Book Review: The Harbinger

14 Nov

 

Initially after reading The Harbinger I was convinced that America was under the judgement of God. The author so closely weaves America with Israel and the warning signs since the events of 911 seem so clear. However, there are problems with the intertwining of America and Israel from the text.

In The Harbinger, America and Israel are presented as parallel nations both in covenant with God. First, we need to consider that God initiated the covenant between Abraham and Himself and chose the, at that time,  unborn nation of Israel to be His chosen people.  Contrasting that with the birth of America we must consider that while many of America’s founders were Christian it was a man initiated nation.

One of the links between the proposed covenant between God and America was the dedication of our country to God by George Washington much like Solomon dedicating the temple in Jerusalem to God.

George Washington, after his inauguration, led a procession to St. Paul’s (pictured above) to dedicate our country to God in prayer. Only minutes before he had taken the oath of office by placing his hand on a Bible. However, it was not a Christian Bible he was sworn in on, but a Masonic Bible. A brief study via Google of the Masonic Bible leads to some literature on the Kabbalah as did one of the rebuttal blog posts listed below.

It is at this point that I would direct you to a well researched author, David Barton, of Wall Builders to further educate us concerning the subject of America’s founding being a Christian-led process. Please visit their website here. It may also be helpful for us to read their book, The Question of Freemasonry and the Founding Fathers (here).

America is not mentioned in the Bible, and certainly not as a little Israel. To presume such is a mistake on our part. To be grafted into the lineage of Christ we must believe on Christ Jesus as the Lord and Savior of the world and that he came as God in the flesh.

Do I think a time of judgement is coming for all people? Yes. Likewise, I believe that this is a thought provoking read which ties the truth that one day all people, American or not, will stand before the Judge of all the earth: God. The only way that we will be given a favorable judgement is if when God looks at us He sees Jesus Christ. That only happens if we repent of our sin and put our faith and trust in Him during this lifetime.

The Harbinger is a fictional, allegorical book that stresses a time of judgment is coming for our country and the inhabitants of all the earth. Read it and some of the article links below and then make a decision for yourself as to the contents of the text.

I welcome your thoughts in return.

A favorable review by Glenn Beck about the Harbinger here .

A rebuttal of the Harbinger: one, two, three, and four.

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What I Am Reading Wednesday: The Harbinger

7 Nov

The World Trade Center Sphere in Battery Park

Freedom Tower

 The Empire State Building

The bricks have fallen,

But we will rebuild with hewn stone;

The sycamores have been cut down,

But we will plant cedars in their place.

~Isaiah 9:10

“The prophecy, in its context, concerned ancient Israel. But now, as a sign, it concerns America.”

“How?”

“It is the sign of a nation that once knew God but then fell away, a sign that America is now the nation in danger of judgment…and now given warning and the call to return.”

“So it was originally given to Israel, but now it’s given as a sign to America?”

“Yes. So if that same prophetic message, that same warning of judgment, once given in Israel’s last days, should now manifest itself in America, it will be a sign–a sign that America is now the nation that once knew God but then fell away and is now in danger of judgment and now given warning and a calling to return.”

“So if that word should be manifested in America, it becomes a harbinger of America’s future?”

“A harbinger,” he answered, “and more than one.”

~The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America’s Future by Jonathan Cahn

Grab your copy and join the discussion next week on What I Am Reading Wednesday. I am off to read the second half of this book…

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To Carve Out a Light

31 Oct

People talk of carving out time for God…family…exercise. But what if we are the ones being carved?

A pumpkin is plucked from the patch, taken home and carved into simple Jack-o-Lanterns or  intricately formed pieces of art. Similarly, God takes people, like pumpkins rotting in the sunshine, and carves lives that will bring him glory. Like the pumpkins, our flesh (Romans 8:1-11) feels the blade take away that which is to make that which we cannot yet see…a life more closely resembling that of Christ.

Do not despair if you are presently under the surgeon-like precision of a God who infinitely loves you. He disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness.

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ~Deuteronomy 8:3, 5-6

He carves out from the innermost darkness to replace it with His light; His glory revealed.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, ” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. ~Psalm 139:11-12

But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. ~John 3:21

Here are our favorite pumpkin and magical reads of October:

That is what we are reading this Wednesday!

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Stepping Back in Time

24 Oct

Imagine stepping back in time. Dressing and living as the early Americans over 200 years ago. Long dresses, bonnets, and button up shirts were the norm. Store bought was a rarity and homemade the everyday. Making your meals off of the land and the animals that you raised yourself rather than gathering them from the freezer section or a drive by window. That is what Tasha Tudor chose to do with her modern-day, twentieth century life.

Our Emily loves this era often requesting, “Please call me Laura.”

In the book, The Private World of Tasha Tudor, she and Richard Brown tell her story as a farmer, author, illustrator, and reminisce about her childhood. This book isn’t only for the young at heart, but the young as well. Emily and Joshua listened intently and looked on with wide eyes at the beautiful photography in this book.  It was rather surprising!

I enjoy doing housework, ironing, washing, cooking, dish washing. Whenever I get one of those questionnaires and they ask what is your profession, I always put down housewife. It’s an admirable profession, why apologize for it. You aren’t stupid because your’re a housewife. When you’re stirring the jam you can read Shakespeare. ~ The Private World of Tasha Tudor, p. 104

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God ~Ecclesiastes 2:24

Do not romanticise Mrs. Tudor completely, she warns:

People have a rose-colored lens when they look at me. They don’t realize I’m human. They don’t see the real me. As Mark Twain said, we are like the moon, we all have our dark side that we never show to anybody. ~The Private World of Tasha Tudor, p. 101

The exquisite illustrations in all of Mrs. Tudor’s books come from the world and people around her. Thoughtful words, combined with beautiful drawings, capture the hearts and imaginations of all who chose to read the books she has published. Below are a few of our favorites.

The following are books that we have not read, but hope to this Christmas season:

 That is what we are reading this week. What is gracing your shelves today?

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Virtuous Reads

3 Oct

Virtuous character is not decided in a moment; it is formed by predetermined resolutions acted upon in each subsequent opportunity for vice.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge.

~2 Peter 1:5

Two books to help young ladies become virtuous women, clearly aside from the Scriptures, are highlighted this week on What I Am Reading Wednesday. I recently finished the first and am reading through the later. Both are rich in vocabulary and principles: the first, no doubt,  requiring a dictionary.

This movie version is equal to that of Pride and Prejudice staring Keira Knightley. Don’t be scared off that it begins rather odd.

Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth–so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now, it is because I am insane–quite insane: with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. Preconceived opinions, foregone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.” ~p. 221 Jane Eyre

We know that God is everywhere; but certainly we feel His presence most when His works ar on the grandest scale spread before us; and it is in the unclouded night-sky, where His worlds wheel their silent course, that we read clearest His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence. ~p. 227 Jane Eyre

Character is not given to us; we build it ourselves. Others may furnish the material, may set before us the right standards and ideals, may give us reproof and correction, may guide our actions and mold our thoughts. But we build our own character. It is we who absorb the good influence about us, adopt the ideals, reach for the standards, and make ourselves what we are.~ p. 30 Beautiful Girlhood

Do you have any character books to recommend? Please leave them in the comments section or send me an e-mail.

That is what I am reading this Wednesday; what about you?

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Apple Picking in the South

19 Sep

We Southerners require creativity to welcome in the fall; especially considering central and southern Floridans. We substitute artificial leaves and pumpkins for the real deal, and burn Pumpkin Spice candles hoping the fragrance will bring on a cold-front for the Friday night football game. Any excuse to wear a jean jacket and cowboy boots will do as well. Not to mention the obsession with seasonal drinks and forgoing the swimming pool just because it is September!

Now I think I have hit an all-time low, or high, in spurring on the season: taking the kids apple picking at the local Publix “orchard.”

We observed and identified over seven varieties of the 7,500 available world-wide and also acquired the finest apple butter and apple chips that the Publix harvest boasts. To say we had a bushel-full would be a stretch, but the tasting party was quite fun.

We also put our local selection to use as an alternative paint brush.

keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

~Proverbs 7:2

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

~Psalm 17:8

Our “farm to table” (maybe that’s farm to factory to table) pickings were first read about in the following books:

A note to parents: the last two books, especially the later, present a time frame for the origin of earth being within the last two million years. I believe that the Bible teaches a younger earth: roughly 6,000-10,000 years old. Rather than avoiding these books, I use such statements to demonstrate that not all “facts” in non-fiction genres are factual, but can be biased beliefs or assumptions based on the worldview of the author.

We also watched this childhood favorite, The Legend of Johnny Appleseed.

Finally, these two books make nice additions to the mix:

Looking at all the beautiful apple skins, smells, and textures of the inner flesh of the apple, I marvel that David prayed for God to keep us as the apple of His eye. Ponder the thousands of varieties of apples compared with the uniqueness of man. What does the science behind mere apples suggest about our Savior, His creativity, His scope of knowledge and the glory due His name?

Now grab a cart and get to picking!

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A Daily Reminder

13 Sep

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. ~Psalm 119:130

Psalm 119 is a rich text which teaches the why of reading, memorizing, and meditating on scripture. When we stray from reading God’s words and memorizing His commands we dull the Sword of the Spirit in our own lives thus placing ourselves at risk of succumbing to temptation, seeking selfish gain, and forgetting why we are here.

Continually we must remind ourselves this home is temporary; God’s word is the perfect daily reminder.

Home is a place called heaven.

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Talking to Children After the Death of a Loved One

5 Sep


Emotions surrounding death weather sudden or expected are difficult for adults to process let alone little hearts who are not accustomed to the pain of loss.

Our pain may manifest itself in anger, withdrawal, or a lack of focus. Theirs may or may not look similar. Underneath whatever behavior is on display are little hurting hearts that miss their grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents, friends, or siblings.

How do we talk to these hearts at their greatest point of need? How do we address their fears and feelings? I would offer, with much prayer, affection, and an open posture towards talking about the deceased.

Recently we had a family member pass away very unexpectedly. While our youngest doesn’t truly understand death at this point, or maybe this loss wasn’t close enough to impact him very much, our oldest is having difficulty letting go.

I have found it helpful for her to express her emotions by asking God to, “Please tell Mrs. Carol that I love her and I miss her and thank you for the presents you gave me.” She has also drawn her many cards and played with the toys that were gifts from Mrs. Carol.

This summer we helped the kids to memorize the 23rd Psalm. In this passage David states: “Event though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” As we state this passage often I sense that our children will one day draw strength and comfort from these words. This perhaps is a good time for us to expand on what these verses are saying.

In the midst of death, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is with us. He comforts us and extends His mercies toward us. The 23rd Psalm may be a source of comfort for your children as they walk through the days in the valley.

Finally, reading stories about death provides a window in which we express, “This is a good time to talk about how you are feeling.” These are the books that we found helpful to our children in dealing with loss:

We will not always have the most eloquent words to say to little hurting hearts; that is not the point. Out of our overflow of grief and sympathy  it is most important that we are open to communicating and comforting. Being the arms that hug, the lap to sit on, and the prayer of prayers that seek comfort and wisdom, this is our gift and our strength in talking to children after they loose someone they love.

Praying the God of all comfort will comfort your heart and your child’s at your point of deepest sorrow.

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Lessons Between the Pages

29 Aug

Memorable moments in the day always include my children climbing in my lap or piling on the couch as we open a book. Between paperback and hardback covers lies a great story waiting to be discovered.

In anticipation of all they will learn and see, or with the eagerness of the familiarity to see an old friend, little fingers turn pages and point to pictures. Stories burst forth from their little mouths putting more of their personalities on display. Life lessons that teach character and provide models, both good and bad, of behavior choices help redirect our conversations to Biblical truths that we are striving to teach.

Emily’s read aloud shelf looks like this:

You are sure to fall in love with Millicent Margaret Amanda, or Milly-Molly-Mandy for short. Milly-Molly-Mandy is a charming little girl who views the everyday occurrences of life through the wonder of a child. This book is beautifully written and full of life-lessons to share with your little one about responsibility, being a good friend, and making wise choices. I would recommend this for the “big girls” like me as well!

The classic tale of Black Beauty, is my all-time childhood favorite. The gentle tone of the book, as well as the wonderful lessons on humanity and kindness and respect for God’s creatures, make this a wonderful read for young children. This story helps both adult and child to evaluate the effects of their behavior on others and to work with the integrity and determination. This book deals with death, so if you are apt to shy away from this subject with your children you may want to refrain from reading it at this time.

Joshua’s read aloud choices vary, but one of the ten books from the box set by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker, Amazing Machines: Truckload of Fun is usually a nap or bedtime pick.  

The ten books in this set will teach your curious little ones about how machines work, their parts, and what the passengers and drivers of each can expect to experience. These rhyming books are illustrated in primary colors making color instruction and review a natural part of your day. The sound effects written on each page are also a fun way to teach the sounds the machines make. If your son is anything like mine, the sound effects will carryover into his play with trucks, trains, and airplanes rather quickly.

That is what we are delighting in reading this Wednesday; what about you?

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Needing More Jesus

15 Aug

Some nights our children enter bed time with ease, and other times, oh but other times, it is a wrestle to the finish line.

Last night was one of those nights, or at least it started out that way. Tears cried and consequences fell and yet our little one would not stay in her room. “But I miss Nana!”

Nana is what the kids call my mom. Both of my parents had left earlier in the week from a long weekend visit. To say the kids love them is an understatement.

 

I finally looked my child in the eye and said, “You need more Jesus that is who you need.” After a few more sentences I told her that I need more Jesus too. I need to be more thankful instead of crying over what is gone or what isn’t going my way.

I need more Jesus, and don’t I need to learn the very lessons that I try persistently to teach my children?

Honor God… follow the golden rule…remember we are on the same team.

It is true, I am the mom and I do know more than my kids; but it is also true that I am learning the same lessons multiple times over because I am so apt to forget.

Humility in every area of life, in every relationship with other people, begins with a right concept of God as the One who is infinite and eternal in his majesty and holiness. We are to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, approaching every relationship and every circumstance in reference to him. When relationships with people are good and circumstances are favorable, we are to humbly receive these blessings from his gracious hand. When people are mistreating us and circumstances are difficult, we are to humbly accept them as from an infinitely wise and loving heavenly Father.

~ Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness

She calmed as I began to speak all that I am thankful to God for. Because those who need more Jesus must recognize His hand on their lives each day. I said, “I am thankful for:”

  • our home
  • your health
  • how you help your brother
  • the fun we had today
  • a comfortable bed and sheets
  • a door to lock
  • a safe neighborhood to live in
  • all of our family

“What are you thankful for Emily?”

“Fish”

“What kind of fish?”

“Stingrays.”

“I am thankful for stingrays too. That is good. What else?”

“Birds.”

“What kind of birds?”

“Peacocks.”

“We will look for some peacocks tomorrow when we drop daddy off at work, okay?”

Remembering  Jesus’ works today gives us something to look forward to tomorrow. We must give thanks in humility, knowing that every good and perfect gift is from above and every difficult situation may provide a window to purer relationship with God and man.

I know I need more Jesus…and so do you. What can we thank Him for today?

Linking with Ann.

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