My life has been to seek the Absolute Truth of God; to help others find the real purpose of their lives... Attempt to make this or where ever I am; better for my having been there! Amen!
Almost every year, a large earthquake occurs somewhere in the world and captures the public's attention. Meanwhile, every day thousands of smaller tremors often go unnoticed by most people. Although we usually consider the ground to be solid and stable, the earth is, in fact, constantly shifting under our feet.
What causes earthquakes?
Earth's crust ranges from 3 to 45 miles deep (5 to 70 kilometers). The crust is a thin, hard shell that floats on the denser, hotter rock of the mantle. The crust is divided into several pieces known as tectonic plates that are constantly in motion, grinding past one another at boundaries known as faults.
As they slide past one another, the tectonic plates snag on rough patches of rock. They lock together like Velcro. However, even though the fault boundaries are locked together, the plates still move, pulling at the entangled sections. This pulling can further crack the Earth's crust, creating more faults near the plate boundaries.
An earthquake occurs when the pressure built up along a fault becomes stronger than the pressure holding the rocks together. Then the rocks on either side of the fault suddenly rip apart, sometimes at supersonic speeds. The two sides of the fault slide past one another, releasing the pent-up pressure. Energy from this separation radiates outward in all directions, including towards the surface, where it is felt as an earthquake. [The 10 Biggest Earthquakes in History]
Even though the tectonic plates slide at a regular rate over time, the way that faults release stored energy is different with each earthquake, said Shimon Wdowinski, a geophysicist at the University of Miami's Rosentiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences. "Every earthquake doesn't repeat exactly what happened before. Sometimes there is a big earthquakes, sometimes there are two or three together," he told Live Science. "There is no regularity."
A large earthquake is often followed by aftershocks, which are smaller quakes that result from the crust adjusting to the main shock. These aftershocks can help scientists target the origin of the main quake, but can create problems for those suffering its aftermath.
Tsunamis
If the earthquake occurs in the ocean, it can push up powerful waves, known as tsunamis. The sudden upward or downward movement of the seafloor during an earthquake creates large tsunami waves, similar to a child splashing in the bathtub. Earthquakes can also trigger tsunamis by unleashing underwater landslides, which also displace huge amounts of seawater.
In this photo taken by a tourist Eric Skitzi from England, tourists watch as tsunami waves hit the shore from a safe place inside Casuarina Beach Hotel resort in Penang, northwestern Malaysia around 1:00pm in local time (0500GMT) Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. The resort hotel lifeguards noticed waves were huge and sounded warning to all tourists around the hotel beach area to run to the safety area. The Malaysian government on Wednesday canceled New Year celebrations nationwide, urging people to pray this weekend that the country will be spared from future disasters such as the recent tsunamis that killed at least 65 Malaysians.
Credit: AP Photo/Eric Skitzi
Measuring earthquakes
An earthquake's size, or magnitude, depends on how large its parent fault is and how much it has slipped. Because these faults extend from the surface down to several miles deep, geologists can't simply visit the source to calculate these numbers. Instead, they rely on a tool known as a seismograph, which measures seismic waves, or vibrations, from an earthquake.
An earthquake's magnitude is ranked on the moment magnitude scale, not the Richter scale. The moment magnitude scale provides a better idea of the shaking and possible damage from earthquakes of all kinds around the world. [Related: Whatever Happened to the Richter Scale?]
Earthquakes with magnitudes less than 3 occur every day, and are generally not felt by people. A magnitude of 3 to 5 is considered minor, while a quake with a magnitude of 5 to 7 is moderate to strong. At the higher end, these quakes can be destructive to cities. Earthquakes from 7 to 8 are major; about 15 of these occur annually. Every year, at least one earthquake with a magnitude over 8 — a "great" quake — wreaks havoc. An earthquake with a magnitude of 10 has never been measured, but it would create widespread devastation. [Scary Scenario: Devastating Earthquake Visualized]
By using the readings from at least three seismographs, geologists can triangulate the origin of the earthquake. At the fault, that origin is called the hypocenter; on the surface, the epicenter.
Most of the major earthquakes strike on well-known fault lines. Californians, for instance, are unlikely to be shocked if they feel the ground shuddering beneath their feet. But a draft map released by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2014 reveals that 42 out of the 50 states have a moderate to high seismic hazard risk.
Almost every year, a large earthquake occurs somewhere in the world and captures the public's attention. Meanwhile, every day thousands of smaller tremors often go unnoticed by most people. Although we usually consider the ground to be solid and stable, the earth is, in fact, constantly shifting under our feet.
What causes earthquakes?
Earth's crust ranges from 3 to 45 miles deep (5 to 70 kilometers). The crust is a thin, hard shell that floats on the denser, hotter rock of the mantle. The crust is divided into several pieces known as tectonic plates that are constantly in motion, grinding past one another at boundaries known as faults.
As they slide past one another, the tectonic plates snag on rough patches of rock. They lock together like Velcro. However, even though the fault boundaries are locked together, the plates still move, pulling at the entangled sections. This pulling can further crack the Earth's crust, creating more faults near the plate boundaries.
An earthquake occurs when the pressure built up along a fault becomes stronger than the pressure holding the rocks together. Then the rocks on either side of the fault suddenly rip apart, sometimes at supersonic speeds. The two sides of the fault slide past one another, releasing the pent-up pressure. Energy from this separation radiates outward in all directions, including towards the surface, where it is felt as an earthquake. [The 10 Biggest Earthquakes in History]
Even though the tectonic plates slide at a regular rate over time, the way that faults release stored energy is different with each earthquake, said Shimon Wdowinski, a geophysicist at the University of Miami's Rosentiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences. "Every earthquake doesn't repeat exactly what happened before. Sometimes there is a big earthquakes, sometimes there are two or three together," he told Live Science. "There is no regularity."
A large earthquake is often followed by aftershocks, which are smaller quakes that result from the crust adjusting to the main shock. These aftershocks can help scientists target the origin of the main quake, but can create problems for those suffering its aftermath.
Tsunamis
If the earthquake occurs in the ocean, it can push up powerful waves, known as tsunamis. The sudden upward or downward movement of the seafloor during an earthquake creates large tsunami waves, similar to a child splashing in the bathtub. Earthquakes can also trigger tsunamis by unleashing underwater landslides, which also displace huge amounts of seawater.
In this photo taken by a tourist Eric Skitzi from England, tourists watch as tsunami waves hit the shore from a safe place inside Casuarina Beach Hotel resort in Penang, northwestern Malaysia around 1:00pm in local time (0500GMT) Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. The resort hotel lifeguards noticed waves were huge and sounded warning to all tourists around the hotel beach area to run to the safety area. The Malaysian government on Wednesday canceled New Year celebrations nationwide, urging people to pray this weekend that the country will be spared from future disasters such as the recent tsunamis that killed at least 65 Malaysians.
Credit: AP Photo/Eric Skitzi
Measuring earthquakes
An earthquake's size, or magnitude, depends on how large its parent fault is and how much it has slipped. Because these faults extend from the surface down to several miles deep, geologists can't simply visit the source to calculate these numbers. Instead, they rely on a tool known as a seismograph, which measures seismic waves, or vibrations, from an earthquake.
An earthquake's magnitude is ranked on the moment magnitude scale, not the Richter scale. The moment magnitude scale provides a better idea of the shaking and possible damage from earthquakes of all kinds around the world. [Related: Whatever Happened to the Richter Scale?]
Earthquakes with magnitudes less than 3 occur every day, and are generally not felt by people. A magnitude of 3 to 5 is considered minor, while a quake with a magnitude of 5 to 7 is moderate to strong. At the higher end, these quakes can be destructive to cities. Earthquakes from 7 to 8 are major; about 15 of these occur annually. Every year, at least one earthquake with a magnitude over 8 — a "great" quake — wreaks havoc. An earthquake with a magnitude of 10 has never been measured, but it would create widespread devastation. [Scary Scenario: Devastating Earthquake Visualized]
By using the readings from at least three seismographs, geologists can triangulate the origin of the earthquake. At the fault, that origin is called the hypocenter; on the surface, the epicenter.
Most of the major earthquakes strike on well-known fault lines. Californians, for instance, are unlikely to be shocked if they feel the ground shuddering beneath their feet. But a draft map released by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2014 reveals that 42 out of the 50 states have a moderate to high seismic hazard risk.
More than 100 years of earthquakes glow on a world map.
Credit: John Nelson, IDV Solutions.
Preparing for disaster
Scientists have not yet come up with a way to forecast earthquakes. Although animals are reputed to have a sixth sense when it comes to these vibrations, no research has confirmed it, much less determined how such predictions might occur. In many cases, animals are simply sensing the arrival of earthquake waves that go unnoticed by people.
However, scientists can identify locations that are likely to experience earthquakes in the future. For instance, along the tectonic plate boundary off the western shore of South America, researchers have mapped the location of historical earthquakes and found "seismic gaps" — zones with no recent large earthquake quakes. And indeed, scientists had forecast a major earthquake in a seismic gap near Maule, Chile, which was hit by a magnitude-8.8 temblor in 2010. "There have been some very successful forecasts based on the seismic gap theory," Wdowinski said.
Even without such forecasts, there are some basic things that can be done to prepare for an earthquake. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that all families everywhere should have an emergency kit in their home and car, and communicate with your loved ones a plan for any type of disaster (not just for earthquakes). Such preparation can make a difference not only physically, but also emotionally.
If you live in known earthquake territory, make sure your shelves are firmly attached to the walls, with heavy objects on lower shelves. Keep heavy objects away from beds and sitting areas, and fasten fixtures such as large televisions to the walls. Locate a safe place in each room, under a sturdy desk or table, where you can seek refuge from falling objects. Reinforced doorways can be a safe shelter, but most indoor doorways are not strong enough; a sturdy desk is likely to provide more protection, according to the U.S Geological Survey.
"Earthquakes don't kill, buildings kill," Wdowinski said.
If you are outside, get into an open area, away from structures or bridges. According to FEMA, many deaths in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside, only to be crushed by falling debris from collapsing structures. Remember that the shaking ground rarely causes injury or death; instead, it is the falling objects that result from the quake. If you are in a car, stop as soon as you are able, but stay inside the car. If you are at or near the beach, move quickly inland to avoid potential waves from tsunamis.
After an earthquake, proceed with caution. Remember that most earthquakes are generally followed by aftershocks. Keep an eye (and a nose) out for gas leaks. If you were inside during the quake, move outside. Listen for public service announcements; a battery-powered radio is ideal for your emergency kit.
Great San Francisco Fire and Earthquake - April 18, 1906
Credit: Records of the Office of the Chief Skinal Officer
Famous quakes
1811-1812 — Missouri. In the early 19th century, the New Madrid series of earthquakes rattled the central United States. No seismographs existed at the time, so researchers used historical eyewitness accounts to determine that the magnitudes of the quakes ranged between 7 and 8. Huge waves formed on the Mississippi, causing some portions of the river to appear to flow backward. 1906 — San Francisco, California, Magnitude: 8. About 3,000 people died from the earthquake, on the San Andreas Fault, and resulting fire. 1923 — Tokyo, Japan, Magnitude: 7.9. One of the world's most destructive earthquakes, more than 142,000 people died from collapsing buildings and the resulting firestorm. The quake also resulted in enormous tsunami waves. 1960 — Chile, Magnitude: 9.5. The largest earthquake ever recorded, the 1960 quake in Chile killed more than 1,600 people, with many of the deaths resulting from tsunamis. Waves reached 38 feet (11.5 meters) and carried debris as far as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) inland. 1970 — Peru, Magnitude: 7.9. Approximately 66,000 people died, many from collapsed buildings and a post-earthquake avalanche. 2004 — Indonesia, Magnitude: 9.1. The third largest earthquake in the world in this century, the quake killed more than 227,000 people. Powerful tsunami waves crisscrossed the Indian Ocean and ravaged 12 Asian countries. 2011 — Japan, Magnitude: 9.0. More than 15,000 people were killed when an earthquake in northern Japan triggered a giant tsunami. The tsunami also overwhelmed a nuclear reactor, creating new problems for people in the midst of destruction. [Japan Earthquake & Tsunami] Additional reporting by senior writer Becky Oskin Additional resources:
Matthew 6:1, 'Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.'
MATTHEW 6:1-4
The motive behind our gift is more important than the gift itself. Paul said if he gave all of his goods to feed the poor, or if he made the ultimate sacrifice of giving his own life for someone else, and yet was not motivated by love, his gift would profit him nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).
Many Christians give faithfully but never see the hundredfold return that the Lord promised because of wrong motives (Mk. 10:29-30). Paul said God loves a cheerful giver - not one who gives grudgingly or out of debt (2 Cor. 9:7).
Jesus gave us the key to purifying our motives in this same teaching. He said, 'But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does (Mt. 6:3). Giving in a manner in which you will not receive recognition for your gifts will guarantee that your motives are right and grant you the true joy that comes through selfless giving (Acts 20:24).
Ask the Lord to show you an opportunity today to give a kind word or a helping hand to someone who will not be able to repay you and others will never know about it. This could be a motorist in a traffic jam, a co-worker, a spouse, a child who won't even notice your kind deed, or any number of other people. Opportunities are all around us.
Luke 9:58 'And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'
MATTHEW 8:18-22; LUKE 9:51-62
This verse has often been used to support the misconception that Jesus and His disciples lived in poverty. {This is not the fact or the central message intended}However, in this instance, the fact that Jesus had nowhere to lay His head was because of persecution. The Samaritans, because of a religious prejudice, had just refused Him hospitality and a place to stay as He journeyed to Jerusalem. Persecution is part of the cost of living a Christian life. Jesus was communicating to this man that not having a place to stay at times was part of that cost.
There are many forms of persecution. Having your life threatened because of your faith in Jesus is one way you can be persecuted, but it is not the most damaging. History shows that the Church has always flourished under persecution with increased numbers and zeal. During intense, life-threatening persecution, people's priorities get straightened out and the Lord assumes His rightful place. This always works for our good, regardless of what our outward circumstances might be.
A far more deadly form of persecution is men simply speaking evil of you or separating you from their company. It's more deadly because it's more subtle. Many who would never directly deny the Lord will fall into self-pity or strife because of someone's criticism. This will render one just as ineffective as a negative reaction to having one's life threatened would.
It helps to recognize that it is not you that they are persecuting, but rather Christ in you. You are actually becoming a partaker of His sufferings and will share His rewards. With this in mind, we can actually shout and leap for joy in persecution!
'But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.'
LUKE 9:54-56
Jesus was constantly being accused of breaking the law of Moses. He taught differently than the law of Moses (Mt. 5:21-48), and now He rebukes His disciples for desiring to do what an Old Testament prophet did with God's blessing and power. However, Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.
Jesus came not to destroy men's lives but to save them (Jn. 3:16; 10:10).
'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them' (2 Cor. 5:19). Jesus was just in doing this because He bore our sins (Isa. 53:4-6) and the accompanying wrath of God (Mt. 27:46; Heb. 2:9). Jesus didn't reject God's judgment against sin; He bore it (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore, He was able to extend the grace and mercy of God to those who would have been doomed under the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39).
The Old Testament law was like a judge passing sentence upon sin. Jesus became our advocate (or lawyer). Even more than that, He became our substitute, bearing 'our sins in his own body on the tree' (1 Pet. 2:24).
He didn't destroy God's judgment; He fulfilled it in Himself, so that we could go free. This forever changed God's dealings with sinful man. In light of what Jesus has done in the New Covenant, we would be rebuked for trying to release God's wrath upon others as was done in the Old Covenant. Likewise, if Jesus would have been on the earth in His physical body, reconciling the world unto Himself in the days of Elijah, then Elijah would have been rebuked for his actions, as recorded in 2 Kings 1:9-15. There is a difference between Old Testament law and New Testament grace. 'For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ' (Jn. 1:17). Grow in grace.
Recent research can help us teach kids to practice the right way to reach their goals.
By Maryam Abdullah | May 24, 2019 According to a recent survey by the Society of Human Resource Management, 97 percent of employers say that reliability is a very or extremely important qualification for an entry-level job; it’s at the top of nearly everyone’s list. How do parents help their kids learn to be reliable—people whom others can trust to consistently do their best work?
One place to start is to teach kids the importance of practice. Kids practice to reach all kinds of goals—writing their names, dribbling a basketball, playing a song on the guitar. But they aren’t always motivated to practice, and they don’t always practice in the right way.
What is deliberate practice?
According to researcher Lauren Eskreis-Winkler and her colleagues, shallow practice is how most people study—they practice what they already know while they are only partly focused, which is not particularly effective. In contrast, they explain, deliberate practice has four principles:
Working on weaknesses: Rather than doing things that you already do well, deliberate practice focuses on the things that are hard for you. For example, you might replay the part of your trumpet solo with the hard high notes that you’ve been having trouble with, rather than the parts that you know well.
Full concentration: Deliberate practice is difficult when you face distractions that make it hard to stay on task, like noise, social media, or people nearby. Instead of writing an essay with your phone beside you while hanging out with your friends, you might go to a quiet library and tuck your phone in your backpack.
Feedback: Deliberate practice involves finding out what you got right and where you made mistakes by asking a teacher or coach or checking your work. For example, if you made mistakes on your long-division homework, you might review your work again and talk to your teacher about how you can solve those problems correctly in the future.
Repetition until mastery: Deliberate practice requires you to keep working on your weaknesses, stay on task, and get feedback until you master your specific goal.
How to motivate kids toward deliberate practice
How do you motivate kids to engage in deliberate practice, which tends to be more demanding than shallow practice?
In multiple experiments, Eskreis-Winkler and her colleagues studied American middle schoolers between fifth and seventh grade, as well as college undergraduates. They randomly assigned adolescents from multiple schools to two groups: One group learned typical study skills, and the other group learned the difference between shallow practice and deliberate practice using animated videos, prompts for reflection, and short writing activities.
In some of the videos, people shared their experiences with how hard deliberate practice is and some tips on how to handle the challenge:
Expect and be OK with failure: Famous people talked about how failure is a normal part of learning. They described having failed many times before they became successful and framed mistakes as a necessary part of deliberate practice that led them to their achievements.
Tolerate feeling frustrated and confused: A student told his life story, from growing up poor and having trouble learning in elementary school to graduating from MIT. He shared that you make a lot of mistakes as you work on your weaknesses, which can be frustrating and confusing, but it means you’re in the “stretch zone.” Rather than thinking it’s a bad sign and time to give up, this is actually the time to keep going. People can learn to tolerate their frustration more and more with practice.
Question your beliefs about talent: An actor, an athlete, and a musician talked about how practice led them to be successful in their different life goals—and none of them mentioned talent. People mistakenly think that talent is the most important factor because they don’t see all the hours of practice that go into people’s final performances—like an actor taking days to memorize lines, a swimmer waking up at dawn for months to practice the butterfly stroke, or a novelist writing for years to complete a manuscript.
To solidify this lesson, the researchers showed adolescents anonymous quotes from other students that described their practice habits and preferences. For example, one quote said, “I thought the kids who were good at fractions were just smarter than me. But in the past couple of months, I realized that by doing deep practice, I could get just as many fraction problems right as they could. When I work hard and do deep practice on my fractions homework, I come to class being able to answer just as many problems as the other kids.”
Finally, the researchers asked the adolescents to write a short letter to other students who didn’t know about deliberate practice to communicate the significance of what they had learned. (The researchers explain that “one of the most effective ways to persuade a participant of a message is to have the participant advocate the message to others.” Research shows that this “saying-is-believing” effect influences their later memory and impression of the topic.)
The researchers found that these brief lessons motivated adolescents to engage in deliberate practice on math problems and improved their achievement in math, course grades, and GPA after one academic quarter.
If you want your kids to tap into these benefits, tell and show them how much you practice to work on goals, how you experience failure on an everyday basis, and how you tolerate frustration and confusion. Remind your kids about how their favorite soccer players or swimmers work with their coaches to get feedback. Encourage your children to talk to their siblings, cousins, or friends about how they use deliberate practice to prepare for their tap dance performance so that they can reap the benefits of the “saying-is-believing” effect.
Besides helping kids cope with how hard deliberate practice feels in the present, another way to motivate them is to encourage good feelings about their desired future—according to a study on how deliberate practice develops in children.
Melissa Brinums and her colleagues studied 120 Australian four to seven year olds. First, the researchers showed the children three games that they could play: golf, ring toss, or cup-and-ball. Then, they were told that they would later be tested on a target game (say, golf) and could win one sticker each time they scored.
The researchers randomly assigned the children to two groups. Before leaving the room for a few minutes, they told one group, “If you like, you can use this time to prepare for the test.” They told the other group, “If you like, you can use this time to play with any of the games.” When they returned, they asked the children which game they played the most, why, and what they could do to get better at the games.
The researchers measured how much deliberate practice children engaged in based on which game they chose to play first and how long they played the target game. They also used the children’s replies to their questions to gauge their understanding of practice. The kids earned a higher score if they talked about practicing, improving, or being persistent than if they talked about fun or luck or couldn’t answer the questions.
The results? Six and seven year olds both understood deliberate practice and engaged in it without being cued. Five year olds showed some understanding and sometimes deliberately practiced. Four year olds did not understand deliberate practice yet.
“These increases in understanding of and engagement in deliberate practice may be due to age-related improvements in cognitive capacities,” explain Brinums and her colleagues. Episodic foresight—the capacity to imagine the future and act accordingly—begins to develop in the preschool years and improves throughout childhood. Episodic foresight allows us to predict how the future might make us feel. Compared to the younger children, the older children were likely more motivated to practice because they were better able to envision being tested and feeling happy about earning stickers for scoring in the game.
Although preschoolers may not be able to forecast the future yet, parents can encourage their school-age kids—who aren’t eager to practice piano, for example—to imagine how being well-prepared will make them feel during an upcoming recital.
Ultimately, parents can support kids as they learn to value practice, whether it’s in school, at their first summer job, or within their family and community. Deliberate practice may not guarantee them a gold medal at the Olympics, but it can improve their performance so they do their personal best. And that will help them grow up to be someone others can depend on.
About the Author
Maryam Abdullah
UC Berkeley
Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D., is the Parenting Program Director of the Greater Good Science Center. She is a developmental psychologist with expertise in parent-child relationships and children’s development of prosocial behaviors.
John 10:10 'The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'
John 10:10 (NKJV)
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
JOHN 10:7-10
The Greek word translated 'life' here is 'zoe' and it means life in the absolute sense or life as God has it. Everyone who is breathing has life in the sense of physical existence, but only those who receive Jesus can experience life as God intended it to be. Jesus came to not only save us from the torment of eternal hell, but also to give us this 'zoe' or God-kind of life in abundance.
The life of God is not awaiting us in heaven, but is presently possessed by every born-again person in his spirit. We can release this 'zoe' life and enjoy it now by losing our natural life and finding this supernatural life. The way we lose our life is to deny any thoughts, emotions, or actions that are contrary to the Word of God, which is life ('zoe' in Jn. 6:63). When we line our thoughts, emotions, and actions up with the instructions of God's Word, then we will find this 'zoe' life manifest in our bodies and souls as well.
The Word is spiritual and must be understood through the spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). The Bible is simply a physical representation of Jesus and spiritual truth.
It is inspired of God and therefore, totally accurate and reliable, and yet, until we receive the spirit that these words express, the Bible will not profit us (Heb. 4:2). If we want to know what spiritual truth is, we must believe the Bible, for it is spirit and life. If we want to be led by the Spirit, then we must follow God's Word. If we want to hear from the Spirit of God, then we must listen to what God says in His Word. The Spirit (Holy Spirit) and the Word (Jesus - Jn. 1:1) are one (1 Jn. 5:7)
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
“Every idle word” simply means nonproductive. These are words that you speak but don’t believe. For example, you might say, “I’m dying to see my grandchildren.” You really don’t mean you’re dying, but you say it anyway to emphasize the importance of the relationship. Every time you say things that you don’t really mean, it begins to numb your heart. Unconsciously, each idle
If we want to start seeing the power of God manifest in our lives, we will have to start paying attention to what we say. Words have power—more than any of us realize, but we often speak them as though they are meaningless. Because of that, most believers at one time or another have been hung by their tongue.
Matthewword is making it just a little bit harder to believe what you say will actually come to pass when you mean it and it really counts.
Jesus certainly understood the power of words, and He used them to change the natural things around him.
Mark 11:13-14 and 20-24 say, “And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it…. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
I can almost hear the inflections in Peter’s voice when he said, “The fig tree You cursed is withered away.” I am sure it communicated surprise and disbelief. And when Jesus replied to Peter, it probably was not in a monotone voice. It was more like, “PETER! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?” Jesus was amazed at his unbelief. He was saying, “It shouldn’t shock you to see this tree withered. Have faith in God.”
Then He went on to explain that this wasn’t limited to a fig tree. He used a mountain as an example, but I believe it could apply to anything. He was making the point that if we say it with our mouths and believe it in our hearts, we can have what we say.
He also made it very clear who qualified to use words in this way: He said, “whosoever shall say.” Are you a whosoever? Because if you are and if you’re breathing, then you’re qualified, and your words can affect the natural as well as the spiritual world.
Jesus used the word “say” or “saith” three times in verse 23. He was making it clear that words have power. But He also said to have faith in God. The words that have power are words that are filled with faith. And it’s important to understand that the faith they’re filled with is not your human faith.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
I’m aware that the NIV says “faith in the son of God.” But when you study this out, it becomes very clear that it is talking about the very faith of God that He placed in you when you were born again. In fact, you can’t even be born again by your own faith. Romans 10:17 say that faith comes by the Word, and 1 Peter 1:23 says you are born again by the Word of God.
If you can’t even believe for salvation with our humanfaith, how could we possible use it for other things like healing or prosperity? It’s super important that you understand this. If you don’t know this, you will always be looking to others to pray for you. You’ll always think that they have more faith than you do, and because of that, God will act on your behalf when they pray. That’s wrong, and it’s the reason many Christians are looking to man instead of God for their answers.
Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (underline mine).
Think of it like using a ladle to dish up soup. If you used the same ladle every time—and God did—every person will get the same amount of soup. It’s the measure of soup. You have the measure of faith. No born-again believer has more faith than any other; some just do a better job of appropriating what they have been given.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And verse 3 says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
This scripture is not symbolic; God actually created everything with words. He spoke creation into existence, and the substance of His faith manifested into what we can now see. The Word of God has unlimited power. Each word is like a little capsule filled with faith waiting for us believers to release it in our hearts and speak it with our mouths.
Everything we see was created by words, and it is the very Word of God that holds the universe together (Heb. 1:3). Therefore, everything we see will respond to faith-filled words. They have to respond because words are the parent force.
Proverbs 23:7 says that as you think in your heart, so are you, and Luke 6:45 says that what you speak comes from the abundance of your heart. In other words, the way that you think controls the way that you talk. And if you understand that your words have power, then you understand why you can be hung by your tongue.
The only reason every one of us isn’t dead from the many idle words we have spoken is because we haven’t believed every word with our hearts. Thank God that our words have to be mixed with faith and that we have to believe them from our hearts. But this should help us see a powerful truth. If we believe we are going to be sick or if we believe that we will always be poor, and then confess that with our mouths, we will get what we believe.
On the other hand, what happens when we take the faith-filled words of God and plant them in our hearts where they can take root and grow? Everything changes—no longer are we just saying “I believe that I’m healed” or “I am prosperous,” but we believe it and the faith of God is then released through those words.
Proverbs 18:21 reads, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
It not only says life but death as well. It’s sad to say, but most of the words being communicated today are negative words—words that do not bring about abundant life but cause more problems.
In most of what I teach, I talk about the words that we speak. But it has been thirty-plus years since I have taught on this as a standalone subject, and I am sure we no longer have tapes of those messages. So, last year on my trip to Europe, I taught a new series called The Power of Faith-Filled Words. It’s a powerful series that will completely change your attitude about the words you speak. More importantly, if you will get it in your heart, you will learn that words can change your life now as well as your future.
Lib - Demos plans are hither and thither! They will do anything to get elected!
“The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.”
―
Adrian Rogers
** Hither - Thither : Hither and thither definition: this way and that, as in a state of confusion
“You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for
another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot
give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from
somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not
have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and
when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because
somebody else is going to get what they work for that my dear friend is
the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by
dividing it.”
―
Adrian Rogers
“Remember again the principle: We will never be over those things
that God has set under us until we learn to be under those things that
God has placed over us. There is strength through surrender. Are you
under the Word of God? Is the Bible your mandate for life? Are you
loving it, reading it, obeying it, and living it? Are you consciously
filled with the Holy Spirit? Have you yielded every part of the temple
of your body to him? Are you grieving him in any way? Are you graciously
submitting to those human authorities that God has set over you: in the
home, in the church, in civil government, and in the workplace? Have
you made Jesus Christ the absolute Lord over everything in your life?”
―
Adrian Rogers,
The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority: Getting an Upper Hand on the Underworld
John 9:34 'They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.' KJV
**
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they [1]cast him out. NKJV
Much of the Pharisees' problem was spiritual pride, as is very evident by this statement. They were so blinded by their arrogance that they couldn't believe anyone who hadn't been through their 'seminary' could teach them anything.
The name 'Pharisees' comes from a Hebrew word meaning 'separate.' This term was applied to this sect because of its extreme devotion to the Mosaic law and commitment to leading a separated life. This was a reaction of the devout Jews who came back to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity and saw the pagan customs and influences of the Babylonians everywhere. Not only their religion but their identity as a nation was being threatened. The Pharisees were patriots as well as religious zealots, who in the beginning served a very needed function in the Jewish nation which was struggling for survival. However, over the centuries the Pharisees had departed from the Mosaic law and had written their own interpretations of the law - interpretations which they held to be God-inspired and equal to that of Moses. In Jesus' day this group was characterized by hypocrisy and self-righteousness. They, as a whole, persecuted Jesus and His followers and received the Lord's most stinging rebukes.
The Pharisees, like many people today, were ignorant of achieving right standing (righteousness) with God through the simple act of receiving His forgiveness by faith and were trying to earn salvation by their own acts. No one can fulfill God's commands (Rom. 3:23) except Jesus (Heb. 4:15). Therefore, to be righteous, we must put our faith in what He has done for us.
** All you have to do is ask, believe, and receive! Pray, Father, I recognize my need for Your power to live this new life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. By faith, I receive Him right now! Thank You for baptizing me. Holy Spirit, You are welcome in my life. **
Date: 6/25/2019 Receive the Holy Spirit
As His child, your loving heavenly Father wants to give you the supernatural power you need to live this new life.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened… If ye…know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Luke 11:10,13
All you have to do is ask, believe, and receive! Pray, Father, I recognize my need for Your power to live this new life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. By faith, I receive Him right now! Thank You for baptizing me. Holy Spirit, You are welcome in my life.
Congratulations! Now you’re filled with God’s supernatural power. Some syllables from a language you don’t recognize will rise up from your heart to your mouth. (See 1 Cor. 14:14.)
1 Corinthians 14:14(NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
As you speak them out loud by faith, you’re releasing God’s power from within and building yourself up in the Spirit. (See v. I Cor 14:4.) 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. You can do this whenever and wherever you like.
It doesn’t really matter whether you felt anything or not when you prayed to receive the Lord and His Spirit. If you believed in your heart that you received, then God’s Word promises you did. “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24). God always honors His Word; believe it!
Please contact us and let us know that you’ve prayed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We would like to rejoice with you and help you understand more fully what has taken place in your life. We have a Helpline staffed by mature Christians who will be glad to pray with you. Our Helpline is open from 4:30 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. (Mountain Time) each weekday. The number is 719-635-1111. Give us a call — we’re here to help you understand and grow in your new relationship with the Lord.
Until you come to realize the truth - your days will always be troubled. " Death and life are in the power of the tongue!." Proverbs 18:21
Truer words have not been spoken - yet most of the world play games with what they say and do in life. One of the most important ways to speak is to start with a true fact. While it is good to post the fact, you must not state that everything is perfect or optimum, when it is not! Start and stay with the truth assaying: " There is a problem, however, everything will work out!" but, if you come across with " I am believing God for a miracle, but then {you start complaining and attempting to give reasons for other bad things which could happen!} " This just shot down your effort to receive the miracle or other positive requests!
It is not negative or wrong to acknowledge that which apply to the facts. " I have been fighting an illness (a fact) ... but then counter it with the truth of God's word, " But I believe that I am healed, in Jesus name!" (God's Word) - Remember that every word you speak is a seed that produces its own kind or type!
Proverbs 18:20 A person’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of their mouth; From the produce of their lips, they shall be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Proverbs 18:20-21
Just remember every word you speak out of your mouth is a seed that produces after it's kind. If you go around gripping and complaining speaking negativity, then that is the fruit you will get in this life! If you are bitter in your heart speaking things that you should not this leads to problems! While you can not keep problems from happening, you can keep those problems from dominating your life!
Therefore since your words are very important, so learn to speak the truth so that things in your life will be based upon righteousness! In the spiritual battle in our minds, Satan takes advantage of the words we speak!
2 Corinthians 4 (NKJV)
The Light of Christ’s Gospel
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor
handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Yet many people do not realize Satan is dominating and exerting power in their lives! Most people just think that it is just circumstances, or fate or luck {all 3 of which are false!}
Do not fall prey to the wiles of the Evil in your life! The Devil is active today Harding people and blinding them to the truth of God in the Gospel! Many of the Christian churches do not recognize the spiritual battle we are in!
Don't just think everything is good because you are not aware of the spiritual battle in your mind!
1 Corinthians 15:33(NKJV)
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Do you remember September 11, 2001? Of course you do. If you’ve lived very long, you can recall many terrible things that have happened in this world, including tsunamis and hurricanes of biblical proportions. And certainly every one of you have your own individual tragedy that you deal with or have dealt with. There is a lot of hurt and pain in this life.
People are reeling from the blows they’ve received and are trying to make sense of why all of this happens. Sadly, many Christian leaders haven’t been much help. As a whole, they’ve said these things are the judgment of God upon our sins.
Even a very well-known televangelist was quoted recently telling people that because they voted “intelligent design” people off their city council, God’s judgment was going to strike their city and that when it happens, they shouldn’t cry out to God, because they deserve what they will get. This rationale for why bad things happen grieves me, and I believe it grieves the Lord too. It’s totally missing the point of why Jesus came. Jesus forever changed the way God relates to mankind. Sure, there are scriptural examples of God’s catastrophic judgment on sin. But God’s greatest act of judgment was when He placed all of His wrath for our sins upon Jesus. This forever satisfied God’s wrath. Since that time, God hasn’t been judging our sins (2 Cor. 5:19). God’s not angry at us. He’s not even in a bad mood.
Look at the angels’ joy at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Luke 2:13-14 says, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
This scripture is very familiar to us, yet there is a lot of misunderstanding about what it’s saying. Some translations say they were proclaiming “good will among men” or “peace to men of good will.” Basically, this passage has been interpreted to say Jesus was bringing peace on earth among people. That’s not why these angels were praising God. If that interpretation were true, then Jesus’ own words in Matthew 10:34-36 would contradict this. He said, “Thinknot that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
Jesus Himself said He was not sent to bring peace on the earth among people. The peace that the angels of Luke 2:13-14 were praising God for was peace BETWEEN God and man. They were announcing the end of God’s war on sin. Peace now reigns between God and man.
Prior to Jesus’ coming, there was wrath from God against mankind for his sins. It wasn’t total wrath. Even in the Old Testament, we see God’s mercy and grace. Yet the Old Testament Law was a ministry of wrath (Rom. 4:15 with 2 Cor. 3:7 and 9), and people’s sins were held against them. But when Jesus came, God quit holding people’s sins against them.
This is exactly what 2 Corinthians 5:19 and 21 says: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation…For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
The word “reconciliation” is talking about making peace. God was no longer holding us accountable. Instead, He imputed our sins to Jesus, making Jesus accountable for our sins. Jesus became what we were so we could become what He was—the righteousness of God.
Jesus was like a lightning rod that drew all the judgment of God unto Himself. He not only bore our sins; He actually became sin (2 Cor. 5:21).
Jesus said this in John 12:27-32: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Many have thought this thirty-second passage means that if God is properly glorified in our preaching, then He will draw all people unto Himself. But that is not what this passage is saying.
If you look in the King James Version Bible, notice that the word “men” in verse 32 is italicized. That means it wasn’t in the original language. The translators put this word in italics to let you know this was their addition, but it wasn’t a part of the text. If you take this verse in context, I believe that the Lord was saying He would draw all JUDGMENT to Himself. Jesus, like a lightning rod, attracted all of God’s judgment for all of mankind’s sins for all time unto Himself.
All the murder, all the perversion, every vile and rotten sin imaginable, all sickness, and all disease ever known to mankind actually entered into His physical human body. Isaiah 52:14 talks about the crucifixion of Jesus and says that He was marred more than any man to the point that He was unrecognizable as a human being.
That could not just happen from physical beatings, especially since the Word says that not a single bone was broken in His body (Ps. 34:20 with John 19:36). I believe His body was completely disfigured from the cancers, tumors, diseases, deformities, and anything else human beings have ever suffered.
Jesus didn’t ask for the cup to be taken from Him just because of the physical pain He would suffer but because He did not want to become sin. He hated becoming what He came to redeem us from. And the worst part of all Jesus’ sufferings was total rejection from His Father.
Matthew 27:46 says, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
God the Father forsook Jesus so you and I would never be forsaken. All that you and I would have suffered, through billions of years in eternity—the grief, the pain and, worst of all, the complete separation from the presence of God—Jesus experienced. And He experienced all of this for us. When we say God is judging our sins as individuals or corporately as a nation, we are voiding what Jesus did. That would be “double jeopardy.”
Some of you may not like this, but it’s true. Sin isn’t a problem with God anymore. It’s the church that has made it a major deal. Neither past, present, nor future sins can separate you from God. The only people who will go to hell are those who have spurned and rejected the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made. In heaven, you won’t answer for your sin; Jesus already has. You will answer for your acceptance or rejection of Jesus.
You might now be thinking, You’re just giving people a license to sin. Well, it seems to me that people are doing a pretty good job of that without a license. What I’m saying will not free you to sin; it will free you from the condemnation and the guilt that comes when you do sin.
To continue in sin is just stupid. You’ll be opening the door for Satan to have an inroad into your life (Rom. 6:16). If you do, then you will suffer the natural consequences of sin, but it will not be because of the judgment of God. If you commit adultery, you will probably lose your family, but it was you who caused it, not God.
Natural disasters are just that—natural disasters. We live in a corrupted world where bad things happen, but God isn’t the cause of them. If He were, why would He stop at New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of America? Surely all of us deserve the judgment of God. But, praise God, we don’t get what we deserve.
Before I learned that the war was over, I used to say, “If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Now I say, “If God judges America, He will have to apologize to Jesus.”
John 9:27 'He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear: wherefore would you hear it again? Will you also be his disciples?'
JOHN 9:6-27
This man showed great courage in confronting these religious leaders. Even Peter later backed down for fear of this same group of men (Lk. 22:54-62). Certainly one thing that gave him this boldness was that he knew what Jesus had done for him. And even beyond the physical healing, he knew that Jesus had healed him because He loved him. It's our security in the Lord's love for us that gives us the strength to face rejection from others. As Proverbs 28:1 puts it, 'the righteous are bold as a lion.' The antidote for fear of men is a large dose of the love of God.
One of the greatest truths of the Bible and one of the hardest to comprehend, is that we are the objects of God's love. God didn't just pity us or feel some sense of moral obligation to save us. He saved us because of His infinite love for us (Jn. 3:16). An experiential understanding of God's love is the key to being filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19).
Paul prays in Ephesians 3:19, that we would experience the love of God which passes mere knowledge {all understanding} about it. How can we know the love of God if it passes knowledge? This sounds like a contradiction. It's not. The knowing is experiencing it. The end result of having understanding and experiential knowledge of God's love is that we will be filled with all the fullness of God. God's love is the key that opens the door to everything that God is. God is love (1 Jn. 4:8).
It's not just a casual acquaintance with God's love that we need, but an intimate understanding and experiential knowledge of the depths of God's love. Just as a tree's roots provide stability and nourishment for the tree, so our revelation of God's love is the foundation upon which everything else we receive from God is built.
Notice the meaning of Righteousness wording, in 1913 - "The Quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; or rectitude.{morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness.} Stop and think about this virtue! Then jump forward to 2010 meanings; " Acting in a just manner; doing what is right; virtuous, adhering to moral principles " - " Characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of mortality or justice! " Notice the first definition of the Quality or state of being (etc) ''' { in other words being in a positive state of being or condition! ) Then compare the second definition which uses " acting and characterized by " or in other words weakened state of moral or justice! Not the same - WHY?
Mainly because people do not love their neighbors! Love your neighbour and have faith in the Lord God! People can believe and disbelieve at the same time. Most people don’t have this concept. They think if they have faith, then there won’t be any unbelief. And if they have any unbelief, then there isn’t any faith. That’s not what God’s Word teaches. People can have faith and unbelief at the same time.
Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 17:20 that the reason they couldn’t cast the demon out of the boy was because of their unbelief. He didn’t say it was because of their little faith (as the New International Version renders that verse). Otherwise, His illustration that He goes on to give in that verse wouldn’t make sense. He said if their faith was as small as a mustard seed, they could cast a mountain into the sea with just their words. A small amount of faith is sufficient to accomplish any miracle if it’s not negated, cancelled, or diluted by unbelief. Instead of just trying to build faith, we need to limit the amount of unbelief in our lives. Amen!
It always amazes me how skewed the image of physics research in the popular press is. To begin with, the amount of coverage is totally unrepresentative for the actual amount of research on a given topic. Controversial and outright fantastic topics are typically hotly discussed, so is everything that captures the public imagination. On the other hand, down-to-earth research like soft condensed matter or statistical mechanics rarely makes headlines.
The field I work in myself, quantum gravity, is among the over-represented fields. If you believe what you read, the quest for quantum gravity has become the "holy grail" of theoretical physicists all over the planet, and we're all working on it because the end of science is near and there's nothing else left to do.
Since coverage by the media is driven by popularity and not by relevance, one can expect such a skewed representation. It probably isn't much different in other areas of our lives. (Who actually wears those wacky clothes that fashion designers celebrate?) What bothers me much more than the skewed selection of topics is how their relevance is misrepresented even in these articles. I must have read hundreds of times that "many physicists" believe this or that, while in reality most physicists couldn't care less and probably have no opinion whatsoever.
Here are some examples:
"According to the current thinking of many physicists, we are living in
one of a vast number of universes. We are living in an accidental
universe. We are living in a universe uncalculable by science."
"The team’s verdict, published in July 2012, shocked the physics community."
Zeeya Merali, in a recent nature issue, Astrophysics: Fire in the hole!. We note in the passing that the article doesn't have much, if anything, to do with astrophysics.
"Most physicists believe that space is not smooth, but it is rather
composed of incredibly small subunits, much like a painting made of
dots. This micro-landscape is believed to host numerous black holes..."
But why limit ourselves to physicists, let's be bold:
"Many scientists claim that mega-millions of other universes, each with
its own laws of physics, lie out there, beyond our visual horizon. They
are collectively known as the multiverse."
George F. R. Ellis, Scientific American, Does the Multiverse Really Exist? "They" presumably refers to the "other universes," and not to the "many scientists".
So then let's try to quantify "most physicists" by estimating an upper bound on the fraction of physicists who are working on these topics, a sub-area of quantum gravity. The topics under question here tend to appear on the arXiv under hep-th cross-linked to gr-qc or the other way round. That there is no subject category for "quantum gravity" should already tell you that there aren't all that "many" people working on it. First let us have a look at the arXiv submission rates
The left graph shows the total number of submissions, the right shows the percentage. Blue, which presently accounts for about 10%, is high energy physics and collects hep-th+hep-ph+hep-lat+hep-ex. Note that for historical reasons hep is likely to be over-represented in the arXiv statistics relative to the actual distribution of researchers. In hep, pretty much every paper goes on the arxiv, but the same is not true in other areas (at least not yet). Also, hep tends to be a very productive and communicative field, so looking at the number of arXiv submissions rather than researchers is probably an over-estimate. Be that as it may, the topics we are looking for almost certainly occupy less than 10% of researchers.
More data that tells you that the vast number of physicists aren't working on anything related to quantum gravity can be obtained from the number of members in sections of the German Physical Society. The section on Particle Physics (which includes beyond the standard model physics and quantum gravity) has about 2,500 members. The section on Quantum Optics and Photonics has more than 3,000 members, Physics of Semi-conductors 3,800, Low Temperature Physics 1,450, Atomic Physics together with Hadronic and Nuclear Physics come to about 3,000, Material Physics together with Chemical and Polymer Physics and Thin Films another 3,500. Not all sections have membership numbers online, so this doesn't cover the full spectrum. But this already tells you that "most physicists" don't even do high energy physics, certainly not quantum gravity, and have no business with multiverses, firewalls, or "micro-landscapes of black holes".
But we can try to get a better estimate by seeing how many papers are cross-linked from hep-th to gr-qc, assuming that the opposite cross-linking is similarly frequent. For this, we look at the submission statistics of gr-qc for the first four months of the year 2013. It lists the submissions as well as the cross-lists. Click on any of the months, select "show all" and count the number of times "cross-list from hep-th" appears on the page. The numbers I get for January to April are: 70,71,52 and 67. If you look at the titles, you'll note that the papers you find this way fit well to the topics we're looking for.
Comparing these numbers with the total arxiv submissions per month (about 7500), we can estimate that it's about 1%. Multiply by two to account for gr-qc cross-linked to hep-th.
Now this is a rather crude estimate and I have mentioned several reasons why it's inaccurate: 1) Some fields of research are not as well represented on the arXiv as is hep-th. This means 2% is still an over-estimate. 2) Some fields might be more productive in paper output than others. If hep-th is on the more productive side, this means the 2% is even more of an over-estimate. 3) Not every paper in the area we're looking for might be hep-th cross-linked to gr-qc or vice-versa. This leads to an under-estimate. 4) On the other hand, not every paper cross-listed as such is about quantum gravity or related topics. 5) There are probably more people following the literature than actively working on it, which also leads to an under-estimate.
However, even if you'd add up all these errors, you would still be left to conclude that the above quoted uses of "most physicists" or "physics community" are extremely inaccurate and misleading.
