Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Obama Warns World Leaders ‘Millions Could Die’ From Gulf Oil Disaster

Believe me, I hate posting articles like the following. I know you are not reading this in our local papers. Its pathetic We must get this news from Pakistan. It blows my mind to think that we could be looking at these kinds of consequences from the bp spill. I hope not. I pray not. But when you read God's Word (you know that old fashioned book that most Americans don't pay attention too), these kinds of things arejust the beginning. I encourage you to read Revelation. The Bible says those who do are blessed. God wants to bless you and I with His truth. Its the only way people are set free.

I encourage you to not be afraid when you hear or see these things, but turn to Christ. Again, as I wrote yesterday, we must BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS KNOWING THAT GOD IS WITH US AND HE WILL NEVER FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE.

I love you!

-Pastor

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Alert: Obama Warns World Leaders ‘Millions Could Die’ From Gulf Oil Disaster
PakAlertPress ^ | Sunday, June 27, 2010 | PakAlertPress

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2010 5:08:46 PM by Star Traveler

JUNE 27, 2010

A sobering report circulating in the Kremlin today from President Medvedev’s meeting with other World leaders at the G8 summit in Muskoka, Ontario states that President Obama has warned his counterparts that the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster “will most likely kill millions, perhaps tens of millions” of people during the coming year.




Fueling Obama’s dire assessment of this “Gulf Apocalypse”, this report says, are the oil and toxic rains now being reported to be falling throughout the US Gulf Coast region due to the fracturing of the Gulf of Mexico seafloor allowing untold millions of gallons of oil and millions of cubic feet of methane gas to escape unchecked into our World’s seventh largest body of water, not to mention the millions of gallons of dangerous disbursements being used that is poisoning everything in its path.


So dangerous has the Gulf Coast environment become to human beings the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning that, in part, says:



“People, including pregnant women, can be exposed to these chemicals by breathing them (air), by swallowing them (water, food), or by touching them (skin). If possible, everyone, including pregnant women, should avoid the oil and spill-affected areas.”

With nearly 20 million American’s living along the affected Gulf Coast region one wonders where they could all go and leaving many to speculate a massive evacuation is being planned by the US Government of the entire region.


This view, however, is not shared by a Louisiana woman named Kindra Arnesen who was allowed unprecedented access to the BP Operations Center overseeing this catastrophe and reported to the Gulf Emergency Summit this past week that along with millions of fish dying because of this disaster people are falling ill all over the region.


Even worse is Arnesen’s incredibly reporting that even as this oil disaster grows BP is being allowed the US government to begin cutting costs in their cleanup and oil containment efforts.


Important to note about in this report is that Obama’s warning that “millions could die” from this disaster has been further confirmed by the American engineer who helped lead the team to put out the Persian Gulf oil fires set by Saddam Hussein in the first Iraq war and had warned a full 12 months before the April sinking of the Deepwater Horizon that BP was drilling into a huge methane deposit that if released would be beyond catastrophic, it would be biblical in its scale of destruction.


Note: Along with the unprecedented danger facing the Americans due to this oil spill catastrophe it is important to remember the billions of dollars being made from it by some of the most powerful people and corporations in the West, and as we had reported on in our June 16th report titled “Obama To Earn Nearly $85 Million From Gulf Oil Disaster”.


Interesting to note too is that one of the World’s top oil and gas industry experts Matthew Simmons is calling for the evacuation of the entire US Gulf Coast, and as we can read as quoted by him in an interview with the Washington Post News Service:



“We’re going to have to evacuate the Gulf States. Can you imagine evacuating 20 million people? . . . This story is 80 times worse than I thought.”

Now the “80 times worse than I thought” comment by Simmons is one of the most vitally important points to understand in this unfolding historic disaster due to the findings of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) high-tech research ship Thomas Jefferson, and as we can read as reported by the Los Angeles Times News Service:



“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday released new data from the agency’s latest research trip through the Gulf of Mexico, showing concentrations of oil below the surface at more than 3,600 feet below the surface, about 7.5 nautical miles southwest of the BP’s blown-out well.


The Thomas Jefferson research ship found evidence of depleted oxygen, a potential sign of microbes digesting oil, in the area. Acoustic and fluorometric instruments likewise indicated the presence of oil. Water samples taken on the trip have not been analyzed.


Since the leak began April 20, attention has been focused on surface oil washing up on environmentally fragile shoreline ecosystems. But “plumes” or “clouds” of oil hovering in the water column below the surface, where myriad marine life eat, breed and swim, has as much or more potential to cause ecological damage to the Gulf, scientists have warned.”

Not being explained to the American people about NOAA’s findings is that the live video feed of this spill being shown to them of this spill contains oil and methane gas being expelled at pressures estimated to be at 100,000 pounds per square inch (psi) and cannot in any way being associated with the massive underwater oil plumes found by the Thomas Jefferson nearly 8 kilometers away.


To where these massive underwater oil plumes are coming from, Simmons stated during an interview on the US television network MSNBC that the release point was “5 to 6 miles away” from where the Deepwater Horizon sunk.


In our June 10th report “Scientists Warn Gulf Of Mexico Sea Floor Fractured “Beyond Repair” we reported that Russian scientists (the only scientists to have actually viewed this disaster in their deep submersible submarines) had likewise confirmed Simmons dire assessment of this catastrophe; reports, mind you, that not only have we seen, but Simmons has undoubtedly seen too.


Most incredibly in all of these events is that Obama has issued what many experts are calling a “get out of jail free card” to BP in the setting up of a $20 Billion “sham” cleanup fund paid for by this British oil giant that allowed them to borrow from Goldman Sachs the entire amount and not affecting their bottom line for years, if not decades to come.


To the greatest consequence of this catastrophe upon the American people, an FSB appendix to this report warns that the US Soldiers currently deployed throughout their island territory of Puerto Rico are in fact being trained in how to “suppress and contain” large concentrations of people and being “recycled” to military bases throughout the State of Florida where they will soon be joined by an estimated 28,000 NATO allied troops where both will join up with an estimated 7,000 pre-positioned UN marked vehicles for purposes “still not known or clearly stated by the US”.


To the greatest danger facing the American people it comes from the founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychiatry Sigmund Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays, the father of the field of “public relations” and propaganda, who said that news was made “when reality is distilled down to the most simplified and dramatized form and it appeals to the instincts of the public mind.”


Unfortunately, the “instincts” being instilled in these Americans “public mind” is going to kill them as there is NOTHING to be simplified about this catastrophe, and what they aren’t being told by their so called mainstream media, or what they aren’t willing to find out for themselves, is going to kill them. Just like all of those who cleaned up the1989 Exxon Valdez spill disaster, ALMOST ALL OF WHOM ARE NOW DEAD.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Oil in Southwest Florida?

It's great to be back. Vacations are great. Rest, reading, and some recreation pretty much sum up our summer vacations. Daniel Labarowski went with us. Daniel is a great young man. Very funny and is just a precious kid. We love Daniel and his entire family.

People around that part of Florida are pretty nervous about the oil. Its in the headlines about every day. BP has already sent representatives down to southwest Florida to prepare for the oil if it does hit their shores. As we walked the beach before we left Sunday, it was hard to imagine that we may not do that again due to the possibility of oil changing their beaches for what could be decades.

One day I had a talk with a Lawyer from England. He said to me that it seems like the world goes from one crisis to another. We both talked about how uncertain these days are...for everywhere, no matter where a person lives.

One thing we do know, God is sovereign and in complete control. He tells us in His word to be "strong and courageous" and that He is with us (Joshua 1). He will go with us every step of the way.

Have a great Wednesday!

-Pastor

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Taking a Break

Hello everyone. Please remember in prayer Viola Smith and Gayle Brandenburg. Also, Christine Blanton's surgery went well, but please continue to remember her. She is doing great.

I will be taking a break from the blog while on vacation. Annette says this is work when I am suppose to be not working. She is probably right.

I will be praying for you and KP's worship services while we are gone. I believe God will meet with us. COme anticipating and expecting a divine visitation from the Holy Spirit. It may be summer, but please intercede in prayer for our services and for one another.

I love you all!

-Pastor

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Does God have anything to do with lightning, oil spills, earthquakes, etc.?

Went to see Chris Blanton again today. God really was with her yesterday. She is recovering very well. No pain. Eating and sleeping well. The surgeons took close to a seven inch blood clot out of her that was headed toward her heart. We called on people to pray yesterday before the surgery. There is no question God answered our prayers. Please continue to pray for Christine.

Please remember Gayle Brandenburg tomorrow. She will have a knee replacement surgery.

Of the course, the big news in our area today is the lightning strike on the King of Kings statue over at Solid Rock church. That was pretty amazing. Someone said there was a lot of chatter on Face book about it. I really don't know what there is to talk about. I hope they rebuild it. I am for anything that brings glory to God which I am pretty sure it did.

Does God have in hand in lightning strikes, oil spills, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes? For the answer, read the below portion of Psalm 105. Notice how God is involved in the details. Notice all he does. God didn't just do this in those days. He still has a hand in all things today.

Psalm 105
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.

34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,

35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.
KJV


Have a great Wednesday!

-Pastor

Monday, June 14, 2010

Sunday Wrap Up

I usually do this on Sunday night, but just couldn't get it done last night. What a busy 24 hours it was for the Ballards. Three graduation parties and two worship services...but we survived. I know many of you have been on a similar circuit. Its a busy time of the year. I was really impressed at the crowd at church last night in spite of all of the busyness. Even most of the band and the choir was there at 5:00 pm. You are a great bunch of folks. My prayer today is that the Lord refresh you and give you strength.

Corina did a wonderful job putting together yesterday's grad appreciation service. The church presented each high school grad with a beautiful leather student New Living Translation Application bible. Each college grad received a very nice journal and pen set. We are proud of all of our 2010 graduates and we look forward to how God will use them in the future.

Yesterday's services were wonderful. Last night's service was more of a prayer and praise service. It was great to see prayer groups spend so much time sharing and praying. I think its spiritually healthy to not get in a routine and balance our worship services with prayer and the preaching or teaching of the Word of God.

Please remember Christine Blanton today in your prayers. Have a great week!

-Pastor

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Camp Meeting Report

Just wanted to check-in and post my status. We will head to Olivet today for freshman orientation. Wow, have we got a busy schedule until Sat. afternoon. Back in the covered wagon days when I was at Lee, parents just showed up with the student and dropped him off. Now they have orientation week for parents too..in June of all things instead of a few days before classes. Oh well, things change!

Camp meeting was great Tuesday and Wednesday. I was honored to preach the ordination service yesterday along with two other pastors. My topic was the Word of God. It was great! I enjoyed all three messages. Tonight and Friday night's services are at Princeton Pike with Tim Hill preaching. Please try to go. I know you will be blessed.

Well, I may not get a chance to check in with you until Sunday. Everyone have a great weekend. I will see the KP folks Sunday morning. Please keep us in your prayers.

-Pastor

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A Powerful Word from the Lord...

The following is a word for today's church from a obedient brother after God had showed him a vision. My spirit bore witness to it. I thought I would share it with you today.

The church sits in self-fulfilling comfort, yet in darkness. We have made the church about us, our comfort, our desires, and left Him, His will, His plan, and His command to carry out the great commission out of the picture. As a result of this, the church is in great darkness.
This enables the enemy to approach us unrecognized and unchallenged. He comes boldly and with him the spirit of this age. The spirit of this age is attractive and often looks no threatening. We do not recognize this because we are not on guard. We are not ready to do battle. With the spirit of this age comes an attitude that causes us to be self-serving, spiritually lazy, and leaves us wide open to spiritual attack.
The enemy attacks through the back doors of our lives...the unguarded areas. He is attacking the church through the Internet, through the media, through our family, through our recreation, and through situations that may appear harmless, but lull us to sleep.
The enemy has entered, gained a foothold, and is not impressed when we tell him to leave. We don't have the power to make him leave and he knows it. We go through our religious motions and might even say, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," but our lackadaisical Christian lives causes our words to have the same effect as the seven sons of Sceva. He might as well say, "Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?"
We grab our familiar weapons, shout loudly that we are going to defend ourselves, but they are of non-effect for two reasons.
First, we don't know how to use them. In fact, the Word is all too often used wrongly rather than for the proper purpose. Used wrongly, it often does more harm than good.
Second, we are paralyzed by fear. We do not take charge because of fear. We do not witness because of fear. We do not take the gospel into the world because of fear. The enemy doesn't fear us because we ourselves are paralyzed by fear. Even when we confront him, the attack continues because we function by fear rather than faith.
Even when we don't see the hand of the enemy, we know he's there, yet we are gripped with a feeling of helplessness.
This is the church of America. This is us. God has focused on our lives and says we have come up wanting.

What must we do?

I. Turn on the light.
A. Let God illuminate our lives.
B. Hear what the Spirit says.

Revelation 3:1-6 “Write this letter to the angel[a] of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit[b] of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
6 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

C. What is God saying?
1. I know all
2. You’re not as alive as you think.
3. Wake up
4. Strengthen what remains.
5. Go back, repent
6. If you don’t, I will come suddenly as a thief.
II. We have to learn how to fight right.
A. We have ignored the Word too long.
B. We love to sing, shout, dance, and all the fun stuff.
C. But we don’t know how to use the Word. It’s just not been that important to us.
D. As a result, even when we try to use it, it carries no depth in our lives. It doesn’t live within us.
E. We have to learn how to use the weapons.

II Corinthians 10:3-6 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

III. We are bound by fear.
A. We fear the devil when he should fear us.
B. We function by fear rather than faith.
C. We are paralyzed when we should be moving.
D. As a result, our threats to the devil are meaningless, because our fear is saying, “I don’t really believe what I’m saying.”

E. Do we really believe that no weapon formed against us shall prosper?
E. Do we really believe that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world?
F. Do we really believe that we should be pulling down strongholds?
G. Then where is the evidence? Where are the victories?

IV. Why does God give visions?
A. For warning
B. For correction
C. For instruction

V. What shall we do with this?
A. We can hear and forget it?
B. We can hear and say, “Maybe we need another program.”
C. We can hear the meaning and say, “It’s for the other person, not for me.”
D. We can hear and let it sink in and transform our lives and thinking.
E. Or this vision can be the beginning of the turnaround.
1. The light is on. The Holy Spirit right now is moving in your heart. What will you do with this vision? What will you do with this prophetic word.
2. I am in the army of the Lord. I will recommit myself to the study of the Word both privately and corporately, The teaching and preaching of this Word. The application of this Word. The walking out of this Word in my life. I have all too long let it be a religious charm rather than the very food of my soul.
3. I will not be bound by fear. What replaces fear? Fear must be replaced by faith and confidence. That comes with a relationship. That comes with trust. That comes with a hands on walk in which you go into the enemy territory and put yourselves out there for the kingdom of God.
F. What might happen?
1. Our TV’s might not be on as much.
2. We might be more tired until we get into shape.
3. Our favorite activities may be replaced by something much more exciting.
4. God might call upon us to do things that we’ve never dreamed.
G. The strong man will be bound.
H. The devil will fear us.
I. The gospel will go forth.
J. His kingdom will come down.
K. How will you react to this?

It's time to get on our faces before the Lord!

-Pastor

Monday, June 7, 2010

John Wooden Quotes

I loved John Wooden. In case you don't know who he is, he was the legendary coach of the UCLA Bruins who led them to ten national NCAA basketball titles. But he was more than a great coach. He was a great Christian man who was a leader of men. We will miss him here on earth, but heaven now is his gain. I have listed below some of his well-known quotes. Read these...you will be a better person as you put them to practice.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
John Wooden

Ability is a poor man's wealth.
John Wooden

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.
John Wooden

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
John Wooden

Be prepared and be honest.
John Wooden

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.
John Wooden

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.
John Wooden

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
John Wooden

I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.
John Wooden

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
John Wooden

If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.
John Wooden

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.
John Wooden

It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.
John Wooden

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
John Wooden

Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.
John Wooden

Never mistake activity for achievement.
John Wooden

Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.
John Wooden

Have a great Tuesday!

-Pastor

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Sunday Wrap Up

What a fun day of worship! The "white out" Missions Sunday was great. Everyone looked great in their shirts. We are getting a lot of people (believers from other churches)enquiring about our shirts. Maybe we can get more and more believers to wear them. Its about planting God's Word that won't return void...even when it is read off of a t-shirt.

My mom and brother did a wonderful job this morning and so did Arlene Miller. Thank you to everyone who gave today and made faith promises.

Tonight's service was good. Awesome testimonies tonight!

Remember Southern Ohio's camp meeting this week. Services Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Columbus Potter's House. Thursday and Friday nights at Princeton Pike in Hamilton. Hope you can go. I know you will be blessed!

Have a wonderful week.

-Pastor

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

What's Bothering You?

God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is (Genesis 21:17).

Needy miners and settlers in British Columbia, engaged in stripping abandoned Fort Alcan of lumber, electrical appliances, and plumbing, made an amazing discovery. While dismantling the jail they found that though mighty locks were attached to the heavy doors and two inch bars covered the windows, the walls of the prison were only patented wallboard made of clay and paper, painted to resemble steel. A good heave against any of the walls would have burst them out.

Nobody ever escaped from the jail at Fort Alcan by breaking down a wall because all thought it impossible. Many are prisoners of fear and doubt when a push of faith would bring freedom.

Hagar, Abraham and Sarah's banished maid, wandered in the desert and despaired for the life of her child. When her meager supply of water was exhausted, she placed the young boy under a shrub and went some distance away to weep so that she wouldn't witness his death. God's question, "What aileth thee, Hagar?" let this troubled mother know that He was aware of her problem. As soon as her eyes were opened she saw that He had already provided the solution -- life-giving water. Now His promise assured the future of her son.

What aileth thee? What is bothering you? Why are you troubled?

Put away your fears. Your problem has not taken God by surprise. There is a design in your present difficulties.

Open your eyes and you will see that God has a solution.

Rest your future in His hands!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Its a Big Week!

Just a few personal items before I hit the bed tonight. We did Larry "Buddy" Rhoades funeral services today. I want to thank everyone who came out and helped serve and also to those who brought food. Once more, Hazel and here benevolence ministry did a beautiful job. Also, it was great to see both Larry and Jon's cell leaders and their respective cell members come out and support them. Its times like this where you really see the value of belonging to a small group.

Will be spending a few days this week getting ready for Gabe's grad party Saturday. His grad night is Friday and we have family coming in then as well. And, of course, Sunday is Missions Sunday which is always a big day too. So its going to be one busy weekend. Of course, camp meeting is next week and we have to go to Olivet at the end of the week for Gabe's freshman orientation. Crazy! By the end of next week, I will be feeling my age...45.

Everyone have a great Wednesday!

-Pastor