Posted on 12/26/2006 10:11:17 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
Laura and I are greatly saddened by the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford.
President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country. On August 9, 1974, after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as Vice President, he assumed the Presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division. With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the Presidency.
The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our Nation's memory. On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to Betty Ford and all of President Ford's family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead.
So when did he pass away?
Earlier tonight.
A strong veto pen from here on out would be a fitting tribute to President Ford.
Will there be a state funeral for Pres Ford?
RIP President Ford.
I clicked on the picture and it goes to a normal size picture
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my miscellaneous ping list.
Revelation 14
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
You quoted Revelation 14:12-13. However, we have not arrived at that point in time yet. Just before that passage, it says --
Revelation 14:6-11
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
8 And another 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."
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
So, we have not seen those three angels -- (1) proclaiming the everlasting gospel to every person on this earth and warning that the time of judgement has now arrived, (2) proclaiming that Babylon has fallen, and (3) warning all to not take the mark of the beast.
And just prior to these verses, there was the sealing (and revealing) of the 144,000 Jews, which consists of 12,000 each from Israel's 12 named tribes. We have not seen that.
And immediately following this statement that you give, it's the time that Jesus spoke about, for the reaping of the harvest of the earth, at that time of judgement -- which is the *wrath of God* upon this earth (that specific time of the "Day of the Lord"), a terrible time of judgement of which there is no other time (or ever will be).
None of these events has happened yet, or have come about.
Revelation 14:15-20
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe."
19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
AND THEREFORE -- we are *not* to the point in time where it can be said -- "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."
We are *not* at that particular time yet. It is still future and does not pertain to this present time (at least not today, as I write this).
And if you are here on this earth, and you see that time, specifically, of Revelation 14:13, you will wish you had never been here to see that time personally -- on this earth.
It is prior to this time that the Rapture of the church will have taken place and those who are "in Christ" (either dead or living) are taken up to "be with the Lord forevermore". The wrath of God, which has been saved up from the beginning to now, is released upon this earth, in the many judgements which are released. It's not a pleasant time to be resident upon this earth.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Absolutely, and likely with services in Rancho Mirage, Washington, D.C. and Grand Rapids, MI, if he's to be buried there at his library.
That is up to the family. Those things are decided years in advance.
Hey, check this out. I have lightning and a thunder shower going on right now here in Chatsworth. It smells nice.
****
Prayers for the family.
Hiya Bob. I'm sorry I missed you last night. The 405 stories made me smile.
He was a quiet, good man but the country punished him for pardoning Nixon. He did the right thing.
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