Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Am I suggesting that war should continue? No… The verse above is a sign of the time. Ultimately, this peace is not sustaining or everlasting. Trump is not eternal.
Reuters reports that Trump has secured exclusive rights for the U.S. to develop the Zangezur transit corridor connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan through Armenia as part of a new peace framework between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Isaiah 19:24-25 In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth. The LORD of Hosts will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance.”
This above is the end result. Before this happens, the Nile River will go dry and there will be direct economic and social consequences in Egypt.
For now, Israel and Egypt have signed an energy trade agreement.
“It helps strengthen the peace, strengthens energy security, and pushes back on Iranian influence.“
🚨 BREAKING: Israel just signed the largest export deal in its history—a $35 BILLION natural gas agreement with Egypt.
It helps strengthen the peace, strengthens energy security, and pushes back on Iranian influence.
Chikungunya Virus is the latest global infection. Fox News was covering this earlier in the week. We are starting to see sporadic media coverage emerge. Not to minimize the severity of the symptoms, but 90 deaths in 240,000 infections = .000375 chance of death.
I am not making this up. Chikungunya translated means “bend over”. Because of all the pain and discomfort, to “bend over” is the only way to alleviate pain.
Health officials around the world are warning travellers to be wary about the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus as it spreads across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and islands in the Indian Ocean.
Over 240,000 infections and 90 deaths in 16 countries have been reported since… pic.twitter.com/Rrtneqfw75
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.
The Sea of Galilee turned red: A natural phenomenon caused the formation of spots in the waters of the Sea of Galilee, with no danger to swimmers. The red color results from the accumulation of a natural pigment produced by a certain type of algae, in response to strong sun… pic.twitter.com/NI4nXdmPhZ
I have some special considerations for faith–based service providers, be it shelters, feeding lines, or residential programs. I want you to consider some of the things that I, as a former homeless individual, want to express, and an example or two of lived experiences that will be helpful for you to consider along with your programs.
The term “homeless” seems to have various meanings depending on whom you ask.
For those of us who have lived without any shelter, without a means to eat, safely sleep, clean up, change clothes, or even go to the bathroom, we mean the term quite literally.
Some people, however, think that sleeping in their car, crashing on a buddy’s couch for any length of time, or living in transitional housing is also being “homeless.”
Even now it baffles me when someone says, “I was homeless, too. I had to live in my car for two weeks.”
Or, “I was homeless once. I had to sleep on the couch in my friend’s basement.”
Or, “I was homeless. I lived in a transitional program.”
Another one I’ve heard is, “I was homeless for six months, and I had to live in a hotel and did not have a car. I had to drive a rental.”
This isn’t the kind of homelessness I endured.
My definition of homeless includes my own experiences of climbing in a dumpster to relieve myself, or sneaking into someone’s yard to use their hose just to get a drink or to wash off. It includes washing off in a public fountain, and stealing half–eaten food off the table at a restaurant because I didn’t feel safe standing in line at the local soup kitchen, especially when the majority of partakers there were male and I was a known prostitute.
I often feel that much of the world, or at least those in our Western culture, don’t understand constantly being on the move because it’s safer. I don’t think general American society understands having to walk all day, stand all night, or sometimes get high just to ward off the hunger or to stay awake a few hours longer because you don’t have a safe place to sleep.
The inherent dangers of this level of homelessness must be truly understood in order to be addressed properly.
Safety and security are often tied with hunger when it comes to a person’s most basic needs. Just because we offer a “shelter” or “temporary housing” doesn’t mean that a person who is truly homeless will take advantage of the opportunity if they feel safer on the streets.
Many shelters offer no protection for those seeking services, and the ones that would be a good place to stay often come with so many strings attached that a person who has been homeless for any length of time may not ever be able to qualify for a bed.
The blocks surrounding shelters are also often “hangout” areas for drug dealers, pimps, and predators watching for their next victim, so individuals frequently steer clear of these places because of the risks they take just walking to them, or in the mornings when exiting them.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (King James)
UN Photo, Emanuel Elias
Per Twitter: A guardian for international peace and security sits on the Visitor’s Plaza outside #UN Headquarters. The guardian is a fusion of jaguar and eagle and donated by the Government of Oaxaca, Mexico @MexOnu. It is created by artists Jacobo and Maria Angeles. UN Photo/Manuel Elías
A guardian for international peace and security sits on the Visitor's Plaza outside #UN Headquarters. The guardian is a fusion of jaguar and eagle and donated by the Government of Oaxaca, Mexico @MexOnu. It is created by artists Jacobo and Maria Angeles. UN Photo/Manuel Elías pic.twitter.com/q8SSsQhz1L
The Greek word for “safety” in the verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (King James translation) is ἀσφάλεια/asphaleia. The word is utilized three times in the New Testament.
Strong’s Concordance defines the word as: safety, security, reliability, firmness, certainty.
HELPS Word-studies: firmness that equates to security.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: firmness, stability; certainty, undoubted truth; security from enemies and dangers, safety.
Does anyone see the United Nations as the guardians for peace, stability, certainty, reliability, safety or security???
Just another sign of the times…
One way or another, Jesus is getting closer…
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (English Standard Version)
Ezekiel 38-39 says Russia allied with Turkey, Iran and others are going to invade Israel from the north. Look who is getting together to form an alliance for peace on Israel’s northern border in Syria.
Click on video for geography and analysis.
August 8-9, 2017: Turkey, Iran, and Russia are having peace talks about “safe zones” in Syria. The location of the discussion is Tehran, Iran. This is according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to Lavrov, there are three operating safe zones in Syria. They include: southern Syria, Eastern Ghouta, and north of Homs. The focus of the peace talks is the Idlib province.
The safe zones were allegedly brokered on May 4, 2017. Turkey, Iran and Russia signed the deal to establish safe zones in Syria. More discussion is scheduled for later in August 2017.
August 9, 2017: A peace deal has been reached in Cairo, Egypt regarding a safe zone. The meeting was between the Russian Defense Ministry and Syrian opposition. The safe zone is the area between Hama (ancient Hamath of Jeremiah 49) and Homs. Again…Russia, Turkey, and Iran are the enforcers of the ceasefire.
August 8, 2017: Israel has held secret talks with the Russians and the United States. Meetings reportedly took place in Europe and Jordan. The Israeli concern is the increased presence of Iranian troops near the border in the Golan Heights. Increased Iranian presence is an Israeli concern all across Syria.
Here is the official statement from Israel.
“Senior Israeli officials said that the main dispute was that the Americans and the Russians see the cease-fire in southern Syria and the safe zones as a practical and tactical means of stabilizing the situation and enable a focus on wiping out the Islamic State and lowering the flames of the civil war. Israel, however, believes that the agreement should be considered from a long-term, strategic perspective and should focus on what the extent of Iranian influence will be in Syria after the civil war ends.
The Israelis told their interlocutors that the agreement should provide a solution not regarding Iranian presence in the 20 kilometers from the Israeli border, but for the rest of Syria as well. A senior Israeli official said the Israelis told the Russians and the Americans that they had to demand from the Iranians that the Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah and the Shi’ite militias in Syria must leave the country.”
More troops are going to be necessary to keep the peace. This is escalating faster than earlier plans revealed by the Russians.
In case you didn’t know…The United Nations International Peace Day is scheduled for September 21, 2017. This also coincides with the start of God’s Appointed Fall Feasts. This year’s theme: Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.
For those who have not made a decision on Jesus Christ. You might want to think about it. Did He really die for sin?
Time to be vigilant and pay attention…
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
In case you didn’t know…The United Nations International Peace Day is scheduled for September 21, 2017. This also coincides with the start of God’s Appointed Fall Feasts. This year’s theme: Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.
