20130519" Ps 46 There is a River (Pentascost Sunday)

(extracted from Sunday Times 19/5/2013)

Ps46:4 "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells"

Look at the picture above. Do you know that these are the leaves of ginger plants? There are about 3,000 species of gingers, of which only about 14 are sold in the market here. Does the intricate stunning vein patterns of these leaves make you wonder why they are so pretty? Do it resemble the main river and its tributaries?

Beautiful song about this river of life here.



Genesis has a river flowing from the Garden of Eden.  Revelation ends with a river that flows from the throne of God.

And in the middle of the bible is the book of Ezek 47 that also talks about water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east.  The water was flowing from the south side - from ankle deep in the beginning to knee and then to the waist until it was a river that Ezekiel could not cross.  Rather one got to swim in it.  And this was the vision that Ezekiel saw as in Rev 22. Great number of trees on each side of the river. And where the river flows, everything will live! And when it empties into the Sea, the water there become fresh! Wow! Desalination in its own miraculous ways!

We won't need to invest in R&D in Hyflux. Neither do we need to drink Newater (converted from the S#@*)  Fishermen standing along the shore- with the fishing nets . There will be many kinds of fish - in large numbers too. Trees will bear fruit every month! Because the water from the sanctuary flows to them! Fruit as food and leaves for healing! Wow! Think about it!

Reflection
The awesome leaves of the ginger made me think of this awesome river of God.  Now we can understand why many gingers are prized here for their medicinal properties, their many different applications for use in the dye industry, source of fibre and manufacture of paper and furniture. It has more than 4,000 aromatic compounds. Not only that , scientists have found that ginger can help with pain relief in arthritis and are now studying the potential anti-cancer properties and for treating liver and HIV. Well ,the leaves are for healing and no wonder the ginger leaves are so intricate and veins are like the river indeed!

Today is Pentacost Sunday.
This is the glory of the new covenant!
Let us jump into the River and embrace the fullness of the Spirit as in the vision of Ezekiel.
Like a young believer who first took the step of faith into the water , it may just be the ankle deep. But it is a good start.  Walk on in faith .  Be on our knees of prayer as we journey. Allow the power of the river to carry us on. Then start floating and allow the Holy Spirit to carry us and lead us on as we flow along. Not by our own efforts.  By the might and power of His Holy Spirit. ( when we swim - we allow the water to carry us and not the other way round)

2 Cor 3: 17' Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" V18 and we, who with unveiled faces all relect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord , who is the Spirit.

Open source church?  Let us not allow our minds to be made dull, for to this day, the same view remains when the old covenant is read.. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.  But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (v14)  The firewall is demolished once we know where the source of the river comes from. Let our streams made glad the city of God. 

Since we have such a hope, we can be bold (v12)

V5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
V6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit ; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Choose wisely. Live wisely.
Rejoice and be glad!

P/s' The Aimgate saga has left a bitter taste in many mouths. The MND review report has been inked. Conflict of interest is now  grey and debatable in eyes of some people who are the lawmakers or under the protection of the Act. It is the rule of law and rule by law argument once again. There is such a thing as searing of the conscience.  God has given us a conscience (to know what is morally right from wrong generally) regardless of faith background. For those in Christ , we thank God for the remarkable work of the Holy Spirit given unto us once we believe on the Lord.  And the Spirit of the living God is no longer written on the tablets of stone but on the tablets of human hearts. Above all -  The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Our elected MPs or appointed ministers of this country hold a position of great honour and responsibility. They have to know the mind of the people who elected them into their present position of power. They ought to represent the interests of the citizens. They ought to guard their hearts from becoming more attuned to the interests of of the party whom they belong than to those of whom had elected them into Parliament.  Like Demas, he was seduced by things and lured by the appeal of the world and money (2 Tim 4:10)  Can one still sleep soundly on the pillow? That is a hell of a question to ask?

20130518 : Rev 22 River of life -"Open Source" Church?

Photo taken @ Paragon 19/5/2013 : Ikebana Exhibition

Rev 22 " Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great city"

I was viewing through this TED video today - Published on Sep 27, 2012

What can governments learn from the open-data revolution? In this stirring talk, Beth Noveck, the former deputy CTO at the White House, shares a vision of practical openness -- connecting bureaucracies to citizens, sharing data, creating a truly participatory democracy. Imagine the "writable society"

This set me thinking through the meaning of "OPEN SOURCE" . Originally this youtube was recently tagged to the Aimgate saga here in this red dot - by another blogger who tried to propose a pretty interesting solution to the MIS of the town councils here.

What exactly is "OPEN SOURCE"?
In production and development, open source as a philosophy promotes a) universal access via free license to a product's design or blueprint, and b) universal redistribution of that design or blueprint, including subsequent improvements to it by anyone. Generally, open source refers to a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design. Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve upon the code and share the changes within the community. Open source sprouted in the technological community as a response to proprietary software owned by corporations.
What is API? An application programming interface (API) is a protocol intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other. 

Open Source Government?
Beth shared on the opportunities of having an open source government. Quoted "Flow is a fundamental "Law of physics and not just of biology" - Adrian Bejan - Design in Nature. It is a revolutionary thought in innovation. How to redesign the institution that is quite recent?  The world is complex. The opportunity of Networks. (Liken to a tree)  Think about the 3000 employees of Facebook affecting 900mio people (liken to as "citizens")  The study of the success of Twitter in social media -why? Because it opened up its API. So we need to open up the API of government - the maintaining of hierachy of institutions  and yet allowing the diversity & pulsating and chaotic exciting life of networks . The next great super-power. Pockets of revolution up and coming through the power of such dynamic interaction of networks- engagement of delivering better services.

How about an "Open Source CHURCH"?

Hearing this video set me thinking.  If there is such a movement towards Open Source Government - then is there such a thing called "Open Source Church"?

Today as we looked around us, we see pockets of different denominations and various churches with physical walls of membership of believers within the different "sheep pens" Each running its own set of 'church programs" - regulations, legislations ....Fragmented and self preservation. Did we combine transparency with collaboration and participation? Did we connect the family believers to the right Source in the first place?

Have we arrived yet? No.
Our minds are still closed.
The church is supposed to be on Open Source Church!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is one that is never copyrighted in the first place! It is supposed to have the universal access and free license!
Yet, today we see the sale of the bibles, pastors' sermons  & books , worship CDs etc - restricted with proprietory rights of the authors and song writers etc. Permission from authors for reproduction had to be granted permit .

We need to reinvent or open up our API for the church.

Reflection
"Flow is a fundamental law of physics and not just of biology"

1. Interesting we see such a flow in the first book Genesis and the last in Revelation. In Gen 2:13 " A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into 4 headwaters.

• River Pishon - means Increase
• River Gihon - means Bursting
• River Tigris - means Rapids
• River Euphartes - means Fruitfulness

• And in Rev 22;1 - we see this "river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God

2. Interestingly, we also see that on each side of the river in Rev 22 - stood the tree of life...And the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.  (bear the 12 crops of fruit and yeidling its fruite every month!)

• Back to Gen 2 - we see that in the middle of the garden of Eden were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
• God commanded only to eat from the tree of life and not the other.
• Unfortunately, Eve disobeyed and there cut the flow of life from generations downstream.

Jesus said " I am the vine and we are the branches" Apart from Him we can do nothing.

He is the Source of life. He is our Open Source Code. He is our API.

It is on this platform that we - the church at large has to build upon. So that lives can be transformed. Firewalls had to come down so that all of us can become one (John 17) . 

We pray that the church will be an open source church indeed.

That we will look up to the One and Only Source - Jesus and that He will allow us to be the various channels of distribution of the love and healing to the hurting and lost out there. May this be the pattern application of our lives.

20130508: Ps 16 "To believe" by Jackie Evancho

Believe. Hope.

Psalm 16

King James Version (KJV)

16 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

² O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

³ But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

⁴ Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

⁵ The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

⁶ The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

⁷ I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

⁸ I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

¹¹ Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Do you believe that a ten year old gal's voice would be so angelic?



Do you also believe that giraffes can also dive? (still wondering if this is real giraffes?)



Smile and rejoice in viewing these videos! Be in awe of that sound and leap!

20120428- Consider the 66 books - awesome summary!

From the beginning of the world to its end, there is no place you can

look and not see Jesus. He is everywhere. He is everything. "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

  - Colossians 1:17

Consider the themes of the sixty-six books:

In Genesis, He is the Creator God.
In Exodus, He is the Redeemer.
In Leviticus, He is your sanctification.
In Numbers, He is your guide.
In Deuteronomy, He is your teacher.
In Joshua, He is the mighty conqueror.
In Judges, He gives victory over enemies.
In Ruth, He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.
In I Samuel, he is the root of Jesse;
In 2 Samuel, He is the Son of David.
In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In 1st and 2nd Chronicles, He is your intercessor and High Priest.
In Ezra, He is your temple, your house of worship.
In Nehemiah, He is your mighty wall,  protecting you from your enemies.
In Esther, He stands in the gap to deliver you from your enemies.
In Job, He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles,
   but has the power to do something about them.
In Psalms, He is your song-and your reason to sing.
In Proverbs, He is your wisdom, helping you make sense of life and live
   it successfully.
In Ecclesiastes, He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity.
In the Song of Solomon, He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.
In Isaiah, He is the mighty counselor, the prince of peace, the
   everlasting father, and more.  In short, He's everything you need.
In Jeremiah, He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your
   sin-sick soul.
In Lamentations, He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.
In Ezekiel, He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel-the one who
   assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.
In Daniel, He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never
runs out of time.
In Hosea, He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to come
   back-even when you have abandoned Him.
In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.
In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by
your side.
In Obadiah, He is Lord of the Kingdom.
In Jonah, He is your salvation, bringing you back within His will.
In Micah, He is judge of the nation.
In Nahum, He is the jealous God.
In Habakkuk, He is the Holy One.
In Zephaniah, He is the witness.
In Haggai, He overthrows the enemies
In Zechariah, He is Lord of Hosts.
In Malachi, He is the messenger God.

In Matthew, He is king of the Jews.
In Mark, He is the servant.
In Luke, He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
In John, He is the Son of God.
In Acts, He is Savior of the world.
In Romans, He is the righteousness of God.
In I Corinthians, He is the rock that followed Israel.
In II Corinthians, He is the triumphant one, giving victory.
In Galatians, He is your liberty; He sets you free.
In Ephesians, He is head of the Church.
In Philippians, He is your joy.
In Colossians, He is your completeness.
In I Thessalonians, He is your hope.
In II Thessalonians, He is your patience and discipline.
In I Timothy, He is your faith.
In II Timothy, He is your stability.
In Titus, He is the truth.
In Philemon, He is your benefactor.
In Hebrews, He is your perfection.
In James, He is the power behind your faith.
In I Peter, He is your example.
In II Peter, He is your purity.
In I John, He is your life.
In II John, He is your pattern.
In III John, He is your motivation.
In Jude, He is the foundation of your faith.
In the Revelation, He is your coming King.



-- Author Unknown

.

20130426: Rev 2 -3 Compromise Vs Conviction - Cancer and Chemo

Interesting questions someone raised about the underestimation of man's  lusts (money and woman) & issues of Commandment #10 on coveting  and how to guard against it.

I was reminded about the word "overcome" in Rev many times. 

I was reading the 7 churches mentioned  in Rev again today.  All 7 except one pass the test.

Of which the first church in Ephesus - God mentioned that he also hate the practice of the Nicolaitans. (Rev 2:6) The thing Jesus hated about them was their "deeds." The word "deeds" is the Greek word erga, which means works.   This word is so all-encompassing that it pictures all the deeds and behavior of the Nicolaitans - including their actions, beliefs, conduct, and everything else connected to them. 

It is all about 2 main Cs.

1. Compromise

2. Conviction.

At the end of the day - will we be a CARNAL Compromising Christian or Christ-Centred Christian who will receive the other C later in life on the other side? ie the Crown of Life?

The capital C also connotes the main freedom which we as humans have in life - it is called Choices!

Many a times in life milestones we will be presented with this one C - Crossroads decisions (Be it career, family ones since we have passed that of the structured education phase of our life) And I am reminded of the wonder verse in Jer 6:16 each time we stand at crossroads " Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths , ask where the good way is, and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls" But you said ,"We will not walk in it"

So there again, the choice of freewill from the King above is that for us - "mere subjects"  to choose. All we need to do is active stuff. The life of a christian is not just the floaty faith of cheap talk. It is actually a rigorous 'heartwork' process.  And also very "hard work" indeed as one struggles with the "I know what to do yet I seem not able to do it" because Paul in Romans already forewarned us about it. The Bible teaches that Christians are supposed to "die" to sin and the deeds of our "flesh": "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2)  "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Romans 6:11-13) The truth of the matter to guard against the deceitfulness of our hearts and not to fall into diverse temptations is also more than what Ps 119:9-11 exhorts us to do - "to hide the word in our heart so that we may not sin against the Lord"?

In fact the hiding of the word in our heart requires more than that. We can go for bible classes from one to another , recite and memorise verses, dutifully perform our QT. But is that it? What do you think?  Well, I think It requires more than all mentioned earlier.  It requires one to act upon it. Without that active action, The "walking in it " as Jer puts it as we stand, ask ourselves those heart questions during crossroads times of our lives - we may not be able to find the rest for our souls! That is why in James , he said "Faith without action is dead". So we still have a restless spirit and not that of a spirit of "restedness"!

The Challenges we christians today faced is that of Compromise and Conviction in such a fallen world.  Compromise is indeed a spiritual Cancer.  Conviction is the Chemo for killing that cancer.

When we got to know the Lord in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we can promise almost anything to our Saviour!  But as times goes, the carnal enticement of the world crept in. Like the Laodicean church which became lukewarm, like the Ephesus church which lost its first love, like the Pergamum and Thyatira church which allowed Balaam and Jezebel false teachings to be crept in and like the Sardis church which went into a slumber!  We are supposed to to the "called out ones" - the ones set apart for the Lord. He is Holy. Be Holy as He is Holy. The righteousness inputed upon us thru the blood of Jesus Christ becomes wishy washy. We forgot that no one is righteous except the Lord Jesus Christ. Man began to find fulfillment in work-centred church or community charitable activities.  Nothing wrong with that but the carnal church of today at times behave so much  as a corporation that she also invited nicolaitan standards into it. The KPI is numbers as measurement of souls saved, increasing number of attendances in outreaches or seminary classes as a yardstick of one's charism in gifts of teaching, evangelism etc.  We become a self serving christian in the church too. We start to allow compromise to engulf the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  So that which we earlier "promise" to the Lord has now added a new dimension of "Com-promise"  The community of the world had come in and edged out that awesome promise. We worship the work of the Lord more than that of the Lord of the work. Deeds. 

Jeremiah was a prophet who spoke around 580BC. IN Jer 1:5 He was assured by the Lord " Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born , I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" He spoke of repentance , righteousness , return and  restoration.

The word Nicolaitans : The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the wordsnikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people

. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people. 

So why we do feel being conquered and subdued? Why cannot we rise above the situation? We must learn to overcome as exhorted in Rev.

God only promises "to him who overcomes" - the right to eat from the tree of life, not to be hurt by the second death, the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it, know only to him who receives it, the authority over the nations!  given the morning star! Be dressed in white and will never be blot out from the book of life, be acknowledged before His Father and his angels, , be made a pillar in the temple of our God, has the name of our God, the name of the city of our God, the new Jerusalem written on us, and be given the right to sit with Him on His throne! Oh Wow Oh Wow Oh Wow! This last words of the late Steve Jobs - he must have seen something awesomely glorious to leave such an exclamation as his last breath! And these promises to an overcomer in the hall of faith with great men in Hebrews and that promise in Revelation - wouldn't you want to overcome? and be a conqueror rather than be conquered? And to rule rather be subdued other than that to submit to our King of Kings and LOrd of Lords?

Reflection

Crossroads are not uncommon to us. In fact they are there for us to build bridges to learn to crossover  as we made those choices.

So what kind of spiritual cancer of compromise are you having? Different cancers require different chemo drugs . Convictions in life are liken to those of the types of chemo drugs. And mind you, many a times today, such chemo drugs can be hell of a expensive! And Convictions are costly matters. They are formed after one goes through the fiery furnace of life journeys. And as one goes through them, either you are fallen into the sinkhole and be dead or you managed to crossover and be an overcomer . And when we detours or avoided the right bridge ie we made a wrong choice at certain times of our lives, it does not matter so long as we return back to Him and allow that deeper work of conviction of hold us up even higher. Crossover and Overcome. "Not by my might nor by power, but by my Spirit"  (Zech 4:6). His Spirit is in us. So we submit. And not that we are able, but He is.

I have adopted a principle of Life Conviction which can be found in Jer 9:23-24.

This is what the LORD says:

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom

or the strong man boast of his strength

or the rich man boast of his riches,

but let him who boasts boast about this;

that he understands and knows me,

that I am the LORD , who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight," declares the LORD.

Learn not to compromise or covet for the things of the world but to be convicted and boast about the only one thing : We understand and know Him - one who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth. Listen to this song "OUR GOD" - the bridge in this youtube says it all. What could stand against us if our God is for us? Be a convicted Conqueror for the King of Kings of this universe.

2013March: EXtraOrdinary March - Who can compare with You Lord?

March 2013 - A month of happenings. But the rainbow covenant of our Lord remains in my heart.  (A little rainbow gal birthday gift from a beloved faithful prayer partner above...we chase after rainbows!)

Had some problem logging in to blog in March 
and time passed by in a twinkle of an eye.
12 March - Number 48 birthday came and I bid it goodbye.
Celebrated not just once but in multiples of four
May the Lord bless my loved ones, family and friends and all

Had a rude shock to hear of my niece's news of cancer
and that jerked us all in first week of March
To add matters worse was that more friends & their loved
ones too were similarly strike to the number up to four and more
May the Lord bless my loved ones, family and friends and all

Had a wild of  time running from doctors to doctors
and faced with conflicting lab test reports
Squamous, small cells of lung cancer to that of germ cell of choriocarcinoma
Oh what a time of turn of events that flipped and flopped
But  thanks to the Lord for all the God-send docs He slot

Read this book in Hokkaido by Mary Forsythe "A glimpse of Grace"
- her pregnancy which turned out not? Indeed who can compare with you Lord?
25 March Eze 12:28 "There shall none of my words be prolonged any more 
but the word which I have spoken shall be done"
Do you pray and not believing? Do you lock in posture of asking but not expecting?

Oh what a glorious Month of March!
Remember Peter imprisoned and transported to the church doors where people prayed
Remember Paul and Silas in prison cell as they praised
Let praise arise, let expectation fill your heart and let the Lord move on your behalf
Indeed "all delay has ended; He will do it now" - just keep praising Him with your mouth

Amen.

20130208: Amos 1-2 : But I will send a fire upon (Fire tornadoes)

Amos 1 & 2 : For three transgression of XX and for four, I will not turn away the punishment hereof...BUT I WILL SEND A FIRE into xxx or upon ...."

Plosky Tolbachik erupting in Kamchatka in November: The volcano is the subject of an incredible 360 degree interactive panorama by Russian group Airpano

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2271934/Watch-volcano-exploding-Amazing-360-degree-interactive-panorama-shows-eruption-remote-Kamchatka-peninsula.html#ixzz2KJC7iCW7 

I have been reading Amos recently.  Having blogged about Amos 1 on the M8 earthquake at Hazor, these few days in Feb 2013, it seemed that the pacific ring of fire is getting angry.

Sometime in Sept 2012, strange fire tornadoes were captured on video at Alice Springs , Australia - see youtube. And then in Nov 2012, the Russia volcanoes started spouting and flowing.  The awesome panorama view of this active volcano is fantastic to watch.

Looking at the map - that left side of the red line from Tolbachik to Santa Cruz - Soloman Islands - in fact as I am blogging now , another M7.1 just shook Santa Cruz again.  Amazing shaking over the last few days of magnitude above 6!

Reflections
Fire - signifies God's judgement.
The prophetic oracles in Amos 1 & 2 to Syria, Phlistines, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab and Judah except Israel  - ALL ended up with a fire being sent upon it! 7 of 8 got the flames!

The Lord repeatedly said " I will not turn away the punishment thereof....." because of all the various errs each made.

Amos 3:4 "Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?"
Amos 3:3 "Can two walk together , except the be agreed?
Amos 3:5  "Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him?"
Amos 3:6 "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid?"
Amos 3:7 "...but he reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets"
Amos 3:8 " The lion has roared , who will not fear? the LORD GOD has spoken who can but prophesy?"

OH oh Oh oh Oh oh...lion has roared and trumpet has sounded! And fire has been seen over north in Russia and south in OZ......Oops OH oh .....

Frightened? Umm...
The remedy is one not of fear. But to understand the signs of times in our life.
Amos 3:10 :For they know not to do the right. "Indeed the world values and systems are so enstrangling.  Those who are indifferent or careless may just watch the world goes by.  Only 1/3 remnant will be awake like the 5 wise virgins. 

The best cure can be found in Amos 4 & 5.

1. Understand who God is . In Amos 4:13 - He is THE LORD, The God of host - that is His name

2. Proactively guard our hearts . In Amos 5:4,6,8 ,14" Seek the LORD and we shall live"

3. Perhaps it is time to wind down . Amos 5:13 "Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is evil time" S377? White Paper for 6.9mio? - time to be silent and seek His face instead.

Our God is a consuming fire.  He is . Like the fire tornadoes and the volcanoes, fire is spouting from above and beneath! Ouch!