I just had the pleasure of watching “Do You Believe?” on DVD and thoroughly enjoyed it. This movie touches on many lives during the course of the movie and many in different situations and from different walks of life and all of them are wanting MORE. A multitude of things begin to happen in the lives of 12 people and eventually their lives will intersect during the movie and each one of their lives are touched by the cross after a pastor of a church is rocked to the core by the visible faith of a street-corner preacher. The power in the cross of Christ is stronger than any of them thought, but one by one each of them come to the realization that there is a God who loves them.
What does the cross mean to you? Is it just a piece of wood or have you experienced the power in the cross?
There was a gal in my sister’s store one day last week who was looking at purses on display and she came across one that had a cross on the side of it. She made a comment to me that kind of surprised me, but I listened to what she had to say – “I do not understand the cross – why would anyone want to carry one on their purse or around their neck or in your car when the cross is what killed Jesus?” I replied to her that the cross is a symbol of what Jesus did for us on the cross and that the cross was not who killed him, but all of us who have sinned. She was so stuck on the symbol of a cross being an evil thing that she could not see the gift that Christ gave while dying on the cross. I was not able to convince her otherwise and she left the store. I pray for her daily that she will come to know what Christ sacrificed for her and that there is beauty and love in the cross – it is not an evil thing, it is only an instrument used and because Christ does not hang on that cross anymore, it means Jesus is alive. In no other religion has any god ever died for their followers and rose again!
Are you struggling in your life today, are you searching for something MORE? There is power in the CROSS! If you would like to give your heart and life to Jesus, please pray and thank Him for dying on a cross for your sins, ask him to forgive your sins and ask Him to come into your heart to live. Let him know you love Him and appreciate what he did for you and ask Him to help you grow in your faith with Him and then watch Him work in your life as you begin a new journey! I am praying for God’s hand in each persons life who reads this and may He work in your life and bless you!
If you have not seen this movie – it is a good wholesome film that is a must to see!
We have had a fairly mild winter here in N.W. Iowa, but today it is proving to be much more like winter. We started out with really cold temps in the low single digits and around 11:00 am the snow was lightly starting to fall here. At 1:30 pm the snowflakes had grown in size and the wind had come up. I saw our mailman arrive and so I got myself bundled up and walked out to the mailbox. I had to walk into the wind and snow. I went and started my car in the garage and let it run for 15 minutes until it was warmed up. It was only a high yesterday of lower single digits and so I wanted to make sure when I need it in a couple of days it will start for me. When I walked back to the house from the garage it had snowed in my foot prints. It is really blowing hard now and the snow is mounting. I took some photos of my view out my office window and have included them here. It is difficult to see the flying snow, but it is bad enough we cannot see the neighbors that live half a mile from us here.
I have been reading more and more about preachers and lay people stating that a Pre-tribulation Rapture is a lie. It is very evident to me that there are a lot of false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing trying to convince people Jesus is not coming for them and they will have to go through God’s wrath on earth for those who have no chosen to accept Christ into their hearts. Shame on them! I would not want to be those who have led people astray by their lies and deception when they stand before Christ on Judgment Day! We are living in the age of false prophets more so than ever and it is all because Satan wants to deceive people and keep them from a solid relationship with Christ. Always, always check what others say against God’s Word and always question what you are being told. If it is in the Bible and it is sound teachings – embrace that, but there are many out to deceive you. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
How do I know there is going to be a Pre-tribulation Rapture? My Bible has many verses that tell me so. I have over the years questioned the Rapture and the truth of whether Jesus will return for me before the Tribulation, but I am now solid in the belief that He will return for me and the rest of the Church (believers in Christ) before He pours out his wrath on this world that has gone so deep into sin and rebellion against God.
It states in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 – “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” If you have accepted Christ into your heart and believe He is who He says he is and repented of your sins – this verse tells us that God hath not appointed you to wrath. The Church has to be removed before the Antichrist can rule – thus all those who believe in Christ will be spared from God’s wrath. DO NOT BE LEFT BEHIND!
* Mark 13:32 – “But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” None of us know what hour God will return for The Church, but His Word tells us He will and gives us signs of what to look for before it happens.
* 1 Thessalonians 5:2 – “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” A thief in the night – when the Church leaves the earth I am certain many will wonder where people have disappeared to and many may believe UFO’s took us away, but those who thought they were right with God will know and will mourn.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:10 – “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” We will meet Jesus in the clouds – rapture means to RISE!
* Luke 21:36 – “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Is your heart and soul ready for Christ to call you to Him and to save you from the coming wrath of God? Have you been searching and seeking something that will fulfill your life? Christ is the answer – He knows all about you and understands what you have been through – He wants only to help and heal your brokenness!
* Matthew 26:64 – “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
* Matthew 24:27 – “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
* Matthew 24:30-41 – “…and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
* “I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” (Luke 17:34-35)
* Revelation 4:1 – “After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”
* Revelation 3:10 – “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:52 – “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (the Church).”
* Revelation 1:7 – “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindred’s of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
Remember the story of Noah and then of Sodom and Gommorah? These are both times that Luke 17:26-30 talks about – they are both reminders to us that people were given a choice to get on the ark or leave the cities of Sodom and Gommorah, but many did not leave and they went on doing as they had always done, but a flood came and destroyed all on the land except Noah and his family. Again in Sodom and Gommorah many were given the opportunity to leave these cities, but fire and sulfur rained down from heaven because of the rampant sin and turning backs on God was taking place. Two events in the history of this world happened just as the Tribulation will happen. God is calling you to change your heart and mind in regards to HIM – will you ignore his call or will you answer it and turn your life over to Him? Time will soon run out, as it did in both these events and I pray you will change your heart and mind towards God before it is too late.
There will be people who tell you that the Rapture of the Church is not for real, that there is no God or heaven, that you will have to go through the Tribulation – they are lying to you and whatever you do – DO NOT LISTEN – they are false prophets working for Satan to lead you astray and keep you from God! They may mix some Bible verses into the mix and make it sound convincing, but always check what someone says against the Bible – it tells the truth!
Here are three videos by Jack Van Impe about The Rapture and where in the Bible the verses can be found to support that the Rapture is true and will happen and there is a coming day of Tribulation for those left behind!
ARE YOU READY FOR CHRIST’S RETURN FOR THE CHURCH – DO NOT BE LEFT BEHIND??
Here are videos to watch about the first book Rabbi Jonathan Cahn wrote and has spoken about. On the anniversary of 9/11 – you will learn that it was a warning from God and the verse he uses is in Isaiah. Truly eye opening how the verse in Isaiah is so clear with what happened on 9/11 as he explains the connection America has with the verse about ancient days. What connection does it have to present say America and what does it all mean – listen to how he explains this – nothing short of amazing that it applies to America today and America’s future. Enjoy!
Recently I read that it was revealed that scientists and others at the CDC covered up that the MMR vaccine caused autism in Black babies who received them. Today I read that vaccines may cause a reduction in our population and Bill Gates states this in a video that is included in an article I received in my email this morning. Apparently there is a virus that has been attacking children in multiple states and some have received intensive hospitalization because of this. They are questioning if it is being brought into this country by illegal immigrants or questioning if it is from vaccinations. Here is a link to the article and here is the link to the video where Bill Gates is all for using vaccines to reduce the worlds population. It makes you wonder if you should ever get another flu shot or have your children immunized or any other medical assistance after reading and hearing this.
Video of Bill Gates – you may think he is speaking solely about CO2, but at the very end of this he reveals what he really means and he has supported population reduction for years. Bill Gates on Population reduction per various means
These are videos that Jonathan Cahn made where he is talking about his new book – The Shemitah. This is an extension of his first book The Harbinger and it is just as interesting. He will explain these Jewish holidays or dates have significance in America today and as you will see as he explains, many things have happened already in the past that are affecting our economy and America is involved in this because it was set up as a Christian nation and we are under the same expectations as God had for Judah. Listen and see what Messianic Jewish Rabbi Jonathan Cahn has to say about the 7 year Shemitah that has been happening in America every 7 years since September 11, 2001. Will America experience the same wrath from God that Judah saw in ancient days and what kind of things can America expect since it has turned its back on God and has not repented and restored its relationship with God? Truly amazing that certain days things have happened and it is a repeat of the Shemitah as it was in ancient days for Judah. ENJOY!!
I saw a video the other day and it moved me to share it here.
We all have a story to tell, but often times we do not want others to know about our past. They might not like us or they might sit in judgment of our choices or how we choose to live our lives. But there is not one of us who is perfect and we all make mistakes. In God’s eyes not one of our mistakes or choices is worse than another – although by the world’s standards there seems to be a measuring device where others decide one sin is worse than another, but that is simply not how God views it. Sin is sin, bad choices are bad choices, we all make them in our lives and we all unfortunately live with them and sometimes the weight of them gets very heavy and the burden gets so heavy we cannot carry them anymore. We might think we are not good enough for God and that He might reject us too, but He is not that way!
God has an answer for anything that we struggle with or ails us and we can have a new life if we choose to accept Him into our hearts. He wants to relieve you of the load you carry, He wants to take the weight of your past choices and mistakes and replace them with Him. He does not want you to carry the weight of that any longer, He only wants good things for you.
In 1 Peter 5:7 it states, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” If you feel that no one cares, He does!! If you trust in God, this is His promise to you: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.
In Psalms 31:7 He tells us: “I see your hardships and I care about your suffering.” In the world today there are so few people who care about what happens to others, most are thinking about themselves only and they do not even see the people who are hurting and need a friend, a shoulder, a hand up, a way out of their life choices and they pass by them every day in their travels.
Please watch the video and see that it does not matter what you have been through, what you are going through now, what you cannot seem to get free from, what you cannot overcome and see that others have found an answer to those problems and are free of what kept them from experiencing life as God intended.
Please feel free to share if you would like! I am praying for those who are struggling with bad choices or life circumstances that have you doubting whether God cares – asking that God will show you that life is not hopeless and there is joy in knowing Him! God Bless all who read this.
4 cups of raw broccoli florets
2 cups of red, seedless grapes
1 small onion chopped, optional
1/2 cup of fresh sliced celery
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tsp of sugar
3 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup salted sunflower seeds
In a bowl combine the broccoli, grapes, celery, and onions. In another bowl mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Pour over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon and sunflower seeds and stir to mix those in. Refrigerate so the dressing has time to chill, about 2 hours. Serves 6.
If you need more, just double the recipe for your family or gathering. This salad has been one that a lot of people love. It is refreshing and very tasty!! Some like to use cauliflower rather than the broccoli or you can use half broccoli and half cauliflower, whatever you prefer! Enjoy!!
I have been absent from my posting again on my blog and my apologies to those who follow me.
This past month I have made a number of trips to Sioux Falls, SD and other doctor appointments with my Dad. We learned back in 2012 at Christmas time that he had cancer of the lung and since that time he has been receiving radiation treatments off and on. His appointment in April showed after his last radiation treatment that it appeared that they got the spots they were concerned about. When we returned this month they found 2 new spots. His oncologist at the VA hospital called and told me that they are not going to be able to do more radiation because it will cause more problems with his breathing. They will not give him chemotherapy because his family doctor kept telling us it was his heart and when he kept getting worse and weaker, we fired that doctor! I decided that we needed a second opinion from his VA doctor in Sioux City, Iowa and he did multiple tests and found the tumors on his lungs. We were then referred to his oncologist in Sioux Falls VA system and I learned this past week that after he had a PET scan that they do not feel they can offer any further help to him and he gives him 4 to 8 months to live.
My father has been depressed since learning this and I can completely understand why, but I do not believe we should stop looking for ways to fight this disease. I have taken it upon myself to do research online for alternative ways to fight cancer. My father lives on a fixed income and so we are looking for inexpensive ways to fight this. I read a book I downloaded about natural cures for cancer patients. This book had a recipe for sodium bicarbonate and maple syrup – you mix the correct amounts of each and bring them to a boil and let them boil for 5 minutes. Take it off the stove and allow it to cool. Then you take 2 tablespoons a day for a number of days and then stop it for a week or so and start on it again. So we have started that and he has 7 days left on that mix and he will then take a break and start in on it again. Since I am unsure if this will completely do the trick, I read on. One thing I learned is that sugar feeds cancer and so he is trying to stay away from “sweets.”
Another thing I learned is that you have to bring the patient’s immune system up because typically cancer begins when your immune system is poor, so he is going to start taking vitamins that we often do not get from our foods anymore because much of our foods are processed or genetically modified or have pesticides or excessive amounts of harmful sugars so that they will last longer on the shelves of our grocery stores or cupboards. I also know that a lot of our diets make our bodies more acidic and God meant our bodies to be more alkaline and so this requires getting ones pH level up to the 7 or 8 and one can do that by purchasing pH paper and checking it against their color chart to see what level you are at. Bringing your alkaline level up requires eating more foods that are good for you.
I also found a product that oxygenates the cells in your body and I learned that by getting oxygen to the cancer cells that it will kill them. I am doing a little more research on that product and trying to make sure we are not giving him something that may cause him more health issues. This product comes in drops that you place in juice or water and drink it each day and others who have had cancer have found it has sent them into remission. This is similar to hydrogen peroxide for human consumption, but this product produces far better results for cancer. I have another 160 pages to read of alternative methods to fight cancer. There is no guarantee that this will send the cancer packing, but I believe we need to do whatever we can to find other alternatives since his doctor has now washed his hands of this disease and also by doing this it helps get his mind off of the disease and hopefully will give him longer to live and better quality of life.
We also believe in God and know that He cares about our health and well-being, so we are daily lifting him in prayer and asking God to intervene as well. God may decide that He needs him home sooner than we would like, but we feel that we must fight this disease in anyway we can and we will fight until we cannot any longer.
We learned earlier this year that my Dad’s brother is fighting pancreatic cancer now and so they both call each other and try to encourage the other. My uncle Paul is a few years younger than my father and lives in Missouri. They are both praying for each other as well and have been in touch with each other more than ever. I am glad they visit often, as it helps them both.
What would you do if given a death sentence with your doctor throwing the towel in?
I have great memories of visits to our Iowa Great Lakes area as a kid and as an adult. There are many things to do while there and this small town comes alive in the spring and summer months. I thought I would share about this area, as on the 4th of July they have a spectacular fireworks display and if you can catch it from a boat on the water that is an even more fulfilling experience!
Okoboji is a city in Dickinson County in Northwest Iowa and in 2010 their population was 807. It is located along the eastern shore of West Okoboji Lake. Pikes Point State Park is located within the city limits. It is a major tourism area for the whole family to find something to enjoy while vacationing here or visiting. Surrounding cities are Milford, Arnolds Park, Lake Park, and Spirit Lake, Iowa. Driving from Milford to Spirit Lake or Milford to Lake Park gives you the feeling that you have never left the city limits, as there are quaint shops and business all along the way to Spirit Lake and Lake Park.
I recall spending some summers in this location enjoying their amusement park, small though it be, there is something there for everyone. Arnolds Park Amusement Park is home of “The Legend” – the 13th oldest wooden roller coaster ride in America that is still in operation. They celebrated their 80th anniversary in 2007. They have many rides to choose from, miniature golf, Go-Kart racing, and so much more to enjoy within the Parks walls. If you are not into amusement parks there is entertainment most evenings on the weekends in the way of various bands and music artists, there is “The Queen II” a steamer boat that was commissioned and built in 1986 after “The Queen I was retired finally in 1973 after 89 years of service. This new steamer was designated as the “Flagship of the Iowa Navy.” You can take a ride on this steamer boat around West Okoboji Lake and learn all about the history of the area while you enjoy an hour long trip. There is summer theater productions, camping areas and bike/walking trails throughout the area, fishing, boating, miniature golf/golf, art centers to visit, activities during the summer where you can learn a new art, and so much more! There are a variety of places you can stay to roughing it or renting something much more luxurious. There is shopping and places you can get souvenirs to take home from your trip. You can rent boats and water sport equipment to enjoy the water. There is something for everyone at the Iowa Great Lakes! Here is a link to the Arnolds Park Amusement and other things available to do at the Iowa Great Lakes: http://http://www.arnoldspark.com/explore/queen.php
Okoboji refers to several lakes and then the town that is named after it in the Iowa Great Lakes region. There is also an East Okoboji Lake that people boat and fish on and Spirit Lake, Iowa is located along the north tip of the East Okoboji lake. Spirit Lake also has a large lake called Spirit Lake and on the northern side of this lake there is a road that runs east and west. Cross to the north side of the road and you are in Jackson County, Minnesota and cross back south on that roads center line and you are back in Dickinson County, Iowa. Good place to throw your line in for fishing I have heard.
Spirit Lake and Okoboji became notable after the Spirit Lake Massacre of 1857 when a renegade band of the Sioux tribe attacked the frontier settlements, in part for food, as they were starving due to a severe winter with heavy snows. It was the last Native American attack against settlers in Iowa. Here is a link to learn more about the area: http://http://www.iagreatlakes.org/
When I was in my late 20’s I was involved with a singles group up near the Lakes area and one 4th of July we rented a pontoon boat and took it out and boated for a few hours before the fireworks display. We had so much fun and from the water the fireworks display was very beautiful! There are various places to rent boats and other water craft and if you are interested in learning how to scuba dive – they have a place on the waterfront where you can do that as well. All these small towns come alive in the summer months and their population rises considerably, but there is so many places to visit there and things to do, that you do not note that it seems overcrowded, unless you are ever there in the winter when things are quiet!
In the winter months they hold their Okoboji University Winter Games and so if you love winter sport and activities outside this is something you might want to make a trip to this area! The name Okoboji University is fictitious, it was created back in the early 1970’s but three brothers (The Three Sons) who printed t-shirts with that name and a school crest and it started the joke and craze for this fictitious school, but they do good and hold many fundraisers throughout the year for charities, bike rides, a marathon, and their winter Olympics. Even a local radio station KUOO is in on the joke and they call themselves the campus radio station. They offer all kinds of fun activities including: Broomball, Flag Football, Softball, Bag Tournament, Chili Cook Off, Chocolate Classic, Ice Hockey, Snowmobile Fun & Radar Runs, Polar Plunge, Fireworks, and Burning of the Greens. For more information on their winter activities and schedule – check out this website: http://http://www.uofowintergames.com/
In early August each year they hold the Okoboji Lakes Bible and Missionary Conference or Browns Conference. This is a great event to check out. They have various speakers, musicians, and performers this year from August 2 through August 10, 2014 this year. It came into existence for the soul purpose of glorifying God and developing within individuals a growing love for God and others. There are missionaries who come and share about what they have been doing in the areas of the world that they serve, some are from Iowa. It is a beautiful opportunity to fellowship with others of like mind and a place that will help you to grow and aid you as you head back to where you live and serve in your own communities. There is wonderful entertainment and lots of opportunities to grow spiritually. I have been there a couple of times and always leave inspired, empowered, and stronger in my faith. There is something for the whole family to enjoy at this conference. Truly a blessing you will receive while attending this 9 day conference! To check out more about this conference, please check out this link for their schedule of events and a history of how it got started back in the 1930’s. http://http://okobojiconference.org/
Wishing you all a Happy and Safe 4th of July – may God watch over and protect you as you enjoy this day celebrating our independence and may you know how blessed you are to live in America!
Lorlyn's Ramblings 