The Pentagon has announced that transgender people will be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military. This was announced today, the last day of “gay pride month,” by Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
One thing this means is that, in time, “medically necessary” gender reassignment surgery will provided to those who identify with the opposite sex.
Will genetic males be able to use women’s restroom and shower facilities, and will genetic females be able to use men’s restroom and shower facilities?
How do we know that a man in the military, who has a sex change operation performed, will be psychologically able to handle this drastic, life-changing physical change and be able to serve adequately after that?
Why do my tax dollars have to pay for these surgeries when they will not be performed due to injuries occurring while the person is on duty for this country?
Why can’t transgenders who want sex change surgeries have these performed before entering the military?
A friend and I went to a street fair in Huntington Beach this afternoon. We walked around there for awhile and then went to the end of the pier and back.
Some guys were fishing on the pier. One guy caught a fish just as I got there. I’ve fished there before, but it’s been awhile.
The weather was perfect, and there were a lot of interesting people around. I love being near the ocean. Also, this is one of my favorite beaches in California.
A report has been released by the House committee investigating the Benghazi, Libya, terror attacks of Sep. 11, 2012. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, foreign service officer Sean Smith, and former Navy Seals Ty Woods and Glen Doherty were killed in the attacks.
A “rusty bureaucratic process” by the State Department has been blamed for the slow and inadequate response the night of those attacks. House Democrats are calling the report by the Benghazi Committee “a conspiracy theory on steroids.”
I last organized my vitamins and supplements into individual compartments on Feb. 6. Each day, I take the following: a daily multiple; vitamins A, B complex, C and E; magnesium, selenium, zinc, fish oil, saw palmetto and glucosamine/chondroitin.
The supply that I keep on-hand lasts for 20 weeks (140 days). Keeping them in the refrigerator prevents them from losing their potency.
I am going to modify my vitamin intake for two weeks and take only two Centravite multiple vitamins with Lutein, along with my usual glucosamine/chondroitin tablet, each day. It’s just an experiment to see if it makes any difference in the way I feel. So my new regular supply of vitamins, which I will begin on July 10, will last me until Nov. 26.
The motivation for this seems to be to shift the narrative away from radical Islam so that the blame can be placed on conservatives and the NRA. This is completely illogical.
Refusal to focus on radical Islam as the source of terrorist attacks on American soil leads to inadequate vetting and screening of those claiming to be Syrian refugees who are entering the U.S. It appears that at least 10,000 of these will be allowed to come in over the summer.
The discussion today also involved interesting information provided by Phil Haney, who was an officer in the Department of Homeland Security. He has written the book, See Something, Say Nothing. He is an entymologist, has been trained in Islamic terrorist strategy and is an expert on Islamic values.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Obama's Obstruction of Islamic Terrorism Investigations: PDF | Audio
Phil Haney, who was discussed by Tom Wallace and Shahram Hadian on their program today, was interviewed twice by Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries. These two interesting and informative interviews of Phil Haney can be heard here:
Infiltration: Exposing the Darkness: Part 1 | Part 2
The “Brexit” or “British exit” vote in Great Britain, to which I referred in my entry yesterday, was a yes vote. Those voting to leave were only a slightly larger majority than those voting to remain: 51.89% to 48.11%.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who had wanted the U.K. to remain in the European Union, said that he plans to resign within a few months, probably by October. Many feel that former London mayor Boris Johnson, who supported the U.K. exit, seems to be the most likely candidate to replace Cameron as prime minister.
In reaction to the Brexit vote, the U.S. stock market declined sharply today in all categories. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 610.32 points, which was a substantial 3.39% decrease. Markets around the world lost trillions.
The Brexit may have begun a “domino effect” in Europe, which contains several nations with socioeconomic woes. I feel it is possible that, in time, more nations might decide to exit the European Union rather than continue to “prop up” such countries.
Moreover, I wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point down the line, there is a move for states to secede from the American union. Conceivably, the first might be a vote for a “Texit” (Texas exit).
In any case, I fear that the Brexit, after it takes place, may escalate the likelihood of great political and socioeconomic volatility and hardship. This could happen not only throughout Europe but also globally.
Today in Great Britain, a referendum is being held to decide where or not to exit the European Union. The vote is being called “Brexit” or “British exit.”
Should the vote be “yes,” many feel that this will cause a sharp decline in the British pound and a fall in U.K. stocks. They say it also could trigger political instability and an economic recession in Europe and internationally.
The summer solstice begins today at 3:34 p.m. PDT = 6:34 p.m. EDT. This day will have the longest daylight hours of the year. There also happens to be a full moon. These two events do not happen together very often. The last time this occurred was in 1967.
For me, though, the best part is the big heat wave affecting So. CA, So. NV, and AZ, due to a strong high pressure system over the southwest. I know that most people do not like the heat. Also, there were destructive fires in numerous places, which was not good. Personally, though, I enjoy the heat.
Yesterday, Death Valley had the hottest temperature anywhere in the United States during June: 129° F. I thought about driving out to Death Valley to see what that is like, but it’s a little too far for a quick day trip. The last time I was there was Apr. 2, 2012. The hottest temperature ever recorded on earth, also in Death Valley, was on July 10, 1913: 134° F.
I was watching the digital thermometer in the livingroom here in Anaheim, both this afternoon and yesterday afternoon, when the outside temperature rose from 99.9° to 100.0°. That motivated me to get out and go to the gym.
I drove to the gym without turning on the air conditioning in the car, although I did roll down the windows a bit. I returned after a relatively short workout and saw that the thermometer read 105.8°. The temperature did not change for at least 40 minutes, and then it started going down. So that essentially matched the predicted high temperature for today of 105°.
I was so excited that I needed a hot/spicy Thai food snack. I took a small plate of some leftovers that I had and ate it out on the back patio. To see this, click here.
Today, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) declared the first Flex Alert this year for So. CA, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., due to high temperatures in the region. It was to encourage people to minimize usage of electric appliances to decrease the chance of a rolling brown-out.
My dad is in heaven, and I look forward with great anticipation to seeing him again one day. For all of you other dads: HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, and God bless you for doing all the great and wonderful things that you do for your families.
They discussed how the FBI, who had investigated Omar Mateen, failed to see him as a potentially dangerous terrorist. They pointed out how President Obama has attempted to paint Islamic terrorism as something else. They also talked about how, in Islam, homosexuality is more than a sin; it is a crime.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Certainly, not all Muslims are terrorists. But there is no denying the fact that the vast majority of terrorists are Muslims. The following lengthy article, also by Daniel Greenfield, provides a very good explanation for the reasons that violent Islam does what it does:
Today is the 100th anniversary of Flag Day in United States. On June 14, 1916, Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday in commemoration of the First Flag Resolution by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. Today also is the 241st anniversary of the U.S. Army.
I attended a service at the Riverside National Cemetary. A good friend’s husband and son both died last year. Her husband’s ashes were placed at the cemetary because he had been in the military. She also wanted the ashes of her son, who had not been in the military, to be with the ashes of her husband, but it was not allowed.
Finally, after numerous requests, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs made an exception to the rule. So today her son’s ashes were placed in the cubicle with his dad’s ashes. This is a great relief to her, and I’m glad it was able to happen.
Both of these guys were wonderful, awesome, caring guys who happened to have cancer. Their amazing wife/mother took care of them, for years, better than anyone could have. Talk about huge rewards in heaven—they certainly will be coming to her.
The deadliest mass shooting in modern American history took place early this morning in Orlando, FL. It also was the deadliest terror attack on American soil since Sep. 11, 2001. So far, 49 victims are dead and at least 53 others remain injured.
The shooter was 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen. Using an AR-15 rifle, he entered the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando around 2:00 a.m.
This followed a shootout with police outside of the club. Also, at some point, Mateen called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
After firing numerous rounds inside the club, Mateen took several hostages. At about 5:00 a.m., a SWAT team shot and killed him. More information about the terrorist shooter and the attack early this morning can be found here: Omar Mateen: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know.
Incidentally, if a Christian, a Jew, a Republican, a conservative or anyone other than a Muslim had performed this cowardly act, it would have been widely condemned as a hate crime against gays. However, it is too “politically incorrect” to accuse a Muslim of a hate crime, even though Islam condemns homosexuality (al-A'râf: 80,81, ash-Shu`arâ': 165,166).
Incidentally, it has been discovered that Mateen was a registered Democrat. Furthermore, testimonies of others reveal that he had been seen several times in the past at the Pulse gay club and that he communicated on gay social media. Thus, it would seem that he was closeted gay whose same-sex attractions conflicted with his vehemently anti-gay Islamic beliefs.
No doubt, the NRA will be blamed, by some, for the heinous attack in Orlando. They will claim that “better gun control” could have prevented it from happening. I would refer anyone who feels this way to the following article:
This is the 7th day of the Islamic month of Ramadan. In my June 7 entry, I noted how ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani had urged followers to carry out attacks during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Well, it looks like this has begun.
I saw a Facebook entry that said the following:
I believe in the Bible and the last days. Before Christ comes back, the worst of the worst will be roaming around, and chaos will be on the earth.
I certainly agree with all of that. I anticipate a very rocky summer, fall and winter ahead. If so, it very well may be that my speculations in End of the Age: 2020? may come to take place on the proposed time line.
For several hours yesterday afternoon and evening, the three dogs in the house kept running around all over the place, as well as whining and barking at nothing. We thought it was very strange, and we wondered if there was any possibility that they were sensing a coming earthquake. Then, at 1:04 a.m. this morning, my bed started rocking and I heard the walls of the house creaking as it shook. The shaking woke me up instantly and lasted several seconds. All the dogs went totally nuts running around and barking again.
The cause was a 5.2 earthquake out in the desert, near Borrego Springs. I am in Orange County, about 60-65 miles WNW of the epicenter. I couldn’t fall back asleep after that, so I got up and went online to find out where the quake had occurred.
Initially, I was unable to go to some of the earthquake sites after clicking on their links. I suppose that’s because thousands of other people were trying to do the same thing, and for awhile the traffic to those pages was too high.
About 43 minutes after the quake, I captured a screen image from this site: Earthquake Track. The information shows the 5.2 magnitude quake in orange, 43 minutes ago, at the bottom of the second section, along with numerous smaller aftershocks following it, mostly in Anza. Click here to see the image:
Today, you can go here to the USGS page to see significant earthquakes in the world over the past 30 days, which now includes the Borrego Springs quake:
I don’t know how much damage there was near the epicenter of the quake. Here, the intensity was not enough to cause damage. Perhaps San Diego had some damage, since the epicenter was in San Diego County.
I guess I’ll go back to bed, but it may not be easy to fall asleep. One never knows when a quake will be a foreshock of a larger temblor. I keep thinking about the warning of a much larger quake, which I noted in my May 6 entry.
Barack Obama has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. He is expected to hit the campaign trail with Clinton next week in Wisconsin. Here is a portion of his statement today:
I want to congratulate Hillary Clinton on making history as the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Look, I know how hard this job can be. That’s why I know Hillary will be so good at it. In fact, I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office.
I can think of countless individuals who would be more qualified than Mrs. Clinton to hold the office of President of the United States. This includes other women and people of various ethnic groups. Under no circumstances would I ever vote for Hillary Clinton for anything, much less for president.
I suspect that Hillary would double-down on harmful policies, higher taxes and an avalanche of regulations that the Obama administration has implemented over the past 7+ years. The majority of these have been disastrous, in particular the so-called “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” passed solely by Democrats in Congress on Mar. 21, 2010. If Clinton becomes president, this and other miserably failed policies will be continued and created.
My Republican primary vote yesterday went to Ted Cruz, even though I am aware that he suspended his campaign on May 3. However, he and other Republicans, besides Trump, are still on the presidential ballots in many states, including here in California. So Cruz got my vote, even though I realize that Trump already has enough votes for the nomination.
Ted Cruz appears to have a strong relationship with God, which I believe is vitally important for our president to have. He also is very pro-Israel, which I also feel is extremely important.
Many failed federal policies over the past 7+ years have plunged the U.S. into a deep pit. If there is any way to pull us out of our quagmire and back into greatness, I believe that a God-fearing person would have the best chance of doing this. I do not feel that it will be a “COTU” (“center of the universe”) person like Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.
Incidentally, after yesterday’s vote, Clinton made history by becoming the first woman to secure the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States.
So it looks like Bernie Sanders officially has lost his bid to be the Democratic nominee for president. Of course, if Hillary happens to get indicted for her illicit email activities, then I suppose Sanders, or even Biden, conceivably could become the nominee. I’m not going to hold my breath, though.
Last month, ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani called for further terror attacks against the West. He urged followers to carry out attacks during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan began in most of the world yesterday, June 6, and in other parts of the world today. It will continue for 30 days. I suspect that there may be terror attacks in Europe and/or in North America during that time.
Today is the 72nd anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy, France. As the largest seaborne invasion in history, it began the liberation, from Nazi control, of German-occupied northwestern Europe. It was a major turning point in World War II.
Here is the voice of President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressing his fellow Americans and saying a prayer for the troops engaged in the invasion on that day:
The entire address and prayer can be read below. It sounds to me like FDR was a believer in Almighty God. His prayer very well may have been instrumental in bringing the Allied troops success on that important day.
Muslims do believe in Jesus and in His virgin birth. This sounds great to Christians. However, Muslims do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God/Allah, nor do they believe that Jesus died on the cross. In essence, the Jesus of the Qur´an and the Jesus of the Bible are not the same Jesus.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Turkey and the Collapse of the European Union: PDF | Audio
My friend JoAnne and I are trying to figure out the “mystery noise” on the 104.3 My FM radio station here in Los Angeles. The sound is played at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, 11:25 a.m. and 1:25, 3:25, 5:25 p.m. (PDT) on weekdays. After the sound is played, the 20th caller to 866-544-6936 gets to guess what the sound is.
Everytime the answer is incorrect, the prize goes up $100. The current prize, after an incorrect guess was made at 3:25 this afternoon, is $18,800.
You can listen to the noise by going to this page, scrolling down a little and clicking on the arrow below "What’s That Sound?":
Wherever I go, I always look forward to returning to San Diego. It is my favorite city in the world. It has everything I want and like, and the weather virtually always is ideal.
I hadn’t been to Balboa Park in awhile, so I decided to spend much of this morning there. There are sections for which there are admission charges, such as the San Diego Zoo and the Japanese Friendship Garden, both of which are awesome. I am more than entertained, though, by walking around areas that are free, such as the Botanical Building.
In So. California, there is something commonly known as “June gloom.” Typically, during the month of June (and often the first part of July), most mornings are overcast (although that does not mean that it rains, which usually happens during the winter).
So in the numerous photos I took today, you’ll notice that there is very little blue in the sky. Many people like “June gloom” because the clouds prevent the daytime temperature from getting too hot. It was a little cool for me, so I just wore a long-sleeved shirt and pants.
For lunch, I was in the mood for spicy Thai food. So I went to Taste of Thai, which is just a few blocks away. Besides the fact that their food tastes great, they make it as hot as I like it there.
Happy Memorial Day! I have a great deal of respect, admiration and appreciation for all of those who have fought, and often paid the ultimate sacrifice, for our independence and freedom in the U.S.
The abdominal thrusts in the Heimlich maneuver have saved countless people from choking to death. Dr. Henry Heimlich is the person who developed this technique decades ago.
Dr. Heimlich, now 96, is in a senior living center in Cincinatti, Ohio. Although he has demonstrated the Heimlich maneuver numerous times to teach people how to do it, he never had used it to save anyone’s life...until recently.
A deadly “superbug” that is a strain of the E. Coli bacterium has made its first appearance in the United States. It was diagnosed recently in Pennsylvania in a 49-year-old woman with a urinary tract infection.
This antibiotic-resistant bacteria was first identified in China in 2015, and it has spread to Europe, Canada and other places. It causes death in up to 50% of infected people.
The Pennsylvania woman who was infected the bacteria said that she had not traveled for 5 months before being diagnosed. As such, it is unclear how she contracted the infection.
The main concern with this particular E. Coli baterium is that it has a gene, MCR-1, that has developed a resistance to every antibiotic available, including the “last resort” antibiotic known as Colistin. Public health officials in the U.S. have been expecting this drug-resistant gene to turn up here, and now it has.
Donald Trump has surpassed the number of delegates, 1,237, required to become the Republican nominee for president. This is according to a delegate count released today by the Associated Press.
The two photos below are from the Melania Knauss and Donald Trump Wedding on January 22, 2005. During this particular election year, these photos seem rather paradoxical, even hilarious. The cartoon also gave me a good chuckle.
There has been a great deal of speculation, by Bible teachers and prophecy scholars, about the timing of the “70th Week” of years This is the final 7 years of this age prior to the return of Jesus Christ to earth to rule and reign.
That 7-year period has come and gone, and the ENP is history. However, a new agreement, the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), was approved by the European Parliament in Nov. 2013. The ENI confirms and strengthens the ENP with all of its partners, including Israel, for the 7-year period 2014 through 2020.
As such, it is worth considering the possibility that the ENI could be the prophesied agreement of Daniel 9:27a. If it is, then extremely difficult times, known as the Great Tribulation, may be coming upon the world beginning during Passover week next year: Apr. 10-18, 2017. Many more details about all of this can be found in my commentary here:
Today is Global Outreach Day (G.O.D.) in the U.S. It is a day to share our faith in God with others, or at least one other person.
If you have an extra Bible laying around, this would be a good day to give it to someone. Suggest to that person to begin with reading Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. If you have not read these books of the Gospel, this would be a good day to do that.
When doing this, here are four basic steps to keep in mind:
They also discussed Turkey, a provisional member of the European Union (EU) for about 12 years. In June 2016, Turkey is supposed to be opening its borders with the rest of the EU. If so, those with a Turkish passport will not need a visa to move into Europe and become residents of these countries.
Something else taking place next month, on June 23, 2016, is a vote in Great Britain deciding whether or not it will leave the EU. If Great Britain does withdraw from the EU, the EU may fall apart, perhaps by the end of the year.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Turkey and the Collapse of the European Union: PDF | Audio
I don’t eat out too much. Sometimes I go to Subway and get a sandwich with all the vegetables on it. Other times I go out for hot/spicy Thai food. I do not like to spend much money if I eat out, though.
One thing I will get sometimes if I pass by a Taco Bell is a beefy frito burrito. I really like the taste. It probably is not too healthful; but costs only $1.00, so the price is hard for me to pass up.
Taco Bell also has a good variety of salsa packets: verde, mild, hot, fire, and diablo. Sometimes I put all of them on my burrito because I like the mixture of tastes. But my favorite is diablo because it is pretty hot.
It appears that President Obama is attempting to put a lid on the transgender restroom debate. He has issued a sweeping directive telling every public school system in the nation to allow transgender students to use the restrooms that match their personal gender identities. The directive makes it clear that the administration considers this to be a civil rights issue; and transgender students must have access to the facilities of their choice, even when other students or their parents object.
Every public school system will receive a letter signed by officials at the Justice Department and the Department of Education. The letter describes what schools should do to ensure that there is no discrimination of any of their students, including transgender students. The declaration includes, “The desire to accommodate others’ discomfort cannot justify a policy that singles out and disadvantages a particular class of students.” Click here to read the full letter, beginning on Page 2.
The letter, described as “guidance” by the administration, is not legally binding; but it suggests that if schools deny transgender students the right to use the restrooms of their choice, they would be non-compliant with the 1972 federal law known as Title IX. If schools are in violation of Title IX, they could lose federal funding or face a federal lawsuit.
The letter is being seen by some as adding to the debate over transgender rights, sparked by recent legislation in North Carolina, concerning which public restroom a transgender person is allowed to use. Both North Carolina officials and the federal government have filed suit over the new law.
“There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against transgender students on the basis of their sex,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement accompanying the directive sent by the Departments of Justice and Education. Schools can provide other options for students seeking “additional privacy,” but they can’t force transgender students to use “individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so.”
This is what I wonder: What about the rights of the majority of those who do not want someone of the opposite biological sex entering the restroom that they are using? What about young girls who face the possibility of a boy or man, pretending to be a transgender, walking into their restroom and molesting them? Are their rights not in danger of being violated?
Presumably, this move by the Obama Administration is going to outrage millions of Americans, particularly those who have kids in public schools. It would not surprise me if this new policy (along with some of Obama’s other policies) leads to the process of some states seceding from the union, which I have felt for some time might happen eventually.
Republican (R) and/or Democratic (D) primaries were held today in 2 states.
Nebraska Primary (R)
Donald Trump: 61.4%
[Ted Cruz: 18.5%]
[John Kasich: 11.4%]
West Virginia Primary (R & D)
Donald Trump: 78.9%
[Ted Cruz: 9.2%]
[John Kasich: 7.0%]
Bernie Sanders: 51.4%
Hillary Clinton: 36.0%
Although Cruz and Kasich have suspended their campaigns, they’re still receiving votes. However, there appears to be no way to stop Trump from receiving the Republican nomination.
A friend sent me an article that describes something I do: back into, rather than pull forward into, parking spaces. I have done it consistently ever since I was in high school.
Once when I was 16 or 17, I backed out of a space and almost hit someone. I decided that it would be safer to back into a space to begin with and then to drive forward out of the space when leaving.
It’s interesting how the article indicates that it may be a type of “delayed gratification” to back into a space. I definitely fit into that category. I’ve commented to friends, who have asked me why I take the time to back in, that you have to put your car into reverse either coming or going; so you might as well get it out of the way.
I do feel gratified, when leaving WalMart for instance, that all I have to do is drive forward out of my space. Since I don’t back out, I do not have to turn around and look in both directions for cars that might be coming. One does have to back up a little to be able to see those cars, and I think this increases the chance of having an accident. I definitely think that driving straight out is safer, easier and faster than backing out.
It’s also interesting that countries where more people back into spaces may have a higher economic rate (according to Shankar Vedantam). If so, maybe those people don’t spend as much money because, again, they are in the “delayed gratification” category and don’t feel compelled to spend money all the time to bring themselves happiness. I certainly am in that boat.
My mom is in heaven, and I look forward with great anticipation to seeing her again one day. For all of you other moms: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, and God bless you for doing all the great and wonderful things that you do for your families.
The National Earthquake Conference (NEC) has been taking place for 3 days in Long Beach, CA. In a keynote speech, Thomas Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, said that the southern part of the San Andreas fault is “locked, loaded and ready to roll.” He added, “The springs on the San Andreas system have been wound very, very tight.”
The last time a break on that major fault resulted in a catastrophic quake was in 1857, with a magnitude 7.9 shaker. The next great temblor, which easily could be an 8.0 or larger, could take place sooner rather than later.
Admittedly, I am apprehensive about a gigantic earthquake hitting Southern California. With the Los Angeles area having the second largest population in the country, such a shaker could result in the greatest disaster in U.S. history.
Today is the National Day of Prayer. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and it was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.
Be a good prayer warrior and seek God’s grace, mercy, guidance and safety for your family, the locality where you live, your nation and the world as a whole.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2)
Shout it aloud; do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. (Isaiah 58:1a)
In other news, Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed in Israel today. They honored the memory of at least six million Jews slaughtered by the Nazis seven decades ago.
Also today, numerous mortar shells were fired, by Hamas, on Israeli troops in the Gaza. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Benjamin Netanyahu will convene the security cabinet tomorrow in an emergency meeting to discuss the elevation of violence. Some are concerned that signs of the Holocaust may be surfacing again.
Republican (R) and Democratic (D) primaries took place today in Indiana.
Indiana Primary (R & D)
Donald Trump: 53.3%
Ted Cruz: 36.6%
John Kasich: 7.6%
Bernie Sanders: 52.5%
Hillary Clinton: 47.5%
Ted Cruz and John Kasich have suspended their presidential campaigns on May 3 & 4, respectively. As such, Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for 2016.
I saw the graphics below online. This reminds me of me. I have a lot of things to do, and some days I don’t really feel motivated to do anything. On those days, I go through the steps of motivating myself until my tasks get done.
One of the main things that gets me going is knowing how glad I will be once everything is done, as shown by the guy on the top step. Then I can relax. Just wanting to have the satisfaction of completion often stimulates me to get started.
Today is the Feast of Firstfruits or Resurrection Day, the day that Jesus rose from death after being crucified on Passover.
Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Early on the first day of the week, the tomb of Jesus was found to be empty. After that, Jesus appeared to many people (see John 20-21). Saul, later called Paul, who had a frightful encounter with the resurrected/ascended Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6), wrote a brief summary about these things:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
This year, most of Christendom observed Resurrection Day, also called “Easter Sunday,” four weeks ago on Mar. 27. However, I feel that today is the proper commemoration of Resurrection Day, as explained in my Mar. 25 entry.
I believe that Romans 10:9,10—confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and believing that He was raised from the dead—is the foundation for eternal salvation. It is by God’s grace through our faith, not by our “good works,” that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8,9). Moreover, if good works and deeds do not follow our faith, then our faith is of little value and, essentially, is dead (James 2:14,17,20,24,26).
A friend and I attended a fantastic Passover Seder tonight, which was put on by the local Jewish community. It is a commemoration of the Israelites in Egypt being led out of bondage by Moses, including crossing the Red Sea on dry land (Exodus 12-14).
It is possible that Passover may be my favorite night of the year. For one thing, I love the account of the exodus of the tribes of Israel out of Egypt. Also, the Seder feast always has an outstanding variety of food, all of which is extremely tasty.
Tonight, I think I took a little bit of everything, and I ate everything on my plate. Right now, I feel like I’ve gained 5 pounds.
One fun thing involved the paper frogs and locusts that were placed on every table. They representated the plagues of frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) and locusts (Exodus 10:1-20) that God sent upon Egypt because the Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. We were able to press down on the backs of the paper frogs and locusts to cause them to leap onto other people...pretty hilarious.
The ladies were so nice that they urged me to pack up two plates of food to go. They also gave me two unopened boxes of matzos. I will eat some everyday during the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, usually with peanut butter on it. Yum!
The Judeo/Christian Bible was written by dozens of men over hundreds of years. All of their connected messages fit together as a unified whole.
On the contrary, the claim of Islam is that Muhammad is the one and only person through whom Allah/God relayed the messages of the Qur´an. Muslims are expected to accept the word of this one man, who claimed to receive the information of the Qur´an in one day or over a short period of time.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Pesach or Passover begins after sunset this evening, and tonight there will be a full moon. This day is a commemoration of the exodus of Israel out of Egypt, as described in Exodus 12:1-51.
Just as lambs were slain on the first and subsequent Passovers, the Lamb of God, Yeshua/Jesus, also died on Passover. His shed blood atoned for the sins of all who will accept His unique sacrifice on their behalf. According to John the Baptist and the apostle Paul,
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7b)
His death, of the righteous for the unrighteous, is the only thing that can bring us to God the Father. According to the apostle Peter,
Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)
There are clear links between the life, death, resurrection and future return of Yeshua/Jesus and the feasts and holy days of Israel. (See more in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 of my online book.)
An excellent 26˝-minute video by Day of Discovery, showing connections between Jesus’ sacrifice and Passover, can be viewed here:
Someone told me about a site called Scorecard, a pollution information site, that claims to show levels of pollution of various types in U.S. counties. It also provides other types of information nationwide.
I have no idea how valid or accurate the data is, but I spent a few minutes clicking around the 90029, 92612 and 92101 zip codes. It didn’t surprise me that Los Angeles County is very polluted.
In my End of the Age: 2019? commentary, I proposed a very speculative, “outside the box” possibility. I suggested there might be a chance that the world could enter the Great Tribulation period during Passover week 2016, which begins this coming Friday, Apr. 22, at sunset.
As this time has approached, however, I have become increasingly skeptical that this will happen. Now, I feel virtually certain that it will not. However, I do remain convinced that this dreadful time in human history will begin during Passover week in a future year.
For years, I have believed that the months leading up to the onset of the Great Tribulation (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21) would be a time of unprecedented, mind-blowing events throughout the world, including in the U.S. and in Israel. Then the final 3˝ years of this age will commence, culminating with the return of Jesus to earth as the Rider on a white horse.
Presently, I feel that the soonest the final 3˝ years of this age may begin is next year, during Passover week 2017. As such, most likely sometime next week, I will remove many of the links at my website that go to the commentary mentioned above.
Interestingly, I am investigating the possibility that the final 7 years of this age may have begun in 2014, implying that the final 3˝ years could begin in 2017. This is based on the prospect that the 7-year European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), extending from 2014 through 2020, may be the agreement of Daniel 9:27 that confirms the previous European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI): Israel agreement or covenant, which also happened to run for 7 years, from 2007 through 2013.
In essence, the ENPI was in effect for the 7-year period from 2007 through 2013. The ENI—which extends, supports and refinances the ENPI—is to be in effect from 2014 through 2020. So the middle of the latter 7-year period will be during 2017. More details about the ENI can be read here: European Neighbourhood Instrument. If and when I can find the time, I may write a new commentary: End of the Age: 2020?
Ecuador Japan Vanuatu Japan Japan Burma Afghanistan Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu Russia
7.8 7.0 6.4 6.0 6.2 6.9 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.9 6.4
Hundreds are dead and thousands remain injured after large earthquakes last week. Three big temblors hit Japan: a 6.0 and a 6.2 on Apr. 14 and a 7.0 on Apr. 15. A whopping 7.8 quake rocked Ecuador on Apr. 16.
I look at the USGS Earthquakes page everyday. On the left side of the page, there is a list of significant earthquakes, usually 6.0 and above, in the world over the past 30 days, the majority in less than two weeks. On the right side is a list of 2.5 to 5.9 magnitude quakes, many of which are aftershocks of larger quakes.
I have seen an amazing increase of 6.0+ earthquakes, worldwide, beginning less than a month ago. Clusters like this occur every so often, but this one is notable. I wonder how much longer this pattern will continue.
Notice that most of the earthquakes on the list have taken place in Vanuatu. This is an island nation in the South Pacific, northeast of Australia. The islands are of volcanic origin, so naturally it is a very seismically active area. With all of the large, frequent quakes that occur there, I don’t think I could deal with living in Vanuatu.
I’ve been wondering why tax day this year had been postponed from today until Mon., Apr. 18. I knew that this is not a weekend day, nor is it a federal holiday. The simple explanation is here:
The Dead Sea is located between Israel and Jordan. Although I’ve never been there, it always has intrigued me and seemed to be a fascinating place.
Its surface is 1,407 feet (429 meters) below sea level, which is the lowest location on a land mass on earth. Also, it is so salty that people can float on the water without using a flotation cushion or air raft.
Unfortunately, due to the high degree of salinity, no fish or plants can live in the Dead Sea. Furthermore, the volume of this body of water is decreasing, so the density of salt is increasing.
Its shoreline is retreating at a rate of about one yard per year. This is because, beginning in the 1960s, water inflow to the Dead Sea from the Jordan River was reduced as a result of large-scale irrigation and generally low rainfall.
However, one day all of this will change. After the Messiah returns, the millennial Temple and Holy Mountain will be present in Jerusalem. Water will flow out from the temple to the Mediterranean Sea and to the Dead Sea, and the latter will become a sea full of life.
He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah [Jordan Valley], where it enters the [Dead] Sea. When it empties into the [Dead] Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Great [Mediterranean] Sea.” (Ezekiel 47:8-10)
On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern [Dead] Sea and half to the western [Mediterranean] Sea, in summer and in winter. (Zechariah 14:8)
As of today, U.S. postal rates will decrease for the first time in 97 years. The first-class stamp will go down 2˘ to 47˘. There are other reductions as well. I have made the following basic chart and taped it to my wall for future reference: U.S. Postal Service Rates.
I also have a small scale to weigh letters and small packages so that I can paste on the correct postage before going to the post office. I hate those waiting lines.
I think it’s strange that the first-class metered rate is 46.5˘. I guess that means that we need to buy metal cutters to cut a penny in half whenever we pay for that.
Someone emailed me and said she liked my Punctuation Guide. Then she raised an interesting question about whether it is or is not okay to combine a proper name ending in "s" (such as Miles) with an "’s" (that is, Miles’s meaning Miles is). My response is here:
My friend is a great cook, and everything he makes is extremely tasty. I’m a pretty good cook, but I don’t really enjoy the process too much. He does.
We went to the 99 Ranch Market in Richmond, where he bought some interesting ingredients: water spinach, snow pea leaves, chives, bok choy, two kinds of mushrooms, ginger and tofu. Tonight he cooked all of it in a big skillet, and he also steamed some rice.
Everything was excellent, and it was very healthful. I didn’t eat a large portion, though, because I already had eaten too much today. However, I like leftovers because all the spices have more time to soak in.
On American Family Radio (AFR) this morning, Pastors Tom Wallace and Shahram Hadian of Fortress of Faith talked about groups and movements within Islam that do not adhere to basic, orthodox Islamic tenets and principles taught by Muhammad. Just as there are cults and movements within Christianity, certain non-orthodox sects also exist in Islam:
the Gulen Movement
Jamaat ulFuqra
the Ahmadyya Movement
the Nation Of Islam
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
