Nuggets of insight in ‘Crescendo’

The rapid progress of the world in the last generation has given rise to widespread expectations that civilization is headed for some sort of climax.

Often the question is asked these days, “Is the end of the world at hand?”

While it is true that no one knows neither the day nor the hour of Christ’s return to earth, yet there are enough signs evident which cause one to strongly believe that the answer is yes. The advent of rapid transportation, fearful weapons of mass destruction and the population explosion have left the entire world in a state of uncertainty.

Many who are living today may witness one of history’s most dramatic events. One in every 25 verses in the New Testament includes a mention of the return of Christ in one form or another. On God’s clock, several dynamic world situations are preparations for events leading to Christ’s return to this world. We will look at just three of them.

The first is the return of Israel, to their land which God promised to them many times in the book of Genesis. There we are told that “… the Lord appeared to Abram and said, to your descendants I will give this land.” Many laughed at this prophecy because in 1900, only about 36,000 Jews lived there. By 1939 it had grown to 400,000. Dramatically, on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was proclaimed. Today there are over seven million Jews living in the land, just as God promised. This was the biggest movement of the nation since the Exodus from Egypt — over 3,500 years ago. This prophecy was fulfilled.

The second remarkable world event has been the rise of Russia to a place of international power and importance. At the end of the Second World War, Russia was a broken nation, with many cities destroyed. The rise of Russia is another factor in the contemporary situation in which the stage is being set for the final drama at the end of the age. In the book of Ezekiel, there are prophecies saying that after Israel is in their land again, a country to the north will invade Israel in the last days. Never has Israel been threatened by a country from the north. Russia is the only country north of Israel capable or likely to carry out this threat. The rise of Russia is another factor in the contemporary situation in which the stage is being set for the final drama at the end of the age. This prophecy is being fulfilled.

The third of these important developments and mind-boggling events is the development of a one-world government. The Bible predicts that after the second coming of Christ a world government will be in operation. Many today believe that world government is the only road to world peace. Never in history have so many people been willing to accept a world government as an alternative to nuclear warfare.

A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations, the United Nations was established on Oct.

Pope Francis has defrocked the Chilean priest at the centre of the global sex abuse scandal rocking his papacy, invoking his “supreme” authority to stiffen a sentence originally handed down 24, 1945. At its founding, the UN had 51-member states; there are now 193, nearly all the prominent nations in the world. Today, many believe that a one-world government is the only road to world peace. No world empire was possible in the past. The book of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible are believed by students of prophecy to describe the last days. Daniel informs us that in the last days a world ruler will “devour the whole earth”, and Revelation describes this world ruler as having “power over all kindreds and tongues and nation.”

The idea of the revived Roman Empire has been frequently scoffed at by those who called attention to the divisions in Europe which would make impossible the confederacy of nations. But since the Second World War, the remarkable development of the European Common Market and the banding together of principal European nations in an economic unity has brought a dramatic change in the total picture.

Today, many are predicting a United States of Europe in our generation. Watching the news about the EU will result in an understanding that this is a very real possibility. Today, the concept of a one-world government, for the first time in history, has seized the minds of millions of the masses on earth. Are the creation of the UN and the emergence of the EU the beginnings of a one world government, as prophesied in the Bible, further steps in the preparation for the last days following Christ’s return?

There are other similar prophecies such as the growing power of the Orient, formation of a one-world church and the trend toward apostasy in the professing church. It may be argued that none of these world developments taken alone proves anything. However, when considered together and seen in the context of the prophetic teaching of God’s Word, they contain an impressive list of events and situations which are undoubtedly major signs that the end of the present age may be very near.

These and multitudes of other prophetic fulfilments are among the strongest proofs of the accuracy, truthfulness and inspiration of the Bible. It is imperative that we make sure we are ready to meet our Maker by acknowledging our fallen spiritual condition. Paul correctly reminded us that, “There is none righteous, no not one” and that “All have sinned”.

Thankfully, Jesus stands ready with open arms to receive all who humbly seek forgiveness and accept the offer of a home in heaven someday. We all need to wake up and realize that God’s clock is ticking, and the hands on His clock are never a fraction of a second early or late. by a Vatican court in 2011.

In a statement Friday, the Vatican said Francis had laicized the 88-year-old Rev. Fernando Karadima, who was originally sanctioned to live a lifetime of “penance and prayer” for having sexually abused minors in the upscale Santiago parish he ran.

The Diocese of Charlottetown has announced the recent appointment of Lauren van Vliet as youth ministry co-ordinator and assistant to the UPEI campus minister.

Originally from Summerside, she has been away from the Island for a number of years. After graduating from UPEI, where she was a St. Dunstan’s University Scholarship recipient for four years, van Vliet then attended Regis College at the University of Toronto and completed a masters of divinity. Thereafter, she was employed by the Archdiocese of Regina working in youth ministry, at the parish level, for the past three years.

“We are pleased to have Lauren join our staff,” said Bishop Richard Grecco. “There are substantive elements of youth ministry already in place in our diocese, and I am confident that Lauren will bring new energy and ideas to help build and enhance these important areas of youth ministry.”

van Vliet will be responsible for helping co-ordinate youth ministry initiatives across the Island.

Jackie Hill-Perry began following Christ 10 years ago. And since that time, God has completed a powerful work in her life.

In 2014 she released her debut album, “The Art of Joy.” This year she released her follow-up project from Humble Beast Records, “Crescendo.” Produced by Thomas Terry, Hill-Perry’s primarily rap album is full of poetic language that I wouldn’t be able to follow at all without the help of a lyrics webpage.

Often, sadly, I found myself lost in the middle of Hill-Perry’s wordsmithing. Like a mediocre student in poetry class, I often floundered through the metaphors and language the she used in this project. But, like that poetry student, I found several nuggets of insight throughout “Crescendo” that compelled me to listen further.

The opening track, “Lamentations” includes this description: “I’m the last sheep, sleeping on Omega like the last Z/ I need

The 34th annual Women’s Retreat will be held at Mill River Experience, Woodstock, Oct. 26-28, with the theme, “Behold I Make All Things New” and Revelation 21:5 as the Scripture reference.

Keynote speaker Dawn MacLeod lives in Charlottetown and attends Sherwood Church of the Nazarene. She is honoured to serve the Lord in this capacity and looks forward to what He has in store for everyone.

Chaplain Sandra Hamel lives in Charlottetown and attends Calvary Church. One of her passions is for people to be strengthened in their faith through study of God’s word and grow in their walk with Him.

The Praise and Worship Team are Elaine MacLennan, Beverly Beck and Wendy Worth, who live in the Montague area and attend Church of Christ.

Their desire in leading worship is that all would experience God’s gentle touch as they focus on Him alone and become powerful and brilliant beacons

On a part-time basis, she will also be involved in providing assistance to campus ministry at the University of Prince Edward Island.

“I am happy to be home,” said van Vliet. “Both my formal studies at Regis College and my parish experience in the Archdiocese of Regina taught me a great deal. I am excited to apply what I have learned to helping youth ministry the shepherd, the staff, the valley/ The shadow to pass me/ The second Adam/ The Alpha/ And the pasture to grab me/ I need help”. The connection to the 23rd Psalm and to Jesus, our Shepherd, is beautiful.

As might be expected, the track I enjoyed the most was “Melodies”, a medley of traditional hymns that are beautifully performed by Jordan Welch. The a cappella melody makes the lyrics so profound and worshipful that the old hymns were completely compelling to me.

“Fall Away” is a heartbreaking ‘letter’ to a Christian who has wandered away. “I read the Scriptures with you, you even handled it right/ Saw the Christ in every text, said exegetical sight/

You knew the devil was a liar, what happened to you? .... You far away, you falling/ Lights faded out/ It’s dark but never too far from him/Come back to your first love”.

“Hymn” is not a hymn in the way many listeners may expect, but it is compelling. While I listened, I was struck with the honesty and insight of the lyrics. The second verse begins, “Why we gotta talk about him? Hmm, wrong question/ We ain’t gotta talk about him/ We get to talk for Christ.

A welcomed feature of the retreat is Sonshine Book and Gift Store operated by Corrine Peters. She will be there Friday evening and all day on Saturday.

Women are invited to come to spend the weekend drawing closer to the Lord through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, praise and worship unto in our diocese.”

On staff since Aug. 27, van Vliet has an office in the Diocesan Centre at 350 North River Rd., Charlottetown, as well as at the UPEI Chaplaincy. She can be contacted at 902-368-8005, ext. 231, or at youth@dioceseofcharlottetown. com. She is looking forward to hearing from those involved or interested in youth ministry across the diocese. about him/ We were made to make much of him/ ‘Tis so sweet to trust in him, a touching hymn/ When I’m bleeding, I wanna touch his hem/ Before the throne of God above, I was subject to be judged/ ‘Til Jesus paid it all and it was nothing but the blood/ Jesus blood was spilled in pain/ But he wasn’t killed in vain/ Cause all who trust in him lose all their guilty stains”.

In the interests of full disclosure, rap is not my favourite genre. However, there was much to appreciate in Jackie Hill-Perry’s sophomore project. “Crescendo” is a collection of well-written poems set to music and rhythm that tell of the grace of God and the great Saviour that we have in Christ.

If rap is not your thing, I would still encourage you to check out this young artist. Her insights are well worth sharing. And, if rap is your genre of choice, Hill-Perry’s latest project will inspire and encourage. our great God, prayer, personal prayer and meditation on God’s word, fellowship with other women and good old fun.

The registration mail-in deadline is Oct. 15.

For more information, contact Paulette at 902-394-2214 or Barbie at 902-894-4598. Come prepared and expecting to experience God’s presence.