Hal Lindsey : 9.30.17

 Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com

 

Terrorists struck again in England last week.

 

It's fortunate that these would-be bombers weren't such great bombmakers. The crude bucket bomb was placed on a commuter train, but failed to fully detonate.

 

The explosive flash injured 29 people, but a proper detonation could have killed dozens. ISIS claimed credit.

 

The government raised the national threat level to "Critical." London's streets were flooded with police, fully armed, not just carrying their usual nightsticks.

 

The forced Islamization of Britain has been going on for years. But the real consequences are just beginning to be realized.

 

Five years ago, 12 Pakistanis living in Manchester, England, were convicted of sex trafficking and raping 47 young British girls. All of the girls were white. Some say that's why full justice in the case was delayed so long. Political correctness.

 

But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Last month, a police operation in Newcastle exposed the sexual exploitation of 700 young British women. Like the Manchester case, it turns out that almost all of the perpetrators are British-born Muslims from the Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iraqi, Iranian, and Turkish communities.

 

Some say it's "racist" to identify the religion of the accused. But this isn't about "race," it's about "beliefs" and the consequences of those beliefs.

 

Britain now has a massive problem with "child grooming gangs." "Child grooming" is the process by which an adult wins a child's confidence and slowly turns that young person -- usually a girl -- into a sex slave.

 

Britain today is rife with stories of young girls who have disappeared. Some of them never surface again.

 

Some have gotten away from their captors. They tell stories about how they were used as prostitutes for Muslim men.

 

One told about being abducted at 15. Her abductor regularly raped her and he prostituted her to other men. She had four babies during those years. He sold each of them.

 

Some experts estimate that many thousands of young British girls have fallen victim to these rings. In the city Rotherham, a formal inquiry found that between 1997 and 2013, more than 1,400 young girls were abused and trafficked.

 

And it's happening across Europe, too.

 

But the information is suppressed by politically correct governments and the media. Primarily because almost all of the perpetrators are Muslims.

 

It may be true that the majority of Muslims, especially in the West, do not engage in such practices, but it is consistent with the life and teachings of Mohammed. Beginning with Mohammed, Islam has a historical undercurrent of vile, demonic sexual deviance, including pederasty and slavery.

 

Folks, this is an example of the dangers of political correctness -- with a decision not to speak the truth. Thousands upon thousands of British lives are destroyed by the silence.

 

A greater question now looms: Will we even recognize Britain -- or Europe -- in another five years?

 

Here in America, last week the U.S. State Department issued an announcement. It said that the Trump administration strongly supports the Taylor Force Act.

 

The Taylor Force Act is legislation now working its way through Congress. It is named after a young West Point graduate who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. While visiting Israel with a group of American students, Taylor Force was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist.

 

The terrorist also stabbed ten other persons that night in Tel Aviv before he was shot and killed by Israeli police.

 

Because he died while committing an act of terrorism against infidels, the terrorist was named a "Heroic Martyr" by the Palestinian Authority. His crime was rewarded with a monthly stipend for his family from the PA's "Martyr's Fund."

 

The PA sets aside $350 million each year for its "Martyr's Fund." Much of that comes from U.S. taxpayers.

 

The Taylor Force Act will end U.S. economic aid to the Palestinian Authority until it stops rewarding and encouraging terrorism.

 

While I strongly agree with the moral intentions behind the Taylor Force Act, I am apprehensive that it can actually accomplish its purpose. I'm also aware of the potential risks.

 

It is difficult for me to imagine PA President Mahmoud Abbas actually stopping the funding of terrorists in Israel. As an early leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a recognized terrorist group, terrorism has been his stock-in-trade for many decades.

 

Also, he is hanging on to power in the West Bank by the skin of his teeth. His term of office ran out in 2009, but he has held on to power by constantly postponing Palestinian general elections for one reason or another.

 

His support of terrorism is extremely popular among the Palestinian population. If he were to appear to be bowing to America in that regard, it might doom his leadership. Hamas, another recognized terrorist organization which gets major funding from Iran, would almost certainly step in with payments to those terrorist families. That would make Hamas even more powerful outside of Gaza.

 

The loss of those funds might actually cause the rise of a much greater evil -- Hamas.

 

See what a tangled web of booby-traps this issue is? Many of the Israeli-Palestinian issues, in fact. Folks, this is why we need to pray constantly for our leaders and the leaders of Israel. Only God's wisdom can help them successfully navigate the deadly minefield we call "The Middle East!"

 

In Luke 21:25-26, Jesus prophesied that in the last days there would be signs in the heavens, the seas and the waves would roar, and there would be distress among the nations. He even said that men's hearts would fail from the fear of what was to come.

 

That prophecy will be fulfilled near the end of the Great Tribulation. We know that because in the next verse He notes that, "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:27 NKJV)

 

Though complete fulfillment will come later, this prophecy still relates directly to us today. When Jesus summed it all up, He spoke to the people of our times: "When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Luke 21:28 NKJV)

 

Our redemption is the Rapture of all true believers. Jesus said that when these things BEGIN to happen, we should "look up... because our redemption draws near."

 

Well, folks, these things have certainly begun to happen. Five hurricanes in the last month, a "thousand-year flood," two major earthquakes in Mexico in the last two weeks, the nations of the world in deep distress over North Korea's increasing insanity, terrorism almost a daily occurrence in Europe, weekly rioting and growing hostility in America, an exploding opioid and drug addiction crisis worldwide, and the list goes on. And even with daily positive economic news, people sense that we are never more than one step or one crisis away from a global economic meltdown.

 

It's time to "look up!"

 

Finally, did you ever know someone who was so good that it made you feel bad in comparison?

 

Most of us have had someone in our lives who was so pure and exemplary that we felt a bit uncomfortable in his or her presence. And that discomfort only grows if they know us well.

 

In other words, if the pure person knows some of our impurities, we feel even more miserable just being around them. And it's even worse if our bad behavior somehow causes pain to that exemplary person.

 

But to make things worse, what if they continue to look on us with love and compassion? It's misery to be around a person like that. Their very presence causes us guilt and pain. We almost always manage to put up some kind of barrier between us and them.

 

To a much greater degree, that's the problem between God and man.

 

From the day in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Even disobeyed God's direction and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil -- and discovered they were naked -- humanity has felt naked and ashamed in God's presence.

 

And well we should! We are sinners and God is holy. God is flawless and we are full of flaws.

 

But He keeps on loving us.

 

And in His unfathomable love, He provided a way for us to be received into His pure presence as if we were as perfect as He is. That's why Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NASB)

 

That way is God the Son -- Jesus Christ.

 

He took our gross imperfections upon His perfect self, died in our place, and paid the penalty for each one of our sins, "...that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB)

 

If you are "in Him," you have "become the righteousness of God...." You are perfect in Christ. Therefore, you are acceptable to a pure and holy God! He gives you all of the privileges of Christ's perfect righteousness. You can stand before God in confidence.

 

That is why I call it "The Greatest Miracle!"

 

Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com  or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings.

 

Please continue to pray continually for the victims of the recent hurricanes and flooding, especially in Puerto Rico this week.

 

Also pray for God's mercy and comfort for the terrified and helpless millions who are suffering because of this week's earthquake in Mexico City.

 

Remember, though we may be able to help with physical relief and aid, only God can bring peace, hope, healing, and restoration to those in such distress.  

 

 

September 29th, 2017

In Matthew 24, the Lord's disciples asked Him for signs of the end of the age. He began His answer with these words: "'Take heed that no one deceives you.'" (Matthew 24:3 NKJV)

There is no denying that we live in an age of deception: fake news, false advertising, viral lies, clickbait, and mainstream media propaganda, to name just a few examples. And it gets worse every day.

But Jesus also mentioned other "signs" of the end of the age. He included "rumors of war." The world's stand-off with North Korea may qualify as a "rumor of war" on steroids!

Jesus noted "earthquakes." In the last 30 days, two massive earthquakes have hit Mexico alone! So far, the death toll from last week's is over 300. And they've not even begun to tally the monetary damage! Many places in Mexico City still don't have electricity or constant running water.

In 2 Timothy 3:1, the Apostle Paul says that, "In the last days perilous times will come...." Then he enumerates a list of perils.

But notice that the list does not mention a single natural disaster. No floods, famines, pestilences, or earthquakes. That's because the greatest perils of the last days are the dangers of moral decline.

Look at this list. It is stunning how it mirrors -- with amazing precision -- today's America (even down to the NFL stadiums!): "In the last days perilous times will come, For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:1-5a NKJV)

Is that not a rundown of a single day's headlines on America's news channels?

Jesus also warned of the moral decay near the end of this age. He said it would manifest itself in several ways. He warned of a rise in lawlessness. That doesn't necessarily mean train and bank robberies and raping and pillaging! It also means a general rise in disregard for the laws and order of the nation. Even by its government and business and political leaders!

Speaking specifically of the end times, Jesus said, "Then they will deliver you (His followers) to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name." (Matthew 24:9 NASB)

In its annual report, The First Liberty Institute found a dramatic rise in hostility toward people of faith. The Institute's Jeremy Dys said, "This year's survey represents a 15 percent increase in just the last year. And an alarming 133 percent increase in just the last five years."

But, thank God, not all signs of the times are negative. In Matthew 24:4, still speaking of these days, Jesus said, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations." Jesus is adamant that this will include every part of the earth. He emphasized "the whole world" and "all the nations."

Author Joel Rosenberg notes that, "Amidst the worst persecution in the modern history of the Church, we are seeing the greatest advance of the Gospel and the greatest harvest of souls in the Middle East in the history of the Church."

When both China and the Soviet Union finally opened up to the West, we found far more Christians than anyone thought possible. And there are many reports by other Christian ministries that the Gospel is sweeping the Middle East -- thanks in large part to the internet!

The worldwide preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the major signs that Jesus will return soon.

Most people, Christians included, think of October 31 as Halloween. That's understandable since business and the media begin pounding it home as soon as we say goodbye to Labor Day.

But October 31 is also the day we annually celebrate something far more important and uplifting than Halloween. It's "Reformation Day!" It is the day we celebrate Martin Luther nailing his "95 Theses" to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of that monumental event.

In 1997, LIFE magazine called Martin Luther the third most important figure of the last millennium, behind only Christopher Columbus and Thomas Edison.

Though Luther undeniably had many flaws, at his best, he returned the Word of God to the center of Christian thought. He renewed the Church's understanding of Christ as the author and perfecter of salvation. He brought salvation by grace through faith back into focus. In a very real sense, he reintroduced Christianity to Christ.

Retailers say that Batman will be the most popular costume this Halloween. I'm guessing there won't be very many Martin Luther trick-or-treaters. Maybe it's time to teach our kids about real people who truly changed the world!

Finally, have you ever wondered why conflict always seems to surround the city of Jerusalem?

Napoleon called Jerusalem, "...the hinge of history."

Mohammed said that those who dwell in Jerusalem will be in a constant "state of jihad until Resurrection Day."

Even the Berlitz Pocket Guide to Jerusalem notes that, "This is sacred ground and has had more blood spilled on it for its own sake than any other place in the world."

Jerusalem does not possess the traditional assets of a great city. It is great because it is a spiritual city.

In Isaiah 45:13, God calls it, "My city." In 2 Chronicles 33:4, He said, "My name shall be in Jerusalem forever." (NASB)

To this day, the nations of the world are in turmoil over Jerusalem. Just as the prophets predicted.

As Jason Greenblatt, President Trump's Middle East envoy prepares to return to the region in an attempt to restart the peace process, let's remember to do what the Psalmist admonishes: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." (Psalms 122:6 NASB)

Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Check your local listings.

It saddens me to say goodbye this week to Carolyn Deibel. She has been a faithful part of our production team as our show's script transcriptionist. This will be the first show in seven years that she has not transcribed. But Carolyn is suffering no longer. And I know we'll see her again very soon. Goodbye, Carolyn. Thank you.

God Bless,

Hal Lindsey

 

 

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