More Evidence of the Last Days This Easter Season
Oh so much is happening during this Holy Week. On Monday a massive fire threatened to engulf the centuries old Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This ancient church is a symbol of Christianity not only in France but across Europe. The fire is still under investigation, but already there are conspiracy theories about how it started. Fortunately, many of the relics housed within Notre Dame were saved including what is purported to be the actual crown of thorns that Jesus wore as part of His Passion. The results of this investigation will certainly bear watching over the course of the next weeks and possibly months. Remember, France is already a nation under siege from its Muslim immigrants and from the Yellow Jacket protesters.
I read a couple of fascinating articles this past week concerning the world of medicine. The first is an article, written by Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman and published by The Jerusalem Post. It can be found at: www.jpost.com/israeli-scientists-print-worlds-first-3d-heart-with-human-tissue. The article was posted on April 15. "On Monday, a team of Tel Aviv University researchers revealed the heart, which was made using a patient's own cells and biological materials. Until now, scientists have successfully printed only simple tissues without blood vessels.
"'This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,' said Prof. Tal Dvir of TAU's School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, who led the research for the study. ...
"Heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States. In Israel, it is the second cause of death (after cancer) and in 2013 accounted for about 16% of the total number of deaths in Israel, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health. Heart transplantation is often the only treatment available to patients with end-stage heart failure. The waiting list for patients in the U.S. can be as much as six months or more. In Israel and the US, many patients die on the waiting list hoping for a chance of survival.
"'This heart is made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials. In our process these materials serve as the bioinks, substances made of sugars and proteins that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models,' Dvir explained. 'People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels. Our results demonstrate the potential of our approach for engineering personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future.' At this stage, the 3D heart produced at TAU is sized for a rabbit, but the professors said that larger human hearts could be produced using the same technology."
Wow! If the technology is there to reproduce a human heart, why not a human liver or a human kidney or a human brain? Could this create the possibilities that a person could continue living for an even longer time? Very interesting.
The second article was published by the Daily Mail on April 12. It was written by James Pero and can be found at: www.dailymail.com.uk/sciencetech/article-6916747/Scientists-say-our-brains-will-connect-to-computers. "Forward-leaning scientists and researchers say advancements in society's computers and biotechnology will go straight to our heads - literally. ... Using a combination of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other more traditional computing, researchers say humans will be able to seamlessly connect their brains to a cloud of computers to glean information from the internet in realtime." Here is what caught my attention: "The interfaces wouldn't just stop at linking humans and computers, say researchers. A network of brains could also help form what they call a 'global superbrain' that would allow for collective thought.'" Now that sounds like something right out of the Book of Revelation. Could this type of brain-control be the tool the Antichrist uses to control the population of the world? I just find this very fascinating. Just another indication to me that we are living in the last days.
Finally, I read an article written by Peter Heck and posted on the Olivetree Views website. The article is titled, "Don't be Shocked When Many 'Christians' Cheer the Criminalization of Christianity." The article focuses upon the reaction of students and alumni of Taylor University, a conservative Christian university located in eastern Indiana, to the announcement of the invitation to Vice President Pence to share the commencement address. Heck writes, "Keep in mind that Pence has been one of the most outspoken Christian public servants in recent decades. He makes no effort to hide his faith, acknowledging himself as, 'A Christian, a conservative, and a Republican...in that order.' Therefore, it is completely logical that a Christian institution would invite him to speak, in addition to the fact that he was a long-time Congressman from the Hoosier state, as well as its Governor, before ascending to the second highest office in the land."
You would have thought that the students and alumni would be celebrating. Instead, many have gone into a state of anger and mourning. Claire Hadley, who graduated from Taylor in 2015, wrote on her Facebook page: "'I have never been made to feel so physically ill by an email before. Taylor University, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I am physically shaking. The fact that the school who claims to love and support me, and each of it's [sic] students and alum, would invite such a vile individual to speak on the most important day of the year??'" Over 2,000 students and alumni have signed a petition that condemns this invitation.
Friends, I believe this is merely the beginning of what Jesus said would happen in the last days. Because of turning away from truth, people would believe deceptive words. This will cause a division within even the Church. Standing for truth today is not seeking to win some type of popularity contest. No, it will be difficult. Here is the question: Are you, am I, willing to take that stand? Certainly Vice President Pence is willing. It appears that the administration at Taylor University is willing. But it comes with a cost.
It was nearly 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ bore the burden of our sins to Calvary's cross. There He experienced all the worst that sin could possibly do. Yet, as death drew near, He cried out from that cross, "It is finished!" This was not the anguished cry of a victim, but the exultant cry of a Victor! And God placed the exclamation point upon that sacrifice three days later with that powerful announcement that "He is risen!" Friends, He did it all for you. He did it all for me. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
I read a couple of fascinating articles this past week concerning the world of medicine. The first is an article, written by Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman and published by The Jerusalem Post. It can be found at: www.jpost.com/israeli-scientists-print-worlds-first-3d-heart-with-human-tissue. The article was posted on April 15. "On Monday, a team of Tel Aviv University researchers revealed the heart, which was made using a patient's own cells and biological materials. Until now, scientists have successfully printed only simple tissues without blood vessels.
"'This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,' said Prof. Tal Dvir of TAU's School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, who led the research for the study. ...
"Heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States. In Israel, it is the second cause of death (after cancer) and in 2013 accounted for about 16% of the total number of deaths in Israel, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health. Heart transplantation is often the only treatment available to patients with end-stage heart failure. The waiting list for patients in the U.S. can be as much as six months or more. In Israel and the US, many patients die on the waiting list hoping for a chance of survival.
"'This heart is made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials. In our process these materials serve as the bioinks, substances made of sugars and proteins that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models,' Dvir explained. 'People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels. Our results demonstrate the potential of our approach for engineering personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future.' At this stage, the 3D heart produced at TAU is sized for a rabbit, but the professors said that larger human hearts could be produced using the same technology."
Wow! If the technology is there to reproduce a human heart, why not a human liver or a human kidney or a human brain? Could this create the possibilities that a person could continue living for an even longer time? Very interesting.
The second article was published by the Daily Mail on April 12. It was written by James Pero and can be found at: www.dailymail.com.uk/sciencetech/article-6916747/Scientists-say-our-brains-will-connect-to-computers. "Forward-leaning scientists and researchers say advancements in society's computers and biotechnology will go straight to our heads - literally. ... Using a combination of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other more traditional computing, researchers say humans will be able to seamlessly connect their brains to a cloud of computers to glean information from the internet in realtime." Here is what caught my attention: "The interfaces wouldn't just stop at linking humans and computers, say researchers. A network of brains could also help form what they call a 'global superbrain' that would allow for collective thought.'" Now that sounds like something right out of the Book of Revelation. Could this type of brain-control be the tool the Antichrist uses to control the population of the world? I just find this very fascinating. Just another indication to me that we are living in the last days.
Finally, I read an article written by Peter Heck and posted on the Olivetree Views website. The article is titled, "Don't be Shocked When Many 'Christians' Cheer the Criminalization of Christianity." The article focuses upon the reaction of students and alumni of Taylor University, a conservative Christian university located in eastern Indiana, to the announcement of the invitation to Vice President Pence to share the commencement address. Heck writes, "Keep in mind that Pence has been one of the most outspoken Christian public servants in recent decades. He makes no effort to hide his faith, acknowledging himself as, 'A Christian, a conservative, and a Republican...in that order.' Therefore, it is completely logical that a Christian institution would invite him to speak, in addition to the fact that he was a long-time Congressman from the Hoosier state, as well as its Governor, before ascending to the second highest office in the land."
You would have thought that the students and alumni would be celebrating. Instead, many have gone into a state of anger and mourning. Claire Hadley, who graduated from Taylor in 2015, wrote on her Facebook page: "'I have never been made to feel so physically ill by an email before. Taylor University, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I am physically shaking. The fact that the school who claims to love and support me, and each of it's [sic] students and alum, would invite such a vile individual to speak on the most important day of the year??'" Over 2,000 students and alumni have signed a petition that condemns this invitation.
Friends, I believe this is merely the beginning of what Jesus said would happen in the last days. Because of turning away from truth, people would believe deceptive words. This will cause a division within even the Church. Standing for truth today is not seeking to win some type of popularity contest. No, it will be difficult. Here is the question: Are you, am I, willing to take that stand? Certainly Vice President Pence is willing. It appears that the administration at Taylor University is willing. But it comes with a cost.
It was nearly 2,000 years ago that Jesus Christ bore the burden of our sins to Calvary's cross. There He experienced all the worst that sin could possibly do. Yet, as death drew near, He cried out from that cross, "It is finished!" This was not the anguished cry of a victim, but the exultant cry of a Victor! And God placed the exclamation point upon that sacrifice three days later with that powerful announcement that "He is risen!" Friends, He did it all for you. He did it all for me. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
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