1. Wars and rumors of war: "But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:
for these things must first come to pass" (luke 21:9). The increase of war and the ravages of
civil distress affect billion worldwide.
2. Unrest, fear, and upheaval: "And there shall be upon the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity;.... Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which
are coming on the earth" (luke 21:25,26). A perfect picture of the world today.
3. Increase of Knowledge: "Even to the time of the end..... knowledge shall be increased"
(Daniel 12:4). Knowledge is exploding in all directions: It is said that 80 percent of the
world's total knowledge has been brought forth in the last century
4. Scoffers and religious skeptics who turn away from bible truths: "There shall come in the
last days scoffers" (2 peter 3:3). They will not endure sound doctrine; And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 timothy 4:3,4).
It is not difficult to find scoffers today in fulfillment of prophecy. Many in the media
laugh at those who take the bible lieterally. Even religious leaders deny the creation
the flood, the divintiy of christ, His second coming, and many other bible truths.
5. Moral degeneracy-decline of spirituality: " In the last days.... men shall be lovers of
their own selves,.... without natural affection,...despisers of those that are good,......
having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 timothy 3:1-5).
America is in the midst of a tremendous moral crisis. Divorce rates are climbing
and obsession with sex is growing, with increasing church membership but decreasing
true spirituality.
6. Craze of pleasure: " In the last days.... men shall be .... lovers of pleasures more then
lovers of God" (2 timothy 3:1-4). The world has gone pleasure-mad. People jam
pleasure resorts by the thousands and spend billions each year for pleasure.
7. Increasing lawlessness, bloody crimes, and violence: " Inquity shall abound"
(matthew 24:12). " Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse"
(2 timothy 3:13). The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence
(Ezekiel 7:23). Crime and lawlessness are increasing rapidly today.
8. Destructive earthquakes, storms, and famines: "And great earthquakes shall be in divers
places, and famines, and pestilences" (luke 21:11). Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, etc.
are increasing at an unprecedented rate. One-third of the worlds people are hungry;
daily, thousands die of starvation.
9. A turning to spiritism: " In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits" (1 Timothy 4:1). " They are the spirits of devils" People, including
heads of nations, seek c9unsel from psychics, channelers, and spiritualists.
Can there be any doubt we are in the last days with these signs being fulfilled at an arlarming rate? Jesus said, " When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors"
matthew 24:33.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Plight Deepens for Black Men, studies warn. By Erik Ecknolm
The share of young black men without jobs has climbed relentlessly, with only a slight pause during the economic peak of the late 1990's. In 2000, 65 percent of black male high school dropouts in their 20s were jobless that is, unable to find work, not seeking it or incarcerated. By 2004 the share has grown to 72 percent, compared with 34 percent of white and 19 percent of hispanic dropouts. Even when High School graduates were included, half of black men in their 20s were jobless in2004, up from 46 percent in 2000.
Incarceration rates climbed in the 1990s and reached historic highs in the past few years. In 1995, 16 percent of black men in their 20s who did not attend college were in jail or prison; By 2004, 21 percent were incarcerated, by their mid 30s, 6 in 10 black men who dropped out of school had spent time in prison. In the inner cities, more than half of all black men do not finish High School. According to census data, there are about 5 million black men ages 20 to 39 in the united states.
Terrible schools, absent parents, racism, the decline in blue collar jobs and a subculture that glorifies swagger over work have all been citied as causes of the deepening ruin of black youths. Scholars and the young men themselves agree that all of these issues must be addressed.
Incarceration rates climbed in the 1990s and reached historic highs in the past few years. In 1995, 16 percent of black men in their 20s who did not attend college were in jail or prison; By 2004, 21 percent were incarcerated, by their mid 30s, 6 in 10 black men who dropped out of school had spent time in prison. In the inner cities, more than half of all black men do not finish High School. According to census data, there are about 5 million black men ages 20 to 39 in the united states.
Terrible schools, absent parents, racism, the decline in blue collar jobs and a subculture that glorifies swagger over work have all been citied as causes of the deepening ruin of black youths. Scholars and the young men themselves agree that all of these issues must be addressed.
Prison Rate For Black Men by: Becky Pettits
A university of Washington reseacher taking a different approach in the exploration of a familar pattern, has focused found that african american are more likely end up in prison then enter the military or gain a bachelor degree. The Research also quantified the commonly held impression that black men incarcerated at much higher rate then whites.
A study by UW sociologist Becky Pettit determined that african american men who reached their 30s by 1999 went to prison at a much higher rate then black men 20 years earlier. There also was a much stronger correlation between inprisonment and a lack of education for black men than white men, Pettit's research found. Research found that not only were black mens who reached their early 30s by 1999 almost seven times more likely to have been in prison than white men, but that 60 percent of black men who dropped out of high school ended up in prison.
For Blackmen with some college education, the incarceration rate remained about constant, following from 6 percent in 1979 to 5 percent in 1999, the study found.
While young african american men in general have attained less education than whites, the study suggests that other factors are also at play in their incarceration.
The war on drugs and other changes in the penal code, coupled with the fact that education is far more important economically today than it was 20 years ago, may have led to the huge diparity, she said. We are locking up0 men who are already disadvantaged at higher rates than 30 years ago, Pettit said.
A study by UW sociologist Becky Pettit determined that african american men who reached their 30s by 1999 went to prison at a much higher rate then black men 20 years earlier. There also was a much stronger correlation between inprisonment and a lack of education for black men than white men, Pettit's research found. Research found that not only were black mens who reached their early 30s by 1999 almost seven times more likely to have been in prison than white men, but that 60 percent of black men who dropped out of high school ended up in prison.
For Blackmen with some college education, the incarceration rate remained about constant, following from 6 percent in 1979 to 5 percent in 1999, the study found.
While young african american men in general have attained less education than whites, the study suggests that other factors are also at play in their incarceration.
The war on drugs and other changes in the penal code, coupled with the fact that education is far more important economically today than it was 20 years ago, may have led to the huge diparity, she said. We are locking up0 men who are already disadvantaged at higher rates than 30 years ago, Pettit said.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Are You STRESSED OUT?
FROM AWAKE:
AROUND THE WORLD, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY LIFE IS A MAJOR ISSUE. AS ONE SOURCE INDICATES, 'GLOBALIZATION, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND A HIGH PRESSURE, 24/7 ECONOMY HAVE BLURRED THE TRADITIONAL LINE BETWEEN HOME AND WORK. THESE CHANGES HAVE CREATED UNPRECEDENTED WEALTH. BUT THIS SUCCES HAS COME AT A PRICE. SAYS ONE AUTHOR: "MILLIONS OF US ARE OVERWORKED, OVERSCHEDULED, OVERWHELMED. WE'RE JUST PLAIN STRESSED OUT.
NOW ADD TO THIS THE DEMORALIZING EFFECTS OF THE RECENT ECONOMINC RECESSION. WORKERS WORLDWIDE, BOTH WHITE COLLAR AND BLUE COLLAR, HAVE LOST JOBS AND THEIR HOMES. THEY PROBABLY WISH THEY COULD BE WORKING HARD.
LET US CONSIDER THE SCOPE OF THESE PROBLEMS:
> AMONG EUROPEAN WORKERS, 6 OUT OF 10 SUFFER FROM WORK STRESS.
>AMONG US EMPLOYEES, 1 IN 3 FEELS CHRONICALLY OVERWORKED.
>mORE THAN 2 OF EVERY 3 CANADIANS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BALANCE FAMILY LIFE WITH WORK.
>IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 600 MILLION WORKERS, OR 22 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE, SPEND MORE THAN 48 HOURS A WEEK AT THEIR JOB.
THESE STATISTICS REFLECT AN IMMENSE HUMAN TRAGEDY. SOME STUDIES LINK LONG AND IRREGULAR WORKING HOURS WITH BAD HEALTH, STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS, POOR PARENTING, SEPARATION, AND DIVORCE.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU WORKING TOO HARD? OR ARE YOU AMONG THE MILLIONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY UNEMPLOYED? DO YOU YEARN FOR A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY LIFE? iF SO, HOW CAN YOU FIND IT.
AROUND THE WORLD, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY LIFE IS A MAJOR ISSUE. AS ONE SOURCE INDICATES, 'GLOBALIZATION, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND A HIGH PRESSURE, 24/7 ECONOMY HAVE BLURRED THE TRADITIONAL LINE BETWEEN HOME AND WORK. THESE CHANGES HAVE CREATED UNPRECEDENTED WEALTH. BUT THIS SUCCES HAS COME AT A PRICE. SAYS ONE AUTHOR: "MILLIONS OF US ARE OVERWORKED, OVERSCHEDULED, OVERWHELMED. WE'RE JUST PLAIN STRESSED OUT.
NOW ADD TO THIS THE DEMORALIZING EFFECTS OF THE RECENT ECONOMINC RECESSION. WORKERS WORLDWIDE, BOTH WHITE COLLAR AND BLUE COLLAR, HAVE LOST JOBS AND THEIR HOMES. THEY PROBABLY WISH THEY COULD BE WORKING HARD.
LET US CONSIDER THE SCOPE OF THESE PROBLEMS:
> AMONG EUROPEAN WORKERS, 6 OUT OF 10 SUFFER FROM WORK STRESS.
>AMONG US EMPLOYEES, 1 IN 3 FEELS CHRONICALLY OVERWORKED.
>mORE THAN 2 OF EVERY 3 CANADIANS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BALANCE FAMILY LIFE WITH WORK.
>IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 600 MILLION WORKERS, OR 22 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE, SPEND MORE THAN 48 HOURS A WEEK AT THEIR JOB.
THESE STATISTICS REFLECT AN IMMENSE HUMAN TRAGEDY. SOME STUDIES LINK LONG AND IRREGULAR WORKING HOURS WITH BAD HEALTH, STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS, POOR PARENTING, SEPARATION, AND DIVORCE.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU WORKING TOO HARD? OR ARE YOU AMONG THE MILLIONS WHO ARE PRESENTLY UNEMPLOYED? DO YOU YEARN FOR A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY LIFE? iF SO, HOW CAN YOU FIND IT.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
GIVING A NAME TO THE FATHERLESS
(He said unto the sick of palsy, son.... Mark 2:5
The bible doesn't give us the name of the man with palsy. In many bible stories, we not only have the man's name, but we have his father's name. For example, we know that the blind man in jericho was Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. (see Mark 10:46). When a person's name and father's name are given, the implication is that the person is important. This palsied man was a no-name boy. We don't know his name. We don't know his father. For that matter, he may not have known his own father.
Fathers in the bible give their sons status, a place in the society. They give them their identity. Today-as then-if a boy doesn't have a father, he doesn't have full status. He doesn't have a full identity.
When I look at our society today, I see thousands upon thousands of young men and who are fatherless. They group themselves together because they don't belong to a group called family that is led by a leader called father. When I was a boy, my friends and I were afraid to walk into a group of men who might be standing on a street corner. We'd give them a wide berth. Now I see grown men who are afraid to walk into a group of boys. They go out of their way to avoid them.
Fatherless boys are very often called by their problem, not their names. They are labeled just as this man was labeled- "sick of the palsy". He was identified by his condition.
Troublemaker, dopehead, gang-banger,homosexual, convict, rapist.
Fatherless boys become known for their condition, their predicament, their past actions.
We, as christians, must go get these fatherless boys. It may take four of us to reach one boy, but we must go get them and bring them to jesus. And what did Jesus call this man who was called by everyone else as the one who was sick of the palsy"? Jesus caolled him "son". He saw beyond this man's problem and looked into his person. He spoke to him, giving him a name that gave him a relationship. Jesus gave this man an identity, even before he forgave his sins and healed his body! In calling this man "son", Jesus was taking uopn himself the role of "father." We must do the same.
We must not wait unti8l the fatherless boys we encounter are cleaned up, singing in the choir, or leading the bible study. Jesus called this young man "son" while he was still sick. He didn't condemn him for what had caused his palsy. He didn't say to this man....
You shouldn't have dated that girl
You shouldn't have hooked up with that gang
You shouldn't have taken that first drink.
You shouldn't have smoked tht first joint.
You shouldn't have gone into that pool hall.
You shouldn't have....
No. Jesus loved him as he was. He entered into a relationship with him while he was still sick and in sin.
Neither did Jesus put any qualifications upon his relationship with this man. He didn't say to him....
If you'll clean up your life...
If you'll agree to do things my way...
If you'll stop....
if you'll start...
No. Jesus loved him without qualification, without condition.
We are called to do the same.
I tell my sons, "you are strong...handsome...vibrant...able...resourceful....intelligent men, not wimps. You are able to take a licking and keep on ticking. You are somebody! As God's child, you don't ever have to be lonely, destitute, desperate, or empty. You never have to be jealous of anybody. You are rich soil and fertile ground for a great harvest of blessing."
I have told my daughters repeatedly that I am their first date. I am the one who takes them out to nice places and buys them pretty dresses and shows them a good time. I'm the one who shows them the example of how a man should treat a woman with courtesy and manners. I'm the one who tells them that they are special, beautiful, and lovely in spirit. When they get to be dating age, their dates are going to have a tough act to follow. My daughters are accustomed to affection and praie and kindness; a young man would have a very tough time slapping my daughter and then trying to convience her that she deserved it. She'd likely say to him without any hesitation whatsoever, "I don't think so. My daddy told me otherwise.'
Tell your children who they are to you, and who they are to God. Do the same for your spiritual sons and daughters. Every child needs an identity. Every child needs a daddy.
By TD Jakes
The bible doesn't give us the name of the man with palsy. In many bible stories, we not only have the man's name, but we have his father's name. For example, we know that the blind man in jericho was Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. (see Mark 10:46). When a person's name and father's name are given, the implication is that the person is important. This palsied man was a no-name boy. We don't know his name. We don't know his father. For that matter, he may not have known his own father.
Fathers in the bible give their sons status, a place in the society. They give them their identity. Today-as then-if a boy doesn't have a father, he doesn't have full status. He doesn't have a full identity.
When I look at our society today, I see thousands upon thousands of young men and who are fatherless. They group themselves together because they don't belong to a group called family that is led by a leader called father. When I was a boy, my friends and I were afraid to walk into a group of men who might be standing on a street corner. We'd give them a wide berth. Now I see grown men who are afraid to walk into a group of boys. They go out of their way to avoid them.
Fatherless boys are very often called by their problem, not their names. They are labeled just as this man was labeled- "sick of the palsy". He was identified by his condition.
Troublemaker, dopehead, gang-banger,homosexual, convict, rapist.
Fatherless boys become known for their condition, their predicament, their past actions.
We, as christians, must go get these fatherless boys. It may take four of us to reach one boy, but we must go get them and bring them to jesus. And what did Jesus call this man who was called by everyone else as the one who was sick of the palsy"? Jesus caolled him "son". He saw beyond this man's problem and looked into his person. He spoke to him, giving him a name that gave him a relationship. Jesus gave this man an identity, even before he forgave his sins and healed his body! In calling this man "son", Jesus was taking uopn himself the role of "father." We must do the same.
We must not wait unti8l the fatherless boys we encounter are cleaned up, singing in the choir, or leading the bible study. Jesus called this young man "son" while he was still sick. He didn't condemn him for what had caused his palsy. He didn't say to this man....
You shouldn't have dated that girl
You shouldn't have hooked up with that gang
You shouldn't have taken that first drink.
You shouldn't have smoked tht first joint.
You shouldn't have gone into that pool hall.
You shouldn't have....
No. Jesus loved him as he was. He entered into a relationship with him while he was still sick and in sin.
Neither did Jesus put any qualifications upon his relationship with this man. He didn't say to him....
If you'll clean up your life...
If you'll agree to do things my way...
If you'll stop....
if you'll start...
No. Jesus loved him without qualification, without condition.
We are called to do the same.
I tell my sons, "you are strong...handsome...vibrant...able...resourceful....intelligent men, not wimps. You are able to take a licking and keep on ticking. You are somebody! As God's child, you don't ever have to be lonely, destitute, desperate, or empty. You never have to be jealous of anybody. You are rich soil and fertile ground for a great harvest of blessing."
I have told my daughters repeatedly that I am their first date. I am the one who takes them out to nice places and buys them pretty dresses and shows them a good time. I'm the one who shows them the example of how a man should treat a woman with courtesy and manners. I'm the one who tells them that they are special, beautiful, and lovely in spirit. When they get to be dating age, their dates are going to have a tough act to follow. My daughters are accustomed to affection and praie and kindness; a young man would have a very tough time slapping my daughter and then trying to convience her that she deserved it. She'd likely say to him without any hesitation whatsoever, "I don't think so. My daddy told me otherwise.'
Tell your children who they are to you, and who they are to God. Do the same for your spiritual sons and daughters. Every child needs an identity. Every child needs a daddy.
By TD Jakes
Sunday, November 29, 2009
THE UNTAPPED POWER OF CHRIST BY: TD JAKES
One of the things that needs to be better understood within the body of christ is the power of christ. In many cases, the church needs to understand this as much as the world does. Christ is not a weak, impotent, unresponsive force. Our God is a God of power-He impacts every situation and circumstance He is allowed to enter with revolutionary, life changing power.
One christian can chase a thousand, and two can chase ten thousand because our God allows it to be so. (Deuteronomy 32:30). The Church bears all the power neccessary to heal marriages and to heal those who are sick-physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The Real psychologist's couch resides in the Word of God. The church can impact every community-its families, its economy, its health.
When Jesus came to a city, the magistrates and all of the city leaders knew it. He worked in such a way that everybody knew it He was there. He changed things.
Its time that more of us in the body of christ be noisier about the power of christ-to be movers and shakers who will go into the enemy's camp and take back what he has stolen from us. We have the answer to domestic violence, racial tension, immorality. His name is Jesus. We don't need to look to the White House, but to the church house. We don't need to take over the ballot box, we need to kneel before the altar. This is not to say that the church today is so perfect that it couldn't be amended or improved. But what is wrong with the church is of man, not christ. His power is absolute, unchanging, and perfecgt.
The power of christ can be criticized...but not contained. It can be frustrated or thwarted...but not stopped. It can be hindered...but not quenched. If God is behind even the smallest thing, it becomes mighty, effective, and powerful to the tearing down of all types of strongholds.
It's time we used the name of Jesus to decalare that the enemy no longer has any authority over our own lives, or the lives of our families. We must force the issure with the enemy. We must be radical enough to make him loose us and let us go.
SAY TO THE ENEMY TODAY,"IN THE NAME OF JESUS, LOOSE ME. LOOSE MY FAMILY. WE BELONG TO GOD AND TO HIM ALONE!
One christian can chase a thousand, and two can chase ten thousand because our God allows it to be so. (Deuteronomy 32:30). The Church bears all the power neccessary to heal marriages and to heal those who are sick-physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The Real psychologist's couch resides in the Word of God. The church can impact every community-its families, its economy, its health.
When Jesus came to a city, the magistrates and all of the city leaders knew it. He worked in such a way that everybody knew it He was there. He changed things.
Its time that more of us in the body of christ be noisier about the power of christ-to be movers and shakers who will go into the enemy's camp and take back what he has stolen from us. We have the answer to domestic violence, racial tension, immorality. His name is Jesus. We don't need to look to the White House, but to the church house. We don't need to take over the ballot box, we need to kneel before the altar. This is not to say that the church today is so perfect that it couldn't be amended or improved. But what is wrong with the church is of man, not christ. His power is absolute, unchanging, and perfecgt.
The power of christ can be criticized...but not contained. It can be frustrated or thwarted...but not stopped. It can be hindered...but not quenched. If God is behind even the smallest thing, it becomes mighty, effective, and powerful to the tearing down of all types of strongholds.
It's time we used the name of Jesus to decalare that the enemy no longer has any authority over our own lives, or the lives of our families. We must force the issure with the enemy. We must be radical enough to make him loose us and let us go.
SAY TO THE ENEMY TODAY,"IN THE NAME OF JESUS, LOOSE ME. LOOSE MY FAMILY. WE BELONG TO GOD AND TO HIM ALONE!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Galatians
Brethren, If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness: considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
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