There also seems to have been an increase in swarms of earthquakes around the world lately.  If we are over 1˝ year into the 70th Week, as I suspect we could be, then an escalation in seismic activity certainly would make sense.

Apr. 26, 2008

This is MY kind of weather, although it isn’t quite hot enough:

I think I’ll chop up a couple of jalapeńo peppers, with the seeds, and put them in my soup.  That oughta do it.

Apr. 15, 2008

Today, Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Washington, D.C., on his first visit to the USA.  For 80 years old (81 tomorrow), he looked amazingly energetic and vibrant.

     

I am not Catholic, but I like many of the conservative views of this pope.  I believe that he is a true Christian, as opposed to many who feel they are saved from their sins by the Church rather than by the blood atonement of Jesus.

I believe that there are people in every church, both Catholic and Protestant, who are not saved from their sins unto eternal life.  Jesus claimed, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  This means that we are not saved by our good works (Ephesians 2:8,9), by the blessed Mary, by baptism, by any ritual or sacrifice, by any creed or doctine, nor by any church.

“[I]f you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9,10).

Several times, I have heard Pope Benedict affirm that Jesus is Lord.  I also have heard Him speak of Jesus’ resurrection from death, which I assume that he would not verbalize if he did not believe it.  As such, I believe that he a persuasive example of how important it is to have faith in Jesus, the Messiah (Christ), as our Redeemer from sins and transgressions.

The only thing is that I do not find it particularly appealing when anybody, including the pope, wears a cross with Jesus still on it.  Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was only half of His mission.  He also had to be resurrected from the dead—which He was—for both salvation and eternal life to have significance.

Furthermore, He had to be the infinite God—which He was—for His sacrifice to atone for the multitudinous sins of humanity (see Was Jesus God?).  Jesus no longer belongs on the cross, as He was taken up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the Father (Mark 16:19; Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2).

An online friend and I are reading through the Bible this year.  Today's reading is Psalm 22-24.

Many passages in the Old Testament forshadow the coming Messiah, Jesus, and things that would be associated with Him.  Two clear passages illustrating this are Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.  Click here to see how this is true with the first of these passages: Psalm 22.

It seems to me that being in debt is the “norm” rather than the exception.  Nations are in debt, corporations are in debt, and people are in debt.  And everyone’s debt appears to be increasing, not decreasing.

Why people spend beyond their means, on things that are not necessities, is something I just do not understand.  Buying something that one does not have the money to pay for, at the time of purchase, is a concept which is over my head.  Credit cards are fine as long as they are paid off at the end of each monthly cycle, and no interest is allowed to accrue.

Debt to God, however, is quite another matter.  All of humanity is in debt to God; no one is excluded.  God’s standard is perfection, and not one of us is perfect; we’ve all “missed the mark” and continue to do so.  Personally, I know that I have wronged God so many times that the list of sins, trangressions, and infractions would go to the next galaxy and back.  And I cannot perform enough “good deeds” to compensate for all of my misdeeds.

Yet, God Himself has paid the price of my virtually infinite debt to Him.  Jesus died on Good Thursday (which happened to be on Passover), and He rose physically from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits.

Was Jesus God?  Oh yes.  If He were not the infinite God, then His one-time sacrifice would not have been sufficient to pay the infinite debt of our sins.  When we believe this, God is able to superimpose Jesus’ perfection and righteousness on top of our imperfections and flaws when He scrutinizes us—deficient and miserable as we are.  Then He can extend His forgiveness to us, eternally.  Happy Resurrection Day! 

Mar. 22, 2008

It looks like Bill Richardson has betrayed the Clintons and endorsed Barack Obama for president.  Could it be that he anticipates being Obama’s running mate?  Duh.

Uh oh...now I might have to revise my prediction of Feb. 21.

Today is “Good Friday”—although I am convinced that Jesus was crucified, instead, on Good Thursday.  Tonight, my church is having a Passover Seder.  Usually I go, since I believe that Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb.

In most years, “Easter” (which I call Resurrection Day) takes place during the week following Passover, as it did a few days after Jesus died.  He fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits, because He was raised from the dead as the “firstfruits” of those who will be resurrected and never will die again (1 Corinthians 15:20,22,23).

This year, however, although Resurrection Day is March 23, Passover is not until April 20.  Personally, I have a problem commemorating Passover a month before Passover actually takes place.  Therefore, I will not be attending the Seder this year.  Next year, though, everything will be back to normal again (that is, Resurrection Day will take place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread).

Mar. 20, 2008

I am excited because it’s the first day of Spring.  I don’t like Winter; the days are too short, and it’s too cold.

One thing I like to do at this time each year, if I think about it, is to stand raw eggs on end.  It takes only a couple of minutes to do; and, no, it’s not a trick.

I don’t quite understand why it can be done so easily on or around the vernal or autumnal equinox.  I have tried it during other parts of the year, but I’ve found that it seems to be easier to do it around the first day of Spring or Fall, plus or minus a day or two.

   

Try it yourself.  Be careful that it doesn’t fall off and break.  Don’t blame me if it does.

It’s that time again.  If you live in a state that goes on Daylight Savings Time, bump your clocks up an hour before you go to bed.  That way, you’ll have a better chance of getting to church ontime in the morning.  And if you don’t go to church, you should. 

Mar. 4, 2008

I feel that it is important to eat several fruits and vegetables everyday.  I usually eat a few vegetables each day, but today I was craving a lot of them.

So I made a chicken/vegetable stir-fry in my big wok.  It turned out really tasty, besides being very healthful.  My recipe is here: Stir-Fry Garlic Chicken & Vegetables.

 

I made a large amount, so it will last about a week.  I do not get tired of eating the same thing for awhile—better than cooking something from scratch every night.  It’s easier to press buttons on the microwave.

Notice what appears on the podium at both functions.  Last year, the word “Detroit” can be seen, and above it the words “Saviours’ Day” appears.  This year, the function was in Chicago; however, nowhere is this indicated.  Instead, “Saviours’ Day” is in the center, with “In the Name of Allah” above it.  Clearly, Allah was being spotlighted.

I have watched and heard Louis Farrakhan speak before, including much of last year’s speech, most of which appalled me.  He typically is very critical of Christians and Jews.  The word “bashing” comes to mind.  For instance, he has called Judaism “a gutter religion.”  In light of my views about radical Islam, this man causes me a great deal of concern.

So does Barack Obama.  At the event this year, Louis Farrakhan said this about Barack Obama:  “This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better.”  Wow.  Is that not an endorsement, by the acting head of the Nation of Islam, of Barack Obama for President?  Hmmm.

Someone asked me if I think it is a woman’s right to choose to abort her fetus, since it is something within her own body.  I replied that I believe God gave all people free will, enabling them to have the choice to do whatever they want.  As long as their choices do not adversely affect the lives of other human beings, who have inalienable rights of their own, then those are choices I have no right to judge.

By the fourth or fifth week of embryonic development, blood formation begins.  Leviticus 17:11,14 points out that “the life of a creature is in the blood.”  Thus, the embryo/fetus has “life” as soon as blood is present.

When a pregnant woman chooses to abort her embryo or fetus, she is adversely affecting that human life—in the worst way possible.  Personally, I believe that this, if done when her own life is not threatened by the pregnancy, is a breaking of the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17).  By doing this, the woman most likely will be setting herself up for a lifetime of emotional heartache, anguish, and sorrow.

King David was Israel’s greatest king.  Speaking to God, he said, “[Y]ou brought me out of the womb....  [F]rom my mother’s womb you have been my God” (Psalm 22:9,10).  He also said, “From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.  I will ever praise you.”  It’s a good thing that this great man’s mother did not choose to have an abortion.

What about all of those millions of children-to-be, ripped out of their mothers’ wombs, who would have known and praised God all of their lives?  Hmmm...I have a feeling that God never has liked that that too much.

Feb. 21, 2008

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton debated in Austin, Texas, tonight.  Frankly, I didn’t hear a dime’s worth of difference between the two on anything besides universal health care, and even on that issue I could detect only minor differences.

Actually, I’ve never seen two presidential candidates look and sound more like “two peas in a pod” than Barack and Hillary.  If I had not known who they were and had turned on the TV in the middle of their debate, I might have thought that they were business colleagues, maybe even a married couple, discussing their similar views about a few topics.  He even pulled out her chair at the end.

       

       

       

I am going to make a prediction, more than eight months before the general election on November 4.  I think the chances are very high that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States.  I also think there is a reasonable chance that Hillary Clinton will be the next Vice President.  Oh, and no, I am not a Democrat, nor will I vote for them.

Feb. 20, 2008

There will be a total lunar eclipse tonight.  The mechanics of it are simple geometry.

The earth is situated between the sun and the moon.  The earth blocks the sun’s rays from hitting the moon, thereby casting a shadow on the moon.  Essentially, the moon passes through the earth’s shadow.

Click on the picture to see a larger view.  Better yet, just go outside and see it live.

Feb. 10, 2008

For decades, I have heard, “We all should just live together and get along!”  That is a great concept, but it is very naďve.  It isn’t going to happen until the Messiah returns.

I have seen variations of a bumper sticker that depict this notion.  It arranges various symbols, representing common religions and philosophies, together into the word “Coexist” (you can click on each to see individual descriptions):

 

Basically, in each case, there is Islam at one end, Christianity at the other (at complete odds with one another), and Judaism wedged in the middle and surrounded by all the others.  I feel that this is a pretty good representation of how the end of the age will play out.  (See The End-Times.)

Feb. 7, 2008

I think that the space shuttle program, for the most part, is a waste of time and money.  No doubt the experiments in outer space, performed on the shuttle, provide us with greater technological advances.  But if we are within a handful of years of the end of the age, as I suspect, then who cares?  The bottom line is that we are spending money that we don’t have on that project.

Having said that, it still is exciting, on some level, to watch the shuttle take off.  Today, Atlantis bolted into space.  Since I couldn’t be at Cape Canaveral, I watched it on TV.  Here are some live shots of the launch, although the resolution isn’t very good:

         

All I have to say is, “Good Lord, please bring them back safely!”

That was one of the most amazing Super Bowl games I’ve ever seen.  Before the game, I told my friend that I hoped it would be a “leap frog” match—first one team ahead, then the other, back and forth.

And that’s exactly how it happened: first the Giants, then the Patriots, then the Giants, then the Patriots, then the Giants.  It was the Giants’ first 3 points that, ultimately, won the game for them.

I was awestruck by the play where Eli somehow escaped the sack by several Patriot players.  Then, not fully back on balance, he fired off a beautiful pass to David Tyree, who had to outjump Rodney Harrison to catch it.  Wow!  Way to go, Eli: most valuable player!

An online friend, Jesse, and I are reading the Bible together this year, from Genesis to Revelation.  I have read it several times before.  He has read from the Bible, just not cover to cover.  If you have an interest, you can find a link to the reading guideline we are using in my Dec. 31, 2007 entry.

After we have done our daily reading, we discuss the passages.  A couple of days ago, he asked me something about Genesis 41-45, which happens to be one of my favorite stories in the Bible—the story of Joseph in Egypt.  He asked me why Joseph was tricking his brothers, like sending them on errands with no real purpose, since he had no ill intensions.

I liked the question, so my response was lengthier than usual.  If you would like to read it, it is here: Why did Joseph deceive and intimidate his brothers?  He is posting other questions and answers from our sessions at the Bible Study section of his website.

Today was the final day, seventeen years ago (in 1991), that I worked at my job as an optometric physician.  Officially, January 11 was to be my last day at work.  Howsever, I was so fed up with my job that I called in sick my last day.  I had been there 11Ľ years, and I simply had had enough!

I had planned to stop working and to remain unemployed for a few months, maybe even for a year, and then start back again somewhere else.  But all these years later, I’m still retired.  I’ve never regretted making the decision to leave that job, and I thoroughly have enjoyed my freedom to do as I have pleased since then.

There is no way I could have been out of work this long without God’s blessing me constantly and greatly.  A month before I quit my job, He impressed upon me that if I would read and study the Bible thoroughly and carefully, and write extensively for Him, He would provide for me.  This He has done, because He is my great and awesome provider: Jehovah-Jireh.  He also is Faithful and True.  There is none like Him.

Jan. 1, 2008

All this year, I will keep a 2008 calendar taped up on the wall nearby for quick and easy reference for future and past dates.  It’s not a calendar that I use to write on to remind me of things I need to do; I use my data bank watch for that.

I’ve made the calendar for a few friends, and most of them like using it the way I do.  I also like to keep track of the monthly phases of the moon.  Plus the back of the calendar has a list of holidays and observances for 2008.

If you would like one for yourself, click on each image below and print out the two pages on either side of one piece of paper.  Just change my name, at the top of the calendar page, to your name before you print it.  (The thin gray lines will not show up when you print the pages).

 

Also, if you have an interest in reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation during 2008, go to my Dec. 31, 2007 entry for more information, including a Chronological List of Bible Passages list to check off as you read.  If you haven’t read the whole Bible before, now would be a good time.