Archive for October, 2019

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Pontius Pilate’s Street

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , on October 29, 2019 by paulthepoke

Luke 23:20-24 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.

Jerusalem, City of David: This is the oldest part of the city. A recent find of a step stoned street is believed to be built by Pontius Pilate. The street has its beginnings near the Pool of Siloam and goes north to what is known as Temple Mount. Pilate is believed to rule from 26 to 37 AD.

The road is measured to be 600 meters (655 yards) long and 8 meters (9 yards) wide. Previously, it was thought the street was constructed by Herod the Great who ruled from 37 to 4 BC.

But now, there have been over 100 coins discovered under the road. These coins point to the dates of 31 to 40 AD during the reign of Pontius Pilate.

“Dating using coins is very exact. Some coins show the year in which they were minted. If a coin found beneath a street is dated 30 C.E. then the street had to be built that same year or any time after 30 C.E.” -Dr. Donald T. Ariel, Archaeologist and coin expert, Israel Antiquities Authority

Photo: Ariel David, Haaretz

“It’s not just that we found Pilate’s coins. We also have to look at what we didn’t find and would have expected to find had the road been built after Agrippa I became king of Judea. From a statistical point of view it’s hard to imagine that the road was built after 41 because we don’t have any coins from that period.” Nashon Szanton, Archaeologist, Israel Antiquities Authority, Ph.D. Student at Tel Aviv University. Szanton is also the lead author for the research of the project.

Coins from Agrippa I were found above the pavement. Agrippa I ruled from 41 to 44 AD. These coins were found with burned material. History tells us Jerusalem and the Temple were leveled and torched in 70 AD by the Romans.

For more details on the dig, see the link provided below. Charts and pictures are provided.

https://tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03344355.2019.1650491

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-monumental-street-in-jerusalem-was-built-by-pontius-pilate-archaeologists-say-1.8004004

The narratives in the gospel accounts were real events and the people who participated were real people. Pontius Pilate was a real person. It appears he commissioned a real street with real steps in the City of David. And once again, the Bible confirms modern day science and archaeology.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0463941519

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Do Your Best… Christine McDonald

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Christine "Clarity" McDonald, Culture with tags , , on October 27, 2019 by paulthepoke

From The Same Kind of Human, Seeing the Marginalized and Exploited through Eyes of Grace

God does not demand that every man attain to what is theoretically highest and best. It is better to be a good street sweeper than a bad writer, better to be a good bartender than a bad doctor, and the repentant thief who died with Jesus on Calvary was far more perfect than the holy ones who had Him nailed to the cross. And yet, abstractly speaking, what is more holy than the priesthood and less holy than the state of a criminal? The dying thief had, perhaps, disobeyed the will of God in many things: but in the most important event of his life he listened and obeyed. The Pharisees had kept the law to the letter and had spent their lives in the pursuit of a most scrupulous perfection. But they were so intent upon perfection as an abstraction that when God manifested His will and His perfection in a concrete and definite way they had no choice but to reject it. ―Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island

Christine McDonald was recently featured on Fox 4 News. See the link below for the written article and video report.

Kansas City woman uses personal journey to help other victims of sex trafficking

“Love your neighbor, all of ’em.” -Christine Clarity McDonald

https://crypurplemovie.com/

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The Gospel 33 AD

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Gospel, Resurrection, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , on October 24, 2019 by paulthepoke

This is the most important decision a person will ever make. Eternal destiny is on the line and at stake. The idea bears repeating. God takes the time in Scripture to repeat Himself numerous times.

This is the good news of Jesus Christ. This is of the utmost importance as stated by the Apostle Paul. This is the priority. As believers in Jesus Christ, we should draw a line in the sand and stick a flag in the ground over this issue. If a person does not get the issue of the gospel of Jesus Christ right, big time eternal problems.

Jesus Christ died. He was buried. And He was raised.

This is the gospel message of Jesus Christ, really “good news”.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0463941519

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

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Paul Lehr is read by millions in over 190 countries. He is the author of Rapture The Bride Redeemed and Revelation The Last Letter. He is also the host of https://paulthepoke.com/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0463941519

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How do You DO that, Jesus? -Michael Stone

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Michael Stone with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on October 23, 2019 by paulthepoke

You are omnipresent. That means that you are everywhere at once, ever present everywhere. That’s amazing to me. You are God, so I don’t struggle understanding that.

You are omniscient. That means that you know everything. That blows me away, yet, because You are God, I have no problem understanding that.

You are omnipotent. That is almost incomprehensible, yet, because You are God, I get it. You have always existed.

You have no beginning and no ending. I don’t really understand that with the finite mind that You created me with, but by faith I believe it wholeheartedly.

You created everything out of nothing but Your Word. I’m flabbergasted, yet, You are God, so it was really not a big effort for You at all.

You spoke light into utter darkness just by saying “LIGHT”. Okay, then! That’s all it took, because You are God.

You humbled Yourself and became a man to show us that we could be sinless and full of love, then You gave Yourself as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, taking our place so that we may live with You forever. That’s amazing love. I accept that. I receive that.

Here’s the part that baffles me, though, Jesus; when we believe on You and confess You as LORD, You forgive every single sin that we have ever committed. Not only that, but You take it a step further and You forget every single sin that we have ever committed. WOW! That is mind boggling! How do you DO that, Jesus?

I have a hard enough time just struggling to forget a single mistake, yet You easily forget every horrible thing that I’ve ever done! You separate my sins from Yourself as far as the east is from the west. That’s immeasurable! How do you DO that, Jesus? Your Word says that You cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness, to never again be remembered. How do you DO that, Jesus?

Why do I continue to compare Your ability to forgive and forget with mine, or anyone else’s? That’s really not wise. You ARE God. Nothing is impossible for you. When the enemy comes to me to remind me of bad things that I have done, and I bring them back up to You, Your reply is always, “What are you talking about? I don’t recall that. You’re forgiven. It’s forgotten. Don’t look back. Keep moving forward. Trust Me.” It’s time that I stop listening to the accusations of Satan, and start listening to the truth of who You are in me. You gave us all of Your power and authority.

It’s time that I started using it. Once we as Believers, as Followers of the Way, as Christians – once we all begin walking in the authority and faith that you gave to each of us, we CAN turn the world right-side-up for You, Jesus. How do we DO that, Jesus? In Your name! THAT’S how!
Thank You, Jesus!



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He Really Loves Us… Christine McDonald

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Christine "Clarity" McDonald, Gospel with tags , , on October 20, 2019 by paulthepoke

When I got off the streets and off dope, I learned of this man who had been in the heavens who chose to be a homeless being, who was judged for His work. He knew how messed up I was. He knew how messed up the world was and would continue to be. Yet, He still chose to face the bondage of this world, to be born and to die. He was murdered in the most humiliating way so that I could have a second chance, a chance to enter the gates of Heaven. He could do something no one else could. He could forgive me my sins, and He offered me grace. He loved me so much that He was willingly born for the sole purpose of dying for me. He even knew me before I was born, and loved me.

When I heard this message, I cried. I wept. How could He love me so? Was this the same message I had heard at the soup kitchen that turned me away when I had no shoes on my feet, my body battered and bloody with road rash from being pushed out of a moving car, in paper clothes? Was this the same message I heard when I had been turned away because of “no shoes, no shirt, no service”? If I had heard such a loving and compassionate message during the years before, maybe I would have embraced His love sooner.

I am thankful for my journey of brokenness. My experiences shaped me to help others understand the plights of individuals such as myself and empower those trapped in the grip of hopelessness. However, I often wonder how many good and well–meaning believers crust the message and push broken people away rather than drawing them closer to the arms of the Father. How many lose sight of the calling to love people to Him by meeting them where they are, tending to the human needs first?

Can desperately hungry people hear your message, anyway? If they are broken, do they need confirmation of their brokenness? A loving approach with no strings attached is a powerful message. Maybe it should be as simple as the message, truly allowing love to be shared—the love of our God who sent His only begotten Son to die for us.

Somehow we Christians have missed the intersection joining the humanity of our fellow hurting humans with the love of Christ. I do not mean we aren’t preaching at these folks—we are doing that ad nauseam. No, what I
mean is that we are not engaging with their basic human needs, such as food, water, and shelter, without attaching strings of judgment and wagging fingers in our interactions with them.

If we are created in God’s image, meant to be His representatives to a broken world, then perhaps we should follow His model. Jesus tended to people’s human needs before presenting a spiritual message. He chose not to condemn when He had every right to. Perhaps we should seek to love with tangible expressions of Christ’s unconditional love. Perhaps then the message can be heard.

“Love your neighbor, all of ’em.” -Christine Clarity McDonald

https://crypurplemovie.com/

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Blood Red Lagoon: Laguna de Manialtepec, Mexico, October 2019

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Blood Red Water/Aquatic Death, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , on October 17, 2019 by paulthepoke

Revelation 8:8-9 The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Puerto Escondido, Mexico: The Laguna de Manialtepec has turned pink or red over night.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/oaxaca-lagoon-turns-pink-but-not-thought-to-be-toxic-biologist/

Biologist Alejandra Torres Ariño, Universidad del Mar has stated the abrupt change in color is likely due to recent heavy rains and an increase in salinity or fertilizer runoff.

Ariño indicated this not likely harmful to humans but is harmful to the ecosystem.

“At first glance, it doesn’t seem toxic, but we need to make sure,” Alejandra Torres Ariño.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/oaxaca-lagoon-turns-pink-but-not-thought-to-be-toxic-biologist/

This is the second time since 2016 a lagoon has turned red in Mexico.

https://paulthepoke.com/2016/04/14/trend-update-blood-red-lagoonmexico-april-2014/

Relax, this is not the fulfillment of Revelation 8. We are not in the Tribulation. A massive asteroid did not strike an ocean. A third of sea life was not destroyed. This is a lagoon off the Pacific coast of Mexico. A third of the sea has not been affected. When Revelation 8 happens, it will dominate the news cycle globally.

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Red Heifer Update: Heifer Burning Practice

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , on October 16, 2019 by paulthepoke

Numbers 19:5-6 And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned. And the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn, and throw them into the fire burning the heifer.

Before the third Temple will be built, a red heifer must be burned for purification. Rabbis at the Temple Institute have established qualifications for the red heifer as noted in Numbers 19:1-2. See the link below for the specifics.

https://www.templeinstitute.org/red_heifer/red_heifer_requirements.htm

Heifer burning practice has been initiated. Granted, the heifer was slaughtered outside of Jerusalem and not on the Temple Mount. So technically, this was not a sacrifice in the strictest sense. Below is an overview from an article published by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz at Breaking Israel News. See the link for more details.

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/135387/exclusive-burning-red-heifer-takes-place-preparation-third-temple/

The location of the burning of the heifer was on the Mount of Olives. The event lasted about 9 hours.

Professor Zohar Amar, Department of Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan University made the following comments.

“A simulated experiment of burning a red heifer was conducted to investigate several research questions, such as: How much wood was required to burn a red heifer completely to ashes and how much ash actually remained after the burning? How is it possible that ashes from immolating one heifer, as it appears in the sources, can supply  ritual purposes for many years?”

Photo: Zohar Amar

“The design of the entire experiment took many months, and the implementation itself was carried out far from the eye of the public and the media. Only after analyzing the results did it become possible to publish it. In the course of the experiment, all of the specifications mentioned in the sources were reconstructed, beginning with the excavation of a ‘winepress; a rectangular pit, in which the pyre was built of dried wood of the pine, oak, and fig trees.”

To be clear, a red heifer was not sacrificed.

“For the purpose of the experiment, a mature sick heifer was selected of the Baladi breed which was prevalent in ancient Israel.”

“A continuous and intense fire is required since the red heifer must be completely consumed, bones and all.”

Professor Amar indicated the following based on his research. A half-ton heifer would require 5.2 tons of wood, or five kilograms wood for every kilogram of flesh.

In the article, there are specific details regarding the size and type of wood utilized. The shape and construction of the pyre was noted. The placement of the heifer and orientation of the heifer were detailed. Notes were taken during the nine hour burning process. Temperature of the fire was taken (940 degrees Celsius). Amount of wood consumed was considered. The amount of ash produced was documented.

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Rabbi Azariah Ariel of the Temple Institute is in charge of the search for a red heifer.

“We still do not have a certifiable red heifer. We are currently checking out two calves of the Angus breed that are five months old. For them to be considered heifers, as the Bible describes, they must be two years and one day old. There can be no blemish, no holes in the ear. If two hairs are not red, the heifer is unfit. There are Halachic issues with them right now since a few hairs may not be the correct shade of red, though this may be rectified as they get older.” 

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/135387/exclusive-burning-red-heifer-takes-place-preparation-third-temple/

See the link below for recent red heifer articles and history dating back to 2014.

https://paulthepoke.com/?s=red+heifer

~

As many Christians are acutely aware, animal sacrifices for sin are no longer required. However, these things are still prophesied…

Hebrews 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

As the red heifer was and will be again sacrificed outside the city limits of Jerusalem, so was Jesus Christ. As the sacrifice of the red heifer is for the purification and consecration of the people of Israel, so was and is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

Christ’s sacrifice is not only for the people of Israel, but for all the people of the world. He is the sacrifice for all sin for all time.

1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

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Sukkot/Tabernacles 5780/2019

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Fall Feasts, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 13, 2019 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 23:33-36 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.’”

This is the last of God’s appointed feasts or festivals. This holiday is known by many names. It is called the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, the Festival of Tents, or the Feast of the Harvest because it was after the harvest in the fall. Simply put, it was also called “the feast” or “the festival”.

photo: wiki commons

On a Hebrew calendar, this festival is a week-long festival from Tishri 15 to 21. When working in the fields during harvest, people lived in tents. The tents served as a reminder of the forty years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. The holiday is a reminder of the provision and safety God showed Israel during their travels in the desert as noted in Deuteronomy 8. The feast is a thanksgiving for the harvest of grapes (Exodus 23:16). It is to be a joyous festival (Deuteronomy 16:14). Sabbatical rest without work is part of the holiday. (New Manners and Customs of Bible Times).

Tabernacles is the last of three festivals where men are required to make a road trip to Jerusalem and go to the Temple.

In October 2019 (Gregorian calendar), per the sighting of the new moon, “The Feast” is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 14th and proceed through Sunday, October 20th. On a secular Gregorian calendar with astronomical calculations, “The Festival” will begin on Sunday, October 13th.

Per Zechariah 14:18, the Feast of Booths is the only God appointed holiday gentile nations will be required to attend. The nations will be required to go before the Lord Jesus Christ during the Feast of Booths. For those nations who do not attend, no rain for your crops.

All three members of the Trinity will dwell with humanity. Isaiah 12 refers to the promise of the Holy Spirit and the reign of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was given to believers of Christ at Pentecost (Acts 2) and ushered in the Church Age.

Jesus will return on the Mount of Olives with an earthquake. Zechariah 14:4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. Revelation 19 has Jesus returning to Earth to initiate his 1,000 year reign and He will live with humanity.

The ultimate expression of “the feast” after the Millennial Kingdom is with God and the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…

And God is going to live and dwell with us, forever…

https://paulthepoke.com/category/fall-feasts/

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I Know I Am a Sinner… Christine McDonald

Posted in Christine "Clarity" McDonald with tags , , , , , on October 11, 2019 by paulthepoke

I had heard of a God who was condemning. I knew I was going to burn in Hell for all my wickedness. I was full of shame and guilt. I was homeless. I was addicted. I was a prostitute. I was lost in darkness, wandering in my own wilderness. I was well aware of my brokenness. For real, I had heard this message before.

I felt shameful and dirty, things I already felt on my own. I didn’t need to hear these things from “those people”—the people who had a shower, who had shoes, who had a home. I didn’t need to hear it from those who did their good deed of scooping food on our trays, leaving them feeling a bit better about themselves. While these things were free, they still cost so much for us; the burden of the shame was equal to bags full of gold.

The last thing any of us needed was confirmation of how messed up our lives were. Believe it or not, we were all well aware of our brokenness, our bondage, our chains that gripped so cripplingly tight. I often went many days without food solely because I could not handle the damnation preached so hard and heavy at the soup kitchen mere blocks from where I existed.

The preaching required in order to receive the food that was needed to sustain life, human life, was a binding string. I left feeling judged and condemned. The last thing I wanted was a relationship with a God who was so grand that He judged harshly. Frequently we would leave talking about how painful it was to just get food. Food was successful at physically bringing us in, but the price—judgment—pushed us away in spirit. Many times, the prayers spoken over us were to remove the demons from us, rather than prayers for safety or hope or peace.

“Love your neighbor, all of ’em.” -Christine Clarity McDonald

https://crypurplemovie.com/

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Turkey Launches Operation Peace Spring, October 2019

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Euphrates River, Ezekiel 38-39, Kurds/Medes, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , on October 10, 2019 by paulthepoke

Turkey has begun to move forces into northern Syria to remove Kurds from the region. Turkey has coined the term Operation Peace Spring.

Turkey’s Minister of National Defense has released a tweet of the stated objectives.

President Recep Erdogan is defending Turkey’s decision to move into Syria. Erdogan is threatening to open Turkey’s borders to Europe with 3.6 million refugees if the European Union is insistent on calling the operation an invasion and occupation.

The link below is from the Twitter feed of the Turkish media outlet Anadolu Agency.

The United States Government is divided in how to manage the situation. President Trump has authorized the removal of US troops. Trump has indicated he was elected to get the United States out of pointless wars.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and others indicate Trump has betrayed Kurdish allies in the Middle East by leaving them vulnerable without US military assets. There is bipartisan support for sanctions against Turkey.

International response is opposed to Turkey’s move into Syria.

The majority of the military intervention is currently taking place from the Euphrates River in the west to the Tigris River in the far east border of Syria.

https://syria.liveuamap.com/

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Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.

The brothers of Magog (Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal) appear to point to modern day Turkey.

Russia will be joined by several countries in their future invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). One of those countries is modern day Turkey.

At some point in the future, Russia is prophesied to invade Israel. The Bible says Russia and Turkey are going to join forces (Ezekiel 38-39).

https://paulthepoke.com/category/ezekiel-38-39/

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