I was watching God’s Learning Channel tonight. It is the last evening of Hanukkah, and all eight candles of the menorah were lit. Soon thereafter, I lit mine, too, and also recited the Hanukkah Blessings. 10-second slideshow Later, I enjoyed some of the things that Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries had to say. He often points out things in the Bible that I hadn’t thought of before. |
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It is Christmas Day. For me, it is just like any other day, since this is not Jesus’ birthday. He was born in the Fall of the year, during Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. That is when He came to tabernacle with us. Very likely, though, He was conceived during Hanukkah (see Dec. 20)—perhaps on Christmas Day, which is the fifth day of Hanukkah this year. The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if 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 10:8-10) There are no other ways to be saved, no other roads back to God, and no other plans of salvation. This is God’s one and only plan to reconcile his fallen creation back to Himself. This is the only way you can escape an eternity apart from the God who created you in His own image. It is through His grace and by faith in Jesus Christ! |
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Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, began tonight at sunset. Read my Dec. 1, 2010 entry for more information about this Jewish holiday, during which candles are lit and Hanukkah Blessings are read each night for eight nights. I wish I knew Hebrew so I could pronounce all the words in the blessings correctly. 20-second slideshow On TV, we saw the lighting of the national menorah, which took place in Washington, DC. I think I’d rather watch that than the lighting of the national Christmas tree. Happy Hanukkah! |
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, a cold war-era leader in modern times, has died of an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) at the age of 69. His third son, Kim Jong Un, is his heir apparent. I wonder how many of the North Korean “mourners” in the following videos were sincere and how many were told to put on a “convincing” show of grief and sorrow: North Koreans in Pyongyang mourn death of leader Kim Jong-il |
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I was craving vegetables, so I made chicken and vegetable soup. I definitely don’t like to cook everyday, and I don’t mind eating the same thing over and over again; so I made a huge batch of it. I froze about half of it, and it all should last for at least a couple of weeks. 13-second slideshow It took awhile to cut up all of the vegetables. I used onions, garlic, potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, green beans, celery, zucchini, broccoli (flowers and stems), carrots, lentils, and black beans. At the end, I added a large can of diced tomatoes. The gallon jar full of soup was about 1/3 of the total amount. |
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I was up before dawn today snapping photos of the lunar eclipse. Although it was a total eclipse, the totality was not visible in mainland USA. I think only Hawaii was able to view it. 10-second slideshow It was interesting how the visible portion of the full moon got smaller and smaller as it was setting. The eclipse was total after the moon dropped below the western horizon, which was after the sun rose in the east. I didn’t wait for sunrise; I went back to bed. |
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I had dialogues with a couple of people last year about “black eyes” (see Apr. 22 and June 15, 2010). Recently, someone emailed me insisting that Arnold Schwarzenegger has black eyes. I don’t buy it. I changed the name of the person who emailed me to protect his identity. |
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Today was the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It’s hard to believe that this “date which will live in infamy,” as President Roosevelt referred to it, was that long ago. That single incident, beginning at 7:55 a.m. local time, plunged the USA into World War II. Sadly, one veteran of the Navy, Frank Curre, passed away today at the age of 88. He had survived the attack on Pearl Harbor when he was 18. |
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The Broncos, led by Tim Tebow (whom I featured on Feb. 7, 2010), won an amazing victory over the Vikings today: 35-32. This was their fifth straight win. See more here. He also explains how “Tebowing” also can involve mocking the act of kneeling and praying. Many people seem to be offended by it. Of course, I’m sure that Tim Tebow couldn’t care less what anybody else thinks. He just continues living his faith, including through the Tim Tebow Foundation, helping to bring physical and spiritual healing to the world’s poorest children. |
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The U.S. stock market Dow made a giant leap today of 490.05 points. It was the ninth largest single day increase ever. Euro Crisis, Markets Respond On some level, it is amusing to see people become ecstatically euphoric over such a steep rise in the stock market. I think some actually believe that it is the beginning of an upward trend that will wipe out market gigantic losses, which have occurred over the past three years. |
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For all of those who celebrate Thanksgiving today, be sure that you thank God/Yahweh for His multitude of blessings and gifts. President Washington acknowledged the Providence of Almighty God in his General Thanksgiving Proclamation. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7) We also should thank God for His chosen nation, Israel. Without His covenant with Israel, the whole world would be lost. But those who believe in the true God, Yahweh, have been “grafted in” to Israel and, as a result, will receive eternal salvation (see God’s Covenant: with Israel or the Church?). In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (Micah 4:1-3) As the world grows darker with chaos, anarchy, threatening economic collapse, and war among the nations, we can look forward to the “light at the end of the tunnel,” when Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ) will return to rule and reign. Only then will there be worldwide peace and no more war, and for this we can be genuinely thankful! |
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Christians are taught that God is the Source of mercy, grace, and judgment. What do these mean? The following simple descriptions should convey the implications of these words:
“Thank you, Father, for your wonderful mercy and undeserved grace. Keep us in obedience to Your Word to keep Your judgment from falling upon us. Amen.” |
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Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez was arrested today for shooting two bullets at the White House six days ago. He also called President Obama “the anti-Christ.” A couple of months ago, Hernandez made an audition video for the Oprah Winfrey show. In the final minute of this 20-minute segment, he stated, “It’s not just a coincidence that I look like Jesus. I am the modern-day Jesus Christ that you all have been waiting for.” His ramblings are so bizarre and obtuse that he may not be found competent to stand trial. Now, would Jesus shoot up the White House with an AK-47? Hmmm, I sort of doubt it. |
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Very early this morning, San Diego police and deputies ordered numerous occupiers of the OWS (Occupy Wall Street) movement to pick up their things and leave. There were 10 arrests. The occupiers had returned to the area after being cleared out on Oct. 28, when 51 were arrested. Protesters say they are speaking out against joblessness, poverty, and political corruption. They have vowed to stay in the downtown area until their “demands” are met. Fat chance. One protestor even announced a moment of silence for solidarity with “the guy who shot at the White House” (that is, alleged shooter Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez): Arrests were made for illegal lodging, public drunkenness, and resisting police. Protesters also had been chanting and banging drums very loudly, thus disturbing the peace. Freedom of speech does not protect lawlessness. |
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Back on Oct. 12, I promoted one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Taste of Thai, here in San Diego. Today, I went to another favorite Thai place, Thai Time II. I always order the red curry vegetarian lunch special for $4.95, at both places. 13-second slideshow I can’t really say I like the food better at one place than at the other; they taste virtually the same to me. More importantly, they both will make my red curry almost as hot and spicy as I like. Since I like to save money, though, I suppose I would have to give the edge to Taste of Thai, since they give a 10% discount if you pay in cash, which I always do. |
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The Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, resigned today. It was only three days after the Prime Minister of Greece, George Papandreou, did the same. Both nations are in the midst of crippling debt crises. Presently, the Italian debt is €1.9 trillion ($2.6 trillion). It is expected that Berlusconi will be replaced by Mario Monti, an economist and a former European commissioner. |
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To all the vets out there: Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your faithfulness. Many of you have paid an extremely high price for my freedom, and I appreciate that. 8-second slideshow If you are an American, remember Veterans Day. Fly your flag if you have one, and thank a veteran. A friend and I went to our favorite seafood buffet: the Asia Buffet in Buena Park, CA. We did not eat anything before we got there, around 1:00 pm, so that we’d have a big appetite. Although I am not a big guy, nor am I overweight, I really can “pack it in” at buffets. 20-second slideshow I ate everything that you see in the food photos above. Those magnified critters are a shrimp and a squid. There’s not much that I won’t eat. |
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Recently, at the G20 Summit in Cannes, France, President Sarkozy and President Obama were speaking privately. However, the conversation wasn’t so private after all, as a microphone near them had been left on. This information was made public today. Obama: I have to deal with him every day. A day after the faux pas, Mr. Sarkozy made some positive comments about Israel. Maybe this was an attempt at damage control. So far, no comment about any of this has been made by the Netanyahu administration. |
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It is not too often that I place a link to a video on this page. This morning we were watching church on TV. The pastor played the following video on tithing, which gave us a few laughs: I thought it was amusing when The Manipulator guy with the black hat, waving a $100 bill, said, “Benjie likes hymns! C’mon!” |
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My cousin and I attended Beth Hallel Messianic Congregation in Birmingham, AL, this morning. Several people greeted us and were very friendly. There even was a long table of breakfast food, along with hot coffee and tea. 8-second slideshow It was a Torah service, and the passage that was studied was in Deuteronomy 5. It starts out with a statement to the Israelites by Moses: “Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.” (5:1) |
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Over the past few days, there have been reports that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak of Israel have been asking other officials in their government to consider strongly the possibility of a military strike on Iran. Apparently, they have received information that Iran is going to move its nuclear production facility to another more secure location. Therefore, if there is any chance to set back Iran in producing a nuclear weapon with an effective strike, it must be soon. to Military Action in Iran Today, Israeli President Shimon Peres reminded the nations of the world that a nuclear Iran would be everyone’s problem, not just Israel’s. In my opinion, it sounds like he is hinting that the USA consider joining Israel in making a strike on Iran. Imagine the ramifications of that. In other news, a confidence vote was taken today in the Greek parliament for Prime Minister George Papandreou. Although he won the motion of confidence by a vote of 153 to 145, this is merely a tiny “bandaid” placed on Greece’s very serious debt crisis, which eventually could have devastating consequences in Europe and globally. |
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I wonder how many Christians believe that God’s “chosen people” no longer are the Israelites and the Jews but, exclusively, are the Church of Christian believers. I do not believe this at all. By no means has God abandoned Israel, and His everlasting promises to Israel will take place. I have written a lengthy commentary to explain all of this and more: Israel or the Church? I also wonder how many Christians know the following things about Jesus (Yeshua or Yahshua in Hebrew):
Many Christians celebrate Hebraic/Jewish feasts, festivals, and holy days (see a calendar for the next few years). It is not because they have converted to Judaism or are “Jewish wannabes.” Rather, they have come to an understanding that they have been “grafted in” to Israel—with whom God’s original covenant was made—and without Israel, they would be lost. These and similar topics are taught, in numerous programs, on God’s Learning Channel. You can Watch It Live 24 hours a day. (Note: I do not endorse all teachings by every programmer.) |
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When I left San Diego on Oct. 19, hardly any of the leaves had changed color. Here in Alabama, many of the trees are completely changed, although it does seem like there are more green trees than there usually are at this time of year. 1-minute slideshow Even with all of these decorations, and although Halloween is of zero significance to me, I still like this one from last year the best: Cell Phone Witch. |
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I am different from most other people in lots of ways. Like I eat raw oats and fruit virtually every single day, and I never get tired of it. I also like weird things like broccoli stalks as a snack. Not only do I like the taste, but I like the crunchy texture. 8-second slideshow My cousins bought a big batch of candy. Since Halloween is coming up, it’s a good excuse to have candy around, although they plan to turn off the lights early on Halloween night to discourage trick-or-treaters, which is fine with me. |
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I’ve been visiting cousins in Alabama for a week. I always eat too much when I come here because everything is so good. One night we had spicy shrimp and grits, which were very tasty, although a little rich for me. 8-second slideshow I made a pan of meat and vegetable lasagna, which turned out great. Then I made a batch of chewy brownies, and my cousin made the chocolate frosting. The frosting recipe was on the side of a can of Hershey’s cocoa. I don’t know which we liked better, the lasagna or the brownies. |
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In the photo on the right, can you tell which three are almonds? You can click on the photo to see them all close-up. I had to take several shots, in the right lighting, to get them in reasonable focus. |
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In case you hadn’t heard, the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will take place on November 9, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. EST. All TV and radio transmissions in the USA will be interrupted at that time for the test. This article makes it sound somewhat more ominous: All TV and Radio Broadcasts on Nov. 9? Personally, I don’t like the sound of this at all. |
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I have been reminded by someone that this is the day on which Harold Camping, of Family Radio, has been maintaining that the end of the world would take place. Obviously, if you are reading this, it has not happened, nor do I believe there is any chance whatsoever that it will happen today. Here is a very lengthy “special message” that came out yesterday on the Family Radio website: There actually are a few things in that message with which I agree, such as that we should pray for others and for ourselves. However, I disagree with the majority of the message. In fact, I will make the following firm statements about some of the points stated in Camping’s recent message:
In addition, Harold Camping’s main spokesman, Tom Evans, recorded a lengthy message (49 minutes) on Oct. 16, and I have solid disputes with most of it. Here are things that Camping and his followers believe will happen today but with which I adamantly disagree:
The spokesman admitted that he “wants to believe” that the things Harold Camping have said are true. This is a hallmark sign of people who have been deluded and deceived: they want to believe certain things that are unscriptural. Today, they will find out that what they want to believe is irrelevant. I have made other comments about Harold Camping and his erroneous predictions on May 21, 2011, and on July 2, 2010. I hope this is the last time he will make predictions about the alleged timing of the Rapture and Judgment Day. Somehow, though, I sense that this will not be the end of it. |
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Muammar Gaddafi (aka Moamer Kadhafi), the autocratic ruler of Libya for 42 years, has been killed, according to Al Jazeera sources. This ends an era of brutal dictatorship in Libya. I am not convinced that a better government is on the horizon for Libya, though. If the Muslim Brotherhood takes over, Libya could go “from the frying pan into the fire.” |
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In Israel today, Galid Shalit was welcomed back by cheering crowds. He is an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier who has been held hostage in the Gaza Strip for more than five years, after being kidnapped by Hamas militants on June 25, 2006. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak met with Shalit at Israel Air Force base in Tel Nof shortly after his arrival. |
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I hung out with some good friends today. At one point, I saw a rainbow on the floor. It was caused by a prism hanging outside the window, and the sun was shining through it. It kept jiggling around as a breeze outside was moving the prism, so it wasn’t easy to capture a clear photograph of it. 10-second slideshow In any case, I believe that a rainbow is symbolic of Jesus. Almost a couple of decades ago, when I wrote the (free) book that I have at my website, I included this section: rainbow symbolic of Jesus. Jesus also is the great Healer. |
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Today is the first full day of the week-long celebration of Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-43). It actually began yesterday at sunset, and there also is a full moon. It is God’s seventh and final festival of the year. Both the first day and the seventh day are Sabbaths of rest. Most likely, it is sometime during this week-long feast that Yeshua (Jesus) was born, rather than in December at “Christmas.” Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 14:16-21)People from all over the world will go to worship Yeshua in Jerusalem, where His throne will be. And this will continue throughout the Millennium. |
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On the way to the airport before dawn today, I took some photos of the setting full moon and then of the rising sun (in the opposite direction). None of them turned out too clearly, since I was in a rush and these were quick “snapshots.” 8-second slideshow I flew back into San Diego this morning and did some things I needed to get done during the day. I had been craving spicy Thai food while I was away, so I went to Taste of Thai restaurant for their red curry veggie lunch special. They’re one of the few Thai places that will prepare my food “ped mak mak” (as hot as the cooks can make it) when I order it. 13-second slideshow It’s a great deal—all for $4.80, including tax, if you pay in cash. The four porcelain bowls contain red and green hot Thai peppers, jalapeño peppers, hot red sauce, and hot chili powder. I put all of those all over my food. At that point, it’s almost hot enough. I can’t wait to go back. 30-second slideshow I thought it was kind of funny how many flying objects (helicopter, plane, and birds) were around to shoot at the time. |
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Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32), began at sunset last night and continues to sunset today. It is traditional to fast for 25 hours, which I am doing. |
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On Sep. 23, in New York, Mahmoud Abbas submitted a formal bid before the U.N. General Assembly for Palestinian statehood. So far, a vote has not been taken. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that the Palestinian request for membership to UNESCO is a “rejection of the path of negotiations.” U.S. Secretary of State Clinton said that “the decision about status must be made in the United Nations and not in auxiliary groups.” |
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There is disagreement among those who believe in God about how long it took Him to create the universe, including the earth and everything on it. Most of the dispute revolves around the meaning of the Hebrew word yôm = “day” in Genesis 1. Here is an email I received, along with my response: |