AMAZING FACT: DEVOTION

The Smell of Prayer

AN AMAZING FACT: One of the three gifts offered to Jesus shortly after His birth was frankincense. It is a fragrant resin that grows in some of the world’s harshest places—Oman, Yemen, and Somalia. The spindly trees themselves are actually disappointing to behold. They are lowly, twisted, thorny things with fat prickly branches spreading out into small crinkly leaves.

Yet as soon as an incision is made into the silvery bark, brilliant drops of white resin ooze from the wound. These drops, known as luban, are left on the tree for two weeks to dry. Then the little pearls are gathered in the early morning. From Rome to India, frankincense was deemed one of the most prized substances in the civilized world. It was essential for a host of uses, ranging from religious to cosmetic to medicinal. Besides its lovely fragrance, frankincense is attributed with healing powers, which range from treatment of depression and irritability to ailments such as eczema.

The frankincense trade peaked in the Roman Empire in the first century. (Nero burned it by the ton at religious ceremonies.) To supply the copious need, this rare resin had to be carried overland via long and grueling journeys. Eventually, incense caravans grew in size to 3,000 camels in a single procession. Even today, satellite images reveal faint traces of these ancient caravan trails carved in the wilderness. The trade was so lucrative that Alexander the Great planned to invade Arabia in an effort to control and tax the roads, a plan thwarted only by his death.

For religious purposes, many great civilizations in the ancient world believed that prayers could only be carried to heaven in the smoke of sacred incense. It was also used in the sanctuary service to depict prayers rising before the God of Israel.

One of the most beautiful prayers in Scripture is found in Daniel 9:3–19. Read through this passage and make it your own prayer to the Lord. Let it rise like incense up to heaven, a sweet savor before God.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
- Revelation 8:4


Daniel 9:3-19
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.

8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.

13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!

16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
 
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Wandering Planets

AN AMAZING FACT: A rogue planet is a planetary object that has been moved from its system and is no longer bound by the gravitational forces of a star. Some astronomers actually believe there might be twice as many Jupiter-sized rogue planets as there are stars.
The concept and understanding of planets have developed throughout history and have expanded to include worlds not only in our solar system, but also in hundreds of other solar systems. Trying to define what a “planet” is has led to much scientific controversy.

The five classical planets visible to the naked eye have been known since ancient times. They have had a large impact on mythology, religious cosmology, and ancient astronomy. Thousands of years ago astronomers noticed how certain lights moved across the sky in relation to the other stars. Ancient Greeks called these lights “wandering stars.” The Greek word planetoi means “wanderers,” from which today’s word “planet” was derived.

In the short New Testament book of Jude, the writer warns of false teachers who were leading Christians astray. They might have preached about freedom and grace, but their lives showed that they didn’t really believe in Jesus Christ. They were immoral and destructive. Jude describes them like this: “They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 12, 13).

Perhaps the writer of Jude understood astronomy better than his fellow astronomers back then. Maybe his description of wandering stars (rogue planets) actually captures well these planetary objects not tied to an orbit around a star. We too can find ourselves as wandering stars when we try to exist in our own spheres of orbit. We would find more meaning and purpose in life if we allowed ourselves to be pulled in by the Spirit into an orbiting relationship with the Son of Righteousness.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
- Jude 1:24
 
A Gift Without Price

AN AMAZING FACT: “Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see no hope for future developments” (Julius Sextus Frontinus, A.D. 10). “Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons” (Popular Mechanics, 1949). “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers” (Thomas Watson, IBM, 1943). “The world potential market for copying machines is 5,000 at most” (IBM to Xerox, 1959).
Reading these obviously faulty predictions makes us smile—computers weigh in at 1.5 tons? There’s an iPhone available that weighs 4.8 ounces and can be used in many ways as a mini-computer. Technology has developed quickly and brilliantly so that developers of the past would not even comprehend the capabilities, software, and accessories today. Software and accessories? Cables and docks? Headsets? What are those?

What about the Bible? Is God’s Word more trustworthy than the rash statements above? Let’s talk about Jesus. Sometime before 500 B.C., the prophet Daniel proclaimed that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah would begin His public ministry 483 years after the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25, 26). He also predicted that the Messiah would be killed prior to a second destruction of Jerusalem. These prophecies were perfectly fulfilled in the life and death of Jesus.

Around A.D. 30, Jesus told His disciples they would be persecuted and hated because they followed Him. They, and millions of Christians after them, were grossly mistreated or lost their lives for serving the Lord.

Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go ... I will come again” (John 14:1–3). Jesus is coming! He said it; you can believe it. He will make an end of all of the woes of this sin-weary world. “‘Behold, I make all things new.’ … These words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:5).

There’s a perfect place reserved for you. It’s free. And you can know that it is true.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
- Hebrews 10:37
 
Eternal Buildings

AN AMAZING FACT: As one of the world’s oldest structures at 4,600 years, the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is the sole survivor of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is believed that a slave force of about 25,000 men and women built the colossal structure. It took 20 years to build, using approximately 2.3 million blocks with an average weight of 2.5 metric tons. The largest block weighs as much as 15 metric tons.
The pyramid currently stands at more than 450 feet high, but at one time stood as high as 480 feet—50 stories! It was the tallest manmade structure for more than 43 centuries—surpassed only in the 19th century.

In addition, the interior stones fit so well together that even a business card won’t fit between them. It’s engineering prowess was so advanced that even current technology can’t duplicate the structure. The pyramid’s core was constructed mostly of soft limestone, but the outer layer of the pyramid was crafted in a beautifully bright, protective layer of polished stone that made the structure durable against the elements. The casing stones, 144,000 in all, were so brilliant that when sunlight reflected off them, they could be seen from the mountains of Israel hundreds of miles away.

These outer “casing stones” are missing today because of a 13th century earthquake, which loosened them. Arabic looters, recognizing this great quarry of precut stones, carted these off to finish construction of palaces and mosques.

The great pyramid represents man’s best attempt to build an eternal dwelling on Earth, but even the pyramids are slowly crumbling. In contrast, Jesus promises to build eternal dwellings for His children in which we can abide forever.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
- John 14:2
 
No Orphans

AN AMAZING FACT: George Washington Carver was born to slave parents in Diamond Grove, Missouri. He was rescued from Confederate kidnappers as an infant.
Carver is perhaps the nation’s best-known African-American scientist. In the period between 1890 and 1910, the cotton crop had been devastated by the boll weevil. Carver advised farmers to cultivate peanuts, and before long, he developed more than 300 different peanut-based products—everything from milk to printer’s ink.

At Tuskegee, Carver developed a crop rotation method that alternated nitrate-producing legumes—such as peanuts and peas—with cotton, which depletes soil of its nutrients. Following Carver’s lead, southern farmers soon began planting peanuts one year and cotton the next. While many of the peanuts were used to feed livestock, large surpluses quickly developed. When he discovered that the sweet potato and the pecan also enriched depleted soils, Carver found almost 20 uses for these crops, including synthetic rubber and material for paving highways.

George Washington Carver was not left as an orphan. His slave owners loved him so much that they adopted him when his mother was carried away by kidnappers one dark night when he was a baby. They cared for him as their own. Carver grew up to be one of the greatest turn-of-the-century scientists in American history.

We live on a planet torn by war and sin. Jesus promised His disciples, before the crucifixion, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Carver longed to see his mother again, but that was not to be. We too have a longing to see our heavenly Father. We can be thankful that this longing will be fulfilled.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
- James 1:27
 
The Gentle Power of Rain

AN AMAZING FACT: A little cumulus cloud weighs about the same as 100 elephants, and a thunderstorm cloud can weigh as much as 200,000 elephants!
Did you know that within one second, approximately 16 million tons of water evaporate? And contrary to popular belief, as raindrops fall, they are not in the shape of a “teardrop.” As the size of the raindrop increases, they change from a spherical shape to a flat-bottomed disk shape, similar to a hamburger bun. Eventually, they can actually take the shape of a parachute before they split apart into two smaller droplets.

In awe of the Creator’s marvelous physical laws of nature, Job observes that He “binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it” (Job 26:8). Job knew that if this amount of water were carried in a sack common in his day, it would be ripped apart.

Imagine the effect if rain fell as if from a giant tub in the heavens. Because of their size and the way droplets are formed, however, raindrops can only reach a maximum of 22 miles per hour before they split into lighter drops. So when the rain falls, instead of destroying vegetation, it is evenly distributed in small droplets to refresh the grass, plants, and trees.

In the beautiful song of Moses, recorded in Deuteronomy 32, he illustrates the tenderness with which God instructs and teaches His precious people. “Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass” (v. 2). God knows that we are as tender grass (Isaiah 40:7). In His merciful dealings with us, He doesn’t send all His teaching to us at once. We would be overwhelmed! He knows just the right amount of instruction we can handle. Let’s just be sure that we are there to receive it every morning.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
- Isaiah 50:4
 
Pure Wine
AN AMAZING FACT: In 1869, Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, a physician and dentist by profession, successfully pasteurized Concord grape juice to produce an “unfermented sacramental wine” for fellow parishioners at his church in Vineland, New Jersey.
He was inspired to do this after a visitor became drunk and unruly following a communion service in which fermented wine was used. Since antiquity, there have been several methods of preserving wine from fermenting, but they always sacrificed much in the way of taste. Dr. Welch’s process preserved both. Today, Welch’s Grape Juice is an international food company.

Alcohol consumption is a national problem in America. It destroys people’s ability to think clearly and act properly. Tests show that after drinking three bottles of beer, there is an average of 13 percent net memory loss. After taking only small quantities of alcohol, trained typists were tested and their errors increased 40 percent. Only one ounce of alcohol increases the time required to make a decision by nearly 10 percent, hinders muscular reaction by 17 percent, and increases errors due to lack of attention by 35 to 60 percent.

Using the illustration of grapes, Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1, 2). When we do not abide in Christ, the fruit that we bear is permeated with sin. Like fermented grape juice, the results of a life without Jesus are impure, broken, and impaired. Unless we are connected to Christ, we will not bear good fruit. Unless we abide in Jesus, we will be cut off.

Spend time with the Lord every day. Press the Word against your heart. Talk to God in prayer. And let the pure spiritual “wine” flow, unfermented by sin, out of your life to bless others.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
- Isaiah 65:8
 
Persevere

AN AMAZING FACT: After being drafted, Desmond Doss’ refusal to bear arms gave his commanders fits, and his fellow soldiers often used the meek misfit as a punching bag. He believed his Christian faith forbade the taking of lives and promoted their saving. He always kept his Bible close by but refused to carry a weapon at his own peril. Yet as an infantry medic during World War II, Doss did as much as any great warrior to save the lives of his fellow men.
During a bloody assault in Okinawa in April 1945, private first-class Doss exhibited magnificent fortitude and unflinching bravery in the face of deadly conditions. He retrieved 75 wounded men off a rocky cliff while under constant enemy fire. Doss believed this feat was made possible only by the guiding and protective hand of God. Doss received many wounds during that battle, but he always tended to others before himself.

His reputation as a soldier propelled his name as a symbol for outstanding faith. While seriously wounded after jumping on a grenade to protect his fellow men, Doss dragged himself through the battlefield to treat wounded soldiers until he was rescued. Doss later discovered he’d lost his Bible during the conflict. However, the respect of his fellow soldiers had grown so profound that they searched the battlefield until they found the beloved Book of the private they had all once mocked.

For his heroic efforts and bravery, Doss received this country’s highest military honor. On Columbus Day in 1945, President Truman placed the Congressional Medal of Honor around Doss’ neck and said, “This is a greater honor for me than being president.” Doss is the only conscientious objector ever to receive the award.

Christ, in the same way, honors the church of Philadelphia. “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Revelation 3:8). And, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial” (v. 10). Praise God for protection to those who persevere in His name.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
- Romans 5:3
 
Secret Codes

AN AMAZING FACT: During the Pacific battles of World War II, the Japanese eavesdropped on U.S. Marine communications and managed to decipher the coded messages easily. In fact, Japanese cryptographers succeeded in breaking every U.S. code nearly as fast as it was developed. But there was one code they could never break.
The idea originated with Philip Johnston, an engineer and World War I veteran, who knew of the military’s need for an unbreakable code. He had been raised on a Navajo Reservation where his father had been a missionary. Navajo was virtually an unwritten language in 1942, with no alphabet or symbols, and was spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest.

Confident that few people in the world understood the complex syntax and tonal qualities of Navajo, Johnston suggested that the army use the language as the basis for code. After staging an impressive demonstration in which several Navajo friends transmitted English into Navajo and back to English, the Marines authorized an official program to develop and implement the code.

Twenty-nine Navajos fluent in their native tongue and English (some only 15-years-old) constructed and mastered the code, which they used to transmit crucial information in battles. More were trained later. Historians believe that the Navajo Code Talkers played a fundamental role in the U.S. victory in the Pacific.

A crisis in heaven once developed when no one could be found to open and look at a scroll. “‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it” (Revelation 5:1, 2).

“But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals’” (v. 5). Here was a message that needed to go to the world and nobody could “break the code” … except Christ. Jesus could reveal the message because He gave His life to save the world. That, in fact, is the message!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
- Acts 28:28
 
Your Personal Guide

AN AMAZING FACT: As far back as the 15th century, the Venetian Republic hired and paid local mountaineers to accompany mapmakers through the Dolimites mountain range in an effort to trace the Austrian-Venetian border. Later, in 1865, Austria officially authorized the discipline of Alpine Guide. These first explorers were often accompanied by local mountaingoat hunters, traditionally the true experts of the steep and dangerous mountain routes, and together can be considered the forefathers of the modern mountain guide.
Mountain guides are trained and experienced mountaineers. They are professionals with a passion for the mountains. These experts have skills in climbing, hiking, and skiing. They have practical knowledge about rocks, avalanches, weather, navigation, snow, and health. Their main goal is your safety when climbing.

Certification for most guides is through the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. It requires a vigorous examination of three main areas: rock climbing, alpine climbing, and mountaineering skiing. It can take up to seven years to complete certification requirements. Other qualities that mountain guides can provide clients include a good knowledge of the route, weather, and snow and glacier conditions. They are prepared for emergencies and have equipment and knowledge to care for you and evacuate you from danger. Some have access to limited-use locations for hikers who want to explore new places.

On our journey to heaven, we will meet great difficulties. We are assured of trials and have been warned of an enemy who wants to pull us off course, attack us, or simply confuse our sense of direction. But we can be thankful for a promise made by Jesus to His disciples before returning to heaven. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:13). We can have peace knowing that God has sent each of us a personal guide in Jesus.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
- Psalms 23:4
 
Never Hungry

AN AMAZING FACT: When Napoleon’s armies invaded Europe, his general soon realized that an “army marches on its stomach” and that foraging for food was wasting time. But when the armies tried to carry their food with them, it spoiled. So in 1795, the French government offered a prize of 12,000 francs to any Frenchman who could find a way to preserve food. It wasn’t until 1809 that a French confectioner named Nicholas Appert claimed the money.
After almost 15 years of experimenting, Appert placed peas and carrots into wine bottles, cooked them at a high temperature, and then sealed the glass with a cork. The food remained edible after standing many days, and thus was discovered the basic principle of modern canning. Food preservation techniques have become so sophisticated that perishables can be preserved and remain edible for centuries!

Appert has been called the “father of canning” because of his invention of airtight food preservation. Later in 1810 a British inventor and merchant, Peter Durand, patented his own method of preserving food in a tin can. However, mass-producing canned food did not happen until the 20th century because of the difficulty of opening the cans with a hammer and chisel. Not until someone invented a can opener did it really take off!

Do you know what the most perishable food in history is? “And Moses said, ‘Let no one leave any of it till morning.’ Notwithstanding, they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted” (Exodus 16:19–21).

We can be certain of one thing about food. Someday we will never have to worry about it spoiling. There will be plenty for us to enjoy in heaven. “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16). God will supply our daily bread.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
- Psalms 107:9
 
From Sea to Sea

AN AMAZING FACT: Born in the Chinese province of Yunnan in 1371, Ma Sanpao (Cheng Ho) was captured and sent to serve in the army under Chu Ti in 1382. There he helped Chu Ti become Emperor Yonglo of the Ming Dynasty. To reward his work, Ma was made Grand Imperial Eunuch—and his name was changed to Zheng He.
Yonglo chose Zheng to head a series of naval expeditions to ports all over the Indian Ocean. Zheng had diplomatic, scientific, and commercial goals while traveling farther than any other admiral in history. He visited more than 35 countries, utilizing more than 100 ships and nearly 28,000 men in his Grand Fleet. The largest vessels were 444-foot treasure ships!

The fleet visited southern Asia in the first voyage, and by the seventh and last voyage, Zheng had been to east Africa, the Persian Gulf, Egypt, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Almost 30 countries sent envoys back to China to give homage to the emperor, and each nation welcomed Zheng and traded for Chinese goods.

Zheng’s voyages not only established Chinese trade routes throughout Asia and Africa, but also established China as the dominant world power. China was far more technologically advanced than any other culture, and no European force could have successfully challenged its authority.

Emperor Yonglo died in 1424, ending all naval expeditions until 1431. Between two and five years after Yonglo’s death, Cheng Ho himself died during a trip home from India, ending the seventh and final voyage of the Grand Fleet. China eventually banned all naval expeditions indefinitely. Future emperors practiced strict isolationism and burned all records of Cheng Ho’s voyages. Chinese influence in the world ended, which opened the door for the rise of European superpowers.

The successful travels of Cheng Ho stand in contrast to a search that will take place on the day of the Lord. Someday people will seek God’s Word but will not find it. “They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it” (Amos 8:12). Are you searching for God’s Word today?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
- 1 Samuel 3:1
 
Born Again!

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST

An Amazing Fact: Tucked inside the microscopic nucleus of every cell in our bodies is a six-foot long strand of protein molecules, called DNA. The information contained within makes it possible for each parent to contribute one-and-a-half billion bits of genetic information to each of their offspring!


The DNA itself resembles a long, narrow, spiral ladder of pliable material. Before a cell is able to divide, the DNA must be “duplicated” so that each cell will have an original copy of the genetic code. As replication begins, an enzyme unwinds the spiral DNA ladder. Next, a protein molecule holds the two strands apart while another enzyme rapidly “transcribes” genetic code to RNA molecules. The code is then “proofread” and instantly corrected if an error is found. All of this happens in a matter of seconds! Finally, the RNA molecules exit the nucleus to begin communicating the genetic code to new cells.

As the RNA molecule takes critical information from the DNA and communicates it to the body, so Christ took the message of His Father’s love from the “nucleus” of heaven and communicated it to our planet. “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me” (John 17:8).

And now it is Christ’s desire that we do the work of the RNA! “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

While we cannot help what genetic heritage we have been given from our parents, we can accept God’s offer to be our Father and choose to be “born again.” Let us bring joy to the Father’s heart today, replicating the peace of heaven, by letting Christ transcribe the genetic code of heaven into our hearts!

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
- John 17:25

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
- John 17:26
 
Warning Cry

AN AMAZING FACT: At midnight, March 12, 1928, one of the worst catastrophes in Californian history occurred: The St. Francis Dam broke. Twelve billion gallons of water washed down the San Francisquito Canyon, killing hundreds in its path.
The official body count was 450 dead, but the actual number was substantially higher, since San Francisquito Canyon was home to hundreds of transient farm workers who were never counted. This would likely have brought the death toll to higher than the famous 1906 San Francisco quake.

The dam broke just under two years after its completion. More than 900 buildings and $13 million in property were destroyed in the resulting flood. But the greatest tragedy of this disaster was that no one needed to perish!

There was ample warning time on the morning it broke. A worker at the dam saw water leaking through the dam wall. He warned his boss, William Mulholland, about this danger. After looking at the dam, Mulholland, who also designed the structure, decided that there was no cause for concern. But that night, the dam broke, sending a wall of water as high as 140 feet down the canyon through Saugus, Fillmore, Santa Paula, and finally the Pacific Ocean. It traveled 54 miles in 5.5 hours, destroying everything in its path.

Another disaster loomed over the city of Nineveh. God called Jonah to warn the people, but the reluctant prophet ran the other direction. Through some unusual turn of events, Jonah finally carried out his duty and saved a large city of people who might have perished.

We also have been given a message of warning to give to the world. It is found in Revelation 14. Will we ignore the warning signs? Will we run like Jonah or respond like Mulholland saying, “There is no cause for concern”? Let us be sober and responsible and do our part to warn our friends of impending disaster.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
- Revelation 14:6

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
- Revelation 14:7
 
Taking Measure

Posted: 14 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST

An Amazing Fact: The canal across the Isthmus of Panama in Central America is one of the greatest engineering marvels of the past 1,000 years. In 1513, Vasco de Balboa’s discovery of the Pacific coast of Panama soon had merchants and empire-builders dreaming of a shortcut that would enable ships to sail westward from the Atlantic to the Pacific without making the grueling, 12,000-mile journey around the tip of South America.


Over the next 200 years, visionaries ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Simon Bolivar advocated the digging of a channel. The Panama Canal was finally completed by the United States under Teddy Roosevelt from 1904 to 1914. At that time, it was the largest and most complex project of its kind ever undertaken, employing tens of thousands of workers and costing $350 million. The 50-mile canal handles a large volume of the world’s shipping.

The canal consists of artificially created lakes, channels, and a series of locks, or water-filled chambers, that raise and lower ships 85 feet through the mountainous terrain of central Panama. Battleships of the world’s navies are built to squeeze through the small 80-year old locks. The canal’s 12 locks, three sets of double locks at each end, have the same dimensions: 110-feet wide by 1,000-feet long, with gates at each end. Because of the “S” shape of the Isthmus of Panama, a ship sailing through the canal will actually travel west to east to go east to west.

Creating the Panama Canal required sophisticated measurements that were limited at the turn of the century. John the Revelator was asked in vision to take measurements, not of a canal, but of “the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there” (Revelation 11:1). Why would John be asked to conduct these measurements? Like in Ezekiel’s vision, the restoration of God’s work was marked by taking careful measure. Have you measured your own heart to see where you stand with Him?

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
- Psalms 139:23

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
- Psalms 139:24
 
No More War!

Posted: 15 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST

An Amazing Fact: At midnight, March 12, 1928, one of the worst catastrophes in Californian history occurred: The St. Francis Dam broke. Twelve billion gallons of water washed down the San Francisquito Canyon, killing hundreds in its path.


On one cold September day in 1944, a prisoner of war (POW) hunched over a recently arrived Red Cross package and ravenously ate its remaining food. Then from the dim light of the window, he saw the special Monopoly game he had been briefed on when he was deployed. His hands shook as he opened the game.

To help prisoners escape, the British military requested that the makers of the game add a few “secret goodies” that could then be airdropped by the Red Cross into POW camps. Hidden ingeniously inside the little dog-playing piece was a magnetic compass. Breaking open a little wooden red hotel, the soldier found a tiny silk map of his region, detailing the location of his POW camp and where he could expect to find help. Tucked under the fake money were real French, German, and Italian currencies! It was what he needed to make the escape!

Each of us is trapped in the POW camp of “sin,” but all heaven is working on our behalf to set us free! Someday soon, sin and wars will cease. Isaiah speaks eloquently of this time in chapter 14: “And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, ‘How hath the oppressor ceased! The golden city ceased! … The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet’” (vs. 3, 4, 7).

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
- Micah 4:3
 
Rivers of Oil

AN AMAZING FACT: Since it first open in 1977, the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) has moved 16 billion barrels of oil from the North Slope of Alaska to the northern most ice-free port in Valdez, Alaska.
TAPS, also called “Alyeska Pipeline” or simply “The Pipeline,” travels more than 800 miles over extremely cold and difficult terrain. Special construction techniques were invented to deal with issues like permafrost. Crude oil travels through 11 pump stations over the world’s largest pipeline system. The actual pipe is 48 inches in diameter and begins in Prudhoe Bay, where oil was discovered in 1968. Environmental, legal, and political debates prevented immediate work on the project, but the oil crisis of the early 1970s changed all that.

It cost $8 billion to build TAPS. More than half of the pipe is above ground. It crosses about 800 streams and rivers and is actually built in a zigzag pattern to accommodate expansion and contraction. Around 88,000 barrels of oil go through the pipeline an hour. It takes four-and-a-half days for oil to travel the entire length. Workers are stationed all along the pipeline to oversee its function. Over 20,000 tankers have moved oil out of Valdez since the pipeline opened. This river of oil boosted the economy of Alaska and created several “boom” towns, especially during construction.

Micah, the Old Testament prophet who was a contemporary of Isaiah, was a creative writer. He asked God’s people, “With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil?” (Micah 6:6, 7). Would all the oil from TAPS make God happy? Obviously not.

Think about Micah’s response to his rhetorical question as you walk through your day. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God” (v. 8).
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
- Matthew 9:13
 
Babylon Is Fallen

AN AMAZING FACT: Ancient Babylon reached its greatest glory during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar (604–562 B.C.) and was probably the largest city of antiquity. Babylon was an immense square, totaling 15 miles on each side, with Marduk’s temple and the Tower of Babylon at its center. It was divided into two equal parts by the Euphrates running under the walls, which also served to irrigate and air condition the entire metropolis.
Babylon had 25 avenues, 150 feet wide, which ran across the city from north to south. The same number of roads crossed them at right angles from east to west, making a total of 676 great blocks, each nearly three-quarter square miles. Nebuchadnezzar also built massive fortifications with thick walls that measured from 67 feet at the base to 54 feet at the top; four chariots could race side by side on the top of the walls.

Not only was ancient Babylon big, it was beautiful! The public buildings were faced with bright glazed bricks in different colors. The outer walls of the city were yellow, the gates blue, the palaces rose-red, and the temples white. All this, plus the famous hanging gardens, gave this metropolis a splendor that was unequaled by any other earthly city.

Yet God prophesied that ancient Babylon would be destroyed and never be rebuilt. (See Revelation 18:8.). A special message is also given about Babylon in Revelation 14. “And another [second] angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication’” (Revelation 14:8).

Babylon represents an organization that proclaims to be on God’s side but is actually just the opposite. It’s beauty and luxury fool people into thinking there must be truth found here. But it is a counterfeit of the real gospel of faith. This symbolic city stands behind all that opposes God throughout all human history.

Don’t be fooled by what looks good on the outside. Truth that changes the heart is found deep in God’s Word.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
- Revelation 18:4
 
Waiting for the Master

AN AMAZING FACT: For nine years after his master’s death, a dog named Hachiko daily watched for his master’s return at the train station where he had last seen him. Precisely when the train was due, the faithful dog would arrive. Disappointed each time, he never ceased watching until the day he died.
It was a wintry day in Japan when Professor Ueno brought home a three-month-old Akita puppy named Hachiko. Every morning Hachiko would follow the professor to the train station, and every afternoon, just before 3:00, he would return to eagerly greet his master as he returned from work.

The dog was only a year-and-a-half old when, one afternoon, he did not see his master among the passengers leaving the train. Professor Ueno had suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage that day while giving a lecture. Disappointed, Hachiko returned again the next day, precisely at the time he had come to expect his master’s return. Day after day, the poor dog faithfully returned to the train station, watching for his beloved master. Time would not erode Hachiko’s loyalty and hope that he would again see his master’s face.

Our Master has instructed us to watch and be ready for His return. Are we watching with the earnestness and faith of Hachiko? Or does time weaken our certainty in Jesus’ soon return? Unlike Hachiko, who waited in vain, we have the promise, “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). With this assurance, let us increase our diligence to watch, pray, and work in this fast-closing window of time before Jesus ceases His intercession for mankind.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
- Luke 12:45

The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
- Luke 12:46
 
Fool’s Gold

AN AMAZING FACT: Gold coinage is composed of 90 parts gold to 10 parts silver. But counterfeit gold, or “fools gold,” is made of iron pyrite, which is a mineral composed of iron sulfide. The mineral is brass yellow or opaque and has a metallic luster. The resemblance of pyrite to gold caused many prospectors to mistake it for gold. However, it is easily distinguished by its unusual brittleness.
Iron pyrite was used in ancient Rome to create sparks when struck with steel. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was used as a source of ignition in firearms. The name “pyrite” comes from the Greek word “pur,” which means “fire.” Some pyrite has a brass color and has been nicknamed “brass,” “brazzle,” or “Brazil.”

Zephaniah, an Old Testament prophet, warned the people of Judah in the days of Josiah that the great day of the Lord would come upon them. They said, “The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil” (Zephaniah1:12). But the prophet answered, “Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy” (v. 18).

The prophet’s message was not intended to lead them to despair but to wake them up and call them to repentance. They carried around with them a belief that “nothing is going to happen, don’t worry, this too shall pass.” Like fool’s gold in their pockets, they assumed they were secure in their false riches. But the destruction of Jerusalem came like the flood and swept everyone away.

Today we also can be fooled in spiritual truth. Millions of people are toting around heavy bags bulging with fool’s gold. They rejoice that they have discovered that which will make them rich, but though it sparkles on the outside it will be discovered useless at the bank of heaven. Make sure you have the real thing!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
- Ephesians 2:8
 
Out of Place

AN AMAZING FACT: The Catacombs of Paris are some of the more macabre tourist attractions in Paris. They reopened to the public after a $400,000 facelift and contain the bones of six million Parisians. Curious tourists descend via a narrow spiral staircase into the underground passages, where pile upon pile of shin bones lie in neat rows punctuated by a pattern of skulls. The gruesome attraction draws 160,000 visitors a year.
The tunnels were originally stone mines but later became underground burial chambers when the cemeteries of Paris became overcrowded in the 18th century. Bones were dug up and stored underground.

Some 190 miles of passageways wind their way under the capital city, creating a network of tunnels twice as long as those of the Paris underground metro system. Only one mile of catacombs is open to the public. An intercom system was added to ensure visitors do not get lost, which should spare anyone else the fate of a hospital worker who decided to explore the tunnels alone during the French Revolution. His skeleton was found 11 years later!

Superstitious visitors are often unnerved by the thought that spirits of the dead will haunt them for gawking at their remains. On the other hand, Nestor Valence, who worked in the subterranean warren for eight years rearranging bones that fell out of place, says he had grown used to the grisly nature of his job. “Touching bones doesn’t bother me anymore,” he says. “When you start, it’s a bit weird, but it becomes part of the routine.”

A visit to Jesus’ tomb by Mary Magdalene surprised her, not because she was afraid of a dead body, but because her Lord was not there! Christ had risen from the dead. “Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him’” (John 20:2).

Christ had not moved as a dead person. His bones hadn’t “fallen out of place,” needing to be rearranged. Jesus was alive! Praise God, for it means our salvation is secure in Christ’s hands.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
- John 20:9
 
God’s Treasury

AN AMAZING FACT: A single snowstorm can drop 40 million tons of snow and carry the energy equivalent to 120 atom bombs!
On March 11, 1888, a light rain began to fall on New York City. As the rain increased in intensity, temperatures began to plummet. Gradually the torrential rains changed to heavy snow, and shortly after midnight, the historic storm known as the “Great White Hurricane” had begun in earnest.

For a day and a half, the blizzard raged with sustained winds of more than 45 miles per hour. Houses disappeared under drifting mountains of snow that towered 50 feet high. Smothered under the merciless drifts, New York City went into survival mode. In a desperate attempt to keep passenger trains moving, crews were organized to patrol the tracks with brooms and pails of salt water. But even as they worked, the salt water froze in their pails. When the storm at last abated, it left a trail of destruction that took months to recover from.

In the book of Job, God asks many questions designed to make His faithful servant consider His Sovereignty. When trials follow one after another, it can be easy to lose sight of God’s power and ability to sustain us as we attempt to go into survival mode without Him. But let us remember that the God who has snow and hail at His command has many other means to relieve us as well!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
- Job 38:22
 
Word Wonders

AN AMAZING FACT: Scientists say that sound waves set in motion by our voices go on an endless journey through space. If we had the power to stand on some distant planet long years afterward, with instruments delicate enough, we might be able to find those sounds again and recreate the words we spoke here on Earth.
What is sound? Technically it is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through either liquid, solid, or gas. It is made up of different frequencies within the range of hearing. And, of course, it needs to be loud enough to be heard by the organs of hearing. That range for humans is between 20Hz to 20,000Hz. Dogs can hear things above the human’s upper range but are deaf to sounds below 40Hz.

Repeated studies show that the ear is superior to the eye and people remember more from words they hear than words they see. In fact, the mind is able to understand a spoken word in 140 milliseconds, while it takes 180 milliseconds to understand the printed word! Why? Psychologists believe this 40-millisecond delay occurs while the brain translates the visual data into aural sounds it can understand.

The Old Testament book of Haggai, the second smallest book in that testament, was a call to God’s people who returned from Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple. It is interesting that the most repeated phrase in this entire book is, “Thus says the Lord.” More than 25 times in only two chapters, Haggai makes it abundantly clear that his message comes from God. Haggai brings the “word” of the Lord to the people with emphasis. He speaks with divine authority on behalf of God.

Do you speak God’s words? Do you say things that you would like to resound throughout all eternity? It’s something to stop talking about and wrap your mind around!
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
- 1 Peter 1:24
 
AF Daily Devotional - Big Eyes, Small Brain

An Amazing Fact: Ostriches once flourished throughout Africa; the majority now live in protected reserves on the continent’s east coast. Male African ostriches grow as high as nine feet tall and can weigh a hefty 345 pounds—making them the tallest and heaviest of all living birds.


Ostriches live in family groups consisting of one male and several hens. During breeding season, each hen lays between two and 11 creamy white eggs in a communal nest, which is a hollowed-out crater in the ground about 10 feet across. Eventually, these nests can contain up to 50 eggs each, but only about 20 can be successfully incubated. The eggs of the ostrich are the largest of any bird, measuring from six to eight inches long and weighing between two and four pounds. (The record is over five pounds!) An ostrich egg has the volume of about 24 chicken eggs, and though the shell is only 1.5 millimeters thick, it can hold the weight of a grown man.

They are not the smartest birds, yet the notion that they bury their heads in the sand is actually a myth. Sadly, these tallest, fastest, and biggest of birds also cannot fly, so they are easily farmed throughout the world for meat, feathers, and leather.

God teaches Job that He is Creator over all things, including the ostrich. The description given is all too accurate: “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork’s?” (Job 39:13). God decided that the ostrich would not fly and would lay her eggs on the ground. He also decided just how smart to make this bird: “Because God deprived her of wisdom, And did not endow her with understanding” (v. 17).

Interestingly, the Bible also teaches us that the greatest of the angels had his wings clipped because his eyes were too big. So let’s be sure to remain humble with all the talents that God has given us.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
- Ezekiel 28:2
 
A Love That Will Not Let You Go

An Amazing Fact: After her six little ducklings were swept into a storm drain in the United Kingdom, a mother mallard waddled two miles tracking her baby’s chirps from manhole to manhole.


Trapped in a dark tunnel in the city’s underground sewer system and floating at the mercy of the current, the tiny ducklings’ only hope was in their mother. Hearing their distressed chirps emanating from somewhere under the ground, the dedicated mother followed their cries. Her heroic journey led her across a busy intersection, countless roads, a metro train line, a housing estate, and two school playing fields. When her chicks suddenly came to a halt in a housing development, she waddled to a stop over a manhole cover. And there, for the next four hours, the faithful mother remained.

Peter Elliott first noticed the little duck at 6:00 AM when he left his home to go for a run. Surprised that she had not moved when he returned, he went over to see if she was injured. Seeing nothing wrong, he went to breakfast, only to see her still sitting there when he finished. It was only later, when his daughter took his two-year-old grandson to see the mallard, that they heard the ducklings’ little voices beneath the manhole cover.

Mr. Elliot quickly gathered some tools and, along with a neighbor, managed to remove the heavy cover. Peering down they saw six little ducklings paddling around in the drain. With a small fishing net, they lifted each little duck to safety and then released the reunited family in a nearby lake.

Just like that faithful mother duck, our heavenly Father will never forsake us. Though we might stray, His heart of love goes after us still. He is always there, seeking for every opportunity to be reunited with us. Even when His chosen people had broken His heart by their wayward course, He pleaded, “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds” (Zechariah 1:4). The sad record is that “they did not hear nor heed.” So today, for His sake, “if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). You are precious in His sight.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
- Zechariah 2:8
 
Fallen by the Sword

An Amazing Fact: From the Latin gladius, which means “sword,” gladiators were professional fighters who performed spectacles of armed combat in the amphitheaters of ancient Rome. The practice of armed slaves fighting to the death originated in central Italy and lasted for more than 700 years.


The first gladiator exhibition in Rome was in 264 B.C., when three pairs of gladiators fought as part of a funeral celebration. By 174 B.C., 37 pairs were participating. On one occasion, Julius Caesar ordered large-scale exhibitions with 300 pairs of combatants! But the largest contest of gladiators was ordered by the emperor Trajan as part of a victory celebration in A.D. 107. It included 5,000 pairs of fighters! It appears that as the years went by, each generation of leaders wanted something more horrific, violent, and perverted to keep the masses entertained.

Gladiators were typically male slaves, condemned criminals, prisoners of war, and sometimes Christians. Forced to become swordsmen, they were trained in schools called ludi, and special measures were taken to discipline them and prevent suicides. Occasionally, freedmen and Roman citizens entered the arena, as did the insane Emperor Commodus. The escaped gladiator Spartacus avenged his captivity by leading an army of slaves in an insurrection that terrorized southern Italy from 73 to 71 B.C.

Sir Edward Gibbon wrote in his classic The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire that the mad craze for pleasure and sports is one of the five reasons the empire fell. Is it possible that the world today is following the same yearning for carnal entertainment that lead to the fall of Rome?

Revelation tells us Babylon fell. It says the beast and the false prophet are to be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse” (Revelation 19:21).

On this day in which many remember the birth of Christ, let us remember Herod’s horrific murder of innocent children by the sword. The enemies of God’s people who killed with the sword will someday fall by the sword.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
- Matthew 26:52
 
No More Sea

AN AMAZING FACT: Although its average temperature is 39 degrees Fahrenheit, the top 10 feet of the ocean holds as much heat as our entire atmosphere.
Many unusual things also happen on the ocean floor. Chimneys spew sulfuric acid, and underwater volcanoes shoot out mud and methane. Water at 650 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt lead—bubbles up from underwater hot springs. Despite the scalding temperatures, however, these springs boast a profusion of life, from giant clams to 10-foot tall tubeworms.

The ocean also houses some astounding topography. At more than 40,000 miles long, the Mid-Oceanic Ridge is the longest continuous mountain chain known to exist in the universe. This chain runs through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Indian and Pacific and has peaks higher than those in the Alps. The ocean’s deepest point, known as the Challenger Deep, plummets to a depth of 6.86 miles. If Mount Everest was submerged in this trench, more than a mile of water would still cover it. Under such a volume of water, the pressure is a crushing eight tons per square inch —equivalent to one person trying to hold 50 jumbo jets!

As John surveyed the glories of the New Earth, he noticed something unique: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1).

Considering how much of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, it is not surprising that many associate the sea with separation. It divides friends and is often a barrier between us and those we love. Many people have stood on the shore and looked across those restless waves thinking with longing of someone far away. But in the Earth made new, there will be no more restless, murmuring waves and no more separation from those we love.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- Romans 8:35
 
Messengers on Horse

AN AMAZING FACT: The Pony Express transported mail 1,900 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, in only 10 days! Forty men, each riding 50 miles a day, dashed along the trail on 500 of the best horses the West could provide. Even though the express route was extremely hazardous, only one mail delivery is known to have been lost.
The Express is credited with helping to keep California in the Union by providing rapid communication between the two coasts. News of Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 and the outbreak of Civil War reached California via the Pony Express.

Stringent rules were followed to conserve weight. Clothing was light, saddles were small and thin, and no weapons were carried. Even the horses wore light shoes or none at all! Yet despite all the rigorous weight precautions, each rider carried a full-sized Bible! It was presented when a rider joined the unit, and he took it with him on his routes.

Horses have been important in many cultures for centuries in battle, transportation, and communication. In Zechariah’s prophecy of the day of the Lord, the horses of the enemies will be struck blind (Zechariah 12:4) and are later said to receive a plague (14:15). Yet in that final day when God will reign forever, it says, “‘HOLINESS TO THE LORD’ shall be engraved on the bells of the horses” (14:20).

God loves horses, and someday even these creatures will proclaim (by their apparel) that the Lord is righteous and holy. Like the Pony Express, perhaps you will be one of the joyful riders on a horse through the streets of the New Jerusalem proclaiming this wonderful message.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
- Ezekiel 39:20
 
The Reef of Heaven

AN AMAZING FACT: Eight degrees north of the equator in Micronesia, on the remote island of Pohnpei, can be found the haunting ruins of Nan Madol—known also as the Machu Pichu of the Pacific. On this jungle-clad island surrounded by beautiful coral reefs rests a lost city made of bizarre stone “logs.”
The ruins of this forgotten civilization are one of archaeology’s best-kept secrets and greatest mysteries. Nan Madol, which means “reef of heaven,” was abandoned centuries ago. The ruins cover nearly 150 acres in shallow tidal waters bordering the reef-protected jungle, and a labyrinth of stonewalled canals crisscrosses 92 small manmade islands.

Its major buildings are constructed of giant stone logs that are 18 feet long and several feet in diameter. These logs are made of volcanic basalt crystal and weigh up to two-and-a-half tons. They are stacked like cordwood to form walls up to 50 feet high and 18 feet thick.

The main structures resemble the ceremonial squares constructed by the Mayans and Aztecs. It would have required a large organized workforce and sophisticated culture to create this “Venice of the Pacific,” but this race of builders has vanished. The reasons for its construction, how the massive stone were transported, or why it was abandoned are all unknown. Even the natives now presently living on Pohnpei are equally mystified by Nan Madol.

In the book of Revelation, John describes a civilization that will last forever. A holy city will come down from heaven to the Earth and will be inhabited by God’s people for eternity. Immense and beautiful stones will be used in its construction. But one thing will be missing. Unlike Nan Madol, which had a temple, John says, “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22).

Will you choose to be part of this civilization?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
- Revelation 21:27
 
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