Dear friends:In case you have wondered at my whereabouts, I have been away from the computer a lot the past few days, part of which was at a an intense three-day Christian conference. Here are some thoughts on a variety of subjects.
1. THE CONFERENCE. The conference I attended was at CBN's Founder's Inn in Virginia Beach, put on by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, and Pastor John Arnott and staff. The conference was titled, "Healing, Wholeness & Freedom," and was outstanding. If you get a chance to attend one of their conferences, I recommend it. For a schedule, see http://www.tacf.org/ . Speakers emphasized the nearness of the Lord's return and the need to help fulfill the Great Commission in the power of the Holy Spirit that began nearly 2,000 years ago. One day Pat Robertson and son Gordon came into the hotel for lunch and we briefly chatted, reminiscing over the time about 30 years earlier when Pat and I and a group of only about 20 people from the then relatively small ministry stood in the woods and dedicated the land to God. Now that same land is filled with CBN buildings and the Regent University campus. Glory be to God! I was told that both Pat and Gordon have spoken at this same conference in past years.
2. FREE E-BOOK. Fellow watchman Ted Porter has a new book out titled, "Passion, Power & Glory - Watching for the Return of the Prince of Peace." Ted says the book "discusses in detail the biblical reasons to expect the rapture sometime in 2005." It is now available as a free ebook at http://www.endofage.com/ppgview1.html . I have not read it yet and cannot say I agree with all of it, but I know Ted is a good student of the Word and I suspect that it will challenge your thinking.
3. ELECTION -- JURY STILL OUT The November 2004 election is over. Finished. Bush won and Kerry lost. However, the jury is still out on the horrible, one-sided behavior of the news media. Nationally syndicated columnist Thomas Sowell has an outstanding article about this, titled, "Tainted Media," at http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20050218.shtml . Sowell says, "This is the same media that spent months investigating George W. Bush's military record and, even after key allegations were revealed to be based on forgeries, continued publicizing rumors and innuendoes. They didn't stop even after the President signed Form 180, opening all his military records to the public. But who in the major media has asked why John Kerry would need to be issued an honorable discharge during the Carter administration, years after leaving the navy, unless his original discharge was less than honorable?" Eye-opening article.
4. THE NEXT U. S. PRESIDENT? If Jesus tarries (which I doubt), who will be the next U.S. President? I have always liked the prospects of Condoleeza Rice until I read WND columnist Joseph Farah say that she admits to being a "pro-abortion evangelical," which to me is an oxymoron. If true, this is a great disappointment. Let's keep our eyes on this one.
5. ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DEVELOPMENTS. If the present West-pressured process produces a peace of sorts, and it may, we know it will only be a temporary one. At this stage, no one know what will happen. As Israeli settlers dig in to prevent being uprooted, it could develop into an Israeli civil war and a great upheaval, with the loyalties of the military split. There is already a report of a planned assassination of Ariel Sharon. The situation could explode any day, or at the latest this summer.
But keep looking up. Jesus is coming!
Jim