been a little confused about future things and about the coming Tribulation, I think this book will help you straighten things out. Here is the book’s contents. Please let me know if you have any questions about the book.
INTRODUCTION vii
LEADING UP TO THE TRIBULATION 11
PART ONE: INTRODUCING THE TRIBULATION
1. The Source and Purpose of the Tribulation 25
2. The Nature of the Tribulation 41
3.Personalities in the Tribulation 59
PART TWO: THE TRIBULATION
4. The Seals 107
5. The Trumpets 131
6. Mid Tribulation Events 153
7. The Bowls 175
PART THREE: LAST THINGS
8. Armageddon, The Fall of Babylon, The Return of Christ, and The Judgment of The Nations 197
Don’t be fooled. Biden and Blinken are coming to Israel not to aid Israel in the war effort. They want to stall it, and try to do everything possible to prevent Israel’s success in war. Much of Israel’s weapon capabilities are dependent on the US. If Israel is not able to function militarily, it will be because of the US.
Let us pray that Israel is able to somehow break free of the US. Or let us pray that the Biden administration is no longer able to intimidate Israel, that Netanyahu will find a way to break free of the US.
With the very large US ships appearing and now with all the US trucks coming with aid, you would think that Biden is beginning to like Israel. But Caroline Glick doesn’t think so. She is the senior editor of the Jewish News Syndicate. She says that all the aid coming in the trucks are here to aid Hamas, not Israel, and not the hostages. And, she says that the aid is not only for the injured civilians, but to advance the Hamas’s military effort against Israel.
No, Biden and his leaders are definitely against Israel. Those ships and the trucks are here to aid Hamas and Hamas only.
Please pray for Netanyahu, that he will know exactly what the US is up to. He must stand up to Biden. He has declared war on Hamas and so he must continue the war effort. Israel must destroy Hamas as soon as possible. The people have had enough time to get out. Now Israel must unleash hell!
Hamas, as you know has terrorized the Israeli people—even beheading little children; and did you know that Hamas leaders instructed their military to be sure to rape the women before they kill them? How savage is that! Hamas is no better than Isis! This is why Israel must destroy them all!
Caroline B. Glick is the senior contributing editor of Jewish News Syndicate and host of the “Caroline Glick Show” on JNS. She is also the diplomatic commentator for Israel’s Channel 14, as well as a columnist for Newsweek. Glick is the senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Center for Security Policy in Washington and a lecturer at Israel’s College of Statesmanship.
On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan all announced that the United States expects Israel to permit “humanitarian aid” into Gaza.
The implications of this position are devastating for Israel. According to reports, there are “hundreds of trucks” lined up on the border in Egypt to enter the Gaza Strip carrying so-called “humanitarian aid.” These trucks, if permitted to enter, will not be inspected in any significant way. There is no reason to believe they are carrying baby formula and foodstuffs that will be delivered to the needy. There is every reason to believe they are carrying war materiel and jihadist fighters who have arrived to augment Hamas.
To the extent that there is food in the trucks, who will it feed? The hostages? The infirm? Who will the medicine be delivered to? The hostages? Will the fuel in the trucks be used in refrigerators to feed the captive Israelis?
Of course not.
Hamas is Gaza. All the “ministries” in Gaza are Hamas. All hospitals are Hamas. Hamas’s military headquarters is located under Shifa Hospital.
So whatever and whoever is in the trucks carrying “humanitarian aid,” all of it will be delivered to Hamas and will be distributed to benefit Hamas.
The idea that it could be otherwise is absurd. And the fact that the Biden administration is arguing this absurdity is an outrage.
Even if the “hundreds of trucks” are completely empty—and they manifestly are not—the trucks themselves are instruments of war. Their presence in Gaza will also advance Hamas’s military effort against Israel. They will augment Hamas’s capacity to kill and wound untold numbers of IDF soldiers now poised at the border waiting for the Netanyahu government to finally order them to enter Gaza.
Biden, Blinken and Sullivan—like their counterparts in Europe and the United Nations—insist that they want to give Hamas the trucks to avert a humanitarian disaster in Gaza. But their position is actually devastating for Gaza’s civilians.
By barring civilians from escaping Gaza to its territory, even for the purpose of transiting to third countries, Egypt is collaborating with Hamas’s war effort. By enabling Egypt to maintain its position, and demanding that Israel allow Hamas to resupply while calling that resupply “humanitarian aid,” the Biden administration is trapping the civilians of Gaza it claims to care about protecting. They will remain under Hamas’s jackboot. They will remain its human shields and cannon fodder.
Similarly, the United States is providing material support for Hamas’s propaganda campaign blaming Israel for the carnage of which Hamas is the sole author—in Israel and Gaza alike.
The United States is also acting in breach of binding international law. As professor Avi Bell of the Bar Ilan University and University of San Diego law schools explained in an interview on “The Caroline Glick Show” on Sunday, while Biden and his aides have insisted repeatedly that they expect Israel to respect the international laws of war in its prosecution of its war effort against Hamas, the administration’s positions in relation to that war are illegal.
As the entire world knows, there is extreme hatred between the Arabs (those who descended from Ishmael) and the Israelis (those who descended from Isaac). And it seems that it is more on the side of the Arabs. Why is that and where does it come from? We will trace it to its source.
From Genesis 16:1-15, we have the account of when Sarah was unable to bare children and what she did.
16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
6 “Your servant is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.”
11 The angel of the Lord also said to her:
“You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
for the Lord has heard of your misery.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone’s hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward all his brothers.”
13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
From what we know of those times, when this problem of infertility occurred, it was acceptable to use a slave girl to bring a child into the world. However, we have to question the faith of Abraham, because, as we see in the previous chapter, God told him that His covenant with him would come through his own offspring (Gen. 15:5). Verse five tells us that Abraham believed the Lord, but apparently his belief was not perfect.
Anyway, as it happened, when the salve girl, Hagar became pregnant, she began to despise Sarah, and then Sarah turned on Abraham. So what happened? What caused this anger and hatred in the family? Well, we can only speculate, but apparently, Hagar felt used and hated the situation she was put in; and Sarah also was probably bitter at Hagar and also angry at Abraham.
Then years later, when Isaac was born, and then at his weaning celebration day (when he was about 3 years old) there was an incident that really caused friction. Sarah saw Ishmael laughing at (or possibly mocking) little Isaac, and she became enraged and demanded that Abraham get rid of Hagar and her son. For Sarah was jealous for her son Isaac—saying that Ishmael will never share in the inheritance with her son Isaac (Gen. 21:9-10).
And so, we see that there was real friction and hatred in that early family. And it wasn’t so much with Ishmael and Isaac; it was more between Hagar and Sarah. But over the years, that same hatred has been passed down. And we see that same contention and hatred today.
This hatred is explained to us in Galatians 4:28-31. The entire family problem is a picture of good and evil, or of the flesh and the Spirit. The slave girl Hagar and Ishmael represents the flesh and Isaac (the promised one) represents the Spirit and freedom in Christ.
Now this is a very hard situation, because we must not think that all Arabs are evil and sinful. No. God loves them the same as anyone. For God so loved the whole world and gave His Son for each of us—if we would only believe in Him. All have an equal chance to be saved and to come into His kingdom.
Some Arabs have believed in Christ and have found freedom. But most have not. And the leaders of some of those countries, such as Hamas, are very evil, like Isis. And they are stirring up hatred against Israel and also against Christians. And Satan in now using them to do his evil work.
And so, we see illustrated for us the two kingdoms: the kingdom of Satan in the Palestinians, and the kingdom of God in Israel. (But this is just an illustration or a picture of the kingdoms; we know that there are saved and unsaved people in both Arab countries as well as in Israel.)
So what should we do in our present situation? Well, as far as the Palestinians go, they need to go! The land was given to Israel alone. Hamas and all the Palestinians as a whole represent evil. They need to go! But if any individuals or families can demonstrate that they want peace, they should be allowed to come and live in Israel (under Israeli law). I hope and pray that this will be possible.
We as believers should pray for all people—Arabs and Israelites, Jews and Gentiles, to be saved and to come into His kingdom of peace and freedom.
It appears that Israel was completely surprised. Hamas really caught Israel off guard. Israel now it appears is getting the worst of it. Here is an article…
Over 200 Israelis confirmed dead as the IDF declared a state of war alert following the shocking infiltration of dozens of terrorists from Gaza into Israeli cities and kibbutzim, as hundreds of rockets were launched into Israeli territory
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared a state of war early Saturday morning following an unprecedented attack by terrorist organizations from Gaza against Israel.
The surprise attack caught the Israeli army off guard and involved the infiltration of dozens of terrorists from Gaza into cities and kibbutzim along the Gaza border, known as the Gaza Envelope. At the same time, hundreds of missiles have been launched into Israeli territory, including Be’er Sheva, the Tel Aviv region and Jerusalem. Hamas has taken responsibility for the attack.Rocket sirens were sounded at 6:30 AM in central and southern Israel. There has since been a sustained barrage of more than 4,500 rockets launched from Gaza.
Hours after the attack began, Palestinian terrorists have continued to roam southern Israeli cities and kibbutzim in shocking scenes, engaging in street fights and shooting civilians with assault rifles and submachine guns. Both the army and police have advised residents of Israeli cities and kibbutzim near Gaza to remain indoors, out of fear that terrorists may attempt to break into homes and take hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was at war. “Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack on Israel and its citizens,” he said in his first on-the-record reaction released in a post five hours after the Hamas launched a surprise attack.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas made a grave error when it began its war on Israel. “IDF soldiers are fighting terrorists who infiltrated communities wherever they are. Israel will win this war,” he said in a post, more than three hours after Hamas launched its surprise attack.
Stephen Nielsen 