October 2011 Letters
From Tennessee: Dear Editor: Some of your writers have suggested America is under judgment from God. But, don’t you think that the hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. are just a normal pattern of nature?
Dear Tennessee: I have to tell you that I am in full agreement with those who believe the disasters are from God. Sometimes we hear of some important dignitary saying this and the Media, which I relate to the False Prophet, immediately goes to work denigrating him or her. The latest one who has come under fire is presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann when she was criticized Monday for saying the earthquake and hurricane that struck the U.S. east coast were a message from God to American politicians. Bachmann, an ultraconservative and favourite of the Christian right, made the remarks at a political rally in Florida. As an aside, I’m often amazed at the phrase “Christian Right,” a term utilized I suppose to all those Christians who have not accepted the “new reality” of faith. Anyway, here is what Ms. Bachmann said, “I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He [God] said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ …..” Bachmann was taken to task for the comments by newspaper editorial writers and magazine commentators. New York magazine compared her to Pat Robertson, the televangelist known for invoking the wrath of God in fire-and-brimstone political attacks. “Whoops! That wasn’t Pat Robertson ridiculously claiming that God created a (very minor) earthquake and a (relatively tiny exceptional) hurricane because he was upset about the government’s finances. It was Michele Bachmann. She’s running for president;’ it said. “Bachmann talks to God — again: wrote Jonathan Capehart, an editorial writer for the Washington Post, who recalled in a blog on the newspaper’s website that Bachmann says God called her to run for president. Bachmann won a strawpoll in Iowa Aug. 4 in the first electoral test of the campaign for the Republican nomination, but she has been overtaken in polls by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, another favourite of the fundamentalist right. (An Agence-France-Presse report)
I have quoted Ezekiel 7:8 many times in articles past, suggesting that the entire chapter is prophetic about the times in which we live. Let’s review it one more time, [God is speaking] “Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.” Now what do you suppose this means. Is God going to give us a pat on the back? Or are we going to get a swift kick in the pants? I don’t know how old you are Tennessee but if you are older and wiser, you will look back over the past half century and shudder. In Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, Jesus Himself described the happenings just before His return. The trouble is that although most Christians believe in God, not all believe God. But, we better start because all the signs are in place and as Jesus said in Luke 21:27, “And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
From Vancouver: Dear Brooks, the stock markets are beginning to rebound. Can we put much stock in predictions of doom and gloom?
Thanks Vancouver: You obviously wrote this in mid to late August because lately the markets have been heading south again. But, is this a proper yardstick, or should we be looking at real indicators, like the vast number of people unemployed, the debt that is going through the ceiling, the cost of three wars, the damage cost of natural disasters, etc, etc, etc? You can only go so far down the road of disaster before the piper has to be paid. Canada is certainly in a better position than America but they are still our biggest trading partner and the more they suffer, it will come here to haunt us as well. So far, the Americans have managed to pull one rabbit after another out of the hat but the question is, “Have they run out of rabbits?” A forecaster by the name of Gerald Celente, who is said to be very accurate in his predictions, recently suggested that October (this month) will begin the long slide downward. He did hedge his bets by saying that the Fed could delay this if enough money is pumped into the system. I liked his description of the coming period, he referred to it as the “Winter of Discontent.” As I said in August, the 40 years (a period of probation) from the time gold was untied from the dollar expired in August 2011. Certainly, the extent of the fiat money created out of thin air doesn’t auger well for probation, so punishment should follow. We shall see how severe.
From Alberta: Dear Brooks and Holly, I have a question, where is the secret place of the most high? Is it Christ, and if so, is Christ also the word of God, the Laws, Statutes, and Judgments?
Good Question Alberta: Let me first record the first two verses of Psalm 91, which refers to the “secret place.”
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
Some suggest this is God the Father speaking and referring to Jesus Christ as the “secret place.” Whatever, the opening two passages refer to the security of the believer who trusts completely in God. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary suggests that “secret place” may be better translated as “shelter” and when you read “He is my refuge and my fortress” you can only think of Christ. He is God and in Him we can certainly trust. While this sums it up for me, verse 16 ends with “and show him my salvation.” We have been promised Salvation through the blessed Blood of Christ.
Part 2 of your question “is Christ also the word of God?” Please refer to John 1, the entire chapter is hugely revealing but let’s look at just verses 1 & 14, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God …… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …. “
Is He also the Laws, Statutes , and Judgments.” I think they were around at the time of Adam but they were given to Moses to codify and set in front of the Israelites to act as the pattern for their lives, and of course, ours. They are certainly an integral part of God’s Plan but I see it as just that. In Matthew 5:17-19, He refers to the Law independently and later He said, “If ye love me, obey my commandments.”
I hope this helps., Alberta.
