HANG ON....

Last weekend I had the opportunity to watch the 2019 Understanding the Times Conference that was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The lineup of speakers was superb.  Not in any special order, the group was made up of Amir Tsarfati, an international Bible teacher from Israel and author of the book, "The Last Hour: An Israeli Insider Looks at the End Times";  Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Dallas Texas who serves on President Trump's evangelical advisory board;  Jack Hibbs, leader of Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills, California whose "Real Life with Jack Hibbs, is a frequent destination both online and on radio;  J.D. Farag who pastors Calvary Chapel, Kaneohe, Hawaii and hosts an online prophecy update on YouTube;  Laurie Cardoza-Moore from Proclaiming Justice to the Nation and the leader of the Conference, Jan Markell, the founder of Olive Tree Ministries.   

For me, Tsarfati and Farag captured my attention the most.  Tsarfati for what he senses happening in Israel today and what the future looks like.  Of special interest and discussion was the result of the recent election for a new Prime Minister.  Benjamin Netanyahu, who had served for the previous four terms had been expected to have a difficult road to victory.  Not many expected what transpired.  Not only did Netanyahu not win, no one did.   Not Benjamin or his primary challenger, former three-star general Benny Gantz.  They ended in a stalemate with neither one able to land a majority to form a government.  Days later though, President Reuven Rivlin tasked Netanyahu with forming a new government, the but the solution for such action doesn't appear on the horizon.  Wednesday night, Netanyahu called a number of ministers and told them unless there is a breakthrough with Kahol Lavan, he will inform the President he is unable to carry out the forming of the government. 

Should that be a concern?  No question, according to Tsarfati.  But not necessarily the way you'd think.  For some time now, there has been discussion of a new peace plan that President Trump was going to roll out with the Netanyahu.  If he doesn't resume his Prime Minister duties then what?  Is that deal dead in the water.  And could that be a reason why the United States doesn't come to the aid of Israel?  Could the issues with the Netanyahu election be the trigger of  it all?   To put it bluntly, we are in the countdown days. 

Farag's words provided solace in the matter.  There are a couple of songs over the years with a theme of hanging on.  The one that comes most to mind is "You Keep me Hanging On", a song made famous by the Supremes in the 1960's.   

Set me free why don't cha babe
Get out of my life why don't cha babe
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on 

Set me free why don't cha babe
Get out of my life why don't cha babe
'Cause you don't really love me
But you keep me hangin' on

Why do you keep a comin' around playing with my heart?
Why don't cha get out of my life and let me make a brand new start?
Let me get over you the way you gotten over me, yeah, yeah

Okay, I digress, as J.D. would say.  I just couldn't resist doing a little singing and humming from the little ditty from the past.  After all, it was a super, super song.

The point Farag stated quite honestly was that he went through a period recently...not a breakdown, but an overwhelming period of hopelessness.  He looked around his church and saw much of the same thing.   He saw people who were tired and worn down by the world.   But through this time, he heard God tell him to "hang on".   More directly, he sensed God's words saying, "I told you it was going to be like this in the end times".  So, Farag, stated, "why should we be surprised?  Just hang in there and hang on". 

To wrap things up, Farag offered the following thought.  We can maybe go without food for awhile, maybe we could go without water for a few days, but we can't even go a few seconds without Hope".

Remember that when things are spiraling to despair.  Hope and Hangin On.  It will be great tonic to your soul.

YGG,

John

P.S.  Jan Markell's Conference was so well done.  You should make plans to check in on the 2020 Understanding the Times Conference.  That is....if we're here.  And if we're not, that's not such a bad thing.  Then we can change up the phrase to "Is this Iowa.  No, it's Heaven".

It should be obvious which is which.....

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.....

Where have I been?  Well, that's a real good question.  I've been blogging sports stories and working on a book that is now at the publisher.  It has kept me busy.  At least I try to convince myself of that.   My wife might have a totally different slant on the subject.   Back to the book, "Hope is a Weapon", is a reflection on my son's deployment to Afghanistan in 2010.  Not only is it a story of his journey, but also of another one of our son's entry into the National Guard at roughly the same time....and then how our family navigated those waters.  I'll let you in on a little secret.  We couldn't have  accomplished it without our faith and HOPE.

Obviously, I haven't been blogging on this site, that's for sure.  It's been 18 months since I've posted anything.   I think it's about time to get back in the seat and bury my head in the laptop.  More appropriately,  I sense God is prompting me to get back at it.  So, here we go.....

I've been thinking a whole bunch lately.  Not just the inane things that are part of every day life but the more important things.  Faith and family and future.  Ironically, they go hand in hand in hand.  At least that's what I've been thinking.  Where do I do that thinking?  The best place I know.....my bed.  It doesn't really matter if it's day or night.  That's where I get my best thinking done.  I have to wonder where other people do their thinking.  Or maybe their lack of thinking.  Because wherever it is, there sure seems to be a breakdown.  And why do I say that?   It just might be because there are a whole lot of thoughts in our divided nation depicting a lack of reasoning and accountability.   A good thought process shouldn't be act first and deal with the consequences later.   Rest assured.  Thinking done the proper way involves some time.  Not a knee-jerk reaction to a problem or situation.  Case in point....   

In August of this year, Marty Sampson, a worship music writer, singer and active member of Hillsong publicly denounced his faith on social media.  His announcement comes weeks after well-known Christian author Joshua Harris announced his departure from Christianity, both sharing their news over Instagram.

Harris, the author of the controversial Christian bestseller, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", announced that he and his wife, Shannon, were ending their marriage.  The following week came the following news about his faith.   "I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus.  The popular phrase for this is 'deconstruction', the biblical phrase is 'falling away.'  By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian.  Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith and I want to remain open to this, but I'm not there now."   

On November 5th, 2017 a gunman walked into the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas after shooting several people outside.  As he entered the building he shot and shot and shot.  When he was complete with his carnage he had killed 26 people ages five to seventy two.  Minutes after his flurry he tried to make a getaway but was shot in the leg.   Shortly thereafter he crashed the vehicle he stole and shot himself in the head.  The reaction to this slaughter was detailed by David Horowitz in his book, "Dark Agenda".  "From Hollywood to New York and Washington, the left responded with a chorus of jeers and insults.  Former MSNBC political commentator Keith Olbermann suggested in a tweet that Speak of the House Paul Ryan should proctologize himself with his prayers.  Seattle Democrat, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, tweeted. 'They were praying when it happened.  They don't need our prayers.  They need us to address gun violence...'  Comedian Paul Poundstone sneered: 'If prayers were the answer to mass shootings, wouldn't people at church service be safe?  Actor Wil Wheaton tweeted, 'The murdered victims were in a church.  If prayers did anything, they'd still be alive, you worthless sack of ...'  

It's this type of thinking that has put our country and to an even bigger extent our world on a course to destruction.   Which has caused me to think.  Well actually it's caused me to listen and then to think.  My wife, Joanne, introduced me to Pastor J.D. Farag of Calvary Chapel Kaneohe, Hawaii some time ago.  Farag was born in Beirut, Lebanon to an Egyptian father and a Palestian mother.  We listen to his sermons quite often as well as his weekly prophesy updates.  Not only is he a true communicator, his words smack of honesty and truth.  His insight on current times and prophesy is unique.  If anything, he's been a chief reason for me to lie in bed each week and ponder what lies ahead. 

So what does lie ahead?    Let's see what the Bible says.   Ecclesiastes 9:7-9  

7    No one knows what lies ahead.
       So who can tell someone else what's going to happen?
8     No one can stop the wind from blowing.
       And no one has the power to decide when they will die.
       No one is let out of the army in times of war.
       And evil won't let go of those who practice it.   
9     I understood all these things.  I used my mind to study everything
       that's done on earth.  A man sometimes makes life hard for others.
       But he ends up hurting himself.  

That's quite a perspective.  A man sometimes hurts himself.  Hmmmmmm.  Look around you.  There's a good portion of that going around.  The split between good and evil is greater than ever before.  Add the fact that so many people are taking God's words and changing them to suit their owns needs.....is not part of God's plans.  His words are Truth.  Spoken Literally.    

Here is what I think and believe.   "If we are indifferent to Christ's return and wrapped up in our own selfish affairs, prophetic events will appear to us distant and unimportant, even if they are happening all around us.  But if we study prophecy with a focus on how soon we will be united with Jesus, the passing of time will increase our anticipation of being with the Lord, and we will feel that His returns is near-at the doors!"-Rapture.com    

So if you're thinking is off the rails...you just might need a change of location to do your thinking.  It's not how you want to feel that you need to focus on, it's what's best and right.  Yes, it's all about location...the one location called Heaven.  Remember hearing about that place?


YGG,

John