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End Times

March 04, 2010
10:03
IS THE MOVIE "2012" REALLY TRUE?
» ‎ End Times

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While on vacation over the past couple of weeks, I had occasion to view the movie “2012.” The premise of the movie is that the ancient Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012 signifying the end of the world. They incorrectly identified this time as what the Bible describes as “The Rapture.” In the movie, the top scientists in the world had become aware that the sun was becoming instable and causing the earth’s crust to deteriorate. They developed a plan to build giant arcs to save the richest and most influential 400,000 people as the earth flooded. Through the brilliant ingenuity of these scientists four arcs were built, one was destroyed, but the 400,000 overcame the devastation of this apocalypse through their cunning and perseverance. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the description of the Biblical Apocalypse will recognize this film is the result of some one’s vivid and uninformed imagination.

For those of you who are interested, you can find (in part) the accurate description of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation, chapters 15 and 16. First of all, the Apocalypse is not the result of some solar anomaly. It is the direct result of mankind’s rejection of God and His Son, Jesus Christ; their worshipping of and receiving the mark (666) of the Anti-Christ; their intractability in refusing to acknowledge their sin and refusing to repent of it; and finally, the Plagues described in chapters 15 and 16 are the wrath of God poured out on an evil and unbelieving world. There will be no escape. There will be no cunning and cleaver plan to outwit God. There will be no world-wide flood whereby mankind can escape in arcs. God has already promised that in the Book of Genesis chapter 9 verse 15.

So, what will happen when the wrath of God is poured out? Chapter 16 describes the 7 bowls of God’s wrath. Verse 2 says that ugly and painful sours broke out on all the people who took the sign of the beast. Verse 3 says the sea will turn into blood like that of a dead man. I have seen many a dead and decaying body in my life and the rotting pools of blood around their bodies filled the air with a stench. Verse 4 says the next bowl of wrath turn the rivers into blood as well. The 4th bowl of wrath described in verse 8 caused the sun to scorch people with a searing heat. Bowl of wrath #5, verse 10, causes darkness and agonies to come upon the Devil, Antichrist, False Prophet and all who follow them. The 6th bowl of wrath causes the Euphrates River to dry up preparing the way for the vast armies of Asia to come against Israel at the Battle of Armageddon. Evil spirits performing miraculous acts came from the Devil, Antichrist and False Prophet to gather the armies for the great day of battle. The final bowl of the wrath of God will be poured out and the sky was filled with lightning and thunder, there will be the most powerful earthquake the world has ever known. Every island will disappear, every mountain will be brought down and every city in the world will be destroyed. Hail stones weighing 100 lbs will rain down on the people.

This time of unparalleled devastation will be brought to an end before the total destruction of the world occurs. Jesus Christ, followed by those who believed in Him, will come to the earth. Jesus will cast the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet into the lake of fire. He will bind Satan and place him in captivity for 1000 years. Then Jesus will rule and reign over the earth from Jerusalem for that 1000 years. The earth will be repopulated by those who did not die during the Great Tribulation and did not receive the mark of the Beast. This will be a time of unparalleled peace and tranquility. At the end of the 1000 years the Devil, Satan, will be release and he will stir up another rebellion. This will be put down quickly by Jesus and Satan will also be thrown into the lake of fire. Then God will purify the earth with fire and the new Heaven and a new Earth will be formed. I am not going to cite the Biblical verses describing the events of this last paragraph other than to say that you don’t need to leave the Book of the Revelation. I hope that you will want to read on for yourselves what God’s word has to say. He who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved!
February 18, 2010
12:31
WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE?
» ‎ End Times

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One of these days, and I believe very soon, millions upon millions of people will suddenly disappear from the face of the earth. I know this sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie script but it actually will occur. I am referring to what is commonly known as the “Rapture (snatching away) of the Church.” By church, I mean all those people who have genuinely placed their faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross to pay the penalty for all sin. This does not refer to any particular church denomination/s nor does it refer to any group in any particular geographic area of the world. There are many people who attend churches everywhere who are there for their own agendas and not genuine believers in Jesus. I cannot pretend to know who they all are because I cannot know the true heart of anyone. But God does know and He will make the determination of who is raptured and who is not.
Let’s back up a little and look at why and when the rapture will occur. The Bible is replete with prophecies about the “End Times.” Two of the most vivid explanations of the horror of the “last days” are found in the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 and the Book of the Revelation. Jesus describes the final days this way; “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”(Matt 24:21-22) The Book of Revelation describes these last days as a time of the pouring out of God’s wrath against a disbelieving and evil world. People during this time will have decided to worship the Anti-Christ as God and received the “mark of the beast” on their hand or forehead. All the nations of the earth will come against the people of Israel to destroy them and the earth in the “Battle of Armageddon.” This is when Jesus Christ will return to the earth and “cut short” those days and do away with the Anti-Christ, the False Prophet and all those who made war against Israel.
You may be asking “what does this have to do with the rapture of the church?” As I mentioned, Revelation clearly describes this time as the pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth. There are some interesting observations we can make about what happens to people who are in right standing with God when He pours out his wrath. Going back to Matthew 24, Jesus said that the last days would be like the days of the flood. The account of the flood is recorded in Genesis chapters 6-8. Jesus said this; “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus). For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39) The Genesis account of the flood also describes those as times of incredible wickedness and evil on the earth. The flood was a time of God’s wrath against an evil and unrepentant people, except for Noah and his family who were in right standing with God. Noah and his family along with the critters he gathered were kept safe from the wrath of God. Like Noah, those of us who have believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are in a place of safety from God’s wrath. Romans 8:1-2 states; “Therefore, there is now no condemnation (wrath) for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Other Biblical passages that reinforce this idea of protection from God’s wrath include; (Jude 24) “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy”; (1 Thessalonians 1:10) “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us form the coming wrath.”; (Revelation 3:10) “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”; (1 Thessalonians 5:9) “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” With these and many other assurances from the Bible we can have absolute certainty that God will not subject those who are in right standing with Him to His wrath. This does not mean that those who are His will not suffer.
OK, when will the rapture happen and what exactly is it? As to when it will happen we do not know the day or the hour but we can be confident that it will occur before the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. If it occurred after, then the promises of God would be untrue. And if we have learned anything about God it is that He cannot lie. So the snatching away of all true believers will be before the 7years of “Great Tribulation” and pouring out of God’s wrath.
The rapture of the church is described in some detail in two places in the Bible. One is 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and the other, 1Corinthians chapter 15. (1Cor. 15:50-53) “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will be all changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” (1 Thes. 4:16-18) “For the Lord himself will come down from haven, 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 are left will be caught up (raptured) 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.”
So there you have vivid descriptions of the event and a good idea of the timing. Some of you will snicker and scoff, but do so at your own peril. Look at Psalm 1. I am not interested in whether you believe me or not, so I encourage you to look these things up for yourselves. If you find that I have misquoted to misused Scripture then disregard me. In fact I encourage you to never take any teaching as true without checking it out for yourself. The Word of God is true and can stand up under your scrutiny. You are responsible to God on your own. No one else can do that for you. I hope to see you at the Rapture!
February 11, 2010
14:46
PROPHECY ABOUT JUDGMENT DAY
» ‎ End Times

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Have you ever given any real thought about what it will be like to stand before God on “Judgment Day?” If you are like me, I used to just not think about it too much. When I did, I thought I’d be able to somehow pull the wool over God’s eyes and sneak into Heaven by my own amazing wit and cunning. What an ego! Some people choose to refuse to believe that there is a God let alone a God who will hold them accountable. I can see that someone could find some sort of refuge in believing that once you’re dead that that is the end of everything. That if there is no God and no after-life, that a lack of any kind of existence at all would be preferable to an eternal Hell. Others will acknowledge the existence of a “creative force” (ala Star Wars) but deny that the “Force” is a person to whom we might be accountable. It has been my experience that what most people know about judgment and Hell is what others (who really don’t know any more than they do) tell them. They don’t go to the Bible and read what the Apostles, Prophets and Jesus have to say about it. What I intend to do is to point out in the Bible where you can find the information you need and let you make up your mind for yourself. Now, if you are absolutely bent on not believing in God, Jesus, judgment or Hell then you need read no further. I am not going to try to convince you or argue for the existence of God with you. Not because I can’t but that isn’t the purpose of this article and I won’t waste time and space doing so.
Now, for the rest of you who would like to know for sure what the Bible has to say on the matter of judgment and Hell, welcome. First, I’d like to make you a challenge. If you don’t know much about the Bible, I challenge you to take a moment and ask God to help you understand what you are reading. You don’t first have to become some spiritual giant to ask this of God, He will meet you where you are. If you ask Him and genuinely want to know the truth of what He is telling you, He will help you. I promise.
The most vivid description of the final “Judgment Day” is found in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 20 verses 11-15. In the unlikely event that you don’t have a Bible available to you it states; “11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” NIV
The Book of Revelation, written by the Apostle John, is so named because it was a Revelation by Jesus Christ to John as to what was going to happen in the future. Revelation is pure prophecy. The first thing we notice is the “Great White Throne” and him (God) who was seated upon it. Obviously this is going to be a frightful sight as the Earth and the sky flee from his presence. The next notable sight is all the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. If dead people are standing before the throne of God then there must be a life after the death of this body. But how did they get there? One of the standards we must use in examining Biblical passages is to ask, ‘does this theme appear anywhere else in the Bible?’ Yes, it does. To name one look at Daniel, Ch 12, v 2: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” The prophet, Daniel, is describing the same scenario.
The next interesting thing is that “The Books” and the “Book of Life” were opened. God judged everyone according to what they had done as recorded in “the books.” The “Book of Life” was also examined and anyone whose name was not written in it was thrown into the Lake of Fire (eternal damnation).
Jesus Christ made reference to this same book as recorded in Luke 10:20 when he said “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Here, Jesus was speaking to his followers and disciples. These were people who believed he is the Savior and Ruler of the universe. Elsewhere in the Revelation 3:5 this book is referred to by Jesus; “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angles.” Again, Jesus was speaking to his churches, to those who believed in him.
The question for each and every one of us are; “Is my name written in the book of life?” “If I don’t know, how can I know?” “If I don’t know, should I assume it is not?” and “If my name is not written in the book of life, how do I get it there?” If you are asking these questions, good for you! You are standing at the doorway to the Kingdom of God!
Let me give you a few verses of Scripture to help you find your way to getting your name written in the Book of Life. First Jesus said, as recorded in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus makes it pretty clear that no one makes it to heaven but must come through him. Romans 3:23 states; “for all have sinned (rebelled against God) and fall short of the glory of God”; Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”; Romans 19:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ (God) and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”; and finally, John 1:12 “Yet to all who received him, (Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
How about it? What is God saying to you right now? Ask Jesus Christ in to change your life to a new direction, his direction, which leads to eternal life. Not the lake of fire.
And how is it that we can rely on the Bible to tell us the truth of these things? Well, for one thing, the Bible is the only book written in the history of mankind that is 100% accurate in its prophecies that have been fulfilled. It can be relied upon to be 100% accurate in those prophecies yet to be fulfilled as well. God doesn't want anyone to go to hell. But if they do, it is their choice. God has made a way out! Jesus Christ
January 28, 2010
15:22
THE JERICHO PARALLELS
» ‎ End Times

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The 24th chapter of Matthew in which Jesus describes the signs of the end of the age, He warns his hearers about false Christs who would come to deceive the gullible and uninformed. He stated in Matthew 24:26-27 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” What I understand Jesus to be saying is that His return will be no secret to anybody on the planet. Lightning is a highly visible event and can be seen, even indoors. His return will be lightning-fast and everyone will see Him. I also know that Jesus never said a word that wasn’t an important one for us to consider. He could have said; for as lightning flashes, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. But he didn’t. He described the lightning flashing from the East to the West. Understanding that the context of this passage is the prophecy of Jesus, I got to thinking about what other significant event/s involving movement from East to West are described elsewhere in Scripture and how that might be important for our consideration?
I found remarkable parallels in the book of The Revelation and the book of Joshua. The parallels I am listing are not exhaustive but certainly prompt a deeper inquiry. So what are these parallels? As we look at Joshua 5:13 we find Joshua, with Israel following, had come from their wanderings in the desert, miraculously crossed the Jordan River from East to West, and now stand ready to confront the first enemy stronghold, Jericho. Joshua confronts the “commander of the army of the Lord” who instructs him to “March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up every man straight in.” (Jos. 6:3-5) So what are the essential elements of this passage? 1) The people are led by one named Joshua. His name in Hebrew means He Saves. 2) There were 7 priests carrying 7 trumpets. 3) The Ark of the Covenant was carried ahead of the people. The Ark was the place where the Presence and the Glory of God resided on the Mercy Seat.
We know that when the anti-Christ is revealed there will be a 7 year period of unparalleled tribulation upon the earth. Let’s take a look at the parallels in The Revelation with the account in Joshua. 1) This tribulation will be initiated by the blowing of 7 trumpets by 7 angles (Rev 8:6-11:15). 2)Jesus said His coming would be like the lightning flashing from East to West (Mat 24:27) 3) Rev 19:13-14 describes Jesus mounted upon a white horse ready to make war against the anti-Christ and the false prophet followed by the armies of heaven. Oh by the way, the parallel here is remarkable! Jesus is leading the armies of heaven. Joshua was leading the army if Israel. 4) The name, Jesus, is the English translation of the Greek translation of the Hebrew name given the Messiah, Joshua “because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)
There is one more interesting point that I found that may be of some interest to you. Now, I know we are not to make predictions about the day and the hour of the return of Christ but we are commanded by Christ to know the season. I thought that since there was such a strong similarity in the events of Joshua and The Revelation that it might be interesting to examine the timing of the Joshua events. Joshua led Israel across the Jordan into Canaan in the month of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish calendar. That fact by itself wasn’t so significant until you examine if there were any other significant events in the history of Israel that took place during that same time frame. Well, as it happens, there are remarkable events that took place during that same time of year. In Jewish tradition, Nissan is called the “month of redemption.” It is said “In Nissan our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt and in Nissan we will be redeemed.” It is also called the “Month of Miracles.” and expected that “Future redemption will be miraculous even like the miracles of the Exodus. Yes, the Passover and the Exodus occurred in the Month of Nissan. Israel miraculously crossed the Jordan River into Canaan in Nissan. Jesus entered Jerusalem on what became Palm Sunday in the month of Nissan. The Last Supper, Passover, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection all occurred in the month of Nissan. I would not be surprised at all to find that the Lord Jesus will return to Israel and to the earth in the month of Nissan (March/April in our calendar). I suppose then that we can forecast that if the Church is raptured prior to the Great Tribulation, which lasts 7 years, then the Rapture will occur in the month of Nissan (March/April) as well. We cannot be dogmatic about this, but I eagerly look forward to each spring!
January 14, 2010
13:41
LET'S GET REAL HERE!
» ‎ End Times

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I JUST RECEIVED THIS BY EMAIL THE OTHER DAY AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT INTEREST YOU

Please pause a moment, reflect back and take the following multiple choice test. The events are real. The answers are obvious.

Do you remember?

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by?
a. Superman?
b. Jay Leno?
c. Harry Potter?
d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40?

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by?
a. Olga Corbett?
b. Sitting Bull?
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 ?

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:?
a. Lost Norwegians?
b. Elvis?
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:?
a. John Dillinger?
b. The King of Sweden?
c. The Boy Scouts?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:?
a. A pizza delivery boy?
b. Pee Wee Herman?
c. Geraldo Rivera?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:?
a. The Smurfs?
b. Davey Jones?
c. The Little Mermaid?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:?
a. Captain Kidd?
b. Charles Lindberg?
c. Mother Teresa?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:?
a. Scooby Doo?
b. The Tooth Fairy and The Sundance Kid?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:?
a. Richard Simmons?
b. Grandma Moses?
c. Michael Jordan?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

10.In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:?
a. Mr. Rogers?
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems?
c. The World Wrestling Federation?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:?
a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd?
b. The Supreme Court of Florida?
c. Mr. Bean?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

12.In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:?
a. Enron?
b. The Lutheran Church?
c. The NFL?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

13.In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:?
a. Bonnie and Clyde?
b. Captain Kangaroo?
c. Billy Graham?
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

In 2009 a gunman opened fire on a group of returning soldiers from Iraq at Fort Hood, killing 13 by a:
a. Fundamentalist Christian Conservative pastor
b. 3 cops under the influence of donuts.
c. Dick Cheaney.
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

On Christmas day 2009, a Northwest Airlines flight over Detroit from Amsterdam was nearly blown out of the sky by a would-be bomber who had a charge of explosive in his underware. He was described as;
a. A tea party participant.
b. Glenn Beck
c. A little old lady who slipped by security.
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40?

So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatic’s intent on killing us, airport security screeners are not allowed to profile certain people. They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the President's security detail, and Medal of Honor winning and former Governor Joe Foss, but leave Muslim Males between the ages 17 and 40 alone lest they be guilty of profiling.

Come on people wake up!!! Isn’t it time we began profiling the people who are trying to kill us.
13:34
ISRAEL AND THE DECLINE OF THE US
» ‎ End Times

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Back in October of 2009 I noted that President Obama was the first American President to ever refer to the seizing of lands after the 1967 war as the “Israeli Occupation.” The President had adopted the language of, and by inference, sympathy with the Palestinians and other Arabs. What the President doesn’t seem to understand is that America has enjoyed the blessings from God that it has, in part, because of her unwavering support of Israel. He has also forgotten, along with a great deal of the rest of the country, that our nation was founded upon a strong faith in Jesus Christ from whom we obtain our rights and our blessings. This administration is literally throwing Israel under the bus. George Mitchell, Special Envoy to Israel has just stated that if Israel doesn’t rejoin the peace process with the Palestinians that the US would pull its financial support from her. At the same time the US is arming Saudi Arabia (and who knows who else under the table) while doing virtually nothing about the growing menace of a nuclear Iran that threatens to destroy Israel and would happily give a nuclear device to Bin Laden.

Biblical prophecy states clearly that in the last days Israel will be all alone (Matt 24:9). That she will be surrounded by an overwhelming coalition of Russian, Persian and Arab military forces to destroy her. Take heart, Israel! The Lord God will come to your aid and annihilate those armies as He declares in Scripture (Ezek. 38:17- 39:6). He promised that once He called you back into your land you would never leave it (Ezek 37:12-14). All the world will know that there is a God in heaven who watches over Israel. Israel should also know that the true church, the true disciples of Jesus Christ, love her and pray for her continually. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

The question is; what is going to happen to provoke this army to advance upon Israel? As we have seen from history, Israel doesn’t have to do anything but defend herself to raise the hackles of the world nations against her. But it looks like the looming threat of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons soon will prompt Israel to take action to at least slow Iran down. Most of the pundits agree that Israel will defend herself and her officials have stated so quite clearly. Israel will attack Iranian nuclear facilities and soon. Meanwhile, the US sits by on the sidelines washing her hands of Israel so as to keep the “close working relationships” with the Arab nations in tact.

The abandonment of Israel; the steady erosion of faith in Jesus Christ as the God who has so richly blessed this nation; the abandonment of Christian values; reckless spending and intentional sabotage of our monetary system; government take-over of the banks, health care and manufacturing entities; add some more natural disasters (like New Orleans or Haiti) to overwhelm US resources and these things will bring about the removal of America as a super-power and blunt her impact in world affairs. If left unchecked, the US dollar will, soon, be worth nothing. This will severely affect China to whom we owe trillions. This will cause a world-wide economic tsunami that will prompt the nations to seek a world monetary system. Many nations including Russia and China have already suggested just that. When we loose our currency, we loose our sovereignty. The world government will have its beginning. I believe that this world government will already be in place when the Anti-Christ is revealed. He won’t have to create it. He will just use it to fit his plans for world domination. Biblical prophecy will be fulfilled! Amen
December 29, 2009
14:05
DRIVE THE SECULAR PROGRESSIVES OUT!
» ‎ End Times

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One of the challenges for the Christian today is to separate out their faith in Jesus Christ from their political views. I confess that my Christian world view informs my politics. But I must be careful not to blend the two arenas and allow my politics to be expressed in my faith. For example, I have become fiercely opposed to abortion but this was not always the case. At one time in my life I was quite content to employ abortion as a method of birth control and felt that that was an option available to anyone else who so chose. But my acquired faith in Jesus Christ changed my thinking as my mind became conformed to the mind of Christ. I now understand that abortion is murder, a crime of which I am guilty and for which I have received forgiveness through Christ’s work on the cross in my behalf. My faith informs my political view on the matter of abortion. However, I see that many people today wave the flag as a patriot and combine that with their faith. The lines between faith and patriotism become fuzzy.

I used to think that the American body politic was a struggle between the “Left/Liberals” and the “Right/Conservatives.” Each point accusing fingers at the other and the disgusting display out of Washington DC is becoming ridiculous. And the thing that bothers me most is that this squabbling between right and left is all a distraction from what is really taking place. The United States has been moving away from its Christian heritage for a number of decades now. The courts are moving Christianity out of the public square, the schools are teaching from texts that ignore the Christian principles upon which we were founded. The US is in a serious state of moral decline. No, not decline but moral freefall. The courts, government, schools have been taken over by the Secular Progressives. The battle is not between Left and Right but between godliness and godlessness. Secular Progressivism is nothing more than godless Marxism dressed up in the flag. The theological equivalent of Secular Progressivism is Liberation Theology which is nothing more than Marxism dressed up in a Jesus suit. We heard snippets of Liberation Theology from Jeremiah Wright during the presidential campaign. Secular Progressivism and Liberation Theology hate the idea of individual freedom that can take advantage of a free market system and entrepreneurial gumption. They hate the idea of your right to bear arms or speak your mind. They desire control of the masses, to take what is yours and give it to someone they deem more deserving. Their plan is to make the populous so beholden and reliant upon government that they will give up their freedoms. All these freedoms we have enjoyed since the founding of our nation are being systematically dismantled before our very eyes.

The removal of freedoms is absolutely essential for the existence of the single-world government to be established in the last days. The Marxists and Secular Progressives in the White House, Congress and governmental agencies are at work to systematically dismantle the country we have known. In very short order, our dollar will be virtually worthless and a new world currency will have to come in to take its place. China and Russia and the United Nations are already calling for the dollar to be replaced as the currency in which world oil transactions are conducted. The US government is running up a debt that can never be paid off. In the last 50 years the US has gone form the largest lender nation to the largest debtor nation. The only hope to stave off the formation of a one-world government is to vote the Secular Progressives out of office before the can do any more damage. So, Christian, be informed and exercise your vote while you have it.
November 25, 2009
16:18
HOW MIGHT 666 HAPPEN?
» ‎ End Times

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Revelation 13:16-18 reads as follows: “He(the false prophet) also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.” Emphasis mine.

I can remember back in the 1980s when the topic of the “mark of the beast” would be depicted in a movie or come up in conversation, it was generally dismissed as something that would be impossible in our modern world with its freedoms. The end times were thought of as far off into the future, if at all, because the world system did not lend itself to domination by any one person. Prior to this present generation it would be impossible for anyone to be controlled in buying or selling in any way.

At just about this same point in time my bank issued me a new card to carry in my wallet. It was an ATM card. Initially, I used it to get cash during hours when my bank was closed. I conducted all my monetary transactions with cash or by check. I paid my bills by check and most small purchases like haircuts and movies were paid with cash. As time went on, more and more businesses installed ATM/Credit card readers at their check-outs. Today I have very little need for cash and the only check I write is my tithe check to the church. My house payments and some utilities are handled by electronic withdrawals from my account. Pension check and Social Security are deposited in the same way. It is very convenient. Now, even while I am away from home on vacation, I can get on-line to my bank and have them make payments to anyone I designate. Nowadays, a $20 bill can last me two weeks before I’ll need to use it buy something. I know I’m not alone in this; you probably do the same things.

Because of the advances in technology over the past 25 to 30 years, everybody with a checking account is now in a system that can be controlled by one person! With the advent of electronic banking came a new kind of crime, Identity Theft. If someone gets a few of your critical identification numbers they can wreck havoc with your credit rating. This has spawned a whole new industry to help protect your identity. In addition, massive international drug dealing and terrorism are making it difficult for law enforcement to control people and money. There will come a time when the governments of the world will begin to cooperate as never before in an attempt to eliminate the need for currency altogether and control criminal and terrorist activities. There is already serious talk of a national ID card in the US and my driver’s license now has a bio-identifier encoded into the bar code on the back. But cards and licenses are too easily lost or stolen so something else will have to be done.

Enter the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Since 2006 the US, EU and many other countries have incorporated this tiny microchip into passports which, when passed through a radio transmitting reader, verify the printed information on the passport along with a digital picture of the holder. Some banks and high security minded organizations like the CIA and NSA issue special RFIDs to their employees. Some RFIDs can be read from several yards or more away. Very soon, people will find it more convenient to have an RFID implanted in their hand so the risk of loss or theft of ID can be eliminated. I see this sort of thing happening very soon but it won’t be the mark of the beast, not yet. First, we will just have to sort of get used to this new technology. Then, after the anti-christ is revealed it will be a simple matter of, after forcing people to pledge allegiance and worship to the beast or die, that their RFID will be “updated” so that they may buy or sell.

I don’t know what 666 means but I do know that the Bible tells us that if you do worship this beast or take the number of his name, 666, you will be forever damned with no hope of retracting your decision. It is better to die than to spend eternity in punishment. Jesus tells us not to fear the one who can kill our body but fear the One who can condemn our souls to hell. Dreadful times are coming. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!
November 19, 2009
13:55
AND THEN THE END WILL COME
» ‎ End Times

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Last week I discussed the evidence of our current day being like those in the “days of Noah”. This is a phrase Jesus used to describe the nature of the days immediately preceding his return (Matt 24:37). Today I would just like to speculate on how we might find ourselves (the US) as a part of a “one-world” government as described, in part, in Daniel chapter 2. In the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel described the major world powers that would determine world history. The head of gold was the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the chest and arms of silver was the kingdom of the Medes/Persians, the third kingdom to rule the world represented by bronze were the Greeks, the fourth kingdom represented by iron were the Romans. The eastern and western capitols of Rome and Constantinople are represented by the two legs. The last world kingdom is represented by the two feet of an admixture of iron and clay and the toes representing the 10 nation confederacy comprising the revived Roman Empire. No where in this dream (literally fulfilled prophecy) is there any mention of the USA as a super power in the last days.

So let’s take a look at today’s news and imagine how we might find ourselves a part of “The New World Order” or one-world government. For those of you who may be old enough to remember the Carter administration, you may remember that government spending under Carter and the Democratic controlled congress was spiraling out of control. Interest rates were skyrocketing to all-time highs (18-20% for a mortgage) paralyzing the productivity of the country. This inflation was caused by over printing the US dollar. In those days Carter increased the currency in circulation by 12%. Fast forward to today. The current administration and congress are spending money we don’t have at a phenomenal rate never before seen. The current administration’s budget for this year is more than for every other presidential administrative budget in the history of the nation combined. They have increased the currency in circulation, not by 12% but by over 124%. Since the advent of the Federal Reserve Note, our dollar is actually based up nothing whatever. The government just prints it by fiat. This works out very well for absolutely nobody except government. It does however enslave the people to the government. In addition the Senate is about to vote in a government controlled health plan that will sink us so deep into debt that we won’t be able to get out. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this is unsustainable and our nation’s financial system will collapse. This will send the economies of all the other nations of the world into a tail-spin. The thought will be that the US is too big to fail (didn’t we just hear that about our banks?) and that a world wide currency and monetary system must be developed. Of course this will be controlled by the World Bank (already in existence) and administered by a world body (the UN?). When the US looses its currency it will lose its sovereignty. I believe then that in the mixture of violence and economic upheaval the world will look for someone to straighten this all out. Then someone will rise up; an economic, military and political genius who will be able to solve all these problems and bring peace to the Middle East. When you see him sign a 7 year peace treaty with Israel then know that terrible times like never before seen will happen. The anti-christ has made himself known.

In the mean time take some measures to help yourself through the coming difficult financial times. Get out of debt. Invest in something that will have value because our currency will be worthless. Save for the rainy days to come. Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. Even so, come soon Lord Jesus.
November 11, 2009
16:23
CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
» ‎ End Times

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The day of the rapture of the church is fast approaching. We are commanded to not predict dates and hours but we are commanded to watch for the season of His return. In Matthew 24 Jesus said that the time just prior to his coming would be like the “days of Noah.” What were those days like? It is described for us in
Genesis 6:11-13 “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on the earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’” Is the earth today like the days of Noah? I submit to you that it is. Just a few examples off the top of my mind will prove the point. Radical Muslim groups all over the world are murdering innocent people with IEDs, suicide murderers, enforcing Muslim law at the point of a gun or the edge of a machete, hijacked airplanes and the like. The Mexican drug cartels are murdering with impunity on both sides of the border with the US in the furtherance of their drug trade. All over Asia, Europe, North and South America, practically world-wide, unborn babies are being murdered by the tens of millions each year. God forgive us! Tribal war in Africa has killed millions in recent years because one light skinned African group claims superiority over another darker-skinned tribal group. Most recently we hear of the murder of 13 people by a US Army officer at an Army Base where soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were being processed. These types of mass murder by a crazed gunman are becoming almost common place. In addition the US in embroiled in two wars of its own. I think I have proven my point. These are becoming more and more like the days of Noah.

With that in mind and without claiming any particular day or time, we can see by the “season” of events around us that the day of “The blessed Hope”, the rapture, is upon us.
Did you know that if you love His appearing, that is to look forward to it with anticipation and delight that you will receive a special reward? 2 Tim 4: 8 reads this way; (Paul writing) “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day – and not only me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” Why would those who long for the Lord’s appearing receive a crown of righteousness? What does righteousness have to do with anything? Do you remember what Paul reminded us about Abraham? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Rom 4:3). Obviously if we are looking forward to something with anticipation we must believe that it is going to happen. If we believe then, in God’s eyes, we are righteous (in right standing with God). What is it that we are to believe? Let’s look at 1Thes 4:13-18 “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, 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 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 are left will be caught up 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."
That is why I remind you of these things, as an encouragement! If you believe and look forward with anticipation to the return of the Lord and the rapture of the church, you will receive a crown of righteousness that will identify you for all of eternity as one of those who believed and set apart. For those of you who have not yet placed your faith in Jesus Christ and discovered that tens of millions of people have just vanished off the earth, you may still be saved. He who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. The days ahead for you will be terrible as the wrath of God is poured out on an unbelieving and evil world but you can still be saved and go to heaven. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved
(Rom 10:9) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . .” (Jn 1:12) He is coming soon, look up for your redemption draws near. Even so come Lord Jesus!
November 05, 2009
14:25
THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM
» ‎ End Times

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Have you ever wondered about all the work done by the current and previous Presidential Administrations to strike a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians but with no success? Today, with all the noise that Iran in making about destroying Israel and the intractability of the Palestinians to make peace in spite of Israel’s ceding of lands, one is harkened back to the Old Testament, specifically Zech 12:2-3: “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Israel took back Jerusalem and the West Bank and Gaza from Jordan and Egypt after their victory in the 1967 war. Since that time the Arabs have call this the “Israeli Occupation.” Each attempt at peace has resulted in the exchanging of “land for peace” but there is no peace. Israel is very clear on the fact that they will not give up Jerusalem, the capitol of their nation.

During a speech at the United Nations, President Obama used the words “Israeli Occupation.” This is the first time a US President has ever used those words. It appears that he is siding with the Arabs in this conflict over Jerusalem and is reported to have promised Jerusalem to the Palestinians. In short, Obama has thrown Israel under the bus. I firmly believe that the only reason the US has enjoyed such peace and prosperity is because of her support of Israel. As you read then end-times prophecies in Scripture you will find no hint of the US superpower. She is not to be found. The government in power is the One-World government of the Anti-Christ. Our government has turned against Israel and now the protecting hand of God is lifting form us. In a very short time our currency will be worthless because the government has printed more than double the amount of currency previously in circulation. As believers in Christ, we have nothing to fear but we must continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The time is very short.
October 28, 2009
14:13
CAN YOU BELIEVE JESUS?
» ‎ End Times

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The words of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 24, are of crucial importance for us today. He prophesied of events to come in both the near and distant futures at the time He gave them. The first prophecy recorded here has to do with the fate of the Temple in Jerusalem. He said; “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mat 24:2) That prophecy came to pass in 70AD, some 38 years or so after His crucifixion and resurrection. The Roman legions came and destroyed Jerusalem. The Temple which was layered in gold was burned and the stones thrown down so the soldiers could collect the melted gold. Not one stone was left standing upon another. He had much to say in this chapter about what the end times would be like but there is a passage we can look at that is of special interest to us. It of special interest because it speaks of the very last days before the “Great Tribulation” written of in the Book of Revelation and elsewhere. Just as a reminder, the Great Tribulation is that 7 year period of time that the earth is under the domination of the Anti-christ, the false prophet and Satan. It is a time when the people of the earth decide to worship the Anti-christ as god. God then pours out His vengeance upon an unbelieving people. But in this 24th chapter of Matthew, Jesus is describing what those days immediately preceding the Great Tribulation will look like.

Jesus gives the parable of the ‘Fig Tree.” Throughout the Old Testament the fig tree is used as a symbol of Israel just as the Eagle is used as a symbol of the United States or the Bear as a symbol of Russia. The use of symbols in no way diminishes the importance of this prophecy. In fact to attempt to force any other interpretation of this fig tree leads the passage to make no sense. So what did Jesus say? “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Mat 24:32-35) Jesus is telling His listeners and we who are reading His words to learn an important lesson. When we see the fig tree with tender twigs and budding leaves we know that something important is about to happen. It is important to know that Israel had not been a nation since the early years of 500 BC. Babylon had conquered it, placed their puppet government in Jerusalem and then in 587/86 returned and completely obliterated the city, the Temple and took many of the inhabitants away to Babylon. By the time Jesus came Israel had been ruled by the Medes and Persians, Greeks and later Rome. Let’s fast-forward to May 1948. Suddenly, in a single day, Israel is proclaimed by the United Nations to be a nation among the family of nations. This has never happened before in the history of the world that a nation, after military, economic and political defeat, ever became a nation again. Since the time of Israel’s rebirth interest in prophecy has increased. When Israel captured Jerusalem in the 1967 war interest became even more pronounced. Israel, the Fig Tree, is showing tender sprouts and budding leaves. Jesus said that the generation to see these things would not pass away before His return. I was born in 1946. If the generation He spoke of is the 70 or 80 years that most people could expect to live, these are the last days. Look up for your redemption draws near!
October 22, 2009
13:48
WHAT'S NEXT?
» ‎ End Times

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You don’t have to be a prophecy student to be fascinated with the idea of knowing what is to come. I have discovered that Biblical Prophecy is the most reliable for the following reasons. Fully 20% of the Bible was prophetic when written. The events prophesied that have come to pass have been 100% accurate. There is still quite a bit of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. When reading prophecy I try to determine which is figurative language and which is literal. Words such as “like” “as if” are used to precede figurative language to describe something the writer has never seen before nor has no specific language to describe. But my overall approach is to understand that Biblical Prophecy should be understood literally. There are over 300 prophecies concerning the first advent of Jesus Christ. Some of the language was figurative and some literal. But all of the language used forecasted the actual events that Jesus fulfilled in his life. He was literally born of a virgin; literally healed the sick, the blind, the lame and raised the dead; He literally entered Jerusalem (on Palm Sunday) riding on a donkey’s colt; He was literally beaten so badly that he could not be recognized; He literally submitted to crucifixion and death and literally rose from the dead on the third day. He literally fulfilled over 300 prophecies.

What I hope to do in the following entries is to look at prophecy which is yet to be fulfilled against the backdrop of what is happening in our world today. I will be using the words of The Lord Jesus Christ, Daniel, the Apostles John, Paul, Peter and others and I will give references so you can look them up for yourself. There are several goals I have in mind for this project. 1) If you are currently a skeptic of the claims of Jesus Christ that you will be convinced that He is God and He does offer you salvation. 2) To assure the believer in Jesus Christ that you are safely in His hands and has nothing to fear. God is in control and will keep you out of the hour of His wrath. 3) That if you fail to come to faith in Jesus Christ and find yourself in the Great Tribulation that you will resist taking the “Mark of the Beast” and not worship him, even if it means your death. Taking of this mark will result in irrevocable damnation.

First, let’s take a broad overall look at the series of events that will take place in, what I believe, to be the near future. Since this is just a summary, I’ll not give Biblical references here but will do so when we get down to specifics.

Again, this is just a general overview of coming events. The next great event to take place will be the final great world-wide awakening or revival. This will be a time when God moves in a mighty way to bring many millions to faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Next will be the catching away or “rapture” of the Church. The church here means all those people, living and dead, who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sins and salvation of their souls. There is some number of theories about when the rapture will take place but I believe the Bible points to a time prior to the revealing of the Anti-Christ and the Great Tribulation. After the rapture comes the revealing of the Anti-Christ and his “One-World Government” followed by a 7 year peace treaty with Israel. This period is called the Great Tribulation. After 3 ½ years, this treaty will be broken and the entire world will be thrown into warfare unlike anything ever seen before. The Anti-Christ will claim to be God and his False Prophet will initiate the program where everyone is to receive the mark of the beast or the number of his name and worship him as god. Anyone who does this will be forever and irrevocably damned. But a multitude of people will not take his number or worship him. Many of them will be beheaded. Many others will hide out until the end. The end is not the end of the world. The end will be the return of Jesus Christ with His Church to put an end to the final great war, the “War of Armageddon.” Upon Christ’s return to the earth He will take the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet and throw them into the lake of fire. He will cause the devil, Satan, to be bound up for a thousand years. Jesus, Himself, will then set up His throne in Jerusalem and rule over the entire world for a thousand years. This is referred to as “The Millennium.” This will be a time of unparalleled peace and safety. After the thousand years is up, Satan will be released for a short time. He will again foster a rebellion against Jesus which will be put down quickly. After that will be what is called the “Great White Throne Judgment.” At this time all those who refused to place their faith in Jesus Christ will be resurrected and stand before God to be judged. At that time God will exact justice upon them and cast them into hell. This sounds harsh and it is but God is just and merciful and no one will go to hell that has not chosen to do so. About this same time God will cause fire to come upon the whole earth to purify it from the sin of the ages and He will restore both Heaven and Earth. Jesus will continue to rule over mankind for ever from the New Jerusalem which will come down out of Heaven. Satan will be cast into Hell for all time and there will never again be any sin, or war, or death, or pain and suffering for ever and ever. So there you have it; God’s plan for mankind for the next thousand years. Of course this is not an exhaustive or detailed explanation of the End-time events, but it does give you a good idea of the highlights. From here on we will look at specific events alongside specific prophecies.