World News Through the Third Lens

REMAINS OF CHRISTIAN FILM-MAKER FOUND IN HAITI RUBBLE (Associated Press, Colorado Springs, Colorado 2/12/10)

The state department has confirmed that a body found in rubble from the earthquake in Haiti is that of David Hames, who had been working on a film project for the Christian children's ministry, Compassion International. Hames and colleague Dan Wooley were in the Hotel Montana when the earthquake hit Jan. 12. As the walls collapsed, Wooley made his way to an elevator shaft. He was rescued after spending 60 hours there. Family spokesperson, Melanie Dobson said, "We all know David loved Jesus, and we know that he is safe today, at home with our Heavenly Father. Now we will band together to care for his sweet wife and two adopted children.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE: My wife and I have been involved with Compassion International for years, sponsoring children. Years ago we sponsored a child in Haiti but the instability in the Haitian government at the time force Compassion to back out for a while. Our sponsorship was switched to a 9-year old girl in Dominican Republic, named Lara. It was our privilege to go on a mission trip to DR in 1991 and actually spend a day with our sponsored child. We continued to sponsor her until she was 18, at which time she went off to nursing school. Lara, wherever you are today, God bless you. Concerning Compassion's work, Scripture says: "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" (Matthew 19:14) Concerning David Hames untimely death, comfort is drawn from these inspired words: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15) And for David's friends and family: "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep [believers who die and whose souls are in heaven] or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus [the souls] of those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

PRELIMINARY ALL-TIME SEASONAL SNOWFALL RECORDS SET AT THE THREE MAJOR CLIMATE SITES IN THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON AREA...(watch.org 2/12/10): In 5 days the Washington, D.C. area had many cities in the 40-inch-plus-range with a few areas in the 50-inch range. These are staggering amounts that all but shut down the region for the past week and dramatically affected the lives and work for millions of people. Schools in the Washington area have been out since last Thursday. Neighborhoods are lined with huge piles of snow from Wednesday's 25-40 MPH winds leafing gigantic snowdrifts. The three major airports have been closed a couple of times in the past week; much of the federal government has been closed, and Congress has put off all votes until early next week.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE: Bill Koenig, of watch.org and Koenig's Eye View has been documenting for years how this country has been hit with natural disasters or financial disasters within days (sometimes hours) of every time the federal government does something to promote any of the following three: 1) abortion on demand, 2) gay rights, 3)Israel giving up land or other sovereign rights for peace. Well, the major Friday storm hit within 72 hours of Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullens, under pressure from President Barack Obama, said they were in favor of lifting the "don't ask, don't tell policy" pertaining to gays in the military. While Scripture makes it clear that from God's holy perspective, one sin is as bad as another, and that Jesus died for them all, the sin of homosexuality is of special concern because of the tendency of civilizations to legalize and normalize it. "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.....In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men...." (Romans 1:24-27) Concerning the land of Israel, God made covenant with Abraham and through him, all of his offspring (the Jews). "The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give to you as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you, and I will be your God." "I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse." (Genesis 17:8; 12:3)