This post is to inform the readers of this blog that I will not be posting until I can get some computer issues resolved. I had purchased a very capable laptop computer a little over two years ago and it has served me well. In recent months it began experiencing some video problems, and would occasionally freeze momentarily before displaying a message informing me that it had recovered from a video error. These occurrences were infrequent, and I was always able to continue what I was doing.
Yesterday the problem became worse after I had posted the latest blog about the fallen Papal crucifix. My computer began freezing, requiring reboots, and would take several attempts to re-start windows.
I noted that if I did certain things such as attempt to play a video in the FireFox browser that the system would lock up hard and would not respond at all.
This morning I found that the computer will not boot up into Windows. I can run diagnostics and access a command prompt, but attempting to boot into Windows causes a system lock-up. This is likely due to the fact that video drivers are loaded as Windows is loading.
I had a secondary hard drive with a good copy of Windows7 on it that had come out of this same laptop, and I put it back in just to make sure that my Windows operating system files had not become corrupted. The problem persisted, however, which points to a hardware problem which I suspect involves the video card.
Unfortunately, my laptop computer is no longer under warranty and the video card is integrated into the motherboard. It would likely cost more to repair it than the computer is worth.
Until I am ableto acquire a replacement I will be quite limited in my online posting. I am writing this update with my Kindle Fire tablet which is not very conducive to the type of writing I normally do. It has no hard drive or CD-ROM/DVD drive. It does not even have a USB port, so it is difficult to load images, work with videos, print out prisoner newsletters, etc..
I will continue to be able to correspond via e-mail, as the tablet works fine for that purpose. I anticipate using whatever down time that I have away from the computer to get caught up on some research and book reading.
Thank you for your understanding.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
The Cross Stands While the World Turns
Joseph Herrin (04-28-2014)
John Paul II Papal Crucifix Falls
(Click on any image to view larger)
A recent event occurred that even the mainstream media has noted as being highly unusual in its details. That something symbolic has occurred seems apparent, although the meaning of the event will remain as elusive to worldly men as the dreams of Pharaoh and King Nebuchadnezzar were to the wise men of their kingdoms.
In 1998 artist Enrico Job designed a 30 meter (98 foot) wooden curved cross that held a 6 meter (20 foot) sculpture of the crucified Christ that weighed 600 kilograms (1,320 pounds). The huge crucifix was originally created to mark a visit of then Pope John Paul II to the Lombardy region of Northern Italy in 1998.
Papal Visit
The giant crucifix was later taken down and the statue of Christ stored.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
In 2005 the cross and statue were re-erected in Cevo, Italy, which is also in the Lombardy region. It became a nationally renowned shrine that drew many visitors.
John Paul II Papal Crucifix in Cevo, Italy
With the canonization of Pope John Paul II scheduled yesterday, ceremonies were held at the Pope’s crucifix in Cevo in the run-up to the event. Two days before Pope John Paul II was to be canonized, along with Pope John XXIII who held the office from 1958-1963, a group was gathered around the monument. Photos were being taken when the wooden cross suddenly snapped in two. A 21 year old man named Marco Gusmini was killed, and another person injured. News media has remarked on the oddity of some of the details of this event. Not only did this event occur just two day prior to the canonization of these two former popes, but Marco was attending a ceremony for John Paul II and he lived on a street in the town of Lovere that was named after Pope John XXIII (Via Papa Giovanni XXIII). One Italian newspaper described the event as “a tragedy full of disturbing coincidences.”
Canonization is the process by which the Roman Catholic Church declares a person to be a saint. Among the qualifications to be beatified as a saint, the individual must have some miracle attributed to them. In the case of John XXIII, there was a single report of a woman who claimed to have been healed when she prayed to him, whereas with John Paul II there have been reports from two women who say they were healed when they were praying to the Pope. One of the women is Floribeth Mora, a Costa Rican who was only given a month to live after her doctors discovered she had a brain aneurysm. Floribeth began praying to Pope John Paul II in 2011, six years after his death. She claims that the Pope appeared before her and told her that she had been healed and she felt a sense of wellness in her body. Her doctors, as well as doctors from the Vatican, verified that she was healed.
Floribeth Mora with Portrait of Pope John Paul II
Mrs. Mora was invited to attend the canonization ceremonies Sunday in Rome as a guest of honor. There is quite reasonably some skepticism as to whether Mrs. Mora was actually healed of a brain aneurysm. Doctors frequently misdiagnose patients, and outcomes are frequently not what health professionals predict. Myriads of people, religious, or otherwise, have surprised family, friends and medical practitioners by living long and healthy lives after being given only a short time to live by doctors. I am led to ask, if a dubious report of healing is used to argue for the beatification of a Pope, should not the life of a young man struck dead at a memorial for the same Pope be an argument against canonization? Perhaps God is testifying that these Popes are not the miraculous life-givers they are reported to be.
Some may answer back that it was a statue of Christ that killed the young man. I trust that the regular readers of this blog understand that God has never sanctioned the building of monuments, statues, and other objects of worship. This is a Roman Catholic practice, and a form of idolatry. The crucifix designed by Enrico Job, a man who also designed the sets and props for numerous immoral movies, is not to be confused with anything that is holy in Yahweh’s sight. It is actually quite abominable that the Roman Catholic Church perpetually portrays the Son of God in his agony of suffering on the cross, when He has now arisen and ascended to heaven where He has sat down at the right hand of God the Father.
Enrico Job was perpetuating a deception when he created a sculpture that revealed Christ on the cross looking down from the heavens upon humanity. This error is as old as Constantine who declared to have seen an image of the cross in heaven and to have heard the words “In this sign conquer.” When man truly catches a glimpse of the ascended Christ in the heavens, they will not see Him on the cross, nor perpetually suffering. The apostle Paul testified:
Colossians 3:1-2
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Hebrews 10:13
But [Christ], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
When questioned by the Jewish leaders just prior to His crucifixion, Yahshua stated,
Luke 22:69-70
"From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
Of Stephen, the first martyr, we read the following just before he was stoned to death.
Acts 7:55-56
But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Yahshua standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
Brothers and sisters, Christ is no longer on the cross. He does not continue to suffer the agonies of sin and death on behalf of mankind. He offered Himself up, once for all, the just for the unjust. He bled and died and was buried. Three days later He rose again. He has now ascended and received glory, honor, power and authority from His Father. Satan has done a deep work of deception by leading the Roman Catholic Church, as well as a great many Protestants, to embrace the crucifix as the image of Christ they always keep before their minds. Christ is not dead. He is living. He is not suffering the agonies of the cross. They are behind Him. As the apostle Paul testified in another place:
Hebrews 12:2
Fixing our eyes on Yahshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When the Pope’s walk around with a staff in their hand topped with an image of Christ on the cross, they are declaring the death of Christ. In this I perceive the deceit of Satan who would boast that he put the Son of God to death.
Pope John Paul II with Crozier
Is it not revelatory of the Roman Catholic view of Christ that they will pray to Mary and to many saints, but they do not pray to Christ? Christ is either depicted as a baby in Mary’s arms, or dead or dying on a cross. The Roman Church avoids images of the resurrected, ascended, glorified Son of God who has triumphed over Satan and death. It is an indictment that Catholics will pray to past Popes for healing, but they will not pray to the Son of God. (Christ said that after He ascended that man would not need any intermediary, but would pray directly to God the Father. John 16:26-27 Paul also affirmed that we can come boldly to God’s throne of grace.)
On Sunday an estimated million people showed up in Rome to witness the canonization of two men whom the present Pope Francis, a Jesuit deceiver, has said can now be prayed to as saints.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10788640/Popes-John-Paul-II-and-John-XXIII-declared-saints.html
There was an inscription at the base of the papal crucifix that collapsed and killed Marco Gusmini. It read “Stat Crux Dum Vulvitur Orbis.” This Latin expression, adopted as the motto for the Carthusian Order of hermits and monks, has been translated into English in various ways.
The Cross Stands While the World Turns.
The Cross Stands While the World Changes.
The Cross is Steady While the World is Changing.
Whatever the specific translation, the inscription proved to be a lie. The cross designed by Enrico Job to honor Pope John Paul II is neither steady nor standing. It has collapsed into a pile of rubble, and it killed and injured those who were gathered in veneration of the man it was dedicated to.
This idol of the Roman Catholic Church has been cast down. The massive beam snapped like a dry twig.
We live in an hour when many Protestant churches are returning to the whore of Babylon. They are being allured by images of pomp, and power while being deceived by a message of tolerance, and love that is divorced from truth. They are embracing idols and idolatry, while imbibing doctrines of demons. There is nothing in Roman Catholicism that vaguely resembles the gospel of Christ and His apostles, or the spiritual life of the original church. All has become corrupted, polluted, and defiled. Roman Catholicism is a cult that remembers a dead savior while encouraging veneration, devotion, and prayer to the Queen of Heaven. It has substituted the word of Pope’s and prelates for the voice of God revealed by the indwelling Spirit of Christ.
A sister in Christ (thank you Lucy) wrote to me to remark about the similarity between this event and the Biblical account recorded in I Samuel chapter 5. That was another time when there was a mixing of the holy and the profane, and Yahweh brought judgment. The Philistines had defeated Israel in battle and had taken the Ark of the Covenant. They placed it into the temple of Dagon, the part man/part fish god that they worshiped. In this passage we read:
I Samuel 5:2-5
Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
In the images of the fallen crucifix, you will observe that the hands, the feet, and the head are all broken off of this idol. Yahweh has cast the image of the Roman Catholic god to the ground. People of God, do not be deceived. It is not Yahshua, the resurrected, ascended, glorified Son of God that the Catholics worship. They worship an abomination. Through the practice of syncretism they have merged the holy and the profane. They have mixed truth with deception and falsehood. If you are not familiar with the extraordinary manner in which Roman Catholicism has introduced pagan belief, practices, and symbols into the worship of Christ, I encourage you to read the series titled Syncretism.
In that writing I wrote somewhat on the merging of the worship of Dagon, the fish God of the Philistines, into the religion of Rome. Following is an excerpt.
---
It is not hard to understand that numerous other corruptions were arrived at through the Catholic practice of syncretism. The fish symbol had long been employed in pagan religions. It was a symbol of Venus as well as Bacchus. In The Two Babylons, Alexander Hyslop writes, "Icthus, or the Fish, was one of the names of Bacchus." Bacchus was another name for Tammuz, the Sun-deity.
The worship of the fish deity is found in Scripture as we read of Dagon, the fish god of the Philistines.
The priests of Dagon wore fish shaped hats.
It is from this that the Catholics obtained the Mitre. Note that this priest of Dagon is sprinkling water, just like the Catholics do in their rituals.
Catholic Adoption of the Mitre of Dagon
Pope Benedict XVI with fish god Mitre on his head.
Bust of Pope John Paul II
Did you ever stop to question where the Catholic Church gets all of its costumes and symbols? The Catholics say they trace the lineage of the Popes back to Peter. Did you ever read of Peter dressing up in such garb? I tell you the answer is NO! Peter would not have dressed in the clothes of a pagan priest in order to declare the gospel of Christ.
These things are abominations. God clearly told His people to not form images to represent Him.
Deuteronomy 4:15-18
So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth.
Regarding the introduction of the Ichthus symbol in Christianity, Alexander Hyslop writes:
About the very time that the Bishop of Rome was invested with the pagan title of Pontifex, the Savior began to be called Ichthys, or “the Fish,” thereby identifying Him with Dagon, or the fish-god; and that, ever since, advancing step by step, as circumstances would permit, what has gone under the name of the worship of Christ, has just been the worship of that same Babylonian divinity, with all its rites and pomp and ceremonies, precisely as in ancient Babylon.
[Source: The Two Babylons, page 370]
Is it not remarkable that the Catholic church eats fish every Friday? Where did this custom come from? It is not hard to discover. The Romans worshiped Aphrodite Salacia. As we observed already, Freya was the Scandinavian equivalent of Aphrodite. Aphrodite Salacia was a fertility goddess. The worshipers of Aphrodite ate fish on Fridays and engaged in orgies. Fish is considered an “aphrodisiac.” Also from the name of Aphrodite Salacia we get the word “salacious,” which is defined as “intended to arouse people sexually.”
The Catholics, with their practice of syncretism, have simply absorbed all of the practices of pagan religions. They often seek to give the pagan practices some “Christian” justification, but God is appalled at the mixing of the holy and the profane together. His Spirit cries out, “Come out of her My people, lest you participate in her sins and partake of her plagues.”
[End Excerpt]
People of God, I ask you whether there is not some connection to the papal crucifix of John Paul II falling at a time when a memorial was being held in the run-up to his canonization as a saint, an endorsement by the present Pope and all the church of Rome to pray to this man as if he had the power to grant miracles? Is it only random coincidence that this statue fell on a young man who lived on a street named for the second Pope being canonized along with John Paul II; that the hands, feet, and head were broken off of the idol even as occurred with the idol of Dagon; that both Pope’s wore the mitre that was borrowed from the worship of Dagon.
Pope John XXIII Wearing Mitre
No matter how much Catholics may protest, there is nothing vaguely reminiscent of true Christianity in the image above. What you see is an image of an abomination. It is deception masquerading as truth. It is pagan idolatry calling itself Christianity.
In this hour we are seeing the daughters of the harlot of Babylon returning to that which they once protested. In 2010, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and head of the Church of England, gave a message where he stated the following.
Stat crux dum volvitur orbis: 'The cross stands while the world turns' - The motto of the Carthusian Order, familiar to many people in this Chapel this evening, and a phrase which has many levels of meaning, many levels which, as we reflect on the meanings of martyrdom, we may begin to penetrate more deeply.
The cross stands while the world turns. So long as the world turns the cross is there. In the words of Pascal "Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world, we must not sleep during that time." As long as the world is here, there is suffering, there is injustice, there is butchery... And faced with that awareness that Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world, it is a very strong spirit that is not at some level alarmed, even cowed.
[Source: http://www.greenfordmagna.info/documents/magna/2010_10%20-%2011%20-%20Stat%20Crux%20Dum%20Volvitur%20Orbis.pdf]
Rowan Williams has been described as an Anglican/Catholic. He attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II, being the first Anglican Prelate to do so since Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church. Williams also attended the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI. Recently we have seen Pope Francis send an emissary with a personal message to Kenneth Copeland and hundreds of evangelical ministers gathered for a conference. Not surprisingly, the message was sent by the hands of a man who is an Anglican Priest. The Anglicans are being used to bridge the divide between Protestant and Catholic. Tony Palmer, the Anglican minister who presented the Pope’s message to the ministers at Kenneth Copeland’s conference, assured them that there was no longer anything to protest. Catholic doctrine and theology was declared to be perfectly compatible with Protestant doctrine. He further asserted that the church should set its focus on loving people, and accepting one another, rather than on divisive things (like truth and doctrinal beliefs).
As I have shared before, love without truth is apostasy. It is apostasy that Satan is seeking to draw all of the people of God into in this late hour. Many, even the majority, will fall for this deception. The time is late, and we need to heed the warning of the apostle Paul who stated:
II Thessalonians 2:1-3
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Yahshua Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first.
(Apostasy is defined as a great falling away from truth: Literally, “a divorcement from truth.”)
Are you imbibing the lies of the adversary? Are you beginning to look upon Rome as a friend of Christ, and a champion of Christianity? Do not be deceived! Heed the warning of God as recorded by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. Having been shown the Great Harlot, Mystery Babylon, John wrote:
Revelation 18:4-8
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.' For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
Pope John Paul II presided over the Roman Catholic Church during a time when it was revealed that there was a worldwide and pervasive pattern of Roman Catholic priests corrupting and sexually abusing children, frequently engaging in homosexual acts with minors. The Pope’s actions reveal that the church was more interested in covering up the debacle than in repenting and reforming its ranks. With the inauguration of Pope Francis, there has been an announcement of a shift away from issues that divide. Pope Francis has indicated that his focus will not be to decry the evil of abortion or homosexuality. He has said that he cannot judge priests that are homosexual.
People of God, we live in an hour when deception is increasing. If you are not pressing in to a deeper abiding in Christ; if you are not surrendering your life to obedience to Him on a daily basis, you are in great danger of being swept away by the tidal wave of confusion, lies, and error that is being poured forth from the mouth of the dragon. Do not be deceived!
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
John Paul II Papal Crucifix Falls
(Click on any image to view larger)
A recent event occurred that even the mainstream media has noted as being highly unusual in its details. That something symbolic has occurred seems apparent, although the meaning of the event will remain as elusive to worldly men as the dreams of Pharaoh and King Nebuchadnezzar were to the wise men of their kingdoms.
In 1998 artist Enrico Job designed a 30 meter (98 foot) wooden curved cross that held a 6 meter (20 foot) sculpture of the crucified Christ that weighed 600 kilograms (1,320 pounds). The huge crucifix was originally created to mark a visit of then Pope John Paul II to the Lombardy region of Northern Italy in 1998.
Papal Visit
The giant crucifix was later taken down and the statue of Christ stored.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
In 2005 the cross and statue were re-erected in Cevo, Italy, which is also in the Lombardy region. It became a nationally renowned shrine that drew many visitors.
John Paul II Papal Crucifix in Cevo, Italy
With the canonization of Pope John Paul II scheduled yesterday, ceremonies were held at the Pope’s crucifix in Cevo in the run-up to the event. Two days before Pope John Paul II was to be canonized, along with Pope John XXIII who held the office from 1958-1963, a group was gathered around the monument. Photos were being taken when the wooden cross suddenly snapped in two. A 21 year old man named Marco Gusmini was killed, and another person injured. News media has remarked on the oddity of some of the details of this event. Not only did this event occur just two day prior to the canonization of these two former popes, but Marco was attending a ceremony for John Paul II and he lived on a street in the town of Lovere that was named after Pope John XXIII (Via Papa Giovanni XXIII). One Italian newspaper described the event as “a tragedy full of disturbing coincidences.”
Canonization is the process by which the Roman Catholic Church declares a person to be a saint. Among the qualifications to be beatified as a saint, the individual must have some miracle attributed to them. In the case of John XXIII, there was a single report of a woman who claimed to have been healed when she prayed to him, whereas with John Paul II there have been reports from two women who say they were healed when they were praying to the Pope. One of the women is Floribeth Mora, a Costa Rican who was only given a month to live after her doctors discovered she had a brain aneurysm. Floribeth began praying to Pope John Paul II in 2011, six years after his death. She claims that the Pope appeared before her and told her that she had been healed and she felt a sense of wellness in her body. Her doctors, as well as doctors from the Vatican, verified that she was healed.
Floribeth Mora with Portrait of Pope John Paul II
Mrs. Mora was invited to attend the canonization ceremonies Sunday in Rome as a guest of honor. There is quite reasonably some skepticism as to whether Mrs. Mora was actually healed of a brain aneurysm. Doctors frequently misdiagnose patients, and outcomes are frequently not what health professionals predict. Myriads of people, religious, or otherwise, have surprised family, friends and medical practitioners by living long and healthy lives after being given only a short time to live by doctors. I am led to ask, if a dubious report of healing is used to argue for the beatification of a Pope, should not the life of a young man struck dead at a memorial for the same Pope be an argument against canonization? Perhaps God is testifying that these Popes are not the miraculous life-givers they are reported to be.
Some may answer back that it was a statue of Christ that killed the young man. I trust that the regular readers of this blog understand that God has never sanctioned the building of monuments, statues, and other objects of worship. This is a Roman Catholic practice, and a form of idolatry. The crucifix designed by Enrico Job, a man who also designed the sets and props for numerous immoral movies, is not to be confused with anything that is holy in Yahweh’s sight. It is actually quite abominable that the Roman Catholic Church perpetually portrays the Son of God in his agony of suffering on the cross, when He has now arisen and ascended to heaven where He has sat down at the right hand of God the Father.
Enrico Job was perpetuating a deception when he created a sculpture that revealed Christ on the cross looking down from the heavens upon humanity. This error is as old as Constantine who declared to have seen an image of the cross in heaven and to have heard the words “In this sign conquer.” When man truly catches a glimpse of the ascended Christ in the heavens, they will not see Him on the cross, nor perpetually suffering. The apostle Paul testified:
Colossians 3:1-2
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Hebrews 10:13
But [Christ], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
When questioned by the Jewish leaders just prior to His crucifixion, Yahshua stated,
Luke 22:69-70
"From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
Of Stephen, the first martyr, we read the following just before he was stoned to death.
Acts 7:55-56
But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Yahshua standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
Brothers and sisters, Christ is no longer on the cross. He does not continue to suffer the agonies of sin and death on behalf of mankind. He offered Himself up, once for all, the just for the unjust. He bled and died and was buried. Three days later He rose again. He has now ascended and received glory, honor, power and authority from His Father. Satan has done a deep work of deception by leading the Roman Catholic Church, as well as a great many Protestants, to embrace the crucifix as the image of Christ they always keep before their minds. Christ is not dead. He is living. He is not suffering the agonies of the cross. They are behind Him. As the apostle Paul testified in another place:
Hebrews 12:2
Fixing our eyes on Yahshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When the Pope’s walk around with a staff in their hand topped with an image of Christ on the cross, they are declaring the death of Christ. In this I perceive the deceit of Satan who would boast that he put the Son of God to death.
Pope John Paul II with Crozier
Is it not revelatory of the Roman Catholic view of Christ that they will pray to Mary and to many saints, but they do not pray to Christ? Christ is either depicted as a baby in Mary’s arms, or dead or dying on a cross. The Roman Church avoids images of the resurrected, ascended, glorified Son of God who has triumphed over Satan and death. It is an indictment that Catholics will pray to past Popes for healing, but they will not pray to the Son of God. (Christ said that after He ascended that man would not need any intermediary, but would pray directly to God the Father. John 16:26-27 Paul also affirmed that we can come boldly to God’s throne of grace.)
On Sunday an estimated million people showed up in Rome to witness the canonization of two men whom the present Pope Francis, a Jesuit deceiver, has said can now be prayed to as saints.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10788640/Popes-John-Paul-II-and-John-XXIII-declared-saints.html
There was an inscription at the base of the papal crucifix that collapsed and killed Marco Gusmini. It read “Stat Crux Dum Vulvitur Orbis.” This Latin expression, adopted as the motto for the Carthusian Order of hermits and monks, has been translated into English in various ways.
The Cross Stands While the World Turns.
The Cross Stands While the World Changes.
The Cross is Steady While the World is Changing.
Whatever the specific translation, the inscription proved to be a lie. The cross designed by Enrico Job to honor Pope John Paul II is neither steady nor standing. It has collapsed into a pile of rubble, and it killed and injured those who were gathered in veneration of the man it was dedicated to.
This idol of the Roman Catholic Church has been cast down. The massive beam snapped like a dry twig.
We live in an hour when many Protestant churches are returning to the whore of Babylon. They are being allured by images of pomp, and power while being deceived by a message of tolerance, and love that is divorced from truth. They are embracing idols and idolatry, while imbibing doctrines of demons. There is nothing in Roman Catholicism that vaguely resembles the gospel of Christ and His apostles, or the spiritual life of the original church. All has become corrupted, polluted, and defiled. Roman Catholicism is a cult that remembers a dead savior while encouraging veneration, devotion, and prayer to the Queen of Heaven. It has substituted the word of Pope’s and prelates for the voice of God revealed by the indwelling Spirit of Christ.
A sister in Christ (thank you Lucy) wrote to me to remark about the similarity between this event and the Biblical account recorded in I Samuel chapter 5. That was another time when there was a mixing of the holy and the profane, and Yahweh brought judgment. The Philistines had defeated Israel in battle and had taken the Ark of the Covenant. They placed it into the temple of Dagon, the part man/part fish god that they worshiped. In this passage we read:
I Samuel 5:2-5
Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
In the images of the fallen crucifix, you will observe that the hands, the feet, and the head are all broken off of this idol. Yahweh has cast the image of the Roman Catholic god to the ground. People of God, do not be deceived. It is not Yahshua, the resurrected, ascended, glorified Son of God that the Catholics worship. They worship an abomination. Through the practice of syncretism they have merged the holy and the profane. They have mixed truth with deception and falsehood. If you are not familiar with the extraordinary manner in which Roman Catholicism has introduced pagan belief, practices, and symbols into the worship of Christ, I encourage you to read the series titled Syncretism.
In that writing I wrote somewhat on the merging of the worship of Dagon, the fish God of the Philistines, into the religion of Rome. Following is an excerpt.
---
It is not hard to understand that numerous other corruptions were arrived at through the Catholic practice of syncretism. The fish symbol had long been employed in pagan religions. It was a symbol of Venus as well as Bacchus. In The Two Babylons, Alexander Hyslop writes, "Icthus, or the Fish, was one of the names of Bacchus." Bacchus was another name for Tammuz, the Sun-deity.
The worship of the fish deity is found in Scripture as we read of Dagon, the fish god of the Philistines.
The priests of Dagon wore fish shaped hats.
It is from this that the Catholics obtained the Mitre. Note that this priest of Dagon is sprinkling water, just like the Catholics do in their rituals.
Catholic Adoption of the Mitre of Dagon
Pope Benedict XVI with fish god Mitre on his head.
Bust of Pope John Paul II
Did you ever stop to question where the Catholic Church gets all of its costumes and symbols? The Catholics say they trace the lineage of the Popes back to Peter. Did you ever read of Peter dressing up in such garb? I tell you the answer is NO! Peter would not have dressed in the clothes of a pagan priest in order to declare the gospel of Christ.
These things are abominations. God clearly told His people to not form images to represent Him.
Deuteronomy 4:15-18
So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth.
Regarding the introduction of the Ichthus symbol in Christianity, Alexander Hyslop writes:
About the very time that the Bishop of Rome was invested with the pagan title of Pontifex, the Savior began to be called Ichthys, or “the Fish,” thereby identifying Him with Dagon, or the fish-god; and that, ever since, advancing step by step, as circumstances would permit, what has gone under the name of the worship of Christ, has just been the worship of that same Babylonian divinity, with all its rites and pomp and ceremonies, precisely as in ancient Babylon.
[Source: The Two Babylons, page 370]
Is it not remarkable that the Catholic church eats fish every Friday? Where did this custom come from? It is not hard to discover. The Romans worshiped Aphrodite Salacia. As we observed already, Freya was the Scandinavian equivalent of Aphrodite. Aphrodite Salacia was a fertility goddess. The worshipers of Aphrodite ate fish on Fridays and engaged in orgies. Fish is considered an “aphrodisiac.” Also from the name of Aphrodite Salacia we get the word “salacious,” which is defined as “intended to arouse people sexually.”
The Catholics, with their practice of syncretism, have simply absorbed all of the practices of pagan religions. They often seek to give the pagan practices some “Christian” justification, but God is appalled at the mixing of the holy and the profane together. His Spirit cries out, “Come out of her My people, lest you participate in her sins and partake of her plagues.”
[End Excerpt]
People of God, I ask you whether there is not some connection to the papal crucifix of John Paul II falling at a time when a memorial was being held in the run-up to his canonization as a saint, an endorsement by the present Pope and all the church of Rome to pray to this man as if he had the power to grant miracles? Is it only random coincidence that this statue fell on a young man who lived on a street named for the second Pope being canonized along with John Paul II; that the hands, feet, and head were broken off of the idol even as occurred with the idol of Dagon; that both Pope’s wore the mitre that was borrowed from the worship of Dagon.
Pope John XXIII Wearing Mitre
No matter how much Catholics may protest, there is nothing vaguely reminiscent of true Christianity in the image above. What you see is an image of an abomination. It is deception masquerading as truth. It is pagan idolatry calling itself Christianity.
In this hour we are seeing the daughters of the harlot of Babylon returning to that which they once protested. In 2010, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and head of the Church of England, gave a message where he stated the following.
Stat crux dum volvitur orbis: 'The cross stands while the world turns' - The motto of the Carthusian Order, familiar to many people in this Chapel this evening, and a phrase which has many levels of meaning, many levels which, as we reflect on the meanings of martyrdom, we may begin to penetrate more deeply.
The cross stands while the world turns. So long as the world turns the cross is there. In the words of Pascal "Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world, we must not sleep during that time." As long as the world is here, there is suffering, there is injustice, there is butchery... And faced with that awareness that Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world, it is a very strong spirit that is not at some level alarmed, even cowed.
[Source: http://www.greenfordmagna.info/documents/magna/2010_10%20-%2011%20-%20Stat%20Crux%20Dum%20Volvitur%20Orbis.pdf]
Rowan Williams has been described as an Anglican/Catholic. He attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II, being the first Anglican Prelate to do so since Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church. Williams also attended the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI. Recently we have seen Pope Francis send an emissary with a personal message to Kenneth Copeland and hundreds of evangelical ministers gathered for a conference. Not surprisingly, the message was sent by the hands of a man who is an Anglican Priest. The Anglicans are being used to bridge the divide between Protestant and Catholic. Tony Palmer, the Anglican minister who presented the Pope’s message to the ministers at Kenneth Copeland’s conference, assured them that there was no longer anything to protest. Catholic doctrine and theology was declared to be perfectly compatible with Protestant doctrine. He further asserted that the church should set its focus on loving people, and accepting one another, rather than on divisive things (like truth and doctrinal beliefs).
As I have shared before, love without truth is apostasy. It is apostasy that Satan is seeking to draw all of the people of God into in this late hour. Many, even the majority, will fall for this deception. The time is late, and we need to heed the warning of the apostle Paul who stated:
II Thessalonians 2:1-3
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Yahshua Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first.
(Apostasy is defined as a great falling away from truth: Literally, “a divorcement from truth.”)
Are you imbibing the lies of the adversary? Are you beginning to look upon Rome as a friend of Christ, and a champion of Christianity? Do not be deceived! Heed the warning of God as recorded by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. Having been shown the Great Harlot, Mystery Babylon, John wrote:
Revelation 18:4-8
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.' For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
Pope John Paul II presided over the Roman Catholic Church during a time when it was revealed that there was a worldwide and pervasive pattern of Roman Catholic priests corrupting and sexually abusing children, frequently engaging in homosexual acts with minors. The Pope’s actions reveal that the church was more interested in covering up the debacle than in repenting and reforming its ranks. With the inauguration of Pope Francis, there has been an announcement of a shift away from issues that divide. Pope Francis has indicated that his focus will not be to decry the evil of abortion or homosexuality. He has said that he cannot judge priests that are homosexual.
People of God, we live in an hour when deception is increasing. If you are not pressing in to a deeper abiding in Christ; if you are not surrendering your life to obedience to Him on a daily basis, you are in great danger of being swept away by the tidal wave of confusion, lies, and error that is being poured forth from the mouth of the dragon. Do not be deceived!
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Joseph Herrin
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Thursday, April 24, 2014
FOUNDATIONS - Creation by the Numbers
"Numbers constitute the only universal language." Nathanael West
"Nature's great book is written in mathematics." Galileo
"Mathematics is a more powerful instrument of knowledge than any other that has been bequeathed to us by human agency." Descartes
Whatever you think about the quotations above, it is an inescapable fact that the creation was formed with great mathematical precision. Galileo declared that mathematics is the language in which nature’s book is written. If anything, the famed astronomer is guilty of understatement. Yahweh not only has fashioned the heavens and the earth with a remarkable degree of mathematical precision and order, He also uses numbers to communicate spiritual truth.
Numbers in the Bible are not random. They are associated with ideas. Numbers in Scripture are utilized consistently to demonstrate a type of coded communication. Those who understand their meaning are able to recognize the divine design that has chosen certain numbers in specific associations. Patterns that are recognized in this way guide the reader to further insight into the message God is communicating through His word.
An example of a number being associated with a specific idea is observed in the number twelve. Yahweh has chosen this number to communicate an idea of “divine election and perfected government.” Jacob had twelve sons who became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. Yahshua chose twelve men to be His disciples and to serve as apostles to establish the first foundations of the church. In the book of Revelation we read of the overcomers who stand with the Savior on Mount Zion. These overcomers will rule and reign with Christ during the millennial period. Their number is given as 144,000 - 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. This repetition of the number twelve is not mere coincidence. Yahweh has determined that this number convey the idea of election and government.
Another profoundly significant number invested with divine meaning is seven. In the very first chapter of the Bible we learn that the creation “week” consisted of seven days. The first six days were full of creative activity and on the seventh day God rested. This seven day “week” has remained pervasive throughout man’s history as a basic unit of counting time. Whether men are Christian, or non-believers; whether they regard the Bible as divine truth, or nothing more than fable and superstition, the week of seven days is observed by all. The number seven continues to be featured prominently to the last book of the Bible. In Revelation we read of seven churches, seven stars, seven angels, seven lampstands, seven spirits of God, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven trumpets, seven peals of thunder, seven thousand people who perish in an earthquake, a dragon with seven heads and on his heads seven crowns, seven plagues, seven golden bowls containing the wrath of God, and seven mountains. Only the naive could dismiss the number seven as bearing no particular significance to God.
The number seven is intrinsically tied to this present creation of the earth. In the book Number in Scriptures, E.W. Bullinger provides insight into the profound significance of numbers throughout the creation. He remarks on the fact that the number seven is linked to a divine chronology of events.
CHRONOLOGY
The first natural division of time is stamped by the Number seven. On the seventh day God rested from His work of Creation.
When He ordained the ritual for Israel which should show forth His work of Redemption, seven is again stamped upon it in all its times and seasons. The seventh day was the holy day; the seventh month was specially hallowed by its number of sacred festivals; the seventh year was the Sabbatic year of rest for the land: while 7 x 7 years marked the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:4,8)...
God's dealings with His people have to do with actual duration of time rather than with specific dates; and we find that His dealings with Israel were measured out into four periods, each consisting of 490 (70 times 7) years. Thus:—
The 1st. From Abraham to the Exodus.
The 2nd. The Exodus to the Dedication of Temple.
The 3rd. From the Temple to Nehemiah's return.
The 4th. From Nehemiah to the Second Advent.
It is clear that these are periods of duration having regard only to Israel, and to Jehovah's immediate dealings with them. For in each one there is a period of time during which He was not immediately governing them, but in which His hand was removed, and His people were without visible tokens of His presence with them.
You can see how Bullinger arrived at the calculation of these four periods of time in his book. http://philologos.org/__eb-nis/chap01.htm#2 Bullinger continues to demonstrate how the number seven is stamped upon other aspects of this present creation.
NATURE
We see the same law at work in various departments of nature. Sometimes one number is the dominant factor, sometimes another. In nature seven is found to mark the only possible mode of classification of the mass of individuals which constitutes the special department called science. We give the seven divisions, with examples from the animal and vegetable kingdoms. The one specimen of an animal (the dog) and one specimen of a flower (the rose).
PHYSIOLOGY
offers a vast field for illustration, but here again the grand impress is seen to be the number seven. The days of man's years are "Three-score years and ten" (7x10). In seven years the whole structure of his body changes: and we are all familiar with "the seven ages of man."
There are seven Greek words used to describe these seven ages, according to Philo:—
1. Infancy (paidion, child).
2. Childhood (pais boy).
3. Youth (meirakion, lad, stripling).
4. Adolescence (neaniskos, young man).
5. Manhood (aner, man).
6. Decline (presbutes, old man).
7. Senility (geron, aged man).
The various periods of gestation also are commonly a multiple of seven, either of days or weeks.
With INSECTS the ova are hatched from seven half-days (as the wasp, bee, etc.); while with others it is seven whole days. The majority of insects require from 14 (2x7) to 42 (6x7) days; the same applies to the larva state.
With ANIMALS the period of gestation of—
The mouse is 21 (3x7) days.
The hare and rat, 28 (4x7) days.
The cat, 56 (8x7) days.
The dog, 63 (9x7) days.
The lion, 98 (14x7) days.
The sheep, 147 (21x7) days.
With BIRDS, the gestation of—
The common hen is 21 (3x7) days.
The duck, 42 (6x7) days.
With the Human species it is 280 days (or 40x7).
Bullinger remarks on another number that pervades the creation. It is the number 3.
It is not always seven, however, which is the predominant factor in physiology or natural history.
In the case of the BEE, it is the number three which pervades its phenomena—
• In three days the egg of the queen is hatched.
• It is fed for nine days (3x3).
• It reaches maturity in 15 days (5x3).
• The worker grub reaches maturity in 21 days (7x3).
• And is at work three days after leaving its cell.
• The drone matures in 24 days (8x3).
• The bee is composed of three sections,— head and two stomachs.
• The two eyes are made up of about 3,000 small eyes, each (like the cells of the comb) having six sides (2x3).
• Underneath the body are six (2x3) wax scales with which the comb is made.
• It has six (2x3) legs. Each leg is composed of three sections.
• The foot is formed of three triangular sections.
• The antennae consist of nine (3x3) sections.
• The sting has nine (3x3) barbs on each side.
Is this design, or is it chance? Why should it be the number three instead of any other number? No one can tell. We can only observe the wondrous working of supernatural laws, and admire the perfection of design...
It is most impressive when it is observed that sound and color (light) are marked by both the numbers three and seven. In music we find that all sound is naturally divided into three octaves of seven notes each (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti). In the realm of light we find that all colors can be formed from three primary colors (Red, Blue, Yellow)
Primary Colors
The visible spectrum of light that the human eye can see is often observed in the rainbow. The colors of the rainbow appear as seven in number. In school they taught us to remember these colors by imagining the discover of this phenomena as being named ROY G. BIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).
ROY G. BIV
One might ask why God should choose to stamp the creation with the numbers three and seven? What is the significance of these numbers? The answer leads back to what the Bible reveals of the nature of God. There are three numbers that are peculiarly found in descriptions of God. These numbers are one, three, and seven.
One
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God. Yawheh is one!”
Three
Matthew 28:19
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit...”
Seven
Revelation 4:5
And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
It appears that Yahweh chose to imbue the creation with those same attributes and numbers that are characteristic of His own being. Consider that Christ, the visible manifestation of the invisible God, is called both “the Word of God,” and “the Light of the world.” Since the Son of God is compared to that which is both heard and seen, it is fitting that both sound and light should be marked with the numbers one, three, and seven. When we listen to a song, we may say we heard one song, yet the musical tones of that song can be broken down to its constituent seven notes in three octaves. When we observe the colors of the rainbow displayed across the heavens, we may say that we saw one rainbow, yet the rainbow can be subdivided to seven distinct colors, and all colors visible to the eye of man can be formed of three primary colors. Thus, all that mankind can hear and see is peculiarly stamped with the numbers of God.
Man himself is marked by these same numbers. This is to be expected, for Yahweh Elohim said, “Let us create man in Our Image, after Our likeness.” I am one man. Yet I am comprised of three distinct parts.
I Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete...
The spirit, soul, and body of man can be further divided into seven constituent parts.
Spirit:
Conscience
Intuition
Communion
Soul:
Cognition (Mind)
Volition (Will)
Emotion
Body:
Body (Sensory life)
As we look throughout the Scriptures we find that Yahweh has repeated this same pattern in manifold ways. The Temple and the Tabernacle were both divided into three sections. There was the Outer Court (corresponding to man’s body), The Inner Court (corresponding to man’s soul), and the Holy of Holies (corresponding to man’s spirit). These three areas of the Temple and Tabernacle also relate to the three members of the Godhead: Christ/The Outer Court; The Holy Spirit/The Inner Court; God the Father/The Holy of Holies.
Inside the Temple we also find a remarkable item that reveals further the divine numbers one, three, and seven. This is the Golden Candlestick.
Moses was given a commandment by Yahweh to form the candlestick of a single piece of “beaten gold.” Thus the body of the candlestick was formed all of one piece. The body of the candlestick is representative of the Son of God. His body was also beaten, yet He was pure and holy like refined gold. The candlestick was fashioned into seven individual branching candles. The candlestick did not hold wax candles as we think of them today. Rather, it burned the pure, beaten oil derived from the crushed flesh of the olive. The olive oil was poured into the hollow candlestick and each branch was lit. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. Oil is used to signify anointing throughout the Bible, and John refers to the Holy Spirit as the “anointing” (I John 2: 20, 27). The flames represent the seven spirits of Yahweh.
In the candlestick we clearly see the numbers one, three, and seven. We may say truly that there is only one candlestick. Yet the one candlestick has three distinct parts. It has the body of gold. It has the holy oil. It also has the flame (for our God is a consuming fire). In the book of Revelations we see that Christ is walking among the seven candlesticks representing the seven churches of Asia Minor. It is fitting that the candlestick should serve both as a symbol of God, as well as the people of God. Yahweh has determined that His people should be conformed to His image and likeness.
I will give but one more example of how Yahweh has used these three numbers in the Scriptures. The feasts of Yahweh are three in number. They are the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Just like these other examples, these three feasts are further divisible into seven, for both Passover and Tabernacles are three part events.
Passover
Feast of Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Feast of Firstfruits
Pentecost
Feast of Pentecost
Tabernacles
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
Observing that Yahweh has established this pattern of numbers in the creation to denote that which is full and complete, is there a similar testimony to be observed in the earth? After all, man’s flesh was formed of the dust of the earth. Should we not then expect to find the numbers one, three, and seven to have as clear an association to the earth as it does to humanity? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”
I first came across this tertiary (three fold) and septenary (seven fold) design of the earth when I was in my early twenties. A sister of mine was attending LeTourneau College (now LeTourneau University) in Texas. This is an engineering school founded by a Christian man. I remember my sister saying, “I don’t care if I get a Bachelor of Science, or a Bachelor of Arts, as long as I get a bachelor.” My sister was single at the time, and LeTourneau’s student body was about 90% male. She was successful in her aim, marrying an engineering student from the College.
More important to this study, however, is that my sister’s curriculum included Bible classes. An Old Testament Survey course she took was taught by a man by the name of Kenneth F. McKinney. Mr. McKinney had written a book titled Scanning the Plan. My sister showed me the book, and I soon acquired a copy for myself. Mr. McKinney taught the Ruin/Restoration view of Genesis, also known as “the Gap Theory.” Inside the cover of the book was a fold out banner showing the seven stages of the earth, and displaying three separate creations of the earth.
(Click on Image to View Larger)
If, and only if, one adopts the ruin/restoration doctrine of Genesis do we find that the earth conforms to the divine pattern we have observed where that which Yahweh creates is stamped with the numbers one, three, and seven. Following are the three creations of the earth as set forth in the Scriptures.
The First Earth
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
This is the first earth which was created before the fall of Satan. It is the earth of the dinosaurs and other pre-Adamic creatures. This earth was destroyed when Satan rebelled and was cast down. This first earth suffered catastrophic judgment, becoming formless, void, and covered in darkness.
The Second Earth
The second earth is the one we now live on. Its creation, or rather “restoration,” began in Genesis 1:3 as Yahweh said “Let there be light.” With this declaration God began to remove the curse upon the original earth and to fashion things anew, culminating in the creation of Adam on day six. This present earth will be destroyed by fire, as the apostle Peter prophesied.
II Peter 3:7, 10
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men... But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
The Third Earth
Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
There is a parallel in these three earths to mankind that I would draw the reader’s attention unto. In a sense, the first two earths were a single entity, for the first earth that was judged by God was not annihilated, or done away with. It was merely made formless, void and covered in darkness. Yet, the third earth is a completely new earth, and in a true sense it can also be called the second true earth, and the last earth.
I find in this a remarkable parallel to Adam and his descendants, and to “the last Adam” who is Christ. Like the first earth, Adam was created blameless. However, Adam rebelled against God, fell into sin, and suffered judgment. The condition of the first earth under judgment bears a remarkable likeness to Adam and his descendants under judgment. Adam was created to bear the likeness and image of God, but this likeness was lost and no longer attainable after Adam sinned. In this regard, Adam became formless, having lost the form of God. There was no man born of Adam who could say, “If you have seen me you have seen God.” The first man to be able to speak these words in truth was Christ. He alone had the form of God.
Adam was also void. That is to say, he was empty. Mankind was created to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. This purpose was left unfulfilled due to the sin of Adam. It would not be until AFTER Christ died on the cross and rose again that the Holy Spirit would be given to indwell humanity. Until Christ, the Holy Spirit had been “with” many men and women, but it would only be after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended that He would be “in” men and women.
John 14:16-17
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.”
Due to Adam’s sin, mankind also became darkened in their understanding.
Ephesians 4:17-18
This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God...
Thus, man’s condition was that he too was formless, void, and covered in darkness. There came a time, however, when God began to move to re-create the earth under judgment. The first thing He had to do was to send light upon the earth, for it had been sealed up in darkness.
Genesis 1:3
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Similarly, in order to redeem mankind Yahweh had to begin by sending him light.
John 12:44, 46
And Yahshua cried out and said, “I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”
Each of the six days of the re-creation of the earth in Genesis chapter one finds its spiritual correspondence in mankind and is set forth in the Gospels. I have set forth the parallel between the days of the reformation of the earth and the re-birth of man in the book The Mark of the Beast as well as in the teaching titled The Seven Days of Man. I will not repeat that information here, but would point out that the second earth is intended by God to serve as a parable for regenerated man. Those who are born again of the Spirit of Christ are said to be “new creations” even as we consider the earth that was reformed beginning in Genesis 1:3 to be a new creation.
II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
NKJV
In actuality, however, regenerated man is the Adamic man re-born. We still inhabit the same bodies in which sin is present, but light has now come, and the presence of God is making all things new for us. Similarly, in the second earth we find that light returned, but there was still evil present among the creation, for the serpent was in the Garden, and Satan was actively seeking to lead humanity into sin.
As Christians we live an existence that parallels the second earth. There is warfare present in our members between good and evil, light and darkness. This condition cannot continue forever, even as this present earth, even when it is under the rule of Christ as it will be in the Millennial period, cannot continue in its present form. A complete and final end must be made to sin, darkness, and evil.
Peter tells us that this present heaven and earth are being reserved for fire. They must be consumed. This will be a far more thorough judgment than what occurred in Genesis 1:2 when the earth was made formless, void, and sealed in darkness. This present physical world must be completely done away with. Similarly, these mortal bodies that know sin and death must also be destroyed in order than we might receive new glorified bodies that will no longer no sin or death.
I Corinthians 15:53-54
For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
The third and last earth which has no seas and no darkness is symbolic of the final and glorious state of man. Seas represent death throughout the Scripture. When the Israelites crossed through the sea after departing Egypt, the apostle Paul states that they were “baptized into Moses” (I Corinthians 10:1-2). Baptism is symbolic of dying and being resurrected to new life. When we go under the water we die. When we come back up out of the water it is symbolic of entering into new life. The last earth cannot have any seas, for there will be no death. Similarly, mankind must lay aside these mortal and corruptible bodies and put on that which is immortal and incorruptible.
The illustration above shows the three creations of the earth and man. There is the first man Adam in his innocence. He corresponds to that first earth that was before the fall of Satan and prior to sin entering the creation.
There is the fallen man. He finds his correspondence to the earth after sin. Everything is formless, void, and covered in darkness.
We then see redeemed man, those who are new creations in Christ. This new creation man finds his correspondence to the earth that has been created anew in Genesis 1:3 and following. It is the earth we now live on, and the condition of this man is observed in those who have been born again of the Spirit of Christ and have become partakers of the divine nature. Nevertheless, these ones find that sin still dwells in their flesh. Death is still at work in the physical body.
Finally, we see the glorified man who has laid aside the body made of dust and has received a new immortal and incorruptible body. This man finds his correspondence in the new earth that will appear after this present earth is consumed in fire. It is an earth without seas, without death, without sin. All is radiant, glorious, righteous and holy.
At this time, there is only one man who has arrived at this final, glorious state. That man is Yahshua the Messiah. He has passed through death into life. Death no longer has any hold over Him. He is never to die again. The apostle Paul refers to Christ as “the last Adam” and the last earth serves as a symbol of His glorious condition. This glorified condition is also the promised future condition of those who have been born again of the Spirit of Christ, and who are putting the flesh to death.
I John 3:2-3
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
How then do we complete the divine numerical pattern by identifying seven distinct divisions of the earth’s existence? Kenneth F. McKinley, in his book Scanning the Plan, breaks down the three creations of the earth into seven subsidiary states.
(1) Original Earth
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This earth was created prior to sin’s appearance. Satan had not yet fallen, and the heavens and earth were at peace.
(2) Chaotic Earth
“But the earth became formless and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). This is the earth after the fall of Satan. The length of time which the earth lay under this judgment is not known. Being sealed in darkness, this was likely a period in which the earth was covered in ice, corresponding with evidence of an ancient ice age.
(3) Adamic Earth
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’” (Genesis 1:3). This is the re-created earth as described in Genesis chapters one and two, before the fall of man. The earth is a paradise. There is no rain, but a mist arose from the ground to water the earth (Genesis 2:6). Mankind has not sinned, but Satan is present upon the earth.
(4) Pre-Flood Earth
“Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face...” (Genesis 3:17-19). This is the earth after Adam sinned. Sin and death have now entered the creation. The earth no longer gives forth abundantly.
(5) Present Earth
This is the earth after the flood of Noah. It is an earth under human government. After the flood Yahweh shortened man's life span from a thousand years to one hundred-twenty years (Genesis 6:3). This present state of the earth will continue until the millennial reign of Christ.
(6) Millennial Earth
“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). During this period Satan will be bound. Christ will reign upon the earth with His overcoming saints. Sin and death will still be present, but greatly mitigated.
Isaiah 65:20
There shall no more be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who dies prematurely; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner who dies when only a hundred years old shall be [thought only a child, cut off because he is] accursed.
(Amplified Bible)
After a thousand years Satan will be loosed and war and judgment will result once more. The present earth will be consumed with fire. Then will come the third and final creation of the earth, which will also be the seventh state of the earth.
(7) New Earth
There will be no sea on the new earth. Seas represent death, and death will be no more. These seven states of the earth conform to the septenary (seven fold) design which God has imprinted upon the creation.
It is apparent that in each of these seven stages of the earth that a significant change has occurred. The creation cannot be complete until it fulfills the divine numerical design. Even as the Creator has revealed Himself in the numbers one, three, and seven, so too must the earth, and the man who was formed from the dust of the earth, bear this same imprint. All that is full and complete is marked by these numbers.
Consider how this divine pattern is broken when one rejects the ruin/restoration doctrine of Genesis chapter one. We are left with only two distinct creations of the earth, and there are only five distinct states of the earth. The numbers two and five are not used by Yahweh to denote the perfection and completeness of the creation.
By itself, the evidence I have presented here of the mathematical pattern Yahweh has designed into His creation is insufficient to establish, or prove doctrine. Yet, when such a profound pattern is observed as one studies the Scriptures, it can serve as one more affirmation of the truth.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Snake Bite
Joseph Herrin (04-22-2014)
Yesterday morning, prior to sitting down to begin writing the next chapter in the FOUNDATIONS series, I needed to walk to the mailbox with a sack full of newsletters so they could be delivered to men in prison. It was a beautiful morning here in South Georgia. The high was forecast to be about 80 degrees. I awoke yesterday morning listening to the birds singing outside my bus/motorhome. I knew that Champ, my two year old dog, would enjoy the walk to the mailbox with me.
It is about 1/4 of a mile to the mailbox. We are located in a rural area. The walk is down a dirt driveway along fields and then down a tree covered lane. Champ finds delight in springing through the grass, chasing down whatever scents he comes across. I often see him with nose to the ground, thrust deep into some thick tussock, as his tail wags excitedly. I suppose he has caught scent of some field mice and is eagerly exploring.
As we walked yesterday morning, all was beautiful and pleasant out. I was amused as I watched Champ springing through the grass. Sometimes I call him “Grasshopper” because of his penchant for bounding around in the tall grass as if his legs were made of springs. We had gone about halfway when I noticed Champ jump back suddenly from a stand of grass he had been exploring. He acted like he had been stung, and would only cautiously approach the grass again. I had him on a long retractable leash, so I coaxed him to continue to the mailbox. As we returned Champ seemed subdued, and then began acting sick. His energy which had been bounding just a few minutes earlier seemed to have fled from him. He walked slowly with his head down, and I wondered whether he had been bitten by a snake. Last year I had killed both a large rattlesnake and a water moccasin on the property, both of which are venomous snakes.
I contemplated what I should do if Champ had been snake bitten. I don’t have a car to take him to the veterinarian, and did not have the financial resources on hand even if I could arrange transport. The thought came clearly into mind to give him some Benadryl. I thought that an odd idea, as the only treatment I had ever heard of for snake bites is anti-venom. As soon as we got home I looked closely at Champ and I noticed two puncture marks on his nose.
(Click on any image to view larger)
One of them had a drop of blood oozing from it. This confirmed to me that Champ had been bitten by a snake. I hurried inside and looked up treatment for snake bite for dogs and at once found a number of links that said to give the animal some Benadryl. I “just happened” to have some on hand, as I had purchased some Benadryl allergy tablets last year to alleviate the symptoms of my pollen allergies. I found that the Benadryl makes me sleepy, however, so I did not use more than a few of them out of the package. I took one of the capsules out to Champ. It was now maybe 10-15 minutes since he had been bitten. I stuck one of the pills in his mouth. I thought I might have problems getting him to swallow it, but he gladly obliged and took the pill at once.
Champ with Half of His Face and Neck Swollen
By this time Champ’s nose was swelling up considerably. I went back inside to check a couple more links on treatment for dogs, and to e-mail some people to pray. When I went back outside I found that Champ had gone into his kennel and was laying down, which is unusual for him during the day. I knew he wasn’t feeling well. I pulled up a chair and sat with him for a while, stroking the side of his head that wasn’t swollen, and praying to Yahweh to heal him.
I believe it was Yahweh that put it into my mind at once to give Champ a Benadryl. That God showed me to do this gave me confidence that Champ would pull through. I also read that when a dog is bitten that it is better for a snake to strike them on the nose than anywhere else, as the venom has a more difficult time making it to the dog’s organs from the nose than from the legs or belly. Observing a large amount of swelling in his neck, I saw what looked like possible bite marks on his neck as well.
Champ With Swollen Neck
The timing of this experience, coming at a time when I am writing about the serpent/Satan in the garden of Eden seemed significant. I had been reading a book on this topic earlier in the morning. I was brought to reflect on the compassion Yahweh had upon Adam and Eve when they had their disastrous encounter with the serpent. James Montgomery Boice, in his book Genesis - An Expositional Commentary, wrote the following.
Someone has said, “The most pleasant of all sounds is the human voice.” But if it is true of the human voice, how much truer should it be of the voice of God. God’s voice is the most wonderful of all sounds. Yet when the voice of God was heard in the garden following Adam and Eve’s sin, the man and his wife were not drawn to it as they had been previously. They were terrified of God and hid themselves.
The problem was not in the voice, of course, for the voice of God was gentle and filled with love. God sometimes speaks in judgment; then the voice is terrifying. But this was not the case in Eden. Everything in God’s manner was as before. He came in the garden rather than descending from heaven in some spectacular show of displeasure. He was walking, not running. He arrived in the cool of the day, the most pleasant time, rather than in the heat of the afternoon or in the dark of night, when all human fears seem doubly fearful. He did not come suddenly. He came by degrees, calling as He came. No, it was not the voice or manner of God’s coming that was terrifying to Adam and Eve. It was the fact that they had sinned, and when one has sinned against God even the tenderest of voices can be frightening.
As we observe Yahweh’s actions toward Adam and Eve, we see compassion exhibited even though they had sinned. Yahweh, in seeing the shame of their nakedness, provides for them a covering of animal skins. Additionally, when speaking of the consequences of their actions, He gives them a promise of a future hope when a Seed should come forth from the woman to crush the head of the serpent.
As I looked at my dog, observed his swollen face, knowing the sting of the venom he must be experiencing, seeing his doleful countenance, I had only compassion for him. He did not go looking for a snake yesterday morning. He was not looking for trouble, or trying to be a bad dog. He was merely enjoying life, doing what dogs do. The serpent, a subtle, venomous creature, was hiding in the grass waiting to strike the unsuspecting and unwary. My immediate thought was to save the life of my dog, for though he is a beast, he is MY beast. He is under my care, and I am concerned for his welfare.
Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
Had my dog become injured doing something that I had told him not to do, such as digging through the trash, I would have felt just as concerned for his injury. Disobedience does not end our love for another creature or person. Like David lamenting over the death of his rebellious son Absalom, we can experience deep grief for another. David in his agony over his son cried out, “Absalom, my son, my son! If only I had died in your place!” This was also Yahweh’s heart toward Adam when he transgressed and immediately became subject to the law of sin and death. Yet Yahweh was able to offer His life as a substitute for man. He did so by sending His Son to die for humanity.
I experienced strong emotion yesterday as I laid my hand on my dog’s head and entreated the Father to spare his life. Compassion filled my heart as I considered this beast that has become a friend and companion to me. How much more did our heavenly Father experience compassion for the man and woman as they were awakened to the consequences of their actions? They had never known shame until that day. They had never known fear. They had never experienced the effects of sin and guilt, or sensed the need to hide from the eyes of their Creator. Now their hearts were filled with tormenting thoughts and emotions and there was no way that they could heal the hurt that the serpent had introduced to their lives.
Yahweh, in His love for His creation, found the situation unacceptable. He had the power to heal the hurt, to end man’s slavery to sin, to repair the breech between man and God, and He purposed to do so. There is no doubt in my heart that if I had the power to heal at will, I would have not hesitated to restore Champ to health yesterday. My heart was moved with compassion as I observed how his flesh had responded to the toxins injected into his body by a serpent. I am confident that the deep sympathy and yearning in my heart for my beast was a reflection of Yahweh’s heart when He observed the immediate effects of sin within the man and the woman.
I checked on Champ throughout the day yesterday, and saw no deterioration of his condition. Although his neck and face were horribly swollen, there did not appear to be any difficulty in his breathing, or in his swallowing. Yahweh was gracious, and by late afternoon Champ’s energy had returned and he wanted to play. When I came outside he ran and grabbed his tennis ball and brought it to me.
This morning Champ continued to show improvement. The swelling on one side of his neck had dissipated into a general swelling on both sides of his neck. When I greeted him, he showed his usual eagerness, and wanted to come out of his kennel and play. Right after I leashed him to his runner I saw two deer in the nearby field, and pointed them out to Champ. He was immediately arrested by their presence, and wanted to go chase away these intruders on “his” property.
The above photo was taken around 1:00 P.M. this afternoon. You can see Champ’s neck is still swollen, but he seems unconcerned and wants to play ball. He is eating good, and is enjoying another beautiful day outside. I am confident that Yahweh intends to bring him a full recovery. Hopefully Champ will be a little wiser, and more alert to the presence of snakes that like to hide in the grass.
If you are one of those who prayed for Champ yesterday, or you have experienced compassion and concern for him as you read this post, I encourage you to consider that this too is a reflection of the heart of God for His creation.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Yahweh’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
It is unnatural to lack love for that which Yahweh has imbued with life. This was the lesson Yahweh had to teach the prophet Jonah. At the end of the book that bears the prophet’s name, we have Yahweh speaking the following words to His servant.
Jonah 4:10-11
“You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work, and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Yesterday morning, prior to sitting down to begin writing the next chapter in the FOUNDATIONS series, I needed to walk to the mailbox with a sack full of newsletters so they could be delivered to men in prison. It was a beautiful morning here in South Georgia. The high was forecast to be about 80 degrees. I awoke yesterday morning listening to the birds singing outside my bus/motorhome. I knew that Champ, my two year old dog, would enjoy the walk to the mailbox with me.
It is about 1/4 of a mile to the mailbox. We are located in a rural area. The walk is down a dirt driveway along fields and then down a tree covered lane. Champ finds delight in springing through the grass, chasing down whatever scents he comes across. I often see him with nose to the ground, thrust deep into some thick tussock, as his tail wags excitedly. I suppose he has caught scent of some field mice and is eagerly exploring.
As we walked yesterday morning, all was beautiful and pleasant out. I was amused as I watched Champ springing through the grass. Sometimes I call him “Grasshopper” because of his penchant for bounding around in the tall grass as if his legs were made of springs. We had gone about halfway when I noticed Champ jump back suddenly from a stand of grass he had been exploring. He acted like he had been stung, and would only cautiously approach the grass again. I had him on a long retractable leash, so I coaxed him to continue to the mailbox. As we returned Champ seemed subdued, and then began acting sick. His energy which had been bounding just a few minutes earlier seemed to have fled from him. He walked slowly with his head down, and I wondered whether he had been bitten by a snake. Last year I had killed both a large rattlesnake and a water moccasin on the property, both of which are venomous snakes.
I contemplated what I should do if Champ had been snake bitten. I don’t have a car to take him to the veterinarian, and did not have the financial resources on hand even if I could arrange transport. The thought came clearly into mind to give him some Benadryl. I thought that an odd idea, as the only treatment I had ever heard of for snake bites is anti-venom. As soon as we got home I looked closely at Champ and I noticed two puncture marks on his nose.
(Click on any image to view larger)
One of them had a drop of blood oozing from it. This confirmed to me that Champ had been bitten by a snake. I hurried inside and looked up treatment for snake bite for dogs and at once found a number of links that said to give the animal some Benadryl. I “just happened” to have some on hand, as I had purchased some Benadryl allergy tablets last year to alleviate the symptoms of my pollen allergies. I found that the Benadryl makes me sleepy, however, so I did not use more than a few of them out of the package. I took one of the capsules out to Champ. It was now maybe 10-15 minutes since he had been bitten. I stuck one of the pills in his mouth. I thought I might have problems getting him to swallow it, but he gladly obliged and took the pill at once.
Champ with Half of His Face and Neck Swollen
By this time Champ’s nose was swelling up considerably. I went back inside to check a couple more links on treatment for dogs, and to e-mail some people to pray. When I went back outside I found that Champ had gone into his kennel and was laying down, which is unusual for him during the day. I knew he wasn’t feeling well. I pulled up a chair and sat with him for a while, stroking the side of his head that wasn’t swollen, and praying to Yahweh to heal him.
I believe it was Yahweh that put it into my mind at once to give Champ a Benadryl. That God showed me to do this gave me confidence that Champ would pull through. I also read that when a dog is bitten that it is better for a snake to strike them on the nose than anywhere else, as the venom has a more difficult time making it to the dog’s organs from the nose than from the legs or belly. Observing a large amount of swelling in his neck, I saw what looked like possible bite marks on his neck as well.
Champ With Swollen Neck
The timing of this experience, coming at a time when I am writing about the serpent/Satan in the garden of Eden seemed significant. I had been reading a book on this topic earlier in the morning. I was brought to reflect on the compassion Yahweh had upon Adam and Eve when they had their disastrous encounter with the serpent. James Montgomery Boice, in his book Genesis - An Expositional Commentary, wrote the following.
Someone has said, “The most pleasant of all sounds is the human voice.” But if it is true of the human voice, how much truer should it be of the voice of God. God’s voice is the most wonderful of all sounds. Yet when the voice of God was heard in the garden following Adam and Eve’s sin, the man and his wife were not drawn to it as they had been previously. They were terrified of God and hid themselves.
The problem was not in the voice, of course, for the voice of God was gentle and filled with love. God sometimes speaks in judgment; then the voice is terrifying. But this was not the case in Eden. Everything in God’s manner was as before. He came in the garden rather than descending from heaven in some spectacular show of displeasure. He was walking, not running. He arrived in the cool of the day, the most pleasant time, rather than in the heat of the afternoon or in the dark of night, when all human fears seem doubly fearful. He did not come suddenly. He came by degrees, calling as He came. No, it was not the voice or manner of God’s coming that was terrifying to Adam and Eve. It was the fact that they had sinned, and when one has sinned against God even the tenderest of voices can be frightening.
As we observe Yahweh’s actions toward Adam and Eve, we see compassion exhibited even though they had sinned. Yahweh, in seeing the shame of their nakedness, provides for them a covering of animal skins. Additionally, when speaking of the consequences of their actions, He gives them a promise of a future hope when a Seed should come forth from the woman to crush the head of the serpent.
As I looked at my dog, observed his swollen face, knowing the sting of the venom he must be experiencing, seeing his doleful countenance, I had only compassion for him. He did not go looking for a snake yesterday morning. He was not looking for trouble, or trying to be a bad dog. He was merely enjoying life, doing what dogs do. The serpent, a subtle, venomous creature, was hiding in the grass waiting to strike the unsuspecting and unwary. My immediate thought was to save the life of my dog, for though he is a beast, he is MY beast. He is under my care, and I am concerned for his welfare.
Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
Had my dog become injured doing something that I had told him not to do, such as digging through the trash, I would have felt just as concerned for his injury. Disobedience does not end our love for another creature or person. Like David lamenting over the death of his rebellious son Absalom, we can experience deep grief for another. David in his agony over his son cried out, “Absalom, my son, my son! If only I had died in your place!” This was also Yahweh’s heart toward Adam when he transgressed and immediately became subject to the law of sin and death. Yet Yahweh was able to offer His life as a substitute for man. He did so by sending His Son to die for humanity.
I experienced strong emotion yesterday as I laid my hand on my dog’s head and entreated the Father to spare his life. Compassion filled my heart as I considered this beast that has become a friend and companion to me. How much more did our heavenly Father experience compassion for the man and woman as they were awakened to the consequences of their actions? They had never known shame until that day. They had never known fear. They had never experienced the effects of sin and guilt, or sensed the need to hide from the eyes of their Creator. Now their hearts were filled with tormenting thoughts and emotions and there was no way that they could heal the hurt that the serpent had introduced to their lives.
Yahweh, in His love for His creation, found the situation unacceptable. He had the power to heal the hurt, to end man’s slavery to sin, to repair the breech between man and God, and He purposed to do so. There is no doubt in my heart that if I had the power to heal at will, I would have not hesitated to restore Champ to health yesterday. My heart was moved with compassion as I observed how his flesh had responded to the toxins injected into his body by a serpent. I am confident that the deep sympathy and yearning in my heart for my beast was a reflection of Yahweh’s heart when He observed the immediate effects of sin within the man and the woman.
I checked on Champ throughout the day yesterday, and saw no deterioration of his condition. Although his neck and face were horribly swollen, there did not appear to be any difficulty in his breathing, or in his swallowing. Yahweh was gracious, and by late afternoon Champ’s energy had returned and he wanted to play. When I came outside he ran and grabbed his tennis ball and brought it to me.
This morning Champ continued to show improvement. The swelling on one side of his neck had dissipated into a general swelling on both sides of his neck. When I greeted him, he showed his usual eagerness, and wanted to come out of his kennel and play. Right after I leashed him to his runner I saw two deer in the nearby field, and pointed them out to Champ. He was immediately arrested by their presence, and wanted to go chase away these intruders on “his” property.
The above photo was taken around 1:00 P.M. this afternoon. You can see Champ’s neck is still swollen, but he seems unconcerned and wants to play ball. He is eating good, and is enjoying another beautiful day outside. I am confident that Yahweh intends to bring him a full recovery. Hopefully Champ will be a little wiser, and more alert to the presence of snakes that like to hide in the grass.
If you are one of those who prayed for Champ yesterday, or you have experienced compassion and concern for him as you read this post, I encourage you to consider that this too is a reflection of the heart of God for His creation.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Yahweh’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
It is unnatural to lack love for that which Yahweh has imbued with life. This was the lesson Yahweh had to teach the prophet Jonah. At the end of the book that bears the prophet’s name, we have Yahweh speaking the following words to His servant.
Jonah 4:10-11
“You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work, and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Friday, April 18, 2014
Life in Georgia
Joseph Herrin (04-18-2014)
My Daughter Kristin on My Catrike
(Click on any image to view larger)
I am spending considerable time studying and meditating upon this current series titled FOUNDATIONS. Because of the amount of research and study involved, my posts have been less frequent than normal. In the interim, I thought I would post an update on life here in Georgia.
After spending four months on Jekyll Island, I returned to the rural area of South Central Georgia where Yahweh has directed me to abide for some time. I truly love this area. It is remote, quiet, peaceful, and yet is not too far that I cannot use my bike or trike to travel into town to the post office, grocery store, or Walmart. It is a 14 mile trek (each way) to the post office in Montezuma, Georgia where I have a mailbox. It is the same distance to Perry which is a relatively larger town, and located right along I-75. Perry has three large grocery stores (Kroger, Publix, and Walmart), as well as a hardware store and many restaurants. It has a population somewhat in excess of 10,000, whereas Montezuma has an official population between 3,000 - 4,000. The town I am nearest to is Marshallville, which is smaller still. Marshallville is 4 miles away, and has only one traffic light, a small Red and White grocery store, and a post office that keeps limited hours.
Georgia is often described as consisting of two populations. There is Atlanta, and there is the rest of the state.
There are areas of North and West Georgia that are mountainous. However, the area where I am located is very flat. This is ideal for bike/trike riding, so although I love the mountains, I appreciate the ease of transportation that the level ground affords.
As I mentioned, this is a rural area. From where I have my bus/motorhome parked I am unable to see any neighbors. I cannot even see the road which is about 1/4 mile away and hidden by trees. It is an unpaved road with three ways leading out, depending on whether I want to go to Montezuma, Marshallville, or Perry. No matter what direction I take, I have 3-4 miles of dirt roads before I reach the pavement. I actually enjoy this, and my trike with its oversized wheels and balloon tires handles the unpaved road very well.
Catrike with Trailer
Because of the distances I have to travel to town I found it expedient to add an electric motor to my recumbent trike. I did quite a bit of research, and settled on a motor of Chinese manufacture that was relatively new and had positive reviews. It was a quarter of the price of some American made units, such as the Eccospeed motor that can run about $3,000, a price that does not include the battery. The motor is different than the hub motor that I have on my bike that is built into the wheel. The Bafang 8FUN motor I purchased is described as a mid-drive, and it operates by turning the chain, rather than directly turning the wheel. There are advantages to this, chief among them being that this type of motor takes advantage of the bike or trike’s gearing.
Hub motors are single speed, so the rider must either choose one with a low gear that offers high torque for acceleration and hill climbing, or a higher gear to provide a faster cruising speed. With a mid-drive electric motor, the rider can have excellent low speed torque by shifting into a low gear, and also achieve a higher cruising speed.
My Bafang BBS02 (8FUN) Motor Mounted on End of Boom
I have been using this motor for about a month now, and have logged approximately 300 miles on it. It has some features that my bike’s hub motor did not. The Bafang motor came with a crank that the pedals attach to. The crank has a cadence sensor built into it that measures how fast the rider is turning the pedals. The motor can be set to match the speed of the rider, and has five different power settings that can add a little pedal assist, or a lot of pedal assist. I generally keep the motor on setting 2, as anything above that adds so much assist that I find I am doing nothing more than spinning the pedals without any resistance. I do want to get some exercise, after all.
The motor also came with a nice computer and display that shows the motor’s power setting, amount of battery charge left, speed, distance traveled, and time elapsed. If a person wants to let the motor do all the work, there is also a thumb throttle that can operate the motor, overriding the pedal assist feature. The picture below shows the trike’s controls from the rider’s perspective.
I have been very impressed with the performance of this mid-drive motor. The quality of the parts, the cable connectors, the computer and display, all appear to be good quality, and as I tell people who often ask me about the trike when they see me out on it, it goes right by all of the gas stations without needing to fill up. One additional benefit is that I was able to use the LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery that I had purchased for my bike. The battery is a $600 dollar item which is a considerable initial layout, but it is rated at 5 years and 1500 recharges. On a monthly breakdown, this is $10/month, which is far less than I would spend for gas, oil, insurance, tag, title, and other expenses associated with driving a car.
For local transport, it has much to recommend it. It is as much fun as riding in an open car. You get to enjoy all the sights and sounds of nature. Since you are traveling at a slower rate of speed (I have reached 35 mph downhill, but I normally cruise at 20 mph, and closer to 12 mph on the dirt roads), you can take time to stop and smell the roses. I have often noticed pecans along the road, or public medians and have stopped to fill up my baskets, or seen blackberries along the side of the road and stopped to enjoy a few handfuls. In the past week and a half I have ridden to a local strawberry patch and have picked over 30 pounds of strawberries and brought them back home where I have cut them up and placed them in quart storage bags to keep in my freezer. They are great in smoothies, or with oatmeal.
We have had a rainy winter and early spring, so there have been many days when I could not get down the dirt roads on my trike. It is raining at this moment as the rain has set in for about a 30 hour stretch where we are forecast to get 2-3 inches of precipitation. We received 2 inches of rain just a week ago, and there have been only a couple days since I returned to this area on February 1st that the driveway leading out to the road has not had puddles of water standing on it. This has caused everything to be nice and green, and the grass is growing prodigiously. I had to start mowing the grass about 5-6 weeks ago. Last week we actually had a couple days that the temperature rose into the low 80s.
I try to take Champ on runs every day that I can get out on the trike. We started about 3 weeks ago when the roads dried out sufficiently, but so far we have only been able to manage about 3-4 days a week. It usually takes 2 days for the roads to dry out sufficiently after a good rain. I am grateful, however, that we do not have a drought here in Georgia. This is a farming and dairy area, and the rain is very much appreciated. The peach trees are leafing out now, and should be all abloom in a week or so with peach season beginning sometime in late May.
On another topic, I had some problems with my glasses while I was on Jekyll Island. A screw had come out and when I took them to the Walmart Vision Center in Brunswick, they could not repair them, and they had no similar frames. My prescription had changed, and I noticed that things were not as clear as they had been, so I decided to wear an older pair and get new glasses made after I returned to my present location. I had my appointment yesterday and should be receiving my new glasses in a week. I appreciate Yahweh’s faithfulness to meet every need, and am very grateful for those saints who freely give materially to this minister. When I consider that it has now been more than six years since Yahweh directed me to leave the Macon Rescue Mission and return to the full-time ministry of writing and teaching, and as I observe how every need has been supplied, I am truly in awe of what He has done. The sons and daughters of Yahweh who read these posts have truly fulfilled the words of the apostle Paul.
Galatians 6:6-7
And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.
On a related note to that of having an eye exam and ordering new glasses, I had a tooth crack down the middle about a week ago. The way it happened was rather remarkable. I had been experiencing a toothache for a few days where the left side of my face felt inflamed. I could not tell precisely what tooth was causing the problem as pains of this type frequently radiate out from the source. I have on occasion had some of my top teeth ache when the problem was with a lower tooth.
I prayed about the matter and asked Yahweh to show me what tooth it was so that I could get it pulled if need be. Many of the readers of this blog know that I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is commonly called Brittle Bone Disease. I broke my first bone at the age of seven, and by the age of 14 had broken about a dozen bones. I have broken a few more as an adult, including a badly damaged fibula when I was struck by a 91 year old woman a few years back when I was riding on a motorcycle in town. That resulted in 2 titanium plates being installed in my lower left leg, and more than 20 screws.
One of the associated conditions of Osteogenesis Imperfecta that I did not know about until about ten years ago is called Dentinogenesis Imperfecta. As you might deduce from the name, this is a condition that causes the teeth to be brittle. It usually manifests around the age of 40, which is about the time I broke my first tooth (I will observe my 53rd birthday on May 7th). Since then I have had about a dozen teeth fracture, and have had them pulled. There is nothing more to be done, unless a person opts to have dental implants that cost about $5,000 per tooth. Consequently, I have opted for a partial denture which works well and is far less expensive. (Even if I had the money I would not likely consider dental implants. I am quite satisfied with dentures.)
I share this so that you might understand why I considered having the tooth pulled when it began to ache. If a tooth is drilled and a filling put in it, it weakens the tooth, and when combined with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta, it is not likely to hold up very long before it cracks. I asked the Father to show me which tooth was the problem so that I would not waste money by having the wrong tooth pulled. I believe it was the next day that I was chewing on a piece of tough bread and I felt one of my teeth crack. It was one of the two I suspected of being the cause of my present pain, so I took that as an answer from the Father. I know definitely now which tooth I need to get pulled, which I hope to get taken care of in the upcoming week.
This time of year is particularly difficult for me physically as I have suffered with pollen allergies since I was a child. At times it has been debilitating to the point that all I could do was to lie down and put a wet cloth over my face. The symptoms of hay fever have added to my difficulties of late in writing, as it is difficult to focus when one’s sinuses are running constantly, accompanied by sneezing and itchy eyes.
I was sharing with a sister in Christ yesterday that with my bodily troubles of late, I have been reminded of the following words of the apostle Paul.
II Corinthians 4:16
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
An update would not be complete without mentioning Champ.
Champ Enjoying a Sunny Day
Champ’s cheek has healed up fine from where a neighbor’s Pit Bull got hold of him a couple months back. There is no sign that he was ever attacked. Champ is a tough dog, and I suspect he is half Pit Bull himself (the other half being some type of Hound). The neighbor’s dog doesn’t come around anymore, but I put Champ in his kennel at night and when I have to go into town, just to be safe.
A few weeks ago we had a weather front move through. There was plenty of rain, and the temperature dropped afterwards, but there was no mention in the forecast about high winds. I even checked the local Macon station and they had no notice of high winds. Nevertheless, after the rain ended the wind picked up abruptly. It must have been blowing about 40 MPH with higher gusts approaching 60 MPH. At some point the wind picked up Champ’s kennel and tossed it into a crumpled heap. I had to completely disassemble it the next day and reconstruct it. I now have it anchored to the ground with chain and some sturdy tie-downs.
Champ’s Kennel
Champ was NOT in the kennel when it was tossed by the wind. He doesn’t enjoy bad weather, so I normally bring him inside my bus when it is storming outside. He is lying under my feet right now, snoring away as I type. He had been outside most of today, but since it has been raining steady for about 15 hours now, although he does have shelter outside, I thought he would like to come inside for a while.
Champ is a good dog. He makes me laugh a lot as I observe his antics out in the yard. He enjoys life as only a dog can do. Dogs know how to have a great time. They have no worries, but take each moment as it comes. When life is good, they show their appreciation of it. I don’t know the dogs in the following photo, but their expressions are a picture of undiminished joy.
That is what Champ looks like when I take him on runs.
PostScript: There was wind again after the rain passed through last night and as occurred a couple weeks ago, another large oak tree fell across the drive leading back to the property. (I am blessed to not have to cut it up and remove it. That is someone else's bailiwick.)
I walked down to see it this morning, and Champ went with me to check it out.
You can see how nice and green everything is here from the abundant rain. The ground, however, is so soft that these mature trees are falling over easily.
Note that I added a link in the comments to Lectric Cycles, the company that I purchased my trike's electric motor from. The company's owner, LeGrand Crewse, an appropriate name if ever there was one (The Grand Cruise), has been very pleasant to deal with, and responsive to my queries.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
My Daughter Kristin on My Catrike
(Click on any image to view larger)
I am spending considerable time studying and meditating upon this current series titled FOUNDATIONS. Because of the amount of research and study involved, my posts have been less frequent than normal. In the interim, I thought I would post an update on life here in Georgia.
After spending four months on Jekyll Island, I returned to the rural area of South Central Georgia where Yahweh has directed me to abide for some time. I truly love this area. It is remote, quiet, peaceful, and yet is not too far that I cannot use my bike or trike to travel into town to the post office, grocery store, or Walmart. It is a 14 mile trek (each way) to the post office in Montezuma, Georgia where I have a mailbox. It is the same distance to Perry which is a relatively larger town, and located right along I-75. Perry has three large grocery stores (Kroger, Publix, and Walmart), as well as a hardware store and many restaurants. It has a population somewhat in excess of 10,000, whereas Montezuma has an official population between 3,000 - 4,000. The town I am nearest to is Marshallville, which is smaller still. Marshallville is 4 miles away, and has only one traffic light, a small Red and White grocery store, and a post office that keeps limited hours.
Georgia is often described as consisting of two populations. There is Atlanta, and there is the rest of the state.
There are areas of North and West Georgia that are mountainous. However, the area where I am located is very flat. This is ideal for bike/trike riding, so although I love the mountains, I appreciate the ease of transportation that the level ground affords.
As I mentioned, this is a rural area. From where I have my bus/motorhome parked I am unable to see any neighbors. I cannot even see the road which is about 1/4 mile away and hidden by trees. It is an unpaved road with three ways leading out, depending on whether I want to go to Montezuma, Marshallville, or Perry. No matter what direction I take, I have 3-4 miles of dirt roads before I reach the pavement. I actually enjoy this, and my trike with its oversized wheels and balloon tires handles the unpaved road very well.
Catrike with Trailer
Because of the distances I have to travel to town I found it expedient to add an electric motor to my recumbent trike. I did quite a bit of research, and settled on a motor of Chinese manufacture that was relatively new and had positive reviews. It was a quarter of the price of some American made units, such as the Eccospeed motor that can run about $3,000, a price that does not include the battery. The motor is different than the hub motor that I have on my bike that is built into the wheel. The Bafang 8FUN motor I purchased is described as a mid-drive, and it operates by turning the chain, rather than directly turning the wheel. There are advantages to this, chief among them being that this type of motor takes advantage of the bike or trike’s gearing.
Hub motors are single speed, so the rider must either choose one with a low gear that offers high torque for acceleration and hill climbing, or a higher gear to provide a faster cruising speed. With a mid-drive electric motor, the rider can have excellent low speed torque by shifting into a low gear, and also achieve a higher cruising speed.
My Bafang BBS02 (8FUN) Motor Mounted on End of Boom
I have been using this motor for about a month now, and have logged approximately 300 miles on it. It has some features that my bike’s hub motor did not. The Bafang motor came with a crank that the pedals attach to. The crank has a cadence sensor built into it that measures how fast the rider is turning the pedals. The motor can be set to match the speed of the rider, and has five different power settings that can add a little pedal assist, or a lot of pedal assist. I generally keep the motor on setting 2, as anything above that adds so much assist that I find I am doing nothing more than spinning the pedals without any resistance. I do want to get some exercise, after all.
The motor also came with a nice computer and display that shows the motor’s power setting, amount of battery charge left, speed, distance traveled, and time elapsed. If a person wants to let the motor do all the work, there is also a thumb throttle that can operate the motor, overriding the pedal assist feature. The picture below shows the trike’s controls from the rider’s perspective.
I have been very impressed with the performance of this mid-drive motor. The quality of the parts, the cable connectors, the computer and display, all appear to be good quality, and as I tell people who often ask me about the trike when they see me out on it, it goes right by all of the gas stations without needing to fill up. One additional benefit is that I was able to use the LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery that I had purchased for my bike. The battery is a $600 dollar item which is a considerable initial layout, but it is rated at 5 years and 1500 recharges. On a monthly breakdown, this is $10/month, which is far less than I would spend for gas, oil, insurance, tag, title, and other expenses associated with driving a car.
For local transport, it has much to recommend it. It is as much fun as riding in an open car. You get to enjoy all the sights and sounds of nature. Since you are traveling at a slower rate of speed (I have reached 35 mph downhill, but I normally cruise at 20 mph, and closer to 12 mph on the dirt roads), you can take time to stop and smell the roses. I have often noticed pecans along the road, or public medians and have stopped to fill up my baskets, or seen blackberries along the side of the road and stopped to enjoy a few handfuls. In the past week and a half I have ridden to a local strawberry patch and have picked over 30 pounds of strawberries and brought them back home where I have cut them up and placed them in quart storage bags to keep in my freezer. They are great in smoothies, or with oatmeal.
We have had a rainy winter and early spring, so there have been many days when I could not get down the dirt roads on my trike. It is raining at this moment as the rain has set in for about a 30 hour stretch where we are forecast to get 2-3 inches of precipitation. We received 2 inches of rain just a week ago, and there have been only a couple days since I returned to this area on February 1st that the driveway leading out to the road has not had puddles of water standing on it. This has caused everything to be nice and green, and the grass is growing prodigiously. I had to start mowing the grass about 5-6 weeks ago. Last week we actually had a couple days that the temperature rose into the low 80s.
I try to take Champ on runs every day that I can get out on the trike. We started about 3 weeks ago when the roads dried out sufficiently, but so far we have only been able to manage about 3-4 days a week. It usually takes 2 days for the roads to dry out sufficiently after a good rain. I am grateful, however, that we do not have a drought here in Georgia. This is a farming and dairy area, and the rain is very much appreciated. The peach trees are leafing out now, and should be all abloom in a week or so with peach season beginning sometime in late May.
On another topic, I had some problems with my glasses while I was on Jekyll Island. A screw had come out and when I took them to the Walmart Vision Center in Brunswick, they could not repair them, and they had no similar frames. My prescription had changed, and I noticed that things were not as clear as they had been, so I decided to wear an older pair and get new glasses made after I returned to my present location. I had my appointment yesterday and should be receiving my new glasses in a week. I appreciate Yahweh’s faithfulness to meet every need, and am very grateful for those saints who freely give materially to this minister. When I consider that it has now been more than six years since Yahweh directed me to leave the Macon Rescue Mission and return to the full-time ministry of writing and teaching, and as I observe how every need has been supplied, I am truly in awe of what He has done. The sons and daughters of Yahweh who read these posts have truly fulfilled the words of the apostle Paul.
Galatians 6:6-7
And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.
On a related note to that of having an eye exam and ordering new glasses, I had a tooth crack down the middle about a week ago. The way it happened was rather remarkable. I had been experiencing a toothache for a few days where the left side of my face felt inflamed. I could not tell precisely what tooth was causing the problem as pains of this type frequently radiate out from the source. I have on occasion had some of my top teeth ache when the problem was with a lower tooth.
I prayed about the matter and asked Yahweh to show me what tooth it was so that I could get it pulled if need be. Many of the readers of this blog know that I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is commonly called Brittle Bone Disease. I broke my first bone at the age of seven, and by the age of 14 had broken about a dozen bones. I have broken a few more as an adult, including a badly damaged fibula when I was struck by a 91 year old woman a few years back when I was riding on a motorcycle in town. That resulted in 2 titanium plates being installed in my lower left leg, and more than 20 screws.
One of the associated conditions of Osteogenesis Imperfecta that I did not know about until about ten years ago is called Dentinogenesis Imperfecta. As you might deduce from the name, this is a condition that causes the teeth to be brittle. It usually manifests around the age of 40, which is about the time I broke my first tooth (I will observe my 53rd birthday on May 7th). Since then I have had about a dozen teeth fracture, and have had them pulled. There is nothing more to be done, unless a person opts to have dental implants that cost about $5,000 per tooth. Consequently, I have opted for a partial denture which works well and is far less expensive. (Even if I had the money I would not likely consider dental implants. I am quite satisfied with dentures.)
I share this so that you might understand why I considered having the tooth pulled when it began to ache. If a tooth is drilled and a filling put in it, it weakens the tooth, and when combined with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta, it is not likely to hold up very long before it cracks. I asked the Father to show me which tooth was the problem so that I would not waste money by having the wrong tooth pulled. I believe it was the next day that I was chewing on a piece of tough bread and I felt one of my teeth crack. It was one of the two I suspected of being the cause of my present pain, so I took that as an answer from the Father. I know definitely now which tooth I need to get pulled, which I hope to get taken care of in the upcoming week.
This time of year is particularly difficult for me physically as I have suffered with pollen allergies since I was a child. At times it has been debilitating to the point that all I could do was to lie down and put a wet cloth over my face. The symptoms of hay fever have added to my difficulties of late in writing, as it is difficult to focus when one’s sinuses are running constantly, accompanied by sneezing and itchy eyes.
I was sharing with a sister in Christ yesterday that with my bodily troubles of late, I have been reminded of the following words of the apostle Paul.
II Corinthians 4:16
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
An update would not be complete without mentioning Champ.
Champ Enjoying a Sunny Day
Champ’s cheek has healed up fine from where a neighbor’s Pit Bull got hold of him a couple months back. There is no sign that he was ever attacked. Champ is a tough dog, and I suspect he is half Pit Bull himself (the other half being some type of Hound). The neighbor’s dog doesn’t come around anymore, but I put Champ in his kennel at night and when I have to go into town, just to be safe.
A few weeks ago we had a weather front move through. There was plenty of rain, and the temperature dropped afterwards, but there was no mention in the forecast about high winds. I even checked the local Macon station and they had no notice of high winds. Nevertheless, after the rain ended the wind picked up abruptly. It must have been blowing about 40 MPH with higher gusts approaching 60 MPH. At some point the wind picked up Champ’s kennel and tossed it into a crumpled heap. I had to completely disassemble it the next day and reconstruct it. I now have it anchored to the ground with chain and some sturdy tie-downs.
Champ’s Kennel
Champ was NOT in the kennel when it was tossed by the wind. He doesn’t enjoy bad weather, so I normally bring him inside my bus when it is storming outside. He is lying under my feet right now, snoring away as I type. He had been outside most of today, but since it has been raining steady for about 15 hours now, although he does have shelter outside, I thought he would like to come inside for a while.
Champ is a good dog. He makes me laugh a lot as I observe his antics out in the yard. He enjoys life as only a dog can do. Dogs know how to have a great time. They have no worries, but take each moment as it comes. When life is good, they show their appreciation of it. I don’t know the dogs in the following photo, but their expressions are a picture of undiminished joy.
That is what Champ looks like when I take him on runs.
PostScript: There was wind again after the rain passed through last night and as occurred a couple weeks ago, another large oak tree fell across the drive leading back to the property. (I am blessed to not have to cut it up and remove it. That is someone else's bailiwick.)
I walked down to see it this morning, and Champ went with me to check it out.
You can see how nice and green everything is here from the abundant rain. The ground, however, is so soft that these mature trees are falling over easily.
Note that I added a link in the comments to Lectric Cycles, the company that I purchased my trike's electric motor from. The company's owner, LeGrand Crewse, an appropriate name if ever there was one (The Grand Cruise), has been very pleasant to deal with, and responsive to my queries.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
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