Thanksgiving: A violation of church and state?

Thanksgiving: A violation of church and state?: "But I'm an optimist. And, since so much attention is being given right now by the media and the president-elect himself regarding his parallels to and lessons learned from President Abraham Lincoln, I recommend Obama heed Lincoln's Thanksgiving wisdom. Don't mince or milk down the God of the pilgrims, as is being done in public schools across this land with the retelling of that first Thanksgiving. Boldly proclaim, as Lincoln and nearly every other president, thanks to our Creator for His providential care (even through tough economic winters).

Obama doesn't even need a speech writer for Thanksgiving 2009. He can simply recite Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, in which he thanks the Almighty for America's bountiful blessings (despite enduring a time of war and grave economic hardships). The content seems divinely timed for even such a wintery season as ours:"

BHT thanks Chuck Norris for kicking some turkey butt.

Is Jesus the Only Way?

Why is it so hard to say it? Will proclaiming Jesus as "the only way" become increasingly more difficult?

How hard will it be for our children, should the Lord delay His coming? Increasing pressure to water down the Gospel seems evident. The intensity of opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is rising across the earth. This pressure is effectively confusing the message in many quadrants. But the battle is an old one. Maybe there is nothing new under the sun, just more of the same.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars

Luke 21:25 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; the sea and the waves roaring;

Who knows what these signs will be. Some think there may be an ancient message in the astrological story in the Hebrew Mazzaroth mentioned in Job 38:32. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines Mazzaroth as the name of the twelve signs of the Zodiac. The Hebrew version had a different message than Astrology today. Bible scholars believe the Mazzaroth was corrupted by Nimrod and followers during the Tower of Babel days. Watchman Bible Study has a fair explanation. Here is an audio presentation by Chuck Missler.

What is happening today? Here is a website tracking astrologically significant events. Nov. 30/Dec 1 has a moon/Jupiter/Venus conjunction happening. If you are too couch potato to go outside and look, a virtual solution exists. Stellarium is a wonderful program to view the night sky while warming your hands over the keyboard. Move you cursor to the left side of the screen to access setting of location.

Luke 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Are these some of the things we will see happening? Maybe there is a literal interpretation to "looking up."

Ronald Reagan on Socialized Medicine

How we miss this man! Will we ever see another at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?

Global Warming Hysteria - The Fight Back

Michael Crichton on Environmentalism as a Religion

A Nobel Prize

Wide Is The Way And Many There Be That Find It

This may not be as "bad" as it sounds at first flush. Explanations welcome. Mat 7:14

Mr. Schuller wetting his pants over the wideness of the Gospel is a tad creepy.

"We all pray to the same God."
-- George W. Bush --

AntiGayBlacklist.com

AntiGayBlacklist.com

Homosexuals are encouraged to boycott those businesses supportive of Proposition 8 in California. Couldn't this work both ways and become a "please support" list of sorts for people who value traditional marriage?

I understand the Bible says "as in the days of Noah" concerning the end times. Luke 17:26-27 We less often think "as in the days of Lot"? Luke 17:28-29

Earthquakes Revisited

Previously BHT looked at the end time earthquake subject and found it a little shaky. Let's look again at what the Bible says.

(Mat 24:7) For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
(Mar 13:8) For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These things are only the beginning of the birth pains."
(Luk 21:11) There will be great earthquakes and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be fearful events and awful signs from heaven.

Are earthquakes going to be more frequent, more severe, or both. For sure they seem to be significant to end time prophecy. Mindful of the old phrase "lies, damned lies and statistics" I found a new peek at the earthquake subject at the Unsealed Prophecy website.

Here is a screen shot of his data: (head over to Unsealed Prophecy and check it out)

Here is supporting data from Stan Deyo: Bigger Earthquakes Increasing

Then there is this "Earthquake Swarms":

Check for current date yourself.

Now that seems BigHuge to me.

October 5, 2005 -- Rosh Hashanah Started 70th Week

Article Link

Don't get your underwear in a bundle. (Or maybe you should) He still doesn't set a date for the "rapture." And if he is wrong on timing, he may have other insights of relevance. There is value in considering all the possible scenarios in eschatology to separate the wheat from the chaff in our own thinking and understanding. People who lock into a singular view will most likely not understand what is happening as the end time picture develops. Can there be a clearer example of locked vision than the Jews who were so convinced about the coming Messiah that they didn't know Him when He stood in front of them?

So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

How can we see if we do not look? Does "look up" mean gaze into the sky? Please!

BHT likes the detailed discussions on the Watchman Bible Study site. Know what you believe and why. Don't just take someone's word for it.

Israel to get more land, not less

Article Link
Isralestine Book Link

BHT believes Bible prophesy. But BHT does not always know what those prophecies are really saying. For instance I have always wondered why Russia/all-the-rest would attack poor little Israel in the Ezekiel 38 war. (sorry but a potash supply just doesn't do it for me) What's in it for the big bear? Yes, of course, if God said it then it's going to happen. But prophetic events have logic of the time characteristics attached when those events take place.

Mr Salus' theory of Psalms 83 being prophetic would answer that question. It also answers when Damascus will be destroyed (which has never happened). Imagine a bigger, more powerful, oil rich Israel via the Psalms 83 war. It does have a wonderful consistency to it. Each time Israel undergoes invasion it gets larger despite its pathetic leadership.

Now that is something for the bear to sink it's teeth into.

Has it ever troubled you that Israel has never, ever occupied all the land God promised? I must say something inside me is jumping about all this. Need I point out this would be a BigHugeThing?

Here is more detail from Mr. Salis' website:
Part1 Part2 Part3

We just ordered the book, maybe it does not all fit together but it is an interesting idea.

Be Good Without God

Godlessness flourishes in Europe. Bold humanism now openly advertises in the USA. Billboards stating "Be Good Without God" compete with "Jesus Is The Reason For The Season."

Little fear of God exists, even within the Church. God is all about making humanity happy, giving humanity what it wants, keeping humanity healthy. Is this a Biblical message? Sorry folks ... you need to do a little reading.

Our purpose in life is to bring glory to God. He is our creator. He gets to decide the rules, procedures and outcomes. Complain all you want about the "unfairness" as you see it. We either fit into His plan or it's curtains and we are toast.

What about all this love stuff. If we are attempting to submit to God, (not just any god will do) then He is immeasurably patient, understanding and supportive. We can not, could not and would not make it on our own. God gave the ultimate sacrifice to provide a way for man to be reconciled unto a Holy God. That is the love stuff. Reject His love at your own peril.

A good outline on "fear of the Lord."
Caveat: The author suggests avoiding the extremes of love - fear. BHT suggests embracing the extremes to the extreme. Just don't grab one to the exclusion of the other.

That's My King

The late Dr. S. M. Lockeridge, a pastor from San Diego, California
said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

Full Text Link
MP3 Audio Link
Link to many formats

We listen to this during Bible Study once in awhile, very inspiring.
BHT thinks this is good preaching!

Tony Campolo: On Being “Born Again” by Centering Prayer

Full Article Link:

"...

Now, it is certainly true that not all conversions are experienced by coming to Christ at an evangelistic crusade. However, it’s important to carefully consider how Campolo describes his personal conversion experience, especially in light of the Scriptures. Later in the same chapter, he wrote:

In my case intimacy with Christ had developed gradually over the years, primarily through what Catholics call “centering prayer.” Each morning, as soon as I wake up, I take time—sometimes as much as a half hour—to center myself on Jesus. I say his name over and over again to drive back the 101 things that begin to clutter my mind the minute I open my eyes. Jesus is my mantra, as some would say.[9]

I have searched the Scriptures! You can do the same. Centering prayer and using the name of Jesus as a “mantra” is just not there. In fact the idea of using a mantra (that is mindlessly repeating a word over and over again) is used by the Buddhists and the Hindus in their attempts to focus on the spiritual realm and contact higher beings that the Bible calls demons.

..."

BHT finds Tony very creepy in a squishy-wishy way. What's with these people wanting to improve on Biblical interpretations and concepts. They somehow have become so much smarter than all the preceding Godly saints. This same thinking wants always to "improve" the US Constitution.

Liberalizing Christianity is nothing new. It presents itself as today's Church - the Emerging Church. It just seems more significant in light of present day events. It's so End Time, Yo.

FALL OF AMERICA. FALL OF THE WEST

Link to full article.

By Jan Willem van der Hoeven

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luke 6:26)

"....

America has fallen, never to rise again to its former glory and strength. It is as what happened to the glory and splendor of Rome. I have wept about this, and reading now some of the Christian commentators trying to put the typical 'let's not lose hope' seal upon what has happened, I believe this will only speed up this degradation of America's society.

As a European, I years ago saw this same process happen to most of the Continent - today a pagan, self-centered, de-Christianized and heavily Muslimized continent that has hardly any moral or military strength left. As was the case when Hitler's Nazi hordes overran Europe in 1939, so now it lies nearly totally defenseless against the aggressive designs of both Putin's revived "Soviet" Russia or the deep and dangerous Jihadic infiltration of ISLAM.

,,,"

Is this true? BHT sees this as a strange time to say the least.

Live Video Feed from the Wailing Wall

Video Link Here. (Requires ActiveX)

Will the world watch the "two witnesses" here?

Revelation 11:7-12 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)

7And 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.

8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Temple Mount Faithful


Some Christians believe God has no interest in Israel. They believe the church is a new Israel and original Israel is not important to God. How anyone can read the Bible and get this interpretation is beyond belief! The grafted in branchs of the olive tree are calling the main tree of no importance. Sounds BigHugely arrogant to me.

America's Prophetic Future

Luke 21:31 (English Standard Version)
English Standard Version (ESV)

31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

Students of Biblical prophecy differ in some details but the big picture appears to be developing like no other time in history. Here is a fair summary.


America's Prophetic Future - part 1
America's Prophetic Future - part 2
America's Prophetic Future - part 3
America's Prophetic Future - part 4

Where Do We Go From Here

A good place to start.

1 Peter 2 (New International Version)
13Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

18Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Does this mean we can not criticize or oppose the government in legitimate ways? Do we citizens of democracy have an obligation to encourage right and oppose wrong as we interpret right and wrong? A good case can be made. But think of the effect a Holy people would have by living more Biblically Christian lives. How would this change the movies, products, services and institutions offered. Not all opposition is storming the walls of the castle. And yes sometimes furnaces and lion's dens are involved, too.

This is how some are feeling at the Dutch Sheets Blog.

Election Day

Well here we are, the final day. What will happen? RealClearPolitics' national averages were predictive of what happened in the last two presidential elections if my recall is correct. It showed a dead heat with Bush slight strength at the end. Unless polling has changed since then this will be the result.


Conservatives have their underwear in a bundle. Christian conservatives are on the verge of burning their underwear. I understand the feeling. Change can be unsettling and disconcerting. Mr. Obama's apparently extreme left leanings will likely bring change conservatives not only find unsettling and disconcerting but alarming.

During times of national distress, change can come quickly and drastically. Change makers can rally unusual support by appealing to people's fears. People are more willing to listen because of their fear. Change makers can sneak change through the back door while attentions are focused on more pressing issues. This can be the situation currently. The setup is perfect. Socialism's two most effective runs under Presidents Roosevelt and Johnson were models of perfection. We may have another perfect storm.

Christians may wish to take a more Biblical position. Instead of plotting the overthrow of Rome, rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's could be the way to go. This will be ever so difficult for those who view the USA as some divine representative, different from every other world government. Was this really the way we should have been viewing the USA? Maybe not.

Many Christians sense the end of all things approaching rapidly. Why then do they mourn and grieve at supporting and obvious evidence? We all hate inconvenience, discomfort and suffering ... that's why. But we can be encouraged at the same time. These are exciting times to be alive.

So what do we do on a practical basis?
1. Get our relationship with God on a sound footing through Jesus Christ.
2. Use the coming economic recovery (I think there will be one) to get out of debt.
(maybe the last chance) (can you say Larry Burkett?)
3. Simplify your life and reduce your financial obligations.
4. Now use your extra time to focus on God's plan
(some say for your life but it's not about you, it's about Christ)
5. Enjoy your new found peace in Christ!

Financially I am counting on a recovery during a Cumbia period while we head into socialism. The Euphorians will be at rest and feeling confident. This will give us time to clean up our personal finances hopefully. If I'm wrong it's too late anyway.

God's Blessings to you from BigHugeThing

Bible In One Year

If you are like me, some mornings it's tough to get started on the Bible readings. Being read to while following along is easier. Here are two online tools I use.

Open up these two browser tabs or pages.

First we need the one year schedule. Link


Now we need someone to read it. Link
BibleGateway is another good source.


Easy peasy!