Weather Conditions Also Worsen

Stunned survivors picked through the little that was left of their communities Sunday after tornadoes tore across the Plains and South, killing at least 22 people in three states and leaving behind a trail of destruction and stories of loss. The USA has been ravaged through mid-May by a near-record number of tornadoes that has pushed the death toll — including 47 killer twisters over the weekend — to a 10-year high. The deaths of 98 people attributed to tornadoes this year has made 2008 the deadliest year thus far for tornadoes since 1998 and the seventh deadliest since modern recordkeeping began in 1950, The Weather Channel said.

HLEGU, Burma (AP) — Burma's military rulers held a referendum Saturday on a new constitution, ignoring worldwide pleas to pay more attention to some 2 million hungry and homeless victims of a devastating cyclone. The junta is expected to secure a resounding "yes" vote for the charter, which critics say will perpetuate its 46-year-old hold on power. State TV on Saturday broadcast a video of two women singing a pop-style song with the lyrics: "Let's go vote .... with sincere thoughts for happy days." The video was apparently produced before the May 3 cyclone, but the junta has refused to alter its schedule despite the disaster that it says killed 23,335 people and left 37,019 missing. Entire villages in the worst-hit Irrawaddy delta have been submerged. International aid organizations say the death toll could climb to more than 100,000 as conditions worsen.

An estimated 1.5 million Myanmarese are on the brink of a "massive public-health catastrophe," the British charity Oxfam warned Sunday, as desperate survivors of Cyclone Nargis poured out of the devastated Irrawaddy Delta into regional towns in search of water, food and other help. The country's ruling junta on Sunday raised its official tally of the dead to more than 28,000. Humanitarian experts say the toll could run much higher.

Wildfire Danger Increasing

With wildfire danger in Arizona increasing because of higher temperatures and lower humidity, the state's land managers have begun the first major public land restrictions this year. Restrictions on the nearly 3-million-acre Tonto National Forest in central Arizona went into effect Thursday, and the 120,000 acres of Maricopa County's ten-park system will be under a fire ban starting Monday. Phoenix mountain parks also banned open fires starting Monday. R.J. Cardin, director of Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, said the fire bans in county parks are going into effect a couple weeks earlier than last year, citing the wet winter that produced tall grasses that are now dry.

Campfire and smoking restrictions go into effect on the Prescott National Forest beginning Wednesday, May 14, at 8 a.m. Forest managers determined that key trigger points have been reached to warrant taking restrictive actions. Trigger points include increased forest visitor use, abandoned campfires, high winds and rising temperatures. The following fire restrictions will be in effect for the entire Prescott National Forest:

• Campfires, charcoal grills, and stove fires of wood, charcoal, and coal are prohibited on all Forest lands, roads, and trails; except within developed recreation sites where grills and campfire rings are provided. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety specifications are allowed.

• Smoking is prohibited except within enclosed vehicles, buildings, or developed recreation sites where the area is cleared of all flammable material.

• Campfires are not allowed at the designated dispersed sites within the Prescott Basin. Metal posts identify designated dispersed sites with a number.

• Campfire and smoking restrictions will remain in effect until forest officials determine that conditions have changed sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfire. Violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both. The public is reminded that fireworks are always prohibited on all national forest lands.

For current information on fire restrictions, closures or wildfires on the Prescott National Forest, call (928) 777-5799. For further information about fire restrictions on public lands in Arizona and New Mexico, call toll free 1-877-864-6985 or visit http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/.

Nationally, the wildfire season is well underway, with total acreage burned (1,370,160 acres) nearly double the 10-year average (791,759). Wildfires in central Florida have forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes. Officials say high winds, dry conditions and high temperatures are expected to fuel the flames Monday. The fires have burned thousands of acres. Daytona Beach spokeswoman Susan Cerbone (ser-BOHN') says about 500 homes there have been evacuated. Hundreds more homes in neighboring Brevard County are also under evacuation because of the smoke and flames.

Tithing Down

Baptist Press reports that only five percent of American adults donated 10 percent or more of their income to churches and charitable groups last year, according to a study by The Barna Group. Within the randomly selected group of 1,006 adults surveyed, Christians tended to give more than others. "Among the most generous segments were evangelicals (24 percent of whom tithed); conservatives (12 percent); people who had prayed, read the Bible and attended a church service during the past week (12 percent); charismatic or Pentecostal Christians (11 percent); and registered Republicans (10 percent)," George Barna said. The segments of society who were highly unlikely to tithe included people under the age of 25, atheists and agnostics, single adults who have never been married, liberals and adults who make less than $20,000 per year, the research indicated.

• While it is good to see that Evangelicals are more giving than the general population, it is sad to see that only 24% tithe. Some Christians don’t believe in tithing, saying it is legalistic law that we no longer need to follow. But tithing began with Abraham (Genesis 14:20) before Mosaic law, and was endorsed by Jesus, albeit pointing out that it is of less consequence than mercy, love and faith (Matt. 23:23, Luke 11:42).

• Furthermore, these Christians miss out on the benefits of giving: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)

Financial Signs

Global economic woes continue to worsen with reports that Fannie Mae (the largest U.S. buyer and backer of home loans) suffered a $2.2 billion loss in the first quarter of 2008, about three times worse than economists had expected. The company said it expects "severe weakness" in the housing market to continue this year, bringing increased mortgage defaults and foreclosures.

Meanwhile, Swiss bank UBS announced Tuesday it would cut 5,500 jobs and reported a net loss of 11.5 billion Swiss francs ($10.97 billion) for the first quarter of this year. The bank warned investors last month to expect net losses of $11.42 billion for the first three months of the year after writing down about $19 billion on U.S. real estate and related credit positions in the period.

And the price of oil continued to rise to an all-time high near $121 a barrel Tuesday in Asia, fueled by worries about threats to supply and a weakening of the U.S. dollar. Chrysler said that it has come up with its own plan to bring back $2.99 gas, which it hopes will spur lagging sales. Chrysler announced a month-long "Let's Refuel America" program that will give buyers of most of its vehicles a card good for purchases of gasoline or diesel fuel that locks in the price at $2.99 a gallon for three years. It was not all that long ago that $3 gas was considered exorbitant

So, where is this all going? Is this headed for the worldwide economic depression prophesied in Revelation 6:5-6 when Jesus opens the third seal? Quite possibly. If not this time, then soon. The financial house of cards built on speculation and debt are anti-Biblical and certain to eventually fail, spurred along by the Satan-inspired New World (Dis)Order folks who will use the financial crisis to bring down the last remaining superpower and take firmer control of global economics.

So what are the saints supposed to do? Pay off your debt. Cut down on consumption. Stockpile real goods. Why? So that we can minister to others from a platform of solid Biblical standards for righteous living. The Church and the saints have become too much like the world. We must become the “peculiar” people we have been called to be. Otherwise, the world sees no real difference – and, unfortunately, there is not much of a difference.

Latest Signs

Earthquakes continue to increase in frequency around the world and here in the USA. Dozens have recently occurred in Reno and the Midwest with another small one in California, just as Jesus prophesied in Matt. 24:7. In addition, increasingly severe storms continue to ravage the planet, with a cyclone in Burma (Myanmar) killing perhaps 10,000 people called the worst in memory for that area.

Meanwhile, the New World (Dis)Order is itching to expand the conflagration in the Middle East by attacking Iran. FreedomsPheonix.com reports that six weeks ago, President Bush signed a secret finding authorizing a covert offensive against the Iranian regime that, according to those familiar with its contents, "unprecedented in its scope." Bush's secret directive covers actions across a huge geographic area – from Lebanon to Afghanistan – but is also far more sweeping in the type of actions permitted under its guidelines – up to and including the assassination of targeted officials. This widened scope clears the way, for example, for full support for the military arm of Mujahedin-e Khalq, the cultish Iranian opposition group, despite its enduring position on the State Department's list of terrorist groups. Similarly, covert funds can now flow without restriction to Jundullah, or "army of god," the militant Sunni group in Iranian Baluchistan – just across the Afghan border -- whose leader was featured not long ago on Dan Rather Reports cutting his brother in law's throat. The New World (Dis)Order’s strategy of “controlled chaos” encourages worldwide turmoil (e.g. global warming, bird flu, national instability) in order to promote the need for global government (in fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation 13).

Reader Comments

Responding to a few comments to last week’s email:

One respondent pointed out that light always shines away the darkness, implying that all the darkness will be overcome. Well, yes, when the fullness of light, Jesus Christ, returns. In the meantime, He told us that we are the light of the world, and it is certainly true that the light always shines away the darkness. But how many lights are in the world? What percentage of the world’s population are shining His light? Very small. Furthermore, I suspect that less than 10% of “Christians” are truly shining forth. So we have lots of darkness and a small, insufficient amount of light. But we know Biblically from Isaiah 60:2, Daniel 9, Matthew 24, Revelation and other verses that the darkness eventually covers the earth, and so it must in order for Jesus to return to fulfill all the prophecies.

Another pointed to the revival in Lakeland, Florida as the beginning of a revival movement. Is this a true revival? From what I’ve seen and heard, the gospel is being preached, people are being saved and healed, and increasing numbers of attendees have forced them to move to a 15,000 seat stadium. So I would say this constitutes what I call a “pocket” of revival. But like recent revivals/renewals of the past (e.g. Toronto, Brownsville), it will also become contaminated by the kooks who come out of the woodwork at such times. Will this revival spread? It could very well do so and ignite other pockets, especially in Arizona where such a foundation of prayer has been established. Will it transform our nation and the world? I think not – and not according to the Bible.

New Directions

I have not posted any items for almost two months now due to a restructuring of my ministries and priorities. I have turned over all of my previous ministry functions to our terrific ministers and volunteers, including the Gospel of Grace food and clothing bank, the Lion of Judah ministry and Yavapai County Call to Prayer, although I continue to oversee these operations as CEO and senior pastor. This is all because the Lord is calling me into new directions, which will continue to be performed under the Lion of Judah banner. The following excerpts from a recent announcement letter explain this new direction:

For a variety of reasons, I feel I must step down as the prayer coordinator for Yavapai County. Because of my health situation, I have been largely out of commission anyway, with others keeping the ball rolling. And, now that my health is improving, I must obey the word I received from the Lord last June (see below) which now is leading me in a different direction.

I am turning YCCP over to Sue Villone as prayer coordinator, since she’s been doing it anyway and remains highly committed to Arizona Call to Prayer. She is backed up by Rick Schmidt and Barb Trost leading the worship side, with other experienced volunteers in place, and committed prayer warriors all across our county.

It’s not that I don’t believe in what YCCP is doing. It’s that the Lord is calling me to move on from the “leading edge” to the “bleeding edge” (as we used to call it in the software industry). There must continue to be the foundation of prayer that you and many others continue to build up, for it is that foundation that will enable us to accomplish great things.

However, I do not believe that there will be a full transformation of government and society. Instead, there will be “pockets” of revival midst the gross darkness of Isaiah 60 which will create those beacons of light that will attract unbelievers from out of the trials and tribulations.

Even though I received this word from the Lord last June, I have been reticent to share it widely. Actually, I hoped that I had misheard. But still that word persists along with many other confirming words.

I then embarked on an intensive study to see if this great end-time revival is actually Biblical. It’s not. Instead, Daniel 9, Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation (in particular, chapter 13) paint a much different picture. The gross darkness of Isaiah 60:2, the “beginning of sorrows” of Matthew 24:8 have commenced and the Great Tribulation awaits. The promise of Psalm 2:8 will not be attained until Christ returns. The fullness of Joel 2:28-29 will also not be attained until that time, because we see in verse 30 that the context is when the sun is turned dark and the moon into blood, which is the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” in Malachi 4:5 and the sixth seal of Revelation 6:12.

Does this mean we shouldn’t keep up our efforts of prayer and spiritual warfare? Of course not. In fact, we must step up our efforts. But we must not so within the false promise of transformation, or else many warriors will “fall away” in discouragement when it doesn’t happen. Instead of a massive end-time revival, we will see “pockets” of revival within the gross darkness where the “gentiles” (unbelievers) will be drawn to the light of the Lord that shines through us from out of the darkness.

The Lord gives me mission statements that guide what I do (He has fulfilled 7 of them to this point). Now I have three more: 1) Light the Darkness; 2) Proclaim the Truth; 3) Prepare the Way. These will indeed cause “bleeding” for me, since I have already lost some good friends and compatriots as a result of standing up for what I believe. However, this is what I must do regardless of the worldly consequences.

I will keep those of you who are interested in knowing more about what I’ll be doing through my Lion of Judah ministry through email and my blog at lofj.blogspot.com (which I have not updated in awhile due to this change in direction). If you do not wish to receive any further emails from me, please reply “cancel.”

6/23/07

The LORD says: “I cried out to My Church, but she would not listen. I cried out to America, but she would not respond. Although there are a few who listen and obey, it is not enough to turn the ship of state. Judgment begins in My House, and My judgments will now start to unfold. America, I now pluck out your eagle’s wings and remove the covering of my own wings over you. Where once you were the hope of the world, you have sold out to Babylon and the shame of your harlotry is now uncovered for all to see. But still they won’t see, blinded by reason, tempted by riches, motivated by self. And so the countdown begins. Prepare ye the way of the LORD.”