REAL FACT BEHIND SODOM AND GOMORRAH

Volcanic eruptions can’t turn a city into total ash or an Asteroids falling from heaven might leave no trace of a city at all, so it would not be a perfect example for generation to come. God must make a statement that will separate this event from the rest of the Natural Calamity man have witness!

   So is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah true? 

   Time and time again, most unbelievers of The Bible like to point out that what was written therein are just myths and legends concocted by an over obsessive monotheistic group of people. If not blatantly labeled as liars they are either called conspirators who invented an Almighty God that supersede all other human gods. But time and time again also, The Bible had proven its content factual and true.

   The Holy Bible is still the most trustworthy collections of Historical fact and prophetically undisputed event declared long before they were experienced. In this blog I had constantly proves (although not me but the fact itself) the authenticity and error-free statement of both The New and Old Testament despite the popular beliefs that most of its claims are too audacious. Sometimes even Christians themselves tend to sway from the world views when it comes to miracles and outrageous event.

   Like for instance what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. Most of the people like to accept a more scientific answer as to what occurred there. The exceptional story of Sodom and Gomorrah CLAIMS that fire came down from heaven to incinerate entire cities. Burning an entire city with Brimstone (ancient for Sulfur) and Fire that fell from the sky seems out of this world and naturally impossible to happen, therefore most Scientist like to dismiss this idea and reduce the story into some kind of volcanic eruptions…not heavenly by origin as the Bible states.

   So if we accept their “fact” base on logical instances then it means the Bible is not factual at all. Like watching National Geographic telling us by “reasons” or probable causes that the 7 plagues that happened in Egypt during Exodus was a Natural phenomenon and can be explained. Therefore, Moses was just at the right place at the right time. Was it all just LUCK? Are Biblical prophet’s predictions just mere chance?

   In these latest findings of specific event from the past proves the Bible is not a collection of Myth but Historically correct and truthful rendition of real events. Let us re-examined Sodom and Gomorrah, curse cities, who the Bible states was so corrupt it must be reduce into ash. Even Divine forbearance can not tolerate its wickedness and have even reached the limits of God’s patience.  

AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL GENERATIONS

Jude 1:7
King James Version (KJV)
⁷ Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

   When we want to stress a point, we shout and sometimes go hysterical to attract or capture the attention of the concern person. Now when God proclaimed that He will make Sodom and Gomorrah an example to all the Nations who have committed an unspeakable sin, would He just make one gigantic superheated volcano erupts?

   Obviously, ancient Kingdoms and Tribes had seen volcanic eruptions before perhaps even greater than our generation’s Mount St. Helen’s eruptions or Mt. Pinatubo ash fall…They were so horrific and traumatic of course to eyewitnesses and no doubt some can even equate them as divine judgment but when God said He will make this specific action in Sodom as an “Example for all generations” then it must be so. 

   Volcanic eruptions can’t turn a city into ash and or Asteroids falling from heaven can leave no trace of a city, so it would not be a perfect example for generation to come. God must make a statement that will separate this event from the rest of the Natural Calamity ever recorded!

   Noah’s flood were outrageous, but geological proof that a worldwide flood did happen somewhere in the past. So what makes Sodom and Gomorrah a standout among ancient ruins? What can we discover on its remains that will give as reason to believe that indeed it is supernatural by origin? 

The Unique Evidences 

Out of this World Sulfur Balls…The familiar sulfur that we can find in geothermal regions are commonly bright “yellow” in coloration and in rhombic form.

   Now by contrast the sulfur that we can find in the Dead Sea Valley Site is extremely rare and well in fact can only be found in this one and only area in the world. The pale white “monoclinic” form Sulfur of this type can only happen after an extended period of exposure to an extremely high temperature.

   X-ray fluorescence Semiquant analysis and other test reveals that it is 98.4% pure sulphur. Meaning, it is more pure that the naturally occurring sulphur.

Genesis 19:24
English Standard Version (ESV)
²⁴ Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

Structures dried like deposits…Volcanism as what was earlier suggested can not create an aftermath like that. Some details are still discernable but were totally turn to some sort of mineral deposits. No natural calamity resembles the fossilized records of the Dead Sea Valley sites and obviously no other explanation is better that what was written in Genesis 19:24 and 2 Peter 2:6. For example what happened in Pompeii when Mt. Vesuvius explode…we can still see paintings intact and in pristine condition inside the houses. On the other hand, what happen in Sodom was utterly impossible by a mere act of Nature. For example there were human skeleton found totally turn into ash, even the marrow and inside parts.

Genesis 19:28
English Standard Version (ESV)
²⁸ And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

Deuteronomy 29:23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’

   Once a fertile valley, this place is now desolate. To be precise 4 cities made as an example for all generations thereafter. Now if you are still one of those who still doubt the Bible maybe it's about time you re-think your position. The recent calamities that we had been witnessing like earthquake, tsunami, super typhoon might be a last warning from God.

   He is a merciful father but everything on this life has its limit. How long will you turn a deaf ear? RETURN to your father. He is willing to take you to heaven with HIM.

  Amen and All Glory be given back to GOD. 

Proverbs 1: 24-29

²⁴ Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

²⁵ But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

²⁷ When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

²⁸ Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

²⁹ For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

Silence is Not Golden

For thousands of years the World systems had been trying to silence the Christian faith. If you think the silencing of this faith no longer exist in our present culture...better think again. 
   The ancient Roman Government and The Jewish Sect had tried this before, but to No avail, Christianity grew to become as the largest conglomerate of people group in the world. But the silencing never cease to exist.
    The world in general is prejudice against a specific people group. This shouldn't surprise believers because Satan had special hatred for Christianity.Christianity is the only group that had totally beaten him...for example in the area of resurrections.


   Christians have the assurance of victory!Yet, for now we have to endure the hardships and guaranteed ridicule the world is aiming against us.  
   As expected, we don't hear this faith get an equal treatment anymore and actually became the main target of various secular protester such as Reproductive Health Bill. In America belief in Jesus is now consider just one of the choices  and was being  attack by various secular agenda. Here in the Philippines, although Christians have the liberty to fully express our faith, yet we are face with scorned and marginalized.
   No longer was Christianity the state religion but one of the MAIN hindrance to what they call progress. The censorship of the Christian faith grew as far as there is no more Bible study to be conducted in school, yet freedom of religion is being highlighted and recommended.    

   Most of us even tone down the topic when it comes to our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We drift along the current of social acceptability but with that we also erode the message of the gospel...that we should be witness and light for unbelievers...Just like what Tim Tebow is doing in America. Tebow is NFL superstar, who is very vocal about his faith in Jesus Christ and his testimonies during one of Superbowl game makes the verse John 3:16 as the most search item on Google that day.    

   In case you have not noticed, sleeve-wearing Christian Tim Tebow has been causing quite a stir across the football world with his unashamed living out of the Gospel. His I-love-Jesus-more-than-anything approach to life has proved to be quite unsettling to those who are uncomfortable with his bold proclamation of Romans 1:16. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

   In my lifetime I cannot name a single public figure, apart from those who make a living off of the Gospel, who has been as bold of a witness as Number 15 for the Denver Broncos.

   He is not the only Christian in the NFL. The past two Super Bowl Champions had Christians under center, Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, yet one would have to dig to find stories of their witness to their Faith.

   Former Super Bowl QB Kurt Warner of the St. Louis Rams claims Christ, yet he recently advised Tebow that he would be better off if he removed Jesus from his sleeve…or at least put a sweatshirt over the top of his arms.

   “But I’d tell him, ‘Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you’re living. Let your teammates do the talking for you. Let them cheer on your testimony.’ Kurt Warner

   Yeah right Kurt. Hide that light under a bushel. That I’ll-show-them-Christ-by-the-way-I-live approach hasn’t gotten us very far in spreading the Gospel. America is a vast moral wasteland because we have hidden the light. (Source HERE)

   Sadly,  we hear so many Kurt Warner type Christian around us and less of Tim Tebow kind. This remind me when Jesus said, the harvest is ready but there are only few workers (see Luke 10:2 or Matthew 9:37) 

   Let me remind you that these very few believers are continually being persecuted when they testify. Like Tebow, even if he is the most admired football player now, his testimony of faith is also the most susceptible to ridicule by unbelievers.  Below is a statement from American Atheist president:

“When we watch a sporting event, we are all united for our team,” says David Silverman, president of American Atheists. “Tebow takes religion and injects it into the mix and divides the fan base.”

Silverman states that Tebow’s repeated references to God into his post-game comments after a win is “bad for football.

“(Religion) injects the divisive force into football,” Silverman says. “Why in the world are we talking about religion when we are talking about football?”

  

     In Galatians 4:16 we can read the sentiment in St. Paul's heart, when he asked: Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

     I knew how it hurts when I asked an almost similar question to some of my friends. Occasionally, I was even heartbroken when I lose a friend by simply telling the truth. No matter how careful I am, in selecting proper words, there would still be resistance...

   People for now may not see the positive effect of being a Christian. What they said about the "bad effect" of Christian testimony from sportsman (or to life in general) is actually a blessing in disguise. 

   That is the hard reality we as Christian must accept. There is NO compromising of faith for believers, as well as there is No Religious Tolerance for God. When God said, No worship and prayers should be given to Images, then that we ought to do, not in between. Let us continue in sharing the Gospel wherever and whenever. 

   In light of these; the unbeliever should not worry, Christians will only retaliate in Words but not in actual combat. Our LORD taught us to be peacemaker. 

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.-- Matthew 5:13

The Danger of Positivism

New Age Religion had seep-in to our society's paradigm in an unprecedented global scale  within the last few years. Ushered as a necessary alternative  to solve the many problems of our world. In fact, even those who have surrendered their life to Jesus Christ unknowingly adopted some of these New Gospels to aid their spiritual battles. Let us check how it all started...

The Churches and Laboratories Failure

   From the Dark Ages, where major religion failed to respond to most controversial issues poise by scientific discovery, slowly the masses shifted interest from the spiritual salvation into materialistic panacea. 

   Later, As we all knew, science with its many shortcomings did not anticipate the aftermath of its technology. Science created a monster it can not control. Human have come to realized that science had no answer to most of the problem it created. Alienation, family separation, and personal  satisfaction were just few of the overlooked areas, together with global waste and toxins it can't diminished.  Plus the spiritual emptiness left unanswered.  

   Man begin to internalized...if science can't respond to world problems and according to history, the churches too presents false gods and hopes, therefore there must be something else to fill the "void".

   

   After hundred of years, the secular preoccupation slowly withering and With Little Fanfare...and deceitfully...The New Age Thinking emerges into the scene...with a brand new HOPE to fill the gap Religions and Science failed to address. 

THE AGE OF AQUARIUS.

   Once again, the person begins to internalized and examined himself/herself. The spiritual aspect of men begin to take center stage again...Returning to ancient roots, the wisdom of the sages, and spiritual masters where concocted together with scientific absolute. The secular and material nature of the universe where redefined by the spiritual forces known. 

   This time "Reasoning" play a major role but unlike science it acknowledges the spiritual realm. 

   Although New Age Religion acknowledge GOD, the truth to them is "relative" and anyone therefore can define a god it prefers. The BIBLE is therefore not an authority but just another opinion of a spiritual way...We can find our own path to enlightenment according to our preferences. To them, Jesus is not the only way but just one of the many path to enlightenment. 

Positive Thinking vs. Faith

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrew 11:1

   It is incredible how even the "elect" had been persuaded and adopted some of these new age thinking. One of the most commonly used New Age gospel is called Positive Thinking. Sounds good right? Who would want of course to dwell in his/her sorrows and constantly gripes about world problems. 

   So what is really wrong in Positivism? 

   Basically, this is the thought pattern inside a positivist mind: Every item created by mankind was an initial thought put into physical motion and manifested into physical reality. Without thought, there simply would be no things. Also Positivism believe that thought eventually becomes things. (source HERE) 

   Let me put this straight and direct! Positive Thinking does not solve problem at all but just merely shifted your perceptions into something else. It just makes you feel good but when the symptom persist, you have to once and for all face the problem. Although positivism may help for a time it will eventually wear you out. 

   As Christian we must distinguish faith against positivism. 

   Positivism rely on personal reasons...it focuses in your ability to alter your thoughts from negative images into feel good breathing exercises, self-affirmation, and projections. 

Romans 8:24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

 2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

   

   The Big difference about FAITH is that you let GOD moves and take control of the situations. Accepting the things you can not change instead of trying to fight the situations which you assumes can be resolved no matter what. After all, thoughts becomes things, so you can manifest material reality. 

   But Faith is not fake Hope. The wisdom to distinguished things that are "not" meant for you and those things that is granted to us. When we sense a coming typhoon, we should be ready for the worst BUT also hope for the Best. It's a different thing that projecting a good weather in your mind to materialized. After all, nature need replenishing so don't try to thwart what God intended.

   If we look into the eyes of a positivist, we will fail to recognized where the blessings came from. We will "think" that it happens because we created the situation by drawing in all the possible solutions via Visualizations. The Creation become the creator.

    How many times have you heard someone said, "Yes, I was able to avoid confrontation by changing my mood..." instead of recognizing the peace that comes from our LORD Jesus who calms the situation?

   Although some may affirm answered prayer by coincidences, a Christian should look at it as divine guidance. 

   Grace is not grace if it came from good work. God's grace is given without a price nor effort from us. It is unconditional. 

    6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!      10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. (Galatians 1)

DOES FAITH GUARANTEE HEALING?

    We are told in James 5:15 "And the prayer of faith will save the sick..."

    IT is crazy that when a Christian pray, he was asked to visualized them, claiming the healing, claiming the specific answers, claiming etcetera...Do we read any of those claims? 

   Claiming is such a strong word. If we pray that way...we are making God our slave. WE make the wisdom of God as if He does not know better. As if our preferences should be God's preferences too. Who knows better? You or GOD? Thy will be done or My will be done? Let us read some more the verse sited above to get the real context of the message James stated...

James 5:15-16
¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

    Was James speaking of "physical" sickness here? Don't get me wrong. Oh yes I believe God will and could heal our physical sickness any time He desire but being faithful to the end is what God requires. A fervent prayer of a righteous man will not FADE even if his health is deteriorating. 

   You are even told to be specific in your prayers "I want a brand new red car, a house by the beach, close the wound please and reconstruct the fractured bone" etc...IS that more of a positivism visualization process or an exercise of Faith?

   Hey! Fher, aren't we told to claim healing because the scripture states "By his strife we are healed..." (Isaiah 53:5)? 

   Then what happen to the miraculous healing power of Paul (whom previously was not affected when bitten by a venomous snake) when he wrote: 

2 Timothy 4:20
King James Version (KJV)
 ²⁰Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

   Did Paul insist God to heal Trophimus so he will be with his travel? And then again, when he advise Timothy about a nagging illness, did he quote, "claim your healing"? Instead he gave a medical advise...

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. -- 1 Timothy 5:23

   Some preacher took Isaiah 53:3 out of context and said we can claim healing because God said so. But the word of God must compliments another passage. God is the ultimate inspiration of the Holy Bible so there shouldn't be divided opinion. 

   Most people became frustrated when their prayers goes unanswered, they fail to realized that God sometime say NO. The reality of this sinfully driven world will guarantee a very rocky road for your travel...But we can always rest in the comfort of God's embrace.

  Relying on God's wisdom and total trust come-what-may, should be what is on every heart. Should we lose our faith if what we claimed did not happened?

For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:5

   There is one guarantee though that we can claim:

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" -Romans 10:13.   

   Let us also remember that our ultimate destiny is not on this corruptible planet. Don't worry too much about the physical. Our goal should always aim to reach The Kingdom of GOD. 

Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.-- Luke 17:33

    Positive thinking move us away from the truth and tries to paint a world where everything can be altered by positive thoughts. One must remember that although the Bible had Gospels (Good News) there's also the Bad News for disobedience. 

 More on New Age Deceptions will be discuss, if the LORD willing...

Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." 

(By the way, with regards to my Art of Realizationism, before any of you accused of merely repackaging secular Positivism, and therefore it is another New Age Thinking, I would like to apologized if you have drawn some similarities from it to false gospels, BUT if you take a closer examinations it is a personal process of unlearning and learning that reflect on Divine Interventions...as I've said it is my laboratory of experience, and therefore not to be taken as an absolute truth. It is my journal and personal reflections...not necessarily true but just a reflection of myself. It is an experiential approach and not trying to alter the Scriptures in whatsoever way.As a matter of fact, I consider it as my lifetime thesis...and may not even come to a conclusion at all...Fher Ymas)

Check The Art of Realizationism for more details. 

Our Mirror on Whitney Houston's Death

People are quick to judge others...especially those personality in the limelight. Why? Because they can easily be spotted and maybe all of us have that "inborn" curiosity of another person's life. We love to gossips about their personal life, Ohhh! the juicy one's are those that involve marital relationship or the absence of it...the paparazzi blood in us.

   Whitney Houston's life is of course one of the best candidate as mealtime sauce over chat groups. And now her death brings revived interest over her glamorous and yet battered life. It is no surprised that she "trends" the internet these past days...some are tributes, condolences, recollections...but there appeared also some character assassination against her...

   You can tell the person is or was famous even after her death...there are still controversy whispered everywhere and anywhere. 

   I wouldn't be discussing any of those issues about Whitney ...or even who or what she is a person. What I will be focusing is on us...OH yes "WE". 

   I include myself as among the guilty because it is really hard to resist discussing "skeleton in the closets" and those sort of things...especially those people you idolize or people at the higher echelon. 

   Anyway, who would want to gossips about "the regular" humans? Not unless she or he create a video of themselves and spread a scandal on YouTube. 

   Again, why it matters to us (our already problematic life) to surgically peep into another persons "Private Life"? Aren't you contented already to the headache you and your family experience on regular basis like an illness that wont go away? Now you are bringing another load of other people's headache inside your home.

   What I theorized are these: Gossiping at another persons mishaps... gave us a sense of security too. Yes, if the rich and famous had problem, why can't I? 

   Another that I can think of is...we feel triumphant after telling to others that "Hey"! I am much better than our neighbor.  

   Or maybe there are really that genuine "concerns" to another persons...that you wish you can at least sympathized but can not because they are far from you. This is by spreading the gossips...(in your thinking) you are actually helping the other person. 

   When we gossip about the person we "Admire" we are actually highlighting the persons influence in us. We admire them because we want to be like them...or we see ourselves in them. And when they have done something that is against your morale value or unacceptable to your friends, you want to scold that person because you "love" them....you don't want your idol (your mirror self) to be prey upon by others/ or your friends. 

   Well, I don't know...I was just triggered to write this blog after hearing so many negative things against personalities. This is not just about Whitney or your neighbor...or the paparazzi...or the spy-cams....

    Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. -- Luke 6:37

   There is a thin line between Gossips and telling News or Info...sometimes the distinction is blurry. 

   Character assassination and Black Propaganda can actually serve as Warnings! That is why there is what we call information wars or info-wars. 

   Jesus told us the extreme power of the tongue. It can be use for good or evil desires. 

   See this blog is misleading!!! You perhaps open the page because you thought this is dedicated for Ms. Houston or about her life. I think we should give her the RIP she deserve now. 

   Well as consolation to those who are itching to know something about Whitney...well, aside from what other people think she was...she sings Gospels too...and calls YHWH too.
   Listen to the last part how she testify her faith in Jesus Christ!
   

To those without sin! Cast the first stone!!!!

A One Great Date

Wisdom of a Fool was not that all dedicated in mind twisting, controversial, and often weird blogs...I also indulge in feeling the ray of romance...here's one video I found and shared by a friend...this is really sweet!