Blood Moons and the World Economy

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By P. Amsterdam

Over the years, a number of brethren have written to ask Maria and me about world events and their meaning. Some send us articles about potential economic crashes or disasters. Others’ questions are prompted by emails they have received from members warning about imminent events, worldwide conspiracies, and passing on a variety of other theories. A few have chided us for not commenting on current events, as David did in the past.

As I explained on video some years back, Maria and I do not consider ourselves to be endtime prophets or experts. We have a different anointing than David did, and we have not felt called to make predictions or publish interpretations about current world affairs and whether or how they might relate to endtime events. It’s not that Maria and I never think about what’s going on in the world or that we aren’t interested in current events. I follow the news every day, and honestly I find a lot of it disturbing. The world is a volatile place. People do unthinkable things to others, which exposes man’s inhumanity to man. It seems that almost every month potentially world-changing events occur. Sometimes what I read causes me to feel unsettled, and once in a while even fearful. However, we’re told in Scripture not to worry or fear, but rather to trust in God. Based on what Scripture teaches, I’ve chosen to look at world events through the eyes of faith—faith that God loves those who are affected by the specific events I’m reading about, and that He loves me and will be with me in any circumstances.

So when I receive questions from members about predictions they’ve heard people make, such as about how a certain upcoming event is going to bring the collapse of the world economy, or that in such-and-such a month some specific world-changing event is going to happen, I remind myself that no matter what happens, the Lord is with me and with all His children throughout the world. I don’t believe that such predictions are helpful; because historically they generally don’t come true, and because they often bring unwarranted fear and worry into people’s lives.

To clarify, I do believe that the endtime events spoken of in the Bible will happen and that there will be terrible times before Jesus returns. However, none of us can know when these things will happen. I did a little historical research this morning, and just a cursory search showed that between AD 44 and 2015 there have been 242 major predictions that the Lord would return by a certain time, which didn’t come to pass. Different research showed 145 such predictions. There were many made around the year AD 1000, since it was the turn of the millennium. When the barbarians from the north invaded Italy in the 400s, people were convinced it was the beginning of the end. Martin Luther, in the 1500s, was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to finish his translation of the Old Testament before the end came, because the Muslim Ottomans were besieging Vienna. Even the apostle Paul’s writings seem to say that he believed that Jesus could return in his day.

Throughout history, there have been predictions about the time or date of Jesus’ return and the end of the world, and clearly these have been mistaken. I believe Jesus will most definitely return; but when He spoke to His disciples about the end, the tribulation of those days, and the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, He added: concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.1

Along the same lines, there have been numerous predictions about a worldwide economic crash that will cause the fall of America and set the wheels of the endtime in motion. Is a worldwide economic crash a possibility? Yes, of course. With the globalization of the world’s economy, events which happen in one country’s economy can seriously affect all countries and often do. And yet, just because something is possible doesn’t make it inevitable. Many prognosticators over the past decades have attempted to set a date or declare a month when “the great crash” was to happen, as well as to foresee what would trigger it and what its aftereffects would be. But this worldwide economic demise so often foretold has not yet come to pass. The timing of such an event, if it is to happen, is in the Lord’s hands.

Those who make these predictions often pull from Bible verses, current events, stock market movement, upcoming events, etc., to bolster their case. One idea that has been getting around recently, which a number of people have written to us about, is based on the four “blood moons” that have occurred in 2014 and 2015, along with the Jewish Shmita within the same time period.

A blood moon is a total lunar eclipse which occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth align in a certain way so that Earth casts a shadow on a full moon. Sometimes the moon gets a red glow when this happens. Total lunar eclipses are rare, with only one in three lunar eclipses being total. There are generally four to five total eclipses every ten years. Every once in a while, four total lunar eclipses happen in a row. When this happens, it is called a lunar tetrad. In a lunar tetrad, four total lunar eclipses happen six months apart. It so happens that in 2014–2015 there has been a lunar tetrad, with total eclipses occurring on April 15, 2014; October 8, 2014; April 4, 2015; and September 28, 2015.

This last eclipse is occurring in the same month as the end of the Jewish Shmita, which ended with Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the next Jewish lunar new year. If you are unfamiliar with Shmita, the background is that in the Old Testament, God told Moses that once the people of Israel entered the Promised Land, they should allow their land to rest every seventh year.2 This Sabbath rest every seventh year is referred to as Shmita. During this time, agricultural land belonging to observant Jews within Israel is supposed to be left fallow. The latestShmita was from September 25, 2014, to September 13, 2015. The fourth blood moon of the latest lunar tetrad is within the same month as the close of theShmita. Some prognosticators are saying that this proximity foretells a massive economic collapse.

Around the same time that Maria and I received a few letters asking about this possible crash, a friend of mine brought up these latest predictions in conversation. I asked him to send me some of the material that is circulating on the Internet on the topic and which some members are passing around, and I read and watched portions of it. Those promoting this theory emphasize the fact that the eclipses in this lunar tetrad occurred at the same time as the Jewish holidays of Passover (Pesach) and the Feast of the Tabernacles (Sukkot). A point of interest is that eight of the tetrads since the first century have coincided with Jewish holidays (which would naturally be expected to happen on occasion, since Jewish holidays are based on the lunar calendar), without any major effect on the world of their time. There is no evidence, biblical or otherwise, to support the claim that the 2014–2015 tetrad will be any different.3

Perhaps those who develop these theories truly believe that the moon going through its normal, natural courses, which overlaps with some of the Jewish lunar-based holidays including the Shmita year (as it has for thousands of years), predicts the fall of the dollar and a worldwide economic collapse. However, in looking at the material, it seems to me that there are also instances in which some people make or promote such predictions as a means to sell their newsletters, videos, books, etc.

Is it possible that there will be a worldwide economic crash in September of this year? Possibly. We’ll soon see. But as I said earlier, there have been abundant predictions of a total economic crash over the past decades, which didn’t happen.

What’s my point? I believe the wise thing to do, when faced with such predictions—whether you come across them on the Internet or a family member or friend emails them to you—is to bring the matter to the Lord in prayer rather than getting worried, concerned, and fearful. You might also want to do some research to discern whether what is being predicted makes sense, has a factual basis, and comes to a logical conclusion; or whether it tends toward the sensational. And even if someday someone’s predictions come true, the important thing is not the prediction; it’s knowing that in any and every circumstance, God is with you, and will comfort and care for you. You are His child. He is your Father.

It’s also helpful to realize that some Christians (and others) enjoy theorizing about current world events, their meaning, and how they fit into the biblical endtime events. They spend time researching and reading what others have to say about it. In a sense it’s their hobby. Some folks are very into it, some may even be obsessive, and others just dabble in it. I don’t wish to put a damper on the enthusiasm some have for reading today’s news in light of the endtime, much less to diminish what Scripture teaches about it; my intent is to give some perspective to those who are negatively affected when they receive predictions of disasters, economic crashes, government takeovers, worldwide conspiracies, and other alarming happenings. Keep in mind that this is what some people are extremely interested in, and it’s exciting for them to theorize in this way. Don’t let someone else’s interest or hobby project fear and worry onto you. Remember, generally speaking, these types of specific predictions have seldom come true.

For those of you who are keenly interested in endtime events and predictions, I want to remind you that when you send emails to others about your take on the latest warnings of earthquakes, economic crashes, and other messages of coming doom and destruction, it’s important to be prayerful about what you write. Many of these articles and emails cause unwarranted fear and can stumble others.

No one knows the exact details of what the future holds. Scripture gives a general picture of endtime events, but current events have been overlaid on Scripture for the purpose of foretelling the end for millennia, and thus far, definitive predictions of major events leading up to Jesus’ return have been inaccurate. As Christians, we believe that Jesus will return and that there will be certain events that signal and precede His return (though not all Christians agree on the events or the timing). However, the specifics of how it will all play out for those who are alive at the time will only be known when it happens. Anyone who claims to know exactly what will happen or when it will happen is only speculating. Such speculation should not rattle us, make us worry about ourselves or our children, or cause us to fear.

As mature believers, we should take predictions of the future we hear about for what they are—at best, an individual’s personal speculation; and in some cases, that individual putting out theories to prey on people’s fears for financial or other gain, as is the case with many subjects on the Internet. Most importantly, take these matters to the Lord and let Him comfort you. Remember that God loves you, and by this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.4





1 Matthew 24:29–36.


2 Exodus 23:10–11, Leviticus 25:1–7, 20–22.


3 All of the above information about the lunar tetrads was quoted from "What is a Blood Moon?"


4 1 John 4:17–18.

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Becoming a Christian Case Maker

A compilation
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Audio length: 12:58
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That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.—John the Apostle, 1 John 1:1–31
Following the evidence

If Christians could be trained to provide solid evidence for what they believe and good answers to unbelievers’ questions and objections, then the perception of Christians would slowly change. Christians would be seen as thoughtful people to be taken seriously rather than as emotional fanatics or buffoons. The gospel would be a real alternative for people to embrace.—William Lane Craig

*

If you want to be a good Christian Case Maker (or you simply want to examine the case for Christianity for the first time), you’ll need to understand the power of cumulative cases. The Christian worldview is established in a collective manner: the reliability of the eyewitness Gospel accounts is built on more than one line of evidence. In fact, eyewitnesses are established based on four separate categories of evidence, expressed with four important questions: Were the eyewitnesses really present to see what they said they saw? Can their statements be corroborated or verified in some way? Have the eyewitnesses been honest and accurate over time? Do the eyewitnesses possess a bias or ulterior motive disqualifying them?

These questions must be considered collectively. In addition to this, the case for each category is also made cumulatively. The issue of corroboration, for example, is established on the basis of several unrelated lines of evidence, including archaeology, ancient Jewish writings, ancient non-Christian Greek writings, geographic internal evidence, linguistic internal evidence, correct use of proper nouns, and the unintentional eyewitness support.… The Christian worldview is also established cumulatively.

If we can learn to communicate the strength of collective cases such as these, we’ll become better Christian Case Makers. If you’re examining the case for Christianity for the first time, don’t stop at the “tree-line.” Go deep. Look at everything. Assemble and assess the cumulative case.—J. Warner Wallace

*

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 Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters 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 15:3–82
Who is Jesus?

To the unprejudiced historian, the historical facts regarding Jesus are as definite and evident as those of Julius Caesar. Not only do we find an accurate portrait of Him in the documents of the New Testament, but dozens of ancient non-Biblical manuscripts confirm that Jesus was a genuine historical figure who lived in Palestine in the early part of the first century.

Concerning the testimony of the many ancient secular accounts of Jesus, theEncyclopedia Britannica stated:

“These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time—and on inadequate grounds—by several authors during the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries.”

One very outstanding and undeniably unique aspect of Jesus’ life is that literally hundreds of detailed predictions and prophecies were made by ancient prophets and seers, many centuries before He was born, including specific details regarding His birth, life, and death.

In the Old Testament, over 300 such predictions about the “Messiah” or “Savior” can be found. The discovery of hundreds of ancient Old Testament manuscripts by archaeologists during this century has proven without a doubt that these prophecies were indeed written before this man called Jesus was born.

In 750 B.C., for example, the prophet Isaiah made the astounding prediction that:

“The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel.”3

Seven and a half centuries later, a young virgin girl in Israel named Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, who announced to her that she would bear a son who would be called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” The books of the Bible which were written after Jesus came to Earth, the New Testament, tell us that, “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, seeing I have not lain with any man?’ And the angel answered, ‘The Spirit of God shall come upon you, and the power of the Almighty shall overshadow you! Therefore that Holy One which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.’”4

So even the very beginning of His life on Earth—His conception and birth—were not only unique, but miraculous! In fact, the Bible tells us that the news of her pregnancy was so shocking to the young man to whom she was engaged to be married, Joseph, that when he learned about it he promptly decided to break off the engagement and call off the wedding.—Until the angel of the Lord appeared to him also, and instructed him to stay with her and rear and protect the very special child that she was carrying.

A full 800 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah foretold the exact village where the Messiah would be born:

“You, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me who is to be ruler over Israel; whose goings forth have been of old, from days of eternity.”5

Although His earthly parents lived in the town of Nazareth, 100 miles to the north of Bethlehem, a decree from Rome demanded that all families return to their ancestral homes to register for a worldwide census. The decree came just as Mary’s child was due to be born. Thus God used a Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, to help bring about the fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem, and upon their arrival, Mary went into labor, and as the Gospels inform us, “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,”6 just as the prophet Micah predicted.

Another outstanding prophecy regarding the circumstances surrounding the Messiah’s death was made by Israel’s King David around the year 1000 B.C., or over 10 centuries before Jesus was born. In his prophecy, David gave details of a cruel and agonizing death which he himself never suffered:

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, it has melted within me ... Like a pack of dogs, they have surrounded me; a company of evildoers has encircled me. They have pierced my hands and my feet. They divide my clothing among them and cast lots for my garment.”7

The fulfillment of over 300 Old Testament prophecies given many centuries before He was born, describing in detail His birth, His life, His work, His death, and His resurrection, provide proof of who Jesus is. There is also no reason to doubt that after His death, something incredible happened which transformed His tiny band of dejected followers into a company of witnesses who all the persecution of Imperial Rome could not stop. Downhearted and discouraged, their Lord cruelly crucified by His enemies, it looked to those disciples like their hopes had died and their dreams were shattered.

But three days after Jesus’ death, their faith was rekindled in such a dramatic manner that no force on earth was ever able to quench it! That lowly handful of His original followers went on to tell the entire world the good news in the face of persecution and martyrdom! That God not only sent His Son into the world to teach us His truth and show us His love, but also that Jesus suffered death for our sake, and then rose from the grave. The New Testament tells us that Jesus personally appeared to over 500 eyewitnesses after His resurrection.8 This was the resounding message that His first disciples boldly proclaimed throughout the world, “God raised Him from the dead!”9—Excerpts from “Who is Jesus,” published by TFI
A work of God

For those who are tempted to think that presenting arguments and evidence is not spiritual because only God can change a rebellious heart, I made two observations. First, without the work of God, nothing else will work—not arguments, not love, not even the simple gospel.

Second, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God is pleased to use many things. Love and reason are especially appealing to him because both are consistent with his nature. The fact is, with God’s help, arguments work all the time. Jesus used them, Peter used them, Paul used them—all to great effect.

Understanding God’s central role in the process removes a tremendous burden. We can focus on our job—being clear, gracious, and persuasive—and then leave the results to God. We’re looking for those who are looking for us, in a sense—people whose hearts are already being touched by the Spirit. We can be alert for those sheep that hear Jesus’ “voice” and lift their heads, without troubling those who are not yet ready…

Instead of trying to get the cross in every encounter, just aim to put a stone in someone’s shoe. Try to give the person something to think about. Be content to plant a seed that might later flourish under God’s sovereign care.—Greg Koukl

Published on Anchor October 2015. Read by Jon Marc.



1 NIV.


2 NIV.


3 Isaiah 7:14.


4 Luke 1:26–35.


5 Micah 5:2.


6 Matthew 2:1.


7 Psalm 22:14–18.


8 1 Corinthians 15:6.


9 Acts 13:30.

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O Valor de um Testemunho! — 3ª Parte

By M. Fountaine

Khama III

Nascimento: 1835, Mashu, Bechuanalândia.

Morte: 21 de fevereiro de 1923, Serowe, Bechuanalândia.

Foi chefe dos bamangwatos, do norte da Bechuanalândia (atual Botswana, localizado na parte central da região Sul da África). Khama estudou na escola missionária e se tornou cristão em 1862. Perseguido por suas crenças pelo próprio pai, um incrédulo, tornou-se conhecido entre o povo como Khama o Bom.

A firme liderança de Khama III pôs fim a grande parte da dissensão que dividia o povo. Khama foi elogiado publicamente pela Sociedade Missionária de Londres por ter proibido o comércio e o consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, por guardar o Sábado, e coibir cerimônias tradicionais como, por exemplo, para chover, e os ritos de iniciação de jovens.[1]

Em 1875, Khama se tornou chefe da tribo de ngwato e governou em Shoshang com justiça, equidade e princípios cristãos. Khama permaneceu leal a Cristo e à tribo por incorporar os ideais cristãos às tradições do seu povo. Khama conheceu Livingstone na África. Em 1895, o ano em que ele visitou a Inglaterra, o território da sua tribo foi transformado em reserva nativa. Ele morreu aos 88 anos de idade.[2]

(Jesus:) Este é um exemplo do poder de ganhar um líder para a fé em Mim. Os missionários conseguiram ministrar para Khama porque o abordaram diretamente, algo necessário para chegarem ao seu coração. Ele, por sua vez, abriu caminho para muitos membros da sua tribo Me receberem.

Khama intimidava as pessoas, mas era uma alma em busca de Deus. Ele aparentava estar no controle da situação, mas interiormente sentia-se insatisfeito com o sistema de crenças do pai. Ele buscava valores maiores e melhores maneiras de governar e guiar o seu povo. E eu atendi ao seu coração faminto como prometi que faria. Mas foram precisos missionários para essa tarefa. A fidelidade de cada missionário em obedecer ao seu chamado foi de suma importância para este homem e sua tribo assumirem a fé cristã.

Foi preciso uma comunidade para conseguir ganhar Khama para Jesus, desde professores escolares até à pessoa que o convidou a orar, em um esforço conjunto de fiéis mensageiros e missionários.

Não é fácil carregar tal fardo de responsabilidade como Khama fez. Ser um servo envolve muitas dificuldades e escolhas difíceis, significa carregar fardos pesados por amor a outros e com poucos benefícios para si. Significa trilhar sozinho o “caminho mais alto”, fazer aquilo que você sabe ser o certo, enquanto muitos optam pelo caminho mais fácil. Significa ver suas decisões erradas usadas como exemplos, ser observado em busca de falhas, e ter que se apegar com força aos elogios que Eu falo ao seu coração.

Khama nos mostra que só é possível fazer o melhor dia a dia. Poucos reconhecerão nesta vida o preço que você pagou, os fardos que carregou. Mas, dentro do contexto global, mesmo que ninguém na terra fique sabendo, no Céu todos saberão.

A verdadeira grandeza é um mistério. Nesta vida pensamos muito na dor, no sacrifício, na perda, nas falhas e nos erros. No Céu veremos os frutos, a glória, os benefícios para outros e para nós. Ninguém será um líder à altura de Khama, mas cada vida tem “grandeza” própria, a sua própria “pérola de grande valor” que vale tudo o que possuímos. Khama encontrou a sua vocação como líder, um verdadeiro servo de todos.

Roger W. Babson

Nascimento: 6 de julho, 1875, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Morte: 5 de março de 1967, Lake Wales, Flórida.

Economista e analista de negócios, Babson fundou o Babson Institute e o departamento de estatísticas de negócios em Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. Junto com sua esposa ele fundou a faculdade Webber College (para formar mulheres para os negócios), Babson Park, Flórida e Midwest Institute, em Eureka, Kansas. Babson deu testemunho da sua fé em Cristo em muitos eventos públicos.

Conhecido como gênio financeiro, começou a dar o dízimo ainda na juventude e manteve esse compromisso durante toda a sua longa e próspera vida. O seu empenho em explicar os ciclos econômicos foi o chute inicial para a mentalidade que revolucionou o mundo das previsões de negócios. Candidatou-se a presidente dos EUA em 1940, foi um escritor prolífico e autor de mais de cinquenta livros publicados. Escreveu desde os fundamentos dos negócios a um guia turístico para o Cabo Anne, além de um livro sobre a importância da religião no dia a dia. Morreu aos 92 anos de idade.

(Jesus:) Babson seguiu a estratégia bíblica de administração financeira e nunca ficou desapontado. Ele depositou o seu dinheiro de acordo com a sua fé, tendo por base os princípios da Bíblia. Não foi fácil. Exigiu fé e confiança de que Minhas promessas não falhariam, principalmente quando ele achava que não tinha condições de dar o dízimo. Você sabe como é difícil dar quando acha que não tem o suficiente para suas próprias contas. Quer receber de Mim primeiro, para então retribuir. Mas, como no caso de Babson, se você der mesmo quando é difícil, Eu retribuirei. Confie no princípio financeiro da Bíblia e será abençoado. Essas bênçãos podem nem sempre vir na forma de dinheiro vivo, mas Eu o abençoarei com suas necessidades. Eu sempre cuidarei de você.

Roger Babson não se tornou pregador, missionário ou evangelista, mas Deus precisa de pessoas em todos os setores da sociedade. Babson usou o que o Senhor lhe deu onde se encontrava para ajudar a edificar parte do reino de Deus.


Johann L. Krapf

Nascimento: 17 de janeiro, 1810, Tubingen/Derendingen, Alemanha.

Morte: 26 de novembro de 1881, Kornthal, Alemanha.

Missionário luterano/explorador no Quênia. Krapf foi enviado à Abissínia (Etiópia) pela Sociedade Missionária Cristã, onde serviu de 1838–1840. Casou-se em 1841. Em 1843 mudou-se para Mombasa, no leste da África colonizada pelos britânicos, para trabalhar entre os muçulmanos e as tribos Swahili e Wanika.

Sua meta era construir uma série de bases missionárias no leste da África. Ali faleceram sua esposa, Rosina Dietrich, e sua filha. Krapf traduziu o Novo Testamento para o idioma Swahili. Em 1853 descobriu o monte Quênia (5.199 m), o ponto mais alto do continente africano.[3] Retornou à Europa em 1855 devido a problemas de saúde, mas em 1862 voltou a Mombasa com quatro novos missionários.[4]

(Jesus:) Um semeia, o outro colhe, mas Eu dou o crescimento. Algumas missões são vitalícias, outras oferecem uma dose concentrada de evangelização em um tempo relativamente curto. O que Johann colocou nas Minhas mãos com plena fé — sua segurança e de sua esposa e filha, bem como sua saúde — se transformou em um grande tesouro repleto das Minhas palavras para um povo e cultura. Ele se dedicou por um tempo limitado, mas a dádiva continuou brilhando e dando vida e o Meu Espírito a incontáveis pessoas por muitos e muitos anos depois do término do seu trabalho físico.

Tudo o que você faz de maneira abnegada também pode beneficiar outros e dar início a uma reação em cadeia com um alcance que nem pode imaginar. Quer veja alguns frutos do seu trabalho nesta vida, como no caso de Johann, quer os veja na próxima vida no plano espiritual, saberá que, independentemente do que lhe tenha custado, valeu a pena!

Em certas ocasiões Eu lhe pedirei para Me seguir por um caminho que pode lhe parecer ir contra o que gostaria ou esperaria. A sua conexão Comigo, a confiança adquirida pela experiência terá aumentado, e o amor que existe entre nós nos levará a fazer o que for necessário. Nada deterá você se tivermos um forte vínculo, como o que Eu tinha com Johann.

Footnotes:

[1] Dictionary of African Christian Biography.
[2] Leia mais a respeito em:
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/khama-iii.html#ixzz3GW6A9UMC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khama_III
http://blackhistorypages.net/pages/khamaiii.php
http://www.dacb.org/stories/botswana/khamaiii_.html
[3] Dictionary of African Christian Biography.
Leia mais a respeito em:
http://www.dacb.org/stories/ethiopia/legacy_krapf.html
[4] Dictionary of Christian Biography.

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Ancient Romans had no need for dentists

Olivia Goldhill, Quartz, Oct. 3, 2015

Modern dental hygiene would have been quite unnecessary for ancient Romans living in Pompeii, as research has revealed that they had impressively healthy teeth.

Scientists appointed by the Archaeological Superintendence of Pompeii have used CAT scans to examine 30 Pompeii inhabitants who were preserved in hardened ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. The group, headed by radiologist Giovanni Babino, released photos of their work on Sept. 29, and revealed in a press conference that the ancient Romans had perfect teeth and “no immediate discernible need for dentists,” according news agency Agenzia Giornalistica Italia.

Though Pompeii citizens never used toothbrushes or toothpaste, they had healthy teeth thanks to their low-sugar diet. Massimo Osanna, superintendent of the World Heritage-listed site, said their diet was “balanced and healthy, similar to what we now call the Mediterranean diet,” according to The Telegraph.

“The inhabitants of Pompeii ate a lot of fruit and vegetables but very little sugar,” said orthodontist Elisa Vanacore, who oversaw the examination of the teeth. “They ate better than we did and have really good teeth.”

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The Prophecy of the Black Pope

by Dennis Edwards

I am reading a book called "The Jesuits," subtitled "The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church." Originally published in 1987 by a Catholic theologian named Malachi Martin the book was a New York Times Bestseller. Martin, a former Jesuit, wrote various fiction and nonfiction articles and books about the inner workings of the Catholic Church. Disillusioned with the direction the Jesuits were taking Martin asked to be relieved of his orders in 1964 and went to live in New York City. He believed also that the Church had failed to follow the prophetic instructions given from our Lady of Fatima. At the time of his death he was working on a new book, Primacy: How the Institutional Roman Catholic Church became a Creature of the New World Order which some believe may have been the reason to his mysterious death in 1999 at the age of 78.

In the Jesuits, Martin explains that many years ago, the leader or Father General of the Jesuits became known to the people of Rome as the "Black Pope." He was called so because of the black clothing the Jesuits wore and the enormous power the Father General wielded. Pope Paul VI and John Paul I and John Paul II had active confrontations with the Jesuits over their veering from traditional Catholic doctrine and embracing "Liberation Theology." In the past the Jesuits had been the intellectuals and leaders and pioneers of the Church, but yet always in full obedience to His Holiness. Since the 1960s however, with the embracing of the “Liberation Theology,” their obedience to the Pope and the traditional tenets of the Church had been called into question. 

On the appointment of John Paul I the second highest Jesuit leader, American Father Vincent O’Keefe, called for the new Pope to change Church doctrine on abortion and contraceptives, homosexuality, and woman priests in a public interview in Holland the very day of his election. Paul the VI had left with John Paul I a dossier on the Jesuits which he had made during his period as Pope. Paul VI was a peaceful intellectual and not the fighter needed to confront the power of the Jesuit organization. The day before John Paul I was scheduled to meet with the Jesuit assembly over the issues and bring forth questions of their doctrinal divergences, he was found dead, a 33 day reign as Pope. Martin believes he was murdered.

John Paul II later dismissed the Father General Arrupe and his first assistant O’Keefe, the same leader from USA that demanded John Paul I make amendments to the Church. John Paul II appointed a new temporary leader until a Jesuit General Assembly could vote in a New Father General. However the change was only plastic as the influence of the "Liberation Theology" had gone unchecked for many years. The ideas of the Jesuits moved from being "the Pope's men," to an unswerving obedience to their new philosophy of fighting injustice and freeing the poor from oppression by the rich. Immersed in the "Liberation Theology" of bringing heaven on earth here and now by fighting for the rights of the poor, the Jesuits neglected the spiritual side of bringing the love of Christ and his redemptive spirit into the lives of those they struggled for.

They needed to reread “The War of the Worlds” by D. Brandt Berg demonstrating that our warfare is not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of the spiritual strongholds in the hearts and minds of the lost. The Jesuits got so enthralled with their new struggle against the injustices they saw before them in many South American societies that they took up arms and other un-Christ-like methods to reach their ends. The ends justified the means.

As the Jesuits were embracing the “Liberation Theology,” John Paul II had just come from a struggle with atheistic communism where many loyal Catholic priests and lay-people had given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, because of their faith. John Paul II found it difficult to accept the “Liberation Theology” that embraced so strongly the Marxist ideology, having experienced its dangers first hand. Yet, he himself had taken part in “Liberation” oriented activities in his battle against communist dictatorship in Poland in his early years.

Interestingly enough, at the end of his book, Martin looks to the future with the hope that the Papacy will be able to bring in the reigns of the Jesuit movement or ban its power indefinitely. He sees no other choice and does not even visualize the possibility of the Jesuits winning the war with the Pope. What would he have thought of the election of Pope Francis, a person he alludes to in his book, as a powerful figure in the Church in favor of the direction the Jesuits were taking contrary to John Paul II's belief?

The famous prophecy about the future Popes that was going around the internet before Pope Francis’s election mentioned that the last Pope would be a “Black Pope.” Coming from the Jesuits, as Francis does, do we have a coup d’état? Is the “Black Pope,” in fact the Jesuit Pope which we have in Francis? Do we have a wolf in sheep’s clothing who is willing to embrace atheistic socialism/marxism if it brings more benefits to the poor? Was Martin's death really a result of an accident or did certain powers not want the book he was working on Primacy: How the Institutional Roman Catholic Church became a Creature of the New World Order, to meet the presses and the ensuing public? It remains to be seen.

Where this will all lead to, we can only watch and be attentive. But surely the Illuminati’s grasp reaches deep into the inner working of both the Papacy and the Order of the Jesuits, the Society of Jesus! What comes to mind are the words of Jesus, where he says:

“Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Here below is Father David’s inspiring letter of our goals as Disciples of Christ.

The War of the Worlds

-- A call to action for all those who truly wish to change the world for the better

We believe that each person who responds to Jesus' call to follow His example of love and to bring His truth to others is engaged in a war of the worlds!

We are called to strive together for our faith, for truth, and for freedom--freedom from want, freedom from bondage, freedom from pain, freedom from evil and freedom from fear.

Mankind cannot be happy when suffering from hunger, malnutrition, disease and ill health. Mankind cannot be fulfilled when enslaved by oppression and tyranny, or overworked and exploited. Mankind cannot be satisfied when suffering from the horrors of war and constant strife, and the nightmares of perpetual fearful insecurity.

We believe that all of these evils are caused by people's lack of love for God and each other, and their defiance of His laws of love and faith and peace and harmony. These laws are basic to the faith of every true believer in God and His love.

Apart from knowing what we are fighting for and against, we must also know how we must fight. Ours is not a war of physical weapons and armies and bodies of men. This is not a fleshly war pitting man against man, nation against nation, race against race, rich against poor, socialism against capitalism. This is not a war between political and economic systems, societies, tribes and cultures, religions and faiths. This is not a war of hate and bitterness, killing and slaughter, revenge and vindictiveness, torture, dying and death. This is not a war for the possessions and lands and pride of man!

Such carnal wars of man have seldom ever settled anything or solved the basic problems of mankind. They have usually only resulted in more suffering, more agony, more pain, more hunger, more slavery, more bitterness, more vengeance, more fighting, more torture, more privation, more destruction, more waste, more poverty and more death! Most of man's selfish, evil wars end in a mere exchange of masters and slaves, a vicious never-ending cycle of horror, resulting in fewer and fewer rich and more and more poor, all of them miserable with their lives of fear and death.

Ours is a war of the spirit, in faith and love, to win the minds and hearts and to save the souls of men. Ours is a war to free men from the evils of the spirit and mind and heart that cause them to be selfish, unloving and cruel to each other. Man has little knowledge of the love, faith, and power of God, or of the loving laws that God designed for our eternal happiness.

Ours is a war to free men's minds and hearts and spirits from the bondage of evil and the soul-slavery of the Devil, which bring misery upon us. Ours is a war between good and evil, God and the Devil, goodness and wickedness, love and hate, life and death, joy and misery. Ours is a war of the universe between the good spirits of Heaven and the evil spirits of Hell, which are contending for our souls as well as our bodies, not only on this earth but also in the world of the spirit.

Therefore we must not only defend our human rights, but we must also fight the much greater warfare of the spirit with the far more powerful weapons of faith, love and compassion, as well as words and deeds of kindness. We must free people from fear with faith; we must free them from hatred with love; we must free them from sorrow with joy; we must free them from war with peace; we must free them from poverty with plenty; and we must free them from death with eternal heavenly happiness!

The pen is mightier than the sword. Ours is a war of words and ideas to thrill people's minds with faith and hope! We wish to fill their hearts with love and peace and joy to set their spirits free, as well as perform deeds of love and kindness to free their bodies from pain. We must therefore wage a war of words against the ideas of evil, a war of faith against fear, a war of hope against doubt.

We must inspire people to believe in God and His love and His plan for the glorious future of mankind in the soon-to-come Kingdom of God on earth, run by the righteous, in which there shall soon be no more sorrow nor crying nor pain nor death, but all shall be light and health and happiness and peace and plenty for everyone.[1]

We must teach people the loving, life-giving Words of God, the Bible, that they might have His life and love and happiness forever! Mighty empires of the sword have come and gone, but His words of love and life endure and continue to give joy and peace and love and life and hope to billions for generations. Alexander, Caesar, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, and others like them have come and gone, but the words and ideas of the prophets of God live on forever.

The Word of God knows no boundaries, no nation, no race, no empire. Neither is it bound by time or space, nor limited by people or war or force of arms. It embraces all mankind and unites their minds and hearts and spirits in faith and love of God and each other for the good of all.

The philosophers, teachers, prophets and men of God have seldom ruled empires, but they have won worlds of people with their words, faith and ideas which captured hearts, minds and spirits and set them forever free. The followers of God are numbered in the billions for millenniums, and God's eternal Kingdom of Love has conquered the realms of people's eternal spirits, far greater and longer lasting than mere worldly empires of the sword.

We cannot force people to be good. We cannot legislate righteousness. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." We must persuade their minds, win their hearts, inspire their spirits and save their souls so that they will willingly do good and not evil.

We cannot change the world without changing people's minds, and we cannot change their minds unless we change their hearts, and we cannot change their hearts without the inspiration of God's Spirit to save them, body and soul.

We must work to save the entire person, not merely their body and their environment. No one will ever be happy with a heavy heart, a troubled mind, a discouraged spirit and an unsaved soul. We must work to save the whole person, not just part of them. We must work to save the whole world, not just part of it. We must work to save people for eternity, not just for this present time! Only the power and life and light and love and Words of God can do this.

We must use every means available to get His Words to all men throughout the earth. We must convey His ideas, hopes, faith, love and plans for His creations to the eyes and minds and thoughts of all people everywhere, that all hearts may be changed and all spirits inspired and all souls saved--as well as bodies--to live and love together forever.

We must have a vision for the universal salvation of mankind, not just our own nation. We must not confine ourselves solely to the petty matters of the moment and cares of this life, or the concerns of only one people or one nation or one race or one culture or one religion or one political view or one economic system. The salvation of man must be for all if it is for any, and must include everyone if all are to be happy.

We must tell everyone, even though not all will listen or respond or be saved. We owe the message of God and His life of love to everybody, but especially to those who will believe and receive it. God only fills the hungry souls, but those who think they are already full and do not need Him or to change, He sends empty away![2] You are no fool to give a life you cannot keep for a love you will never lose!

[1] Revelation 21:1-4

[2] See Luke 1:53

(This letter by David Berg is contained in Dare to be Different, a book available from Aurora Production at www.auroraproduction.com)

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