Theories of Rumblings and Warnings

Wow. This COVID situation is a little bit of a wakeup call, isn't it?

We Christians probably all immediately thought of every second-coming prophecy, but even non-believers have to be thinking about what this could mean. Do I think that this is prophetic? Yes. But I don't think it's the "big one".

I believe that this is a result of man scheming and planning. Because I can be a bit of a conspiracy theorist (CT), I have to wonder about some of the end-of-days rumblings in the Christian and CT forums online - whether true or not:

• Why did Bill Gates step down from Microsoft? His reasons for doing so sound suspect to ay avid CT. And why is he making plans to live on his yacht? (Two types of people I am wary of: someone with that much money and no faith in God and someone with that much money and who talks of God.) Even some atheists suspect Gates' "evasive" responses to questions of his beliefs.
• What's up with that Event 201 happening right before all this panic popped off? That sounds creepy anyway but gets creepier when referred to as "transforming our world". Actually, most things with the UN creeps me out a little. Of course, some sources think CTs are crazy to link Event 201 to anything nefarious.
• Then there are CTs who speculate on the long-term goals of a government leading us into the trap of digital currency and the eventual prophesied Mark of the Beast. Whatever you believe, we are being steered toward the use of digital money. There was the allure of bitcoin and all the digital and mobile wallet apps like Samsung Pay and Apple Wallet. Now, the talk
  
  has started getting serious. I think the COVID is helping that along. Others are wondering the same.
• Speaking of getting marked, there is something so off-putting about getting a "Real ID" star on your license. It makes me think of the awful Holocaust. COVID has, at least, delayed that. Good thing because I'm not trying to get a new license.
• Already there were people jumping on the chance to get 'chipped'. It's about the convenience and, I think, the trendiness. What bothers me about the RFID chip is that there might come a time when we won't be given a choice to refuse it. I'm not the only one ready to protest that. There will be arguments for the chip but I will wait to see what I have to pledge allegiance to first.

Here's the thing, the Bible teaches us that there will come a day when we will have to openly pledge our allegiance to either the Lord or to this world. There will come a day when the battle gets 'real'. Even if COVID is just another human-made catastrophe, it is at the least good training for us Christians. We need to always pray and stay faithful. Don't get caught up in the hysteria of what is or is not a conspiracy.

For my fellow CTs who love the Lord, I will say that I think we need to remember that our Father is not the author of fear and confusion. As long as we are faithful, we don't need to be shaking in our boots about COVID or anything else. 

This world is already under the rule of evil. If there are those who want to share in this kingdom of sin and disease and greed, let them have it. We have a home in the kingdom of Heaven. 

Of course, I will continue to speculate but I will never lose my faith.

Peace

--Free

Thinking About My Auntie

My "aunt" passed away this past Sunday. She was really my cousin but, since she was about 15 years older than me, I've always called her "Auntie". She was my mother's niece and when I was going through one of the worst times in my life, Mama was already gone so Auntie was the one I ran to. She held me when I cried, built me up when I felt stupid and unlovable. We communicated a lot without having to talk much.

She was the master of the random segue and I realize now that she knew just when to say or do something to keep me from sliding into one of those black holes of too much thought, too much doubt, too much wanting to just wither away and be out of my pain. We'd be sitting together, maybe watching TV or just looking out into the back yard at the weather and out of nowhere, she'd laugh and then remind me of something funny that had happened years ago. Sometimes, she would just get up to go into another room and, passing by me, put a calming hand on my shoulder or pat me softly.

When I was younger, I was a little bit afraid of Auntie. She was a gruff woman, very direct in the way she dealt with people. She never hesitated to let anyone know whether she thought they were being silly, stupid, or just plain dumb. She could do this with a brief glance. I was a shy teenager and I remember being at her house one holiday. We had the food set up on one large table in the dining room and everyone lined up to fill their own plates. When I hung back, she barked that I better get my little narrow behind over there and get some food. I just about died when my mother and siblings laughed at the look on my face. I got in line with a quickness though. Auntie went on muttering under her breath about how I looked like I blow over if someone opened a door too fast. When I wasn't putting enough food on my plate, she added more. I cringed until she leaned over and touched her face to my head and said, "Such a pretty little thang. Get some more of that gravy on those potatoes there."

Eventually, I learned to relax around Auntie. She loved the fact that I was a bookworm and she'd brag to people that I had probably read my way through a public library. In her own very gruff and unique way she made me feel pretty and smart and loved. She was like that with anyone she cared about. One minute she'd be telling someone off and the next, she'd be laughing with them or giving them one of her bear hugs.

Here's something I will never forget about Auntie: I never saw her sleep in a bed. She always slept in a chair. She would pull a light blanket over herself and cover her face. I don't know if she even slept any other way when she was younger. What's hilarious about this is that she spent her entire career of over 30 years working for a mattress company. She could and did get huge discounts on mattresses for family members. My mother got a top-of-the-line mattress one year, courtesy of Auntie.

Auntie had a life-long partner who died just weeks before she did. When she called to tell me that my "uncle" had passed, I could hear in her voice that she felt done for. She sounded more tired and defeated than I had ever heard her. Years ago, she lost one of her only 2 children - her son - and she'd been grieving but not beaten. When her mother, my real aunt had died not long after my own mother, she had reminded me that both women were now rejoicing together in Heaven. She had been grieving her lost but not beaten by it. When my uncle died though, she sounded resigned. It was as if she had fought all the battles she could handle.

And I know that she is now at rest and in peace.

The last time I spoke to Auntie, it was just days after my uncle's passing. I wanted to know how she was "holding up" as we say. I don't remember what she told me but I remember that I knew she was really drained and given out. My uncle had been suffering for the past couple of years with dementia and my aunt had been in the hospital herself with heart problems just a few months before he died.

But now she is at rest and in peace.

My auntie never had an easy life. She worked so hard for so many years and looked forward to a nice retirement. Because of problems beyond her control, she had to use up her retirement money so she ended up struggling along on her social security. She spent several years struggling as a parent. She spent at least 5 years taking care of her sick mother. Her knees were bad from her years on her feet in a factory. Her heart was probably under a lot of strain from all her worries about everything. She never had it easy but she was always trying to be an encouragement to everyone else.

And she is now being rewarded with rest and peace.

I am thinking about and being thankful for my auntie. I am thinking about and looking forward to when I will see her again. Heaven is on my mind. I am thinking so much about Heaven. I will talk about that next time because it's possible for all of us to one day be at rest and in peace. Please know that.

Peace
--Free

This is one of my favorite songs. I especially like to hear it when I have lost another loved one.

God Is In the Details

When I am doing Bible study, I often forget that everything in that collection of books - prophecies, parables, incidents - is all tied together in a way that would be impossible without divine intention. As Chuck Missler points out, "every detail in the Scripture is there by design".

In my recent Bible study, I was listening to the audiobook of "Heaven and Hell" by Missler. I am never disappointed by one of his sessions and it's because he always points out details other teachers miss. One of those intentional details.

In one part of the session, he spoke about how when God promised to give back double what Job has lost. I have studied the book of Job so many times (because I tend to turn to that book when I am going through trials myself), but I missed an important detail.

Everything Job lost was replenished two-fold - except for his children. He started with 7 sons and 3 daughters and after his testing, he had 7 sons and 3 daughters.

This has always stumped me and it's been used by scoffers to explain their disbelief. Missler teaches in other studies that we should take notes of anything like this - things that we cannot understand - so that we can look back on it later. (I'm paraphrasing badly, but...)

The children Job lost are alive in Heaven so when he gained another 7 sons and 3 daughters, he had his two-fold share of them.

Once Missler pointed this out, I realized that, as usual, I had been isolating my study of Job from the rest of the Bible. The situation of Job's children having been replaced is tied together with other promises in the Bible.

I just wanted to share that little tidbit with you. I'm sure that we all run into things that stump us when we are studying the Bible. For sure, things like this are thrown at us by people contesting the truth of the Bible. I hope that we Christians remember to use these incidents to strengthen ourselves and our witnessing to others.

When it comes to the Bible, to salvation, and to faith, it's God the Father in the details. He owns the details.

Peace
--Free

 I am listening to the study on an audiobook available from my library. 

You might find it in yours via the Libby, Hoopla, or Overdrive apps.

I thought I would include this for anyone who has not seen it before now: